Cookish: What's for dinner?

My boyfriend had the audacity to go to Japan without me a couple years ago
(It was before he met me, but whatever). He still has longing for Japan, so he requested Katsudon for dinner, which I made with chicken rather than pork because I like chicken better. I adapted the recipe from http://japanesefood.about.com/od/pork/r/katsudon.htm and http://norecipes.com/blog/katsudon-recipe/

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts or 4 chicken cutlets
flour
egg
panko
salt
pepper
oil

If not using cutlets, cut your breasts in half horizontally and pound slightly. Dust with seasoned flour, dip in beaten egg, and coat  with panko. Heat your oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook each cutlet until golden brown on all sides. Allow to cool slightly and cut into strips

4 cups cooked Japanese sticky rice, white rice, or jasmine rice
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 TBS mirin
1 TBS sugar
several dashes fish sauce or worcestershire
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 eggs

Put stock in a pan on medium heat. Add soy sauce, mirin, and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. To cook 1 serving of katsudon, put one quarter of the liquid in a small skillet. Add one quarter of onion slices and simmer for a few minutes on medium heat. Add 1 serving of chicken pieces in the pan and simmer on low heat for a few minutes. Beat an egg in a bowl. Bring the soup to a boil on medium heat, then pour the egg over chicken and onion. Turn the heat down to low and put on a lid. Turn off the heat and allow to sit on the burner for 1-2 minutes until the egg is set. Serve 1 serving of steamed rice in a large rice bowl, then pour everything on top of the rice. Repeat the process.

This was quite yummy and filling, if salty, which is why I suggest reduced-sodium products where possible Next time I am going to consider adding thinly sliced mushrooms, carrots, and/or peas to the onion. I did add some pre-cooked broccoli and it was pretty good

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Thai Noodle Bowl with Shrimp

*adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

Ingredients

• 4 oz. rice noodles
• 1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. thai green curry paste
• 1 lb. peeled, deveined medium shrimp, cut in half
• 1 pkg of stir-fry veggies*
  hot sauce to taste
• Salt and pepper
• Cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook noodles; drain. In same pot, bring 1 cup water, coconut milk, soy sauce and curry paste to a simmer. Add veggies and shrimp and cook until shrimp are opaque and veggies are crisp-tender. I cut the shrimp in half to make them cook faster and make it seem like there are more shrimp! (but you can leave them whole if you prefer.) Season with salt and pepper and hot sauce. Divide noodles among bowls and ladle soup on top. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

   *I used a package from the refrigerated section that contained broccoli slaw, sugar snap peas, carrots, and broccoli. But you can use any veggies you like.

Cookish: What's for dinner?

This recipe is adapted from Food Network Magazine.

Cantonese Chicken and Mushrooms

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup oyster sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons veg oil

1/2 inch ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or microplaned

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1/2 head of cabbage, chopped into approx. 1-in squares

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 cup shelled edamame

cooked white, basmati, or jasmine rice.

Toss the chicken with the oyster sauce in a bowl. Mix the cornstarch with 3 tbs cold water in a separate bowl. Place both bowls near the stove with the other ingredients.

Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add the oil, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry about 20 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until opaque, 2-3 mins. Stir in the mushrooms and bok choy.

Add the broth and sesame oil and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch, return to a boil, and cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and glossy, 2-3 minutes. Add edamame and toss until warmed through. Serve over rice.

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Shrimp over Coconut Rice

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

one 13.5-oz can of Lite Coconut Milk

salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice

1 tbs green curry paste

6-8 oz fresh or frozen sugar snap peas

10 oz frozen peas

3/4 lbs of shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp rice wine vinegar or the juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp fish sauce (optional)

Cook the rice per package directions, substituting 2/3 cup of coconut milk for an equivalent amount of water and salting the liquid (but not too much--maybe 1 tsp salt) before cooking. Once the liquid has come to a boil and you've added the rice, you can prep your other ingredients.

While the rice is cooking, put the remaining coconut milk in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the curry paste. Add the peas and sugar snap peas. When the mixture is hot, add the shrimp and cook until pink and firm, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and fish sauce. Serve over the coconut rice.

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Asian Eggplant Stir-fry

Ingredients

1 shallot, chopped or thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, grated or minced

vegetable oil

sesame oil

about 3 cups chopped eggplant (about 1/2 medium eggplant)

1-2 cups sugar snap peas

1 carrot, sliced

1 tsp oyster sauce

1/2 tsp chili-garlic sauce (could be increased)

1 tbp soy sauce

1 tsp hoisin

splash water

Cooked rice, for serving (I used brown rice, but white or jasmine would also be good)

Put a pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil to coat. Begin sauteeing the chopped shallot until it begins to caramelize. Add the garlic and the eggplant and stir-fry until the eggplant begins to brown and soften. After a few minutes, add the carrots, followed by the sugar snap peas. Stir together the oyster sauce, chili-garlic sauce, soy, hoisin, and water. Add the sauce mixture to the pan, cover, and allow the eggplant to cook for 5 additional minutes. Test for doneness, and serve over rice!

The amount I made was determined by the size of my pan, but if you have a bigger pan, you could make more, or do the sauteeing in 2 batches.

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Pad Kee Mao

(Adapted from Chow.com: http://www.chow.com/recipes/11087-pad-kee-mao-spicy-ground-chicken-and-rice-noodles?tag=recipes;feature_recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 (14-ounce) package wide rice noodles
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 3 carrots, sliced on the bias
• a handful or two of shelled edamame
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 medium jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced (I seeded one and left the seeds in the other to temper the heat,but you could probably leave the seeds in both. It wasn't very hot)
• 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves

Directions

Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for about 15 minutes, until loose and pliable but not soft; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, combine oyster sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice, mix well, and set aside. (It is easy to do this in a measuring cup. Pour in 1/4 of fish sauce; add enough oyster sauce to get to the 1/2 cup mark, and then add enough lime to get to 3/4 cup.)

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. An 11-in pan is the biggest I have, but it's a bit small for this, so I had to make some adaptations. Once the pan is heated, add shallots and garlic and half the jalapeno and cook for 2 minutes or until softened but not brown. Add ground chicken and break into small pieces. Cook until chicken is white and almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add carrots, edamame, and the other jalepeno, and stir-fry just until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Remove some chicken mixture to a large bowl, and move the rest to the edges of the pan and add eggs to the center. Scramble with a spatula until eggs are set and don’t run, about 1 minute. Remove eggs to the large bowl and add reserved sauce mixture. Once the sauce is boiling, add the drained noodles and toss to coat. Once coated, add to the large bowl and toss with the other ingredients, including the basil. Serve immediately. Yum!

My adaptations make this less authentic, but it still tastes good

Cookish: What's for dinner?

I guess we can call this an attempt at lo mein.
Ingredients
1/4 onion
8 oz mushrooms
2 carrots
olive oil
salt
garlic clove
1 pkg frozen snow peas
3/4 cup frozen peas
cabbage
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup water
1 boullion cube
sesame oil
sesame seeds
1 tsp chili-garlic paste
2 pkg soy sauce (take-out size)
1 heaping tsp hoisin

Chop onions and sweat in oil w/ a little salt. Sice mushrooms, add to onions, and saute. Add 1 cup water and boullion cube; let simmer and begin to reduce. Cut carrots into matchsticks or circles, add to pan and allow to cook for a few minutes. Grate in garlic (using your handy microplane. You have one, right?); add chili-garlic paste. Mix cornstarch with soy and add to the veggies. Add snow peas and peas. Add cabbage (I used the plain green stuff, but you could use napa). Add hoisin sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil. Toss with 1/2 pkg of whole wheat thin spaghetti. Top with sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Quick Chicken Stir-fry

Ingredients

Marinade:
¼ cup soy
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tsp sweet hot mustard
½ tsp chili garlic sauce
½ tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic
1 tsp honey

1 chicken breast
Cornstarch

2 carrots

2 cups cabbage (I used the pain ol' green stuff, but napa would be good, too)
1/2 cup peas

¼ cup water

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs oyster sauce

Sesame seeds, optional

Chop up your chicken into small pieces. Stir together the marinade ingredients.

Toss the chicken with the cornstarch and add to the marinade.Slice up carrots and shred cabbage (Not on the same cutting board as the chicken. But you knew that, right?)

Put enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken & marinade. Cook chicken, remove from pan. Add veggies and ¼ cup water. Cook until most of the water has evaporated and the veggies are crisp-tender. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with 1 tbs sesame oil and 1 tbs oyster sauce.

Serve over Jasmine Rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Notes: This was pretty tasty, but a little salty. Next time I will try adding hoisin instead of oyster sauce at the end.