Asian Chicken Salad
While it's still hot during the summer time, here is something refreshing and enjoyable to have outside.
Ingredients:
4 1/2 to 5 ounces cellophane noodles (bean threads, available at Asian markets and many supermarkets)
4 cups shredded, poached chicken (from about 3 pounds chicken breasts)
1 cup finely grated carrot
2 cucumbers peeled, seeded, and chopped

Dressing:
4 large garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 1/4 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup coarsely crushed roasted peanuts, or to taste

Directions:
In a large heatproof bowl pour boiling water to cover over the noodles and let them stand for 10 minutes. Drain the noodles and arrange them on a platter or divide them among 6 plates. In a bowl combine the chicken, the carrot, and the cucumbers.

Make the dressing: Mince and mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. In a blender blend together the soy sauce, the lime juice, the sugar, the peanut butter, the red pepper flakes, and the garlic paste, with the motor running add the oil in a stream, and blend the dressing until it is emulsified.

Pour 1/2 the dressing over the chicken mixture. Toss the salad well, and arrange it in the center of the noodles. The salad may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Just before serving top the salad with the peanuts. Serve the remaining dressing separately. Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled.

Beef and Veggy Sukiyaki

Add a little zest to your meals!

Ingredients:
3 ounces peanut oil, plus 3 ounces 1 1/2 pounds beef top round, trimmed and cut into julienne 4 ounces soy sauce 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 10 scallions, washed, trimmed and cut into 1-inch strips 10 ounces peeled and julienned Spanish onion 10 ounces mushrooms, washed, stems trimmed and thinly sliced 1 pound tofu, cut into small dice 10 ounces spinach, washed, stemmed and cut chiffonade 8 ounces bamboo shoots, julienned 10 ounces mirin (available in oriental markets) 1 1/2 pounds shirataki noodles, cooked, cooled and cut into thirds

Directions:
In a wok, heat 3 ounces of peanut oil. Add beef strips and stir-fry quickly, just to brown meat. Season with soy sauce and sugar, then remove and set aside. Clean the wok, and heat the remaining 3 ounces of peanut oil. Add scallions, onions, mushrooms, tofu, spinach, and bamboo shoots. Stir-fry quickly, about 2 minutes. Add mirin and noodles and return cooked meat to the mixture. Stir-fry an additional minute or just until hot and well-incorporated. Remove from wok and serve at once on a preheated dinner plate.

Enjoy!

Gyoza aka Pot Stickers

Here is a common appetizer people order. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
PORK AND GINGER FILLING:
2 cups chopped napa cabbage
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 pound ground pork (Don't get lean pork, the fat is good for juicy and flavorful dumplings)
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 egg
1 to 2 cups chicken stock or water

Directions
Sprinkle cabbage with the 1/2 tablespoon of salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Place the cabbage on a clean dishtowel or cheesecloth and squeeze out any water. The dryer the cabbage the better. In a large bowl thoroughly mix the cabbage with all of the other ingredients, except the chicken stock. Cook a tester to check the seasoning.

Ingredients
HOT WATER DOUGH:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups boiling water

Directions:
In a stainless steel bowl mix flour and salt. Slowly add hot water to flour in 1/4 cup increments. Mix with chopsticks until a ball is formed and the dough is not too hot to handle. On a floured surface, knead dough until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball. Place back in bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest for at least 1 hour. Working on a floured surface with floured hands, roll out dough to form a long 'noodle', 1-inch in diameter. Cut 1/2-inch pieces and turn them over so the cut sides are facing up. Flatten with your palm and roll out thin using a rolling pin. The dumpling wrapper should end up about 3 inches in diameter.
MAKING THE DUMPLINGS: Place a small mound of filling in the middle of the wrapper. (Be very careful not to touch the edges with the filling as this will impede proper sealing of the dumplings. Nothing is worse than dumplings breaking during cooking.) Fold the wrapper in half to form a half moon shape. Starting on one end fold/pinch the wrapper tightly together. Proceed with this fold/pinch method until the dumpling is completely sealed. There will be approximately 10 to 14 folds per dumpling. Rest the dumplings with the folded edges straight up.
COOKING THE DUMPLINGS: In a hot saute pan coated well with oil, place pot stickers flat side down and cook until the bottom is browned. Have pan cover ready and add 1 cup of chicken stock, cover immediately. Be careful, the liquid will spl

Gyoza aka Pot Stickers

Here is a common appetizer people order. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
PORK AND GINGER FILLING:
2 cups chopped napa cabbage
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 pound ground pork (Don't get lean pork, the fat is good for juicy and flavorful dumplings)
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 egg
1 to 2 cups chicken stock or water

Directions
Sprinkle cabbage with the 1/2 tablespoon of salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Place the cabbage on a clean dishtowel or cheesecloth and squeeze out any water. The dryer the cabbage the better. In a large bowl thoroughly mix the cabbage with all of the other ingredients, except the chicken stock. Cook a tester to check the seasoning.

Ingredients
HOT WATER DOUGH:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups boiling water

Directions:
In a stainless steel bowl mix flour and salt. Slowly add hot water to flour in 1/4 cup increments. Mix with chopsticks until a ball is formed and the dough is not too hot to handle. On a floured surface, knead dough until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball. Place back in bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest for at least 1 hour. Working on a floured surface with floured hands, roll out dough to form a long 'noodle', 1-inch in diameter. Cut 1/2-inch pieces and turn them over so the cut sides are facing up. Flatten with your palm and roll out thin using a rolling pin. The dumpling wrapper should end up about 3 inches in diameter.
MAKING THE DUMPLINGS: Place a small mound of filling in the middle of the wrapper. (Be very careful not to touch the edges with the filling as this will impede proper sealing of the dumplings. Nothing is worse than dumplings breaking during cooking.) Fold the wrapper in half to form a half moon shape. Starting on one end fold/pinch the wrapper tightly together. Proceed with this fold/pinch method until the dumpling is completely sealed. There will be approximately 10 to 14 folds per dumpling. Rest the dumplings with the folded edges straight up.
COOKING THE DUMPLINGS: In a hot saute pan coated well with oil, place pot stickers flat side down and cook until the bottom is browned. Have pan cover ready and add 1 cup of chicken stock, cover immediately. Be careful, the liquid will splatter! The stock will steam the pot stickers. Check them in 5 minutes as more stock may be needed. The trick here is that once the dumplings are firm and fully cooked the stock will evaporate and the bottoms will crisp-up again.

Ingredients
SPICY SOY DIPPING SAUCE:
1/3 cup thin soy sauce
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sambal

Directions
Combine all and serve in a small bowl.

Wasabi Glazed Whitefish

Explore a different Japanese style dish!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder or 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
4 4-ounce fresh skinless whitefish, sea bass, or orange roughy fillets, 1-inch thick
1 medium zucchini, coarsely shredded (about 1-1/3 cups)
1 cup sliced radishes
1 cup fresh pea pods
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
3 tablespoons rice vinegar

Directions

1. Combine soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of the seasme oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the sugar, and the wasabi powder. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Brush both sides of fish with soy mixture.
2. Lightly grease the rack of a gas grill. Preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on the grill rack directly over heat, tucking under any thin edges. Cover and grill for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish just flakes easily when tested with a fork, gently turning once halfway through grilling.
3. Meanwhile, for slaw, in a medium bowl combine the zucchini, radishes, pea pods, and chives. Stir together vinegar, the remaining sesame oil, and the remaining sugar. Drizzle over the zucchini mixture; toss to coat. Serve the fish with slaw. Makes 4 servings.
To cook fish on a charcoal grill, grill fish directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish just flakes easily when tested with a fork, gently turning once halfway through grilling. Serve as above.

Enjoy

Chicken Teriyaki

Easy recipe to satisfy your cravings. Easy and fun for the Family to enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 green onions, sliced thin diagonally
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

1. Stir broth, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and honey in small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper; cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Transfer to platter; keep warm.
3. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic to skillet; cook 1 minute. Add soy mixture and cook 1 minute more. Pour over chicken. Makes 4 servings.

Vegetable and Shrimp Tempura

Enjoy an entree of Japanese cooking!

Ingredients:
For the dipping sauce:1/2 cup water1/4 cup plus 1 heaping Tbs. bonito flakes3 Tbs. dark soy sauce3 Tbs. mirin (Chinese rice wine)1/2 tsp. sugar1 carrot, peeled1 small sweet potato, peeled1 small yellow onion2 oz. green beans, trimmed1 zucchini 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, stems removedCanola or peanut oil for deep-frying1 cup cake flour 1 cup rice flour3/4 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. baking soda 2 egg yolks1 1/2 cups ice water8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:
To make the dipping sauce, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the 1/4 cup bonito flakes, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and return the bonito stock to the pan. Add the soy sauce, mirin and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the 1 heaping Tbs. bonito flakes and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving. Cut the carrot into pieces 5 inches long and 1⁄4 inch thick. Using as much of the sweet potato as needed to yield 1/2 cup, cut into slices 1/8 inch thick and then cut each slice in half to form half-moons. Cut the onion into slices 1/2 inch thick. Cut the green beans into 5-inch lengths. Cut the zucchini into pieces 5 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Cut the mushroom caps in half.

Preheat an oven to 250°F. In a wok or deep saucepan, pour in oil to a depth of 5 inches and heat to 370°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Meanwhile, in a bowl, sift together the cake and rice flours, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl, using a fork, beat together the egg yolks and ice water. Stir the egg-water mixture into the flour mixture just until the batter comes together.

Working in small batches, dip the vegetables into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off, and then slip them into the hot oil. Deep-fry until light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a wire skimmer, transfer the vegetables to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Transfer to an ovenproof platter and place in the oven. Between batches, use the skimmer to remove any bits of batter from the oil.

Before dipping the shrimp in the batter, make several slashes in the underside (concave side) of each shrimp to prevent curling while frying. Reheat the oil to 370°F and, working in batches, dip the shrimp into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off, and then slip them into the hot oil. Deep-fry until light golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Using the skimmer, transfer the shrimp to the platter with the vegetables. Serve the tempura with the dipping sauce. Serves 4. Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series,Asian,by Farina Wong Kingsley (Simon & Schuster, 2003).

California Rolls
To complement the miso soup add an appetizer.

Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups rice
5 1/3 tablespoons vinegar
5 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salt
10 sheets seaweed, halved
1/2 pound imitation crab, cut into long, thin pieces
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienne
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into long, thin pieces Sesame seeds

Directions:
Wash the rice until the water rinses clear. Drain the rice in a colander and let it stand for 30 minutes. Place the rice in a pot or rice cooker, and add 4 cups of water or follow the instructions on a rice cooker. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the cover, place a damp towel over the rice, and let cool for 10 minutes.
You can find sushi vinegar prepared at a grocery story or you can easily make it by pouring the vinegar, sugar and salt into a pan under low heat until the sugar and salt are dissolved. If you like sweeter vinegar, just add more sugar.
Pour sushi vinegar over cooked rice and mix it gently. You can do this in a wooden bowl for making sushi rice or in your rice cooker by turning off the cooker and pouring the vinegar and mixing gently and evenly and leaving it until it cools down to room temperature. The lid should remain open.
Cover a makisu (sushi rolling mat) with plastic wrap. Place half of a sheet of the seaweed over the plastic on the mat. Place a handful of rice across the seaweed and spread it evenly over the seaweed. Toss the imitation crab with the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Place some of the imitation crab meat meat along the center of the rice. Add some cucumber and avocado along the center of the rice. Using the mat and plastic wrap, roll the rice around the filling and press lightly to seal. Remove the mat and plastic wrap and sprinkle the roll with sesame seeds. Cut the sushi roll into bite sized pieces. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Enjoy your new recipe! =)

My first posting will be of my favorite soup in the whole entire world, Miso Soup. This recipe can be made easily and altered to an individuals preferences. Normally, people have miso soup as an appetizer before they begin their main dish. Miso soup is refreshing, soothing and all together yummy. Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 (12 ounce) package firm tofu, cubed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
4 1/2 cups water
2 cups grated carrots
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
1/4 cup miso paste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions on how to make Soup:

1. Pour oil into the bottom of a large saucepan, and place over medium heat. Add onion; saute until tender and almost brown. Add garlic and ginger; saute until fragrant, just a minute or two. Add tofu. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned; this should take about 5 minutes
2. Stir in soy sauce, thoroughly coating tofu. Add water and sherry. Bring back up to heat, and add carrots and spinach. Heat through.
3. Thin miso with some of the soup, and add back into the soup. Simmer over medium low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with black pepper to taste. Serve.
**note
test soup continually for your individual liking