Cardi B knows good food when she tastes it! Though the “Bodak Yellow” rapper has a well-documented penchant for Chipotle, she’s also a frequent customer at Philippe – an upscale traditional Chinese restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper East Side led by executive chef Philippe Chow.
In fact, Cardi held a business meeting at Philippe on Friday, August 31, seven days before her high-profile Fashion Week fight with Nicki Minaj, and dined on a lunch of the eatery’s signature chicken satay, Beijing chicken, salt and pepper lobster, and green prawns.
“Cardi B is not only a loyal customer who has come to Philippe at least 20 times, but I consider her a friend,” Chow tells Us Weekly exclusively. And not only is Philippe one of Cardi’s favorite restaurants, but the green prawns is her most-loved dish.
“Whenever she comes to the restaurant she always makes a point to say hello, and that gives me the cue to go straight into my kitchen and start preparing some green prawns, her favorite dish,” Chow adds. “Another thing that stands out about her is that she never leaves the restaurant without saying goodnight.”
Though the Cardi B-approved meal requires the use of a wok and the ability to stir fry ingredients, neither skill is particularly difficult to learn. “Add a little oil — sesame oil is good because it burns quickly — and then use a kitchen towel to rub in the oil over the entire wok, giving it a darkened, blackened effect,” Chow tells Us of how to properly use the kitchen essential. “Once your wok is seasoned, don’t use a metal scour or iron wool on it, as you will take off the seasoning.”
As for stir-frying tips, Chow advises home cooks to prepare all of the ingredients in advance in an effort to make the cooking process easier, and use an oil with a high smoking point, such as peanut oil or vegetable oil. “Preheat the wok until the oil is smoking, then keep an eye on the temperature so it’s hot enough to sear food and cook quickly but not burning,” he continues, noting the aromatics should be added to the pan first, followed by the protein, vegetables, and a sprinkling of water.
Check out the recipe below and get ready to eat like Cardi B!
Philippe Chow’s Green Prawns
Makes 2-4 Servings
INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2 pound spinach
• 1 pound extra-large shrimp, deveined and butterflied
• 1 tsp tempura powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp flour
• 6 oz chicken soup
• 1/3 red bell pepper
• 3 oz carrots
• 3 oz water chestnuts
• 3 oz mushrooms
• 3 oz cashews
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Blend fresh spinach in food processor or blender.
- Combine shrimp, spinach puree and tempura powder in a bowl; mix well and let the shrimp soak.
- Add 1/2 cup vegetable oil into a wok that is heated medium-high heat. Add shrimp and quickly stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Then add salt and flour with chicken soup, as well as peppers, carrots, water chestnuts and mushrooms. Stir fry quickly to retain that crisp bite.
- Garnish with cashews.
