The October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge was brought to us by Jaden of the blog Steamy Kitchen. The recipes are from her new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.

I was excited to see that Jaden would be our host for the October Daring Cooks challenge, especially since I finally got to meet her at BlogHer Food, but when I scrolled down and saw we would be making pho (pronounced “fuh?”) I almost got week in the knees. I’ve eaten pho at Vietnamese restaurants but have never made it at home, and none of my family had ever tasted it. I couldn’t wait to give them a taste of this soup that won my heart long ago.

Jaden gave us two options for making the pho: follow the recipe in her book (a shortcut version, see below), or follow the recipe on her blog (making stock from scratch). I chose to follow her scratch recipe because this is a Daring Cooks challenge, after all, though since I regularly make chicken stock and always have some in the freezer, I would probably choose the shortcut version for everyday meals.

Finding and selecting ingredients for Asian food can sometimes be a challenge, even in our large metropolitan area with representatives from just about every nationality on the planet. This time I stood in our large local international grocery store gazing at no less than 12 different brands of fish sauce but couldn’t find the star anise to save my life. Fortunately Jaden’s advice on how to buy fish sauce helped. Look for fish sauce that is colored like tea, not like Coca Cola, because the really dark stuff is inferior quality, and her favorite is Three Crabs Brand of fish sauce. While searching for Three Crabs Brand I also saw One Crab Brand, Two Crabs Brand, and Five Crabs Brand, and then there was Squid Brand and a whole bunch of others. I stood in the store aisle giggling as I looked at all the bottles and people probably thought this chick was nuts. I did finally find a bottle that said Three Crabs Brand in tiny print under a picture of three green crabs, so hopefully this is the right stuff. In any case it tastes better than other fish sauce I’ve tried, which sometimes just smell rancid, so I’m sticking with this one for now.

The spices for pho broth remind me of autumn, though I could eat this comforting soup any time of year.

We skipped the Sriracha and hoisin sauce accompaniments, just wanting to taste the unadulterated soup, though Michael did pile on one whole red jalapeno fresh from our garden. It turned out to be a spicy little devil that left him huffing and puffing while slurping and complaining about how he’s lost his chile eating mojo. Poor guy.

Jaden also gave us an optional sweet challenge, and I was very tempted to make her chocolate wontons, but for some reason sweets have not agreed with me lately and I decided I must reluctantly decline on those. They do look gorgeous and would make an easy and delicious cocktail party dessert.

Thanks to Jaden of Steamy Kitchen for hosting this month and for generously sharing the recipes from her new book. Her pho recipe won my family over and Michael said I can make this any time.

To see all of the pho and sweet wontons, visit The Daring Kitchen Blogroll and the Daring Bakers Gallery at Foodgawker.

STEAMY KITCHEN’S PHO GA

Adapted from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair.

Makes 4 large servings.

Equipment

frying pan
6-quart pot with lid
tongs
strainer, sieve or colander
bowls for serving

Ingredients

BROTH
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
4 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 quarts (2 liters/8 cups/64 fluid ounces) store-bought or homemade chicken stock
1 whole chicken breast (bone in or boneless)
1/2 onion
1 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunk of ginger, sliced and smashed with side of knife
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Jaden recommends Three Crabs brand.)

ACCOMPANIMENTS
16 ounces (500 g) dried rice noodles (about 1/4 inch/6 mm wide)
2 cups (200 g/7 ounces) bean sprouts, washed and tails pinched off
fresh cilantro (coriander) tops (leaves and tender stems)
1/2 cup (50 g/2 ounces) shaved red onions
1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
Sriracha chili sauce
hoisin sauce
sliced fresh chili peppers of your choice

Preparation

1. BROTH: Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cloves and star anise and toast until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately spoon out the spices to avoid burning.

2. In the 6-quart pot, add the homemade stock, chicken breast, onion, ginger, sugar, fish sauce, and toasted spices and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the surface frequently.

4. Use tongs to remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bone if you have used bone-in breasts.

5. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce or sugar, if needed. Strain the broth and discard the solids.

6. Prepare the noodles per directions on the package.

7. TO SERVE: Ladle the broth into bowls. Then divide the shredded chicken breast and the soft noodles evenly into each bowl.

8. Have the accompaniments spread out on the table. Each person can customize their own bowl with these ingredients.

Previous Daring Challenges

You can find all of my previous challenges in the Daring Challenges tag list.

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

This dish is the main reason we grow Thai basil in our herb garden. We’ve grown many kinds of basil over the years and seem to have settled into a routine of Genovese, Lemon (Sweet Dani or similar), and Thai (Sweet Thai or Queen of Siam) basil because they cover the spectrum of our uses. The Sweet Thai variety we grew this year produces plants with purple stems and gorgeous purple flowers. Like most basils, the flowers are also edible and add a punch of anise flavor to Asian dishes. Our basils will last a few more weeks, then it will be time for the final harvest of the season and a marathon session making pesto (basic and sun-dried) and basil ice cubes.

The peppers, basil, and garlic all came from our garden. You might wonder why the peppers are dark in this photo but green in the finished dish. These dark peppers are called Purple Beauty, and as you can see they ripen a deep purple, almost black. The inside remains green and when cooked the skin looses its lush color and turns back to green. The substance that causes that deep purple color, anthocyanin, is a powerful antioxidant that is also water soluble, hence the change in color when cooked. None of our red peppers were ripe when we made this dish recently, so we used the Purple Beauty, but they definitely provide greater health benefits when eaten raw.

When making this dish for people who enjoy some heat, go for the full amount of hot peppers. This meal has to feed all the eaters in our home, including the little guys, so I hold off on the hot chiles, just adding a few slices with some seeds to the wok. Michael sets his mouth on fire by adding a whole sliced chile (or two) with the seeds to his bowl.

I’ve adjusted the method for making this dish by starting with a cold wok and adding the garlic and chiles to the cold oil. This allows the flavor to release as the oil heats and prevents the garlic and chiles from burning. Thanks to Jaden for sharing this technique!

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, the blogging event that celebrates dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Dido of Mowgli Chic is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

Also, be sure to check out the most recent Grow Your Own roundup at Masala Heaven, which was hosted by Praveen.

THAI BASIL CHICKEN (KAI KRAPHAO)

Adapted from Simply Thai Cooking, by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu.

Makes about 4 servings.

Equipment

wok

Ingredients

10 ounces chicken breast, boneless and skinless
1/2 medium bell pepper (green or red), cut into 1/2-inch squares
5 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
6 fresh hot chiles, roughly chopped (adjust to your heat tolerance)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
20 whole leaves fresh Thai basil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

SERVE WITH
steamed jasmine rice

Preparation

1. Slice the chicken breast into thin strips, 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick by 2 inches (5 cm) long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. To achieve very thin slices, put the chicken breasts into the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden slightly, then slice. Set aside.

2. Pour oil into the cold wok and add the garlic and chiles. Cook over high heat until the aromas start to release. Add the sliced chicken and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

3. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute. Add the oyster sauce and 2 tablespoons of water and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Add the peppers and 16 of the basil leaves and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the peppers start to soften.

5. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water, add to the wok, and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the sauce thickens.

6. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining basil leaves and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Other Recipes With Basil

More Thai Basil Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Spicy Cucumber Salad with Thai Basil and Sesame Seeds

What’s for Lunch Honey? – Parmesan Thai Basil Crusted Chicken

Rasa Malaysia – Steamed Mussels with Lemongrass, Thai Basil, Chilies, and Coconut Juice

Viet World Kitchen – Vegan Green Papaya Salad with Thai Basil

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

For the Daring Cooks September challenge, we made vegan dosas adapted from the reFresh cookbook by Ruth Tal. Fresh is a popular chain of vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Toronto, Canada with three published cookbooks teaching how to cook Fresh food at home. Our host Debyi of Healthy Vegan Kitchen chose this fun challenge for us, and I for one am grateful because this is the first time I’ve ever made Indian food and witnessed our two older boys actually eat it. Builder Guy (6) has recently developed a taste for spicy foods—good thing because we like our spices—and Top Gun (5) is finally coming around and trying new things. Monkey Boy is still a picky three-year-old, but he did eat one of the plain dosas. We thought the dosas were delicious and would eat that coconut curry sauce on just about anything.

The challenge had three components: the dosa pancakes, the garbanzo filling, and the coconut curry sauce. The primary rule was that everything had to be animal-free, but we were given freedom to come up with our own vegan fillings. Also, the challenge was to be 99% oil free, so we could use light amounts of cooking spray when sautéing, but that was it. The dosa recipe departs from the traditional fermented rice and black lentil base, calling for spelt or a gluten-free all-purpose flour. I forgot to acquire one of the recommended flours and had to use what I had on hand. The flour soaked up the liquids so much that the batter was too thick, so I thinned it with more almond milk a few tablespoons at a time until the consistency was thin enough to spread easily. Because I adore cilantro with curry, I added some chopped leaves to the garbanzo filling and used it as a garnish as well.

We were excited to use more of our homegrown tomatoes, garlic, and peppers for the dish. The tomatoes were a mix of what was ripe at the time, including a Cherokee Purple and some Early Girls, and the peppers were Tequila Hybrids and a Big Jim chile.

Thanks to Debyi of Healthy Vegan Kitchen for hosting this month. To see all of the dosas, visit The Daring Kitchen Blogroll and the Daring Bakers Gallery at Foodgawker.

VEGAN DOSAS

Adapted from reFresh by Ruth Tal.

Equipment

large bowl
whisk
griddle or skillet (or crepe pan)
ladle (or large spoon)
spatula
vegetable peeler &/or knife
large saucepan
food processor or bean masher

Ingredients – Dosa Pancakes

DOSA PANCAKES (Makes 8 to 12 dosas.)
1 cup (120 g) spelt flour or all-purpose, gluten free flour (I used 1 cup chapati flour.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup (120 ml) almond milk (or soy, or rice, etc.)
3/4 cup (180 ml) water
cooking spray

DOSA TOPPINGS
1 batch Coconut Curry Sauce (see below), heated
grated coconut
cucumber pieces, sliced with a vegetable peeler
cilantro leaves

Preparation

1. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and curry powder in a medium bowl. Slowly add the almond milk and water, whisking until smooth.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray your pan with a thin layer of cooking spray, if needed.

3. Ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of your pan in a circular motion until it is a thin, round pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface and it no longer looks wet, flip it over and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter. Makes 8 pancakes. (I made the pancakes a little smaller, yielding 12.)

Ingredients – Curried Garbanzo Filling

5 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced (I used Tequila Hybrid.)
2 medium hot banana chilies, minced (I used a Big Jim chile.)
2 tablespoons cumin, ground
1 tablespoons oregano
1 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 tablespoons turmeric
4 cups (960 g) cooked or canned garbanzo beans
1/2 cup (125 g) tomato paste (I used an entire 6 ounce/170 g can.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional, my addition)

Preparation

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Spritz on a little cooking spray, then add the garlic, veggies, and spices, cooking until soft, stirring occasionally.

2. Mash the garbanzo beans by hand or in a food processor. Add the garbanzos and tomato paste to the saucepan, stirring until heated through.

Ingredients – Coconut Curry Sauce

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
3/4 teaspoon sea salt (coarse)
3 tablespoons (30 g) curry powder
3 tablespoons (30 g) spelt flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth
2 cups (480 ml) coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, diced

Preparation

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Spritz on a little cooking spray, then add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft.

2. Add the cumin, seal salt, and curry powder, cooking for 1 minutes more. Add the flour and cook for 1 additional minute.

3. Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth to prevent lumps. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the coconut milk and tomatoes, stirring occasionally.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Previous Daring Challenges

You can see all of my previous Daring Challenges in the the Daring Challenges tag list.

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

My first cookbook from Sheila Lukins was the 1980s classic Silver Palate Cookbook, a popular book that led many people in the United States to change the way they cooked and viewed food. I’ve collected just about all of the books she wrote and have cooked from them many times over the years, learning something new with each dish. My favorite book of hers is the All Around the World Cookbook because it complemented my taste for authentic regional foods, and I’ve gifted copies many times over the years.

After learning of Lukins’ untimely death from brain cancer on August 30, I felt the urge to cook from her books again as a reminder of her importance in my own cooking. I opened my copy of All Around the World Cookbook and chose her Spiced Vegetable Dal, one of my favorites. I often play around with the flavors, using three or four shakes rather than the pinch of turmeric listed just because I like the warm yellow color it lends to the dish, sometimes adding a touch of cinnamon, or using cilantro instead of parsley. It’s uncomplicated fare that I’ve eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner over the years, but sometimes simple is best.

Because we lost Sheila to cancer, it seems fitting to share her healthy dish with this years A Taste of Yellow event, hosted by the beautiful Barbara of Winos and Foodies. Barbara started A Taste of Yellow in 2007 as a way to show her support for the Lance Armstrong Foundation while she herself battled cancer, and we are so glad that we still have her today. Thank you, Barbara, for keeping this event going and continuing to bring awareness to cancer causes. Livestrong Day is October 2, and if you would like to participate in cancer awareness activities in your community, you can find more information at Livestrong.org.

SPICED VEGETABLE DAL

Adapted from All Around the World Cookbook, by Sheila Lukins.

Serves 6 to 8.

Equipment

strainer
4-quart pot with lid

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, halved and slivered
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of ground turmeric (or more as desired)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. In the 4-quart pot, heat the butter and canola oil over medium-low heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and slivered onions, cooking and stirring until wilted, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the drained lentils, add the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to around medium and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft but not mushy, stirring occasionally. Skim off the foam as it rises to the top.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley. Continue to cook and stir for another 15 minutes. The lentils should be very soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve hot or at room temperature. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Sheila Lukins Recipes

More Sheila Lukins Recipes From Around the Blogs

Farmgirl Fare – Kohlrabi Purée

Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy – Chicken Marbella

Champaign Taste – The Silver Palate Smoky Pumpkin Soup

The Perfect Pantry – Pasta Puttanesca

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

My introduction to soba noodles was actually on a plane flying from Tokyo to Honolulu, admittedly not the best place to get good food. The flight attendants came around with breakfast and asked if I wanted the Japanese or the American breakfast, and I chose the Japanese because I could see the noodles that someone else already had on their tray. I swirled them in the sauce and enjoyed the slippery sensation and flavor while the American woman next to me eyed them with a look that said, “I can’t believe you are eating that.” I just smiled and enjoyed my breakfast.

Soba noodles also make a perfect light lunch on a hot day and I’ve got my 6-year-old, Builder Guy, hooked on them. Sometimes we have them plain with the traditional dipping sauce, but other times I like them as a salad tossed with some vegetables. This particular recipe has lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, scallions, and cilantro for flavor, and zucchini, carrots, and avocado for vegetables. I could eat this all the time, but it tastes best when zucchini is in season, so now is a perfect time of year for this salad. I follow Maki’s method for cooking soba noodles, and it works perfectly.

One common question about soba noodles is whether they are gluten-free because buckwheat is not actually wheat at all and is naturally gluten-free, and the answer is it depends. Many soba noodles have wheat flour added to act as a binder, but you might find some gluten-free soba such as Eden Selected Buckwheat Soba or King Soba Noodles in larger grocery stores, Whole Foods, or even an international grocery store. Of course, you can also make your own gluten-free soba. And if you cook gluten-free, make sure you also choose a gluten-free soy sauce.

I made this with our homegrown scallions, which have started to peak in production. Our ginger isn’t quite ready, but hopefully next month we’ll have fresh homegrown ginger root. Squash vine borers defeated our efforts to grow zucchini this summer, but there’s always next year.

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for the second anniversary of Grow Your Own is coming up on August 30. If you haven’t yet sent your post information, you still have time. Email me at andreasrecipesgyo AT gmail DOT com. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. I’m excited about the anniversary event and can’t wait to see all your posts!

ZUCCHINI SOBA SALAD

Adapted from Epicurious.

Makes 4 to 6 large servings.

Equipment

5-quart pot
wire mesh strainer
large serving bowl

Ingredients

8 ounces (227 g) soba noodles
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons peeled and finely minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 carrots, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 avocados, cut into chunks
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

1. Bring water to boil in the pot. Add the soba and reduce the heat so the water is simmering, not at a hard boil. Cook until soft and pliable, but not mushy. Drain and add very cold water back to the pot, add some ice if necessary. Stir the noodles with your hands or long chopsticks to loosen any remaining starches. Drain again and run cold water over the noodles until the water runs clear.

2. Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, honey, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the zucchini, carrots, scallions, and avocado chunks and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Serve immediately at room temperature with cilantro for garnish.

More Salads

More Zucchini Salad Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Zucchini Carpaccio (Raw Zucchini) with Lemon, Herbs, and Goat Cheese

Closet Cooking – Grilled Asparagus, Zucchini, and Halloumi Salad

Almost Turkish Recipes – Zucchini Salad with Yogurt

A Veggie Venture – Tomato and Zucchini Salad

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

When we planted tatsoi last October, I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t sprout until spring. I had heard it would even grow in the snow, so I impatiently drummed my fingers while checking the garden daily, waiting for signs of life. I had planted the seeds under a cold frame and thought for sure we would have greens in December. When the seeds finally sprouted in March, they grew slowly at first, then as spring went on the leaves suddenly jumped from just four or five centimeters long to as much as 15 centimeters. We will continue to plant tatsoi as a cool weather green because we like the flavor and it grew very well in our garden, much better than the spinach which never grew any taller than a few centimeters.

Tatsoi is a cool weather green and will bolt in hot weather. You can eat the young tender leaves raw, but as they get larger they need to be sliced and cooked, and they work great as stir-fried greens. Ours went from being about 20 centimeters tall to almost 1 meter tall with the flower stalks when it bolted. It was rather dramatic and I should have taken photos but forgot to take my camera out to the garden that trip.

We used the last of our spring tatsoi in this dish and adapted the recipe from a spinach dish by Madhur Jaffrey, one of my favorite cookbook authors. It makes a delicious side, and you can add sliced mushrooms if you like for another layer of texture and flavor.

Garam masala is one of my favorite spice mixes, and you can usually find it in Asian grocery stores or you can make your own. Many variations on the spice mix exist in Indian cuisine depending on the region of origin and the dish in which it will be used. I’ve included Jaffrey’s recipe below.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. The deadline is June 30 and Graziana of Erbe in Cucina is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

TATSOI WITH GARAM MASALA

Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cooking.

Serves 4 to 6.

Equipment

large frying pan with lid

Ingredients

4 tablespoons canola oil or ghee
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 pounds (900 g) tatsoi, washed and trimmed, cut crosswise into 1 cm strips.
1 fresh hot chile, finely chopped (or less to taste)
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon garam masala

GARAM MASALA (Grind all these together. Makes about 3 tablespoons.)
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
2-inch (5 cm) stick of cinnamon
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds (or regular cumin seeds)
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 of a nutmeg nut

Preparation

1. Warm the oil in the large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir for 3 minutes.

2. Add the sliced tatsoi, chile, ginger, salt, and sugar, stirring and cooking for 5 minutes.

3. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover tightly and and turn heat down to low, cooking for 10 more minutes. Remove the lid and boil away some of the extra liquid. Sprinkle garam masala over the top and stir.

Other Indian Recipes

More Tatsoi Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Food Blogga – Gingery Sautéed Tatsoi with Tofu Steaks

Eating, Etc. – Tatsoi Salad with Warmed Maple Syrup Dressing

Appetite for China – Brown Butter Pasta with Tatsoi

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

I remember first tasting Chinese dumplings and potstickers when I lived in Saipan, and I always liked ordering them in restaurants, but then I visited Hong Kong and southern China and got hooked. It was so fun to see the dim sum trays in the restaurants, taste different things, and try to figure out what was in all the fillings. Though I have enjoyed Chinese potstickers and dumplings all these years, I’ve never made them from scratch—getting bags of gyoza from Trader Joe’s is just too easy—so I felt a huge amount of excitement when I saw Jen of Use Real Butter had challenged the Daring Cooks to make her family’s recipe for Chinese dumplings and potstickers.

The challenge had quite a bit of flexibility. The only requirement was that we had to make our own dough, but we could choose to mix the dough by hand or with a food processor, we could chose our own fillings and how we wanted to cook the dumplings. The filling was very easy, just took a lot of chopping. Rolling the dough just right proved to be a bit of a challenge as mine stuck to the counter and the pin no matter how much flour I threw at it. I’d get a circle rolled out then would have to peel it off the counter, turning it into a misshapen pile of dough, so that took me a while. Plus I don’t have the best fine motor skills, so shaping perfect pleats in the dumplings was a challenge, but all my dumplings held together and none broke apart, so I counted that as a success. I pan fried the potstickers in a small amount of oil because I like the crispy bottoms.

Though my oldest son and husband really enjoy potstickers, my other two boys don’t, so I used half the filling to make potstickers and then stir-fried the rest and used it to make lettuce wraps for the other boys. The potstickers were a hit and only a couple were left after dinner. We really liked the pork filling and will use it again for potstickers and lettuce wraps, though I look forward to trying the shrimp filling, too.

Thanks to Jen of Use Real Butter for hosting this month and for giving us such a fun challenge. Visit her site to get her full recipe with all the variations, complete with beautiful photos.

To see all of the dumplings, visit The Daring Kitchen Blogroll and the Daring Bakers Gallery at Foodgawker.

CHINESE DUMPLINGS AND POTSTICKERS

Adapted from Use Real Butter.

Makes about 40 dumplings.

Equipment

1 (4 to 5-quart) mixing bowl
1 (3 quart) mixing bowl (or food processor)
rolling pin (dowel type, not tapered)
plate or pan covered with flour
damp tea towel
large fry pan (or wok with steamer insert)
small bowl

Ingredients

PORK FILLING
1 pound (450 g) ground pork
4 large napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced (if dried, rehydrate and rinse carefully)
1/2 cup (75 g) bamboo shoots, minced
1/4 cup (55 g) ginger root, minced
3 tablespoons (40 g) soy sauce
2 tablespoons (28 g) sesame oil
2 tablespoons (16 g) corn starch

DOUGH (Enough for about 40 dumplings. Make 2 batches for a full batch of filling, or cut the filling in half.)
2 cups (250g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113 g) warm water
flour for work surface

DIPPING SAUCE (Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, amounts of optional ingredients to taste.)
2 parts soy sauce
1 part red wine or black vinegar
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. FILLING: Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to a day but preferably within an hour or two.

2. DOUGH: In the medium bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch. (Food Processor Method: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.) Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water. Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes.

3. SHAPE THE DUMPLINGS: Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1-1/2 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc, about 1/16th inch (2 to 3 mm). Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in Jen’s post for how to fold pleats). Place the shaped dumplings on the floured plate. Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

4. COOK: Choose any of the following methods:
BOIL: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.

STEAM: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.

PAN FRY (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.

Previous Daring Challenges

You can see all of my previous Daring Challenges in the the Daring Challenges tag list.

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Some of my favorite things to order at Chinese restaurants are the dishes I won’t make at home, basically anything battered and fried. I’m not lazy, I just don’t enjoy cleaning up the splattery mess I always seem to make when frying. Orange chicken is one of my favorites, but I always save it for eating out.

Helen Chen’s new book, Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, has a modified recipe that turns the classic battered and fried dish into a quick stir-fry. Some Chinese restaurants ruin orange chicken by making it overly sweet, but Chen’s version gives you orange flavor without all the sweetness. After tasting it the first time we decided we wanted more orange flavor in the sauce and started adding orange zest. I also like to use slivered fresh red jalapeno and used it as colorful garnish at the end rather than the dried chiles.

You can find my full review of Easy Chinese Stir-Fries at Andrea’s Reviews.

MANDARIN ORANGE CHICKEN

Adapted from Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, by Helen Chen.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Equipment

medium bowl
small bowl
wok
platter

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (I used just 1 teaspoon.)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (I use rice vinegar.)
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
zest of one orange (optional, my addition)
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 ounces (113 g) snow peas, ends and strings removed, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces
2 to 4 dried chile peppers, seeds removed (I used jalapenos, seeded and cut in long thin slices.)
1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled
2 slices fresh ginger, unpeeled
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

Preparation

1. In the medium bowl, stir together the wine and cornstarch. Add the chicken and mix well.

2. In the small bowl, stir together the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice concentrate, and orange zest (optional).

3. In the wok, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat, until the wok is hot but not smoking. Add the snow peas and cook while stirring just until they turn dark green, about 30 seconds. Remove to a platter, spreading them around so they aren’t layered on top of each other. You want them to stop cooking.

4. In the wok, heat the remaining canola oil with the peppers. If using dried chiles, cook until they turn dark brown, almost black. Discard. If using sliced jalapenos, cook until the edges turn dark, then remove to a small bowl. Set aside for garnish.

5. Add the garlic and ginger and stir around the pan a few times until they sizzle.

6. Increase the heat to high and add the chicken. Stir for about 1 minute, then add the orange sauce and continue stirring for another minute or two. When the chicken is almost done, remove the garlic and ginger slices.

7. Add the mandarin oranges and stir gently to heat them and finish the chicken, about 1 more minute.

8. Spoon the chicken and oranges on top of the plated snow peas and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Other Asian Recipes

More Chinese Recipes From Around the Blogs

Steamy Kitchen – Chinese Egg Rolls

Rasa Malaysia – Chinese Steamed Buns

Appetite for China – Shandong-Style Asparagus

Red Cook – Red Cooked Pork

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Bok choy is one of my favorite types of cabbage because it’s both leafy and crispy, lending a nice mix of textures in a dish, and I like it stir-fried simply with chicken, garlic, and ginger. This time I tried Jaden’s technique for starting with a cold wok, which was totally contrary to any wokking I had done before, but I like it. The garlic and ginger infused the oil and imparted lots of flavor to the chicken and bok choy. I hardly ever measure ingredients when stir-frying, so the measurements below are an approximation.

We planted some bok choy this spring, and I wish the bok choy came from our garden, but it’s not ready yet. We do has some little seedlings sprouting, so hopefully in a few weeks we’ll have some baby plants ready to pick and enjoy.

CHICKEN BOK CHOY

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Equipment

wok

Ingredients

1 pound bok choy (or 1 pound baby bok choy)
4 tablespoons canola oil
3 (about 1 pound/454 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips 1/2 inch/5 mm thick
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 ounces (4 tablespoons/60 ml) chicken stock or broth

Preparation

1. Trim off the stem of the bok choy, separate the stalks, and rinse each clean of dirt and debris. Cut each stem into 2-inch pieces, then spit them in half or thirds lengthwise. Set aside. (If using baby bok choy, just trim the stems and rinse well.)

2. Set the cold wok on the burner, pour in 2 tablespoons of the canola oil down the side of the wok and swirl to distribute. Add the garlic and ginger and turn on the heat, cooking until the wok is hot. Keep an eye on it so the garlic and ginger don’t burn.

3. Add the sliced chicken and cook for about 2 minutes, until the meat starts turning white. Remove to a plate and cover.

4. Pour in the rest of the canola oil and the bok choy (can do it in two batches if necessary). Stir for about 2 minutes, then add the scallions and cook until the vegetables are bright green and just tender.

5. Return the chicken to the wok and add the soy sauce and chicken stock. Cook for form 1 to 2 minutes, until evenly heated.

6. Serve with steamed rice.

More Asian Recipes

More Bok Choy Recipes From Around the Blogs

Rasa Malaysia – Baby Bok Choy with Garlic and Shrimp

Steamy Kitchen – Bok Choy Stir Fry

A Veggie Venture – Bok Choy Salad with Chinese Salad Dressing

Limes & Lycopene – Tofu Salad with Asparagus & Bok Choy

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

We planted three eggplants in May, but sadly they were overtaken by flea beetles, a really nasty little pest that devoured the plants. Unable to find an organic solution for getting rid of them, we had to remove the plants from the garden to prevent the pests from spreading. So we’ve been buying eggplants this summer, but the loss won’t deter us from trying again next year.

It’s a good thing eggplant is in season because I’ve been on an eggplant binge. I saw these beautiful Chinese eggplants at the big Asian grocery store for just 99 cents a pound and couldn’t pass them up, or the beautiful black beauty eggplants for the same price. About six eggplants came home with me that day, and Michael was understandably curious about my plans for all the eggplant cluttering the counter. I had grill, roast, and stir fry on my mind.

This recipe comes from Ashbury’s Aubergines, a site devoted to eggplant recipes. I modified a few things, such as slicing the eggplant slightly thicker so it wouldn’t slip through the cracks on the grill, and using honey instead of sugar. The sugar does not dissolve well, and if you warm the honey slightly, it mixes into the sauce nicely.

The recipe calls for one to three jalapeno or serrano peppers, and you can leave in or take out the seeds depending on how much heat you can stand. Though Michael would have loved to take it all the way with three peppers and all the seeds, I stuck with mild and used one of our homegrown jalapeno’s minus the seeds, which gave us a pretty mild sauce. I think we could have added another pepper and had some great flavor. Some Sichuan peppercorns would have been very tasty.

We served it with some grilled pork chops that I also rubbed with sesame oil before grilling, and we thought the pairing worked well. We did double the sauce recipe to ensure there would be enough for the eggplant and the pork. You could also do this with salmon, which has a stronger flavor yet would work well with the sauce.

Kelly of Sass and Veracity is celebrating her 100,000th visitor with a virtual party and a giveaway. Happy 100,00th to Kelly! We’re supposed to serve up a dish that chef Gordon Ramsay won’t hate or might even possibly enjoy. Frankly, I think enjoy is a long shot, so I can only hope that he would run out of expletives before tasting anything I make. We like it, and that’s what counts in my book.

More Recipes You Might Like

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Fat Free Vegan Kitchen – Nasu Dengaku (Japanese Eggplants Broiled with Miso)

Cookbook Catchall – Baby Stuffed Eggplant

Tea & Cookies – Yasi Naku with My Japanese Mother

Equipment

grill
wok
small bowl

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds Chinese or Japanese eggplant, peeled and cut diagonally in 1/2-inch slices
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola or peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, white part minced, green part thinly sliced
1 to 3 jalapeno or serrano chilies, minced (We used one of our homegrown peppers minus the seeds and thought it was pretty mild.)

SAUCE
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or sugar (If you warm the honey a bit, it mixes in easily.)
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation

1. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Bush the slices with the sesame oil and grill over medium heat until they have softened and the purple color is gone. (You can do this step up to 24 hours before serving, just refrigerate the grilled eggplant.)

2. SAUCE: In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar, honey, and cornstarch. Set aside.

3. Preheat the wok on high. Swirl in the canola/peanut oil. If the wok is hot enough, the oil should move quickly around the wok. Add the garlic, ginger, scallion whites (not the green parts), and chilies. Stir for 10 seconds, until brown and fragrant. Add the eggplant and stir for 1 minute. Stir the sauce and add it to the wok. Bring the mixture to a boil. The sauce should thicken.

4. Serve hot or cold as an appetizer or vegetable side dish.

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Source: adapted from Ashbury’s Aubergines

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