Missing China and some provincial fusion

Soundtrack: Al Green "Let's Stay Together"

Hullo all!

I went for dinner last night with a friend after an afternoon of thrift shopping. We checked out the amazing Whippoorwill Restaurant and Tavern at Bloor and Lansdowne. It was my first time there and the food was fantastic! The staff couldn't have been nicer, and I know we'll be back there soon.

Earlier in the day, I'd been combing Chinatown in an unsuccessful mission for a jar preserved ya cai, which is a sort of Chinese mustard green pickle that comes all ready to go (I've found it before so fear not). I use them for Sichuanese Dan Dan noodles, plus there are a host of other dishes you can use them for. I've been re-reading "Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper" - Fuchsia Dunlop's incredible autobiography about her time living in China lately, and that has had me missing China and wanting to make old favourites from her phenominal cookbook "Land of Plenty" which is a staple reference in my kitchen.

Well last night, I got to chatting with Tyler Cunningham - who is the chef at Whippoorwill - as he and his sous Adam were trying to come up with some future menu items. I started reminicing about my days in China and all the amazing food (including Over-the-Bridge Noodles, which I have yet to attempt but want to desperately in future).

So long story short, I'm home sick from work today but even so, a girl's gotta eat. I wanted something easy, not hugely involved. I remembered that I bought a new sauce in Chinatown, had some leftover white rice in the fridge, and had roasted off some Sichuan peppercorns before I left the apartment yesterday. So I now bring you my own lazy twist on my beloved Dan Dan Noodles, incorporating a fermented black bean chili sauce from Guizhou province, and Sichuan peppercorns:

Michelle's Chinese Provincial Fusion Fried Rice

1 tsp chopped ginger (I cheated and used jarred ginger. Hey, I'm sick. Don't judge me)
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (toasted in a dry pan, cooled and ground to powder)
2 tbsp Guizhou Black Bean Chili Sauce

5 oz ground pork
1 1/2 - 2 cups baby spinach (I tore it into smaller bits but you can chop it if you like)
3/4 - 1 cup cooked long grain white rice (I love basmati, but use any good quality rice you like)

Saute ginger, peppercorn powder, and chili bean sauce for about a minute in a med-high pan or wok so the ginger cooks. Add in the pork and cook until it is no longer pink.

Toss in the spinach and cook until slightly wilted. Add the rice and cook until rice is warmed through, the spinach is cooked and everything is incorporated. Season with salt if need be, though I didn't need any as the fermented black bean sauce has some saltiness to it.

Yields 2 smaller portions or one huge portion.

This one turned out amazingly well and I would love to make it again. I might add some shitake mushrooms or some bok choi as well as the spinach next time just to add some more nutrition. Enjoy!