OK, how about an Asian Cooking thread.....

[revvinkevin]

Okay, Lets try another Ethnic Food Thread... ASIAN!

I see all these other posts about Russian, Polish, Hungarian and Italian foods... so how about foods / favorite recipes from Asian? Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Indian (since it's technically Asia).

Does anyone have any favorite Asian recipes to share??

 

[perc-o-prince]

Kung Pao

I don't know if we're getting too many going at once, but I would think there'd be some good action on this one!

Can't speak for the authenticity of this one, but we like it! Just like the other recipes, quantities are best guess. Vary as you like 'em!

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast half (one lobe) cut into cubes about 1/2" in size.
2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp Mirin (sweet cooking wine)
3/4 tsp 5-spice powder
1 tsp granulated garlic (fresh would burn)
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

3 ribs celery- 1/2" dice
1 large white or yellow onion, cut across in half then quartered
1 large sweet pepper, any color, large dice, maybe 3/4"
1 small can (drained) sliced water chestnuts, aprox 4oz

Garlic chili paste to taste
1/2 cup peanuts (not dry-roasted)

Mix the seasonings with the chicken and let sit for at least 1/2 hour. If letting it sit longer, refrigerate.

Heat a wok on high with a 2 tbsp veg oil (neutral like corn, canola, etc.) until it's hot. Carefully add the chicken and use the chan to keep the chicken moving, turning it over in the process. When it's just done, remove to a dish.

Put a bit more oil in the wok and when it's hot, add the veggies. You want them to stay crunchy so don't overdo it! Just before they're done, add the chili paste, peanuts, and chicken. Stir until mixed and heated through. Serve with rice (jasmine rice is great with this). Makes 2 good-size servings.

Notes:
If you prefer pork, use tenderloin and prepare the same way. With any other cut, slice very thinly. I haven't tried beef, but I would imagine sirloin tip strips, cut like the chicken, would work. Or, use shrimp!

Think color with the pepper! If you have a red one, it makes for great show!

Garlic-Chili paste: I used about 1 heaping tsp, and it was too hot for Rich (I liked the leftovers the next day!!!) Use it sparingly and add it at the end. If you do like it hot, the sooner you add it the hotter it will get!

If you like a little juice with your Kung Pao, add some broth (or water) to the chicken just before removing it from the wok.

Play with the veg mixture. If you like something else, try it! Just remember that you want it crunchy so cut it to the appropriate size to cook with the others, or add it at a different time.

Enjoy!

Chuck

 

[toggleswitch2]

Does anyone have a recipe for the purplish/red sauce or style of cooking that is typical say of Chinese-style spare-ribs or boneless spare-ribs?

 

[sudsmaster]

Kim Chi

Been getting into making kim chi lately.

It's not too hard. Started out with the Noh brand mix, but the results were nowhere near as spicy enough.

Then used all natural ingredients from garden etc, and it was fantastic. But added to much hot pepper, so the next time used chili powder/flakes from chinese market. More color and plenty hot.

Recipe from the top of my noggin:

5 lbs napa cabbage
1 cup rock salt (stuff for water softeners is ok)
1 big daikon radish (chinese is better than japanese)
1 bunch chives green onions
1 leg ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp bonito powder
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 chili powder or two hot chilies (serrano or miura)

Cut the cabbage into 1 to 2 inch strips. Shred or cut the daikon into short strips. Dice the chives. Add 1 cup salt to 1 gallon water in big pot. Dissolve salt. Mix up the cabbage, daikon, chives and add to salted water. Use plate or whatever to keep cabbage mix submerged. Let sit at room temp overnight.

Next day, drain salt water from cabbage, fill pot with fresh water, swish it all around, drain into colander, spray with fresh cold tap water.

Next, prepare the seasoning. Put 1/2 or so cup water into blender. Peel and slice ginger and add that. Add peeled garlic cloves, sugar, 1tsp salt, bonito powder. Blend till reasonably smooth. Add more water if too thick to pour out of blender but not too much.

Mix the seasoning mix into the cabbage mixture and put into one 2 qt container or two 1 quart containers. Again, weigh it down from the top with heavy plate so that everything is submerged. Let it sit at room temp (not over 68F) for two to three days. Longer if you like it more sour, shorter if you like it less sour. It will then keep in frige for weeks.

Enjoy - it's sort of like a spicy sauerkraut but not as sour and salty. I like it as a relish on kosher hot dogs, or with eggs. It's even good added to soup.

Explanation of process: the idea is to get the cabbage to ferment and produce lactic acid. The bacteria that do this are friendly, "pro-biotic", and may indeed help digestion. Done properly there isn't danger of toxic bacteria but if it smells like garbage (rare, never had that happen) don't eat it.

I'm told you can also add other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, even carrots and turnips. but I think it's a good idea to have the majority be cabbage. You don't absolutely need to use Napa cabbage, but it's the most authentic. I used a shredded coleslaw mix once and it came out ok - in fact it was easier to use on the hot dogs ;-). I know it seems odd to add a fish powder but bonito is relatively mild and "clean" tasting. The more adventurous can add anchovy, shrimp, or other fish powder instead. One might want to boil the seasoning mix if it contains a particularly strong smelling fish product, though, before adding it to the cabbage.
I haven't found this to be necessary with the bonito powder. And finally the fish powder is optional but I don't think it's real kim chi without some fish flavor.

 

[perc-o-prince]

I understand that they traditionally bury the pots of freshly prepared cabbage in the ground to ferment. I do like Kim-Chi, but I'd rather find buried pots of $$!!

Chuck

 

[bajaespuma]

Here ya go, Togs:

Chinese Red Marinade:

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons fermented red bean curd
1 tablespoon sherry or Chinese Xiao xing wine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon toasted Sesame oil
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

Mix it all up and marinate pork in it for at least 1 day before grilling or roasting. I put everything in a Zip-lock bag and mash it all up together.

You can substitute red food coloring for the fermented red bean curd, but you won't get that authentic taste. And you who live near the greatest Chinatown on the Eastern seaboard(East Flushing, NY) can make a haj there for your ingredients. Eat some dim sum whilst you're there for me.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Hey Steve,

Have you tried this one? It's not exactly what I taste as the flavor of the ribs you speak of, but it's pretty good! I wonder how it would be if you diluted it and soaked the pork before cooking it???

Chuck

 

[perc-o-prince]

Hey Ken...

Sounds like a great recipe! I use the sauce I recommended to Steve because I didn't know of anything better. I'll have to try yours!

There are so many great flavors in asian cooking, made with so many different ingredients (and methods) that it's nearly impossible to re-create everything.

If you have a large asian "supermarket" near you, wander around a bit and read a bunch of labels. If you're in there enough, they'll recognize you and be very willing to help!

Chuck

 

[toggleswitch2]

 

[sudsmaster]

Yes, they do bury the pots because the soil temp is ideal for that fermentation. However, there are also special fridges that I guess many Koreans have that also maintain the ideal temp. I gather that ideal temp is warmer than a typical fridge (40f) but cooler than 68F. Probably around 50-55F, which is also good for keeping wine.

 

[sudsmaster]

Here's the best link I found on kimchi fermentation/storage temps.

According to this, the traditional buried earthenware pots keep the kimchi at a constant temp between 32F and 45F for both fermentation and storage. This is roughly equivalent to the usual temp in a standard fridge (34F to 40F). Special kimchee fridges have two compartments, one for fermentation (about 45F to 60F) and one for keeping (-6F to -1F). Obviously higher fermentation temps result in faster fermentation. Interestingly, different fermentation temps favor somewhat different bacteria and flavors.

You can select other pages in the following link for more information, as well as from Google:

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www.koreanrestaurantguide.com

 

[bajaespuma]

Here's another favorite:

Steamed dumplings(Jao-Tze):

Wrappers:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup water
Combine flours; add water and knead briefly to make a smooth dough. Let rest 1/2 hour. Roll dough into long 1" diameter sausage. Cut into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into 3" diameter circle. Fill each with 1 tablespoon of filling and fold together to make half-moons. If you know how to pleat them, do so. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 12 minutes.

Filling:
½ lb. raw shrimp
1 Tablespoon Sesame oil (Japanese, roasted)
1 lb. ground pork (the fattier, the better)
2 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Sherry or similar wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ cup chopped waterchestnuts (preferably fresh, about 6)
1 scallion, finely chopped
1-teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1-Tablespoon chicken stock or water

Combine all ingredients and allow to marinate for at least ½ hour-no more than 4 hours, refrigerated.

View attachment 3-6-2009-08-54-29--bajaespuma.jpg

 

[lokringbob]

Sesame noodles in a peanut sauce

Anyone have a easy Sesame noodles in a peanut sauce, or peanut butter chicken?
Thanks
Lokringbob

 

[rp2813]

Pho

Anyone have a good recipe for making your own pho at home?

 

[revvinkevin]

Pho @ home

Wow... I would like to know how to make Pho at home too! I've been a friends house who served Pho... but he used a store bought spice/herb packet to flavor it. It was just O... K... compared to many restaurants I've been to.

My understanding is it takes a number of hours simmering to get the proper flavor.

BTW... I forgot to also list Korean when I created this post (oops!) but I see that didn't prevent Sudsmaster from listing his Kim Chi recipe!

:-D

 

[ronhic]

Thai Green Chicken Curry

A fav in our house is pretty much anything along the Thai lines...this is easy and reasonably balanced with the vegetables...not so balanced without!

Serves 2

2 bonesless thigh fillets..cubed
Large green pepper cubed
Head of brocolli florets
scant teaspoon of fish sauce
2 good dessert spoons green curry paste
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
200ml light coconut cream

heat wok...add chicken and keep stirring.
When almost cooked, lower heat, add curry paste and cook 2min.
Add fish sauce, brown sugar and cook further minute.
Add diced pepper and coconut cream....reduce heat to simmer and cook 5min
Add brocolli and cook for 5min...

Serve with rice....

 

[rapidry1000]

Foil wrapped chicken

Here's a simple Chinese dish my family enjoys. Traditionally this chicken dish is wrapped in parchment and deep fried. My mother adopted this dish using foil and baking this chicken dish which is a lot healthier.

Recipe for Foil Wrapped Chicken

1 large chicken breast (cut into strips)
3 boneless chicken thighs (cut into strips)
2 pieces of Chinese sausages (cut into thin strips)(Optional)
Sprigs of cilantro (stems removed)
Aluminum Foil to wrap chicken

Marinade for chicken:

1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
Dash of sesame oil
2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1-2 tsps Soy Sauce
Dash of rice wine
1 tsp cornstarch

Add chicken to large mixing bowl. Add marinate ingredients and mix thoroughly and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Cut aluminum foil to approximately 6" X 4" enough for 14 to 18 packets

Assemble packets:

For each sheet of foil place about three strips of chicken with a strip of Chinese sausage and a sprig or two of cilantro. Fold the foil to seal completely. Both ends first like folding a letter, then sealing the ends completely.

Place chicken packets on a cookie tray and bake for 15-18 minutes at 400 degrees. 5 to 6 packages per person. Be careful opening each packet as it will be steaming hot.

Serve with rice and enjoy.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Sesame noodles in a peanut sauce

Hey Rob,

Not something we have written down, and this was something Rich made. Since he has "chemo brain," we're not getting much help.

However, I do know it's all in the sauce you mix the noodles with. IIRC it had the following in it:

Sesame oil
Mirin (sweet cooking wine)
Hoisin sauce
Soy sauce
Peanut butter
Granulated garlic
Lemon juice
ground pepper
ground ginger

If I had to guess amounts (play with this to get it to your taste), I would say:

3T Sesame oil
3T Mirin (sweet cooking wine)
1T Hoisin sauce
1T Soy sauce
1 1/2T Creamy peanut butter
1t Granulated garlic
1/2t Lemon juice
1/2t ground pepper
1/2t ground ginger

Whisk everything but the oil together with maybe 1/4c water. Then whisk while drizzling oil in so it emulsifies. Let it sit at least an hour.

Then you can mix it with your cooked, slightly cooled, noodles and some roasted sesame seeds. When the noodles are still a little warm they absorb the flavors better. When it's all cooled, you might have to add a little liquid (make a 1/2 batch of the sauce?) if the noodles are dry. Don't forget to drizzle with a little sesame oil for a shiny presentation, and add chopped scallion at the end before serving. Could also add bean sprouts in the very last mixing, or maybe carrot shavings that have been chopped roughly!

As a substitute for the peanut butter, try sesame paste, available in jars in the asian food markets. It has a bit of a sesame flavor to it, but also has peanut overtones!

Sorry I can't be of more help, and I waited a bit too see if a bone fide recipe would be posted.

Good luck!

Chuck

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, you also left out Philippine, which I'd count as Asian more than South Seas. Indonesian as well, also Laotian, Burmese, Mongolian, Tibetan, Malaysian, Singaporean, etc... But you got the general region.