Category Archives: ASIAN INSPIRED DISHES

BAKED TERIYAKI PORK TENDERLOIN

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And yes, I forgot to garnish the meat with sliced green onions before I took this picture. But I was hungry, and in a hurry to get dinner on the table. But the green onions were great in our scramble this morning. Sometimes the old lemons/lemonade thing is just what is needed.

I love teriyaki. I love chicken teriyaki, beef teriyaki, shrimp teriyaki, halibut teriyaki, the list goes on and on. But, and this is a big but, to make a great teriyaki dish, you have to start with a really, really good teriyaki sauce. And this my friends, is the best teriyaki sauce I have ever made. Or eaten for that matter!

I found this teriyaki sauce recipe (actually classified as a glaze) by Emeril Lagasse when I was looking for a new recipe for halibut. After making and posting Emeril’s fabulous halibut recipe (Baked Teriyaki Halibut), I thought at the time that the sauce would also work beautifully for other meat or seafood dishes. I hate to brag, but I was spot on in my thinking.

So yesterday I got a hankering for a teriyaki dish. I decided to use the lone pork tenderloin I had been eying every time I opened my freezer door. We love pork tenderloin BTW. So it sounded really yummy to combine the same teriyaki sauce recipe I prepared for the halibut dish, with this lean, mouth-watering hunk of succulent pork.  

So that’s just what I did. And I am so glad I prepared this last evening. It was an easy dish to throw together. And the flavor was beyond excellent. The pork was tender because I only baked it to 145 degrees. (Any longer in the oven and it would have tasted like teriyaki jerky. Which in and of itself is lovely, but not what I was going for last evening.) So be careful not to ever overbake a pork tenderloin.

Anyway, the flavor of the marinated pork was marvelous, the texture perfect, and the sauce lightly dolloped on plain steamed rice was like a gift from the teriyaki Gods. Served with Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad), our evening meal was a pleasure. (See recipe below.)

So to all of you cooks out there who are valiantly trying to keep your family well fed through this most difficult time, I salute you. This coronavirus pandemic is crazy difficult. But don’t hesitate to prepare this recipe, although it’s crazy too. But in the case of this pork tenderloin dish, it’s crazy good!

As always – peace and love to all.   

1/3 c. mirin or rice wine

½ c. low sodium Tamari or soy sauce

1 T. sugar

2 tsp. minced fresh gingerroot

1 garlic clove, finely minced

pinch cayenne

1 pork tenderloin, silver skin* and extra fat removed, then cut in half lengthwise

sliced green onions, garnish

Combine the mirin, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and cayenne in a small saucepan. Pour about a third of the mixture into the bottom of a baking pan. (I use a 9×9-inch Pyrex dish.) Place the tenderloin halves on the sauce and turn to coat. (If need be, cut the tenderloin halves to fit into the pan in a single layer.) Marinate for 1 hour on the first side. Flip the meat and marinate for another hour or 2, or until you are ready to place in the oven.

Meanwhile, bring the rest of the teriyaki sauce to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until reduced a bit. Remove from heat and set aside.  

Bake the tenderloin in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 9-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven and loosely tent with foil for about 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal.  Serve garnished with green onions. Pass the remaining teriyaki sauce. Great served with Sunomono. (See recipe below)

* The silverskin is sinew on one side of the pork tenderloin and looks like thin, silvery fat.  You need to remove it because it will become tough and chewy when cooked.  To remove the silver skin, slip a very thin, sharp knife in between the silver skin and the meat, then cut it all away. Take care to just remove the silver skin and not a lot of the beautiful meat itself!

SUNOMONO (JAPANESE CUCUMBER SALAD)

2 T. white distilled vinegar (that’s right, the old fashioned kind)

2 T. sugar

pinch kosher salt

1 English cucumber, partially peeled and very thinly sliced

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, pour the cooled dressing over the cucumber making sure each slice is coated with the sauce. Serve immediately.

VEGGIE STIR-FRY

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In an attempt to get more veggies down our gullets, I sometimes have to take desperate measures. Oh not for me. I love veggies. I am referring to the man I love. (Wow, that should be a song title! The Man I Love. Oh wait. I think George beat me to it.) Anyway – the man I love is not as much of a veggie aficionada as I am. Oh he will eat them. But not because he craves them the way I do. 

So last evening, as I was pondering what to do with several veggies in my fridge, it dawned on me that I could build a stir fry. Ta Da! So that’s just what I did.

I loved it! Mr. C., not as much. But then why would I expect this veggie dish to be any different from all the hundreds of dishes containing vegetables I have set before him over the years? But because I am ever the optimist I had great expectations. (Wow, another fabulous title.)

Now I don’t want to discourage you from fixing this dish. I think it’s terrific. In fact it was one of the best stir fries I have ever made. I just want to remind you that everyone has foods that they simply like better than others. That’s why there are so many choices on most restaurant menus.

But as a cook it can be disheartening after you have spent time and effort on a dish, to find it wasn’t well liked by someone else at table. It happens to all of us. Heck, there are times when I don’t particularly like what I have just prepared. Doesn’t mean I’m not a good cook. It just means that I know what I like, and this ain’t it!

So to all you cooks out there who strike out once in a while – just keeping going. And just because someone else doesn’t like what you’ve fixed, don’t let it stop you from enjoying it yourself. If anything, it means that you get all the leftovers. And I’m telling you true. Today’s leftover rice and stir fry was delicious. And I had it all to myself.

So keep cooking healthy food. Keep laughing. And don’t take it personally. Mr. C. doesn’t love me any less because I keep trying to feed him more veggies. He knows that I do it because I love him and want him to remain healthy. If anything it reinforces how much I care.

As always, peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 c. cut fresh green beans

1 c. thin carrot slices

1 c. cauliflower florets

¼ med. onion, sliced

½ c. sliced celery

1 c. sliced mushrooms (button or cremini)

½ bell pepper, sliced

1 c. halved sugar snap peas

1-2 small zucchini, diced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp. finely minced ginger

1 (8-oz.) can whole water chestnuts, roughly chopped   

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes

¼ c. low sodium Tamari

2 T. honey   

1 tsp. sesame oil   

½ c. veggie broth

1 T. cornstarch

chopped green onions, opt. garnish

sesame seeds, opt. garnish

In a wok or large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the beans, carrot, and cauliflower. Sauté 4-5 minutes or until veggies are crisp tender. Add the onion, celery, mushroom, bell pepper, and sugar snap peas. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the bell pepper is just starting to soften. Add the zucchini, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts, and crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute.

While the veggies are cooking, whisk the Tamari, honey, sesame oil, veggie broth, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Pour over the veggies and cook until the sauce has thickened. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Great served with brown rice that has been cooked in veggie broth, with a bit of seasoned salt, black pepper, and butter thrown in for good measure.

Please note: Use any veggies you want in this stir fry. I just listed the vegetables I happened to have on hand. It’s really about having a nice variety of veggies. And of course, it’s about the sauce. This sauce is da bomb!

If you want to add protein to this stir-fry, just add some cooked chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, etc. If you don’t have cooked meat on hand, start by cooking the meat before sautéing the veggies. Then set the meat aside. Add pre-cooked or just cooked meat to the pan just before you add the Tamari and veggie broth mixture.   

On an earlier post I showed a picture of Mr. C. reading a book while Miles and Max (our orange kitties) were on the back of the sofa. This is Squeaky, the resident princess happily lounging on Andy’s desk chair while I write at my desk about 4 feet away. It’s nice to be loved.

GROUND BEEF AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY

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As we are still confined to quarters, I remain steadfast in my desire to not only cook new and interesting dishes for Mr. C., but also to help you to do the same for your family.

Now anyone who knows me is aware of my love for Chinese food, ground beef, and broccoli. (Not always in combination, but you know what I mean!) So, the other evening I was hungry for Chinese food. I knew I had some broccoli that needed to be used and a pound of ground beef thawing on my counter. So before you could count from one thousand backwards, I had glommed together this recipe after perusing various cooking sites. None of the recipes I found were just what I was looking for. But I had cooked enough Chinese dishes over the years to have a pretty good idea of the flavor combination I was looking for. So with a little assistance from some of my favorite recipe writers, I hit upon this combination of ingredients. And lucky for me, I had everything I needed without having to get in our car, drive to our local grocery store, don a mask, gloves, and a standoffish attitude!  

So if you too love a good stir-fry and don’t want to spend bunches of money in the process, give this simple dish a try. It truly is tasty and very simple to prepare.

As always – have fun in your kitchen, be kind to those around you, and take extra special care of yourself. Cooks should always be appreciated (and thanked BTW), but probably never more than during this pandemic. So from this cook to you – thanks for all you do for your family. You do make a difference. Never forget that.

1 T. vegetable oil

1 lb. lean ground beef  

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4-6 c. fresh broccoli florets and peeled stems, cut into bite sized pieces

½ med. sized onion, halved then thinly sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2-3 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger  

2 tsp. sesame oil

½ c. water

1 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon – Beef flavored)

¼ c. low-sodium soy sauce

2 T. brown sugar

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. cornstarch

2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1-2 T. sesame seeds, opt.

steamed rice, for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink. Remove from pan. (Don’t break the meat up too much as it cooks. You want some nice sized chunks.)

Add the broccoli and onion. Cook over medium heat until the broccoli is crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, whisk the sesame oil, water, beef base, soy sauce, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and cornstarch together.

Once the broccoli is finished cooking, add the meat back to the pan. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes, stirring the entire time. Stir in the green onions. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

SHRIMP CHOW MEIN

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I seriously love Chinese food. I can remember going to the Moon Temple Restaurant in Wallingford a few times when I was in high school. But as a family we rarely ate out. Once a year we would go to Ivar’s restaurant and have their seafood platter. I remember that annual event being an absolute highlight of my childhood.    

But being introduced to Chinese food by my teenage friends was probably a defining moment for me when it came to food. With all the variety of flavors, textures, and ingredients, I was immediately smitten. I simply had no basis for comparison. The food served at home was hearty, but nothing like what I was experiencing with my friends. I truly believe my love of food and subsequent zest for cooking germinated in that humble restaurant. Of course having worked in Seattle’s International district for 10 years didn’t diminish my enthusiasm for Asian food in the slightest. If anything, it only fanned the flame that still burns brightly after all these many years.

So with Chinese food in mind, I glommed this recipe together. And as with many of the recipes I come up with, this dish was built around ingredients I had on hand. And yes, I almost always have a package of frozen shrimp in the freezer. And If I even get low on fresh ginger, I break out in hives. Same with onions, fresh garlic, broccoli, and green onions. Kale, well that’s another story.

I never have to worry about running low on kale because the stuff grows like weeds, all year round! I planted some seeds in one of my half wine barrels on the west side of our house about 4 years ago, and since then I have never been without kale. In fact now I have 2 barrels containing kale. (Kale was even starting to grow around the base of the barrels, but I soon put an end to the seedlings!) Anyway, back to this recipe.

Like I said – kale galore! That’s chard coming up in the next barrel.

If you too love Chinese food (American Chinese that is), give this recipe a try. And don’t worry about having all of the same ingredients I used. Matters not. Use what you have on hand. Mushrooms, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, etc. would be lovely in this dish. No shrimp, no problem. Use chicken or no meat at all! That works too. Just be creative. And make it a fun experience. While you’re chopping away, why not have one of your kids read to you. It will occupy your little darling, and it will take your mind off cutting all those veggies with absolute precision. Just be mindful enough that you don’t chop off a finger.

So stay healthy dear readers. And keep spending time in your kitchen.

⅓ c. soy sauce

2 T. honey

¼ c. chicken stock

1 T. minced fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper  

1 lb. lg. uncooked shrimp, cut in half   

1 T. vegetable oil

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

½ c. julienned carrot

½ c. thinly sliced yellow or white onion

¼ c. thinly sliced celery

1 c. broccoli florets

6-8 pea pods, thinly sliced on the diagonal

½ c. finely cut spinach, kale, or green cabbage

6 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal   

6 oz. chow mein noodles, cooked according to package instructions

Mix the soy sauce, honey, chicken stock, ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Place the shrimp in a medium sized bowl and stir in about a third of the soy sauce mixture. Cover the bowl and place in fridge for about an hour. 

When the shrimp have finished marinating, heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and broccoli; cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables start to soften. Add the pea pods and spinach along with 2 tablespoon of water and another third of the soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a serving bowl.

Add the shrimp to the pan along with any marinade left in the bowl. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side or until pink and opaque.

Add the vegetables back into the pan along with the remaining soy sauce mixture, green onions, and cooked noodles. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Cook for a couple of minutes then serve immediately.

  

CHICKEN EGG DROP SOUP WITH DICED CHICKEN PIECES AND CHICKEN POTSTICKERS

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So OK, I couldn’t decide whether to make regular old fashioned chicken noodle soup, or chicken egg drop soup, or chicken soup with potstickers instead of egg noodles the other day. What I did know for sure was that I wanted to use up the half package of frozen chicken potstickers that had been in my freezer longer than I care to admit! (You know how that goes.) I also wanted to use up the small package of frozen innards I had purchased before Thanksgiving in preparation for the turkey stock I was going to make, but never did! (Again I’m sure you know about best laid plans, etc. etc.)

What I didn’t expect was that this mishmash chicken soup was going to taste so delicious. And a meal unto itself! Just a big old bowl of steaming goodness. Didn’t even require saltines or oyster crackers. And I always want saltines or oyster crackers with chicken noodle soup. But the soup simply didn’t need embellishing in any way. And it had been fairly quick and easy to prepare. (I always give myself points for these important aspects of getting a meal on the table.)

So during this somewhat dreary and flu ridden part of the year, whip up a pot of this soup. It’s hearty without being heavy. It’s likely to be enjoyed by every member of your family, and it’s full of nutritious ingredients. Can you realistically ask more from a soup than this? I thought not too. Enjoy! And stay healthy.

  • 1 qt. chicken stock
  • 3 c. water
  • 3-4 small boneless skinless chicken thighs or 1 large or 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast or any combination of chicken pieces you happen to have on hand
  • small pkg. chicken or turkey innards (hearts, livers, gizzards), optional but really adds to the flavor of the broth  
  • 1 lg. carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 1 lg. shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4-5 green onions, sliced and divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 T. minced fresh parsley
  • 2-3 fresh sage leaves, minced or ¼ tsp. dried sage
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or ¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly grated black pepper
  • 10 oz. (or so) defrosted chicken potstickers (I use Crazy Cuisine brand frozen potstickers)
  • 1 T. cornstarch
  • 1 T. water
  • 1 T. Tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ tsp. toasted sesame oil

Place the chicken stock, water, chicken pieces, innards, carrot, celery, shallot, garlic, the white and light green parts of the green onions (save the dark green parts for later), bay leaves, parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large covered pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for an hour. (After about 20 minutes, check to see if the chicken is done. If so, remove to a plate and allow to cool before cutting into small bite sized pieces.)

After simmering the stock, taste the broth. If it tastes like it could use a few more minutes for the flavors to meld, go for it.

When you decide you’ve been patient enough, remove and discard the innards and bay leaves. (If you love innards, of course you can chop them up and add them to the soup when you add the cooked diced chicken meat.) Bring the broth to a boil and add the defrosted potstickers. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until they are tender. Reduce heat, taste, and add salt and pepper if required.

While the potstickers are cooking, whisk the cornstarch, water, and Tamari together in a small bowl. Add to the soup along with the diced cooked chicken. Bring to a boil stirring all the while.

Drizzle the beaten egg into the soup in a slow stream. Use a large spoon to very gently stir the soup. Stir in the sesame oil and the remaining sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

 

GRILLED ASIAN MARINATED FLANK STEAK

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Yesterday was a swell day. I made a few more reservations for our upcoming trip to Eastern Europe, got caught up on my “to do” list, and tried a new recipe featuring flank steak. (How could a day be more perfect than that?) Well – the only thing that would have made it even better is if I’d remembered to take a picture of the flank steak before we gobbled it down! But hey! I’m kind of out of the habit since I haven’t been posting recipes as regularly as usual. (Four weeks on a trailer trip and then two weeks of planning our next trip, is my only excuse!)

But I’m back now and eager to share exciting new recipes with you like this one I modified from the Skinny Taste site.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I have been on an Asian food kick for months now. So when it came time to think about last evenings’ dinner, I went searching for an Asian inspired marinade for the flank steak that was thawing in my sink. And I found this marvelous and simple recipe.

Mr. C. grilled the steak to perfection, and along with purchased frozen pot stickers “fried” in my air fryer and Sunomono Salad (on this site), we supped royally last evening.

So next time you want a simple and delicious flank steak for dinner, give this recipe a try. And if you have never cooked a flank steak, you are in for even more of a treat. So easy to prepare and the taste is simply marvelous. Just don’t cook the pickles out of it! If you don’t like your beef steak on the rare side, walk away from this recipe. Flank steak will get tough if you cook it too long. It will also loose flavor.

But, I would encourage you not to go to the other extreme either. Not with flank steak. Flank steak is at its best when medium rare. If you like your steak truly rare or even blue rare, then grill a flatiron or top sirloin steak instead. (And yes, I love rare steak as much as the next gal. Moo….) But different cuts of steak are simply tastier when cooked properly. And flank steak is no exception. Medium rare. Repeat after me – medium rare! Thank you. (And enjoy!)

¼ c. reduced sodium soy sauce or Tamari  

1 T. vegetable oil

2 T. honey

1 tsp. sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

freshly ground black pepper

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

4 thinly minced green onions, divided

1 tsp. seasoned or regular rice vinegar

1 lb. flank steak, trimmed of all fat and silver skin

In a medium-size bowl, combine the soy sauce, vegetable oil, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and half of the minced green onions. Remove 3 tablespoons of the marinade and combine it with the rice vinegar in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.   

Place remaining marinade and steak in a 1-gallon re-sealable bag (remove as much air as possible) or in the bottom of a small shallow container (cover the pan with plastic wrap).  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or for up to 12 hours. Turn the steak every hour or so during this time. Remove from refrigerator about 45 minutes before you plan to grill the meat.

Remove the steak from the bag or pan and discard the marinade. 

Set the grill to high heat. Carefully grease the grill with some oil. Once the grill is hot, add the steak.

Cover and cook the steak until well browned, about 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook until desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a thermometer to make certain the temperature doesn’t surpass 122 degrees for a perfect medium rare steak. (If you cook flank steak until no pink is showing, it will be tough.)

Remove from grill, and tent with aluminum foil for about 10 minutes before slicing very thinly against the grain and on a diagonal. Garnish with the remaining green onions. Serve immediately. Pass the reserved marinade as a sauce.

BAKED TERIYAKI HALIBUT

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OK, I am never going to buy bottled teriyaki sauce again. (Of course I might have to if I’m traveling, but if I’m at home, there is no reason to spend the money or to settle for a product that is less than perfect.) Because in making this dish the other evening, I was blown away by the complex flavor in this simple recipe for teriyaki sauce.

Now one thing you should know. This is an Emeril Lagasse recipe. And if I had the opportunity, I would kiss his toes. He really understands food. So after saying that, I need to give full disclosure. I changed his recipe to fit my way of preparing food. (Now there’s a new concept, right?!?!)

But truly, any way you look at it, this is a dish fit for the Gods. It’s simple. It’s delicious. It’s NW cuisine at its finest. (Well NW with an inspired Asian (via New Orleans) influence.) Just make it soon. It is over the top amazing. Thank you dear Emeril.

1/3 c. mirin or rice wine

½ c. soy sauce

1 T. sugar

2 tsp. minced gingerroot

1 garlic clove, minced

pinch cayenne

2 (6-7-oz.) halibut fillets

minced green onions, as garnish

Combine the mirin, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and cayenne in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until reduced to a syrup like consistency, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat. (Don’t reduce too much.)

Pour a thin layer of the sauce/syrup in the bottom of a lightly greased baking pan. Place the halibut fillets skin side up in the sauce. Marinate for 1 hour.

After an hour bake the halibut in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and the internal temperature has reached 140 degrees. Remove from oven and serve flesh side up garnished with green onions. Pass the remaining teriyaki sauce. Great with Asian Flavored Steamed Rice (on this site) and a steamed green veggie.

All I can say is – don’t be daft! Make the sauce, but at least double the recipe. This is truly the teriyaki sauce you have always dreamed of. But if you are like me, never quite achieved!

So Emeril, you Asian (not) darling – thank you. I shall forever be in your debt. And if you ever desire a Camano Island experience, we (Mr. C. and I) are here for you! Mi casa es tu casa!

ASIAN FLAVORED STEAMED RICE

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Some days, the most difficult decision I have to make is what side dish to serve for dinner. Now, realizing that my life before retirement was a bit more hectic and fraught with adventure (raising children), careful consideration (I worked in human resources), and all the other plethora of daily life associated with being alive, I truly cherish my lack of real and meaningful responsibility at this stage of my life. Like deciding to prepare a rice dish rather than a potato dish.

Now of course I’m not intimating that on occasion I don’t have resolutions to make of greater importance then what side dish to fix. Of course I do. But they come fewer and further between now, not to mention they don’t resonate with me the way they did when I was younger. Advancing age and a whole lot of life experience really does have its benefits. But it also doesn’t mean that on those days when my main concern is menu planning, that I don’t appreciate the heck out of the beautiful life I am living.

So in order for you to also live a life full of simple and beautiful things, I offer up this recipe. It is absolutely delicious, and perfect with almost any kind of simply prepared meat or seafood. With its slightly Asian flavor, of course it goes well with any Asian dish. And your kids will love it.

So if you are at that stage in your life when you have so many more important things to worry about than what side dish to serve, or don’t want to be bothered thinking about it at all, let me recommend this fast, easy, and flavorful recipe. Enjoy!

2 c. chicken stock

1 c. white rice

1 scant T. low sodium soy sauce

1 scant T. toasted sesame oil

2 green onions, very thinly sliced, opt.

3 T. toasted slivered almonds, opt.

Combine the stock and rice in your rice cooker. Hit the cook button and walk away. When the rice cooker turns off, stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions. Keep covered and on warm setting until ready to serve. If using, stir in the toasted almonds just before serving.

ASIAN BEEF, VEGETABLE, AND FRIED TOFU SOUP

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So, what to do when housebound because of snow? Well for me the answer is easy! Cook! So that’s just what I have been doing for the last 3 days. And because it’s below freezing outside I decided that soup should still be on the menu.

But we had just finished a big old pot of Flageolet Bean and Ham Soup (on site), so I wanted a soup that was totally different and not coincidentally use some of the beef quarter that has recently taken up residency in our freezer.

And for whatever reason, I have recently been craving Asian food. So I went on line to find an Asian flavored soup starring beef. (Actually not as difficult as I had imagined.)

I knew I had a wonderful recipe for Pho, but I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand. And since our neighbors had reported that the main road between our home and the IGA on Camano Island resembled a not so nicely cared for skating rink, I decided Pho was not going to happen. But Mollie Lee, via the Taste of Home site, provided me with the bones for this wonderful soup that I made last evening. Of course I changed an ingredient here and there, but the basic soup is all Mollies.

So if you too are thinking about soup, but want one that is really different, but really delicious, I recommend this recipe.

1 T. veggie oil, divided

1 lb. sirloin or bottom round steak, cut into ¾-inch cubes

3 c. beef broth

¼ c. dry sherry

¼ c. reduced-sodium Tamari or soy sauce

8 (1 bunch) green onions, thinly sliced, divided

1 T. brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. minced fresh ginger

2 tsp. sesame oil

scant 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 small carrot, julienned

6 sliced fresh button mushrooms

1 c. sliced bok choy (I used romaine because that’s all I had – worked just fine)

fried tofu (see recipe below)

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add the beef cubes and brown meat on all sides. Add the broth, sherry, Tamari, half of the green onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, cayenne, and carrot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 90 minutes or until the meat cubes are tender. Meanwhile, prepare the tofu.

When the meat is tender, stir in the mushrooms and bok choy; cover and simmer 20 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.

When ready to serve, place several cubes of tofu in the bottom of each soup bowl. Top with a cup or so of the soup, and garnish with remaining green onion slices.

Fried Tofu:

1 block extra firm tofu

½ c. soy sauce

2 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. Sriracha, or other chili garlic sauce

1 T. veggie oil

Wrap the block of tofu in a clean tea towel. Set something heavy on top to press out extra moisture. Let sit for 20-30 minutes. Unwrap tofu and cut into 32 cubes.

Meanwhile whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, granulated garlic, and Sriracha in a shallow dish or pan. Add the tofu cubes, turn the cubes as to coat all the surfaces, and let marinate for about 45 minutes, turning whenever the mood strikes you.

Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil and gently place the tofu cubes in the hot oil. Sauté each side until brown and crusty. Remove pan from heat and transfer tofu directly to soup bowls or to wire racks to cool if the soup is not yet ready.

 

GARLIC AND GINGER GLAZED STICKY PORK

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I really love Chinese food. Well, maybe not all Chinese food. For example, I don’t ever want to even try chicken feet! I’m really just talking about loving the kind of Chinese food that is more American than Chinese.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love traditional dim sum, but even then my tastes run to the little dishes that I feel certain only contain ingredients that I can buy at my local IGA. So call me a coward, sissy, or your favorite term for someone who lacks courage when it comes to edible unknowns, but the reality remains the same. I prefer to know what ingredients are contained in the dishes I am being served. In an Italian restaurant, I have no qualms. In an authentic Chinese restaurant, I tend to feel less confident.

So how do I assuage my love of Chinese food with the fear of unknown ingredients? Easy. I build the food myself. (Or I stick with restaurants I’ve known for decades, like Tai Tung or House of Hong in Seattle’s International district.) And yes, these restaurants have dishes that are authentic, or to me they appear authentic, but I have learned through experience which dishes to order and which to avoid. But back to the real reason for this post. Sticky Pork.

I love pork. But if I’m honest with myself, pork can be a bit bland. And some people don’t appreciate pork for that very reason. But if you combine pork with the other ingredients listed below, there is enough flavor going on to make a believer out of even the most ardent pork critic.

So what are you waiting for? Give your family a treat for dinner. Go Chinese for the evening. Or better yet, go totally ethnic and serve Sunomono (Japanese recipe on this site) as a side dish.   

Serving different ethnic cuisines, even in the same meal, is a wonderful way to travel the world. Makes for a lovely topic of conversation around the dinner table too. Enjoy

½ c. honey

1 T. Sriracha, or more to taste

1 T. rice wine vinegar

2 T. Tamari or soy sauce

1 T. water

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. cornstarch

1½ lbs. boneless pork chops, loin, or country style ribs, cut into ¼-inch thick pieces, then ¼-inch thick strips, about 2 inches long

2-3 T. vegetable oil, plus extra if necessary

3 garlic cloves, finely minced   

2 T. finely minced fresh ginger

toasted sesame seeds, opt. garnish

4-6 thinly sliced green onions, opt. garnish

Mix the honey, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar, Tamari, and water together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place the salt, pepper, and corn starch in a large plastic freezer bag. Add the pork and shake until the meat is thoroughly coated.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Carefully add the pork to the pan, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Let the first side brown, flip the pieces with tongs or a spatula, and brown the second side. Transfer the pork to a bowl. Repeat until all of the meat is cooked. 

Reduce the heat and stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in the sauce mixture; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. When the sauce is very bubbly and somewhat thickened, add the cooked pork and simmer until the sauce is reduced to a thick, sticky glaze. Serve over rice.

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Pass the Sriracha bottle for those who like more heat.