Chinese Stir-Fry

Posted on September 15, 2016 by claudiadelfina

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Chinese Stir-Fry by Norma Garza
Story and Photos by Claudia D. Cardona

When deciding what dish to prepare and eat, Norma Garza, assistant to the director of alumni events, felt adventurous. Garza typically bakes desserts or makes Tex-Mex dishes, but today she remembered a recipe she saw for a Chinese stir-fry.

Cooking has always been a task that Garza enjoys because of her love for detail-oriented tasks and planning.

“I love trying out new recipes. It’s like a new adventure every time,” she says.

Garza wanted to make something not too hard, but also not straight from a box. She does not cook too often for herself at home, but prefers to when she expects company.

At family gatherings, everyone looks forward to what Garza has prepared. For all of her nieces and nephews, she bakes their favorite type of cake for their birthday. Although she mainly bakes, she also enjoys cooking because it reminds her of her childhood.

“I started cooking with my mom at a young age so I could start learning how to make her dishes,” Garza says. “That’s how all of our recipes got passed down.”

Garza says that the stir-fry is fairly simple and fast to make. A stir-fry is perfect dish for those who want a quick dish. The hardest part is cutting up the two cloves, so Garza advises to put the one whole clove into the dish.

This was the first time that Garza had made the dish, but it turned out successfully. After preparing the dish, Garza also added soy sauce to the stir-fry to add a little flavor.

“I always have to have some sort of spice or flavor,” Garza says. “Or else it just tastes to bland to me.”

Her final product was served alongside brown rice, which gave the perfect finish to a Sunday night dish.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups MINUTE Brown Rice, uncooked
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in strips
  • 1 medium Onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
  • 1/4 cup KIKKOMAN Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 cup KIKKOMAN Stir-Fry Sauce

Direction
Prepare rice according to package directions. Heat oil in non-stick large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry 5 to 7 minutes or until no longer pink. Add onion, broccoli, ginger and garlic to skillet; stir-fry 3 minutes longer. Combine reserved juice, stir-fry sauce, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to skillet. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add pineapple. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve over brown rice.

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Arroz Con Leche

Posted on November 5, 2015 by claudiadelfina

Arroz Con Leche by Norma Garza
Video and Production by Claudia D. Cardona

Norma Garza, the long time Assistant in the Alumni Relations Office, perfects one of her favorite dishes from her childhood. Not only is she an long time assistant, but she her love for cooking and baking has been with her since adolescence. The recipe she uses is simple and quick, but also requires patience and vigilance.

Ingredients

  • 7 cups water
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup golden raisins
  • Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Directions

First put the water, rice, and cinnamon stick in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium-high heat.

Then bring to a boil, uncovered, and cook until the rice is soft for about 20 minutes. Strain out the liquid, discard the cinnamon, and reserve the rice.

Return the rice to the saucepan and stir in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered until the mixture is thick, for about 20 minutes.

Then add in the raisins and stir well. Finally, transfer the pudding to a serving bowl and dust the top of the pudding with ground cinnamon.

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