Category: Asian flavors

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Baby potatoes baked in a piquant Asian sauce

Belinda

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We ate at an old establishment in Pasadena the other day called “The Raymond” I wouldn’t rush out to eat there again, but I did like the way they did their potatoes. The idea was great, but it needed the Tastetickler Treatment with more of an “in your face” flavor!

Serves 2
1/2lb baby Yukon potatoes, or even the smaller Pee Wee ones, left unpeeled
3 to 4 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1 tsp (or more if you like garlic) finely chopped garlic
1/2 to 1 tsp fresh red chilli, chopped fine
A pinch of sugar
3 tbsp or more soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
6 scallions, green and white parts sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Parboil the potatoes in salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and tip them into a shallow roasting dish and set aside.
In a medium pan, put in some more olive oil and fry the garlic and chilli for 30 seconds over medium heat.
Add a little salt, sugar, the soy sauce, chilli sauce and tomato ketchup, constantly stirring. Pour this mixture over the potatoes, stirring and coating everything, then add the toasted sesame seeds. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes.
When cooked and toasty, remove and garnish them with the scallions, a few more sesame seeds and serve

 

Asian flavors · Curry · Fish

Thai Butternut squash and seafood curry

Belinda2 Comments

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This has the most amazing flavors and I have made it at least 6 times, always successfully. With the yellow (or red) curry paste, go carefully as different curry pastes have different strengths. You don’t want to overpower the seafood.
If you use green beans as the green vegetable, make sure you parboil and shock them in cold water before adding them to the pan.

Serves 4 generously.
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk ( about 1 2/3 cups)
1 to 2 tbsp yellow or red curry paste ( I used 1 tbsp)
1 1/2 cups fish stock
3 tbsp fish sauce (Nam Pla is a great one)
2 tbsp sugar
3 lemongrass stalks, each cut into 1/3’s and bruised with the flat of a knife
3 keffir lime leaves, (or regular ones if you can’t get keffir lime leaves) stalked and cut into very thin strips.
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 1/4 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into large, bite sized chunks
1lb 2oz salmon fillet, skinned and cut into large bite sized chunks
1/b 2oz peeled, deveined raw shrimp
Bok Choy or any other green vegetable of your choice
1/2 to 1 lime, juiced or more to taste
Cilantro, for garnish

Skin the thick creamy top off the can of coconut milk and put it into a large saucepan or Dutch oven with the curry paste, over medium heat.
Let it sizzle and, using a fork, whisk or wooden spoon, beat the cream and paste together until combined. Still beating gently, add the rest of the coconut milk, fish sauce, fish stock,  sugar, lemongrass, lime leaves and turmeric.
Bring to the boil then add the butternut squash. Cook on a fast simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 mins.

*  You can cook the recipe up until this part in advance, maybe leaving the butternut squash with some bite still in it as it will continue to soften as the pan cools. Either way, when you’re about 5 mins from wanting to eat, get ready to cook the seafood.

To the robustly simmering pan, add the salmon and shrimp. When the salmon and shrimp have cooked through, which will only take about 3 to 4 minutes, stir in any green vegetable you’re using – sliced, chopped or shredded as suits and push down into the sauce with a wooden spoon.
When the green vegetable is cooked, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, stir and taste and add the juice of the remaining half if you feel it needs it.
Take the pan off the heat and pour the curry into a large bowl and sprinkle over the cilantro; the point is that the cilantro goes in just before serving.
Serve with more chopped cilantro for people to add to their own bowls as they eat and some plain Thai jasmine or Basmati rice.

 

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Meat · Soup

Asian spicy ground pork (or turkey) and green soup

Belinda1 Comment

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So soothing, cleansing, light and tasty. Oh, and easy too!  I found this in an old Bon Appetite magazine and adapted it slightly.

Serves 2
1/2 lb ground pork (or turkey)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp finely grated and peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely chopped (I roast mine for more flavor)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 bunch mustard greens, or kale, beet greens or other greens, torn (about 4 cups)
4 to 6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp Thai fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
8 oz wide rice noodles

Mix the ground pork, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes and cumin in a medium bowl.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the pork mixture, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a fork, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the broth and bring to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer until the flavors meld, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the torn greens, scallions, soy sauce and fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and divide the noodles between the bowls and ladle the soup over

 

 

 

 

 

Asian flavors · Beverage

A ginger gin cocktail

Belinda

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Well it’s Memorial weekend here in the US and time to get out the barbeques and cocktails. I’m not a huge gin drinker, but this combination with the mint and ginger beer is a winner!

Makes one cocktail

10 mint leaves
1 oz. simple syrup
¾ oz. lime juice
1½ oz. gin
2 oz. ginger beer
Mint sprig, for garnish

Muddle the mint leaves, simple syrup, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add the gin and fill with ice. Shake and strain into an ice-filled cocktail glass; top with ginger beer and garnish with a mint sprig. Cheers!

Asian flavors · Curry · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan

Butternut squash curry with garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

Belinda1 Comment

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I am a curry freak, but don’t always want a meat curry. This is such a fabulous vegetarian alternative that you will cook many times.

Serves 4
1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
2 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste     (I buy this brand on Amazon.com and it lasts for months in the fridge. Actually, I have a red, green and yellow curry from the same brand.)  You can also use 3 tbsp of the curry paste if you like really spicy. It’s worth playing around with it.

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2 onions, finely chopped
3 large stalks lemongrass, bashed with the back of a knife
6 green cardamon pods
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 piece of butternut squash,peeled and cubed in 3/4″ inch pieces, weighing about 2lbs
8 fluid ounces vegetable or chicken stock
15 fl oz can coconut milk
15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 large limes
A large handful fresh mint
naan bread or steamed rice , to serve

Heat the oil in a saute pan, then gently fry the curry paste with the onions, lemongrass, cardamon pods and mustard seeds for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the butternut squash and coat in the paste, then pour in the stock and coconut milk.
Bring everything to a simmer, add the chick peas, then cook for about 10 minutes or until the squash is tender.
The curry can now be cooled and frozen for up to 1 month.
Squeeze the juice of one lime into the curry, then cut the other lime into wedges to serve alongside.
Just before serving, tear the mint leaves up, then bring to the table with the lime wedges and rice or warmed naan breads.

 

Asian flavors · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Soba noodles with miso and baby eggplant

Belinda

Soba noodles with miso and baby eggplant

 

Another vegetarian, Asian influenced dish. I just love the combination of flavors and ease of creating.

Serves 4
9 oz soba noodles
3 tsp dashi granules
1 1/2 tbsp yellow miso paste
1 1/2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
6 baby eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 cup cooked peas (if using frozen, boil them in water for 3 minutes and drain)
3 scallions (spring onions) sliced thinly on the diagonal
toasted sesame seeds for garnish.

Cook the noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water fr 5 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water.
Dissolve the dashi granules in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Stir in the miso paste, soy sauce and mirin.
Heat half the oils in a large frying pan over high heat.
Cook the eggplant slices for 4 minutes, or until golden on both sides. Set aside and use the remaining oil to cook the second batch of eggplant.
Put the first batch of cooked eggplant slices back in the pan and  stir in the garlic and ginger, then the miso mixture and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened and the eggplant is cooked. Add the noodles and peas and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.
Serve the noodles in shallow bowls and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds.

 

 

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Meat

Thai ginger lettuce wraps

Belinda

Thai ginger pork lettuce wraps

 

This is a really easy dish to make and can be such fun to serve with a big platter of sturdy small lettuce leaves and a big bowl of the spicy, gorgeous Thai ginger pork.
Stick it in the center of the table, whether for starters or a main course and everyone can help themselves. It certainly cuts out the formality of dining with guests. Very low carb and inexpensive to make too

Serves 3 – 4 but can be easily doubled.
3/4 lb ground pork (you can use dark meat turkey, if you don’t eat pork)
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp grapeseed oil, or canola oil
One 8 oz can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
24  Boston Bibb lettuce leaves, baby romaine lettuce leaves or a small lettuce leaf strong enough to hold the meat filling.

In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat with the bell pepper, garlic, ginger, chili sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and 1 tbsp of the grapeseed oil. Mix well.
In a large skillet or wok, heat the remaining 1 tsp oil until shimmering.
Add the ground meat mixture and stir fry over high heat, breaking up, until it is cooked through and starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the water chestnuts, scallions, oyster sauce and cilantro and remove from the heat.
Spoon the ground meat mixture into bowls. Stack the lettuce leaves on plates.
To eat, spoon the meat onto the lettuce leaf, roll up and eat!

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Asian flavors · Poultry · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Tom Kha Gai. The world’s best soup!

Belinda

This is one of my “desert island” foods. I am absolutely addicted to this soup and these flavors. The bright, clean taste of lime, ginger and cilantro and the exotic coconut milk and red curry paste is divine.
Red curry paste is available online on Amazon and this particular brand is the best and will keep in the fridge for months. They also have green and yellow pastes. I have all three on the go all the time.
If you don’t have the Keffir lime leaves, then use lime zest, but I highly recommend you go out and buy a Keffir lime tree and keep it in a pot. There is nothing like the flavor of those leaves.

1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 stalk lemon grass (pound the white ends to release the flavor)
2 tsp or more, of red curry paste
4 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Asian section in supermarket)
1 tbsp coconut or palm sugar. (optional)
3 (13.5 oz ) cans coconut milk
1lb chicken breast sliced thin
1/2 lb fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Keffir lime leaves, very finely chopped, or the zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Saute the chicken pieces till done, add the ginger, lemongrass and curry paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Stop,    inhale,    the aroma!
Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring cnstantly.
Stir in the fish sauce and coconut sugar and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms and cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, abut 5 mins.
Stir in the lime juice, and zest or finely sliced (julienned) Keffir lime leaves.
Season with salt, garnish with cilantro.

Serve!

Asian flavors · Curry · Gluten Free · Poultry

An easy chicken curry

Belinda

 

I made this for dinner tonight and it was very successful. So flavorsome and yet not too complicated, as long as you have the spices on hand. I roast my own cumin, then grind it, but you don’t have to.

Serves 6
2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger root
1 heaped tbsp curry powder
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ( or more if you like heat)
1 tbsp chicken stock or water
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup full fat plain yoghurt
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 heaped tsp garam masala
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Cut the chicken into large cubes and sprinkle it with 2 tsp salt .
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat and brown the chicken pieces well, in several batches.
Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium high and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 8 mins.
Stir in the curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and 1 tbsp chicken stock into the onion mixture. Stir well so that any brown chicken bits come off the bottom of the pan and add to the flavor and the spices are well mixed in with the onions.
Mix in the tomatoes, yoghurt, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro and 1 tsp salt into the mixture.
Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices from the chicken.
If it looks as if it needs some more liquid, you can pour in about 1/4 cup chicken stock, but I didn’t need to.
Sprinkle the chicken with the garam masala and 1 more tbsp chopped cilantro. Mix in and cover the skillet, simmering for about 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the dish with the fresh lemon juice before serving with hot rice

 

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat

Thai-style lamb shanks

Belinda

 

These succulent shanks of lamb are subtly flavored with coconut milk and Thai spices and baked until meltingly tender.

Serves 4
4 lamb shanks
1 x 14 oz can coconut milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil
18 fl oz vegetable, lamb or chicken stock
2 large onions, finfely chopped
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh lemon grass
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander

To garnish
fresh cilantro leaves or finely sliced chili
finely sliced scallions  or wedges of lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Place the lamb shanks in a roasting tin and roast for 40 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking.
Lift out the lamb shanks, drain off all the fat, then transfer to a casserole dish or Dutch oven in which they fit snugly.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 F.
Heat the oil in another pan, add the onions and saute until light golden.
Add the curry paste, lemon grass, cumin and coriander and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the coconut milk, stock and chopped fresh cilantro.
Pour this mixture over the lamb shanks, cover and cook in the oven for 2.5 hours until the meat is very tender.
Check the seasoning of the sauce.

To serve, place each lamb shank in a warmed shallow serving bowl.
Spoon over some of the sauce and scatter with fresh cilantro leaves and any other garnish you fancy.
Serve with Thai jasmine rice and a steamed green vegetable such as bok choi.