Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad

 

Ingredients

8 ounces fresh Chinese noodles (see note)

Dressing

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh ground chili sauce
2 tablespoons juice from 2 limes (or rice wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
3 tablespoons warm water
 

To Assemble

 2 large red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
1 large cucumber, seeded and sliced into fine julienne or small half moons
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, mint, or cilantro leaves
8 scallions, finely sliced at a severe bias to create long, thin strips
2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, sliced into fine strips
1 to 2 red thai bird chilis, finely minced (optonal)
1/2 cup roughly crushed roasted peanuts

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Agitate noodles until thoroughly chilled. Set aside while you make the dressing.

In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, chili sauce, lime juice, sesame seed oil, garlic, sugar or honey, and water. Whisk until homogeneous. Drain noodles thoroughly and add to bowl. Add bell peppers, cucumber, bean sprouts, basil leaves, scallions, jalapeños, and bird chilis (if using). Toss to combine. Serve immediately, topped with roasted peanuts.

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons coriander seeds (toasted and ground)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (toasted and ground)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (ground)
2 stalks lemongrass (peeled & chopped)
1 shallot (diced)
1 tablespoon garlic (grated)
1 tablespoon galangal (or ginger, grated)
1 birds eye chili (sliced)
1 lime (juice and zest)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound chicken (cut into thin strips)
* wooden skewers (soaked in cold water for 30 minutes)
1/4 cup peanut sauce

Directions:

Mix the coriander, cumin, turmeric, lemongrass, shallot, garlic, galangal, chili, lime, fish sauce sugar and oil.

Marinate the chicken in the marinade in the fridge for 1 hour to over night.

 

Skewer the chicken and grill it until cooked and slightly charred, about 3-5 minutes per side.

Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Lemongrass Coconut Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil

4 lemongrass stalks, pale parts only, crushed with the flat side of a knife

2 medium onions, sliced 1/8 inch thick

2 Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed but not seeded, minced (optional)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips

3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)

6 cups Master Chicken Broth or low-sodium canned chicken broth

1/2 cup coconut milk

Juice of 2 lemons

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion greens

Directions:

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the lemongrass, stir, and sweat it, uncovered, for 2 minutes. 

Add the onions and chiles, if using, and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute. 

Add the chicken and sauté until opaque, about 1 minute. 

Add the fish sauce and broth, stir, bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced slightly to intensify its flavor, 15 to 20 minutes. 

Whisk in the coconut milk and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with the scallions, and serve.

Crunchy Coconut Shrimp with Maui Mustard Sauce

Ingredients: 

18 unpeeled, large fresh shrimp

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 (7-ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

Peanut oil

Salt

Maui Mustard Sauce

Maui Mustard Sauce Ingredients and Preparation

1/3 cup pineapple preserves

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1/4 cup stone-ground mustard

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Directions:

Peel shrimp, leaving tails on. Butterfly shrimp by making a deep slit down the back of each from the large end to the tail, cutting to, but not through, inside curve of shrimp.

Stir together coconut milk, cilantro, and lime juice in a large bowl. Add shrimp, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Drain shrimp from mixture (do not pat dry).

Whisk together flour and soy sauce in a small bowl. Combine coconut and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dip shrimp into soy sauce batter; dredge in coconut mixture, pressing onto shrimp. Place shrimp on baking sheet; freeze 20 minutes.

Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven, and heat to 350°. Cook shrimp, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve immediately with Maui Mustard Sauce.

California Sushi Rolls

Ingredients:

2 sheets nori (seaweed) (each about 8 inches square)

1 recipe Sushi Rice Filling

Desired fillings (such as small carrot, zucchini, or cucumber sticks; avocado slices; flake-style imitation crab meat; smoked salmon (lox-style); and/or small peeled, deveined, and cooked shrimp)

1 recipe Honey Ginger Sauce (below)

Directions:

Lay seaweed on a sushi mat lined with plastic wrap; with damp fingers, spread 1 cup of the Sushi Rice over each sheet to within 1 inch of the edge at one end. Arrange desired vegetable or seafood fillings just below center.

Roll seaweed toward the 1-inch unfilled edge. (To shape a tight even roll, place your hands under the edge of the mat closest to you. While carefully lifting the edge of the nori, roll the rice-topped seaweed away from you.) Press unfilled edge over top, brushing with water to seal, if necessary.

Cut each roll into 6 pieces; arrange on a platter. If desired, cover and chill for up to 4 hours. Serve with Honey-Ginger Sauce.

Makes 12 sushi rolls

Sushi Rice Filling

In a fine-mesh sieve wash 1/2 cup short grain rice under cold running water, rubbing grains together with your fingers. In a small saucepan combine rinsed rice, 1 cup cold water, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes (rice should be sticky). Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup finely shredded carrot, 1 tablespoon sugar, and if desired, 1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry. Cover and cool about 45 minutes or until room temperature. (Rice can be prepared ahead; cover and chill for up to 3 days.) Makes about 2 cups.

Honey-Ginger Sauce

In a small saucepan combine 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons plum sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and one 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced. Bring to boiling, stirring frequently; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly thickened. Strain into a small bowl; cool. Cover and chill. Makes a scant 3/4 cup.

Thai Lime Green Curry

Ingredients:

Curry Paste

10 to 12 kaffir lime leaves (purchased fresh or frozen at an Asian store)

6 cloves garlic

4 green (spring) onions, sliced

3 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in tall bottles at Asian stores)

4 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. dark soy sauce

2 tsp. brown sugar

3 Tbsp. coconut milk

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 fresh red chili, OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)

1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)

Curry

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 shallots OR 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

2 to 3 Tbsp. sherry OR cooking sherry

1 to 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 green or yellow bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces

1/2 can good-quality coconut milk

1/2 cup fresh basil

Directions:

Make the curry paste: Using scissors, snip the lime leaves into thin strips, discarding the stems and central veins. (Note that there are no substitutions for lime leaves in this recipe). Combine these strips plus all remaining paste ingredients in a mini food chopper (or a food processor which can mince finely).

Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil plus the shallots and stir-fry 1 minute.

Add the chicken, plus sherry. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes, or until chicken is nearly cooked.

Add the peppers plus 3 Tbsp. of the curry paste. Stir-fry 2-3 more minutes, or until peppers have softened (but are still crisp).

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining paste plus 1/2 can coconut milk, stirring well to mix.

Gently simmer a few minutes while you taste-test and adjust the flavorings. If the curry is too strong-tasting OR if you'd prefer more sauce, add another few Tbsp. coconut milk (or up to 1/4 can more). If it's too salty, add more fresh lime juice. If too sour for your taste, add a little more sugar. If not salty enough, add more fish sauce.

Scoop the curry into a serving bowl, or portion out onto individual plates. Top with generous amounts of fresh basil (either whole leaves, if small, or chopped up if the leaves are large). Serve with rice.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken Bits

2 pounds skinned, de-boned chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

A little fresh ground black pepper, ground ginger and garlic powder to season flour (not a lot)

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

Vegetable oil

Vegetables

1 orange bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch square bits

1 red bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch square bits

1 large yellow onion, skinned, root end removed, cut into 1/2-inch bits

2 medium carrots, peeled and trimed, slice thinly on the diagonal

1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice (no added sweeteners)

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice

1 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4 - 6 drops red food coloring

2 rounded tablespoons corn starch mixed in enough cold water to make a slurry

Directions:

Chicken Bits

When cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces, remove any fat, gristle or connective tissue. If the chicken is soft-frozen or almost thawed it is easier to cut.

In small frying pan, add 1/2-inch vegetable oil. Heat to deep-frying temperature.

In a bowl mix eggs and milk. Beat until well combined. Place flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl and mix.

Dunk pieces of chicken in the egg and milk mixture. Allow excess to drain.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour coating thoroughly. Here is your chance to practice with your chop sticks and keep the flour off from your fingers.

Drop pieces into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown. Turn as necessary to cook evenly on all sides. When golden brown, remove to paper towel covered plate to drain. Repeat until all chicken pieces are cooked. Set aside until assembly.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Place pineapple and water in sauce pan. Heat over low flame. Slowly add sugar while stirring.

When sugar has dissolved, slowly add the vinegar and the lemon juice while stirring.

Add corn starch slurry and stir while heating. Bring to a boil.

Stir constantly until thickened. Add food coloring (a couple drops at first and then adjust until you have the red color you like) and stir well to mix. Continue to heat and stir until almost a syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.

Note: You will be judging the thickness of the sauce while it is hot. It will thicken considerably when it is set aside and cools. Later, when added to the vegetables, the moisture from the vegetables will thin the sauce quite a bit.

Assembling Completed Dish

Add a little vegetable oil to a large frying pan or wok. Bring to frying temperature over medium heat. Add vegetables (but not the pineapple) and cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to caramelize.

Add sweet and sour sauce and continue cooking and stirring until vegetable are bite tender and sauce has re-thickened and clings to the vegetables.

Add pineapple and chicken bits and fold into the vegetables and sauce. Simmer until heated through. Serve.

Black Pepper Shrimp

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup julienned green pepper

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Prepare shrimp: Make a deep cut in the back of the shrimp 3/4 of the way through. When they cook, this will allow them to open up.

Set a seasoned wok over a large burner on high heat. Once wok is very hot add oil (pour it around the sides of the wok so it coats it evenly). Add shrimp and allow to sear undisturbed for a few seconds. Add pepper, minced garlic, minced ginger and stir well. Season with soy and stir quickly to cook shrimp through until they are pink. Remove shrimp from wok and set aside on platter.

Add a little more oil to the wok and saute vegetables for 2 minutes so they still have their bite but are just lightly seared. Add shrimp back to wok and toss everything together for just 1 minute. Serve in a large flat bowl.