Mapo Eggplant

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Chatty Kathy

You can tell how much I’m enjoying eggplant right now. A little chopping, and assembling ingredients gives you one of the best low effort/high flavour dinners, and likely to be in the rotation as long as the eggplant is growing out the back door! If you love Mapo Tofu, you are going to really enjoy this – the eggplant gets so creamy and sucks up all the flavour in the sauce.

I roasted some cauliflower tossed with white miso paste, chile sauce, and olive oil – great to have a bit of a crunchy contrast – next time I might also scatter a few roasted peanuts over as garnish.

PORK

12 ounces ground pork
3 tsp water
2 tsp Shaoxing wine (or sake)
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp white pepper

Mix all ingredients together and allow to marinate while you do the rest of the prep.

INGREDIENTS

2 long Japanese eggplant (can use round eggplant but peel if the skin is too tough)
vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup minced ginger
2 tsp Szechaun pepper (finely ground)
1/4 cup black bean sauce
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp chile crunch (optional)
2 tsp corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup water for slurry

GARNISH

sliced scallions and roasted sesame seeds

METHOD

Just before you start cooking, cut the eggplant lengthwise and then into smaller (triangle?) pieces. If you do this too early, they will discolor.

Heat wok over med high heat, and when it is starting to smoke add the eggplant in a single layer (do in batches if you have to). Allow to sit undisturbed until you get some color on the eggplant pieces and then stir them up, and allow to caramelize a bit on all sides.

After you’ve cooked all the eggplant, add 2 tbsp oil to the wok and saute the ginger for a minute, just until it starts to soften, then add the garlic. Fry just until fragrant, (watch carefully, burnt garlic is bitter!).

Add the pork mixture and stir fry until it has been cooked through and lightly caramelized in bits.

Stir in the pepper and the black bean sauce. Cook for one minute until it is bubbling, and add the chicken stock, chiile crisp (if you are using it), sugar and sesame oil.

Add the eggplant to the mixture and stir well. Once it is all combined and boiling again, stir in the cornstarch slurry and just allow it to thicken and get nice and glossy.

Serve over fluffy white rice, garnished with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

If you want to make this gluten free use sake or dry sherry in place of the Shaoxing wine, use gluten free chicken stock, and make sure your black bean sauce is gluten ffree (it is hard to find!).

Look how soft and creamy the eggplant is – addictive!

Cook pork crumbles until crispy in spots

Look at this happy wok, bubbling away – and smelling incredible.

JAPCHAE

Posted on July 8, 2023 by Chatty Kathy

Set aside a bit of time to make this dish – today it took me 2 1/2 hours but it makes a lot, and keeps really well in the fridge for a couple of days. Just call it kitchen yoga and you are guaranteed to feel quite smug.

This Korean noodle dish is truly crave worthy. If anything, tastes even better the next day but don’t let that stop you from making and eating it for dinner the same day! It took a bit of effort to find potato starch noodles but it was worth the effort. They have a springy texture that is unlike any other noodle I’ve had.

12 ounces (340g) of pork loin or steak – cut into very thin slivers
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp chinese cooking wine (shaoxing)
1 /2 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil

I’ve also learned a new technique through J.Kenji Lopez-Alt about velveting meat for stir frying, and trust me, it makes a huge difference!

First, give your meat a little bath – scrub it in running water and then squeeze to drain it really well.

Combine the meat with all the other ingredients in a bowl and massage it vigorously – I like my using my hands but feel free to use a spoon if you prefer. Set aside for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for 4 hours or so.

Blanch spinach or kale in boiling water, cool and chop a little.

Stir in:

1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt

10 ounces (280 gr) of sweet. potato starch noodles (Dangmyeon) – cooked acording to package

Sauce for noodles:

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar

Once noodles are cooked, drained and rinsed, cut them into smaller pieces and stir with the sauce. Set aside.

1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, diced
3 scallions, cut in 3 ” pieces
1 pack of baby spinach or kale (as much as you like, really)
bean sprouts (as many as you like)

OPTIONAL:

raw carrot strands
slivered snap peas
pea shoots
cucumber, thinly sliced

Japchae sauce

2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 TBSP gojuchang (korean spice paste)

Stir well in a large bowl. Taste and adjust for seasoning. I usually use low sodium soy sauce but using Gluten Free soy sauce, now that Stella is Celiac, we are all learning to cook without any wheat in our products, so initially I found this a bit salty, I adjusted with a little rice vinegar and touch of oil. (Basically, the vinaigrette I had made and in the fridge)

UPDATE – see below for a sauce suitable for all gluten free folks – it was so good!

Time to stir fry the veg!

In a wok or large fry pan heat vegetable oil and stir fry onion and red pepper until soft and set aside. Then stir fry any other vegetable you choose to add.

I like to have a mix of raw and stir fried veg……

Heat wok again and add some vegetable oil – stir fry the meat, and add in the bean sprouts and kale or spinach, fry just until softened. Add back the red pepper, onion, garlic mix as well as the cooked noodles. Toss well to warm everything through and then add to the bowl with the sauce, mixing well

Once you have everything prepared, toss it all with the sauce. My usual tactic is to put all the veg in the bowl and then gradually add the sweet potato noodles, that way I don’t overload the bowl with too many noodles. Just ask Mike, I’m guilty of cooking more noodles than needed – always.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chives or green onions for a little color.

Sit back and enjoy! Pour yourself a glass of well deserved wine.

Todays version included sautéed mini bok choy. You could easily call this a clean out the fridge noodle dish, anything goes! This doesn’t have any meat in it at all, I felt like some Korean grilled chicken thighs – a bit of sweet, spicy and char makes it perfect. That is on the grill separately. If you leave it as is, you’ve got a great vegetarian dinner!

This was all the sautéed vegetables in tonights dish – each in the pan at separate times. I know, I’m fussy that way – go ahead and throw it all in at once if you like, and let me know if it makes any difference …. haha

Here are the raw veg – along with the cooked sweet potato noodles. – today was spiral carrots, bean sprouts, pea sprouts and slivered snap peas.

JAPCHAE SAUCE GLUTEN FREE VERSION

3 TBSP GF soy sauce

1 TBSP brown sugar

1/2 TBSP sesame oil

Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved. I added a bit of chili oil for a little kick, but honestly, this was fantastic, and we all loved it.

If you can find gojuchang free of malt barley, then you could just use the original sauce recipe.

beef, Chicken, gluten-free, japchae, korean food, korean noodle dish, main courses, pork, side dishes, vegetarian

30 minute Broth for Asian Soup

Posted on October 6, 2022 by Chatty Kathy

Need a quick, easy but delicious dinner idea? Here you go – this broth is amazingly flavorful for so few ingredients and can be packed with whatever you have in your fridge.

Sloan took this photo of her own bowl – I love a recipe that allows everybody to fashion their own meal the way they want to eat – a sure fired winner for picky eaters!

6 cups chicken broth (use veg broth if you. are looking for a vegetarian night!)
4 flattened but not minced garlic cloves – left whole
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced
4 green onion ends, white part only
3 tbsp light soy sauce (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp Shaoxing (chinese cooking wine)
1 tsp sesame oil

This is one of the quickest broth recipes I’ve ever made, and it is absolutely delicious. Ready in only 30 minutes, that gives you enough time to prep all the delightful ingredients you want to complete your lunch or dinner.

Heat a little neutral oil in a deep pot and lightly toast the garlic cloves, ginger slices and white parts of green (spring) onions. As soon as they are lightly roasted, add the broth, soy sauce, sugar, Shaoxing, and sesame oil. Bring to a gentle boil, and then turn down and simmer for 30 minutes. You can do this as early as you like and just keep it warm until you are ready to eat. When ready to serve scoop out the aromatics and you have a lovely clear broth to enjoy with as many fill ins as your bowl can hold.

Serve with: Any or all of the following!

Cooked ramen, udon or egg noodles
Vegetables (cooked in the broth if you like!)
Fresh bean sprouts
Cooked wontons
shredded chicken
cooked seafood

Garnish your bowl with the slivered green onion tops, toasted sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve alongside hot sauce and hoisin sauce if anybody wants to add a bit more punch.

I usually have another pot of boiling water on the go that I first cook the noodles in, then lightly blanch vegetables (bok choy, spinach, bell peppers, zucchini, snap peas). Frozen wontons (purchased or homemade) can also be cooked in this water. I find that if you cook everything in your seasoned broth it dilutes the seasoning and results in a cloudy broth. Both still good, but you may need to adjust seasonings.

Use whatever you like to create your own bowl – we love a combination of lightly cooked and fresh vegetables, as well as plenty of herbs – top it all with peanuts or cashews, sesame seeds and more herbs.
Don’t forget a drizzle of chile oil if you like the heat!

Steak & Rice bowl, Mexican style

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Chatty Kathy

Sliced steak, grilled vegetables, Mexican seasoned rice and a refreshing tomato cilantro garnish – top it all off with this Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette and you’ve got a winning dinner.

We love a good dinner bowl that packs a lot of flavour. This dressing kicks everything up a notch with the combination of sweet, smoky and spicy. I use it on everything, and tonight it did triple duty as a dressing to brush on vegetables before grilling, a marinade for the steak and then a drizzle over the completed dish.

1/2 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and simply whizz it up until smooth and creamy.

RICE

In the same blender you used for the dressing, whiz up 1 tomato, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chicken stock and some minced cilantro stems. Supplement that with water to give you enough for your usual ratio of water/rice.

VEGETABLES

Season the vegetables with the dressing above and grill until just cooked and still slightly crisp.

STEAK

Brush the steaks with a little of the dressing above and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour – Grill to desired temperature. We like ours medium rare.

GARNISH

Quarter mini tomatoes and mince up cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and give it all a squeeze of lime.

Pile it all on top of the rice and drizzle the dressing over – I guarantee you will be making this on repeat. Go ahead and buy the good steak – you don’t need much to complete your dinner.

I think this would work equally well with any protein you chose to make – and at this time of year when the vegetables are coming in strong locally it would make an amazing vegetarian meal if you just added more of a variety of vegetables. I missed grilling onions tonight and I think that would have added a great punch of flavour.

The vinaigrette came from Love and Lemons, a great website with so many amazing recipes.

Chipotle Vinaigrette

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Chatty Kathy

Is there anything better than a vinaigrette that you want to use on everything? I doubt it. We’ve used it to dress up grilled vegetables, served it drizzled over a Mexican steak bowl, and of course just as dressing for a simple salad. The added bonus is that this is the easiest dressing to make.

Use it in a variety of ways – today it was drizzled over a Mexican Steak Bowl, and it was perfect with the combination of sweet, smoky and spicy.

1/2 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotle in adobo sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

The directions are embarrassingly easy ….. simply toss it all in a blender and let it whizz until everything is creamy and smooth. The combination of chipotle, honey and lime is brilliant.

Grilled steak and vegetables, served over a bed of Mexi style rice and garnished with a juicy fresh tomato and cilantro salad. This dressing is amazing.

This recipe came from the the Love and Lemons website, and you can be sure anything from Jeanine Donofrio is going to be delicious.

Thai Inspired Steak Salad

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Chatty Kathy

It’s hard to spot the salad underneath, but it’s there! A tangle of wheat noodles and crunchy salad greens is the base of this – go ahead and use rice noodles or just omit the noodles entirely.

I love a full meal deal salad! This tangle of vegetables, both fresh and grilled, served mixed with noodles and garnished with steak and nuts is just the best. It’s on repeat around here. Go ahead and splurge for the best steak – you don’t need much to make it a complete meal.

This dressing is the star of the show – it is light and bright with just the perfect amount of zing.

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2-3 tbsp chili garlic sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp raw sugar (or honey)
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp fresh Thai basil, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds **
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup peanut oil
kosher salt to taste

** I’m a big fan of toasting nuts or seeds as it adds so much flavour. Watch closely because they go from deeply toasted (my personal favourite) to black …. beware. (yes, I speak from experience)

Whisk all the ingredients, except the oils, together in a bowl. Once combined, slowly drizzle in the oils and continue to whisk until well blended. This is the part where you taste, and adjust if needed – sometimes you need a bit more lime juice, salt or sweetener. If you prefer your dressing on the spicy side, add in a bit of Thai chili or chili flakes.

This recipe is just as versatile as whatever you have on hand. Tonight this dish included:

Chinese wheat noodles (cooked)
salad greens
mint leaves
basil leaves
cilantro leaves
cucumber
tomato
bean sprouts
grilled red pepper
grilled zucchini
steamed baby bok choy
grilled beef tenderloin
toasted cashews
toasted sesame seeds

I like to make a salad out of the cold cooked noodles and fresh vegetables, and pile that in the bottom of my bowl. Arrange the cooked vegetables around the sides along with the grilled steak. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle the cashews and sesame seeds over.

If you have time, and have a steak that needs marinating, just use a bit of the dressing. This works equally well with chicken, pork or tofu. If you want to use shrimp make sure to only give it a quick marinade.

When grilling the vegetables, drizzle with a little of the dressing before and after grilling.

When you start with a fresh salad as the base, everything is tastier!!

Amazing Flour Tortillas

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Chatty Kathy

Let me know if you find anything more appealing than a basket of fresh flour tortillas

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup rendered lard, duck fat, vegetable shortening or unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan (the milk should be 180 degrees F), 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the lard until melted. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl until completely combined. Pour in the warm milk mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
When cool enough to handle, knead the dough in the bowl until almost completely smooth, about 3 minutes; do not overwork, the dough should be soft and only slightly elastic and not sticky. Wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour to relax dough.
Divide the dough into 16 balls about a scant 3 tablespoons each (or 46g.). Arrange the balls on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with a damp kitchen towel until ready to use.
Working with one dough ball at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 7-inch round.
Heat a medium cast-iron skillet or large griddle over medium-high heat.
Working with one at a time (unless using a large griddle), cook the tortillas, reducing the heat if they are getting dark too quickly, until air bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is brown in spots, about 30 seconds. Poke any large bubbles with a fork to release steam, flip the tortillas and cook until brown in spots on the other side, about 30 seconds. Stack and wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and keep warm. Repeat rolling and cooking the remaining dough balls.

This soft, supple dough was so easy to work with – 16 tortillas rolled out in 20 minutes.

Love the way the tortillas start to puff up – you just know deliciousness is coming.

Can NOT wait for family dinners to resume (damn you Covid), and I just know everybody is going to love these pork carnitas with fresh flour tortillas.

This soft flour tortilla is just perfect for wrapping up tender pork carnitas, pickled onions, avocado and cilantro. Don’t forget to squeeze lime over it all! The absolute best carnitas can be found in Michoacan, but we’ve found amazing carnitas at the mercado in Mexico City as well. Until we can travel again, we satisfy this craving at home.

Rick Andrew Martinez is my idol. His recipes are always amazing, and this one is no exception. By far it was the easiest recipe to work with and roll out, but what made this recipe SO amazing was the taste. Can’t be beat. Seriously, can’t be beat. I copied this recipe right from his post on Food Network, and if you want more amazing content just check out anything he does.

Dan Dan Mian Noodles

Posted on September 16, 2020 by Chatty Kathy

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There is something so comforting about a bowl of noodles. I’ve got a fabulous recipe for Tan Tan noodles on here, but this is slightly different – and an entire meal in one bowl. Get as adventurous as you like with the add ins.

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp black bean sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp tahini
1 small white onion
2 tbsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth (use veg broth if you want to make this vegetarian)
8 ounces egg noodles (Chinese style), rice noodles or Udon noodles
2 cups fresh spinach
3-4 baby bok choy
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/2 – 1 pound ground meat (I used pork but chicken would work well too)
2 cups mushrooms, chopped (I used crimini but that is what was available, use whatever you can find)
black pepper
1 medium shallot
4 green onions, chopped

Garnish suggestions

sesame seeds, toasted
green onions, slivered
fresh bean sprouts

Typically, Dan Dan Mian is a spicy dish ….. however I’m not so good with extra spicy food. To make it more authentic, drizzle with chili oil when you are ready to serve. You can either buy one and have it to dress up many dishes, or make a quick, easy one that lives in the fridge for ages.

Chili Oil

Heat skillet over med heat – add:

1/3 cup sesame oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)

Cook, stirring occasionally until garlic is fragrant – be careful not to burn it! Remove from heat and transfer to heat safe bowl or glass jar.

I got this recipe originally from http://www.halfbakedharvest.com – only tweaked it a bit for personal preferences. The chili oil is entirely hers.

Combine soy sauce, hoisin, black bean sauce, honey, vinegar, peanut butter & tahini. Stir well until smooth and creamy. (If the peanut butter and tahini are really cold it helps to heat up the mixture slightly). Add 1/3 cup water.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook whatever noodles you have decided to use. Drain well and set aside.

In the same pot, add a little neutral oil and saute the onion, green onion, garlic and ginger until soft and fragrant. Add in 1/2 of your soy sauce mixture. Stir to completely mix it all in and heat up the sauce slightly. Add broth and bring just to a simmer.

In a shallow fry or sauce pan heat up a little neutral oil and add the ground meat. Allow to sit without stirring for a few minutes to help with carmelizing the meat. When mostly cooked, add the mushrooms and shallot. Cook until the mushrooms give up their moisture, and the pan dries out again. Add in the remaining soy sauce mixture. Stir to coat well. Allow the mixture to continue cooking until crispy bits appear. This is an important step as it adds a lot of texture as well as flavour to the finished dish.

Bring the pot of broth back to a higher heat and add in whatever vegetables you have decided to use. Make sure to add them in the right order so your don’t end up with limp veg – nothing sadder. I used bok chow and as soon as they were wilted but still crisp, I turned the heat off and added the spinach and bean sprouts.

Ladle noodles into the bowl and add your broth with vegetables. Scoop a generous amount of the meat mixture over top and garnish with the suggestions listed.

Turning this dish into a vegetarian meal would be so easy – omit the ground meat and use extra mushrooms in that step. Make sure to add extra fresh veg to make it a full meal.

Absolutely delicious!

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Make sure to simmer until the meat & mushrooms dry out a bit, getting those lovely little bits of caramelization that add so much flavour and texture.

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Add vegetables – as many as you want.

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I like to keep fresh vegetables FRESH. I only add the spinach and bean sprouts when I remove it from the heat.

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Serve with scallion pancakes for a total win!

Coconut Prawn Curry

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Chatty Kathy

This sauce is incredibly good. How, I wondered, did so much flavour show up in 25 minutes?

I managed to get a few sprigs of cilantro on here for a photo, but it was ready so quickly, and smelled so heavenly there was no fancy plating for a photo!

I’ve made it with some jumbo prawns tonight but you could easily substitute any protein you like, or go straight vegetarian and you will be so glad you tried it.

SHRIMP & MARINADE

1 lb extra large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed please)

CURRY SAUCE

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp Madras curry powder
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 can (13.5 ounce) coconut milk

cilantro for garnish

rice for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl toss the shrimp with the marinade ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
While the shrimp is marinating, heat the oil in a medium size skillet. To it add the onion, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the garlic, ginger, pepper, salt, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Cook for another minute.
Add the diced tomatoes with juices and all, the coconut milk, stir and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp with the accumulated juices from the marinade and cook for another 2 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.
Serve over hot rice and garnish with cilantro or parsley.

I’d say the only way you could be disappointed by this dish is if your spices are old. They really aren’t meant to last forever just because they are dry!

Get your prawns gently tossed in the marinade and put in the fridge until you are ready to add them to the curry sauce. (I used chili flakes rather than cayenne pepper today)

Follow the instructions on how to build your flavour base – it really is important in many dishes, but I find especially so in Indian food.

The next night we still had enough for another meal – so I lightly sauted some fresh vegetables in a sauce pan until just tender crisp. Then add the sauce and heat only enough to warm through. This keeps the individual flavour of your vegetables and doesn’t overcook either the remaining prawns or the curry sauce.

Make sure to serve these with Garlic Herb Naan – just what you need to sop up this inviting sauce.

These were my best naan ever! So tender, with dough that is very easy to work with. As an added bonus they freeze well so for nights when it is just the two of us I only cook half and freeze the other half …. ready for fresh frying when I am.

I have a lot of “authentic” food bloggers I follow for cooking dishes from India, Thailand, and Mexico just to name a few. This recipe came from a fellow Canadian! If you haven’t been to Jo’s website ….. http://www.jocooks.com then I recommend you do. She has specific hints to make everything better, and is well worth a read.

Wonton Soup

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Chatty Kathy

A gloomy April day needs just this kind of soup – so much flavour and just packed with fresh vegetables. I think the miso is what really bring the flavour bomb.

Loads of vegetables, a few wontons and the best broth you could wish for.

1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili oil
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
2 baby bok choy
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon yellow miso paste, or more, to taste

FOR THE WONTONS

8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, optional
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
36 2-inch won ton wrappers

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, garlic, green onions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, Sriracha and pepper.
To assemble the wontons, place wrappers on a work surface. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the shrimp 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; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in chicken broth, soy sauce, mushrooms and 2 cups water.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until mushrooms have softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in bok choy and green onions. Stir in miso paste until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Stir in wontons until cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Serve immediately.
This soup is as flexible as the ingredients in your fridge – I like to prep them and stir fry them separately, which keeps them fresh and bright.

A huge pile of fresh vegetables disappears in a hurry in this delicious broth.

Serve this incredible soup with these crispy scallion pancakes for a total win.

The soup recipe is courtesy of http://www.damndelicious.net and I’d recommend looking at her recipes …. everything I’ve tried has been fantastic.

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Category Archives: Beef and Pork