Garlic Ginger Chicken Potstickers

Posted on November 20, 2020 by vanessa

1 pound ground chicken breast
3/4 cup diced shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
36 (4 1/2-inch) round wonton wrappers
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

In a large bowl, combine chicken, mushrooms, cilantro, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, rice wine vinegar, pepper and red pepper flakes, if using.*
To assemble the dumplings, place wrappers on a work surface. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture into the center of each wrapper. Using your finger, rub the edges of the wrappers with water. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape, pinching the edges to seal.*
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add potstickers in a single layer and cook until beginning to crisp on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Working quickly, add 1/4 cup water; cover and cook until liquid has evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are crisp and golden, about 2-4 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Notes:

*The filling in the potstickers does not have to be cooked prior to wrapping.

*To freeze, place uncooked potstickers in a single layer on a baking sheet overnight. Transfer to freezer bags.

Pork Dumplings

Posted on December 18, 2016 by vanessa

2 cups all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup lukewarm water
1 egg white

For the filling:

1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces finely chopped garlic chives

To begin the dough, put the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers to stir in the water and egg white, until the dough comes together as a shaggy ball. Move the dough to a flour-dusted work surface, and knead it, dusting with more flour to keep it from sticking, until it is smooth to the touch, with no cracks or pockets of flour. Cover the dough, and let it rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
Knead the dough about 10 times, or until it forms a firm ball as smooth as satin. Use a dough scraper or a flour-dusted knife to cut it into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log, and cut it into 6 equal pieces (for a total of 24 small pieces). Flatten the pieces with your hands, and roll each one into a 3-to-4-inch round wrapper. As you work, cover the dough with a lightly moistened towel to keep it from drying out.
To prepare the filling, place the ingredients in a mixing bowl, and use your hands to combine them until they are well blended. Place a tablespoon of the filling at the center of each wrapper, and gently squeeze the edges shut. As you work, push out any air bubbles and fix any tears. When ready to eat, bring a large pot of water to boil. Boil the dumplings 6 at a time, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they float to the surface and the wrappers turn puffy and translucent. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate and serve immediately.

Tahini Noodles

Posted on September 27, 2015 by vanessa

1/2 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c. tahini
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. agave syrup
1/4 c. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. Sriracha
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Korean Spicy Pork (Jeyuk Bokeum)

Posted on March 28, 2015 by vanessa

1½ lbs pork loin, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. gochujang (paste)
3 tbsp. gochugaru (chili powder)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
sesame seeds, optional

In small bowl, combine gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, corn syrup, sesame oil, black pepper, ginger, and garlic.
Heat pork in large pan over medium high heat.
Add the sauce over the pork and stir well and cook until the pork is fully cooked. If the sauce is too thick, then add about ¼ cup water and stir well.
Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

Kimchi Deviled Eggs

Posted on February 7, 2015 by vanessa

7 large eggs
2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
1 to 2 teaspoons yellow mustard (depends on your taste)
1/4 teaspoon vinegar (white or brown rice vinegar)
1 tablespoon gochujang
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
Crispy bacon strips, crumbled into bits (optional)
Diced chives for garnish

Place the eggs in a small pot and fill it with cold water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once the water starts boiling, turn to heat to low and let the eggs cook for about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly pour out the hot water and fill the pot with cold water, covering the eggs for about a minute or two.

Peel the eggs, slice them lengthwise, and gently remove the yolks, transferring them to a mixing bowl. Arrange the empty egg whites on a platter, cut-side up.

Using a fork, mash the yolks until they are completely crumbled. Add the mayonnaise, yellow mustard and vinegar and mix together until you form a smooth paste. Add the gochujang and mix together until well blended. Set aside.

Using a small- to medium-sized skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium high heat and sauté the chopped kimchi for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the heat and set aside. This quick cooking deepens the flavor of the kimchi.

Transfer the egg yolk filling to a plastic bag or piping bag fitted with a tip. Press the bag with your hands to push all the filling to one corner and press any air out of the top. If using a plastic zip top bag, snip one corner off with a pair of scissors.

Pipe the filling into the cup of each egg white, filling the cups so that the filling mounds a little over the top. Squeeze the bag from the top to force the filling downward. Alternatively, you can scoop the filling into the egg whites with a small spoon.

Garnish each deviled egg with the sautéed kimchi and top with the crispy bacon bits and chives. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

The sesame oil is key to this recipe. Try not to use olive oil or vegetable oil when sautéing your kimchi.

Pork Lettuce Wraps

Posted on May 26, 2014 by vanessa

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 lb ground pork (80/20)
4 chopped scallions
1 tsp grated ginger
1.5 tbsp garlic, minced
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sriracha
2 tsp sesame oil
Butter lettuce, for serving

Heat up the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet, then brown the pork for 3 minutes, stirring enough so it doesn’t burn. Add the water chestnuts and tofu.
Mix up the scallions, ginger, garlic, hoisin, soy sauce, and sriracha. Add to the pan, and toss all the ingredients. Cook for a few more minutes until the pork is cooked through. Remove from the heat and add the sesame oil.
At the table, fill each lettuce cup with rice and a big spoonful of the pork mixture.

Sticky Orange Chicken

Posted on March 13, 2013 by vanessa

zest and juice of a large orange
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. honey
2 t. grated fresh ginger
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2-1 t. sambal oelek or Sriracha hot sauce
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 c. flour
canola oil, for cooking

In a small saucepan, stir together the orange zest and juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ginger, garlic and sambal oelek. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until it’s reduced and syrupy, stirring occasionally.

In a shallow bowl, dredge the chicken pieces in the flour. Heat a drizzle of oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown it on all sides. Pour the sauce over the chicken, stir to coat, then cover and cook it for a few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and covered with a sticky glaze. Serve immediately with rice and veg or broccoli slaw. Serves 6.

Braised Bok Choy with Sherry & Prosciutto

Posted on February 28, 2013 by vanessa

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 heads baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup dry sherry (or Chinese rice wine)
1/2 cup homemade or low-salt chicken broth
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp. cold water to form a slurry
4 thin slices prosciutto, sliced crosswise into 1/4″ strips

Put the oil and garlic in a small wok. Set over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic begins to sizzle steadily (about 1 minute). Add the boy choy and using tongs turn it in the oil and garlic; season with the salt. When the tender tops begin to wilt, in about 1 minute, add the sherry and toss again for about 15 seconds before adding the chicken broth, soy sauce and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the bok choy tops are completely wilted and the stalks are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bok choy to a plate.

Give the cornstarch slurry a stir to recombine and then whisk it into the cooking liquid. SImmer vigorously until the liquid has thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and return the bok choy to the pan. Add the prosciutto and toss quickly to coat the bok choy with the broth and to mix in the prosciutto. Season to taste with salt and serve.

Cellophane Noodle Salad with Roast Pork

Posted on January 27, 2013 by vanessa

For pork
1 (1-lb) pork tenderloin
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or sake
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt

For dressing
3/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil**
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 large fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

For salad
8 oz very thin bean-thread noodles (also known as cellophane, glass, or mung bean noodles)
3/4 lb Chinese long beans (1 bunch) or green beans, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped; about 1 lb), halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally 1/8 inch thick
1 bunch scallions, cut into matchsticks
1 firm-ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
2 thin carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh small basil leaves

Make pork: Cut pork along the grain into long 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide strips. Remove and discard any sinew but do not trim fat. Transfer pork to a large sealable plastic bag. Stir together remaining pork ingredients in a small bowl until combined well. Add to pork and turn to coat, then squeeze bag to eliminate as much air as possible and seal. Marinate pork, chilled, at least 4 hours but no longer than 24.

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Put 1/2 inch water in a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan and place a metal rack across top of pan (rack should not touch water).

Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade, and arrange pork strips 1 inch apart on rack. Roast in oven 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring marinade to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan, then boil 1 minute (marinade may look curdled). Remove from heat.

Brush both sides of pork with some marinade and roast 10 minutes more. Generously brush both sides of pork with marinade again and roast, basting 2 or 3 times, 10 minutes more.

Increase oven temperature to 400°F and roast pork until strips are mahogany-colored and caramelized on edges, 10 to 15 minutes more (pork should roast for a total of about 50 minutes). Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes.

Make dressing while pork roasts: Blend together all dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth. Stir before using.

Cook noodles and beans for salad while pork finishes roasting: Soak noodles in cold water to cover until pliable, about 15 minutes, then drain in a colander. Cut noodles in half with kitchen shears.

Cook beans in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer with a skimmer or slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, reserving cooking liquid in pot. Drain beans and pat dry.

Return bean-cooking liquid to a boil, then cook noodles, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain noodles in colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain noodles again, then spread out on paper towels and pat dry.

Assemble salad: Cut as much pork as desired for salad across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.*** Toss noodles with 1/4 cup dressing in a bowl. Toss long beans with 2 tablespoons dressing in another bowl. Arrange pork, noodles, beans, and remaining salad ingredients on a large platter. Drizzle with some of dressing and serve remaining dressing on the side.

Miso Carrot Ginger Dressing