Terra Americana

At night the streets of Xiamen are alive with food carts.  You could happily eat your way from end to end. One night a taxi dropped me off at the wrong gate of the University and the happy accident led me to "Snack Street".  By day, a forgotten back alley, at night, overflowing with food vendors and hungry students.  That is where I came across this recipe.  Absolutely delicious, it is a simple, filling and surprisingly light dish that Xiamen claims as it's own.

3 tbsp Sesame Oil
1/2 pack of Rice Vermicelli/Bee Hoon, soaked in luke warm water to soften them first
1/4 lb chicken, cut into thin strips
1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 scallions, sliced
1 bunch of greens, chopped (can be cabbage, spinach, mustard greens, you name it)
1 small carrot, chopped in small pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp Fish Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
A dash of White Pepper

Heat up the wok until it starts smoking. Pour in the oil and wait for it to be fully heated. Add in the chopped garlic and quickly stir a few times, then follow by chicken strips, shrimp, greens, and carrots. Stir and mix the ingredients well with the garlic until you smell the aroma from the ingredients. Add the vermicelli, fish sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar and scallions. Stir fry vigorously over high heat. Just when the vermicelli starts to burn, add in a dash of white pepper powder, stir for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

More pasta pairings;

• Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes

• Mostaccioli, a refreshing twist on Pasta Salad

• Portugese Clams and Linguica - with pasta

• Bow Ties with Grilled Chicken

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Photo Credit:  Julie Cecchini