Every Perspective Matters & Winging it, Asian Style

Nikoli’s Kitchen

Hello everyone and welcome back to a brand new episode of Nikoli's Kitchen! This week, I talk about a dish I prepared two ways, inspired to make something stir-fry or maybe lo mein-adjacent. I talk about where I feel each succeeded and failed.

Up top in positivity, I talk about the passing of TinFoil Chef, a content creator and Minecrafter that I was a big fan of, and that turns into a discussion about every perspective mattering so much. Thank you so much for listening!

Featured Recipe for this Episode

Original Version

2 lbs chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
Salt
Pepper
Ginger
Olive oil

1 c white wine
2 green bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
2 onions, sliced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c hoisin sauce
1/2 c black bean sauce
1/2 c dark soy sauce
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c rice wine
3 T lemon juice

7.7 oz package of brown rice noodles
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Scallions for garnish

Season your chicken with the salt, pepper, and ginger.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet at mid-high.
Working in batches, sear your chicken on all sides, being careful not to crowd the pan.
Remove chicken to a plate to rest.
Deglaze your pan with the white wine, scraping up all the browned bits.
Add your peppers and onions and reduce the heat to mid-low.
Add a sprinkle of salt to help sweat them out.
Cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced and your peppers and onions are nicely caramelized and sauteed.

While your onions and peppers are sauteing, prepare your rice noodles according to package directions until they are al dente (for mine, I boiled water and then poured it over the noodles and let them steep for 3-4 minutes).
Strain and set aside.

Return heat to mid and add your garlic. Let it cook for a minute, stirring so it doesn't burn.
Add your hoisin sauce, black bean sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, and lemon juice to the pan and stir until well-combined.
Let this simmer for a few minutes to bring everything together and until the sauce begins to thicken.
Return your chicken to the skillet, stirring to combine.
Add your noodles to the skillet, stirring to combine until everything is well-coated and well-distributed.
Add a few drops of sesame oil if desired.
Serve garnished with scallions and sesame seeds if desired.

Second Version

Marinade:

1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c olive oil
2 T garlic, minced
2 T fresh ginger, sliced
1 t fresh lemongrass
Juice of 1 lime
1.5 lbs ribeye steak, sliced thinly

Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Marinated steak

1 c white wine
2 T fresh ginger, sliced
1 t fresh lemongrass
2 green bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
2 onions, sliced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c fresh pineapple, diced
1 T gochujang
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 c hoisin sauce
1/2 c dark soy sauce
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c rice wine

7.7 oz package of brown rice noodles
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Scallions for garnish

Prepare your marinade by combining the soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and lime juice in a large bowl or resealable bag.
Add your ribeye and marinate for 8 hours or up to overnight (don't exceed 24 hours).

Remove your ribeye from the marinade and shake off any excess bits.
Place on a paper towel-lined tray or plate to remove excess moisture. Discard the remaining marinade.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet at mid-high.
Working in batches, sear your steak on all sides, being careful not to crowd the pan.
Remove your steak to a plate to rest.
Deglaze your pan with the white wine, scraping up all the browned bits.
Add your peppers, onions, ginger, and lemongrass. Reduce the heat to mid-low.
Add a sprinkle of salt to help sweat them out.
Cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced and your peppers and onions are nicely caramelized and sauteed.
Discard the lemongrass and ginger.

While your onions and peppers are sauteing, prepare your rice noodles according to package directions until they are al dente (for mine, I boiled water and then poured it over the noodles and let them steep for 3-4 minutes).
Strain and set aside.

Return heat to mid and add your garlic. Let it cook for a minute, stirring so it doesn't burn.
Add your hoisin sauce, pineapple, gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, and lime juice to the pan and stir until well-combined.
Let this simmer for a few minutes to bring everything together and until the sauce begins to thicken.
Return your steak to the skillet, stirring to combine.
Add your noodles to the skillet, stirring to combine until everything is well-coated and well-distributed.
Add a few drops of sesame oil if desired.
Serve garnished with scallions and sesame seeds if desired.

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Guest Appearances

I was honored to sit down with Ashlee of the Rabbit Ears TV Podcast again to talk about all things Big Little Lies! Check it out at https://www.netflixnswill.com/rabbitears/2021/8/31/big-little-lies.

I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Em of Verbal Diorama to talk about Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy and we had a blast. Please tune in at https://www.verbaldiorama.com/episode/anchorman-the-legend-of-ron-burgundy!

I let out a massive ROAR with my boys on Epic Film Guys as we sat down to dissect/destroy Jurassic World: Dominion! https://epicfilmguys.podbean.com/e/efg-classic-jurassic-world-dominion-review/.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Brendan of Unchefed to talk about food, mental health, and life. Check out this great conversation at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-love-food-nicholas-haskins-from-nikolis-kitchen/id1578898329?i=1000568984881!

Credits

Intro "Midnight in Carmel" by Wendy Marcini. Licensed from Epidemic Sound. Check out her amazing music at https://open.spotify.com/artist/4CaTfk4pRkpA8A9gXamYg2.

Outro "The Climb" from Music for Makers. Sign up and get a royalty-free song delivered to your inbox every Monday at www.musicformakers.com!

Other music in this episode licensed from Epidemic Sound. Learn more and sign up for a free trial with access to thousands of songs at https://www.epidemicsound.com/.

Track Listing:

"Sommarpsalm" by Artist Unknown.
"Cry" by Johannes Bornlöf.
"Felt Like November," and "Contemplation" by Magnus Ludvigsson.
"Amazing Grace (Piano Version)" by Edward Hall.
"Midnight Swing" by Jules Gaia.