Category: Asian flavors

Asian flavors · Pasta · Poultry

Peanut chicken tray-bake

Belinda

Nut butters are so versatile, especially peanut, and whenever I run out, I just make my own. It’s cheaper and easier. And it can be used for much more than just breakfast, like in this peanut chicken tray-bake. You make enough here to keep a jar in your cupboard too.
Recipe by Nadiya Hussain

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Serves 4

For the peanut butter
500g/1lb 2oz salted peanuts
1 tbsp honey
4–5 tbsp vegetable oil

For the chicken
250g/9oz gnocchi
1kg/2lb 4oz deboned and skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp vegetable oil
5 tbsp Thai green curry paste
5 tbsp peanut butter, from above
1 tsp salt
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
2 small red onions, cut into small wedges
3 tbsp salted peanuts, roughly chopped
handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 lime, juice only

To make the peanut butter, put the nuts into a food processor with the salt (if using) and honey and blend until it starts to change texture. Add the oil gradually and as soon as the texture is smooth and shiny, stop and transfer the mixture to a jar.

For the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 F and have a roasting dish (about 12″x8½”x2″) at the ready.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, then add the gnocchi. Boil until the gnocchi come to the surface, then take off the heat, drain and set aside.

Put the chicken into a large bowl. Add the honey, oil, curry paste, peanut butter and salt, and mix it well with your hands. Add the chicken to the roasting dish along with the broccoli, onions and gnocchi and bake for 30 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through.

Serve topped with the chopped nuts, coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Gluten Free

Ottolenghi’s sticky bananas with brown sugar and lime

Belinda

Another gem from Yotam Ottolenghi
This punchy dessert has everything – sweetness, acidity, saltiness and umami – which makes the creme fraiche essential for rounding out the flavors and mellowing them a little. The bananas you use should have almost completely yellow skins, with only the faintest bit of brown spotting. If you don’t have a spice grinder, it will be virtually impossible to grind the rice sufficiently, so leave it out or use chopped toasted peanuts instead.

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Serves 4

2 oz unsalted butter
3 oz soft light brown sugar
½ tsp ground star anise
6 oz creme fraiche
1½ tbsp white miso
4 semi-ripe medium bananas, peeled and halved lengthways
1 lime – zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp, then cut into 4 wedges

For the toasted rice topping
1 tbsp uncooked white rice
2 tsp black sesame seeds
½ tsp ground star anise

Set the oven grill to its highest setting. Meanwhile, put the rice in a small frying pan on a medium heat and toast for 12-15 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until deeply golden. Transfer to a spice grinder, blitz very finely, then tip into a small bowl. Return the pan to a medium-high heat, add the sesame seeds and toast, shaking the pan regularly, for about a minute, then tip into the rice bowl. Add the ground star anise and mix to combine.

Put the butter, sugar, star anise and a tablespoon of creme fraiche in a large, ovenproof cast-iron pan (or large saute pan) and put on a medium heat. Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, then, off the heat, whisk in the miso until smooth. Add the bananas cut side-up, and use a spoon to coat the tops with some of the caramel. Transfer the pan to the oven and grill for eight minutes (timings will vary depending on your grill), or until the bananas have softened and taken on quite a lot of color.

Sprinkle over the lime zest and a tablespoon of the rice topping, and serve hot straight from the pan, with the lime wedges, remaining creme fraiche and some extra crunchy topping alongside.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Poultry

Chicken breasts with stem ginger sauce

Belinda

This is a beauty from the one and only, fail-safe Delia Smith.

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4 chicken breasts
4 pieces of preserved stem ginger, finely chopped
4 tbsp preserved stem ginger syrup (from the jar)
2 tsp grated fresh root ginger
2 tbsp groundnut or other flavorless oil
1 large onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, crushed
a knob of butter (a piece about the size of your thumb pad, not your knob!)
4 fl oz (120 ml) dry white wine or dry cider
2 tbsp plain yoghurt, Greek preferably
4 scallions, finely sliced on the diagonal
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F
Start off by heating the oil in a medium saucepan and soften the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the chicken breasts in a medium roasting pan. Then pierce the chicken with a skewer or small sharp knife in several places, this is to allow the ginger to seep down inside. Now spoon the ginger syrup over the chicken, rubbing it in with your hands. Next, sprinkle the grated root ginger over and rub that in as well. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then pour the onion, garlic and oil from the saucepan over it, place a small knob of butter on top of each one.

Bake the chicken in the oven for about 25 minutes, basting it with the juices about halfway through. When it’s cooked, remove it to a warmed serving plate and place the roasting pan over direct medium heat.
Add the wine (or cider) and chopped stem ginger, stir and let it bubble down to a syrupy sauce. Then, off the heat, stir in the yoghurt.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the scallions.

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

Thai-style ginger & coconut sticky rice

Belinda

One of my all-time favorite desserts by Phoebe Wood.

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7.5oz black glutinous rice (from Asian food shops)
6 Kaffir lime leaves, plus extra finely shredded leaves to serve
2″ piece of fresh ginger, sliced
1/3 cup coconut cream, plus extra to serve
5oz finely grated palm sugar
1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts
Thin strips of fresh coconut, to serve

Soak the rice in cold water overnight.
The next day, drain it and place the rice in a saucepan with 4 cups of cold water.
Add the kaffir lime and ginger, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes or until thickened.
In the final 10 minutes of cooking, add the coconut cream and palm sugar, and stir until sugar is melted.
Add 1 tsp salt flakes and stir to combine.
Strain into a bowl, discarding the ginger and kaffir lime.
Cool slightly, then divide among serving bowls.
Top with the peanuts, extra coconut cream, fresh coconut and extra shredded kaffir lime.

Asian flavors · Baking · Do-ahead

Lime & coconut tres leche cake

Belinda

This cake has all my favorite things, coconut, lime and tres leche all in one!!

Recipe by Phoebe Wood from “Delicious” Magazine, a wonderful Australian food magazine I adore.

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7oz unsalted butter, chopped, softened
1 1/3 cups caster sugar, or superfine
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Finely grated zest of 3 limes
6 eggs
3 cups self-raising flour, sifted
20 fl oz buttermilk
13 fl oz can evaporated milk
2 cups coconut milk
Coconut flakes, to serve

LIME AND COCONUT CREAM CHEESE ICING

7oz pure icing sugar, sifted
5oz unsalted butter, softened
17.5oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup coconut cream
Finely grated zest of 2 limes

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the base and side of a 8-9″ round springform cake pan and line with baking paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and caster sugar until pale. Add 2 tsp vanilla and the zest of 2 limes, and beat to combine. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In 2 batches, fold in the flour and 12 fl oz to the buttermilk, then spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Stand for 20 minutes, then prick the top all over with a thin skewer.

Combine the evaporated milk, coconut milk and remaining buttermilk in a pitcher with the remaining 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, then pour half over the cake.
Stand to soak for 15 minutes, then pour over remaining milk mixture.
Chill for 4 hours or overnight until cold.

For the icing, beat the icing sugar and butter together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale. Beat in the cream cheese, coconut cream and lime zest until combined and smooth.

Spread over the cake using a palette knife. Scatter with coconut flakes and remaining lime zest, and cut into slices to serve.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Pasta · Salad · Vegan

Cucumber-Mango Miso Noodle Bowl

Belinda

This lovely recipe comes from the food blog “Love & Lemons”

“The tangy miso-peanut sauce is the real star – it’s also become a go-to recipe lately because its ingredients are so easy to keep on hand. Miso paste lasts about 1 year in the fridge, and I store my fresh ginger in the freezer. Peanut butter, garlic, and limes are all regulars in my kitchen.

The second time I made this I added tofu on top to make it a bigger meal – the tofu is not pictured here, but I’ve included a recipe below.
This recipe serves 3 on its own or 4 if you add the tofu (or whatever protein you like – chicken, shrimp, salmon, etc).

If you don’t have vermicelli rice noodles, brown rice stir fry noodles (the flat, thicker noodles) work well here. Pasta would also be fine in a pinch.

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6 ounces rice vermicelli noodles (or any noodle you like)
4 Persian cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped scallions
1 ripe mango, diced
½ jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced or minced
5 lime slices (1 for squeezing, 4 for serving)
Extra-virgin olive oil or sesame oil, for drizzling
⅓ cup chopped cashews, toasted
¼ cup torn fresh mint
Sea salt

Protein of choice, or (see baked tofu recipe below)

Peanut-miso sauce
3 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp white miso paste
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ tbsp fresh lime juice
2 to 4 tbsp warm water

Make the peanut-miso sauce:
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, miso paste, ginger, garlic, and lime juice. Whisk in the warm water, as needed, until the sauce is a drizzle-able consistency. Set aside.

Combine the cucumbers, scallions, mango, and jalapeño in a bowl with a few pinches of salt and a squeeze of lime. Toss and set aside.
Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with a bit of olive oil or sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.
Assemble the bowls with the rice noodles, cucumber mixture, cashews, mint, generous drizzles of the peanut-miso sauce, and tofu, if using. Serve with lime slices and extra sauce on the side.

Baked Tofu
14 oz extra-firm tofu
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
tamari, for drizzling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
sriracha, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat the tofu dry and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Place on the baking sheet and toss with drizzles of olive oil, tamari and pinches of salt and pepper.
Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
Remove from the oven, toss the tofu lightly with sriracha, and return it to the oven for 2 more minutes.

Asian flavors · Salad

Asian shrimp and cabbage salad

Belinda

By MELISSA CLARK
An appealing combination of shrimp, carrots, cucumbers, peanuts and cilantro in a spicy Asian dressing makes this salad fresh-tasting and ever so slightly addictive.

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Serves 6

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp Asian fish sauce
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 small shallot, very finely chopped
1/2 small green cabbage, cored and finely shredded (6 packed cups)
2 carrots, julienned
2 Kirby cucumbers, very thinly sliced
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves

Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water.
Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook until pink and curled, about 1 minute.
Drain the shrimp and transfer them to the ice water to cool.
Drain and pat dry.

Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, red curry paste and shallot.
Add the cabbage, carrots, cucumbers and shrimp and toss until evenly coated.
Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, until the cabbage is very slightly wilted.
Toss the salad, top with the peanuts and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

The Asian dressing can be refrigerated overnight.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Salad

Crispy Potato Salad with Chiles, Celery, and Peanuts

Belinda

As the 4th July gets close, I’m thinking about interesting salads, in fact with the warmer weather and the fact that we are about to start a 6 month remodel, I’m definitely thinking salads with a difference!

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2 pounds baby fingerling potatoes, sliced crosswise ¾ inch thick
Kosher salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 red chiles (such as serrano or Holland), thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp finely grated peeled ginger
½ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced in half lengthwise, thinly sliced on a diagonal, plus ½ cup celery leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
½ cup torn mint leaves

Place the potatoes in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover; season with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, 10–15 minutes. Drain; let cool.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook potatoes, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 8–10 minutes; season with salt.

Meanwhile, bring the chiles, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, and ginger to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.

Toss the potatoes, warm vinegar mixture, and peanuts in a large bowl; let cool slightly. Add celery, celery leaves, cilantro, and mint and toss again to combine. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Do Ahead: Potatoes can be boiled 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

Miso marinated black cod

Belinda

This is my most favorite dish to have in a Japanese restaurant. The fish is rich, buttery and just falls apart. This recipe from the great chef, Nobu, is all you will ever need. Please note the length of time for the marinade!

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SERVES 4

1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
4 tablespoons white miso paste
3 tablespoons sugar
4 black cod fillets, about 1/2 pound each

2 to 3 days beforehand, make the miso marinade and marinate the fish.

Bring the sake and mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol. Turn the heat down to low, add the miso paste, and whisk.
When the miso has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to high again and add the sugar, whisking constantly to ensure that the sugar doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat once the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Pat the black cod fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Slather the fish with the miso marinade and place in a non-reactive dish or bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

To cook the fish:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat an oven-proof skillet over high heat on the stovetop. Lightly wipe off any excess miso clinging to the fillets, but don’t rinse it off.
Film the pan with a little oil, then place the fish skin-side-up on the pan and cook until the bottom of the fish browns and blackens in spots, about 3 minutes.
Flip and continue cooking until the other side is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily.

Asian flavors · Fish · Pasta · Soup

Teriyaki salmon bowl with udon noodles and spinach.

Belinda

This is a delectable and light dish packed with flavor. It’s very low calorie and you’re going to love it!

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Serves 4

8 cups dashi broth (You can buy this ready made)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 knob fresh ginger (about 2 inch piece)
13 oz dried udon noodles
4 small salmon fillets, skinned
1 bunch spinach, washed
4 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

Teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp sugar

For the teriyaki sauce

Combine the dark soy, sake, mirin, oil and sugar in a small pot and heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
Heat the dashi in a second pot and add the soy and mirin. Peel the ginger, cut into cubes and crush in a garlic press to get 1 tbsp ginger juice. Add the juice to the broth and adjust the flavorings to taste.
Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes.Drain and rinse in cold water, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Brush the salmon with the teriyaki sauce and grill on a hot well oiled grill, or a heavy cast iron flat pan, leaving the inside lightly pink.
Bring the dashi broth to just below a boil and add the noodles to the broth for 30 seconds to heat through, then divide the noodles among 4 warmed bowls.
Dip the spinach leaves briefly into the broth to wilt them and distribute them among the bowls.
Ladle the hot broth into each bowl and top the noodles with the grilled salmon, broken into large chunks or left whole.
Scatter the green onions on top and serve with chopsticks and spoons.