Category: Asian flavors

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.

Asian flavors · Rice · Salad

Sushi Salad

Belinda

What is better than sushi? Sushi salad!

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Serves: 4

1.5 cups (300 g) frozen shelled edamame beans
4 cups (740 g) cooked brown rice
4 Persian cucumbers, sliced into rounds
2 small handfuls baby spinach leaves, julienned
1/3 cup pickled ginger, chopped
1 splash extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (+ more for decorating) sesame seeds (white, black, or both), toasted
2 packs of roasted seaweed snack 1/2 crumbled into the rice and 1/2 julienned over the top at the end or 4 nori toasted seaweed sheets cut into strips
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch black pepper

Sesame-Miso Dressing

3 level tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds (white, black, or both), toasted

Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil and add the edamame.
Cook for 1-2 minutes, until they are tender yet still crunchy.
Drain and run under cold water.

To make the dressing, whisk together the miso paste, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, and 1-2 tablespoons of water until well combined—you want the consistency of cream. Stir in the sesame seeds.

In a large bowl, combine the rice, edamame, cucumber, spinach, pickled ginger and crumbled toasted seaweed. Toss together gently, adding the dressing a little at a time, plus a splash of olive oil. Taste, and season to your liking.

To serve, transfer salad to a serving platter and top with some black sesame seeds and nori strips.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Pasta

Ginger-scallion ramen noodles

Belinda

This recipe is by Andy Baraghani from “Bon Appetite” magazine

The noodles are just a vessel for this savory, gingery, simple weeknight sauce. Double the batch, and you’ll always have a way to brighten up simple grilled or pan-roasted chops, roasted veggies, or grain bowls.

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Serves 4
1 5-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large bunch of scallions, very thinly sliced (about 2 cups), divided
½ cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
½ tsp sugar
Kosher salt
4 5-ounce packages wavy ramen noodles, preferably fresh
Toasted sesame seeds and chili oil (for serving)

Stir the ginger, garlic, and two-thirds of scallions in a large bowl.
Heat grapeseed oil in a small saucepan over high until oil is shimmery and hot but not smoking, about 2 minutes.
Pour the hot oil over the scallion mixture. The scallions will sizzle, turn bright green, and wilt almost immediately.
Let sit 5 minutes before stirring in remaining scallions.
Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, sesame oil, and sugar; season with salt. Let sit to let the flavors meld, 15 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with as much or as little scallion sauce as you’d like in bowl.
Divide the noodles among bowls.
Top with sesame seeds and serve with chili oil alongside.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Salad · Vegetable sides · Vegetarian pasta

Buckwheat noodles with ginger and miso

Belinda

Recipe by David Tanis

“Buckwheat noodles are often served cold in Japan and Korea, and are especially welcome during hot weather. To appreciate buckwheat’s delicious nutty flavor, look for 100% buckwheat noodles in Asian groceries. The bright, gingery dressing needs a little spiciness, so use a good pinch of cayenne or other hot pepper. This version is meant to be a small first-course salad. Add slices of grilled chicken to make it more of a meal.”

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Photo by Karsten Moran for the New York Times

4 small servings

3 tbsp red miso
1 2-inch piece ginger, finely grated
2 tsp sugar
⅛ tsp cayenne
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1 3-inch piece daikon radish, coarsely grated
8 oz buckwheat noodles
6 small red radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup radish sprouts, trimmed
¼ cup thinly sliced cucumber
Salt
A few shiso leaves, for garnish

Make the dressing: Put miso, ginger, sugar, cayenne, mirin, soy sauce and lime juice in a small bowl. Mix together, and stir in grated daikon radish. Set aside.

Boil the noodles in abundant salted water until cooked but still firm. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Blot dry.

Divide noodles among four small bowls. Top with radish, radish sprouts and cucumber slices. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Garnish with torn or chopped shiso leaves.
Serve with dressing and lime wedges on the side.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Filipino grilled chicken

Belinda

I love these sort of chicken dishes, with so much flavor and very easy to make.

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Serves 8
3 cups water
1 cup coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
10 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp black peppercorns
5 whole star anise pods
5 bay leaves
Two 3 1/2-pound chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
Canola oil, for brushing
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large, sturdy resealable plastic bag, combine all of the ingredients except the oil, salt and pepper. Shake to evenly distribute the chicken and adobo marinade; seal the bag, pressing out the air. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Pat the chicken dry and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, light a grill. Brush the chicken with oil and season with salt and black pepper.
Grill over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest parts registers 165°, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

“Greens” braised in coconut milk and ginger

Belinda

This recipe yields collards that are tender, creamy, and incredibly flavorful. They’re a perfect accompaniment to a simple beans and rice dinner or a bowl of chili. Add more chili flakes for a little extra spice. Recipe by Gena Hamshaw

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Serves: 4

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 pound collard greens, stems removed, cut into ribbons
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth, plus more as needed
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp tamari, to taste
1 pinch salt, plus more to taste
1 pinch red chili flakes, to taste

Melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large wok or skillet.
Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it’s clear and soft.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute.
Add the collard greens to the pan. Stir frequently for a minute or two, until the collards are just wilting (if it helps to wilt the greens, you can cover the wok or skillet for a moment).
Add the coconut milk, vegetable broth, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of tamari to the wok or skillet and stir everything well.
When the mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the greens are totally tender.
If the simmering liquid starts to dry up, add a few splashes of vegetable broth as you go along.
Season the greens to taste with extra tamari, if desired, as well as salt and red chili flakes.
Serve

Appetizer Vegetarian · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Meet my beets.

Belinda

This is such a lovely (and quick) recipe with a really super combination of flavors

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Recipe and photo c/o Lakshmi Sundar on the website “Food 52”

Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min

2-3 beets
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, cleaned
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or 2 tbsp coconut milk)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1-2 dried chili pods
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Wash and peel the beets and cut into small cubes.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add the mustard seeds and dried chili pods to the hot oil.
When the mustard seeds start popping, add the beets, salt, and turmeric powder. Stir, cover and cook till the beets are cooked, yet crunchy (about 10-15 minutes).
Add the spinach, fresh coconut or coconut milk and toss a few times.
Serve

Asian flavors · Curry · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

One pot Thai green curry roast chicken

Belinda

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This recipe is from the food blog, “HonestlyYum”
The dish is a Thai twist on the recipe: milk chicken.
Instead of roasting a chicken in milk and aromatics, like cinnamon, lemon and sage, your use a basting sauce that is composed of traditional Thai curry ingredients– coconut milk, fish sauce, green curry paste, chiles and kaffir lime leaves.
(If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves, you can still make the curry without it.) You can also switch up the curry paste, it doesn’t have to be green, it could be yellow or red.
“This recipe makes insanely flavorful chicken and the best part for me is a bowl of jasmine rice covered in that delicious curry sauce in the bottom of the pot!”

Serves 4

1 whole organic chicken, or you could use 4x whole chicken legs which would cook beautifully.
2 cans coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
4 tbsp green curry paste (or less if you don’t want it too spicy)
3 tsp sugar (palm sugar ideally)
1 tsp fish sauce
2 sprigs Thai basil (plus more for garnish)
4 kaffir lime leaves
3-5 Thai chiles
Vegetable oil
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Season your chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat a glug of oil over medium heat in a large cast iron pot. Sear the chicken on all 4 sides, until the chicken is well browned, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken onto a plate and drain off most of the oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind
Sauté the curry paste in the oil and scoop the solid part of the coconut milk out.
Sauté until the curry is fragrant. Add the liquid part of the coconut milk and cup of water and bring to a simmer. If your coconut milk didn’t separate, you can just add it all in– this isn’t an essential step.

Add the sugar and fish sauce. Season with salt to taste.
Add two large sprigs of basil, lime leaves and 2-3 sliced Thai chiles. Place the chicken back in the pot.

Roast at 375F with the lid uncovered for about 1 hour or until the thickest part of the thigh is cooked through, basting the chicken with the curry a couple times during the roasting. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free · Whole30 compliant

Salmon Poached in Lemongrass Scented Coconut Milk

Belinda

This is a quick and flavorful dinner easy enough to throw together after work, but nice enough to impress guests.

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Serves: 4
1 lemongrass stalk
1 knob of ginger
13.5 ounces coconut milk (1 can, preferably full fat)
1/4 tsp salt
1lb salmon, cut into 4x 4 ounce filets
1 lime, zest and juice

Cut the lemongrass stalk into 1 inch segments and then in half lengthwise.
Cut the ginger into slices. Bruise both with the butt of a knife. Reserve a small piece of lemongrass and mince that piece finely for garnish (you’ll want about a teaspoon or so total), then set aside.

Skim the cream off the top of the can of coconut milk and warm it in a skillet that will comfortably fit all the salmon pieces (but preferably not too much larger because then you will end up with a lot of extra liquid at the end).
When the cream starts to bubble and the surface looks shiny, add the lemongrass, ginger, and salt.
Lower the heat and stir and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is quite thick and fragrant.
Add the salmon pieces and the rest of the coconut milk. If the coconut milk does not cover (or mostly cover) the salmon, add a bit more water.

Raise the heat and just when the liquid starts to bubble, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until salmon begins to flake when poked with a fork.
Remove salmon from sauce and raise heat to medium high.
Reduce volume by about half (or until the sauce is thick). Stir in lime juice right before serving.
Pour sauce over the salmon, garnish with minced lemongrass and lime zest.