Tag Archives: sesame oil

Yams with Miso Tahini Sauce

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Slow roasting yams bring them to another flavour level entirely!  The skin gets lightly charred in spots, and the insides get creamier and smoother than ever.  Normally I love yams with just a simple touch …. butter, salt and pepper.  Lately I’ve been seeing recipes for a version that included a Miso Tahini dressing in place of the butter.  Given that I love all three ingredients, I decided to give it a taste test.  Instant winner – so delicious.

Miso Tahini

I had some cilantro around so tossed a bit of that over top as well.

How easy is this?  Dead simple.

Mix with a fork in a small bowl until smooth.

  •  2 Tbsp. tahini
  • 2 Tbsp. miso (I used white)
  • 2 tsp. rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Garnish:

  • thinly sliced scallions
  • toasted sesame seeds

Wash and poke yams with a fork.  Give them a little love by massaging them with olive oil – season with salt and pepper.  Cook yams at 375 degrees until super soft and lightly charred.  (how long will depend on the size, have you ever noticed the variance??). You could also cut them into a few irregular pieces, toss in olive oil and bake on a tray, which would be faster.  Count on at least an hour though.

When deliciously soft, split open, season again with salt and pepper – scoop on the sauce and sprinkle over the scallions and sesame seeds.  Absolutely satisfying.

Lemon Tahini Bok Choy & Peppers

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Lemon Tahini Bok Choy & Peppers

This is a vegan recipe!  I know, maybe not that big a deal to some people but I’m sort of a carnivore.  This is so delicious it can be served alongside pretty much any dish you enjoy.  Truthfully, my carnivorous tendencies are changing, albeit slowly.  My mind set is still that I think of what meat or protein I want to cook, then I work the rest of the meal around that.  However …. I’ve noticed that ever so slowly, my meat or protein is shrinking.  Tonight I served this veg dish along with pork cutlet and tonkatsu sauce.  A 3 ounce pork cutlet served both my husband and I, without either of us feeling like anything was missing …. changes are coming and we are right on board.

SAUCE – serves about 4

  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (plus extra for cooking)
  • 2 tbsp tahini paste
  • 1 lemon, juiced (start with 2 tbsp)
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • bok choy, onion, red pepper
  • toasted sesame seeds for garnish

To make sauce, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, taste and adjust seasonings.  It is hard to correct if you have used to much lemon, so start with 2 tbsp and if you like it “lemony”, add a bit more.

Lemon Tahini Bok Choy

Wash veg thoroughly, (those bok choy have a tendency to hide grit).

Heat fry or sauce pan, add onion, and saute lightly, add bok choy and peppers, drizzle with a bit of extra sesame oil.  Cook for 4-6 minutes, just until crisp tender.

Remove from heat and drizzle sauce over top, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Miso Glazed Scallops and Greens

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Scallops

Tender scallops, browned delicately and served over bok choy.  Yum.  In fact, you could use any greens, however the bok choy looked too good to pass by.

Ready for a 15 minute dinner?  This was so quick I couldn’t believe it.  If you want to make a full meal, just serve over rice.  In fact, by the time your rice is ready, the rest of this tasty dinner will be too. Dripping with the goodness of ginger and garlic the miso glaze adds the perfect amount of sauce to golden scallops.

  • 1 tbsp yellow miso
  • 1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
  • 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp fresh grated garlic
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 baby bok chow, quartered lengthwise
  • 10 large sea scallops, patted dry (make sure to remove the side muscle)

GARNISH

  • thinly sliced green onions
  • toasted sesame seeds

Whisk first 4 ingredients and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl to blend.  Set sauce aside.

Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil, and sesame oil in nonstick skillet over med-high heat.  Add bok choy and cook until just wilted and browned lightly in spots, turning often.  Remove bok choy to serving platter.

To the same skillet, add a bit more of both oils.  Season scallops with salt and pepper and add to skillet.  Sear scallops until brown and just opaque in center, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Pay attention, there is nothing sadder than an overcooked scallop. :o(

Remove pan from heat and nestle the scallops in with the bok choy.

Add miso sauce to skillet, stir just until warm, about 3-5 seconds.  If it seems too thick add a bit more water.

Drizzle sauce over scallops and bok choy.  Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

I think it took about as long to type this as to cook it ……

Thai Chicken Wings

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These chicken wings hit all the notes: spicy, sticky, salty, sweet and tangy – grab the napkins and dig in!

Sweet, spicy, tangy, sticky - what's not to love?

Sweet, spicy, tangy, sticky – what’s not to love?

1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp Spicy Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp tamarind sauce
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp roasted sesame oil
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
1 tbsp chile garlic sauce (sambal oelek)
3 tbsp peanut oil

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Garnish: roughly chopped cilantro and green onions

Blend this all together and taste. TASTE – I can’t say this enough – every brand of seasoning is different, whether your garlic & ginger is fresh … everything leads to a different flavour profile. When you taste this sauce, you should want to keep dipping for another taste ……… if not – keep adjusting until you can’t stop.

1 – 2 pounds chicken wings

Put chicken wings into a ziplock bag, and add just enough sauce to coat. Reserve the rest. Marinate chicken wings for as long as you have available – works well whether you have 24 hours or just 1.

Roast chicken wings in hot oven (400 degrees) until cooked through – we like ours well done – around 35 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, reduce reserved marinade seasoning until thick and glossy.

When cooked through, toss cooked chicken wings in reduced marinade, add 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.

Return to oven and roast until crispy and glossy – along with super sticky and delicious!

Garnish with roughly chopped cilantro and green onions.

Check out my post for Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken and Peanut Lime Dressing …. leave out the chicken on that salad and serve this with with the Thai Chicken Wings …. perfection!