Category Archives: Asian

Chinese Grilled Pork and Fried Rice

Posted on by
Reply

It is May, which is usually when I would prefer to be grilling dinner, or doing anything that doesn’t involve a lot of chopping in the kitchen … however – such a rainy day I didn’t mind the chopping involved in any Chinese dinner!

PORK TENDERLOIN

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound pork tenderloin
1/4 cup hot and sweep bbq sauce

PORK:   In ziplock bag, add soy and oyster sauce, ginger and garlic, and sesame oil. Add pork and let marinate for at least 1 hour in fridge, but much better if left over night.

Heat grill to medium-high, and grill pork on both sides until done. Heat remaining marinade to 165 degrees F and use to baste meat as it cooks. When meat is almost cooked through, glaze both sides with hot and sweet bbq sauce and let finish cooking while sauce caramelizes on meat. Remove from grill, allow to stand for 10 minutes, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

RICE

4 tablespoons canola oil                                                     
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1/2 cup thinly sliced snap peas
1/2 cup peeled, diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 cups short-grain white rice, cooked and cooled
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

RICE:  While pork is standing, heat oil in wok or large skillet on high heat until oil almost begins to smoke. Add ginger, and all vegetables except garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked, then add garlic. Before garlic browns, add rice and mix rapidly so rice does not stick to sides of wok or pan.

Once entire mixture is thoroughly combined, push to the side of your wok or frypan, and pour beaten eggs  into a hot spot …. toss until cooked through, and toss with the rice/vegetable mixture.   Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil.  Toss well until combined through and rice looks well coated.

Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

If you are would like an additional vegetable dish to round out this meal check out my coconut chili bok choy!

Thai Curries …. not just 1!

Posted on by
1

All curries in Thailand start out the same way, and then you proceed with each variation … we ate this dish served on a boat restaurant on the Mekong River … pretty amazing!

Any Thai curry can be a meal in a dish – just add any protein you are craving at the moment, and serve over rice.  

If you do add meat – I did learn in Thai cooking classes that you add it to the curry, thinly sliced, and gently dropped in, then do not stir until it has cooked through – that way you avoid any raw meat flavour and your curry still has such a rich, but light flavour.

Heat a bit of oil in the bottom of pan and add 1 cup coconut milk and 1 tbsp curry paste,(choose one of the following)  along with lemon grass, galanga, chili peppers to taste (start with 1!) and ginger. Cook until slightly thickened over med heat. Add meat, whatever you choose, remember that in Thailand only a little bit of meat goes a long way!  onion and cook a bit. Add 1 more cup coconut milk and water as necessary. Add vegetables. Remove from heat.

SEASON WITH
(for all curry dishes)
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp palm sugar

Adjust seasonings as necessary.

MASSAMAN CURRY
Precook potato and carrot to add when meat is cooked. With 2nd cup of coconut milk add 2 tbsp chunky peanut butter and 2 tbsp tamarind. Serve with crushed peanuts and cilantro over top.

Massaman Curry

GREEN CURRY
Same as above but using green curry paste and a variety of different vegetables

RED CURRY
Same as above but different! Always use red curry paste and add pineapple.

PENANG CURRY
Same as above with the addition of kaffir lime leaves.
Reserve some of the coconut milk to swirl in the top
of the curry at serving time along with fresh basil.

I can’t say it enough … taste and season, season, season.  Your curry should have a full bodied flavour, many complex notes and so full of taste you can not get enough of it!

Peanut Chicken Wings

Posted on by
Reply

Image

In large bowl blend:

1 cup smooth peanut butter

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup light soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 limes, zest and juice of

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Blend all ingredients well, until smooth and creamy – add:

40 chicken drumettes ( or 20 chicken wings)

Toss well and turn onto baking tray (works really well if you cover baking tray with parchment paper, and you also reduce your clean up time!)  Reserve the sauce.

Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes, turn and bake another 10.  Return wings to sauce and toss once more – baking for another 15 minutes until they start to crisp up.

Delicious!  Make sure to have extra napkins handy …