Chicken Lettuce Wraps

 Chicken Lettuce Wraps
serves 6

1 lb ground chicken
1 Tbsp avocado oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup bell pepper, diced
1 cup celery, diced

For Sauce:
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp peanut or sunflower butter
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp sweet chili sauce or Korean gochujang
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1/4 cup peanuts, crushed (optional)
Butter or other lettuce leaves

• Whisk together sauce ingredients until well combined. If you use a firmer peanut butter you may need to microwave the mixture for 30-60 seconds in order to melt it and ensure everything is well-mixed.
• Heat 2 Tbsp peanut oil in a frying pan. Once hot, add ground chicken.
• Cook until some pieces are starting to brown. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is becoming translucent.
• Add the peppers and water chestnuts and cook about 5 minutes or until peppers are becoming soft.
• Add sauce and simmer on low heat until the chicken and veggies are evenly coated and everything is heated through.
• Serve in lettuce leaves, on top of your favorite Asian salad, or over noodles or rice!

miso braised pork shoulder

the sauce is really good, tastes the same as Japanese gyudon (the thin sliced beef with sauteed onions served on top of warm rice).

miso braised pork shoulder
serves 6

2 1/2 - 3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
freshly ground pepper
canola oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 pack of baby carrots, or 4 carrots, cut into large chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 cup rice wine or dry white wine
1 cup water
3 tbsp miso paste, preferably red
2 tbsp soy sauce

noodles or rice
sliced scallions
sesame seeds

parchment paper

Preheat oven to 325ºF with rack positioned in lower third of oven. Season pork shoulder chunks generously with black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium-high flame in a Dutch Oven. Working in batches, brown pork on all sides, adding more oil to the pan if needed. As pork is browned, transfer to a large bowl.

Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil over medium flame in a Dutch oven. Add onion and carrots and sweat vegetables about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning of onions (reduce heat if necessary). Add garlic and ginger to pot and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add half the wine and half the water to the pot along with the miso paste and soy sauce and stir to combine, breaking up the miso paste with the back of a wooden spoon.

Pour remaining wine and water into Dutch oven and add pork and any accumulated juices. Stir to combine. Liquid should nearly cover pork. If not, add a little water. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Carefully press parchment paper down onto meat mixture in Dutch oven.

Cover pot with lid and transfer to oven. Braise for 1 hour. Remove from oven, check to see if you need to add a little more water (be judicious here). Give it a good stir, return to oven and braise until meat is completely fork tender, about another 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile cook rice or noodles, depending on your choice. Time it to finish when pork is done.

If the remaining liquid is fairly watery, transfer pork and carrots to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and tent with foil. Bring sauce in Dutch oven to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until slightly thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes. Don’t overdo this, though—concentrating it too much will make it overly salty. If the broth/sauce is to your liking, proceed to the next step, using a slotted spoon to plate the meat and carrots and ladling the sauce separately.

Spoon noodles or rice into individual shallow bowls. Top with meat and carrots and ladle sauce over it. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, and serve.

korean beef bulgogi

I made this on a whim - yum! I looked over at Linus' bowl to see if he was eating his lunch, and he had scraped it completely clean!

korean beef bulgogi
serves 12

4 lbs beef bottom roast
salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup beef broth (I only had chicken, so used that)
1/2 cup soy sauce 
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 pear or granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
juice of one large orange or 2 small

Garnishes:
cilantro, chopped
green onions, sliced
sesame seeds


Season the cubed roast liberally with salt and pepper.

Heat Instant Pot to saute. Once the pan is hot, coat the pan with the oil and in batches, brown the meat on all sides. Transfer meat to a plate.

De-glaze the pan with the broth, scraping up all the browned bits.

Pour in the soy sauce and stir to combine.

Return the meat back to the pan and then place the garlic, ginger and apple/pear on top of the meat, stirring lightly to slightly combine.

Finally, add in the orange juice.

Place lid on your Instant Pot and use the manual button on high pressure, set to 45 minutes. Make sure the valve is closed.

Once the pot is done, release the steam and shred the meet using a fork.

Mix in chopped cilantro, green onions, and sesame seeds, if desired.

**To make this recipe in the slow cooker follow all the steps 1-7. Slow cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.

Asian cabbage salad

something to make when you don't want to do too much work, but still want a scrumptious "Asian" salad.

asian cabbage salad
serves 12
 
1/2 head of cabbage, sliced thinly
3 green onions, sliced on bias
1/4 cup chow mein noodles
1/4 cup sliced almonds

For sesame miso vinaigrette
(makes 1 cup)

1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar, preferably seasoned
6 tbsp (1/4 cup + 1/8 cup) neutral vegetable oil (like canola)
2-3 tsp honey
dash of soy sauce

Sprinkle the sesame seeds into a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the sesame seeds have darkened and become fragrant, just a few minutes. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool; if you leave them to cool in the pan, they can burn.

Use a fork to whisk the miso and sesame oil in a small jar fitted with a lid until smooth. Add the vinegar, vegetable oil, sesame seeds, honey and soy sauce. Close lid tightly and vigorously shake to emulsify the dressing. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Toss the cabbage with 1/4-1/2 cup of the dressing until evenly coated. Sprinkle green onions, chow mein noodles and sliced almonds on top. (No need to mix, as you serve the salad, the smaller pieces will naturally get mixed in; otherwise they all end up on the bottom.)

sweet soy chicken

made this on a whim the other night and it was a nice change from our usual chicken. 

sweet soy chicken
makes 4 servings

3-3 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, wings, or drums
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry, white wine or sake
4 garlic cloves, minced

Place all ingredients except the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and stir to combine. Add the chicken, seal (pressing out any excess air), and turn the bag to coat the chicken evenly. Place in the refrigerator and marinate, turning occasionally for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 375. Bake chickens for 45-60 mins or until 165 degrees (wings will cook much faster!).

simple sesame noodles

so easy, so yummy.

sesame noodles
10 servings

1 lb spaghetti or linguine noodles
1/4 + 1/8 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp sugar
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp rice vinegar
4 1/2 tbsp pure sesame oil
1 tsp hot chili oil (optional)
6 tbsp canola oil 
 6 whole green onions, sliced thin

Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.

Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with green onions and toss.

sesame noodles

We're trying to cook some more vegetarian dishes in our house, but we also want our food to taste yummy - like this meal. :)

sesame noodles
serves 8

1 lb spagheti, soba or Chinese egg noodles
1/4 cup rice vinegar
6 tbsp sesame paste, almond butter or peanut butter
6 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp or more chili-garlic sauce (optional)
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced on bias
1 1/2 cup bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 pkg frozen shelled edamame (for vegetarian version)
1/2 lb shredded chicken (for non-veg version)
4 scallion, thinly sliced
6 sprigs cilantro, chopped

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Cook the noodles until tender yet firm. Drain the noodles and run cold water over them until cooled down. Drain again.

In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sesame paste or nut butter, honey, sesame oil and chili-garlic sauce until smooth, or combine in a jar and shake until smooth.

Put the noodles in a large bowl along with the chopped vegetables and chicken, if using. Add 3/4 of the sauce on top and toss well to distribute the sauce evenly throughout. Top with scallions and cilantro and mix again. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Add more sauce if needed.

pho noodle soup

This is what I crave all winter long, and I finally decided to learn how to make my own. It's not the simplest of recipes, but I figured if I spent time upfront making the broth, then I could freeze it and have it on hand whenever I like.

pho noodle soup
makes 6 servings

For Broth: 
5 lbs beef marrow or bones
1 lb beef tendon
2 (3 in) pieces ginger, cut in half lengthwise and lightly bruised with the flat side of a knife
2 yellow onions, peeled
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tbsp sugar
10 whole star anise
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 tbsp salt

 For Noodle Soup and Garnishes:
1 lb dried, wide rice sticks, soaked, cooked and drained
1/2 lb beef meatballs
1/2 lb beef sirloin, sliced paper-thin across the grain (I find them in Chinatown, pre-sliced)
1/2 yellow onion, sliced paper-thin
3 scallions, cut into thin rings
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 lb bean sprouts
10 sprigs basil
6 Thai or 1 serrano chili, cut into thin rings
1 lime, cut into wedges

In a large stockpot, bring 6 quarts water to a boil. Place the bones and in a second pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer the bones and beef to the first pot of boiling water. Discard the water in which the meat cooked. (This cleans the bones and meat and reduces the impurities that can cloud the broth.)

Put the tendon in the emptied pot and cover with water at least 3 in above the tendon. Boil tendon and then simmer until soft, about 4 hours.  Once tendon is soft, remove from pot and once cool enough to handle, slice and add to broth. (I like to save my tendon broth and add salt and green onions for a simple white bone broth for when I'm sick or feeling under the weather).

Meanwhile, char your onions and ginger: (I think this can be done in an oven too, but haven't tried that method) Hold the piece of onion or ginger with tongs directly over an open flame or place it directly on a medium-hot electric burner. While turning, char until the edges are slightly blackened and the ginger is fragrant, about 3-4 mins. Char the onions in the same way. Peel and discard the blackened skin of the ginger and onions.

When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Skim the surface often to remove any foam and fat. Add the charred ginger and onions, fish sauce and sugar.

When the broth has been simmering for about 1 1/2 hours total, wrap the star anise and cloves in a spice bag (or piece of cheesecloth) and add to the broth. Let infuse until the broth is fragrant, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard both the spice bag and onions. Add the salt and continue to simmer, skimming as necessary, until you're ready to assemble the dish. The broth needs to cook for at least 2 hours. (The broth will taste salty but will be balanced once the noodles and accompaniments are added.) Leave the remaining bones to simmer in the pot while you assemble the bowls.

To serve, place the cooked noodles in preheated bowls. (If the noodles are not hot, reheat them in a microwave or dip them briefly in boiling water to prevent them from cooling down the soup.) Place a few slices of the raw sirloin on the noodles. Bring the broth to a rolling boil; ladle about 2 to 3 cups into each bowl. The broth will cook the raw beef instantly. Garnish with yellow onions, scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, inviting guests to garnish the bowls with bean sprouts, herbs, chilies, lime juice and black pepper.

soy sesame miso dressing

A friend of ours brought over this homemade dressing which they received from another friend, who owns a restaurant and never gives out the ingredients of this dressing. It was so good! We've been trying to recreate it - we've even kept a small amount of the original jar to compare with and tweak each new recipe we make. This isn't exactly it, but we're getting closer...

miso sesame soy dressing
makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/4 tbsp honey
1 tbsp minced, fresh ginger
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp lime juice

Whisk miso paste into rice vinegar in a bowl until smooth. Stir in honey, ginger, sesame oil and lime juice into the vinegar mixture.

soy marinated tofu

This was actually my first time cooking tofu, and it was amazing, and an even better version of one of the kids' favorite dishes from Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles in Chinatown.

soy marinated tofu

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

4 teaspoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or a good pinch of ground ginger

4 teaspoons hoisin sauce, optional

One 16-ounce tub extra-firm tofu

1 or 2 scallions, thinly sliced, optional

1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and stir together.

2. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot well between clean tea towels or several layers of paper towels, then cut each slice through the thickness again to make 1/4-inch-thick slices. Blot briefly again.

3. Cut each slice into 2 squares. Place in a shallow pan and drizzle with the marinade. Gently turn the tofu pieces over so that both sides are coated with marinade. Let stand for 10 minutes or so.

4. Heat a wide nonstick skillet. Transfer the tofu and marinade into the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently and frequently, until the tofu is nicely browned on most sides.

Scatter scallions over the tofu if desired, and serve at once.

asian pulled pork

A variation on the usual pulled pork I made for a friend's bridal shower.

asian pulled pork
makes 12 servings

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
3 tbsp ketchup or sriracha sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
 4 lbs boneless butt pork roast, trim off fat and cut into 2 in pieces

1 bunch green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
12 Chinese-style steamed buns

Add everything but the meat to the slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook the meat on low for 8 hours.

When the pork is done, remove it from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and shred the pork.

Return the meat to the pot, stir it into the remaining sauce.

Serve meat on top of buns with sliced green onions and/or cilantro.