Some recipes are clearly simple. Other recipes are clearly complicated. Then there are the recipes that just seem simple. A tablespoon of this, a teaspoon of that, some chopping, some stirring, and you’re done. Except “this” has 20 ingredients of its own, and “that” has to be made 3 days [...]
Posts Tagged ‘asian’
Fried Rice
Rourke was out of town for a few days, so I was on my own for dinner. Left to my own devices, I generally do one of two things:
Experiment. Sometimes this has led to tasty things, and sometimes this has led to awful things that immediately needed to be thrown out.
Scavenge. It is amazing what [...]
BBQ Pork Buns Two Ways
The steamed, BBQ pork-filled bun, cha siu bao, is like the gateway drug of dim sum. They’re easy to find, inexpensive, and even the worst of them are satisfying in their own way. If you didn’t grow up in an Asian household, there’s a good chance it was the first dim sum you [...]
Vegetable Dumplings
I have quasi-fond memories of making dumplings. Fond in that it was quality time spent with my mom and I loved having a freezer full of dumplings for the coming weeks. Quasi in that it was basically child labor. My tired little fingers folding dumplings for hours on end, with only meager sips of tea [...]
Shanghai Soup Dumplings
Yes, Virginia, there is Jello in Chinese cooking. You say you don’t believe it, but indeed, it’s true.
Are you having visions of quivering rings of Astro-turf-colored sugar topped with glistening slices of Peking duck? (Actually, I found this photo on Flickr, it might be worse: duck hearts in gelatin.)
You of biting sarcasm and suspicious mind, [...]
Shrimp and Mushroom Shu Mai
Shu mai (also spelled shui mei, siu mai, etc.) is a traditional Chinese dumpling and with Chinese New Year around the corner we decided it was the perfect time to experiment. I recently bought Cooking Light’s Way to Cook and so far, everything I’ve made from this cookbook has been great. Plus it has really [...]
Pan Fried Noodles with Ground Pork and Baby Chard
Another year, another set of resolutions. Many of the food blogs are buzzing with food resolutions for the new year: try new cuisines, tackle that certain cookbook, cook more veggies,etc. I haven’t made any for the year because let’s be honest, I won’t keep any of them. If you’re in the market for recipes that’ll [...]
Broiled Shrimp with Soy-Mirin Glaze
Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking wine. Blending the sweetness of mirin with salty soy sauce gets you part of the way to tare, a grilling sauce used in teriyaki.
In other words, mirin + soy = cheater’s teriyaki sauce. Or at least, pretty close to the teriyaki you’ll find in your grocery store. [...]
Turkey Tofu
Turkey and tofu. I know what you’re thinking: two boring flavors, together at last. This spicy Szechuan dish will change your mind. It’s very similar to mapo tofu, but without the black beans. It’s easy to make, and after you try it once, you’ll be craving it again.
It’s fair to say that I do most [...]
Black Cod en Papillote with Ginger and Scallions
When I was a kid, one of my favorite dishes was steamed whole fish with ginger and scallions, which you can find in most authentic Chinese restaurants. My parents used to make it at home pretty often and it was one of the first things I learned how to cook. The problem is, it can [...]