Category: Asian flavors

Accompaniments · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Egg based · Fish · Sauces

Asian-inspired labneh Dijonnaise

Belinda

This is a super mayonnaise to have with cold (or hot) salmon and everyone will ask “What’s in that mayo?”

1/2 cup labneh
3 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise (Must be Kewpie as it’s made from only egg yolks and tastes far superior to ordinary (more watery) mayo))
3 tbsp good Dijon mustard
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
Kosher, salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together the labneh, mayonnaise, Dijon, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and honey until smooth and creamy.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste, garnish with your choice of herbs and serve

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Rice

Ginger lime pork

Belinda

This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and is bursting with savory, sweet, fresh flavors. Serve with brown or white rice.

1 tbsp olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 lbs ground pork
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp sriracha, or more/less to taste
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
toppings: chopped peanuts, extra lime wedges, chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, and/or Thai basil)

While the rice is cooking, heat the oil over high heat in a large sauté pan.
Add the white parts of the scallions, garlic, ginger and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the pork and use a wooden spoon to stir and break it up as it cooks.

Add the sauce. Once the pork is no longer pink, add in the brown sugar, lime juice, sriracha and stir until evenly combined. Let the pork continue to cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes or until it caramelizes on the bottom. Stir, then let the pork cook undisturbed for 1-2 more minutes or until it caramelizes on the bottom.

Taste and season with salt and pepper and/or extra sriracha as needed.
Serve warm over rice, garnished with your desired toppings. Enjoy!

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Rice · Vegan

Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts

Belinda

Recipe by Christian Reynoso

Coconut milk does double duty here in this light yet hearty rice dish that straddles the line between side salad and pilaf-like main. First the rice is simmered in creamy coconut milk, then the remaining milk is used to make a soothing dressing spiked with lime juice, peanut butter, toasted peanuts and garlic, with a little added heat from chile sauce. Fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped herbs turn it all into a rice salad that can be a flavorful side for grilled chicken or the base for fried eggs.

Serves 4

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed
1 (13 to 14 oz) can coconut milk
Salt and pepper
1(1½-inch) piece fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves
2 limes
½ cup roasted and salted peanuts, crushed
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp sambal oelek
2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes, halved (about 10 ounces)
1 cup roughly chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, cilantro or mint)

Cook the rice according to the packaging instructions until tender, replacing 1¼ cups of the cooking water with 1¼ cups of the coconut milk. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, transfer to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper — it should taste well-seasoned and almost buttery — and let cool.

While the rice is cooking, add ¼ cup coconut milk to another bowl. Finely grate the ginger and garlic into the bowl, followed by the zest of 1 lime. Then, juice both limes into the bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup of the peanuts, the peanut butter, sugar and sambal and season with salt.

When ready to serve, add the tomatoes and ¾ cup of the herbs to the bowl with the rice. Pour in the coconut dressing, toss well to coat, season with pepper and top with remaining ¼ cup crushed peanuts and ¼ cup herbs. For the best flavor, serve at room temperature the day it’s made.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Asian chicken and cabbage salad

Belinda

This is a delicious and healthy salad and makes a mountain of it! It’s great for those outdoor summer entertaining and
you can prepare everything ahead of time, as long as you keep them separate until you’re ready to serve.

Serves 8 at least

Dressing
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
½ cup avocado oil
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Salad and Assembly
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lb.)
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
¾ cup raw almonds
½ small head of purple cabbage (about 10 oz) cored, thinly sliced
4 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 8-oz. cans water chestnuts, drained, quartered
1 7-oz. bag bean sprouts (about 2½ cups)

Dressing
Step 1
Whisk 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped, one 2″ piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp), ½ cup avocado oil, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, ¼ cup toasted sesame oil, ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar, and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper in a small bowl to combine.

Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Whisk before using.
Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead; cover and chill.
Chicken can be baked 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Vegetables can be sliced 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Salad and Assembly.
Step 2
Pour ½ cup dressing into a medium bowl. Add 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lb.), sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and turn to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast ¾ cup raw almonds on a large rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop; set aside.

Step 4
Line baking sheet with a piece of foil about twice its length. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheet; discard marinade. Fold foil up and over chicken and bring edges together to make a packet; crimp tightly to seal.

Step 5
Bake chicken until cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted through foil and into the thickest part of a breast should register 150°), 30–40 minutes. Let cool in foil, then tear open packet and shred chicken into large pieces.

Step 6
Place chicken in a large bowl. Add ½ small head of purple cabbage (about 10 oz.), cored, thinly sliced, 4 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise, 6 scallions, thinly sliced, two 8-oz. cans water chestnuts, drained, quartered, one 7-oz. bag mung bean sprouts (about 2½ cups), and remaining dressing; toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Step 7
Pile salad on a platter; top with reserved almonds.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Salad

The famous Wolfgang Puck Chinese Chicken Salad

Belinda

Chef Wolfgang Puck created this signature Chinois Chicken Salad for his Santa Monica restaurant, Chinois, which opened in 1983 and specializes in Chinese-French fusion cuisine. It remains one of his most popular dishes and highly-requested recipes.

Tip: You can use store-bought wonton strips, but to make your own fried wonton strips like Wolfgang does, slice some wonton wrappers and deep fry in oil at 360°F until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before using.

Serves 6

For the Vinaigrette:
½ cup rice wine vinegar
⅓ cup Chinese mustard
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chopped pickled ginger
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp sesame paste
Salt and pepper
¾ cup peanut oil
For the Salad:
5 cups julienned Napa cabbage
4 cups mixed greens or watercress
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned
1 head radicchio, cored and julienned
3 pounds cooked skinless chicken breasts, cooled and meat julienned
2 cups fried wonton strips
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Large handful of toasted cashews

For the vinaigrette, in a blender, combine the rice wine vinegar, Chinese mustard, soy sauce, egg yolk, honey, pickled ginger, chili oil, sesame paste and salt and pepper to taste.

Blend thoroughly, then slowly add the peanut oil while the motor is running. Taste for seasoning.

For the salad, in a large salad bowl, mix all the salad ingredients except for the sesame seeds. Add half the vinaigrette and taste. Add more dressing, as needed, a little at a time so as not to overdress the salad.

Divide the salad among 6 plates and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cashews.

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free · Rice

Killer crack salmon muffins

Belinda


Makes 12

3 sheets nori paper
1½ cups cooked sushi rice, fully cooled

Killer crack salmon:
1 lb salmon, skin removed + cubed small
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tbs unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tbs honey
1 tbs ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs sesame seeds
2 scallions, diced
Glaze:
1 tbs toasted sesame oil
2 tbs honey
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp sesame seeds
Optional toppings:
sliced scallions, shredded carrots

Preheat your oven 400℉. Grab scissors and cut your nori sheets into 4 equal squares.
In a large bowl, whisk the olive, oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds and scallions. Add in the cubed salmon and marinate for an hour or up to overnight.
To each nori square, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of rice and spread out slightly. Transfer the square to your muffin slot, pushing down gently to center the rice in the middle with the edges coming up along the sides of the slot. Grab out 4-5 salmon cubes and fill each muffin slot. Transfer the pan to your oven and bake for 15 minutes. Broil, if needed, at the end, to get a little tan on the salmon .. 1-2 minutes.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze. Taste and adjust if needed.

Special Note: I find my Silicone Muffin Tray to keep them from getting soggy the best (as compared to my metal muffin tray).
Make sure your rice is fully cooled prior to adding to the recipe.
And don’t over fill with salmon.

Asian flavors · Curry · Dairy-free · Soup

Slow-cooker chicken laksa noodle soup

Belinda

Chicken noodle soup gets a laksa glow-up with this warming, spicy slow cooker recipe. With its tender shredded chicken, slurpy noodles and creamy curry broth, it’s a rich-tasting treat.

Serves 4
Cooking time 6 hours

2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 tbsp curry powder
8 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 whole chicken
1 x 400ml can (13.5 fl oz) coconut cream
400g (14 oz) egg noodles (or your choice of noodle)
6 hard-boiled eggs, to serve
roughly chopped coriander (cilantro), to serve
bean shoots, to serve
red chili, finely sliced, to serve

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and curry powder and cook, stirring, for a minute or until fragrant. Pour in 1 cup of the chicken stock and use your spoon to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the bowl of a slow cooker

Stir in the remaining stock, fish sauce and sugar. Add the chicken and cook for 6 hours on low.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a tray and use forks to shred the meat. Set aside for later.

Pour the broth out of the slow cooker bowl and into a saucepan. Add the coconut cream and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the noodles in boiling water and use tongs to transfer the noodles to serving bowls. Divide those among the serving bowls.

Add the shredded chicken to the bowls. Ladle over the soup. Top with eggs, coriander, bean shoots and fresh chili.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Icecream

Fresh ginger ice cream

Belinda

Fresh ginger gives a subtle kiss of flavor to this smooth, creamy ginger ice cream.

Servings 8

1 cup milk
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup sliced fresh ginger (sliced into thin rounds like coins)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch cinnamon
2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the sliced ginger, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir together until combined.
Add the heavy whipping cream and stir gently to combine.
Cover the bowl and let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours, or overnight for a stronger ginger flavor.
Strain the mixture and process in an ice cream maker. Serve while soft, or freeze until firm.

Asian flavors · Salad

Asian shredded salad

Belinda

Serves 4

2 tsp sunflower oil
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp runny honey
Fine grain sea salt, to taste
One small bunch of cilantro (leaves and stems), chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted
1 bunch of scallions, shredded
2 cups finely shredded cabbage, (a mix of green and purple is nice too)
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup broccoli or pea sprouts
3 large stalks celery, thinly sliced on diagonal
2 tbsp shoyu or soy sauce
1 tbsp (brown) rice vinegar
toasted sesame seeds, black or white

In a medium bowl, stir together the sunflower oil, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of the honey, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Add the cilantro, peanuts, and scallions. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the cabbage, mung bean sprouts, broccoli or pea sprouts, and celery.

In another bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and remaining 2 teaspoons of honey. Stir to combine, pour over the vegetables, and toss to coat. Add half the cilantro-peanut mixture, toss again, and transfer to a serving dish.
Top with the remaining cilantro relish and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Asian flavors · Poultry

Chicken Tikka Masala

Belinda

Britain’s favorite dish; the classic chicken tikka masala.
This much-loved chicken curry recipe from Madhur Jaffrey features garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander

Probably created in Britain, chicken tikka masala is easily the most popular Indian curry in the UK today, and yet nobody is quite clear about its origins. It is possible that a chef in Birmingham, with too many tandoor-roasted chicken pieces (‘tikkas’) left over, decided to reheat them in a quick stir-fried curry sauce. However it originated, it is here to stay.
The tikkas need to marinate for six to eight hours, so bear that in mind when you come to make the dish. Serve it with Indian breads or rice. A black dal would go well with such a meal.

For the chicken tikka:
675g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
1¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp peeled, finely grated root ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
1 tsp paprika
½–¾ tsp chili powder
6 tbsp whipping cream
½ tsp garam masala
3 tbsp olive or sunflower oil

For the masala:
4 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
140 g (5oz) onions, halved and finely sliced
1 tbsp peeled, finely grated root ginger
5-6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
¾ tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
4 tbsp whole milk plain yoghurt
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and very finely chopped
350 ml (about 1 1/2 cups) chicken stock
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp garam masala
4 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

You will need 4 flat metal long skewers for the chicken

Start by marinating the chicken tikka. Put the chicken in a non-reactive bowl and rub in the salt and lemon juice. Prod the chicken pieces lightly with the tip of a knife and rub the seasonings in again, then set aside for 20 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, cream and garam masala. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for six to eight hours (longer will not hurt).

When you’re ready to cook, make the masala: pour the 4 tablespoons of oil into a large, preferably non-stick, lidded pan and set it over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the onions. Stir and fry until they brown, six or seven minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue to fry, stirring, for a minute. Add the ground coriander, turmeric, chili powder and paprika. Stir for 10 seconds, then add a tablespoon of the yoghurt. Stir and fry until it is absorbed. Add the remaining yoghurt in this way, a tablespoon at a time.

Now put in the tomatoes. Fry them for three or four minutes, or until they turn pulpy. Add the stock and salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. The sauce should turn thick. Stir in the garam masala and coriander leaves, taste for balance of seasonings and add more salt if you need it.

Shortly before you eat, preheat the grill to its highest setting. Thread the chicken on to two to four skewers (the flat, sword-like ones are best). Brush with the 3 tablespoons of oil and balance the skewers on the rim of a shallow baking tray, so that the meat is suspended and does not touch the tray. Place about 13 cm (5 inches) from the source of heat and grill for six minutes on each side, or until lightly browned, cooked through and charred in places. (Cut a large piece of chicken to the centre to check there is no trace of pink.)

When the tikkas are cooked, reheat the sauce and fold in the chicken. Serve immediately.