Asian

Vegetable Bibimbap

By Cheri in Fall, Featured, GF Mains, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Meatless 8 Comments Tags: , , ,

Vegetable Bibimbap

I have a tendency to stay away from foods with weird names that I don’t recognize. I’ve come to the realization that I’ve been doing myself a great disservice. I’ve been missing out on tons of great food just because it doesn’t look like something I would normally eat.

This Vegetable Bibimbap definitely falls into that category. I almost flipped past it on my newest iPad edition of Everyday Food. But then I got after myself and decided to take a look at the ingredient list and found that it actually contained a lot of the foods we love, even if they were in a different format then I was used to. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and give it a try.

I’m so glad I did.

It was a simple meal with a great authentic (Korean) taste. I was a little hesitant about stir-frying cucumber because floppy cucumber didn’t sound great to me, but I was proved wrong and discovered that I like warm, floppy cucumbers. Who would have guessed? I wasn’t too sure about the egg either but everything just worked so well together and had a great Asian flavor.

I wasn’t too nit-picky about cutting the vegetables julienne since I was just serving it to my family. That’s definitely the most time-consuming part of the recipe. But, if you’re not too picky it really doesn’t take too long (or if you’ve got mad knife skills. I do not.).

This recipe has reconfirmed the fact that I need to take a step back from my American food rut and enjoy making something different.

Do you skip by recipes with names you don’t recognize or do they pique your interest?

Vegetable Bibimbap

This recipe uses toasted sesame oil, which I think is a worthwhile ingredient to keep in your pantry if you enjoy making Asian food. It adds much more authentic flavour to many dishes, and since you don’t use much in one recipe it lasts a long time.

  • 3 carrots, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
  • 3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks
  • 5 cups (5 oz) baby spinach
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • hot cooked rice, for serving
  • Sriracha sauce, for serving (optional)

Add a small bit of oil to a large nonstick skillet, heat over medium-high. Add carrots and cook until crisp-tender (3 minutes). Add garlic and white part of the green onion; cook just until fragrant (1 minute). Add mushrooms; cook for 4 minutes. Add cucumber and baby spinach; cook until softened (3 minutes). Stir in soy sauce; toss to coat. Remove vegetables to serving platter; wipe out skillet.

Add a small amount of oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Add eggs and cook, without flipping, until whites are set but yolks are still runny (5 minutes).

To serve: Place rice in a bowl. Top with vegetables and an egg. Drizzle with a little bit of toasted sesame oil, sprinkle with green parts of green onions. Serve with Sriracha sauce, if desired.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Hoisin Chicken with Noodles and Green Beans

By Cheri in Main Dish, Pasta, Poultry 22 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

Hoisin Chicken with Noodles and Green Beans

I felt like I was getting into a bit of a dinner funk a while back. I kept making the same sorts of things over and over. Different recipes but all in the same “genre”. I was getting bored and this recipe saved me. Well saved our dinner times anyways. :) It was the breath of fresh air I needed to wake me up and get me out of my rut.

It’s such a simple dish. The flavours. The preparation. The presentation. And yet, it packs a flavourful punch. More and more I’m loving recipes with simple, clean flavours. If there’s too much going on the flavours tend to get muddied, but when you keep the flavours simple they shine so much more. And, it usually means they’re quick to prepare, which is the case with this recipe.

I love the fact that this is made with ground chicken. It soaks up so much more of the delicious sauce and helps cuts down on the prep time. It also makes it a little different from most stir-fry recipes you come across, adding a little more variety to your dinner table.

The sauce is different from any recipe I’ve made before. Which is partly what inspired me to get out of my dinner rut and start looking for recipes that might be a little different then I might normally try. It’s not odd, just different. And, that makes me happy!

I am literally addicted to this dish and just looking at it makes me want more. I encourage you to give it a try soon!

Hoisin Chicken with Noodles and Green Beans

  • 300g green beans, cut in half
  • 1 (250g) package ramen noodles
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1 small lime, juiced
  • 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add green beans and cook for 10 minutes until tender-crisp. Add noodles to water in last 3 minutes of cooking time (or as long as the package dictates). Strain and set aside.
  2. Mix together hoisin sauce, lime juice and chili sauce. Set aside.
  3. Cook chicken in a small amount of oil until cooked through. Add garlic and cook one minute or until softened. Stir in hoisin mixture. Cook until bubbly and sticky. Stir in noodles, green beans and green onions. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4-6

Adapted from Good Food

Healthier General Tso’s Chicken

By Cheri in Featured, GF Mains, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Poultry 39 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Healthier General Tso’s Chicken

In exactly two weeks my mom will be getting on a plane to come and help us with the new baby. I could not be more excited! It’s been over a year since I last got to hug her. That’s far too long! Thankfully I’ve been able to see her beautiful face on Skype almost every week. I don’t know what I would do without Skype!

I’m already dreading when she’ll be leaving but I’m so thankful that we’ll get to spend this time with her. I wish my dad could come too and I know he wishes he could be here as well. Maybe we’ll just have to kidnap my mom and keep her for ransom. ;)

I’m now spending far too much time worrying over whether the baby will make it’s appearance on time. Not too early. Not too late. But, right when Grandma is visiting please!

I’ve reached the mark where the baby could arrive at any moment, so if there’s a sudden lull in my posting with no explanation you can send up a prayer and give me a big push!

But, enough baby stuff. That’s not really the reason you came here is it? :)

This is a healthified version of General Tso’s Chicken. Normally the chicken is coated in the egg white/cornstarch mixture and deep fried till golden brown. This version however is pan fried in a drizzle of oil until crisp and tender, making it not only quick enough to eat on a weeknight, but healthy enough to eat as often as you like.

The fact that it requires no special ingredients, pastes or sauces makes it a great last minute dinner too. You could swap out the snow peas for whatever veggies you have on hand in your fridge or freezer. I like to store some fresh ginger in the freezer as well so that it’s there when I need it.

We generally like having some sort of stir-fry one night a week because it’s a healthier meal and we love Asian flavours. With it’s sweet and slightly spicy sauce, this one has definitely become a favourite.

What are some of your favourite stir-frys?

One Year Ago: Fresh Berry Crisp with Brown Sugar Cream

Healthier General Tso’s Chicken

adapted from Martha Stewart

Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Chicken and Coating
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 pound chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
  1. For sauce: Mix together water and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Set aside.
  2. For chicken: Whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Stir in chicken.
  3. To cook: Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil. Add half of chicken to pan, dripping off excess coating. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan, add more oil if necessary and repeat with remaining chicken. Set the chicken aside.
  4. Add sauce to skillet and cook until snow peas are tender and sauce is thickened. Add chicken (and any collected juices) to skillet.Toss to coat.
  5. Serve with rice.

Serves: 4

*Make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce if cooking for those who cannot handle wheat.

* Feel free to add as many veggies as you like.

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Sweet & Sour Chicken Balls

By Cheri in Main Dish, Poultry 19 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Sweet & Sour Chicken Balls

I looove Chinese food. I only wish it didn’t make me bloat up like a blowfish and give me hunger pangs an hour after eating it, every time I go out.

As a result I like making it at home where I can control the ingredients so that it won’t leave me wanting more (or wishing I had less). The only problem is, a lot of my favourite dishes either take forever to make at home or require deep-frying.

I hate deep-frying. The smell permeates the house for days afterwards and although I enjoy the results it’s not worth it, to me, for  just one meal.

That is where this loverly recipe comes in. You can make a huge batch of this and store it in the freezer to be heated in the oven at a later date. That way your house only smells of grease for one meal but you reap the benefits of many more.

The first time I made this was when I was just married, which speaks volumes about this recipes ease of preparation. It’s still a huge hit in our house and although it appears intimidating there’s nothing to it really. Once I figured out the whole freeze and bake thing, we’ve been enjoying this much more often and hopefully you will be too.

The chicken is coated in a crispy batter which remains mostly chicken and very little dough. I don’t particularly enjoy mine to blow up so huge that I have to chew through miles of dough just to get to a teeny piece of chicken inside.

I’m also in love with this Sweet and Sour Pineapple Sauce. It’s a delightfully perfect combination of all things sweet and tangy. And, by all things I mean the ingredients listed below.

To show just how easy this recipe is I have included step-by-step photos at the bottom of the post. There’s nothing to stop you from making this at home. No more excuses! Unless you can’t have wheat. Then I’ll let it slide.

What are you favourite Chinese dishes that you wish you could make more often at home?

Sweet & Sour Chicken Balls

adapted from Company’s Coming – Chinese Cooking

Chicken Balls
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 4.5 tsp. water
  • 1 lb. chicken into bite size pieces
  • canola oil, for deep-frying
  1. Preheat oil in dutch oven or deep-fryer on medium heat or to 375ºF (190ºC).
  2. Stir together flour, cornstarch and salt. Make a well in the centre. Crack eggs into the well. Add water. Whisk to first combine water and eggs, then stir together all ingredients until smooth.
  3. Add chicken. Stir to coat.
  4. With a fork, drop chicken one piece at a time into hot oil. Cook in batches, making sure to not over-crowd the pan, until light golden brown and chicken is cooked through. (3-5 min.)
  5. Remove to a paper towel lined baking tray to drain.

* To freeze: Once chicken is completely cooled and drained, transfer to a resealable freezer bag or plastic container and throw in the freezer. For even more convenience divide them into bags depending on the amount of servings required. (one recipe makes 6-8 servings depending on the appetite.)

* To cook from frozen: Place on a baking sheet (frozen) and bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 15-20 min. until crisp and heated through.

Sweet & Sour Pineapple Sauce
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1 (14oz) can pineapple tidbits, do not drain
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/2 green pepper, chopped
  1. Fry onion in a bit of oil, in a saucepan, until starting to softened.
  2. Add canned pineapple (juice and all), brown sugar, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil.
  3. Combine the cornstarch and water in a separate bowl or cup until dissolved. Add to pineapple mixture along with green pepper. Simmer 2 minutes until thick.
  4. Pour over chicken balls to serve.

* To freeze: Allow to cool. Divide into containers depending on the amount of servings you want per container. Keep in mind that one recipe of sauce covers one recipe of chicken balls.

Serves: 6-8

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(click to view slide-show)

Vietnamese Chicken Pho – Daring Cooks

By Cheri in Daring Cooks, Featured, GF Mains, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Poultry, Soup 16 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Vietnamese Chicken Pho – Daring Cooks

The October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge was brought to us by Jaden of the blog Steamy Kitchen. The recipes are from her new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. Her picks were this Vietnamese Chicken Pho and Fried Dessert Wontons!

First off let me shout from the rooftops, I LOVE THIS SOUP!! If the North American version of Chicken Noodle Soup had a pretty, tasty, asian cousin, this would be it. This soup is wholesome, comforting and exotic. The asian flavours are unmistakable, and I feel right at home sipping the broth and slurping up the noodles. I was a little afraid I would not be able to find all of the ingredients, but they were actually quite easy to come by. I really think you should go out and get everything to make this soup right now. You will not regret it!

I made Caramel Peanut Wontons for the dessert portion. Check out the post here.

Limes & Peppers

Vietnamese Chicken Pho

  • 2 Tbsp. whole coriander seeds
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 1 chicken breast (bone in or boneless)
  • ½ onion
  • 1 3-inch chunk of ginger, sliced and smashed with side of knife
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
  • 1 lb. (500g) dried rice noodles (¼ inch wide)
  1. To make the Chicken Pho Broth: heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cloves and star anise and toast until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately spoon out the spices to avoid burning.
  2. In a large pot, add all the ingredients (including the toasted spices), except noodles, and bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the surface frequently.
  4. Use tongs to remove the chicken breast and shred the meat with a fork, discarding the bone if you have used bone-in breasts.
  5. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce or sugar, if needed. Strain the broth and discard the solids.
  6. Prepare the noodles as per directions on the package.
  7. Ladle the broth into bowls. Then divide the shredded chicken breast and the soft noodles evenly into each bowl.
  8. Have the accompaniments spread out on the table. Each person can customize their own bowl with these ingredients.

Accompaniments

*all toppings are optional

  • 2 cups bean sprouts, washed and tails pinched off
  • fresh cilantro (coriander) tops (leaves and tender stems)
  • ½ cup shaved red onions
  • ½ lime, cut into 4 wedges
  • Sriracha chili sauce
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Sliced fresh chili peppers of your choice

Serves: 4

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Vietnamese Chicken Pho

Homemade Wonton Wrappers

By Cheri in Breads, Homemade, How-to's, Ingredients 46 Comments Tags: , ,

Homemade Wonton Wrappers

I seriously had no idea that making wonton wrappers was so easy. So many years I avoided recipes that relied on wonton wrappers because my grocery stores didn’t stock them. I love wontons and wonton related things so this always made me a little sad. I should have stopped being sad and looked for a recipe! I would have, if I had realized they were so simple to make. In fact, the recipe is so easy and straightforward  that I didn’t even bother to take step-by-step photographs. They turn out just like the ones that you purchase in the store but this way you have the satisfaction and “convenience” of making them at home. :)

Some helpful tips when making these wonton wrappers:

  1. You can store them in your fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer for longer storage. (I have some in the freezer right now. Once I use them I will update this page to let you know how they held up. *see Update)
  2. If you are not going to use them right away then they will probably shrink back a bit. But, the dough is so pliable they are easy to stretch out individually just before you fill/use them.
  3. If you are wanting to stack them, coat them in cornstarch (cornflour). If you stack them with flour it will absorb into the dough and they will become one solid mass.
  4. If they have been in the fridge for a couple of days and the moisture seems to have removed most of the cornstarch re-coat them again before placing in the freezer.
  5. It is important to keep the dough covered as much as possible or it will dry out. Any dough/wrappers that are not being worked with should be covered, preferably with a damp towel.
  6. If you have a pasta maker then these are even easier to make. Just pass them through, gradually going to the thinest setting.

* Update: I used up the wrappers in the freezer and they worked beautifully. I put them in the fridge to thaw in the morning and by supper they were perfect. They did shrink quite a bit so I just stretched them each individually before filling. Easy peasy.

Wonton Wrappers

adapted from About.com

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 -1/2 cup water
  1. Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Whisk together egg, salt and 1/4 cup water. Pour into flour well. Mix together, adding additional water until the mixture will stay together in a ball. (You may need more or less then 1/2 cup, use your discretion. Keep in mind that you do not want it to be sticky.)
  2. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and pliable.
  3. Let rest for 30-60 min. (This is so the gluten can relax. The longer it sits the easier it will be to roll out)
  4. Divide dough in half. Keep one half covered while you roll out the other one on a surface lightly coated with cornstarch (if you use flour it may toughen it up). Roll out as thin as you possibly can.
  5. Cut into 3.5 inch squares (You should be able to get approx. 12 wonton wrappers out of each half).

Makes: 24 wonton wrappers

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What are you favourite uses for wonton wrappers?

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