Veggies with White Wine Sauce

 

Ingredients:
1. 6-8 oz. bok choy, gai choy, gai lan or napa cabbage
2. 8 mushrooms (sliced)
3. 1 inch ginger (peeled and sliced thinly)


White Sauce:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce or to taste
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon corn starch
6 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Method:
1. Rinse the vegetables with water and drain the water dry.
2. Mix the white sauce ingredients and set aside.
3. Heat up a wok and add the cooking oil until it’s smoking hot.
4. Add ginger, stir-fry until light brown or aromatic.
5. Add vegetables into the wok and stir quickly.
6. Add mushrooms to veggies.
7. Transfer the white sauce mixture into the wok and continue to stir-fry until the sauce thickens. By then, the vegetables should be perfectly cooked, but not overcooked. Some veggies cook longer then others. Gai choy will take the longest. Bok Choy and Gai lan will take less time. And napa cabbage should take even lesser time.
8. Eat while it's hot!

Dijon Encrusted Fish

 

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2. 2 teaspoons finely copped cilantro

3. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4. Salt, pepper

5. 2 filets of fish (cod, trout, tilapia, orange roughy)

1. Combine bread crumbs and cilantro. Pre-heat oven to 325 F.

2. Season fish filets with salt and peppar. Brush fish filets with mustard. 

3. Dip fish filets into bread crumb mixture for even coating. 

4. Heat oil in frying pan to medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium when oil just begins to smoke. Put fish filet down in the pain, and cook until crust is golden brown, 1 minute on each side. 

5. Depending on thickness of fish, transfer the frying pan to oven and cook until fish begins to flake, another 5-6 minutes. If fish filets are thin, continue to cook over stove at lower heat.

Chicken with Momofuku Octo Vinaigrette Recipe

 

Ingredients:
3 pounds of chicken (If you buy a whole chicken, cut it up into breasts, thighs, wings, legs; or you can buy chicken wings, legs, thighs separately)
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chili pepper
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro


1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking pan with tin foil (or
spray the pan with cooking spray).

2. Place the chicken parts on the tin foil in single layer. Place pan on highest shelf. Bake wings, legs for 25 minutes, thighs for 35 min, breasts for 45 min.

3. While chicken is baking, make the vinaigrette. Combine together the
remaining ingredients.

4. Toss the chicken wings in the vinaigrette to coat.

Baked Chinese New Year Cake

Happy Chinese New Year! Gung hay fat chow!

 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups glutinous rice flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups white or brown sugar
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for coating the baking dish
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter; set aside.
2. Place eggs in a large bowl and lightly beat to break up yolks. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 25 minutes. 
3. Sprinkle with toasted coconut (optional), rotate the dish, and bake until the edges are just starting to brown and the top is just set (a bubble may form, but it will flatten as the cake cools), about 20 to 25 minutes more.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving. Wrap leftovers tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Yummy Pancakes

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Dash of salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (or substitute 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup plain yogurt)
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

2. Using large fork, mix in the buttermilk, egg, melted butter until well combined and smooth. 

3. Heat non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. 

4. Pour dollops of pancake batter onto hot griddle until a size that you want. 

5. When pancake is golden brown, flip to cook other side. 

6. Top with maple syrup, blueberries or strawberries, chocolate syrup, whipped cream. Yummmm...

Fish Ball Noodle soup

 

Something warm for cold, rainy days

Ingredients:

1 can chicken stock

1 bundle dried yellow noodles

5 fish balls

1 fried tofu fish cake

3 mini sausage links (optional)

5 leaves of napa cabbage

1. Cook noodle per package instruction. Set aside.

2. Heat chicken stock. Turn the heat to high, when boiling, add in napa cabbage, tofu fish cake, fried fish balls and mini sausages. Let it cook for a minute or two.

4. In a bowl, place in the noodle. Scoop the soup on top with ingredients to serve hot.  Eat with Sriracha hot sauce or chili hot sauce for extra oomph!

Our favorite beef pho soup restaurant

The pho broth is made from real beef bones and meat. yummm

Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

 

Adapted from Rachel Ray

Meatballs:

• 1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin ( I bought top sirloin steaks and used my VitaMix blender to ground it up!)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (I used frozen hard crusty bread and blended it in my VitaMix)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil.
3. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup can beef stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced zucchini or spinach
• 1 tablespoon corn starch (I added to thicken sauce, unless you like it soupy)
• Grated cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, for garnish

1. Heat a deep skillet or medium pot over moderate heat.
2. Add oil, crushed pepper, garlic and finely chopped onion.
3. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until onion bits are soft.
4. Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, zucchini and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

Slow cooked Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into frying pieces and de-skinned
Salt and cayenne pepper
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
2 cup okra (frozen or fresh)
10 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 link of kielbasa sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

Preparation:
1. Season the chicken generously with salt and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
2. Combine the oil and flour in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a roux the color of chocolate. (For about 20-30 min)

3. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook, stirring, until they are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Add the chicken broth. Stir to blend, and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Add the chicken. Add the bay leaves and thyme, and cook at a gentle boil for 1 hour.
6. Add the susage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender, an hour longer.

7. Add okra and cook for 10 minutes.

8. Adjust seasoning to taste. Simply add more chicken broth or water to adjust thickness.

Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer

Ingredients:

1 sashimi grade Ahi Tuna filet
1 tablespoon of Five spice
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
1 avocado
18 wonton skins
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup wasabi paste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil. Place wonton skins in hot oil until golden colored and crispy. Remove wontons and place on paper towel to dry.

2. Rinse Ahi tuna filet and pat dry. Mix Five spice, salt, peppar into bowl. Coat tuna with spice mixture evenly. Heat skillet. Sear tuna on both sides for 3-4 minutes until you see both sides have cooked evenly. (View from the edge of the tuna filet)

3. Prepare avocados into slices and evenly chop cilantro. Slice tuna into 1/4 inch slices.
Place tuna onto plate. Drizzle soy sauce, wasabi past, and cilantro over tuna. Line plate with avocado and wonton skins.

Black Bean sauce Trout

Adapted from Bon Apetit

Ingredients:
2 slices of trout or catfish filets
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Black Bean Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Asian fermented black beans, rinsed well, drained
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons (packed) thinly sliced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, chopped


Preparation:

1. Blend Black Bean Sauce ingredients in processor until finely chopped. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
2. Sprinkle trout with enough flour to coat on all sides.
3. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Gently slide 1 trout filet into skillet and fry until golden and almost cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate with paper towel to absorb oil. Repeat frying with second filet.
4. Plate fish filets and pour Black Bean-Soy Sauce over . Garnish platter with cilantro and green onions. Serve immediately.

Bok Choy with Garlic and Mushrooms

Adapted from Rasamalaysia

Ingredients:
1 bunch of bok choy
2 handfuls of mushrooms (white or brown cap)- sliced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes of white pepper powder

Garlic Oil:
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon oil

Method:
1. Prepare the garlic oil first by heating up your wok and stir fry the minced garlic until they turn light brown. Dish out and set aside.
2. Heat up a pot of water and bring it to boil. Add two small drops of cooking oil into the water. Drop your vegetables into the boiling water and quickly blanch them for about 20-30 seconds (depends on the quantity).
[Adding oil keeps the green-ness of the veggies.]
3. As soon as they turn slightly wilted, transfer them out and drain the excess water off the vegetables. Arrange the vegetables on a plate.
4. In a wok, heat up the cooking oil, and then add the oyster sauce, water, sugar, and white pepper powder.
5. Add mushrooms to sauce and cook for 2 min.
6. As soon as the sauce heats up and blends well, transfer and drench it over the blanched vegetables.
7.Top the vegetables with the garlic oil and serve immediately.

Cantonese style steamed fish

Adapted from Rasamalaysia

Ingredients:
2 Fish fillets
2 inches ginger (peeled and cut into thin strips)
1 stalk scallion (cut into 2-inch length, and then cut into thin silken threads)
Some cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or rice wine
Steamed Fish Soy Sauce Mixture:
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons shaoxing wine or rice wine
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
2 tablespoons rock sugar (grind into powder form) or to taste
Method:
1. Clean the fish filets and pat dry.
2. Blend the soy sauce mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Lay the fish on a plate and drizzle 1 tablespoon shaoxing (or rice) wine on top of the fish. Top the fish with 1/2 of the cut ginger strips.
4. Heat up a wok with enough water for steaming. Wait for the water to boil. As soon as it boils, place your fish inside the wok, propped up with a small inverted bowl or a couple of wooden blocks (meant for steaming). Cover your wok tightly and set your kitchen alarm for 8 minutes.
 5. As soon as the fish is done steaming, transfer it out from the wok. Discard the fish water and ginger strips. 6. Lay the remaining ginger strips on top of the fish.
7. Heat up a pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, swirl around until it’s hot. Pour the hot oil over the steamed fish. Put the pan back onto the stove, add the soy sauce mixture and stir well. As soon as the sauce bubbles up and boils, pour the soy sauce over the fish.
8. Top with scallions and cilantro leaves and serve the steamed fish immediately with white rice.