Sesame-honey tempeh bowl

This concoction makes a great one-dish vegetarian meal.  When you first see a block of tempeh, if you've never actually eaten it before, you'll think it looks like horse food.  Well, grow up and don't eat with your eyes, as my mother would say!  This stuff takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it in, so make sure the sauce is to your liking! 

Sesame-Honey Tempeh Bowl

1 c quinoa
2 c water

2 c grated carrots
1 T sesame oil
1 T soy sauce
2 t rice vinegar
2 T toasted sesame seeds

Sesame oil
Canola oil
16 oz tempeh
3 T honey
2 T soysauce
3 T water
2 t cornstarch

Sliced scallions for garnish

Start the quinoa, bringing the water to a boil and adding the grain.  Return to a boil; reduce to a simmer; let cook for about 10 minutes.  Let it sit covered until the water is all absorbed and then remove the cover.

In a medium bowl, mix the grated carrots with the sesame oil through the toasted sesame seeds.  Set aside.

Break up the tempeh into bite-sized pieces.  In a large skillet, heat a couple T of sesame oil and begin to brown the tempeh.  Add a bit of canola oil if more is needed.  Mix the honey through the cornstarch in a small bowl and add to the pan, stirring quickly to thicken and coat the tempeh.

To serve, layer the quinoa, carrot slaw, and tempeh in bowls.  Top with scallions. 

Crab rangoon...how do you like 'em?

We did a taste test recently.  The biggest surprise actually had nothing to do with the taste, but rather with the way they were folded!  Which do you like better...bird shaped or four-cornered?

Cha siu pork skewers

Best done on the grill, you can also do cha siu pork skewers in the oven in a broiling pan when your hankering comes in the middle of a New England snowstorm.  I like my original cha siu sauce a bit better, but this recipe from Hannaford's Fresh magazine isn't too bad.  I skipped the zucchini just because I'm not a huge fan.

Chile and garlic beef

Here's a lovely change of pace from Sesame Beef.  Much as we love the stuff, we need variety :-)

Chile and Garlic Beef

1 lb thin-sliced beef
2 T soy sauce
1 t sugar
1 t cornstarch
1 T sherry
1 T hoisin sauce
1 t rice vinegar
2 t chile and garlic paste
Salt
Vegetable oil
1 T fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
12 scallions, sliced into 2 inch pieces
Rice noodles
Pickled ginger

Place the beef in a crock pot with a little bit of water or broth.  Allow to cook on low for several hours until the fibers begin to break down.

Start water boiling for the rice noodles.  Combine the soy sauce through the salt and set aside.  In a large skillet, saute the ginger and garlic in oil until just softened.  Add the beef and scallions.  Saute quickly to soften the scallions.  Add the sauce and cook for a few minutes until thickened.  Serve over rice noodles with pickled ginger on the side.

Sesame beef

The sauce that flavors this mixture of beef and green beans is just perfect!  We haven't found any sesame sauce recipe that we like better :-)

It takes very little time to prepare this meal in a wok or large skillet, certainly no more than thirty minutes.

Sesame Beef 

Rice:
3-1/4 c water
1-1/2 c rice


Sauce:
1 T cornstarch
2 t sesame oil
3 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1 T honey
1/2 t Red pepper flakes

Beef and vegetables:
3 T sesame seeds
Canola oil
1 lb shaved or stir-fry cut beef
1 T garlic, minced
1 T ginger, grated
1/4 c water
3 c fresh green beans
1 c carrots, cut into thick matchsticks
2 - 3 scallions, sliced

Start the rice, boiling the water first, adding the rice, covering and lowering the heat to simmer.

Mix up the sauce in a small bowl, adding the cornstarch to first few liquids and whisking it smooth.  Add the rest of the liquids, stirring well.  Set aside.

In a wok, toast the sesame seeds if they aren't already.  Remove from the wok and set aside.  Stir fry the beef, garlic and ginger together for a few minutes until beef is just done.  Remove from wok and set aside with sesame seeds.  Add  the water and vegetables (except for scallions) to the wok and cover.  Steam cook for about 5 minutes until beginning to soften.  Add the sauce, beef, and sesame seeds to the wok and continue to cook until the meat is reheated and the vegetables are done.

Serve the sesame mixture over rice and top with scallions for garnish.

Edamame lo mein

I found the original recipe for edamame lo mein in the 2006 April/May issue of Eating Well magazine. I've changed it slightly to fit us better. Instead of treating it as a side dish, this recipe makes enough for the main event, vegetarian if you replace the oyster sauce with a vegetarian substitute. Red pepper sauce works well. This version of lo mein is good hot or cold.

Edamame Lo Mein

12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2-3 cups frozen edamame
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 c oyster sauce
1/3 cup rice-wine vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
1 T sugar
1 T toasted sesame oil
1/4 t crushed red pepper
Canola oil
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
3 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow), cut into matchsticks

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of water, adding edamame after about 4 minutes. Return to boil and cook until just tender, about 9 to 10 minutes.

Whisk scallions, oyster sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and crushed red pepper in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.

Cook the carrots and bell peppers in canola oil in a wok for a couple of minutes until slightly softened. Add the drained pasta and edamame and cook for a few more minutes. Add the sauce and stir together.

Image: Stock.xchng

Five-spice chicken stir fry

Five-spice powder is fabulous: it contains a combination of cloves, fennel, cinnamon, anise, and peppercorns. If you don't have access to any five-spice mix, just blend up your own!

Five-Spice Chicken Stir Fry

White rice

6 T soy sauce
3 T sherry
1 c chicken broth
1 T cornstarch
1 1/2 t sugar
3/4 t Chinese five spice powder
Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 1/2 lb chicken, chopped
Canola oil
Onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
Red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 c fresh snow peas
1/2 c cashews, chopped
2 scallions, sliced thinly

Prepare rice according to directions. Mix the soy sauce through the red pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

Stir fry the chicken in oil until browned on all sides. Remove from wok and set aside. Stir fry the onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Add the bell pepper and the snow peas, cooking for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok and simmer for a couple of minutes. Return the chicken to the wok and reheat. Stir in the cashews. Serve over rice with scallions for garnish.

Spicy sweet and sour chicken

This is a much spicier version of sweet and sour sauce than the one I shared for Pork a short while ago. It's also a bit more work, but the layers of flavor are worth it. You can use the two sauces interchangeably. Serve on sticky rice.

Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken

4 t cornstarch, divided
2 T soy sauce, divided
2 t fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 c chicken broth
1 T brown sugar
3 T tomato paste
2 T rice vinegar
1 t chili powder
1 t toasted sesame oil

Canola oil
Onion, chopped
Orange bell pepper, chopped
Red bell pepper, chopped
5 - 6 scallions, chopped

1/2 fresh pineapple, chopped

Put half the cornstarch, half the soy sauce, the ginger, garlic, and chicken pieces into a small bowl to marinate. Set aside.

Combine the rest of the cornstarch and soy sauce with the chicken broth through the sesame oil in another small bowl. Set aside.

Saute the vegetables until just tender in canola oil. Remove from pan and set aside. Saute the chicken mixture until chicken is just done. Return the vegetables to the pan along with the broth mixture and the pineapple. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer while scraping the pan. Serve over sticky rice.

Beef and cabbage stir fry with peanut sauce

A mild peanut sauce flavors this dish. You can add a couple of splashes of hot sauce if you like! Serve over Chinese egg noodles.

Beef & Cabbage Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

1/4 c smooth peanut butter
1/4 c soy sauce
1/3 c orange juice
1 T rice vinegar
2 t sugar

Canola oil
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 carrots, sliced thin
1 lb thin cubed steak, sliced in thin strips
1/2 - 1 head Savoy cabbage, sliced thin
Water

Roasted peanuts for garnish, if desired
Hot sauce, if desired

Chinese egg noodles

Start water boiling for the noodles. In a bowl, whisk the peanut butter through the sugar until smooth. Heat oil in a wok and cook the garlic for about a minute. Add the carrots and cook till softened. Add the beef and brown it all around. Dump the garlic, carrots, and meat into the bowl with the sauce. Add more oil to the wok and stir fry the cabbage, adding a few T of water to make steam and wilt the cabbage. Add the beef and sauce mixture to the wok and heat through. Serve over noodles.

Sweet and sour pork

Sweet and sour sauce can be poured right out of a jar, but it's so easy to make that why would you? This way you can vary the spices to suit your family's taste! I've got a much spicier version of sweet and sour sauce here for Chicken, but they are interchangeable.

Sweet and Sour Pork

1 lb pork roast, cut into cubes
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into cubes
Vegetable oil

Sauce:
1 T sherry
1 t soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t fresh ginger, minced
2 T tomato paste
1/3 c cider or wine vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1 c chicken broth
1 T cornstarch in 2T broth
1 T sesame oil

Heat the oil in your wok and fry the pork cubes. Set them aside and wipe out the oil. Add the sauce ingredients through the broth and bring to a low boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, the sesame oil, and the pineapple. Heat through and return the pork cubes to reheat. Serve with sticky rice.

Red-cooked chicken

Red-cooked chicken is amazing! It's good hot or cold. I served it with stir fried fennel, to pick up on the slightly sweet flavors of the anise and fennel seed. The poultry shown in my photo is capon.

Red-Cooked Chicken

2 lbs of chicken or capon
2 c soy sauce
1/4 c brown sugar
1 T peppercorns, slightly crushed
1/2 t anise seed
1/2 t fennel seed
2 t fresh ginger, minced
1 c chicken broth

Sesame oil

Mix the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer the chicken for a few minutes. Place into a crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove chicken from the sauce and drain. Rub with sesame oil.

Tofu stir fry

Since tofu takes on the flavor of whatever sauce you soak or cook it in, make it a tasty one! Add the vegetables of your choice and serve it over sticky rice. A perfect thirty minute meal!

Tofu Stir Fry

Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 t fresh ginger, grated
Vegetable oil
2 T soy suace
2 t hoisin sauce
2 t chili sauce
1 t sugar
1/4 c vegetable broth
1 T sherry

Stir Fry:
Cake of firm tofu
Broccoli, red and yellow peppers, water chestnuts, mushrooms

Sticky rice

Saute the garlic and ginger in oil in your wok. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and the tofu. Heat the tofu through for a few minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside. Stir fry the vegetables in the sauce, adding the tofu back just to reheat before serving. Serve over sticky rice.

Char siu pork

Char siu is a Chinese version of barbecue. Serve with rice and stir fried vegetables for a fabulously tasty meal.

Char Siu Pork

2 T soy sauce
2 T hoisin sauce
2 T ketchup
2 T honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t fresh ginger, grated
1 t sesame oil
1/2 t five-spice powder
1 lb pork roast, trimmed of fat

1/2 c or more of chicken broth


Place soy sauce through pork into bag and marinate for a few hours or overnight. Place pork and and the sauce into a crock pot, cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours. Using two forks, shred the pork. Add enough chicken broth to moisten.

Chinese-style green beans (OAMC)

These beans can be made up in bulk as a OAMC vegetable and frozen for later. Don’t steam them for very long if you plan to freeze them. They also keep very well for a few days in the fridge, so they’re great to make ahead during once a week prep time. If you’re eating them right away, steam them for several minutes, until they’re the tenderness that your family likes.

Chinese-Style Green Beans

1 lb whole green beans, lightly steamed
1 t canola oil
1 t ginger
1 t ginger
1 clove of garlic, mashed
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t brown sugar
1/2 t sesame oil
crushed red pepper

All of these ingredients can be simply tossed together, or if you’d prefer having a real sauce on the beans, mix 2 T water with the soy sauce and add 1 t cornstarch. Mix with the rest.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy New Year! 2009 is the Year of the Ox, and I am looking forward to sharing many tasty Chinese dishes with you, at least my untrained versions of them! :-)


Image: WikimediaCommons