Easy Teriyaki Chicken

I liked this recipe because the teriyaki sauce only has three pantry ingredients: soy sauce, honey, and ginger.

Easy Teriyaki Chicken
from Chow

3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger (from about a 1-1/2-inch piece), grated on the small holes of a box grater
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced

Bring the soy sauce and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until the honey has completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, stir to combine, remove from the heat, and set aside.

If using chicken breasts, place them on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or a frying pan to gently pound them to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut each in half so you have 4 pieces roughly the same size. (If using chicken thighs, no need to pound or cut.) Season both sides of the chicken with pepper.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without disturbing until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until browned, about 3 minutes more.

Reduce the heat to medium, slowly pour in the reserved sauce, and cook, flipping the chicken occasionally to coat in the sauce, until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the chicken from the pan, letting the excess sauce drip off, to a clean cutting board. Reduce the sauce in the pan over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes more. Slice the chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on a serving dish, top with the sauce, and sprinkle with the scallions.

Asian Bowl with Kimchi

I LOVED this dish. I have tried several dishes similar, but this one was by far the best. The kimchi makes it shine.

Asian Bowl with Kimchi
adapted from Nourish the Roots

2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked black beans
1 large clove of garlic
1 small piece (about 1 inch) fresh ginger
2 carrots
small bunch of kale
olive oil
avocado, diced
kimchi
black sesame seeds for garnish
splash of rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, tamari or soy sauce
one sheet of nori seaweed, cut or torn into small strips

1. Distribute cooked rice and beans between two bowls. Set aside.

2. Chop the garlic. Peel and chop the fresh ginger. Set aside. Julienne the carrots (or shred/grate them). De-stem the kale and chop into thin ribbons. Set aside.

3. In a large frying pan, add some olive oil, chopped garlic, and ginger. On medium low heat, warm the garlic and ginger until it just begins to be fragrant. Add the carrots and kale and a pinch of salt. Stir continuously just until the kale begins to wilt. Remove from the heat.

4. Add a splash of rice vinegar, more salt, and a little bit of toasted sesame oil, and some tamari (or soy sauce), to the greens. Season to taste. Arrange the greens in the bowls with the rice and beans. Top with kimchi, nori, and diced avocado. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Chicken, Bell Pepper, and Kale Stir Fry

A good stir fry is hard to beat. I wish I could just throw something together, but when I do, it's never very good. So when I make an amazing stir fry recipe, I have to keep it around. This one was so tasty. The kale cooks down enough that my husband didn't mind it.

Chicken, Bell Pepper, and Kale Stir Fry
adapted from I Food Real
serves 4

3 bell peppers, medium (any color), thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced in rounds
5 cups kale, roughly chopped
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, medium, crushed
2 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Splash of water
Sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish (optional)

Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp hot pepper flakes, crushed

2 cups cooked brown rice

Preheat wok or large skillet on medium high and add 1 tbsp sesame seed oil. Add 1/3 of crushed garlic and 1/2 of grated ginger. Stir fry for 10 seconds. Add chicken and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally; draining the liquid. Remove from wok and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tbsp of sesame seed oil, 2/3 of crushed garlic and 1/2 of grated ginger. Stir fry for 10 seconds. Add kale, bell peppers, carrots and water. Cover and cook until vegetables are crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk with a fork all ingredients and set aside.

Add the sauce to the wok. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately with sesame seeds and green onions over half cup rice per serving.

Nori Wraps with Tempeh

I've been feeling a bit uninspired recently about food. Lately there's not much in my kitchen that is screaming "make me." But while my pantry is plenty stocked with grains, flours, pastas, lentils, legumes, etc., my refrigerator has been pretty devoid of fresh vegetables or fruits. I'm pretty picky about grocery store produce (in season and mostly organic is what I prefer), so I've relied more on canned (tomatoes) or frozen, which is very boring.

Our local farmer's market opened up this weekend, and I found a reason to cook again. Only a few vendors had vegetables as our growing season starts later here in Vermont, but I found plenty to keep me happy for a few days. My CSA starts in a few weeks, and seeing how much I am looking forward to it helps me realize how I have actually changed my diet and tastes in a fundamental way. Slowly, I really have come to love vegetables instead of forcing myself to eat them because I know I should. I so hope my daughter can grow up in a place where vegetables are the center of our diet. I used to start my meal planning focused on meat, but now I really do start with the vegetables. I have more confidence and skills now that I can go shopping for vegetables, and then plan a way to use it, instead of the opposite order. So when I bought the following items at the market this weekend, I knew I'd have no problem using it up, even though I didn't specifically have a plan.

Green lettuce, spinach, turnips, green onions, and radishes:

I came home from the market and made some nori wraps using the radishes and green onions, and some carrots, cucumber, barley, and tempeh I already had. I've been making these often lately, and always crave them. They are very versatile - choose any grain, vegetables, and herbs. I've had several delicious combinations and never been disappointed.

Tempeh is my choice of protein for these wraps. Tempeh is a fermented soy product like tofu, but I prefer it to tofu (and I don't mind tofu). Firmer in texture than tofu, tempeh has a chew to it. It's sold right next to tofu in my grocery store, is very affordable, and keeps a long time.

Nori Wraps with Tempeh

Serves one

1/2 package of tempeh
soy sauce, tamari, soy-free aminos, etc.
olive oil
2 nori sheets (usually sold for wrapping sushi)
1/2 c. cooked grain (any kind of rice, barley, quinoa)
julienned vegetables (carrot, red bell pepper, cucumber, green onion, radish)
fresh herbs (cilantro, chives)

Slice the tempeh into 1/4 inch-thick slices. Lay the slices flat in a shallow dish. Drizzle soy sauce and a little olive oil on top. Toss to coat.

Heat a skillet (cast iron recommended) over medium heat. Add the tempeh in a single layer. Cook for a few minutes, and when golden brown, flip over. Cook the other side until golden brown. Remove tempeh to a cutting board and when cool, slice in half to create a skinny slice. (the more rod-like the tempeh and vegetables, the tighter the wrap can be)

Lay out a piece of nori on a flat surface. On one end, add half the grain, tempeh, vegetables, and fresh herbs. If desired, drizzle with a little soy sauce. Roll, starting with the filled end, wrapping as tightly as you can. When rolled, seal the nori to itself with some drops of water. (Alternately, you can try the hand roll style - see this website for instructions).  Serve with some fruit for an amazing, refreshing meal.

Spring Rolls with Tofu and Mushrooms

Another find from my kitchen cleanout is a package of spring roll wrappers. On 101 Cookbooks, there was recent post for Wintery Spring Rolls. I love spring rolls, but am not quite creative enough to come up with my own fillings. Of course anything created by Heidi Swanson is always bursting with flavor, and this recipe was no exception. The ginger onion paste is genius, and the brown sugar mushrooms were a highlight.

Spring Rolls with Tofu and Mushrooms
slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ginger Onion Paste:
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 red spring onions, finely sliced (or equiv. red onion / shallots)
3 tablespoons grated, peeled ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Brown Sugar Tofu and Mushrooms:
12 ounces extra firm tofu
3 medium cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 teaspoons natural cane sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tablespoons sunflower oil

8 ounces mushrooms, brushed clean, sliced 1/4-inch thick

For spring roll assembly:
Ginger Onion Paste (above)
Brown Sugar Tofu and Mushrooms (above)
crisp, crunchy lettuce (baby gems / romaine)
1 small bunch fresh cilantro or other herbs, well washed / dried
about 1 dozen rice paper wrappers

Make the ginger onion paste: Place the onions and ginger in a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle with the salt, and pound until the onions are quite bruised, but not paste-like. Heat the oil in a small saucepan until hot (hot enough that you could saute something in it). Add the onion mixture to the oil, remove from heat, and transfer to a jar to cool. Drain off any extra oil and reserve for another use.

Make the tofu and mushrooms: Cut the tofu into six equal slabs and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed plate. Place the garlic in a mortar and pestle, sprinkle with the salt and sugar, and pound into a paste. Work the oil in, a bit at a time, until the ingredients are completely combined. Use your hands to slather and gently coat each piece of tofu, be quite thorough. Set aside, and leave the bowl dirty.

Cook the tofu in a single layer in a large skillet over medium-high heat until deeply golden on each side. Remove from the pan, and when cool enough to handle, slice into pencil-thick pieces, and salt to taste.

In the meantime, toss the mushrooms gently (but well), in the residual marinade left in the tofu bowl. Once the tofu is done, you can use the same tofu skillet to cook the mushrooms. Use high heat, and cook until the mushrooms release their water and take on a nice, dark color. Transfer to a bowl or platter, and season appropriately.

Assemble the spring rolls: In bowl of hot water, dip each rice paper wrapper for just 3 seconds. Resist over-soaking, even if the paper is a bit stiff it will continue to absorb water as you assemble the wrap. Place on a flat work surface and fold in half. Keep all ingredients crowded into 1/3 of the available surface of the wrapper at this point, not too close to the straight-edge of the semi-circle.

Put down a generous smear of ginger onion paste. Then a lettuce leaf, tofu, a few mushrooms, cilantro. Then, tuck and roll. This method creates an open-sided roll, but you can also make burrito-style rolls.

Makes about a dozen rolls.

Teriyaki Chicken

Last post was General Tso's chicken, and now it's teriyaki chicken. I love Asian food, in all its varieties. There are probably a million recipes for teriyaki chicken, and a lot probably aren't very good, though I can't speak from experience. I was impressed with this marinade - very easy and yummy.

Hoisin sauce is a sweet, prepared sauce found in the Asian section of the grocery store. Buy some and use the leftovers in General Tso's chicken. Sriracha hot sauce is also an Asian product, but you could substitute other hot sauce in this recipe.

Teriyaki Chicken
adapted from The Fresh Fridge

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders or 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Prepare marinade by mixing all ingredients. Pound chicken thighs, if using, with a mallet to thin them out a little and tenderize them. Place prepared marinade and chicken into a ziploc bag and refrigerate a few hours up to overnight. Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat and cook chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through.

General Tso's Chicken

Why are all the best Chinese dishes fried? Everything about this recipe is very tasty.

General Tso’s Chicken
adapted from Appetite for China

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 peanut or vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying
8 dried whole red chilis, or substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, for garnish
Scallions, green parts thinly sliced, for garnish

Marinade:
1 tablespoons soy sauce
2 egg whites

Sauce:
1/4 cup chicken stock, or substitute water
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce and egg whites. Coat the chicken to the marinade mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set the sauce aside.

3. In a large bowl or deep plate, toss the 1 1/2 cups cornstarch with the salt and pepper. Coat the marinated chicken in the cornstarch and shake off any excess before frying.

4. Heat 3 cups of peanut or vegetable oil in your wok until it registers 350°F on an instant-read oil thermometer. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add the first batch of chicken cubes and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

5. Drain the oil into a heatproof container and save for discarding. Wipe the wok with a paper towel to remove any brown bits, but don’t wash.

6. Reheat the wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add another 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the base and sides. Add the dried chilis and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.

7. Return the chicken to the wok and stir well to coat with sauce. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Garnish with white sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with white rice and vegetables.

Sichuan Green Beans

If prepared with enough flavor, green beans aren't so bad (see this salad). This recipe is bursting with flavor with the ground meat taking backstage to the green beans.

I've tried this several times and am convinced any ground meat will work. The flavor from the sauce even makes ground turkey taste fine.

Sichuan Green Beans
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, stem ends snapped off and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 - 1/2 pound ground meat (any combo of pork, beef, or turkey)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
sambal oelek (optional)

Stir together all the ingredients from the soy sauce to dry mustard. Set aside.

In a wok or large skillet, heat oil over high heat until just smoking. Add the green beans and stir-fry for a few minutes until they are crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes. Stir frequently until there is some charring on the beans. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-high and add ground meat to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes or until no pink remains in the meat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about half a minute. Add beans then the sauce and stir until the latter has thickened, just a few seconds. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the scallions and sesame oil. Serve with a small dollop of sambal oelek over hot rice.

Stir-Fried Vegetables

There's a new vendor at the farmer's market who sells beautiful mushrooms. He even sells kits so people can grow their own (no manure involved). He explained the process - it's fascinating, though too complex for me to try and recount.

After having bought shiitake mushrooms without any specific plans, I had to come up with one. I found a recipe for a vegetable dish that got me inspired to do this simple preparation for mixed vegetables: stir-fry them with a simple flavoring of garlic and ginger. I am in love! The first time I used shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, red bell pepper, and onions. The second time (pictured): shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, snap peas, swiss chard, and onions. The mushrooms had a nice, meaty texture contrast to the other vegetables.

Stir-Fried Vegetables

olive oil
garlic clove, minced
fresh ginger, grated
onions, diced
choice of vegetables: broccoli, thinly sliced carrots, shredded bok choy or cabbage, red bell pepper, mushrooms, sugar or snow peas, etc.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. After the oil is hot, add one garlic clove, minced and 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger. Saute for 1 minute. Add chopped vegetables (1 head broccoli, cut into florets; 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces, 2 Tbsp. onion, diced, and 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms) to skillet. Stir-fry (which means actively stir the vegetables while they cook) for 3 minutes. Then cover the skillet and cook for 3 more minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt.

For a more substantial meal, add diced tofu with the vegetables. Serve with a splash of soy sauce over rice.

Two handy tools to make this a snap: garlic press and microplane zester.

Hot and Sour Soup

I love this classic Chinese soup. It is very flavorful and healthy. The pork can be omitted for a vegetarian version.

Hot and Sour Soup
adapted from Suzie the Foodie

4 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 green onions, sliced into inch-long pieces
1/2-inch piece of ginger, sliced into thin discs
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
4. oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems only (reserve caps for later)

2 tablespoons canola oil
pork tenderloin, sliced thin (optional)
4 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, caps only, sliced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 cup canned, sliced bamboo shoots
1-2 tsp. red chile paste, such as sambal oelek or Sriracha hot sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
pinch sugar
1/2 block of extra firm tofu, drained and sliced in 1/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Chopped green onions and cilantro leaves, for garnish

Make the broth: To 4 1/2 cups chicken stock in a large pot, add green onions, ginger discs, smashed garlic, and shiitake mushroom stems. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about an hour. Pour broth through a mesh sieve to remove the vegetables. Set aside.

To a Dutch oven add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Heat on medium high and add pork. Stir fry for a few minutes until pork is cooked through. Remove pork from pot and set aside. Wipe pot clean. Add another tablespoon of canola oil to the Dutch oven, and over medium heat add shiitake caps. Cook until they are soft and glossy. Add the grated ginger and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for one minute. Then add the broth.

In a separate bowl combine chile paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, white pepper and a pinch of sugar. Add to the Dutch oven and stir. Bring soup to a boil and then let it simmer for 7 minutes. Add the cubes of tofu and cook a few more minutes. Add the cornstarch-water mixture to the soup and stir until thickened. Add pork to soup, and allow to re-heat.

Stir the soup while slowly drizzling in the lightly beaten egg to the hot broth to create wisps of egg. Taste and adjust seasonings by adding more salt, white pepper, or chile paste. Serve garnished with green onions and cilantro.

Kimchi

My husband's family introduced me to kimchi. If I remember correctly, my first taste was okay. But each time I ate it I found myself enjoying it even more. What is kimchi anyway? While there are variations, it's basically fermented, chili-spiced cabbage. I made cultured (fermented) salsa last summer, which uses a similar preparation process as kimchi, so I knew the process would work. When properly fermented, the kimchi (or salsa) has liquid that fizzes.

Why make your own kimchi? While kimchi is available for purchase at even regular grocery stores, homemade kimchi is much fresher. I've opened some store-bought jars of kimchi that were pretty questionable and tasted a little off. Also, kimchi is pretty easy, it just takes patience.

Last week I finally made a trip out to a mega-grocery store that specializes in international foods. It really is an amazing place...I spent a very long time there and will be going back much sooner than I did last time. Actually, it was very rewarding to see food I recognize after this past year of spending a lot of time studying food and recipes.

The recipe calls for coarse Korean chili powder, but I didn't write that detail down on my shopping list. While at the store, I found both coarse and fine powder, and ended up getting fine. Below is a photo of the pepper paste (left) and powder (right) to help you find some, as the English print was very small.

One last note: next time I will add daikon radish.

UPDATE: Both my husband and I agreed this kimchi was off, and it was due to the Korean chili pepper paste (gochujang), which has added sugar.  I have made this several more times omitting the paste and liked it much better.  I have modified the recipe.

Kimchi
from David Lebovitz

1 large Napa cabbage (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons coarse salt (do not use fine table salt)

1/3 cup white rice vinegar
1 tablespoon very-finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons coarse Korean chili powder (gokchu garu)
1/2 tablespoon very-finely minced fresh ginger
4 scallions, sliced in 2-inch (5cm) batons, including the green part
1 cup julienned daikon radish (optional)


1. Remove the tough outer leaves of the cabbage and slice it lengthwise in half. Remove the core.

2. Cut the cabbage into 2-inch pieces. Toss the cabbage with the salt in a large bowl, then transfer it to a non-reactive colander. Set a plate on top then weigh it down with something heavy for 24 hours.

3. Mix together the vinegar, garlic, chili powder, and ginger in a large, non-reactive bowl. The original recipe says to let this stand overnight as well, but I didn’t.

4. Add the cabbage in handfuls to the marinade, taking small bunches at the time and squeezing them of any excess water before adding them to the marinade. Mix the cabbage with the marinade, adding the scallions and daikon radish as well.

5. Pack into a jar, cover tightly, and let stand at room temperature 48 hours, then chill for 4 days before serving.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I've probably tried 5 different recipes for lettuce wraps over the years. All were okay, but none were repeatable. I've finally found a keeper! The vegetables and seasoning for the meat mixture is just right. The original recipe called for ground chicken, but I used ground pork instead.

Asian Lettuce Wraps
adapted from Our Best Bites

2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground pork
3 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (about 8 small mushrooms)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cups thinly shredded cabbage
1 8-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2-1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce, to taste
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1-2 heads iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves and washed

Sauce
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp water
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger

Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat on the stove top. When hot, add vegetable oil and then garlic and ginger. Saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then add ground pork, chopped mushrooms, and kosher salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until pork is cooked through. Add cabbage, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook for about 2 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the zest from the lemon and the lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

To prepare sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.

To serve, carefully remove the individual leaves from the head of lettuce. Place pork mixture in the leaves and serve with sauce.

Asian Noodle Salad

My friend brought an amazing Asian noodle salad to book club the other day and I need to ask her for the recipe. Meanwhile, I was inspired to try my own. I made up my own recipe based on a combination of several I found.

This actually reminded me a lot of this salad. I love crunchy, raw vegetables with starch (noodles or rice), like sushi and summer rolls. Especially cucumbers add a super fresh, healthy feel.

Asian Noodle Salad

1 chicken breast, sauteed and cubed
1/2 cucumber, seeded if necessary, sliced thin
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 cup cabbage, sliced thin
1 handful cilantro. chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts (unsalted works too)
3.5 oz. soba noodles, cooked according to package
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced

Mix soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and garlic to create dressing. Assemble the other ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing.

Bibimbap

For some reason I was craving Asian food this week, and made four dinners containing soy sauce! Besides soy sauce, Asian cooking can be a great way to add more vegetables to meals.

Bibimbap is a Korean dish that means mixed bowl. Often served in a heated stone bowl, rice goes on the bottom, and then various vegetables, meat, a fried egg and a spicy sauce are arranged on top. It's quite pretty! Then you mix it all together and eat it. Yum.

The flavor comes primarily from the sauce - kochujang. I wanted to go to an international grocery store and get some, but that hasn't happened yet. So I made my own. I'm not really sure what authentic kochujang tastes like, but my concoction worked quite well. I did have miso in my fridge (it was the first time I've bought it), which I got a bit ago at Whole Foods. I've used miso in several dishes and have actually grown to love the flavor. So if you don't have miso or kochujang, you'll have to come up with some other tasty sauce to make this work.

This dish is very flexible and is great for using up odds and ends from your fridge. I used bok choy, carrots, bean sprouts, cucumber, and pork.

Kochujang

1 Tbsp soybean paste or miso (can be omitted if unavailable - but will change the taste)
3 Tbsp finely ground red chile pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seed oil
water as needed

Mix all together and add water until desired consistency is reached. The sauce should be thick, but able to be distributed when mixed into the bibimbap.

UPDATE 4/18/11: I went to an awesome international grocery store and found Korean red chile paste. Here's a recipe for Kochujang using the paste instead of miso and red chile pepper:

1 tbsp Korean hot red chili paste
1 1/2 Tbsp chicken stock
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

Combine all ingredients.

Bibimbap
adapted from J3ss Kitch3n

serves two

at least 3 vegetables: cucumbers (julienned, don't blanch), carrots (julienned), bean sprouts, mushrooms (sliced), spinach, zucchini (julienned)
1 chicken breast, cut into thin strips or pork tenderloin, sliced thinly
2 servings hot steamed rice
1 onion (cut into thin slices)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 eggs
dollop of kochujang

Meat Marinade
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
pinch of black pepper
2 tsp corn meal

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl and add the cut chicken or pork. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add each vegetable separately and blanch for a minute or two (test one piece to ensure cooking time is correct). Scoop out with a slotted spoon and immerse the vegetables in ice water. Remove from ice water and set aside. Repeat with each vegetable.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and fry the minced garlic and onion slices until fragrant. Add the marinated chicken or pork over medium heat and stir-fry until well done, 5-7 minutes. In the same frying pan, add more oil and add the eggs, one at a time if the pan is too small. Fry until set.

Add a serving of hot rice to a bowl, and arrange the vegetables and meat on top. In the middle, add the fried egg and a dollop of kochujang. Repeat in the second bowl.

Serve immediately.

Summer Rolls

Summer rolls remind me a lot of sushi - rice-based, fresh, delightful morsels with Asian ingredients. Fresh herbs are a must-have ingredient. These make a light, cold refreshing summer meal, though of course my husband was looking around for the rest of the meal after being served these. So for hearty eaters, this is probably better as a snack or lunch.

Summer Rolls
from Everyday Food

4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
8 8-inch spring roll wrappers
fillings
peanut dipping sauce

Chicken and Mango Filling
4 oz. chicken cutlets, cooked and shredded
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 small ripe mango, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Vegetarian Filling
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, from 2 limes
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 tsp. sugar


Pour boiling water over vermicelli rice noodles and soak 15 minutes. Drain and rinse. Divide into 8 equal portions. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with cool water. Working with one spring roll wrapper at a time, soak until pliable, 20 seconds. Transfer to a flat surface and smooth.

Place fillings on bottom third of wrapper, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Top with a portion of noodles and another layer of fillings.

Fold bottom of wrapper tightly over fillings.

Roll over once, tuck in sides, and finish rolling. Add fresh herbs and continue rolling to enclose them. Transfer roll to a plate and cover with a slightly damp paper towel. Repeat to make 8 summer rolls. Serve immediately with dipping sauces, or refrigerate, up to 2 hours.

For sauce: whisk together peanut butter and water until smooth. Whisk in lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar.

Chirashi Sushi

A friend originally from Japan brought Chirashi Sushi to a potluck reception after a recital. She gave me some basic instructions on how to make it, but they included using a chirashi sushi packet purchased from an Asian market. So I went searching for a recipe that didn't require the prepared packet and found a pretty authentic one from lafujimama.com. The recipe below is based off the online recipe with my Americanizing simplifications. I also added a few ideas from my Japanese friend's suggestions as well.

Chirashi Sushi
adapted from lafujimama.com and my Japanese friend
Makes 4 – 6 servings

2 large dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 carrot, sliced into thin matchsticks
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 ounces sushi vinegar
2 cups steamed short grain rice
handful of snow peas
nori seaweed, sliced thin
2 eggs, beaten and pan-fried into flat crepe shape, sliced into thin strips
cucumber, sliced thin
pickled ginger

1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and cut into small pieces.

2. Combine the chicken broth and sugar in a pot and add the shiitake mushrooms and carrot. Cook over low heat until the liquid is 2/3 of the original amount. Add the soy sauce and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. (Don’t add the soy sauce before this point, or it will make the mixture too salty.) Turn off the heat and let everything cool in the pot.

3. Add the sushi vinegar to the cooled ingredients in the pot and then fold everything together with the freshly steamed rice.

4. Put the rice mixture on a large serving plate, sprinkle with snow peas, nori seaweed, and then finish with the egg strips on top. Also garnish with cucumber and pickled ginger.

Japanese Mum's Chicken

My parents went to visit my brother and his family when they were living in Europe a few months ago. I was video-chatting with my mom right before dinner. She mentioned that my sister-in-law had made some delicious-looking chicken in a balsamic vinegar glaze. I asked if it was Japanese Mum's Chicken, and she said yes! Amazingly I had made the recipe before as well.

It's called Japanese Mum's Chicken because a family in Great Britain got the recipe from their Japanese foreign exchange student.  So this recipe has made its rounds around the globe.  I guess they don't call it the world wide web for nothing.

I substitute a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes instead of the chili pepper. Serve with rice (or sushi!).

Japanese Mum's Chicken
from recipezaar.com

8 chicken drumsticks, skin on
1 cup water
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 garlic clove, peeled and bruised
1 small hot chili pepper, slit open, seeds removed or a pinch of red pepper flakez

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over a high heat.

Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove any scum that rises to the surface.

Increase the heat, turning the drumsticks frequently in the sauce, and cook until the liquid has reduced to a sticky glaze, 20 - 30 minutes more.

Arrange the chicken on a serving platter, remove the garlic clove and chili from the liquid, and spoon the glaze over.

Sushi

I just discovered sushi in the last few years. Contrary to popular belief, sushi is not raw fish. Sushi refers to the rice preparation - basically, vinegared rice. Since my husband detests seafood, I often make veggie only sushi and sometimes add tuna from a can. This time I decided to try steak, and I loved it.

Sushi

Rice:
1 cup short grain rice (short grain or sticky rice is the key to sushi)
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. rice vinegar (unseasoned)

3-4 nori (seaweed sheets)
fillings - see below
condiments - see below

Combine rice and water in rice maker (or make on stove top - a rice maker is super easy. I highly recommend getting one.) and cook until rice is done. Combine sugar, salt, and rice vinegar in small saucepan. Cook and stir over high heat until sugar and salt dissolve - this does not take very long at all. Remove from heat. Pour over hot rice and stir to combine. Put rice in refrigerator to chill. I'm not sure how long it takes to chill - probably at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile prepare filling ingredients for sushi rolls. For steak, I seasoned a tender cut with salt and pepper and sauteed in a pan until medium well. After cooling for a few minutes, slice thinly. For veggies, cut into julienned strips. The thin strips allow the veggies to come together tightly when rolled.

Filling ideas:
carrots
cucumber
avocado
bell peppers
celery
scallions
tuna
steak
pickled ginger - this is a must ingredient. But then again I'm a ginger loving freak. Small jars are available that keep in the fridge since you most likely won't use all of it at one time

A bamboo rolling sheet is not necessary to make sushi rolls, but it does help. If using one, wrap in plastic wrap. You'll thank yourself later because cleaning dried up rice off the bamboo is not very easy. Lay the nori sheet on the bamboo sheet. Some say shiny side up or down, I can never remember and it works fine both ways. Have a dish of water nearby. Dip your hand in water and get a handful of chilled rice and start spreading over the nori. Keep dipping your hand in water as necessary. Spread rice all the way to the edge, except leave about an inch along the top of the sheet free of rice. Layer filling ingredients near bottom of sheet, opposite side of the rice free part.

Start rolling from the ingredient side and squeeze tight with each rotation. When all the way rolled up, use water to seal the nori to itself. Slice each roll into 6-8 slices.

Condiments
Pickled ginger
Wasabi sauce
Sauce made of soy sauce and chili oil with water added to dilute saltiness, if needed