Monday 17 June 2013

Asian Night


Asian Mary

Combine 1 TBSP salt, sesame seed and wasabi powder.
Rim glass with lime and dip in dry mix.
Fill highball with ice, 1 CUP tomato juice, 1 TBSP wasabi, 1 TSP Tabasco, ½ TSP Worcestershire; 1 oz lemon juice; garnish with sesame and a skewer of star fruit


(All recipes for 2 persons)

SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'LL NEED



Thai Wraps

Head lettuce leaves
1 garlic clove-minced
1 TBSP grated ginger
green chili sliced
1 shallots, sliced
¼ cup tofu, sliced
½ carrot, finely cut into strips
2 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 egg
¼ cup red cabbage, shredded
1 spring onion
1 cup bean sprouts
1 TBSP lime juice
1 TBSP soy
1 TBSP fish sauce
1 TBSP oyster sauce
Fresh basil
¼ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
2 TBSP oil

 
Heat oil, add garlic, ginger, chili, shallots; fry one minute
Add tofu, carrot, mushroom, sauces; cook additional minute
Fry egg; add bean sprouts
Wrap in lettuce leaves; top with basil and peanuts



Cheat of the Week

 
Miso Soup & dumplings courtesy of T & T dumplings and Fuchu Miso
(We did chop a green onion so that’s something at least.)

 
Japanese Curry

 
And why is it Japanese?  On account of the turmeric.  This spice has been in the news a lot lately.  Fabulous health benefits.

6 chicken thighs
¼ CUP oil
½ CUP onion
¼ CUP grated apple-remove peel
1TBSP Japanese seasoning*
½ TBSP chopped garlic
½ TBSP chopped ginger
1 ½ TBSP flour
1 CUP chicken stock
2 CUP spinach
2 TBSP fresh coriander

Sear chicken & reserve.
Add onion, apple, seasoning, ginger & garlic.  Cook for 1 min.
Stir in flour, cook for 2 min.
Add stock in batches; bring to boil
Simmer 5 min; add chicken and cook 10 min.
Remove from heat.
Add spinach and coriander.
Serve with rice or noodles.

(Paired with Kronenbourg 1664-wheat beer w/ citrus and coriander.)

 
*Japanese seasoning

 
1TBSP turmeric
½ TBSP ground coriander
½ TBSP ground cumin
½ TSP ground cardamom
¼ TSP cinnamon
¼ TSP ground ginger
1/8 TSP fresh pepper
1/8 TSP cayenne
1/8 TSP ground cloves
1/8 TSP ground fennel

 
 
Easy Rice Pudding

 
¼ CUP basmati rice
4 CUPS milk
1/3 CUP sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 TSP cinnamon
1/4 TSP ground cardamom
1/4 CUP broken pistachio

Cook rice, milk and sugar on low heat for 2 ½ hours
Add salt, cinnamon and cardamom
Top with nuts.

Editor's note:
This turned out very well and worth the over two hour wait.

 

 

Monday 10 June 2013

Asparagus is not a noodle.

 
The fetal position is for babies, not vegetables.  Don't kill your asparagus.
Please try to aim for a cooking time of no more that 3 minutes.  Once cooked, your veg should resemble the spear in the lower half of the plate.  Taste and texture still intact.


Asparagus is not a noodle.