Category: Asian Dishes
Mango Sticky Rice-Nuked!

Mango Sticky Rice-Nuked!

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Raise your hand if you have had Mango Sticky Rice.  Just trying to gauge in the pantheon of delicious desserts, where Mango Sticky Rice lands.  I live in a bubble in the Bay Area where you can be in an Asian restaurant or supermarket be it Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, in minutes.  Mango Sticky Rice is a mainstay dessert.  I use to think it was intimidating to make at home but it really isn’t.  Now, making the rice in the microwave takes any trepidation down to zero!

The ultimate mango dessert, Mango Bingsoo from UDessert Story

Vegan and Gluten-Free, Shazam!

Asian desserts generally are not too sweet.  If I had to pick predominant flavors, I’d say mango, coconut, almond, and sesame are pretty popular.  Sticky rice is a cornerstone, as is Tapioca (hello, boba).  Many Asians are lactose intolerant so dairy is not a major player in Asian cuisine.  Mango Sticky Rice is a win-win-win, coconut milk is used for the sauce and flavoring component, sticky rice-the base, so, no butter, eggs or wheat.  Vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free-mindblowing.

Stuck on Sticky Rice

The foundation of this dessert is sticky or glutinous rice which can be found in most Asian stores.  I use either Sweet Rice from Koda Farms or Thai Three Ladies Sweet Rice (the OG for this dessert).  Normally, the rice is steamed, which is a long process, and then flavored with sweetened coconut milk.

I came across an article on Epicurious that featured Chrissy Teigen’s Mom and her cookbook.  One of the recipes included is Mango Sticky Rice made easy, and not to mention quicker, in the microwave.  This recipe is a mash-up of her recipe and my own recipe.  My original post also has tips on what rice to buy and coconut milk, call it a mango sticky rice primer.

I used my Anyday Microwave Cookware, which worked like a charm-one bowl cooking, very convenient.  Soak the rice for 10 minutes or up to 60 minutes in the same container you will use in the microwave.  I inadvertently soaked the rice longer than 60 minutes (chatting with a neighbor) and the rice was a bit soft.  I tried it again and soaked the rice for only 20 minutes and I washed the rice first (which isn’t in the Epicurious version), definitely recommend washing your rice.

Microwave Magic

Once the rice has soaked, cover the bowl with a vented lid or plastic wrap and place it in the microwave.

Cook for 3 minutes on high power, take it out, and stir the rice bringing the bottom rice up to the top, like a scooping motion.

There was still quite a bit of liquid left and the color of the grains was still opaque.  So I placed it back in the microwave and cooked for another 3 minutes.  After the additional 3 minutes, the liquid had been absorbed in the rice.  The grains were a mix of translucent and opaque and had a bit of a bite, so I stuck it in for another minute.

This was 30 seconds too long along, the grains were a little too soft, the combination of a too-long soak and overzealous nuking.

I have a 700-watt Spacesaver GE Microwave, it’s on the low-end power-wise.  Adjust time and power level based on the wattage of your microwave.  The key is to get to know your microwave and how it cooks.  Just keep in the back of your mind that the dish will only take 6-8 minutes so start fine-tuning the amount of time you microwave the rice at the 5-6 minute mark.

The Sauce

The coconut milk sauce is quick and easy to prepare.  Use full-fat coconut milk, for the best flavor and consistency. Don’t let the milk boil, you just need it hot enough to dissolve the sugar.  I hold some of the sauce back to serve on the side.  Pepper’s recipe calls for 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt, I couldn’t bring myself to put that much salt.  I used 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt which I thought was fine. I added 2 tablespoons of sugar which brought it more in line with my original post.

Pour the hot coconut milk over the cooked rice.  Don’t be alarmed if it looks like a wet gloppy mess, stir well and let it sit for 10-15 minutes so the rice absorbs the milk.

So time savings? The original recipe calls for soaking the rice for 2-8 hours and steaming for 25 minutes.  The microwave recipe calls for soaking the rice for 10-60 minutes and nuking it for 7-8 minutes.  Hmm, don’t need to be a CPA to figure out the time savings.  Enjoy!

Print

Microwave Mango Sticky Rice

A delicious dessert with its roots in Southeast Asia, Mango Sticky Rice is both gluten-free and dairy free. Made quick and easy in the microwave.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword coconut, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Mango Sticky Rice, Thai Dessert
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut Toast and reserve for garnish.
  • 1½ cups Thai sticky rice Three Ladies Thai Glutinous Rice or Sweet (Glutinious) Rice from Koda Farms
  • 1 can 13.5-ounce full-fat coconut milk
  • ¼ cup sugar + 1-2 tablespoons Sweeten to taste, if you have a sweet tooth, add additional 1 tablesppon of sugar.
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon reg salt
  • 2 large ripe mangoes peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
  • Mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • In a dry skillet, toast the coconut over medium-low heat, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small dish and set aside.
  • Wash rice to remove excess starch, rinse twice. Drain well and place sticky rice in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with 1¾ cups warm water. Let sit for 20 minutes.
  • Cover bowl with an upside-down plate or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Carefully stir the rice from top to bottom, then cover and cook the rice for another 3 minutes. Repeat the process, stirring and microwaving 3 minutes at a time*, until all the water has been absorbed and the rice has turned translucent (this means it’s cooked). Set aside to cool slightly.
  • In a medium saucepan, heat coconut milk just until it starts to bubble. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the sugar and salt, and stir until they dissolve. Remove from the heat, pour 1-1/4 cups of hot sweetened coconut milk over the warm sticky rice, and stir to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes so the rice can absorb the coconut milk. Pour rest of coconut milk into a serving container.
  • Place a scoop of rice in a shallow bowl or plate. Top with slices of mango. Serve with reserved coconut sauce on the side. Garnish with toasted coconut, sesame seeds and mint leaf.
  • This is a substantial dessert, serve small portions or sharable portions. I often garnish with sliced strawberries too.

Notes

This makes quite a bit of rice, the recipe can be halved.  
Soy Sauce Fried Noodles (Just Noodlin’ Around, 豉油王炒麵)

Soy Sauce Fried Noodles (Just Noodlin’ Around, 豉油王炒麵)

By | | Comments 4 comments

One of my favorite dishes, when we are out for dim sum, is Hong Kong Style Chow Mein or Soy Sauce Fried Noodles (豉油王炒麵).  This is Cantonese soul food.  Thin egg noodles fried with onions, scallions, and bean sprouts.  It is deceptively simple.  How does a dish with so few ingredients, taste so good?  It’s the balance, skinny noodles dry-fried to retain their chew and texture; stir-fried onions for sweetness and texture, scallions for flavor and color, and last but not least, bean sprouts for textural crunch.  There aren’t any big pieces of meat or greens that disrupt the balance of the dish.  Everything is julienned or in slivers to compliment the noodles.

Like Yin and Yang, balanced and harmonious.  It flies under the radar due to its simplicity and is the perfect side dish.  These noodles are your bestie, your essential wingman, Goose to Maverick.

The seasonings are few, soy sauce, oyster sauce, a bit of sugar for balance, and that’s pretty much it.  This means, start with great sauces, ones you like.  My favorites?  LKK oyster sauce, it is my go-to brand (Woman and Little Boy in a Boat).  It’s the only oyster sauce I have in my pantry.
Soy Sauces are a different matter, there are so many.  Different in style, use, and taste.  Literally, I have over 12 different soy sauces, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, and even Hawaiian.

SOY, Let’s Break It Down

In Cantonese cuisine, the dark soy sauce is actually not as salty as light soy sauce.  Sugar or molasses is added to the base sauce for flavor, color and to balance the saltiness.  It is used during marinating or cooking.  Light Soy Sauce, is the first press of soybeans and is salty.  It is the go-to sauce, to marinade, cook, and to use on the table, like salt.  The soy sauce found on the table in Chinese restaurants is light soy sauce or often Kikkoman, which falls between light and dark soy sauce.  A good all-purpose soy sauce.   Koon Chun, a Hong Kong legacy company makes wonderful Light and Dark Soy Sauces (My Dad’s favorite)

For these noodles, it’s imperative you use soy sauces you like since it is a predominant flavor ingredient.  This dish requires 2 different soy sauces, light soy (shēng chōu, 生抽) and dark soy (Lǎo chōu, 老抽).  The literal translation is “new sauce” for light soy and “old sauce” for dark soy. The dark and light soy is most prevalent in Canton, southeast China (ME!).

My favorites for this dish are Pearl River Bridge Light Soy Sauce and LKK Dark Soy Sauce.  A great alternative is Korean Soy Sauce. I would use Sempio 701 which has a briny, rich, savory taste with a hint of sweetness.  The Soup Soy seen in the picture (end left)  is light soy and used mainly when making soup. It provides salt and umami without coloring your stocks. I use Aloha Soy Sauce for my marinades for bbq and any Hawaiian recipe (I have lots, love Hawaiian food-onolicious)

The NOODS

The other half of the equation is the noodles in this dish, so pick the right one!

  • Choose noodles that are THIN, ie. Cantonese style or Hong Kong-style noodles.  Preferably egg noodles.  Fresh or dry (I like fresh), I repeat THIN noodles.  Look for Fresh Steamed, or fresh Hong Kong or Cantonese-style noodles.
  • Don’t follow the cooking directions!  You want to undercook these noodles so they don’t break or get mushy when frying.
  • To ensure you don’t overcook the noodles.  Separate the noodles and place them in a colander over the sink.  Pour boiling water over the noodles and let them drain and dry.  Voila noodles ready for pan-frying.  Alternatively, put the noodles in boiling water for no more than 30 seconds after it comes to a boil.  Remove and drain well.

Better to undercook your noodles!!!  Made with Lau has a great video for making Hong Kong Style Noodles.  This recipe is essentially his with a couple of tweaks and notes.  Great site for down home Cantonese food from a pro!

Once the wok is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil to pan,  add noodles.  On high heat, keep moving the noodles around to dry and crisp the noodles.  Stir fry for 2 0r 3 minutes.   Then flip the noodles over  (big flip), drizzle another tablespoon of oil down the side of the wok or pan.  Continue to fry and move the noodles around. The goal is a mix of both crisp and soft noodles. Add sprouts and onions to the wok and fry until heated through and a bit wilted.  You want the sprouts to retain their crunch.  Alternatively, you could quick-fry the green onions and sprouts separately and add them to the noodles with the yellow onions and scallion roots.  If you really like the vegetables to stay crisp, fry the noodles and add sauce mixture before adding the vegetables.

These are my favorite, a classic, Soy Sauce Fried Noodles!

Print Pin
5 from 2 votes

Soy Sauce Fried Noodles Hong Kong Style Chow Mein

Classic noodle dish found in Dim Sum restaurants and Chinese delis. Simplicity perfected
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Hong Kong style Noodles, Stir-fried Noodles
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 16 oz Hong Kong style pan fried noodles unsteamed or steamed I’m lazy I get steamed
  • 1/2 yellow onion cut into thin slices, lengthwise
  • 5 stalks green onion (or Chinese Chives) Cut into 1.5 inch pieces and then julienned.
  • 6-8 oz bean sprouts Washed and drained
  • 3 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil of choice

Sauce

  • 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 0.5 tbsp shaoxing wine
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp sesame oil to taste

Instructions

Prep Noodles

  • Steam noodles, drain, cool. Please DON’T over cook your noodles!!! This is the takeaway.
  • For fresh, steamed noodles, bring pot of water to a boil. Drop in noodles (separated), bring the water back to a boil and take them out-pronto! Leave them in colander to drain and dry out a little.
  • If you're using dried noodles, cook according to the package's instructions, erring on the more al-dente side, and rinse with cold water afterwards to stop the cooking. Drain well.

Veggies

  • Cut green onions into about 1.5 inch pieces. Separate the light and the green sections. The light part will be cooked first with the yellow onion.
  • Cut yellow onion in half, and julienne half (thinly slice lengthwise)
  • Rinse and drain bean sprouts

Sauce

  • Combine soy sauces, oyster sauce, sugar, and water in a bowl, stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Frying Time

  • On high, heat wok, to around 350-400°F, basically smokin hot.
  • When the wok is hot, add oil (1 tbsp) and heat to 350-400°F. The oil should be "shimmering" - rippling, but not smoking. If it's smoking, the wok is too hot. Little wisps of smoke is okay.
  • Saute’ green onion whites and onions for about 1 minute and reserve.
  • Heat the wok again and add 1 T oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the noodles.
  • Move the noodles around the pan gently. DO NOT flip them yet, move the noodles around so parts get crispy. Cook for about 3 minutes moving the noodles carefully.
  • Turn the top noodles over so the noodles are on the bottom, add 1 T oil along the perimeter of the pan to help develop a nice crisp. Let the noodles cook on this side for another 3 minutes, occasionally prodding and moving the noodles.
  • The noodles will not stick to the pan if they are not overcooked. Lifting the noodles as you fry helps release moisture.
  • Add bean sprouts and stir fry for 30-45 seconds. Use tongs or cooking chopsticks to help you move the noodles around. Place the noodles over the sprouts to help cook them. Better to undercook sprouts, you want to retain their crunch!
  • Add sautéed onion-green onion mixture and mix to incorporate and heat onions. No more than a minute.
  • Add sauce by pouring it in a steady stream all over the noodles and vegetables. Keep moving and lifting the noodles to coat with sauce and release any extra moisture.
  • Add sesame oil and continue to mix and separate the noodles for another 1-2 minutes. If the noodles seem to be getting a bit soft, take them off the heat. The oil does not need to cook.
  • Taste the noodles, season with salt and dark soy if the noodles are not dark enough. Add white pepper if you like.
  • Garnish julienned green onion shreds. Serve immediately.
Mayak Eggs to Momofuku Eggs-Eggtraordinary

Mayak Eggs to Momofuku Eggs-Eggtraordinary

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Originally this post was going to just be about the latest Korean craze, Mayak Eggs (마약계란).  Tik Toks, Reels, IG Stories, folks “egging” everyone on to try Mayak Eggs.  The eggs are cooked Ramen Style (we’ll get into that later) and soaked in a bath of soy sauce, sweetener, chilis, garlic, and green onions.  Yep, pretty darn tasty, a flavor explosion of sweet, salty, spicy, and garlicky.

Egg-a-Licious

Ramen Style eggs are cooked in a pretty specific way.  Bring water to a boil and carefully drop your eggs in the boiling water. Let them boil for 6 minutes before immediately plunging them into an ice bath to stop the cooking.  The end result is a soft-boiled egg, where the egg white is cooked through but still tender and the yolk is just beginning to set around the edges. The center of the yolk is oozy, unctuous, and scrumptious, perfect in a bowl of ramen.

I have a confession to make…

I didn’t cook my Mayak Eggs this way.  A couple of years ago, (you all know I LOVE kitchen gadgets right? Donut pan, meat grinder, Instant Pot….) I bought an egg cooker.  Yep, a good for only one thing gadget, cooking eggs.  So I used it for my Mayak Eggs.

Well, I am not going to tell you to go buy an egg-cooker (don’t do it) so I needed to make Six Minute Ramen Eggs for myself.  I still had Mayak Eggs in the fridge so I decided to make Dave Chang’s Momofuku Ramen Eggs.  His recipe was part of Food52’s 10 all-time favs, so this was an easy call.

6 Things You Need to Know

  • Both these recipes are incredibly EASY.
  • Both are riffs on a soy sauce-based brine to flavor the eggs
  • Plan to make them in advance as the eggs need to sit in the brines for awhile
  • Mayak means drug in Korean.  Yes, they are addicting-that good
  • The longer the eggs are left in the brine the more color and flavor they will absorb

I saved the best for the last…

  • The hardest, most frustrating THING will be peeling those damn eggs!

Key points before the deep dive into the unappealing task of peeling.

Do You Mayak?

The sauce for the Mayak Eggs is delicious on rice or noodles. The soy sauce and sweetener (you can use corn syrup, rice syrup, or honey) balance each other so it is okay to leave the eggs in the brine/sauce to store.  The aromatics, garlic, chilis, scallions pump up the flavors in the sauce and take the eggs to a whole new level.  Absolutely delish.  Mayak Eggs can be served as a banchan (side dish) or as a topping on a bowl of rice (my fav) or noodles.  I tossed one in my bowl of Congee, along with a splash of the sauce this morning.  Delicious.

For less spicy eggs, de-seed and/or de-vein the chilis or reduce the number of chilis.  You can definitely play with this sauce and make it your own.  Add a little fish sauce for a briny flavor or a Ponzu instead for citrus notes.  Go crazy, it’s all good.

Dave is a Good Egg

Momofuku Eggs are closer to a traditional ramen egg. Not only great with ramen or Udon, but also delicious as part of a rice bowl like Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice Bowl or Buta no Kakuni (Japanese Pork Belly) or Simple Minced Pork Bowl.  The brine is salty.  Marinade your eggs for no more than 4 hours and use a low-sodium soy sauce.  Once made, the eggs can be stored sans sauce in an airtight container.  For a sweeter egg, add another tablespoon of sugar.

It’s the Big Egg…Here’s the Hard Part…Peeling

The goal is to end up with a smooth, pristine, beautiful egg…after peeling it.  The eggs are a little softer than a hard-boiled egg adding another layer of difficulty. Peeling without leaving little divots in the eggs, not an easy task.

  • Boil enough water such that the water level is one inch over the eggs.
  • Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to the water. ( I see just as many recipes that don’t include this-optional)
  • When the water comes to a boil, carefully lower the eggs into it.
  • For the first minute of boiling, stir the eggs around the pot, this helps center the yolk.
  • Boil (not crazy boil, gentle rolling boil) for 6 minutes for a runny yolk, an additional minute for a jammy egg.
  • Have an ice bath ready to transfer the eggs into.
  • Allow eggs to cool for 5 minutes in the ice bath.
  • Crack the eggshell by tapping on it with a spoon.  Carefully peel the eggshell off along with the membrane between the shell and egg.  It helps to peel the egg in water or under running water.
  • Invert your teaspoon so the bottom is facing you, and slide it under the eggshell and membrane, lift the spoon to separate the shell from the egg.
  • Rinse any shell fragments off eggs and place them in brine.  Done!
Print Pin

Mayak Eggs

Delicious and easy, Mayak Eggs are the perfect rice or noodle bowl accompaniment
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword appetizer, egg, Mayak eggs, momofuku egg, ramen egg
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Servings 6 servings10

Ingredients

Cookin' Da Eggs

  • 4-6 eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar

Da Marinade

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce I use Sempio 701 Soy Sauce for this dish
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup rice syrup corn syrup or honey
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 to 4 green onions chopped
  • 1 green chili chopped (optional)
  • 1 red chili chopped (optional)
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Cookin Da Eggs

  • Heat enough water to cover 6 eggs by 1 inch in a pot. Add salt and vinegar and bring it to a rolling boil. Using a slotted spoon add eggs to water. Cook the eggs for 6 minutes for runny yolk or up to 10 minutes (Nooo, don't do it!) for hard-boiled eggs. While eggs are cooking, make a water bath of ice and water in a medium-size bowl. When the eggs are done, Immediately transfer them to the ice water bath. Cool for 5-7 minutes before peeling.

Da Sauce (marinade)

  • Combine soy, water, and sweetener and stir to blend. Add garlic, green onions, chilies and sesame seeds, stir.
  • Peel the eggs carefully without damaging them (easier said than done) and place in an air-tight container. Pour the sauce mixture over the eggs, cover and store in a refrigerator for at least 6 hours to overnight before serving.
  • It will last 5 to 7 days in fridge!
  • Drizzle with sesame oil! Serve with hot steamed rice.
Print Pin

Momofuku Marinated Ramen Egg

Momofuku 6-minute eggs perfect topping on ramen or by itself as a snack
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Asian
Keyword egg, ramen egg
Prep Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar addtional tablespoon for a sweeter egg
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce low-sodium or Tamari
  • 4-6 large eggs

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and sugar to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the sherry vinegar and soy sauce.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully put the eggs into the boiling water and cook for exactly 6 minutes and 50 seconds, stirring slowly for the first 1 minute. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. When the eggs are done, transfer them to the ice bath.
  • Once the eggs are cool, (5-7 minutes) peel them in the water. See notes above.
  • Transfer the eggs to the soy sauce mixture and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours, making sure they are completely submerged or occasionally rotate eggs.
  • Remove the eggs from the sweet and salty marinade. You can save the soy sauce mix for another round of eggs, if you wish. Refrigerate eggs in a tightly sealed container.
That’s a WRAP! Manduvision (Homemade Dumpling Wrappers)

That’s a WRAP! Manduvision (Homemade Dumpling Wrappers)

By | | Comments 0 Comment

I cannot tell a lie. Most of the time, (we are talking 99.99 percent of the time) we use commercially available wrappers when making dumplings.  Wrappers can be found in most Asian stores and your larger supermarkets.  Asian markets will have a plethora of choices,  you will have to sift through the different kinds of wrappers by shape- round versus square, thickness-depends on what dumpling you are making, and by brands.  At non-Asian markets, I have seen Dynasty, Azumaya, and Nasoya. I would go with Nasoya (potsticker) and Dynasty (wonton) first.

Whichever brand is available, do the test.  Pick up a package and bend the wrappers at a corner.  They should separate and not break.  This is a freshness test.  If they break, put them back, go home and make your own…really.

That’s A Wrap

At Asian markets, there is no shortage of wrappers to choose from.  Choose round wrappers for mandu and potstickers. For mandu I would use a medium thickness, generally labeled as dumpling wrappers.  Potsticker wrappers are thicker, good for frying and then steaming but too thick for soup dumplings.  I tend to stay away from potsticker wrappers, they are super thick.

Wonton wrappers are square and come in different degrees of thickness.  From pretty darn thick to Hong Kong-style which is extra thin.  My preference is Hong Kong Noodle Co. Thin Wraps. Not too thin, not too thick, just right.  Great for soup or fried wontons.

Yep, my go-to wrappers.  But do the freshness test on these too cause you just never know.

But I Digress

This post is supposed to be out making your OWN dumpling wrappers.  It’s pretty easy, it might take a little practice to get them right and to get speedy.  But doesn’t everything worth doing take practice?  I’ll be candid, probably not making my own wonton wrappers, the commercial ones are bomb.  But potstickers and mandu? You betcha.

YES, You Can!

I perused some of my favorite sites and decided to try a recipe that used AP flour, potato starch, salt and water.  That’s it.  Alot of recipes call for just flour, water and salt.  I wanted to see if the potato starch texturally made a difference, I think it adds a bit of chew and tenderness to the wrapper.  Nothing scientific to my conclusion but I can say the wrapper is delicious and just what I was looking for.

Super easy to put together. This is a hot water dough, which helps speed up the process.  Throw the dry ingredients in a large bowl, stir to combine, and then add the hot water.  Use a dough whisk or wooden spoon to stir the water into the dry mix.  It may seem like too little water but just be patient, it will come together.

Switch to using your hands to smoosh the shaggy stuff together to form a ball.  Don’t worry, it will look rough.  Remove the dough from the bowl and knead the dough on your counter.  Knead until the dough becomes smooth, soft, and pliable.

See? Smooth, pretty dough after about 5 minutes of kneading.  Put the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.  Let the dough sit for 40-45 minutes.  This allows the gluten to relax so it won’t contract when you roll the wrappers out.

Divide the dough into two and shape each into logs around 6-8 inches long.  Work with one log at a time.  Cover the rest of the dough so it doesn’t dry out.  OR, a neat trick to making your logs -> Take the ball of dough and poke your thumb through the center creating a center hole, like a donut.  Gently pull out from the center hole creating a bigger hole so it forms a ring.  Keep stretching and pulling until the ring is around 1.25 inches in thickness and stop.  Cut crosswise through the dough creating two logs.  Ta-da!

Let’s Roll!

Cut each log into 10 equal pieces approximately 1/2 inch thick.  For regular size dumplings, you are looking for pieces that weigh about 12-14 gms each.  The pieces will look like little discs.  Working with a piece at a time, covering the rest, flatten the disc with your hand.  Then, using a small rolling pin roll the dough once, give it a quarter turn and roll again.  You should have a rough circle.  Pick up the outside edge further away from you and elevate it slightly, push the rolling pin onto the wrapper towards the center of it. Rotate the dough another quarter turn and roll again.  Repeat going around the entire wrapper.  Essentially you are flattening the wrapper, making it thinner especially on the edges.  You should end up with a circle about 3.5 inches in diameter.

To make dumplings like Kimchi Mandu.  Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center on a wrapper.  Fold into a semicircle and pressing the air out of the inside of each dumpling and sealing the edges.  If you are using fresh dough you won’t need to wet the edges much if at all.  Commercial wrappers will need some moisture, use water or an egg wash on the edges to seal.  Rolling and wrapping video!

Proceed to Filling!  My mom’s wontons here.  Kimchi Mandu here

Print Pin

Dumpling Wrappers (Potstickers or Mandu)

Fresh, amazing potsticker or mandu wrappers need only 4 ingredients and a bit of practice to master. Homemade wrappers have a nice chew and thickness that you don;t get with commercial ones. Try it, it's fun!
Course Appetizer, Main Course, One dish meals
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Wrappers for potstickers and mandu
Prep Time 30 minutes
Resting time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Equipment

  • 6-10 inch small diameter rolling pin

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour AP like Gold Medal will work or Asian AP Flour for dumplings and noodles. Moderate protein content
  • 1 Tbs. Potato starch sub cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 cup Hot water not boiling, approximately 105-110 degres,

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, potato starch, and salt. Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients mixture, pour in hot water. Slowly incorporate with a dough whisk or wooden spoon.
  • As you mix, the flour-water will begin to look shaggy. At this point switch and use your hands to form a dough ball.
  • When there are no dry bits left in mixing bowl, take the dough out of the mixing bowl and start kneading thewith both hands on a flat surface.
  • Knead dough 3-5 minutes until it’s soft and smooth.
  • Place dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 40-45 minutes.
  • Divide dough in half and shape each piece into a 6” to 7” log. Cut logs in half and then cut into 1/2” wide pieces, you should end up with 10 equal pieces from each log and 20 equal pieces total.
  • Work with one piece of dough at a time, cover the remaining pieces with a damp towel to prevent it from getting too dry. Slightly flatten each disc with your palm.
  • Using a rolling pin, flatten dough by rolling once, then turn the dough a quarter turn and roll.
  • The next step is creating the final 3 1/2” circle that is slightly thinner around the edges and thicker in the middle. Keep your pin on the surface and roll towards the center of the circle and back. Rotate dough as you are rolling to create an even circle.
  • Place dumpling wrapper on a flour dusted plate and dust each dumpling wrappers so they won’t stick together. Cover dumpling wrapper with a plastic wrapper to prevent drying.
  • Repeat with remaining rounds.

Notes

Fresh wrappers are very pliable and moist and require minimal moisture to seal. The wrappers can be frozen but it is easier to fold dumplings with fresh wrappers and freeze the dumplings.
Enjoy!
Mandu-Welcome to MDU-Marvel-ous Dumpling Universe

Mandu-Welcome to MDU-Marvel-ous Dumpling Universe

By | | Comments 0 Comment

I love dumplings, right up there with bowl food, soul food.  In my world, Jeopardy has a couple of categories including “Things You Eat with a BOWL and SPOON” and “Dumplings of the World”.  It seems every culture has a dumpling that defines comfort, soul food.  Ravioli, Momos, Mandu, Gyoza, Pelmeni, Pierogi…the list is endless.  Dumplings are a labor of love, and labor-intensive.  Maybe that’s why dumpling making is a joint effort with family and friends on occasions that bring us all together.  Despite Covid, we did manage to have a small dumpling-making session to usher in the Lunar Year of the Ox (immediate family only and outside).

Bittersweet Gathering

Every year for the past too many to count years I look forward to New Year’s Day celebrations with family and friends.  I pack up a tray of holiday cookies and head to my brother’s for their annual New Year’s celebration which includes making mandu of course.

The kitchen table is set up with bowls (more like vats) of mandu filling and stacks of wrappers surrounding the bowls.  Everyone takes a shift wrapping mandu.   It’s a lively table, as everyone chatters away while folding mandu.  The folded mandu are lined on trays sprinkled with cornstarch, like little sentinels waiting for their marching orders on a winter’s day.  Some are destined for the pot of boiling water on the stove-immediate gratification, while the rest are loaded into freezer containers for everyone to take home.

I look forward to seeing family and friends that I don’t see very often.  We pick up right where we left off the previous year.  Catching up on the comings and goings, the kids, vacation highlights, reconnecting as if it were only yesterday we last saw each other.  This is what I miss most from this past holiday season due to COVID isolation.

My brother canceled their annual New Year’s Day celebration due to COVID and then my sister-in-law’s mother passed away.  It was during the holidays we would normally see her.  My kids affectionately called her Halmoni (grandmother in Korean) mimicking their cousins.  Born in Seoul, she came here to complete her medical training to be a pediatrician.  She was part of a generation of remarkable woman that defied the odds and norms of her time.  What I will remember most was her kindness and generosity of spirit.  She always greeted you with a warm embrace and a beautiful smile.  Her soft-spoken demeanor and gentleness belied the tenacity and determination she must have had to accomplish all that she did.

I thought of her as I prepped the filling for our own little New Year’s Dumpling-making session.  I was immediately transported to my brother’s kitchen table, sitting with her and my mom, laughing, talking, and of course, wrapping mandu.  She will be sorely missed.

We made two fillings, Mom’s Won Tons and Kimchi Mandu in the morning before our designated wrappers arrived (my kid).  I started with mom’s tried and true wonton filling, a delicious mixture of shrimp, pork, water chestnuts, scallions, shiitake mushrooms, and seasonings.  We use it not only for wontons but for fried egg dumplings, and as a filling for steamed squash or tofu. Skip the wonton wrapper and make meatballs for a tasty addition to soup or congee.  Mom’s universal filling, the best.

I adapted the recipe for Kimchi Mandu from Korean Bapsang (my go-to Korean food site).  I wanted a vegetable-centric filling that still had a bit of meat in it.  This one was perfect.  Not gonna lie, the filling is not a walk in the park and requires time to make.  My advice is to make the mandu filling the day before.

For Kimchi Mandu, you will need the following:  Firm tofu, dried sweet potato noodles, ground beef or pork or combo, onions, scallions, kimchi, bean sprouts and seasonings. Gather the ingredients and then the “fun” begins.  Blanch bean sprouts, drain & smoosh tofu, rehydrate & cut noodles, dice green & yellow onions, mince ginger and garlic, shred kimchi and THEN, add to meat.

WHEW, lots of prep but so WORTH IT.  Wontons and mandu freeze beautifully so all this work will give you a freezer full of quick, last-minute, delicious meals.

Folding Mandu in the Cartoon Universe

That’s a Wrap

Most of the time (and I mean MOST), we use commercial wrappers for our dumplings.  Look for round wrappers for potstickers or mandu at Asian markets.  A link to the Oregonian shows 6 ways to fold dumplings!  If you are feeling ambitious do try to make your own.  It’s pretty easy and requires only 4 ingredients.  The wrappers are flavorful, tender with a nice snap like hand-pulled or knife-cut noodles.  Totally worth the effort (homemade wrappers get the “nood” here).

Serve mandu, steamed with a dipping sauce, fried, or boiled.  A steaming hot bowl of Galbitang  (Beef Short Rib Soup) with mandu and rice cakes ushered in the new year for us.  Delish!

Print Pin

Kimchi Mandu (Kimchi Dumplings)

Delicious dumplings made with ground pork or beef, kimchi, noodles, tofu and onions.
Course Appetizer, One dish meals, Soup
Cuisine Asian
Keyword dumplings, mandu
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 2 ounces dangmyeon sweet potato starch noodles soaked in warm water for about 30 min or until soft
  • 1 cup packed finely chopped kimchi
  • 8 ounces tofu firm
  • 10 ounces mung bean sprouts sukju namul (숙주나물)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion minced
  • 2 to 3 scallions diced, or use garlic chives
  • 10 ounces ground pork or beef or blend of both meats

Seasonings for Filling:

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger or juiced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon gochugaru adjust to taste
  • salt to taste about 1/4 teaspoon
  • pepper to taste about 1/8 teaspoon

Wrappers

  • 40 dumpling wrappers slightly thick

Instructions

  • Drain and squeeze water out of tofu. Using a cheesecloth or kitchen towel to squeeze water out.
  • Finely chop the kimchi and squeeze out excess liquid by hand. Use older kimchi which has more flavor.
  • Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling salted water (2-3 min) should still be crisp, drain, chop and squeeze out water.
  • Finely chop the noodles. Finely chop the onions and drain off excess water. Finely chop the scallions or garlic chives.
  • Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well by hand. Stir in one direction to filling feels a littlle sticky.
  • Place one heaping teaspoonful to a tablespoon of the filling on a wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water or egg wash and seal tightly, push the air out with your fingers. shape into a half-moon shape. Then, bring the two ends together, apply water or egg wash to one end and press tightly to create a round shape. Repeat this process until all the filling/wrappers are used.
  • Kimchi mandu can be steamed for about 10 minutes in a steamer (12 minutes if frozen). Make sure to line the steamer with parchment paper or cabbage leaves to prevent mandu from sticking. You can also boil the mandu. Place dumplings in boiling water, bring it back to boil, adjust heat so it keeps a nice boil. When the dumplings float to the surface they are almost ready, boil another 30 seconds and remove from pot.
  • Note, you can cook a tablespoon of filling by boiling or frying to taste for seasonings.

Notes

Tips for freezing: Freeze the dumplings on a tray with the pieces not touching for about an hour, and then store them in a freezer bag.
Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice Bowl (Lu Rou Fan-卤肉饭)- In Hog Heaven!

Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice Bowl (Lu Rou Fan-卤肉饭)- In Hog Heaven!

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Continuing my virtual traveling by cooking, I’m imagining myself in Taipei right now.  I have not been back to Taiwan in ages and yet I find myself thinking about Taipei and my visit so long ago.  Growing up in San Francisco the majority of Chinese are from Hong Kong and the Guangdong (Canton) region.  I was fortunate enough in college to spend a summer in Taipei (yes, on the Taiwan Love Boat Trip).  I sampled  Shao Lung Bao, Oyster Egg Omelets, Popcorn Chicken, Beef Noodle Soup, and Red Bean Shaved Ice while wandering around the night markets.  Everything was so delicious, different from Cantonese food, and yet familiar at the same time.

Bowl Food is Soul Food

If you have followed 3jamigos, you know I have an obsession with bowl food and eating with a spoon.  The Taiwanese dish Lu Rou Fan 滷肉飯 falls squarely in this category.  In fact, this iconic dish was the basis for Taiwanese Turkey Rice, a favorite bowl I posted around Thanksgiving.  Shreds of turkey garnished each bowl of Lu Rou Fan.  People liked the turkey garnish so much, it got its own gig, Turkey Rice, the spin-off.

Back to Lu Rou Fan.  Diced pork belly is braised in a soy sauce and sugar mixture seasoned with star anise, cinnamon, and aromatics like garlic, shallots, and ginger until it is melt-in-your-mouth tender.  To serve, place a generous scoop of the braised pork, half of a hardboiled egg, and greens on top of steamed rice.  Grab your spoon and dig in, bowl food is soul food.

After surveying different sites for Lu Rou Fan, my version is a mash-up of recipes I found.  The non-negotiables are pork, ginger, shallots, garlic, and a stock flavored with star anise, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine.  Start with pork belly cut into approximately 1/3 inch slices then diced.  Thick slab pork belly can be found in most Asian grocery stores.  I also add ground pork to the diced pork belly for a saucier texture, like a ragu’.  Shiitake mushrooms are used to pump up the umami.  Dried shrimp is also a flavor booster (it’s optional; if you decide to use it, soak and finely mince it before adding).  I have mentioned my lack of affinity for star anise, so I use only one clove and add a cinnamon stick instead.  If you like star anise feel free to use two.  Last but not least…

Pull Out the Instant Pot!

The pressure cooker reduces the effort and time needed to make Lu Rou Fan, a win-win. Saute the pork, add the aromatics and liquid, and 30 minutes later, your Lu Rou Fan is ready for the finishing touches. How easy is that? Make this dish a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld and to chill the Lu Rou. Skim the solidified fat off before reheating and serving.

Finishing Touches

When the pressure cooker is done, release pressure and set the pot to saute’.  Bring the pork mixture to a boil, and reduce to the desired consistency OR if the sauce is not thick enough, add a cornstarch-water mixture to thicken. You want lots of sauce to drizzle on your rice so do not reduce too much.

The star of this dish is the succulent, saucy pork belly dancing on the main stage of rice but there are supporting actors.  Hard-boiled eggs often accompany Lu Rou Fan.  Boil, peel, and place eggs in the pork sauce after it has finished pressure cooking.  While the sauce thickens, the eggs will absorb the color and flavor of the pork.  The eggs will be hard-boiled, so for those who have come to love six-minute ramen eggs, this ain’t it.  Use soft-boiled instead of hard-boiled eggs to add to the sauce for a less-cooked egg.  Or cook six-minute eggs ramen style and use this in place of the hard-boiled eggs.  It’s your bowl of goodness, do what you want.  Serve with greens such as seasoned cucumbers, or steamed bok choy or broccoli.  Garnish with green onions and more fried shallots. YUMMY.

Print Pin

Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice (Lu Rou Fan)

Another Soul Food Bowl, made a little quicker in an Instant Pot. Braised pork belly seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, star anise and shallots. Delicious over rice or noodles. Comfort food.
Course Main Course, Meat
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Lu Rou Fan, Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 lb skin-on pork belly diced into 1/3 inch pieces
  • 1/4 lb ground pork
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil or shallot oil
  • 3 slices ginger
  • 2 tbsps shaoxing wine
  • 2 tbsps dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp regular soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup fried shallots or onions
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped (1.5 tbsp)
  • 1 star anise
  • 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked until mushrooms are softened, remove from water andnreserve soaking liquid, dice mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp dried shrimps chopped OPTIONAL
  • 1 stick cinnamon or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar (30gms rock sugar_
  • 2/3 cup hot water or reserved liquid from mushrooms
  • Soy sauce /salt to taste
  • fried shallots and green onions garnish
  • 2 eggs hardboiled or cooked Ramen style

Instructions

  • Turn on the "sauté" function of the pressure cooker, press "adjust" once to switch to "more" for browning.
  • Once the oil is hot, add pork belly and give it a stir so that it's not sticking to the bottom. Saute' just until pork belly starts to brown, add ground pork. Let pork cook until it loses its pinkness and the liquid evaporates.
  • Add ginger, shallot, garlic, saute briefly before adding soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, cinnamon, star anise, rock sugar, shiitake mushrooms, and fried shallots. Mix it well and add reserved mushroom liquid or hot water. Cover with the lid.
  • Turn on the "manual" function, set the timer to 25 minutes. Allow 10 minutes before release of pressure and opening. Skim off the fatty oil from the top.
  • If the sauce seems too thin, turn on the "sauté" function, and "adjust" to "more" to thicken and darken the pork belly. Saute to desired sauce thickness and color. Season with light soy sauce or salt to taste. Alternatively, taste sauce after opening the pot. If it has enough flavor but is thin, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. Add to mixture and bring to a boil to thicken sauce.
  • Ladle the braised pork over rice with some sauce. Top with an egg* and greens of choice. Garnish with green onions and more fried shallots.

Egg

  • Generally, eggs are hardboiled, peeled and added during cooking..which makes a very hard-boiled egg. I like ramen eggs or runny eggs
  • Boil eggs to just past soft boiled stage. See post for link to ramen eggs. Have eggs peeled and ready to go when pork is finished cooking. Add to pork and allow to sit in sauce until you are ready to serve. Cut eggs in half and place 1/2 in each bowl of rice.

Notes

Use skin-on pork belly as the skin becomes tender, juicy and flavorful after absorbing all the flavors from spices and soy sauce. 
Use leaner ground pork (e.g. pork shoulder) as a substitute if the pork belly is too fatty. But really, you don’t need a ton on your rice.  Reduce the cooking time accordingly.  
Taiwan Turkey Rice, 嘉義火雞肉飯 Deliciousness in a Bowl

Taiwan Turkey Rice, 嘉義火雞肉飯 Deliciousness in a Bowl

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Only a couple of weeks have gone by since Thanksgiving and I have turkey on the brain, again!  Not that I didn’t get my fill of turkey on Thanksgiving but this dish caught my eye as I was roaming around the food-sphere looking for Thanksgiving ideas, Taiwanese Turkey Rice.  What?  Maybe it’s like rice soup? Nope, it is a bowl filled with rice, topped with succulent shreds of turkey, dressed with a soy sauce, fried shallots, turkey dripping emulsion and served with Asian pickles.  Damn, doesn’t that sound delicious?

SIGN ME UP NOW

I was drooling.  If you have perused my IG or blog for recipes you may have noticed that I LOVE one bowl meals like soups and stews.  My comfort zone is curled up on the couch, spoon in hand and a bowl in the other, filled with either rice or noodles topped with anything yummylicious…like THIS.

I did a bit of sleuthing for  this dish.  Turkey is not something you find in the Asian food vernacular.  It turns out, Taiwanese Turkey Rice (嘉義火雞肉飯) hails from southern Taiwan, specifically Jia Yi.  It is a super popular street food and turkeys are grown specifically for this dish.  Originally the turkey was shredded as a garnish for the classic dish, Lu Rou Fan, 魯肉飯, Stewed Pork over Rice, but folks liked the turkey so much, they started making it without the Stewed Pork, thus Taiwanese Turkey Rice was born.

Turkey Rice is similar to Hainan Chicken Rice or Thai Chicken and Rice.  The flavor profile of the sauce sets it apart though, oh yeah, and the turkey, but in a pinch you could use chicken for this dish.  I decided to cook the turkey ala Hainan Chicken style. The turkey is poached so you end up with moist succulent meat plus the stock which serves as the basis for the sauce.  There are a plethora of recipes out there right now that take advantage of turkey leftovers to make this dish including this one from Serious Eats, but I wanted the real deal so I started with uncooked turkey breast.

Two blogs jumped out and served as the basis for info and recipe for Taiwanese Turkey Rice, Choo Choo-ca-Chew  and The Food Dictator.  A wealth of information and great recipes.

The Turkey

I started with a turkey breast, well, half of a turkey breast and poached it, just like Hainan Chicken.  The poaching liquid is seasoned with salt, ginger, scallion, rice wine and Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base (game changer).  If you have a box of turkey stock from TJ’s, use that and water for a more flavorful stock.  (I think their turkey stock is better than the chicken stock in a box.

When you buy your turkey make sure the skin is still attached***  Remove the skin at home and reserve. Drop the turkey into the boiling poaching liquid (ok, don’t just DROP it, gently place…to avoid 3rd degree burns).  Bring the stock back to a boil and turn the heat down so the stock is simmering.  Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn the flame off, NO PEEKING, and let the turkey sit for 25 minutes undisturbed.  Think of it as a spa day for the turkey.  Once it is done take it out of the pot, let it sit until it is cool enough to handle.  Remove meat from bone and shred into bite size pieces.  Reserve in bowl and cover to keep warm.

Gimme Some Skin***

A trip to Minneapolis, back before the time of COVID, we caved into Wes’s penchant for Caesar Salad at the Butcher & The Boar (sadly gone) one night for dinner.  A few tweaks made their Caesar a standout.  The Romaine lettuce was grilled, and in place of croutons, bits of chicken skin baked to a crispy golden finish adorned the salad. ㄹingerlicking good.

Crispy chicken skin (in this case turkey) is pretty quick and easy to make.  Spread the skin out on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.  Salt and pepper.  Cover with a sheet of parchment and top with another baking sheet to keep the skin flat.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until skins are deep golden.  You should have a nice puddle of oil from this, KEEP the oil.

The rendered oil is used in the sauce for the dish.  The crispy skin is a bonus that I use as a garnish for turkey rice.  It provides added crunch and flavor to the dish, its damn delish.

The Sauce

Hainan Chicken or Chinese Poached Chicken is served with a ginger, scallion, sauce with or without slices of chili.  For Taiwanese Turkey Rice, the sauce is made with fried shallots, light soy sauce, a bit of sugar and the rendered oil from the turkey.  It’s deceptively simple for a sauce that is so delicious.  I buy a ton of shallots, thinly slice and fry them. The oil is kept in the fridge and the shallots in a jar on the counter.

Here is a detailed description on how to make fried shallots from Serious Eats.  IN A PINCH, you can buy fried shallots at most Asian markets and avoid frying your own.  IN A DOUBLE PINCH, TJ’s has fried crispy onions in a can during the holidays, (probably for the green bean casserole I hate) that make a pretty good substitute.

The Rice

Traditionally served over plain rice, you can bump it up by using the poaching liquid to cook the rice.  Just reserve enough for the sauce.  For the rice use any long grain or Jasmine Rice.

The Sides

Pickles are often served with Turkey Rice.  I like pickled ginger, takuan (pickled Japanese radish), or Vinegared Chinese pickles.  I love soft boiled eggs (like ramen eggs) and fresh cucumbers lightly dressed as sides. Garnish with scallions or cilantro.  Lip-smackin’ good.

Print Pin

Taiwanese Turkey Rice

Course Main Course, One dish meals
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Rice Bowl, Soul Food, Taiwanese, Turkey Rice
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 C Shredded Turkey* You can use Thanksgiving turkey leftovers

Poaching Liquid

  • Water Enough water to cover turkey
  • 2-3 slices ginger
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillion Chicken Base

SAUCE

  • 3 Shallots Thinly sliced
  • 1-1/2 TBsp Oil Lard, Vegetable Oil, Chicken Fat or Half and Half
  • 3 TBsp Soy Sauce Light Soy Sauce (Pearl Ridge is good)
  • 1 TBsp Sugar
  • 3/4 C Chicken/Turkey Broth

RICE

  • 2 C Rice Steam or cooked according to instruction. You can also use the chicken stock from boiling the chicken to cook rice if making from scratch. It really enhances the flavor

Instructions

Turkey

  • Start with just enough water to cover the turkey breast in a pot. Add ginger, scallions, rice wine, and stock base and bring to a boil. Add turkey and cook for 10mins then turn the heat off and let it sit in the pot for 25 mins or until cooked through. This method makes silky, tender, turkey.
  • Remove from pot, cool until you can handle and shred into small pieces. Cover and reserve.
  • The poaching liquid can be reduced by 20-30% to concentrate the flavor. Taste.

SAUCE

  • In a frying pan, heat up 1-1/2 TBsp of oil of your choice. I use 1/2 shallot oil and 1/2 rendered fat from turkey
  • Add the sliced shallots to the oil and fry until crispy golden. Remove shallots or you can leave them in the sauce. I like to remove them and sprinkle them on the finished bowl. Or go half and half.
  • Add the turkey stock, soy sauce, and sugar to the pan, careful the oil may splatter
  • Cook on high to slightly reduce the sauce.

The Bowl

  • Layer shredded turkey over steaming rice, pour amount ofsauce you want over the turkey.
  • Garnish with pickles, or green veggies, or cucumbers, fried shallots, scallions, soft boiled egg, or reserved crispy turkey skin.

Notes

Leftover holiday turkey can be used for this dish.  Make sure you keep the pan drippings from the turkey and use this for the oil in the sauce.  You can use turkey stock or water for the sauce.
Orange You Gonna Try Persimmons? They’re Delicious

Orange You Gonna Try Persimmons? They’re Delicious

By | | Comments 4 comments

It’s persimmon season!

About this time every year, my friend & co-worker, Trang, comes to work with bags of homegrown persimmons.  I am not ashamed to admit I am Johnny on the spot when she is doling them out.  I adore persimmons.  The thought has crossed my mind that I should plant my own persimmon tree but I think I will just depend on the generosity of friends that have persimmon trees. (HINT HINT)

How to enjoy persimmons.  Eaten out of hand, diced and tossed in salads, and baked in bread, cookies, and puddings.  How about stirred into a risotto for a sweet counterpunch to the cheese and rice?  Or dried, a wonderful way to enjoy them throughout the year.

I have been especially waiting for this persimmon season.  Way back at the beginning of this year from HELL, we celebrated our birthdays with dinner at State Bird Provisions in The City. (Dining in a restaurant-remember that?).  State Bird adopted the Chinese tea house concept, little plates of deliciousness brought out on trays for you to pick and choose from, just like dim sum.  Their signature fried quail, dumplings, risotto, house ribs…plate after plate of tasty tidbits that dazzled us.

The kicker for me was a beautiful dish consisting of bite-size pieces of crisp, sweet persimmons bathed in a dressing of sesame, Kinako powder, and ginger finished with a sprinkling of toasted black sesame seeds and flaky salt.  Simple and absolutely delish, I made a mental note to try this at home.  I found the recipe in my copy of the State Bird Provisions Cookbook.  The dish is incredibly easy to make. I spent more time getting the ingredients than putting the dish together.  The cookbook runs the gamut from this simple, elegant dish to complex dishes better left to enjoy at their restaurant.  I think of it as a coffee table cookbook, beautiful photos, an interesting read.

A Persimmon Primer

There are two kinds of persimmons, Hachiya and Fuyu.  They are NOT interchangeable.  Hachiya is an oblong, acorn-shaped fruit and pretty astringent.  They cannot be eaten until they are super soft and very ripe.  If eaten before they are soft, they will make your mouth pucker.  I use Hachiyas for baking (soft gushy fruit is not my thing).  Fuyu’s are flat, round, more tomato shape. They are non-astringent and can be eaten while they are still firm. For this salad, select ripe, firm fruit.

The recipe calls for grapeseed oil but you could use canola oil instead.  We bought Kinako Powder at H-Mart but it can be found in most Asian stores. Made of soybean, it has a nutty flavor, kind of like roasted peanuts.  If you have munched on manju or mochi covered with a fine light brown powder that’s Kinako.  Toasted sesame oil and black sesame seeds can also be found in Asian markets.

Print Pin

Persimmons with Kinako Dressing and Black Sesame Salt

A simple and delicious tapas dish of sweet persimmons served with a savory sesame soybean powder dressing from State Bird Provisions
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Asian
Keyword Persimmons with Kinako Dressing and Black Sesame Salt
Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 ripe Fuyu persimmons peeled and cut into chunks

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup kinako roasted soybean flour, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or substitute canola oil
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil found in most Asian stores
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Black Sesame Salt

Black Sesame Salt

  • Makes about 1/4 cup
  • 1/4 cup pre-toasted black sesame seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

Dressing

  • Combine the kinako, kosher salt, and ground ginger in a medium bowl and stir well. Slowly pour in the oil, sesame oil, and vinegar, whisking constantly until the dressing is well combined. It helps to let it sit just a bit for the powder to absorb liquid.
  • Pour the dressing in shallow serving bowls, arranging the persimmons on top, and sprinkle on the black sesame salt and a generous pinch of kinako. Serve immediately.

Black Sesame Salt

  • Combine the sesame seeds and salt in a mortar and pound until the mixture resembles coarsely ground black pepper.
  • Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.