How to Microwave and Eat a Meal from a Chinese Take-Out Box

 Pork Recipes, Side Dishes, What's Cooking?  No Responses »
Jan 252015
 

Now, I’ve been eating Chinese take-out since I was a little girl. In fact, whenever I order pork fried rice, it brings me back to the early 1960’s, where I found the best ever pork fried rice at the Salisbury Beach amusement park in Salisbury, Massachusetts. It has been my mission to find a pork fried rice that can compare to that little Chinese take-out stand at Salisbury Beach. I haven’t found one, yet, but I have come close.

Chinese Food StandNot the one from my childhood, but still brings back happy memories

In the early 60s, we spent a few Summer vacations at Salisbury Beach. It was in a small coastal town named Salisbury, Massachusetts, just south of the New Hampshire border. It had one of the best Amusement Parks, second to my favorite, Paragon Park in Nantasket Beach, MA. My favorite attraction of all at Salisbury Beach was the Scrambler. The operator would let me ride it as many times as I wanted without having to buy a ticket; I could ride that thing all day.

Salisbury Beach Fun-A-RamaSalisbury Beach Fun-A-Rama
The Scrambler RideThe Scrambler Ride
Salisbury Beach FunlandSalisbury Beach Funland

At the time, my mother was working at the Kon Tiki Lounge in Salisbury Beach. They used to have some of the best celebrities come to visit and perform. I’ll never forget the time my mom let us in to see Bobby Vinton sing Roses are Red. That was so cool!

Anyway, I digress big time! I started to post about the cool trick I learned to do with a Chinese Take-Out Box with the metal handle. You know the one I mean, right? This trick has probably been around for generations, but I just found out about it recently. Every now and then, I would prefer to just pop the container into the microwave, but because of the metal handle, it can’t be microwaved. I was afraid that if I tried to remove the handle, the whole thing would fall apart. So, I would have to find a plate or bowl, scoop out the contents of the container onto a plate, which is just one more plate to clean.

One day, it might have been on Facebook, I saw a post about how to convert the take-out box into a microwavable plate. When the handle is removed and the box opened, it flattens out into a heavy duty paper plate! Unbelievable!

Chinese Take-Out Box with HandleChinese Take-Out Box with Handle
Opening a Chinese Take-Out BoxOpening a Chinese Take-out Box
Unhook handle from box flapUnhook handle from the box flaps
Chinese Take-Out Box PlateVoila! Instant microwavable plate!
Chinese Take-Out Box Plate

Check out my recipe for Pork Fried Rice – Click Here

Pork Fried Rice

 Pork Recipes, Side Dishes, What's Cooking?  No Responses »
May 282014
 

Pork fried riceI usually make this when I have an extra pork chop, but it would also be good with chicken, beef or shrimp.  You can also add whatever vegetables you choose, such as broccoli, shredded carrots, or peppers. I usually only add small peas. The combined flavors from the garlic, green onions, ginger, and the addition of sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce, makes it oh, so good!

Ingredients:

3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
1 pork chop, cooked or uncooked, and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1-1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger (I use a fine grater)
3-4 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts)
A handful of frozen peas or sugar snap peas (or both)
1/4 cup diced frozen or cooked carrots – optional (I sometimes use canned peas and carrots)
1-1/2 cups cold cooked brown or white rice (I use either Minute Rice or long grain white rice)
2 eggs, scrambled
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

Directions:

In a wok or large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sesame oil.

If uncooked, add pork and cook 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium, heat up a little more vegetable oil, add onion and saute for about five minutes, until translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Cook about 1 minute.

grated garlic and ginger
I store my ginger in the freezer and grate as needed

Mix in rice and turn heat to medium-high. Let the rice get crispy, about 2 minutes. Add peas and carrots, and stir.

Mix in rice and peas

Mix in rice, stir until crispy, add peas and carrots, and stir

Move rice to the side and add eggs, scrambling them and working into the rice mixture as you go. You might need to add a little more oil.

Add eggs to rice

Move rice to the side and add eggs

Stir eggs into rice rice

Stir eggs into rice

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooked pork. Toss together and serve.

Add soy sauce

Add soy sauce

Add rice vinegar

Add rice vinegar

Chopped pork

Add cooked pork

Pork fried rice

Pork Fried Rice

Printable recipe without images:

Pork Fried Rice

Ingredients:

3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
1 pork chop, cooked or uncooked, and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1-1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger (I use a fine grater)
3-4 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts)
A handful of frozen peas or sugar snap peas (or both)
1/4 cup diced frozen or cooked carrots – optional (I sometimes use canned peas and carrots)
1-1/2 cups cold cooked brown or white rice (I use either Minute Rice or long grain white rice)
2 eggs, scrambled
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

Directions:

In a wok or large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sesame oil.

If uncooked, add pork and cook 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium, heat up a little more vegetable oil, add onion and saute for about five minutes, until translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Cook about 1 minute.

Mix in rice and turn heat to medium-high. Let the rice get crispy, about 2 minutes. Add peas and carrots, and stir.

Move rice to the side and add eggs, scrambling them and working into the rice mixture as you go. You might need to add a little more oil.

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooked pork. Toss together and serve.