榨菜肉絲很簡單

OK.  加興, 這是你念念不忘的榨菜肉絲做法.

Ingredients:
1.  超市買四川榨菜.  It's usually packed in shrinking package.  
If you can't find it, ask the staff to get you one.  Quantity you need now is about 1/2 of your fist.  Wash it to rid of the juice that covered it.  Slice it and soak it in water for a while.  Usually I will squeeze it and change the water twice.  Because it was preserved in salt, the purpose of doing this is to wash down the high sodium (salt) in it so when we cook it, we can manage the taste of it.

2.  Pork or chicken breast.  It's also about the amount of the 四川榨菜.  Slice it and if you have chicken, rub in a little bit starch will make the chicken tender.  You can use starch on pork, too.  But don't put too much starch to make it sticky.

3.  Bamboo shoots.  I use the frozen 綠竹筍 packed in plastic bag.  If you can't find it, you can find it in cans.  But it's better to use 綠竹筍, not 麻竹筍.  You need about one or two.  The bamboo shoots will increase the chewing sensation.  If you can't find it, you can skip this.  Slice it as well.

4.  Celantro.  3 or 4 stems.  Chop to small pieces.  (Any size is fine).  This is also optional item.  To me, celantro will add more flavor to this dish.

Process:
1.  Turn on the heat, Pour some oil , Wait a minute, Extend your palm to test the temperature.  (Remember?  TPWE).  
2.  Stir the meat first.  Separate each slice by moving quickly with your cooking slice.  Since you put in a little starch in it, don't let it stick together.  
3.  Add in the 榨菜, stir it and then add in the bamboo shoots.  Add a couple of tablespoons of water (or more) to cook it.  Add a little bit sugar, cooking wine to season it.  If it's too light, add a little bit salt.  
4.  Add the celantro.  Mix it in and you are done.  
5.  If you have 油蔥酥, you can add a teaspoon before you add salt.  油蔥酥 is salty and you might need to add less salt with it.

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This dish can go with rice or noodle.

To make 榨菜肉絲麵:
1.  You boil one pot of water to cook the noodles.  I hope you already know how to cook noodles.

2.  On another pot, open one can of chicken broth.  Add some water to dilute it.  When it's boiling, turn the heat down to medium, add 1/4 teaspoon of soy sauce to color the soup.  And a little sugar.  Then,  put in the veggie you washed earlier that was cut to 2-inch long.  When it boils,  it is done. 

Add a little bit  油蔥酥 (optional).  The chicken broth is salty already,  so make sure you don't eat too salty when combine all the above stuff.

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Variation of 榨菜肉絲:

A.  炒豆乾  
 
1.  Decrease 榨菜to 1/4 of your fist.  榨菜here is not the main flavor any more.
2.  Slice your 豆乾to any shape you want.
3.  1/2 fist of meat, sliced.
4.  Bamboo shoots, sliced, optional.
5.  1/2 teaspoon bean paste, if you have it.

Process:
1.  TPWE.  Stir fry meat until turn color, take it out.
2.  Add a little bit oil, put in bean paste, don't burn it or it will taste bitter, quickly add in 榨菜, bamboo shoots, add 2 tablespoon water  to let it cook.  Then add the meat.  Adjust the taste (cooking wine, sugar, salt, etc.) then the celantro.  Done.

You can eliminate 榨菜 totally for this dish. 

B.  榨菜肉絲湯

1.  pork 切成片狀, 不要切細條.  加點地瓜粉混合.
2.  一小包粉絲用水沖洗過.
3.  雞湯一罐.
4.  榨菜約1/3fist size, clean and soaked in water to get rid of the salt.

Process:
1.  Add water to the chicken broth and boil.  
2.  put it 榨菜.  When the soup boil, drop in the meat one slice at a time to avoid it stick together.
3.  Dump in the 粉絲.  It is cooked when it turns clear.  You can try to see if it's cooked.  While cooking the粉絲, you can adjust the salt, sugar.  Then, it's done.