Cooking with Alison

Archive for the ‘Asian’ Category

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Jap Chae Recipe (Korean Glass Noodle Dish)

In Rice and Noodle Dishes on August 5, 2011 at am

Jap chae (or chap chae) is a flavourful Korean glass noodle dish that can be served as a side dish or as a main course.  [Note that Korean glass noodles are made with sweet potato starch and are thicker than Chinese cellophane noodles, so be sure to check the ingredients so you don't purchase the wrong ones.]  Enjoy this noodle dish warm or at room temperature (but not cold). 

The flavour and ingredients of chap chae vary slightly depending on the restaurant or home, so feel free to use whatever vegetables or protein you like (ie. spinach and peppers) and adjust the seasonings to your taste.  Although many people add thinly sliced beef to their jap chae, I prefer this as a vegetarian/vegan dish.  Also, this is the perfect make-ahead dish for entertaining, bbqs, or pot lucks, because it tastes better over the next day or two.

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Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with Dipping Sauce Recipes

In Other Asian Foods, Rice and Noodle Dishes on July 24, 2011 at am

Vietnamese rice paper rolls are versatile, easy to make, and can be served as an appetizer or the main.  They’re perfect for parties and pot lucks, because they can be made in advance and they make wonderful gluten free, vegetarian or vegan options.  Just slice them in half crosswise on a diagonal and serve with dipping sauce.

The most commonly known Vietnamese rice paper rolls have prawns (see recipe below).  However, you could think of it like a tortilla wrap and use whatever fresh vegetables, herbs, protein, and rice noodles or mung bean noodles that you happen to have on hand.  For vegetables, I recommend using bean sprouts or julienned cucumber, carrots, bell peppers, cooked shiitake mushrooms, etc.  Try adding slices of fresh mango!  For protein, use strips of cooked chicken, pork, beef, tofu, or even Korean bulgogi (marinated and barbecued meat).  I love making a simple Peking duck inspired rice noodle roll with shredded roasted chicken, julienned English cucumbers, shredded green onions, hoisin sauce, and sesame paste or tahini.  This is a great way to transform leftovers into something completely different.  The components of the rice noodle rolls are usually simple and even a bit bland, but they are delicious when paired with flavourful dipping sauces.  I particularly like making these in the summer, because you don’t have to use the oven or stand over the stove.

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Chinese Ginger Vinegar with Pig Trotters and Eggs

In Other Asian Foods on July 8, 2011 at am

Cooking with Alison’s Grandma (Part 2 of 4)

Chinese ginger vinegar (geung chou) is very good for your health.  It supposedly helps your body to warm itself and expel “wind” from your body.  According to Chinese medicine, excess “wind” inside your body can cause all sorts of ailments including joint pain, arthritis, headaches, etc.  This is traditionally made for women who have just given birth and is shared with friends and visitors in celebration of the arrival of the baby.  However, it can be enjoyed by anyone, at any time of the year.  I love the flavour and the texture of the pigs feet.  Everyone makes this dish slightly differently, but my favourite version has always been my grandma’s.  So when I visited her in NYC, I asked her to share her recipe. I was surprised by how few ingredients are required.  My grandma starts the process 3 months ahead of time, but the steps are simple and most of the time is spent resting the ginger and vinegar.

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Pan Fried Steamed Buns Recipe

In Other Asian Foods, Steamed Bread on June 21, 2011 at am

Chinese steamed buns are delicious plain and straight out of the steamer.  But if you haven’t tried pan fried steamed buns, then you’re definitely missing out.  Unlike steamed buns, pan fried buns have crispy, golden brown bottoms and are often served with a Chinese black vinegar dip.  You start with fresh, raw homemade buns and you pan fry and steam cook them at the same time.  (Next time, I will try doing this with frozen, raw buns and I will update this post at that time.)

In the photo below, I’ve shown most of the buns upside down, but when serving pan fried buns, you should plate them with the crispy bottom down.

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Steamed Chicken (or Pork) and Chinese Chive Buns

In Dim Sum, Other Asian Foods, Steamed Bread on June 19, 2011 at am

I love Chinese steamed buns with savoury meat fillings.  (See my pork and napa cabbage filling here.)  Although these buns are time consuming to make from scratch, they’re easy to make and homemade buns don’t have MSG.  If you take the time to make a large batch, you can freeze the extras and make your efforts last.

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Pork and Napa Cabbage Steamed Buns

In Dim Sum, Other Asian Foods, Steamed Bread on June 17, 2011 at am

Chinese steamed buns are usually eaten for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, and they make the best snacks.  Best served piping hot, they can be made with sweet or, my preference, savoury fillings.  (See my chicken or pork and Chinese chive recipe here.)  Although these buns are time consuming to make from scratch, they are quite easy to make and I’ve provided a shortcut option in the recipe below.  Also, you can make a large batch at one time and freeze the extras.  Although the store-bought frozen buns can go from the freezer to the table in under 20 minutes, they contain MSG, preservatives and too much sodium.

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Mango and Chicken Stir Fry

In Meat and Eggs on June 11, 2011 at am

My favourite mango chicken dish is surprisingly simple and is served at the restaurant, Magic Wok in Markham, ON.  They stir fry pieces of chicken with slices of fresh mango and ginger and serve it in a delicious basket made from deep fried shredded taro.  I’m on the look out for the properly shaped Chinese wire basket/strainers so that I may recreate this restaurant style dish at home.  In the meantime, I make a homestyle chicken and mango stir fry with bell peppers for added crunch and colour.  Feel free to use whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand.


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Chinese Borscht Recipe (Lor Sung Tong)

In Other Asian Foods, Soups and Salads on June 2, 2011 at am

Originating from Ukraine, borscht is a soup that is made with beets as the main ingredient.  Surprisingly, you may find borscht or even Russian borscht (“loh sung tong” / “lor sung tong”) on the menus of some Hong Kong style diners.  The borscht served in these Chinese restaurants is more like a hot and sour vegetable soup with tomatoes and/or tomato paste as the main ingredient(s).  It’s delicious and my siblings and I love it.  In fact, every time my brother sees me, he asks me when I’m going to make more of this soup for him.  I made it for my housemate recently and she asked for the recipe.  Every Chinese restaurant makes their borscht slightly differently, so feel free to add whatever vegetables you like.  The following recipe was created to taste just like the soup that’s served at our favourite Hong Kong style diner in Markham, ON.

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How to Make Chinese Rice Wine

In Drinks, How To, Other Asian Foods on April 14, 2011 at am

Cooking with Alison’s Grandma (Part 1 of 4)

We had a family reunion in NYC to celebrate my grandma’s 80th birthday in March, 2011.  While I was there, I asked her to show me how she makes some of the family’s favourite dishes.  This is how she makes Chinese rice wine.  It is surprisingly easy to make!

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Chinese Steamed Pork Belly with Muy Choi

In Meat and Eggs on March 30, 2011 at am

I remember the first time I tried this dish.  It was at Magic Wok Restaurant in Markham, ON and my family liked it so much that for a long time after that, we ordered two of them every time we went.  The sauce and muy choi are a combination of salty, sour, and sweet flavours that are delicious on plain white rice.  The meat is tender from a multi-step cooking process.  But the best part is the rind.  The fat gets broken down into a soft and slightly gummy texture.  Since most of the fat has been boiled and steamed out of the rind, you get all of the deliciousness without the grease.  If you make this a day in advance, you can remove even more fat after it chills through in the refrigerator.

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Teriyaki Chicken with Bean Sprout Medley (and a teriyaki sauce recipe)

In Meat and Eggs, Sides and Sauces on March 6, 2011 at am

Teriyaki sauce ranges from thick to thin and salty to sweet depending on where you’re getting it from.  This is my favourite teriyaki sauce recipe.  Adjust the consistency and flavouring to your taste.  Serve this with miso soup (recipe here) and Japanese restaurant style salad with miso dressing (recipe here).

Photos above:  Teriyaki sauce used as a marinade (left) and used as a sauce poured over cooked chicken (right).

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Steamed Minced Pork (3 Variations)

In Meat and Eggs on February 16, 2011 at am

In many Chinese homes, this quick and simple dish is served with rice and other dishes for dinner.  I have provided recipes for 3 different variations, but you could use any ingredients and any combination that you like.  My favourite combination is the steamed minced pork with salty duck eggs.  (I will load a photo the next time I make it.)

Steamed minced pork with muy choi (Chinese salted mustard) is shown below.  Note that traditionally, the meat is seasoned with soy sauce and the muy choi is simply scattered over the top.  However, I’ve reduced the sodium of this dish by omitting the soy sauce and mixing the muy choi (which is already salty) in with the meat.

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