Can you give me some new ideas to try when cooking Asian foods?!
Answers: We eat a lot of stir fry, but it's probably really American-ised. I use fresh and/or frozen veggies, usually chicken but sometimes pork or beef strips, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sometimes I'll make a teriyaki or General Tsaou (sp?) sauce... I usually make rice to serve this mixture over. I'd really like to try to branch out into more authentic Asian cooking. Any tips or yummy recipes? Thanks~
I make stir fry a lot too, and I do it the same way you do.
I don't have any elaborate recipes like the other posters on here do, but I have one suggestion: buy and use some hoisin sauce. The flavor is great, it really adds to stir frys.
Chinese Imperial Shrimp
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (can use chicken)
1 medium carrot, cut into strips
1 small onion, cut into strips
1 can bamboo shoots, drained
1 Tbsp. ginger, minced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp. dried red chili pepper, chopped into small pieces
1 Tbsp. oil
salt to taste
In a small mixing bowl, mix sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water and cornstarch. In wok, add oil, ginger and garlic. Stir fry in high heat. Add shrimp, stir fry until shrimp is cooked. Add onion and carrot stir fry until onion is cooked. Add bamboo shoot, stir fry for one minute. Add salt to taste Add sauce mixture and chili pepper, stir fry for one to two minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice.
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P.F. CHANG'S Soothing Chicken Lettuce Wraps
(recipe for ONE below, multiply as needed)
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp water
salt and pepper to taste
1? pounds boneless, skinless chicken
5 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilies, (optional)
1 (8 oz) can bamboo shoots, minced
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, minced
1 pkg cellophane Chinese rice noodles, prepared according to package
Cooking Sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
Bibb or other soft leaf lettuce
Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut off and discard woody stems. Minces mushrooms. Set aside.
Mix all ingredients for cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside.
In medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to coat chicken thoroughly. Stir in 1 tsp. oil and let sit 15 minutes to marinate.
Heat wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 TBSP oil, then add chicken and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Add 2 TBSP oil to pan. Add ginger, garlic, chiles (if desired), and onion; stir fry about a minute or so.
Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional 2 min.
Return chicken to pan. Add mixed cooking sauce to pan. Cook until thickened and hot. Break cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces, and cover bottom of serving dish with them. Then pour chicken mixture on top of noodles. Spoon into lettuce leaf and roll.
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CHINESE CHICKEN WITH ALMONDS
1 lb. chicken meat
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 sticks celery, thinly slices
2 oz fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 oz frozen peas
1 cup stock
2 tsp cornstarch
3 oz split, toasted almonds
Cut the meat into paper thin slices and salt. Heat the oil, add chicken and fry for about 5 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add the soy sauce and mix well.
Add celery, mushrooms, and peas, mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Mix the cornstarch to a smooth paste with a little cold water, stir into the pan, bring to the boil, stirring all the time until slightly thickened.
Add the almonds and serve.
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SESAME ORANGE SHRIMP
2 large egg whites
? cup cornstarch
? cup sesame seeds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1? pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
? cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed
1 up fresh orange juice
2 ablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until frothy. Add shrimp, and toss to coat.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Add more oil to skillet if necessary for remaining batches.
3. Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add orange juice, soy sauce, and sugar. Boil over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; add scallions, and cook until heated through and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.
Per serving: 419 calories; 23.3 grams fat; 32.2 grams protein; 20.4 grams carbohydrates; 1.5 grams fiber
--Everyday FOOD
tofu gorang is very simple. you get those already fried tofu and some cut cucumbers and bean sprouts. put the tofu in boiling water, and pour hot water over the bean sprouts. also find some peanut sauce and mix it with a little water and warm it up a little. you can then mix the ingredients together and put the sauce over the mix.
you have it covered... the only item's I didn't see were
1). Snow peas....$1.65 for 8ozs. thats plenty for most recipes
2). Bean Sprouts....$0.85 cents for 8 ozs
Be happy with the American version, when I was in Bangkok they had minimal refrigeration, so a lot of the meats ( dog, ox,etc) had a degree of rot going on .That's why some things are so spicy, to cover up.The same thing goes on in New Orleans( blackened seasoning) the Carribeean ( jerk seasoning)
Research the Spice Islands... that is the essence of spices world wide.The Spice Islands are in the south Pacific.