Tuesday is food day on this blog but it doesn’t always have to be a posted recipe. It’s about food in general. Good food that is.
Sometimes we just want to share something we’ve tried recently that we found to be outstanding. Which brings me to your not typical run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia – Peaceful Restaurant. In a sea of Chinese restaurants this is quite the claim. While I’m at it, it must be noted that Vancouver has some of the finest Chinese restaurants in the world and, word on the street (according to my Chinese friends) is that they’re even better than a lot of the ones in China.
Okay, to be fair when Superstar Food Network Restaurateur Guy Fieri says something is hot you’ve got to at least check it out.
While I can’t vouch for everything on the menu, here are two extra special dishes. One is ordinarily served in every single Chinese restaurant and the other is a bit more unusual. I’m talking about Peaceful’s Special House Fried Rice & Beef Rolls.
You come to expect the same old, same old house fried rice. Not here. This one is extra flavourful and comes fully loaded. I don’t know which part of the world you live in, but if you make it over this way please try this *house fried rice. The beef roll ups, on the other hand are unusually unique and super tasty. The pastry is crepe like and flaky while the meat has the texture of pulled pork with an exotic mixture of hoisin, green onion and something a little spicy. It is simply put, delicious. No other words to describe it, you have to experience it.
They have three locations:
532 W Broadway #110, 2394 W 4th Ave in Kitsilano and 43 E 5th Avenue in Mount Pleasant.
*the only thing I don’t like is the baby shrimp but you can pick them out or maybe ask them to omit them entirely from your order (if you don’t eat shrimp).
Peppered Chicken & Steamed Halibut with Ginger serves four
Very seldom, if ever do we make Chinese food at home because…1) we think it’s too much work and 2) it’s easier to go to a Chinese restaurant for the assortment. Yes, you will get more selection from going out but you can experiment with a couple of delicious recipes at home that will be on par with any fine Chinese restaurant. Aside from these two main dishes, you can add sides like fried rice and an easy broccoli (gai lan) with oyster sauce to round out the menu for variety. The rice and vegetables for peppered chicken can be made in advance & easily re-heated.
steamed halibut
Steamed Halibut with Ginger (fresh & lovely Asian dish)
Ingredients:
1 lb. halibut fillet – 1 tsp. coarse kosher or sea salt
Pat halibut dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of fillet with salt. Scatter the ginger over the top of the fish and place onto heatproof ceramic dish.
Place into a bamboo steamer (widely available in Chinatown) set over several inches of gently boiling water, and cover. Gently steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
Pour accumulated water out of the dish and sprinkle the fillet with green onion. Pour both soy sauces over the surface of the fish.
Heat peanut oil and sesame oils in a small skillet over medium-high heat until they begin to smoke. When the oil is hot, carefully pour on top of the halibut fillet. The very hot oil will cause the green onions and water on top of the fish to pop and spatter all over – be careful. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.
Peppered Chicken
pepper chicken
Ingredients:
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup soup stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 hot pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup onion, diced
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2-3 green peppers, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 sweet red peppers, diced
1 lb. uncooked chicken meat, cut into ½ or 1 inch pieces
Marinate the chicken meat with 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. soy sauce for ½ hour. Fry in peanut or sesame oil until brown and tender. *Saute all vegetables with remaining ingredients and stir constantly. Combine meat and vegetables. Serve hot. *If vegetables were made in advance, just reheat with the chicken meat.
Gai Lan/Oyster Sauce
For the Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli) with oyster sauce – parboil 2 lbs. fresh gai lan (or you can even use broccolini) in boiling water for 3 minutes with a pinch of salt. For sauce: 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. sherry wine vinegar, 4 Tbsp. oyster sauce, 1 finely minced slice of ginger.
Heat saucepan with oil, sauté broccoli for about 2 minutes, remove and pour sauce ingredients over top with ½ tsp. cornstarch which will thicken it like gravy. Pour a few drops of sesame oil over the broccoli and serve hot.
fried rice
Fried rice is easy. Make or use leftover cold rice (it can be plain, jasmine or basmati) and fry in peanut oil with two beaten eggs, cut-up green onion, fresh or frozen cut green beans, mushrooms, peas and a bit of soy sauce, Chinese five spice (optional) & salt to taste. Garnish with green onion. You can also add shrimp, diced chicken meat or crab. *Make sure to pour slowly the beaten eggs with a bit of salt over the rice so that they will coat it but not settle in lumps.
Have you tried making Chinese food? It’s a lot easier than you think.
While I’m at it, it must be noted that Vancouver has some of the finest Chinese restaurants in the world and, word on the street (according to my Chinese friends) is that they’re even better than a lot of the ones in China.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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