crisp & chewy chow mein

a tasty bowl

My in-laws were visiting this weekend and they brought a giant turkey breast which needed to be cooked on saturday (expiry date!) - I had planned on making a roast with potatoes because they are a meat and potatoes kind of family.  I guess I could have done turkey and potatoes...but I decided that since it was Taiwanese New Year I'd make them something asian-y and hope for the best:)  They enjoyed it (my father in law picked out the green parts of the boy choy but ate up the rest, that's pretty good for him...I mean this is the guy who ordered a coke at a tea house on top of a famous taiwanese mountain) - so I thought for sure this one is blog worthy.

what you need:

serves 4-6

• 2 turkey breasts
• marinade:
• 2 tbsp chili soy paste (if you don't have this, just use soy sauce and some hot sauce)
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (again, if you don't have this, sub with soy sauce)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• ~250 g of dried chow mein noodles (found in the international aisle)
• 1 large carrot
• 1/2 cucumber
• two big handfuls of bean sprouts
• 4 stalks of large bok choy
• canola oil for cooking
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• freshly ground black pepper
• red chilies *optional - I didn't use any this time! but if you like a spicy kick go ahead and use them when you are sautéing the veggies
• 3 green onions
• 1 large handful of cilantro

what to do:

1.  Rinse turkey breasts and pat dry with paper towel.  Place in a large bowl.  Combine marinade ingredients and pour over turkey.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to 12 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Place turkey breast on baking dish (with all the marinade as well) and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on how thick the meat is (you know it's done when you cut the thickest part and juices run clear) - if there is skin on it, broil on high for the last 1-2 minutes to crisp it up.  Remove and allow turkey to rest under aluminum foil for 20 minutes.
3. While the turkey is baking, prepare carrots, bok choy, and cucumber by thoroughly washing and cutting into match stick size pieces.  Rinse bean sprouts.  Chop up green onions and cilantro for garnish.  Continue with step 4 when the turkey is done and out of the oven.
4. Bring a large pot of water to boil to cook the noodles.  Cook noodles according to it's package, usually 3 minutes or so in salted boiling water.  Drain, do not rinse.
5. In a large nonstick pan, heat up 1 tbsp cooking oil on medium.  Put noodles onto hot pan and allow it to crisp up on one side, toss/flip with tongs, and allow it to crisp up a bit more (about 5-10 minutes).  

   

   noodles crisping up

   Use a spoon to scoop up juices from the turkey pan and drizzle over noodles.
6. Transfer crisped noodles onto a serving platter and in the same nonstick pan, heat up 1 tsp each cooking oil and sesame oil and pour the rest of the turkey pan drippings into the pan.  Sauté carrots and white parts of the bok choy until tender, then add the green bok choy parts and bean sprouts.  Sauté for another minute then turn off the heat.  Add cucumbers and toss all veggies with a little more soy sauce if needed.  Season with freshly ground pepper, and place on top of noodles.
7. Thinly slice turkey (about 1/4") on an angle and lay on top of vegetables.  Garnish with cilantro and onions.  Serve hot and enjoy!

a healthy platter of turkey over veggies over noodles