Tag: ginger

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!

Screen shot 2014-03-30 at 10.02.29 AM

 

 

 

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces

Creamy ginger soy sauce

Belinda

This is a great dressing for a fresh salad or as a sauce for your favorite Asian cuisine featuring meat, fish or chicken. It’s also divine as a dipping sauce for vegetables or shrimp.
Really easy to make and so exotic!

3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or less if you don’t like too spicy)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup good quality mayonnaise

In a small bowl, combine and thoroughly mix the white wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, sugar, minced fresh ginger, cayenne pepper and black pepper.
Gradually whisk in the mayonnaise until completely blended.

 

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 · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Sesame-Ginger and Cucumber Soba Noodles

Belinda
 

Gorgeous!! Soba noodles tossed with scallions, cucumber and a light yet creamy sesame -ginger tahini sauce.

8 oz soba noodles (about 2 bundles)
1 large or 2 small English cucumbers
1 bunch scallions (green onions), chopped (about 3/4 cup, chopped)
1/3 cup tahini<
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp white miso
2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
A handful fresh cilantro, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp sesame seeds, (preferably black)
sea salt, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the soba noodles until al dente, according to the package directions. (Do not over cook them) Drain and rinse under cold water.
Using a chef’s knife or better yet, a julienne peeler, slice the cucumber into long skinny strips. Toss out the super-seedy inside strips. Then you can slice the remainder into 3 inch long strips or leave them long.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, rice vinegar, ginger, miso, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro and red pepper flakes. Once blended, whisk in water until you reach your desired consistency.
Toss the soba noodles in the sesame-ginger sauce. Toss in the cucumber strips, scallions, sesame seeds and extra cilantro if desired.
Season to taste with salt or more soy sauce.
This dish is best served promptly, as the salt will draw out the water from the cucumbers and dilute the flavors.

Do-ahead

Carrot puree with ginger and orange

Belinda

 

This is the most delicious side dish with the freshness of orange juice, lemon juice and grated orange peel and the exotic, refreshing flavor of fresh ginger. A must to try!

8 servings
3 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
4 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp grated orange peel
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Cook the carrots and 3 tbsp sugar in a large pot of boiling and salted water until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.
Drain well, return the carrots to the same pan, stir over medium heat until any excess moisture evaporates.
Meanwhile, bring the orange juice to a simmer in a heavy, small pan over medium heat.
Add the butter, ginger and orange peel; whisk until the butter melts.
Whisk in the lemon juice and remaining 1 tbsp sugar.
Puree half the carrots and half of the juice in a food processor until smooth.
Repeat with the remaining half and season to taste with salt and pepper.
You may need to reheat it before serving, otherwise, transfer it to a large serving dish

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Pasta · Salad · Vegan

Peanut-sesame slaw with soba noodles

Belinda

Sometimes you come across a recipe from a fellow food blogger, like this one from  “Cookies and Kate” that needs no adjusting and is just the perfect complete meal. This is a very flexible slaw and depending on your food restrictions, you can leave out the soba noodles, use gluten free pasta, leave out the Brussels sprouts, and even use pre-shredded slaw mix (you will need 12 cups of slaw mix, if so)
This can be vegan, gluten free, low calorie but whatever else, it is tasty and healthy!
Being an Asian food nut, this touches all the “scintilla” in my taste buds. Hope it does for you too!

Serves 4 to 8

Slaw
4 oz soba noodles
1 small purple or green cabbage, sliced into quarters and core removed
1/2 lb (about 12) Brussels sprouts, optional
4 carrots, peeled
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds

Peanut-sesame dressing
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tbsp white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari or other soy sauce
2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

Garnish

Sprinkle of coarsely chopped peanuts
handful of coarsely chopped cilantro
1 lime, sliced into wedges

Cook the soba noodles;  bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water before returning to the pot.

Prepare the vegetables;  This is easier in a food processor than by hand. if using a food processor, shred the cabbage and sprouts with the slicing disk, then grate the carrots using the grating disk. or use a chef’s knife to chop the cabbage and sprouts into thin strips, then coarsely grate the carrots.

Prepare the dressing;  In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked soba noodles, shredded cabbage and sprouts, grated carrots and chopped scallions.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat (you may or may not need all the dressing).
For best flavor, let the slaw marinate for 20 minutes before serving.

Serve the slaw with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts, torn cilantro and a lime wedge.

You can halve this recipe by using only 6 cups of pre-shredded slaw mix and roughly halving the dressing ingredients.

Asian flavors · Curry · Pasta · Poultry

Light curried chicken penne with fresh mango chutney

Belinda

Very light and refreshingly different with that gorgeous hint of creamy curry going though it.

Serves 6

Chutney
2 cups diced peeled ripe mango (about 2 mangoes)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Chicken
 1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp red curry paste
1 to 2 tsp Thai fish sauce
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflower florets
4 cups hot cooked penne rigate (abut 2 cups uncooked)
2 tbsp chopped green onions (scallions) for garnish

To prepare the chutney, combine the first 9 ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally.

To prepare the chicken, heat the oil in a large non stick skillet over medium high heat.
Add the garlic and chicken, saute for 5 minutes. Combine the coconut milk and the next 4 ingredients (coconut milk through the fish sauce) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Add this coconut mixture to the pan, bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli and cauliflower florets, cover and cook for 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the chutney and pasta, toss well to combine.
Sprinkle with the chopped scallions.

Asian flavors · Meat

Mild lamb curry with cilantro rice

Belinda

I am a curry freak and a lamb freak, so what’s not to like in this! It’s very mild and rather soothing, so I think the curry novices will also like this
This is a recipe from Rachel Allen, an Irish recipe book writer and chef.

Serves 6

2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp cardamon seeds
4 cloves
3 tbsp sunflower oil
4 onions, sliced
2 1/2 lbs lamb shoulder, cut into 1 inch dice and fat removed
2 tsp ground turmeric
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp root ginger, finely chopped
1 red chili, seeds removed and finely chopped
salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cream
1/2 cup lamb or chicken stock
lime or 1/2 lemon, juiced
cilantro leaves for garnish

For the rice
1 lb basmati rice
2 tbsp butter
8 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Toast the seeds and cloves then crush them using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder

Pour 2 tbsp of the sunflower oil into a large lidded casserole dish or Dutch oven on a high heat, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until softened and nicely golden.
Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining oil to the pan.
Place the lamb in the pan and sear until well browned, making sure the pieces of meat don’t touch, or they will not sear but steam.

Return the onions to the pan and all the seared meat and add the crushed spices along with the turmeric, garlic, ginger and chili.
Season with salt and pepper, toss everything together to combine and stir in the cream and stock, scraping any sediment from the bottom of the pan.

Bring slowly to the boil, then immediately reduce the heat and cover with a lid.
Leave to simmer gently for about 1 hour, removing the lid for the last 15 minutes.

*Alternatively, cook it in an ovenproof dish or pan, cooking in the oven, preheated to 325 F for an hour, leaving the lid on for the whole cooking time.
Check that the lamb is tender, cooking for a little longer if necessary

Add the lime or lemon juice and check the seasoning.

For the rice- Place the rice in double it’s volume of salted water or chicken broth, bring to the boil, cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the rice is cooked and all the moisture has been absorbed.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to stand for a few minutes, with the lid on.
Stir in the butter and cilantro, using a fork in order not to mash the rice

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Poultry

Teriyaki chicken thighs

Belinda

Low calorie, zero carbs, light and high in flavor.  An Ellie Krieger recipe

Yields 6 pieces; 1 or 2 per serving

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 lbs skinless, chicken thighs (you can also use boneless)
2 tsp sesame seeds

Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sherry, vinegar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and add the chicken.
Seal the bag and marinate the chicken in the fridge, turning once, for about 1 hour or so.
The chicken can marinate for up to 4 hours.

Heat the broiler to high.
Arrange the chicken on a broiler pan skin side down and broil until brown and crispy, 8  to 10 minutes.
Flip the chicken and broil until almost cooked through, about 8 minutes longer.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cook until the seeds turn golden brown and the chicken is done, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Alternatively, you can roast the chicken skin side up for about 30 – 40 mins or so in a preheated oven at 400 F. This way you don’t need to flip the chicken and if it still needs to tan up a bit, stick it under the broiler at the end.

* Lovely served with simple steamed rice