GOING BOWLING.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

You might call it the super bowl of convenience foods - a one-dish meal, packaged in a disposable bowl that's popular with both kids and adults. The bowl food frenzy is on - and sweeping the country.

With names like Spicy Peanut Chicken, Bean & Beef Salsa Verde, Chicken Fajita, Chicken Teriyaki, Roasted Red Pepper Chicken, Parmesan Shrimp Penne, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Turkey Divan and Tomato Parmesan Penne, bowls are designed to appeal to a broad range of tastes.

``I think the trend totally speaks to consumer needs for something very convenient, very flavorful and nutritious,'' says Alice Nathanson, spokeswoman for Uncle Ben's Inc., Los Angeles, a company that offers five kinds of frozen bowls in 30 different flavors. And Americans are embracing it.

A bowl is a convenient format. According to a survey by Uncle Ben's, more than half of consumers eat main courses from a bowl several times a week or more with rice, noodle and pasta bowls the favorite choices.

``Bowl food is comfort food,'' write Lynne Aronson and Elizabeth Simon in their cookbook, ``BowlFood Cookbook: 200 Exciting, Eclectic Recipes to Spoon, Slurp, Twirl & Dip'' (Workman Publishing; $12.95 paperback). ``Food served in bowls is unintimidating and homey, inviting and ready to be consumed. Bowls are eater-friendly.''

At Big Bowl restaurants - focused on Asian food - you'll find about 90 percent of the menu, or more than 35 entree selections, served in large entree bowls with curved and flat edges. The chain first opened in 1995 in Chicago, and Bruce Cost, partner in Big Bowl restaurants and the former owner of San Francisco's defunct Monsoon restaurant, says Big Bowl food is the combination of the flavors and creations he has loved, cooked and promoted for three decades.

Now customers are slurping tons of Chinese egg noddles, Shanghai wheat noodles, rice noodles and stir-fries - and best-selling items like Chicken Pad Thai, Kung Pao Chicken With Peanuts, and Burmese Shrimp and Chicken Curry - at seven Big Bowl locations (five in the Chicago area, one in Minneapolis, one in Virginia; and soon in Dallas, Denver and beyond).

The food is popular, Cost believes, because it is made mostly from scratch (including stocks and curry pastes), uses good-quality ingredients (including those from the country of origin), is fresh and casual - and offers good value (most items are $9.95 or less).

People like the wide variety of flavors and the new flavor sensations, adds Tim Smith, director of corporate communications at Brinker International, Dallas (which recently purchased all of Big Bowl from Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You). ``The dishes are all Asian, but not in the classic sense.'' Rather, there are all sorts of different Asian food influences and combinations in them - and they are different.

On a recent visit to a Big Bowl in Chicago, the food was terrific. Big, somewhat flat bowls of wonderful, creations came to the table piping hot. Ordering was difficult with an overwhelming number of wonderful- sounding offerings. In the noodle category, for instance, choices ranged from big rice noodles (chow fun), Chinese egg noodles and Shanghai noodles to pad Thai, noodles in broth - and in an array of combinations with chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, vegetables, tofu and more.

Bowl food in restaurants is also hip in New York. When cookbook author and chef Aronson opened a cafe next to her Manhattan restaurant, Lola, she called it Lola Bowla. It features creations based on Asian and Mediterranean cuisines in bowls of all sorts.

Some of the restaurant's recipes can be found among the 200 recipes in her cookbook - ranging from soups and hearty bowls to salads, sides and sweet bowls. Although we found some of the recipes off-putting with long ingredient lists and extra recipes required to complete, many of the combinations sounded intriguing.

Big Bowl food can be re-created at home with recipes from Cost's cookbook, ``Big Bowl Noodles and Rice: Fresh Asian Cooking From the Renowned Restaurant,'' written with Matt McMillin, executive chef/Big Bowl partner (HarperCollins; $25). ``Big Bowl food is food that translates easily to the home kitchen,'' notes Cost, an expert on Asian food and also author of ``Asian Ingredients.''

The ``Big Bowl'' book features 125 creations - adapted from the menu along with restaurant specials - all tested under consumer-style conditions. Recipes range from steaming noodle dishes to fragrant stir-fries and fiery curries - and are based on market-fresh ingredients and vibrant and traditional flavors from various Asian cuisines including home-style Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese.

THAI CHICKEN NOODLES WITH GARLIC AND PEANUTS

The essence of Thai flavor is in this simple noodle dish that is almost like a fragrant, flavorful, warm noodle salad. In fact, this can be cooled to room temperature and served as such.

Water

6 ounces fresh OR dried Chinese egg noodles

Peanut oil 

3 tablespoons fish sauce 

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

6 ounces boneless chicken breast, julienned

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

2 teaspoons cornstarch 

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

2 tablespoons julienned, seeded fresh red chiles OR bell peppers

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup 1-inch green onion pieces

2 tablespoons julienned ginger

6 garlic cloves, smashed

12 Thai basil leaves, julienned

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 cup roasted peanuts, lightly chopped

Bring a large amount of water to boiling and cook Chinese noodles as you would any pasta, around 5 minutes or until done. Drain, run under cold water to stop cooking, drain again, and toss with 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.

Mix fish sauce, lime juice and sugar; set aside. Mix chicken with salt, cornstarch and sesame oil; refrigerate until ready to cook.

In a wok or skillet, heat 1 cup peanut oil. When hot but not smoking, add chicken shreds and cook, stirring to separate shreds. Just when chicken changes color, remove and drain in a colander. Reserve oil.

Heat a clean wok or skillet. When very hot, add 4 tablespoons reserved oil. When hot, add chiles, red onion and green onions and stir briefly over high heat to coat with oil. Add ginger and garlic and continue to stir. Add fish sauce mixture and, when it starts to a boil, add noodles and toss until well heated. Stir in basil and cilantro; toss. Sprinkle in 1/2 of peanuts and immediately transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle rest of peanuts on top. Makes 2 main dish servings.

From ``Big Bowl Noodles and Rice,'' by Bruce Cost with chef Matt McMillin, HarperCollins.

SHANGHAI NOODLES WITH SMOKED CHICKEN

Water

6 ounces fresh Shanghai noodles

1 teaspoon plus a few drops sesame oil

1/4 cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons oyster sauce 

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine OR dry sherry

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1/2 cup fresh shiitake OR other mushrooms

5 ounces sliced smoked chicken with skin (about 1 cup)

2 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths

1 tablespoon sliced fresh red chile (OR red bell pepper)

4 ounces bok choy, sliced

1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Bring a large quantity of unsalted water to boiling and cook noodles as you would any pasta, about 5 minutes. Drain, run under cold water, drain again and toss with a teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside.

Mix together stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and rice wine; set aside.

Heat a wok or skillet over high heat and add peanut oil. Add mushrooms and cook until they began to soften. Add chicken and saute another 30 seconds. Add green onions, chile and bok choy, and continue to cook, stirring 30 seconds.

Add noodles and cook, stirring, until thoroughly hot. Add stock mixture and cook, stirring, until sauce is mostly reduced (add more stock if necessary). Toss in bean sprouts and remove from heat. Serve sprinkled with few drops sesame oil and black pepper. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

From ``Big Bowl Noodles and Rice,'' by Bruce Cost with chef Matt McMillin, HarperCollins.

``BLAZING'' BIG RICE NOODLES WITH BEEF

5 ounces flank steak, thinly sliced

2 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil plus a few drops for sprinkling

1/2 cup chicken broth 

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

About 1 cup peanut OR vegetable oil

14 ounces fresh ``big rice noodles,'' sliced into 3/4-inch widths

8 slices jalapeno peppers

1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese salted black beans

2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic

3 tablespoons thinly sliced strips red bell OR fresh chile pepper

3 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths

5 ounces baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise 

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Freshly ground black pepper

Mix beef with 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil; set aside.

Mix 1/4 cup broth, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce and sugar; set aside.

Heat about 1 cup oil in a wok or skillet and when oil is hot but not smoking, add beef and cook, stirring until meat starts to change color (it should still be pink). Remove with a slotted spoon to drain. Remove oil from pan and reserve.

Heat a wok or skillet to hot and add 4 tablespoons reserved oil; swirl oil around pan. When oil is hot, add noodles, spread out over bottom of pan, and let cook 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Flip and cook another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Push noodles aside, and add jalapenos, black beans, ginger and garlic. Stir briefly, and then toss with noodles. When mixture is fragrant, add red pepper, green onion lengths and bok choy; continue to toss. Add oyster sauce mixture and toss to coat. Add beef and stir briefly. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth and continue to stir and cook until most of liquid is gone. Remove to a plate and serve sprinkled with green onion slices, a few drops sesame oil and black pepper. Makes 2 servings.

From ``Big Bowl Noodles and Rice,'' by Bruce Cost with chef Matt McMillin, HarperCollins.

SHRIMP AND CHICKEN CHOW FUN

Chow Fun loosely means ``pan-fried noodles.'' But as a staple of Chinese snack shops and noodle houses, it refers specifically to a slithery broad noodle, usually made of rice flour. It has a wok-scorched flavor that people love. This version calls for the fresh wide rice noodles we call ``big rice noodles'' at Big Bowl, here combined with shrimp and chicken breast.

15 ounces fresh Chow Fun rice noodles OR 1 (7-ounce) package 1/2-inch wide dried rice noodles

Water

4 ounces boneless chicken breast, sliced

3 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise

1/2 cup unseasoned chicken stock

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine OR dry sherry

1 cup peanut oil

12 to 15 snow peas or sugar snap peas, stringed 

1/4 cup julienned fresh red chile peppers

1/4 cup julienned green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths

2 teaspoons Chinese salted black beans, very lightly mashed

1 teaspoon fresh garlic

1 tablespoon fresh ginger

Freshly ground black pepper for garnish

If using dried noodles, put in a mixing bowl, cover with hot water and let stand until softened. When ready, drain and set aside.

Put chicken breast in small bowl and mix with 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and salt. Add shrimp to bowl and mix in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water; keep handy.

Combine 2 tablespoons chicken stock with oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar and wine; set aside.

In a wok or skillet heat 1 cup oil until hot. When oil is hot but not smoking, add chicken and shrimp; cook, stirring to separate pieces. When pieces change color, remove to a colander to drain and reserve oil.

Heat a wok or skillet to very hot, add 4 tablespoons reserved oil; swirl around pan. When it's hot, add noodles, spread out over bottom of pan and cook 4 minutes or so, until lightly browned. Flip and cook another 2 minutes.

Add snow peas, chiles and green onions and cook, stirring, over high heat 1 to 2 minutes. Add black beans, garlic and ginger and stir briefly. Add chicken stock-oyster sauce mixture and cook over high heat until sauce is piping hot.

Continue to cook, stirring, over high heat and add shrimp and chicken. Stir briefly and add remaining chicken stock. When it's boiling, give reserved cornstarch and water mixture a quick stir and add it. Cook, tossing, until noodles are well coated with sauce and shiny. Stir and remove to a serving plate. Serve garnished with black pepper and a few drops of sesame oil. Makes 2 entree servings.

From ``Big Bowl Noodles and Rice,'' by Bruce Cost with chef Matt McMillin, HarperCollins.

SHANGHAI NOODLES

Considered street food in southern regions of China, this kind of noodle preparation is a quick, satisfying, savory yet sweet vegetable meal in a bowl. The soft, flat rice noodles capture the essence of the soy, sherry and lime juice.

Japanese eggplants (6 to 8 ounces EACH)

Water

8 ounces flat dried rice noodles

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon chile paste

1 tablespoon nam pla (Asian fish sauce)

2 cups thinly sliced Savoy cabbage

1/2 cup fresh green peas, blanched OR frozen, thawed

5 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place whole eggplants on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven until soft, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and boil just until soft, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse under cool running water, drain again, and set aside.

Combine soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, chile paste and nam pla in a small bowl and, with a wire whisk, beat until blended and sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Remove eggplants from oven. When they are cool enough to handle, roughly chop, leaving skin on but discarding ends.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until hot and add soy sauce mixture. Add rice noodles and toss to coat thoroughly. Add chopped eggplant, cabbage, peas and green onions and toss well, 1 to 3 minutes Remove from heat and toss with lime juice and salt and pepper. Serve in individual bowls. Makes 4 entree servings.From ``BowlFood Cookbook,'' by Lynne Aronson & Elizabeth Simon, Workman Publishing.

You've got the whole meal in your hands

Plates and casseroles are out - bowls are in.

Just stroll the frozen food aisle in your local supermarket, and you'll spot bowl foods with brand names like Uncle Ben's, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Jose Ole, Weight Watchers and King's Hawaiian. In fact, the bowls, which were first introduced in 1998, are so popular with consumers that manufacturers have been continually expanding the flavor choices and types.

Bowls are succeeding because they ``represent the most contemporary tastes and flavors of what people are eating today (such as Thai Peanut Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Chicken),'' says Joe Ennes, vice president marketing, Healthy Choice, which introduced Healthy Choice Bowls in 1998. In addition, the bowl shape and container itself is a more contemporary vehicle (than a plate) that lends itself to moving around. ``It doesn't feel like a TV dinner.''

Frozen entrees had one of the strongest growths of any segment in the supermarket freezer section last year, according to Information Resources Inc., a data company tracking retail food sales. More specifically, the frozen bowls were up 44 percent on a dollar basis during the same period. Uncle Ben's did a total of $134 million in frozen bowl sales alone in 2000, according to IRI.

``Uncle Ben's bowls have been very successful,'' says Alice Nathanson, a spokeswoman for the company, adding that ``Uncle Ben's Rice Bowls were No. 6 on the recently released list of the Top 10-selling new products in the consumer packaged goods industry for 1999-2000 by IRI.''

Shelf-stable Betty Crocker Bowl Appetit, introduced in seven flavors last June, is the latest bowl product to join the ranks. These bowls, aimed at the lunch bunch, are found in the packaged foods section of supermarkets. Unlike their frozen counterparts, they are prepared simply by adding water and cooking in the microwave around five minutes.

``Bowls are powerful,'' says Kari Paulson, assistant marketing manager, Betty Crocker Bowl Appetit, ``because they are so convenient, portable and are so easy in terms of cleanup. Use the bowl and throw it out.''

Sales of Bowl Appetit are going like gangbusters, continues Paulson, adding that ``since the product was launched, the portable meals category has grown more than 20 percent (from June through January).''

While most frozen bowls are simply heat-and-eat (taking about five to seven minutes in the microwave), beware that those from Marie Callender's and some from Healthy Choice contain separate sauce pouches that consumers are directed to microwave separately from the bowl in a perforated holder built into the carton. The separate pouch allows you to control the amount you put on the food.

However, we found the separate sauce idea a nuisance (the total microwave time was longer than others sampled) - and rather messy.

Package sizes and costs vary as do calorie, fat and sodium contents, so be sure to check the labels. Some bowls are high in sodium while others have a large number of calories. Uncle Ben's bowls are 98 percent fat free with calories ranging from approximately 300 to 400 each, but many contain large amounts of sodium.

Healthy Choice Bowls are positioned for people trying to eat healthy (not diet food) and calories range from 200 to 300 each - with not more than 3 percent fat and 600 or fewer milligrams sodium.

ConAgra has just introduced Kid Cuisine Fun-Time Bowls in the Kid Cuisine line in five flavors designed to appeal to children, but it's unclear if and when they'll make it to Southern California markets.

- Natalie Haughton

CAPTION(S):

6 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Bowl Food

Trendy meal-in-a-dish concept sweeps the country

(2 -- color) Thai Chicken Noodles is a popular dish at Big Bowl.

From ``Big Bowl Noodles and Rice'' HarperCollins

(3 -- color) no caption (Assortment of different bowls)

(4 -- color) no caption (bowls with food)

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(5 -- color) no caption (``Bowl Food Cookbook'')

(6) no caption (``Big Bowl Noodles and Rice'')

Box: You've got the whole meal in your hands (see text)