Category: Vocabulary

HOT DRY NOODLES (RE GAN MIAN, 热干面)

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Vocabulary –

soy sauce (noun) – a sauce made with fermented soybeans

al dente (adjective) – cooked so as to be still firm when bitten.

“…ensure they remain chewy and al dente.”

chop (verb) – cut (something) into pieces with a knife

toss (verb) – throw (something) somewhere lightly, easily, or casually

drain (verb) – cause the water in (something) to run out, leaving it empty, dry, or drier.

WHAT IS RE GAN MIAN, OR HOT DRY NOODLES?

“Re, 热” means hot, “Gan，干” means dry, and “Mian, 面” means noodles. Re Gan Mian, or “Hot Dry Noodles” are a top breakfast choice in Hubei Province. 

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

HOT DRY NOODLES (RE GAN MIAN, 热干面): THE RECIPE

Start by preparing the sauce. Add 3 tablespoons sesame paste to a bowl, and gradually stir in 2 tablespoons sesame oil to smooth out the paste. Then add 1 ½ teaspoons of dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, and stir until well combined. If the sauce is still too thick, add in a few drops of warm water to thin it out. Add salt to taste and set aside. You can prepare this sauce ahead of time.

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

Boil a pot of water to cook the noodles as per package instructions, undercooking it by 1 minute to ensure they remain chewy and al dente. Drain. Shake off any excess liquid from the noodles, and put them in a large bowl.

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

Toss the noodles with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil to prevent noodles from sticking together. Add in the preserved mustard stems (zha cai), pickled long beans, garlic, chili oil, cilantro, scallions, Chinese black vinegar, and tahini sauce.

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com
Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

Quickly toss the noodles together and serve hot.  

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Start by preparing the sauce. Add 3 tablespoons sesame paste to a bowl, and gradually stir in 2 tablespoons sesame oil to smooth out the paste.
  2. Then add 1 ½ teaspoons dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or 4 ½ teaspoons of master sauce, if you have it). Add 1 teaspoon sugar, and stir until well combined. If the sauce is still too thick, add in a few drops of warm water or more master sauce to thin it out. Add salt to taste and set aside. You can prepare this sauce ahead of time.
  3. Boil a pot of water to cook the noodle as per package instructions, undercooking it by 1 minute to ensure they remain chewy and al dente. Drain. Shake off any excess liquid from the noodles, and put them in a large bowl.
  4. Toss the noodles with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil to prevent noodles from sticking together. Add in the preserved radish, pickled long beans, garlic, chili oil, cilantro, scallions, vinegar, and tahini sauce. Quickly toss the noodles together and serve hot.

Source – https://thewoksoflife.com/hot-dry-noodles-re-gan-mian/

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Chimpanzees Use Medicinal Plants

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Vocabulary –

Medicine –  something used for the treatment or prevention of disease

Uganda – a country in East Africa

fern – a flowerless plant with feathery or leafy fronds 

antibacterial – substances that kill bacteria or prevent them from growing

consume – eat, drink, or ingest

Read the Article –

Humans have used plants as medicine since prehistory. Scientists have now found that chimpanzees use plants to heal themselves. Researchers conducted a study of chimpanzee behavior in a forest in Uganda. The researchers observed a male chimp with an injured hand looking for a fern. The fern may have reduced the swelling in its hand. Another chimp with an infection ate the bark of a tree. This may have helped to cure the animal.

The researchers say there is a correlation between the chimpanzees’ ills and the healing properties in plants. The researchers tested the plants the chimpanzees ate. They found that 88 percent of them had antibacterial properties. A researcher said: “Results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees consume several [plants] with potent medicinal properties.” She said the research may lead to a greater use of medicinal plants in our lives.

Phrase Match –

Source – https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2406/240624-medicinal-plants-4.html

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Learning English in NYC

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Did you know that there is something you can do to make you feel immediately more connected to your new home in New York City?

Did you know that this can also help you learn knew American English phrases and vocabulary- and it’s as simple as riding the train?

One more question:

How often do you look around at the billboards and advertisements in while you commute (1) around the city?

Learning to understand the way Americans speak and think is just as easy as looking at an advertisement (ad).

For example, the ad below for a food delivery service says, “New Yorkers aren’t angry, we’re just hangry“.

Hangry is a new casual English word that describes the feeling of being angry because you’re hungry!

Just by looking at this ad you’ve learned a word that you would not learn from school.

Look below!

Do you recognize the train ad?

It is a popular slogan (2) in NYC that says, “If you see something, say something!”

This phrase simply means, that if you see something strange or dangerous on the train or anywhere in the city, you can call the number 888-NYC-safe to tell someone who can help you.

In the above example, we can learn new words, new ways of speech, and new information that can keep us safe!

Not only can you learn, popular words and phrases, but you can also learn valuable information about NYC and the resources it offers!

In the picture below, you’ll see an ad for NYC’s public college system- CUNY!

If you’ve ever dreamed of going to college, you can learn more information about how to go to college without spending a lot of money from this ad.

And if you didn’t already know the vocabulary, you’ll learn the words, apply, degrees, and debt.

How can you use ads to study on-the-go?

  1. Go to the Google Translate app on your phone.
  2. Choose your language.
  3. Use the camera in the app to scan the ad- it will translate into whatever language you chose.
  4. Translate the words and read the ad!

It’s as simple as that!

Next time you’re walking around your neighborhood or traveling between work and home, look at the ads around you!

You will learn new words, find things that can help you, and most importantly, you’ll feel a part of New York!

Vocabulary:

  1. Commute– (v) to travel regularly by bus, train, car, etc. between your place of work and your home
  2. Slogan– (n) a word or phrase used by a party, a group, or a business to attract attention.

Sources:

  1. Google Image search
  2. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english
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It’s Fall in New York City!

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Autumn, also known as Fall to many Americans, is one of the best times to be in New York City!

We all know the seasons, so let’s learn a new word,

“Foliage”.

Fall Foliage to be specific!

The noun “foliage” (pronounced: Fole-EE-edge) means – plant leaves collectively.

So when you imagine “fall foliage”, you may imagine the photo below:

Luckily for us, this beautiful scene is right here in New York City!

Whether you’re a plant lover, or not, checking out the fall foliage around NYC can be a fun free activity for the whole family. (or a romantic retreat!)

Take a look at these 5 fall foliage spots to check out in New York City!

  1. Fort Tyron Park in Washington Heights!
    Fort Washington Ave at Cabrini Blvd

    2. Prospect Park in Brooklyn

    Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238

    3. Central Park, Manhattan

    Central Park Lake, Near 74th street and Central Park West

    4. Alley Pond Park, Queens

    Union Tpke, Oakland Gardens, NY 11364

    5. Greenbelt Nature Center, Staten Island

    700 Rockland Ave, Staten Island, NY 10314

    My favorites are Central Park and Alley Pond Park!
    If you have been to one the parks above, let us know in the comments!

    Happy Fall!


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    Summertime Blues

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    Here’s a classic old song for you about summertime with some good examples of informal English in it. Here is a key to some of these words along with the song’s lyrics:

    raise a fuss, raise a holler = cause trouble, yell loudly, make noise

    gonna = going to

    “No dice” = “No chance,” “It’s useless”

    ain’t = isn’t, aren’t

    gotta = got to, have to, must

    ’cause = because

    “You didn’t work a lick” = “You didn’t do any work”

    “Summertime Blues”

    by Eddie Cochran

    Well I’m a gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler
    About working all summer just to try and earn a dollar
    Every time I call my baby to try to get a date
    My boss says, “No dice, son, you gotta work late.”
    Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
    But there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues

    Well, my mom and papa told me, “Son, you gotta make some money
    If you want to use the car to go riding next Sunday”
    Well, I didn’t go to work, told the boss I was sick
    “Now you can’t use the car ’cause you didn’t work a lick”
    Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
    ‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues

    I’m gonna take two weeks, gonna have a fun vacation
    I’m gonna take my problem to the United Nations
    Well, I called my Congressman and he said quote
    “I’d like to help you son, but you’re too young to vote”
    Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
    But there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues

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