Asian Delights the Tess Harris Cookbook (PDF)

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Tess Harris aka bisayanqueen

Tess Harris is a home cook, blogger and author of The Tess Harris

essert Cookbook and the best selling Asian Delights - The Tess Harris

Cookbook .

Tess currently resides in Northwest Florida with her husband of 25 yearsand their son. She loves to cook spending 6 to 8 hours a day developing

and testing new recipes. When she is not in the kitchen, she reads

cookbooks as if they are romance novels! She also enjoys reading

biographies, memoirs and foreign language movies (European, Japanese

and Korean).

In 2004, Tess and her family left their fast paced, stressful life in Las

Vegas, Nevada and moved to a small town in West Texas. While in the

process of figuring out what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, she

started cooking and experimenting with different recipes. And then her

husband introduced her to Yahoo!360 blogging platform thereby starting

her own blog in March 2006. She started showcasing her recipes with full-

color photos, revolutionary at a time when even the giant

FoodNetwork.com did not have photos paired with recipes and people did

not freely share their recipes online as they do now.

It did not take long before her blog was featured as one of the “MostInteresting Pages” on Yahoo!360.

You can contact her at [email protected]



Copyright ©2014 TESS HARRIS

All efforts have been made to ensure this cookbook is free from errors or

problems. I do not take responsibility for loss or action to any individual

as a result of the material presented here.ASIAN DELIGHTS THE TESS HARRIS COOKBOOK. Copyright © 2014

by Tess Harris. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American

Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been

granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text

of this e-book on screen. No part of the text maybe reproduced,

transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or

introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any formor by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or

hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the author.

ISBN-13: 978-1497367340



To my husband, Willie, for his wholehearted

support and for having a clear vision of what

is possible. To our son, Ramon, who’s very

articulate and wise for his age, for having the

ability to explain things in the simplest way.

Thank you son for enriching my life. To

anay, my very first kitchen mentor, for

teaching me the importance and the magicthat sea salt brings to all dishes, especially in

sweet concoctions and desserts.



Acknowledgments

Book Cover Design by WHJ

Cover Photos by RCH



INTRODUCTION

MY INTEREST AND CURIOSITY ABOUT FOOD and cooking

was motivated by learning how to cook for my husband. I was 19 years

old when I met him and my cooking skills were mediocre. I only knew a

few simple Filipino dishes, and he was not fond of Filipino food. So when

I moved in with him, I knew I had to learn how to cook so I could

impress him. Whenever we were invited over to his friends’ house, I

would pay attention to the food being served, following the American

wives around like a puppy and asking them detailed questions about what

was in the food and how it was cooked.

My first attempt at impressing him was making Pork Stuffed Chicken

reast which I pulled from “Cooking for One” by Betty Crocker. That

recipe required ground pork and a boneless chicken breast. I did not haveground pork, so I cut them into pieces and loaded them up in his Black &

Decker Blender. I barely finished grinding the pork when smoke started

coming out from the base of the blender! I blew the blender motor and

rendered it unusable! I did not grow up with kitchen equipment and didn’t

read the instruction manual. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to grind

pork in a blender! At 19 I was still inexperienced and naive. Despite a

totally blown-out blender, I managed to cook the stuffed chicken with

pork and was extremely surprised that my husband liked it. He still

remembers that dish to this day!

Twenty seven years later, I still cook to impress him. Except now I have

to impress him and our son, Ramon.

This book is a collection of mouthwatering recipes I serve my family

and friends regularly. Each one has been tested over and over again. Many

of the recipes are Asian restaurant favorites including Shrimp Fried Rice,

gg Drop Soup, Pork Egg Rolls, Hot Pepper Beef, Kung Pao Chicken,Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce, Sushi Rice, Salmon and Avocado Rolls,

ilipino Lumpia, Pancit, Pad Thai, Korean Cucumber Kimchee and much

more.

Two of the recipes: Bulgogi and Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam) were

listed #23 and #45 respectively on the World's 50 Most Delicious Foods by

CNN Go in 2011.



Additionally, this book reveals Chinese restaurant cooks’ tips and

secrets on how to successfully prepare dishes that melt in your mouth.

Each recipe contains easy to understand, step by step instructions to guide

you through from beginning to end. I also included photos of ingredients

you may not be familiar with to help you find them at your local Asian

markets and stores.

There is one ingredient I use in almost all of my cooking and the recipes

included in this book and that is Thai hot chili peppers. I use them fresh,

dried, and/or ground. This is because my husband loves hot and spicy

foods. However, do not let the words “hot and spicy” scare you. All

recipes can be prepared without cayenne or hot peppers, with the

exception of hot pepper powder and hot pepper paste called for in the

Korean recipes. This is because hot pepper powder and hot pepper pasteare necessary ingredients to achieve the taste that is inherent in Korean

cuisine, especially Bulgogi and Kimchee.

I can guarantee that the recipes in this book are going to make you

famous with your friends and loved by your family as they come back for

seconds or thirds. They will get you extra kisses and hugs from your loved

ones with easy, lunch box friendly recipes such as Barbecued Pork in a

un, Buns of Sweet n’ Spicy Pork, Rice Muffins, Kimbap and many more.

I hope you turn to this book whenever you feel like indulging yoursel

and treating your family with mouthwatering Asian Delights.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!



Contents

The Basics

Kitchen Tools and Equipment

Seasoning a Wok

Methods of CookingCooking Rice

Ingredients

Commonly Used Ingredients

Asian Fusion and Chinese Ingredients

Fili pino Ingredients

Japanese Ingredients

Kor ean IngredientsThai Ingredients

Asian Fusion

Oriental Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Vegetable Salad

Honey Mustard Dressing

Chicken and Marinade

Ginger Lime Marinated Broiled Chicken

Stir Fried Green Beans

Quick Fried R ice

Chicken in Spicy Asian Sauce

Spicy Asian Sauce

Curried Chicken Salad

Roasted Chicken Breasts

Curried Salad Dressing

Lime Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki Dipping Sauce

Orange Ginger Chicken

Orange Ginger Sauce

Spicy Curried Deviled Eggs

Curried Dressing



Sesame Dipping Sauce

Wild, Hot Asian Wings

Tess’ Homemade Seasoning

Angel Hair Noodles, Asian Style

Asian Spiced Grilled Beef Fried Meat and Tofu Patties

Pork Wonton Stuffed Bell Peppers

Sweet Rum BBQ Pork Steaks

Rum Barbecue Sauce

Asian Pork and Potato Soup

Baby Back Ribs with Apricot White Wine Glaze

Apricot – White Wine GlazeBacon Sauteed Asparagus

Bittermelon with Pork and Salted Black Beans

Braised Pork Chops with Anise Spiced Hoisin Plum Glaze

Anise Spiced Hoisin Plum Glaze

Curry Spiced Rubbed Pork Chops

Curried Vegetables

Fiery Cilantro DressingGround Pork and Bittermelon in Oyster Sauce

Oriental Glazed Pork Ribs

Hoisin Plum Glaze

Pork Steaks with Sweet Barbecue Sauce

Salt Pork Fried Rice

Buns of Sweet and Spicy Pork (Baked Siopao)

The Dough and the BunsSweet n’ Spicy Pork Filling

Siopao Dipping Sauce

Sweet Potato Noodles on Sauteed Ground Pork

Butternut Squash Fritters

Garlic Green Beans Lovers' Delight

Blackened Salmon with Spicy Crust



Sautéed Asparagus with Whole Garlic Cloves

Horseradish Mayonnaise

Drunken Fried Fish

Jumbo Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce

Shrimp with Horseradish Salad DressingHorseradish Salad Dressing

Spice Crusted Tilapia

Lime – Sesame Dipping Sauce

Salted Coco Caramel Sauce

Banana Rice Muffins

Chinese

Easy and Simple Egg RollsBarbecued Pork in a Bun

Gingery Egg Drop Soup

Beef and Green Beans with Oyster Sauce

Beef in Black Bean Sauce

Chicken in Plum Sauce

Beef with Honey and Roasted Sesame Seeds

Chicken with Fermented Black BeansCorn Soup

Beef with Oyster Sauce and Vegetables

Chinese Five Spiced Pork Burger Patties

Egg and Tofu Soup

Hoisin Baby Back Ribs

Shrimp with Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Hot Beef and Green BeansKung Pao Chicken

Pan Fried Shrimp

Hot Pepper Beef

Pork in Black Bean Sauce

Pork Spareribs Soup

Pork Meatballs with Vegetables



Beef Brisket Noodle Soup

Salt Pepper Shrimp

Sautéed Jalapeños

Sesame Chicken

Teriyaki Dipping SauceShrimp Fried Rice

Pork Egg Rolls

Spicy Chicken Zucchini Stir Fried with Oyster Sauce


Stir Fried Shrimp and Green Beans

Spicy Chicken with Water Chestnuts

FilipinoAsian Stir-Fry Wraps (Fresh Lumpia)

Fresh Lumpia Wrappers (Crepes)

Sweet Asian Fresh Lumpia Sauce

Pork Shrimp Vegetable Stir-Fry (Filling)

Siopao – A Dangerous Experiment

Siopao Buns

Chicken with Spicy Asian SauceSpicy Asian Sauce

Lumpia

Lumpia (Filling)

Mung Bean Soup

Pancit Bihon (Sauteed Rice Noodles)

Pinakbet

Pineapple ChickenPork and Shrimp Sauteed Green Beans

Pork Shrimp Rice Sticks

Rice and Chicken Soup (Arroz Caldo)

Rice Muffins

Salt Pork Sauteed Butternut Squash Soup

Salt Pork Stir-fried Bittermelon



Shanghai Lumpia

Skewered Barbecued Pork

Sweet Potato Soup

Biko with Coco Caramel

Coco Caramel ToppingGlutinous Rice and Sweet Potato Soup

Japanese

Sushi Rice

Rice Vinegar Syrup

Sushi Taro Rice

Salmon and Avocado Rolls

Sesame Spiced SalmonRice Vinegar Syrup

Cook Nishiki Rice Using the Electric Rice Cooker

Make Sushi Rice or Vinegared Rice

Tofu with Soy Rice Vinegar Sauce

Tsukune Turkey in Teriyaki Sauce

Vegetable Tempura

Chicken StripsPork Cutlets in Panko Bread Crumbs

Crispy Sweet Potatoes Tempura

Japanese Style Fried Fish

Sirloin Steaks Golden Curry

Korean

Korean Noodles (Japchae)

Korean Cucumber KimcheeDangmyeon (Sweet Potato Noodles) with Ground Pork

Easy Cucumber Kimchee

Bulgogi (Korean Beef BBQ)

Garlic Sesame Flank Steaks

Kimbap (A la sushi Korean style)

Thai



Papaya Salad

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Easy Green Chicken Curry

Larb

Green Beans and Pork in Coconut Milk Pork and Shrimp Pad Thai

Pad Thai Sauce

Green Beef Curry with Potatoes

Shrimp Pad Thai

Red Curry Chicken with Bamboo Shoots

Thai Beef Salad

Steak MarinadeThai Beef Salad Dressing

Thai Fish Cakes

Homemade Red Curry Paste

Fish Cakes Dipping Sauce

Vietnamese Meatball Soup



“You’re only as good as your ingredients, the tools at your

disposal and your creative imagination.”

The Basics



Kitchen Tools and EquipmentIf there’s a vice that I could freely have, it would be buying all the cookbooks in print,

buying pots, pans, plates and other kitchen tools and gadgets I want. Not need. Want. Butsince I do not have the luxury of doing this… As a home cook I only have the basic

kitchen tools and equipment I need to prepare, cook and serve foods to my family andfriends.

The best place to buy cooking equipment and other kitchen utensils is at a restaurantsupply store. You might spend a dollar or two extra for each item, but the equipment andutensils are made and designed for restaurant use. They are sturdier and made to

ithstand heavy, everyday use compared to the ones you will find at supermarkets or superstores. In the end, you will get more for your money.

If there’s one in your area, Sam’s Club carries limited supply of restaurant equipmentand utensils for a bit less. The quality is not par with the quality of equipment at a

restaurant supplies store, but for the price, they are great.

Baking sheets or sheet pans are invaluable kitchen tools. I

use them every single day. They are multipurpose, made of stainless steel. I use them as baking pans, shallow roasting pans, cookie sheets, broiler pans, trays to hold preparedingredients, and whatever else I need them for in the kitchen. A pack of 2 baking sheetsusually cost $11, depending on what region you are in.

Wok spatula is an invaluable tool when stir frying.

14 inch carbon steel wok. Light weight but needs “seasoning”.



Bodum cast iron wok. Heavy and stable. Great if you have gas burners. No need toseason.

Zojirushi electric rice cooker. Simple to use.

J.A. Henckels International Fine Edge. These are my only two knives for the past 7years: 8-inch chef’s knife and 5-inch utility knife. Stays sharp longer. I only have tosharpen them about once a month, and they are affordable.

Bamboo Steamer. It should be 2 inches smaller than the size of your wok. Great way tosteam buns.



Simple box grater.

Kitchen-Aid heavy bottomed pots and pans. I have this whole set. A bit pricey but verysturdy and well made.

Deep Fry Thermometer

Julienne/peeler. I use this to shred green papaya. Also a great tool for fruit art. Look for



one next time you are at a Thai market - costs around $6.

Round Bamboo Rolling Mat

Square Bamboo Rolling Mat

Bamboo Skimmer or Spider

Long Bamboo Chopsticks (17.5”) for cooking or stirring.



Seasoning a Wok First, you need to choose the right wok. Chinese restaurant chefs prefer carbon steel

oks because they are light weight, heat quickly, and cool down easily when removedfrom the heat. Carbon steel woks require “seasoning” which is time consuming and

involves a bit of work before you can start cooking in it. However, once they areseasoned, they become nonstick over time and can last a lifetime.

I myself have never heard of “seasoning” a wok until I started experimenting withChinese recipes. Growing up in a Filipino household with hardly the basics to survive,

e used a similar type tool, shaped like a wok we called “kawali” in Tagalog or “karaha” in my Waray dialect. There was no need to season the “kawali” or “karaha”

because it is made of alternate layers of stainless and aluminum. In fact, once we gotdone cooking in it, my mother would send me and my brother down the creek to scrub ituntil it was shiny and looked new.

In Chinese cooking however, a “seasoned” wok is a must have, a chef’s prized possession.

My first wok was a Bodum Chambord Enameled Cast Iron Wok with Glass Lid that Ihad bought at an AAFES store at our military base. I bought it for $30 at 50% off regular price. It is in this wok that I experimented, learned and perfected Chinese foodsand other Asian Fusion recipes. However, when we left Abilene, Texas and moved toFlorida, I gave it to Goodwill because it had sustained a small patch of rust at the

bottom. I loved my first wok, but it was too heavy and too big for home kitchens... and ittook a long time to heat up, especially over an electric burner.

Since I had given away my first wok, afterwards I bought a 14 inch flat-bottomed wok by Joyce Chen. In fact I liked this one so much, I asked my husband to buy me a secondone. I like it because it is light weight (enabling me to flip the wok one-handed), heatsup quickly and is big enough to cook enough food to serve four people.

The easiest and best way to season a wok is over a gas flame- but most homes haveelectric stoves. And since I have an electric stove, I had to use both the electric burner and oven to season my wok. I have even resorted to “burning” the wok over a grill oncharcoal flames… this helped but not much because I couldn’t hold the wok over flames

for too long without my hand getting very tired, and I had to spend almost 20 minutesscrubbing the ashes off the wok.

I will admit that effectively seasoning a wok over an electric burner can be timeconsuming and it is difficult to achieve the desired result. This is where the oven comesin. It will give your wok a bronze color that will darken as your wok gets more use.



Instructions on How to Season a Wok

Brand new, unseasoned wok.

1. Fill wok with water two-thirds full and bring to a boil for 7 – 10 minutes.

2. Pour out the boiling water. Pour a small amount of dishwashing liquid and scrub theok vigorously with a scouring pad (I used Scotch Brite™ pads). This process

removes the factory coating.

3. Rinse the wok and place it over the stove on medium-high heat until the wok hasdried. You should begin to notice a chemical “burning” smell.

4. Wrap damp dish cloths or bar towels on both the long handle and short handle of theok, especially if your wok has wooden or Phenolic handles.

5. Then, wrap the handles with aluminum foil. This process will keep the handles from burning or melting.

6. Turn on and preheat the oven at 425°F.



7. Pour 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (light olive oil, bacon grease, etc.) inside the wok and spread it around using a folded dish towel or kitchen towel. Do the same to theoutside with a different towel.

8. Place wok in the preheated oven upside down and bake for 25 minutes.

9. Remove wok from the oven and cool.

10. Repeat steps 5 through 8 two more times.

11. Take out the wok from the oven after the third seasoning.

12. Heat wok over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Stir fry choppedgarlic, ginger and green onions or sliced onions.

13. Keep stir frying until aromatics are browned and caramelized.



14. Discard browned aromatics and wipe the wok clean. Your wok is now seasonedand ready to use.



How to Care for your Wok

1. Wash with hot water immediately after each use. (DO NOT USE

DETERGENT or you will have to re-season your wok!)

2. Place wok on the stove over low heat until dry.

3. Rub 2 teaspoons cooking oil inside the wok. I found that the best fat

to rub on the wok before storing is bacon fat as it will not collect and

coagulate. Store in a dry place.



Additional Tips

1. Never leave or store food in the wok. Because the initial seasoning is

not thick enough to protect from liquid, food left for several hours on

the wok will cause rusting and erosion.

2. Parts of the thin coating after initial seasoning may rub off after the

first few uses. Don’t worry; keep using the wok. The black, thick

patina coating inside the wok is built over time. My woks are fairly

new, so they haven’t acquired the patina that Chinese cooks so desire

on their woks.

3. If you see a bit of rust forming on the inside or outside of your wok...

simply rub a small amount of cooking oil on the rusted part.



Methods of CookingBlanching in Oil, or “velveting”, is a traditional Chinese cooking technique used in

preparing meats for stir fry. It is designed to cook meats gently while sealing in flavorsand moisture. It is done using a wok with 3 or 4 cups vegetable oil heated between

300°F to 325°F. I usually use a deep fry thermometer to maintain the temperature of theoil.

The meat can either be beef, pork, or poultry, thinly sliced or cut into ¾ inch cubes.They are then blanched in oil between 300°F to 325°F for 5 – 7 minutes. I employ thistechnique in a number of recipes contained in the Chinese recipes chapter. The oil usedfor blanching meats can be re-used 2 or 3 times. Simply empty the hot oil into a heat

proof glass jar and let cool before storing covered with a tight lid. After blanching,clean the wok by scraping off burned bits and pieces before beginning to stir fry.

Stir frying is a Chinese cooking technique that utilizes a wok heated over high heatith a small amount of oil poured around inside the wok. Cutting the meat and

vegetables into a uniform size is a must to ensure quick cooking.

If a stir fry recipe calls for meat and vegetables, I stir fry them separately, usually thevegetables first, set them aside and stir fry the meat last. Then, I add the vegetables back into the wok with the stir fried meat after the sauce has been added, thus creating a finaldish. This technique keeps the vegetables crisp, prevents them from overcooking, andretains their distinct flavors.

Sautéing is the Western method of cooking food synonymous to stir frying but with the

use of a shallow pan or skillet that has vertical sides to keep the food from escaping asthe pan is jerked or stirred. Like stir frying, the skillet is heated over medium-high heat.Two or three tablespoons cooking oil or fat is added and the meat and/or vegetables aresautéed by jerking the pan or stirring the meats and/or vegetables with a spatula.

For sautéed dishes, the meat and vegetables are cut into pieces or thinly sliced to ensurecaramelization and fast cooking. Recipes contained in the Filipino chapter can be

prepared by either sautéing with the use of a 12 inch skillet or stir frying with the use oa 14 inch wok.

Pan Frying I often pan fry meat or fish that have been breaded with seasoned flour. I prefer this method of cooking when cooking fish or meat as compared to deep frying.We can still have the crunch and crispness but using less oil. Below are the lessons I’velearned throughout the years about pan frying:

Heat the skillet or pan before adding oil

For a 12 inch skillet, you need only 1 cup cooking oil, less for smaller

pans.

Oil must not fully cover the meat, poultry, or seafood being pan fried, or it



will result in oily and soggy food. This is especially true when pan frying

breaded pork chops. Food being pan fried must only be partially covered

in oil.

Sear the meat for 2 minutes on each side to seal in the juices then continue

frying until meat is cooked flipping often, every 2 or 3 minutes. When you

see the juices start to come out on top of the meat or fish, it is time to flip

to the other side.

When pan frying breaded fish, fry fish on one side for 4 - 5 minutes

before flipping to the other side. The goal is to crisp up one side before

flipping to the other side so the fish won’t fall apart. This is especially true

when pan frying delicate fish such as flounder.

Deep Frying A number of recipes in this book require deep frying. I myself do notown a deep fryer so I often use a heavy bottomed pot and/or wok to deep fry. The potmust be heated over medium-high heat before adding4 – 6 cups cooking oil. The oil must fill the pot at least 2 inches from the bottom so thefood is fully submerged.

The key to deep frying with very little oil absorption is the oil temperature. To provethis, I filled the wok with 3 cups canola oil and heated it to 350°F. Then I proceeded tofry 2 pounds of meat, in several batches. When I was done frying, I again measured theoil. The used oil measured just slightly less than 3 cups. I mean, it was so close, that I

could hardly tell the difference. The oil that was absorbed was less than 2 tablespoons!And most of that drained out on paper towels. Wow! That was amazing to see!!! I justhad to find out.

The perfect oil temperature for frying is between 325°F and 350°F. Again, I use athermometer to maintain the correct oil temperature so the food I am frying doesn’t burnor come out soggy and oily. I always use a timer so I don’t have to guess if I fried themeat long enough. It is hard to tell if the meat (especially bone-in chicken pieces) isfully cooked just by seeing the color and appearance on the outside unless I know howlong it has been frying in the hot oil. I also insert a thermometer in the thickest part of themeat to ensure the meat is cooked and safe to eat.

When frying meat that contains bones such as chicken legs, thighs and wings, theyusually sink to the bottom of the pot when you first add them to the hot oil, and then floatto the top when the pieces are cooked. Also, it is ideal to fry them in 325°F hot oil.Drumsticks and thighs take around 10 to 12 minutes to cook while wings cook in 8 or 9minutes.

Oil used for deep frying can be re-used a second or third time, as long as it is not dark



or burned. I consider frying oil burned once it goes beyond its smoking point.

Braising is a technique that requires searing or browning the meat in a small amount ooil and then finished off by cooking the meat, usually in the oven or Crockpot on low

temperatures between 300°F - 325°F. This technique is best employed when cooking

tough cuts of meat, such as oxtail, beef rump roast, top round, ham hocks, etc. Though I

have to be honest... I hardly ever braise anything, especially if the meat is going to comeout “stew like.” My husband will not eat meat that tastes like stew. It doesn’t matter if the meat is well seasoned and is absolutely delicious. If it’s anything that resemblesmeat cooked in a Crockpot, he’d rather go hungry!



Cooking RiceA rice cooker takes the guessing game out of cooking rice. An investment of $65 - $100on a quality rice cooker in exchange for perfectly cooked rice each time is absolutely

orth it. However, if your family does not eat rice more than 3 times a week, learning

the true, tried and proven method of cooking rice over the stove is a skill that is worthyof your time. Please note: when cooking over the stove top, the water to rice ratio is 1 ½cups water per cup of uncooked rice.



How to Cook Rice over the Stove Top

1. Measure 2½ cups (US standard measuring cups) uncooked rice (Nishiki or Jasmine)into a large bowl.

2. Fill the bowl with cold running water.

3. Swish rice around with your hands. The water will turn milky white in color.

4. Drain the water.



5. Again, fill the bowl with cold running water. This time, swish the rice around whiletaking handfuls of rice and squeezing and rubbing them with both your hands. Drain the

ater. Repeat this step one more time.

6. Pour rice into a fine strainer and allow the water to drain for at least 10 minutes.

7. Take a four - quart heavy bottomed pot with tight fitting lid and add the rice.

8. Shake the pot to level the rice. Then add 3½ cups drinking water.



9. Bring rice to a boil, covered, over medium heat until most of the water is absorbed.

10. Quickly remove the lid to keep liquid from dripping back into the pot of cookedrice.

11. Stir the rice with a large wooden or metal spoon to gently loosen it.

12. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low for 3 minutes. Stir the rice to redistribute theremaining liquid. Put the lid back on.

13. Turn off the heat and keep the rice undisturbed with the lid closed for 25 – 30minutes. (DO NOT OPEN the lid! until after the specified time.)

Serve warm, or use for sushi or kimbap.



Nishiki rice cooked over the stove top

Jasmine rice cooked in an electric rice cooker.



How to Cook Rice using Electric Rice Cooker

(Please follow instructions on How to Cook Rice Using an Electric Rice Cooker.)

Measure 4 cups uncooked Nishiki or Jasmine rice into a large bowl, using the cup thatcame with the rice cooker, or 3 cups using a U.S. Standard Dry Measuring Cup.

Fill the bowl with cold running water. Swish rice around with your hands. The water

ill turn milky white in color. Drain the water.Again, fill the bowl with cold running water. This time, swish the rice around whiletaking handfuls of rice and lightly squeezing and rubbing them with both your hands.Drain the water. Repeat this step one more time. Pour rice into a fine strainer and allowthe water to drain for at least 10 minutes.

Empty the strainer filled with washed rice into the rice cooker pot. Fill the pot withdrinking water up to the 4 ½ cup labeled mark.

Press the “cook” button. When the “keep warm” light first appears (normally after 20minutes or so), wait 10 additional minutes before opening the rice cooker.

Quickly remove the lid to avoid liquid from dripping over the cooked rice.Gently loosen the cooked rice by stirring it with the “rice cooker paddle” or large

ooden spoon. Serve warm. Or use for Sushi Rice.



How to Pick the Best, Ripe, Sweet Tasting Pineapple

Whenever I am shopping at Sam’s Club I cannot pass up a great looking, ripe pineapple.I have to buy one or two. And I always make sure I am getting the best, so I spend agood 5 to 10 minutes examining pineapples, comparing which ones are the best before Imake my final choice. And I have to get the biggest one too!

Call me OCD… but I am like that when it comes to buying fruit and vegetables. Becausethere’s nothing more irritating than getting home and finding out that the fruit I had just

bought is not sweet, or is bruised, or worst of all- isn’t edible!

Because of how I am when it comes to buying fruit, especially when it comes to pineapples, I cringe when I see people load their cart with green, unripe pineapple. I amso tempted to tell them “Please, put your pineapple back! It is still green. It is unripe and

ill not be juicy and sweet. Come! I will help you!!”

I have no clue what they do with them. Unripe pineapples are not sweet and less juicy.They are more acidic and more likely to irritate the mouth and tongue.

Often when I am at Sam’s Club meticulously examining and comparing which pineappleI should get, I am approached by fellow shoppers and asked “how do you pick a good

pineapple?” Then I think to myself... “I should approach Sam’s Club and tell them, ‘Icould help you sell tons of pineapples!”



Here’s what I tell my fellow shoppers who ask me for advice on how

to pick the best pineapple

First… the pineapple must have golden color all around.

A good ripe pineapple should smell sweet and aromatic. It awakens your senses, andmakes you want to devour it right then and there.

The best pineapples that I have eaten here in America are the ones sold at Sam’s Club,Dole pineapples from Costa Rica. They are sweet and juicy when perfectly ripe.

Be sure the tops are bright green and not wilted. Pineapples that have properly ripenedand those that have recently been picked have bright green tops or crown, crisp and not

ilted. The pineapple itself is perfectly golden.



Examine the pineapple by looking at the whole fruit. Make sure there are no soft spotsand bruises- no juices oozing out of it.

Another way to tell if the pineapple is ripe or at least mature and will ripen in a fewdays is to look at the skin bumps which I call “eyes”. The “eyes” of mature pineapplesare usually wider and flatter that the ones that have not reached full maturity.

Different people peel pineapple differently. People either peel too deep – wasting muchof the sweet flesh – or do not cut enough of the peel. Some people also take the extra

step of cutting the “eyes” which I still do but only selectively. I think if you cut the rightamount of peel, there is no need to remove the eyes.

As with any kitchen task that involves knives, a very sharp chef’s knife easily gets theob done.



How to Peel Pineapple

Place the pineapple on its side on a stable cutting board. Cut the “crown”, or top, of about ½ inch from its base.

Now, turn the pineapple around and cut off the bottom, about ½ inch from the base.

Stand he pineapple upright and cut the peel away, about ½ inch, from the top down tothe bottom. (Pace yourself and make sure you do not cut too deep into the flesh. You canalways go back and cut more of the skin if necessary.)



Slice the pineapple in half.

Further slice each quarter into 4 smaller slices.

Slice into chunks.

Half them again.



Remove the core from each slice.

Serve fresh, or use for cooking and or cocktails.



IngredientsIn the following pages, you will find photos of ingredients that you may not be familiar

ith that are used in the recipes containing this book.



Commonly Used Ingredients

I use coarse gray sea salt or Celtic Sea Salt in marinades, sauces and especially insoups. I think it greatly enhances the taste of soups. We buy this salt in a 20 pound bag

and it lasts us over 2 years. They should be available at your health food store.

Jasmine Rice is a staple for regular cooked rice, fried rice and rice soups.

Kosher salt is preferred by restaurant chefs and pastry chefs because it does not have a bitter taste as compared to regular table salt. I use this salt in all my cooking when I amnot using the Coarse Celtic Sea Salt.



Unbleached All-Purpose Flour is my flour of choice in breading meat, shrimp and fishfor deep fried dishes.

Light Olive Oil is a bit more pricey than the variety of vegetable oils (canola, corn andsoy bean oil) but in our home I only use Light Olive Oil in all my cooking, especiallythese past few years. Light Olive Oil has a higher smoke point and is more versatilethan Extra Virgin.This brand is available at Sam’s Club. The price ranges between $12.98 and $13.29 per gallon as of this writing.

Sesame oil is only used for flavoring. I use Pure Sesame Oil.The fish sauces below are what I use. I usually alternate between three brands: Three



Crabs Brand , Orchids, and Squid.

The Three Crabs Brand is a premium brand when it comes to fish sauce. Thus, usually$2 more than other brands.

Orchids Fish Sauce. This is the brand I use if I can’t find the Three Crabs Brand.

Squid Fish Sauce. A bit stronger compared to the two brands mentioned above.



Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce can be used in marinades, glazes, sauces and as dippingsauces.

Sriracha Chili Sauce is thinner and milder in flavor compared to Sriracha Hot ChiliSauce.

I think Kikkoman Soy Sauce is the best brand when it comes to soy sauce.

Most Asian Fusion, Chinese and Japanese recipes call for cornstarch.

Roasted Sesame Seeds are available in Korean stores.



Cayenne Pepper is such a versatile spice. One of the ingredients in “Tess’ Homemade

Seasoning ”.

Sweet Chili Sauce is sweet and spicy. Perfect as dipping sauce for chicken and eggrolls.

Chili Garlic Sauce is spicy and garlicky. It’s used in marinades and sauces, and canalso be used as dipping sauce.



Fresh Thai Hot Peppers. Used in salads (Thai Beef Salad, Thai Green Papaya Salad ),stir fries, etc.

Dried Hot Peppers are used in Chinese Stir fry dishes.

Maesri Chili Powder is the best brand I’ve found when it comes to ground hot peppers.Use it sparingly. To be safe, start with 1/4 teaspoon.

Aroy-D is one of the best coconut cream I’ve tried recently. It is 70% coconut creamand 30% water with no preservative added. I used this in the recipe called Biko.



Excellent for curries and baking.

I used Chaokoh coconut milk in majority of the recipes that call for coconut milk.




A combination of hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Sriracha Hot Chili sauce makes atasty marinade for chicken wings.

Chow Mein Noodles are used in Oriental Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard

Dressing . Great toppings over salads.

Sauce and Condiments used in Curried Chicken Salad and Deviled Eggs.

Black Bean Garlic Sauce is used with pork and shrimp dishes.



Fermented Black Beans or Salted Black Beans are pungent and salty. They give meatsand seafood Chinese dishes salty and nutty taste. Rinse them in warm water beforeadding to any dishes to reduce the sodium contents.

Hoisin Sauce is great for basting, glazing, marinating, and flavoring in Asian Fusion andChinese Recipes. It is slightly sweet and salty.

Oyster Sauce is greatly used in Chinese recipes. It is salty.



Hot Mustard powder is usually mixed with water and used as dipping sauce. It can also be added to marinades.

Plum Sauce is great for dipping, basting, glaze and sauces. I prefer the Kikkoman brand.However, if unavailable, Dynasty brand is also good.

Rice Vinegar is a common ingredient I use in Asian Fusion, Chinese, Korean and



Japanese recipes.

Rice cooking wine gives Chinese dishes that distinctive taste. If you simply cannot findthis type of wine, you may use Medium Dry Sherry or Chardonnay white wine as asubstitute.

I’ve used Liquid Aminos in several dishes in Asian Fusion and Japanese Chapters. Thisis a great substitute for soy sauce and is preferred by health enthusiasts.

Prepared Wasabi in a tube. Wasabi paste has other uses other than as a condiment for sushi. It can be mixed with soy sauce and use as dipping sauce. It can also be added tomayonnaise and mashed potatoes.



Fresh Thai hot peppers. Asian, especially Thai markets sell fresh Thai hot peppers. Iuse them in sauces, salads, salad dressing, and stir fried dishes.

Dried hot peppers are used in stir fried dishes or in making hot chili oil.

This is the best brand for ground hot peppers that I’ve tried. It comes in fine or coarseground, and very spicy. Ground hot peppers are versatile. I can use them in every dishthat calls for hot peppers, and is one of the spices in my “house seasoning.”



Chinese Five Spice Blend is aromatic and used in several recipes in this book. It isavailable at Asian and Thai markets.

Lemon grass (fresh) as you would buy it at Asian markets.

Lemon grass after the dried leaves have been removed, washed and ready to use.



Filipino Ingredients

Orientex Lumpia Wrappers are the best lumpia wrappers I have used. Each wrapper isseparated with a sheet of parchment paper, so you no longer have to painstakinglyseparate them.

Tito Al’s Choice Pastry Wrappers is another brand of lumpia wrappers. Theserappers are not separated with parchment paper, therefore they are not as seamless as

the Orientex brand. But, they will work if there is no other brand available.

Orchids Rice Noodles is a popular brand for Pancit Noodles.

Sweet Rice or glutinous rice is used in Rice Pudding and other sweet rice desserts.



Whole Mung Beans, used in soups or as sweet fillings for pastries.

(Salted Shrimp Fry/Shrimp Paste) is mainly composed of tiny shrimp and salt. It is usedto enhance the taste of vegetable and meat dishes. Bagoong is very salty, so use itsparingly.

Bittermelon can be prepared in several ways: added in soups or stews, sautéed, stir fry,stuffed and baked. They can also be prepared as salad with Bagoong (shrimp paste),sliced red onions, and tomatoes. Because of its bitter juice, I recommend you “salt and

squeeze” bittermelon before using it in dishes.



Japanese Eggplant is one of the ingredients in Pinakbet . It can also be boiled, cookedover hot charcoal, or dipped in beaten eggs and and fried in a small amount of oil.

Bob’s Red Mill Stone Ground White Rice Flour is the best rice flour I’ve found. This isthe rice flour I use in Rice Muffins and Banana Rice Muffins recipes. In addition to

pastries, rice flour is also an excellent addition to breading for an extra crunch.




Genuine Brewed Rice Vinegar is much stronger and more acidic than seasoned rice

vinegar. I use this vinegar for marinade and sauces and Rice Vinegar Syrup for sushirice.

Seasoned Gourmet Rice Vinegar is lighter and sweeter in taste. I use this vinegar tomake Rice Vinegar Syrup for sushi rice, dipping sauces and glazes.



I found that Nishiki medium grain rice is the best commonly available rice for makingsushi. This rice should be available in your local Asian markets and large supermarkets.

Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning, also commonly known as Mirin. One of the keyingredients in Rice Vinegar Syrup for sushi rice. Also great when added to teriyakisauces, sukiyaki (beef soup or stew) and dipping sauces.

I almost always use Wasabi Paste as compared to buying wasabi in powdered form. Inaddition to using and/or serving it with sushi, you can also mix wasabi paste with soysauce for dipping, or mix with mayonnaise. You can also add one teaspoon or two toyour mashed potatoes.



Sushi Ginger is served to cleanse the palate, especially if you are eating sushi andsashimi (raw fish or meat). The ginger slices taste strong, spicy and slightly sweet. It is

pickled young ginger.

Sushi Taro Seasoning Mix for Sushi Rice. This package contains 2 packets of seasoning

mix and 2 packets of shredded seaweed or nori. This is the mix I used in Sushi TaroRice. They can be found in Japanese or Korean stores that carry Japan ingredients.Otherwise, you can buy it online.

Sushi Nori or seaweed sheets comes dried or roasted. I usually use dried for sushi.



Golden Curry Sauce Mix comes in mild, medium and spicy flavors. It’s sold in 3.5ounce and 8.4 ounce packages. I usually buy the 3.5 ounce package. This curry saucemix is excellent with beef, pork and chicken curry.

Panko Bread Crumbs. In addition to breading tempura, you can also use panko breadcrumbs to bread mozzarella cheese and fry them.

I use Teriyaki Sauce for marinades, glazes and dipping sauce along with other ingredients.

The most popular/common brand of soy sauce in the U.S.A. If you go to a Korean



market, you will find several varieties of soy sauce.



Korean Ingredients

Hot Pepper Powder is used in most Korean dishes, most especially in kimchee and bulgogi.

Hot Pepper Paste is used as flavoring and thickener for marinades, soups and stews; acondiment on the side, etc. It is sweet, salty and spicy. Along with hot peppers, itcontains either glutinous rice, soybeans and wheat or a combination of all three.

Kimchee Base is a short cut to making kimchee. I use this to make an excellent, easycucumber kimchee.



Dangmyeon or Sweet Potato Noodles are used with the popular Korean Beef dishcalled Japchae. Once cooked the noodles are slightly chewy and can be eaten warm or cold.

Steamed Surimi Seafood also known as Fish Cake. Used in Kimbap.

Pickled radish or daikon. It is pungent, slightly acidic and sweet. A mandatoryingredient for Kimbap.



Sushi Nori or dried seaweed is used to roll Kimbap. Sheets of roasted seaweed arealso available, though I think they are more delicate (and prone to tearing) when rolling

Kimbap or sushi.

Roasted sesame seeds are commonly used in Korean cooking. They give meat andseafood dishes crunch and flavor.



Thai Ingredients



Rice noodles or rice sticks come in different shapes and sizes. Some noodles are verythin and some are thick and wide. Rice noodles are commonly used in Chinese,Filipino, and Thai cuisine.The noodles pictured above can be used in making Pad Thai, stir fried dishes and soups.

Bottled and ready to use Pad Thai Sauces are for days that you do not want to make Pad

Thai Sauce from scratch. Use according to desired taste. The sauce tastes sweet, saltyand sour, and usually contains peanuts.



Chaokoh Coconut Milk is one of the best brands when it comes to canned coconut milk.It is thick and creamy and excellent for curries and desserts.

Lemon grass (fresh) as you would buy it at Asian or Thai markets.

Lemon grass after the dried leaves have been removed, washed and ready to use.Several recipes call for lemon grass in this chapter.

Wet Tamarind Seedless. I prefer to use this in my Pad Thai Sauce. Tamarind liquid isextracted by soaking a 2 inch piece in 3/4 to 1 cup boiling hot water for at least 10minutes. Use a spoon to break up the tamarind. Strain and discard the pulp and seeds,and use the liquid for Pad Thai Sauce along with other ingredients listed on the recipefor Pad Thai.



Shrimp Paste is added to Thai dishes to enhance flavor. It is made from tiny shrimp,salted and fermented. It can be added to curries, soups and sauces.

Tamarind Concentrate or Tamarind Liquid is a key ingredient for Pad Thai Sauce.

Usually a recipe calls for a tablespoon or two.

Ground Hot Peppers or Hot Chili Powder is a common ingredient I use not only in Thaidishes but also in Asian Fusion and Chinese Recipes. Maesri is the best brand I’vetried.



Green Curry Paste is much hotter than red and my husband’s preferred curry paste. It is perfect with beef, chicken, shrimp and his favorite - Butternut Squash Curry Soup.

Dried hot peppers comes in different packages. I usually buy this brand with simple plastic packaging. I store mine in the freezer.

Green Papaya is mainly used for salads and soups. They can be found in Asian marketsand most especially in Thai Markets.

Red Curry Paste is milder than Green Curry Paste. It is also great with beef, chicken,seafood and vegetable curries.



This is another brand of dried hot peppers I saw last time I visited the Thai Market. Iuse dried hot peppers especially in my Chinese recipes.



Chapter 1

Asian Fusion



Oriental Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard DressingServes 4 people

When we lived in Las Vegas 9 years ago , our family developed a tradition to spendone day each week, alternately, with our son Ramon. For example: First week would beme and my son. Second week it would be him and his Dad. Third week it would be all

three of us together. In one of these weeks, we usually would be at our favoriterestaurant or trying a new one. This was one of our fondest memories of Las Vegas. Wespend quality time and bonded.

One of the restaurants we frequented was Applebee’s. It was away from the Casinosand the food quality was consistent. I often ordered their Oriental Chicken Salad.

It wasn’t until several years later when we moved to Abilene, Texas that I startedexperimenting with foods and recipes. There was no Applebee’s in Abilene so Idecided to recreate one of my favorite dishes.

Vegetable Salad

1 medium Chinese cabbage

½ medium red cabbage

1 large romaine lettuce3 medium carrots

1 (16 ounce) bag Chow Mein Noodles

1 cup sliced or slivered roasted almonds

Wash both Chinese/red cabbage and lettuce under cold running water. Dry cabbage andlettuce by patting them dry with a kitchen towel. Chop them into bite size piece and

place in a large bowl.

Wash and peel carrots and then slice into 1 x 2 inch strips. Add to the chopped cabbage.



Toss to mix. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Reserve Almonds and Chow Mein Noodles for individual servings.


1 cup real mayonnaise

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup honey

2 TBSPs. rice vinegar

1 tsp. sesame oil

Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl. Divide into 4 individual servings and serve withthe salad.

Unused salad dressing can be stored in a tightly closed glass jar and refrigerated for up

to 10 days.Chicken and Marinade

4 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts, about 2 pounds

4 – 5 cups vegetable oil for frying

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

2 TBSPs. light olive oil

2 tsps. sesame oil

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 inch piece ginger , peeled and grated

1 tsp. coarse kosher salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

Wash chicken under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice each breast across the grain into 4 strips. Place them in a large container or gallon Ziploc bag.



Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable and sesame seed oil, garlic, ginger, salt and black pepper. Pour over the chicken strips. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes at roomtemperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Breading

1½ cup all-purpose flour

1½ cup cornflakes cereal, ground1 tsp. coarse kosher salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

4 large eggs beaten with ½ cup milk or water

Grind cornflakes cereal in the food processor until it resembles coarse sand. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornflakes crumbs, salt, and ground black pepper.

In another bowl, beat eggs with milk or water. Set aside.

Work with 4 chicken strips at a time.

Dip 4 chicken strips in the flour and cornflakes mixture, and then into the eggs, then back into the flour and cornflakes mixture. Place in a large plate.

Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 4 to 5 cups oil and heat until 350°F.

Fry breaded chicken strips in the hot oil for 7 – 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Continue breading and frying the rest of the chicken strips, working with 4 strips at atime. Drain on paper towels.

How to Assemble the Salad

1.1. Take four large plates and fill each plate with the mixed vegetable salad.

2.2. Add ½ cup Chow Mein Noodles and 2 tablespoons sliced or slivered roastedalmonds, on each plate, over the vegetable salad.

3.3. Place 4 chicken strips, on each plate, over the salad.

Serve salad with Honey Mustard Dressing on the side.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

• If you do not have a food processor, you can crush cornflakes by placing them ina gallon freezer bag and using a rolling pin to crush cornflakes into crumbs.

• After breading the chicken pieces, allow them to rest for 5 – 10 minutes beforefrying them in hot oil. This resting period allows the breading to stick to thechicken which makes for crunchier chicken.



Ginger Lime Marinated Broiled ChickenServes 3 – 4 people

The blend of ginger and lime juice marinade makes this chicken jump; a uniquecombination with an Asian twist. Serve with Stir Fried Freen Beans and Fried Rice.

Ingredients:6 chicken breasts (boneless)

4 medium limes, juiced (zest two limes for use with green beans)

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated

½ cup soy sauce

3 TBSPs. vegetable oil

2 tsps. coarse kosher salt

½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Hoisin sauce for dipping (optional)Combine lime juice, grated ginger, soy sauce, vegetable oil, salt and black pepper.

Pound each chicken breast, just enough to slightly flatten the thickest part. This processill allow the chicken to absorb the marinade quickly and cook much faster. Marinate

chicken for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.

Broil chicken for 8 - 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and broil the other side for another 5- 6 minutes. Wrap the chicken with aluminum foil and let it rest for several minutes.Slice and serve with Stir Fried Green Beans and Fried Rice on the side.




Serves 4 people

If you can’t find salt pork, you may use a combination of thinly sliced pork and bacon asshown in this photo.

2 pounds green beans3 garlic cloves, minced

½ medium red onion, sliced

4 ounces salt pork, thinly sliced OR 4 ounces thinly sliced pork and 2 thick slices bacon, chopped

3 TBSPs. soy sauce

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Wash and trim the green beans. Chop them in half if they are too long.

Fill a large pot with water and add salt. Bring the pot of water to a boil. Blanch green beans for 3 minutes. Drain on a colander and set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet and add the thinly sliced salt pork + 2 tablespoons water.Boil salt pork until all of the water has evaporated. Begin stirring the salt pork untilgolden brown and slightly crispy.

NOTE: If using thick slices of bacon… Add chopped bacon to the heated skillet.

Stir bacon until it is slightly crispy and has rendered about 3 – 4 tablespoons

fat. Remove the bacon out of the wok and cook the pork in bacon drippings.

Add garlic and onion. Stir fry until onion is translucent. Add blanched green beans. Stir fry for about 4 minutes. Add soy sauce, kosher salt and ground black pepper. Stir for another 2 minutes or until the soy sauce starts to boil. Turn off the heat but keep the wok covered to keep the green beans warm.

Quick Fried Rice

Serves 3 - 4 people

6 cups cooked Jasmine rice, preferably cooled in the refrigerator overnight

½ medium red onion, chopped



4 stalks green onions, chopped

3 TBSPs. bacon drippings or light olive oil

2 extra-large eggs

2 TBSPs. soy sauce

½ tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper Heat wok or large skillet and add bacon drippings. Stir fry red and green onions for 2minutes.

Crack the eggs directly inside the wok. Stir the eggs with chopsticks or spatula untillightly scrambled and fried. Add rice and stir fry for 5 minutes or until rice is mixed

ell with the eggs and onions. Add soy sauce, kosher salt and ground black pepper.Stir well.

Serve as a side dish.


• While the chicken marinates, you could start cooking the green beans. The beansshould be crunchy and not overcooked.

• The secret to great fried rice is cooked rice that has been refrigerated overnight.When rice sits in the refrigerator overnight, it dries out and hardens which is

exactly what you need for fried rice... rice that is free of moisture.• Serve broiled chicken with hoisin sauce on the side for dipping.



Chicken in Spicy Asian SauceServe 4 people

This dish is one of the easiest and tastiest chicken dishes you’ll ever make. You mayuse bone-in or boneless chicken thighs.

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless/skinless)


¾ tsp. Chinese Five Spices

Spicy Asian Sauce – see recipe below

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Wash chicken under cold running water. Trim excess and any visible fat and discard.Place chicken in a medium size casserole or baking dish with cover. Sprinkle salt andfive spices over the thighs on both sides.

Bake chicken, covered, in the preheated oven at 400°F for 40 minutes.

If using bone-in chicken thighs, please add 10 minutes to the baking time.

Remove chicken from the oven and stir. Pour off 80% of the liquid that may haveaccumulated from the chicken.

Pour the Spicy Asian Sauce over the chicken and bake covered for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot with a bowl of rice on the side.

Spicy Asian Sauce

1 TBSP. sesame oil

2 TBSPs. light olive or peanut oil

1/3 medium onion, finely diced

1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced



5 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup teriyaki sauce

Juice of 1 large lime

½ cup hoisin sauce

2 TBSPs. plum sauce or plum preserves½ - 1 tsp. ground Thai hot pepper (optional)

Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add sesame and light olive or peanut oil.Sauté onion until soft. Stir in ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or until garlic turnslight golden.

Add soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and lime juice. Stir and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add hoisin sauce, plum sauce, and ground Thai hot pepper, if using.Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for five minutes.

Pour sauce over the baked chicken as directed above.


• Chinese Five Spices are readily available in Asian or Thai Markets that sellsChinese or Thai ingredients. They come in a pouch and cost around $2 as of thiswriting.



Curried Chicken SaladServes 4 people

This is a great salad to prepare on weekends, especially on Sunday so you’ll have back up on days that you don’t feel like cooking. It’s versatile, hearty and full of flavor. Youcan even save plenty of time by buying roasted chicken from supermarkets. However, I

often just roast my own. My husband loves to eat the crispy skin because they arecrunchy, salty and spicy.


2 large split chicken breasts with bones and skins on2 tsps. coarse kosher salt

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven at 400°F. Line baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Wash chicken breasts under cold running water. Pat them dry with paper towels. Mixkosher salt, cayenne and ground black pepper. Generously sprinkle seasoning all over the chicken breasts and place them skin side up on the foil lined baking sheet. Roastchicken breasts in the preheated oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until skin is golden andcrispy.

Remove chicken from the oven and cool enough to handle. Remove and discard skin and bones. Coarsely chop chicken and place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside and preparesalad dressing below.




½ cup Kraft Real Mayonnaise

1 TBSP. sweet relish

1 TBSP. spicy brown mustard

1½ tsps. hot madras curry powder


¾ tsp. smoked paprika

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. hot sauce or to taste

2 stalks celery, chopped

½ cup red onion, coarsely chopped

2 TBSPs. hot banana pepper rings, chopped

In a bowl, combine dressing ingredients in the order listed. Mix well.

Pour dressing over the coarsely chopped chicken. Mix well. Add chopped celery, red

onion and hot banana peppers. Chill in the refrigerator before serving.Serving options:

1.1. over garden salad

2.2. topped over your favorite crackers

3.3. sandwiches with thick crusty bread such as Ciabatta, sourdough and French breads

4.4. healthy wraps with romaine lettuce leaves



5.5. with Naan (Indian bread)



Lime Teriyaki ChickenServes 4 people

Ingredients:12 boneless chicken thighs, about 3 pounds

Zest of 2 limes

Juice of 2 limes

3 TBSPs. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

2 TBSPs. chili powder



1 TBSP. honey½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper


¼ cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Wash chicken thighs under cold running water. Pat them dry with paper towels. Placechicken pieces in a gallon size freezer bag. Set aside.

Combine lime zest and juice, rosemary, chili powder, garlic, salt, honey, black pepper,olive oil, teriyaki sauce and rice vinegar. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade and set itaside. Pour the rest over the chicken. Zip close the bag and shake to coat the chicken

pieces with the marinade.

Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven at 500°F.

Line baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place a wire cooling rack on top of thefoil lined baking sheet. You want the chicken pieces elevated from any liquids.

Line chicken pieces on the rack and discard the used marinade.



Bake chicken in a preheated oven at 500°F for 20 minutes. Baste after 20 minutes withthe reserve marinade, and then reduce the oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake for anadditional 15 – 20 minutes. Baste during the last 5 minutes of baking. Remove chickenonto a large plate and cover with foil and let it rest 10 minutes.

Slice the chicken into bite size pieces and serve over garden salad.


• The marinated chicken is also perfect for the grill.

• A wire cooling rack is multi-purpose, especially the ones that are uncoated andmade of stainless steel. You can easily find one at restaurant supply stores, the

best place to buy baking and cooking equipment and utensils. Professional wire

cooling racks are half sheets, the same size as baking sheets to fit home ovensand cost around $16 - $18 as of this writing.

• Baking sheets and/or cookie sheets I use are the ones with sides, made of stainless steel as well.




This is great as a dipping sauce, as well as a marinade. I used this sauce as a dippingsauce for Sesame Chicken, fried chicken, pan fried pork chops and fried fish.

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 lime

3 TBSPs. Teriyaki Sauce

1 TBSP. soy sauce

1 TBSP. rice vinegar

2 tsps. sesame oil


1 TBSP. grated ginger

2 stalks green onions – finely chopped

3 fresh Thai hot peppers (optional), chopped½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Serve on the side as a dipping sauce.



Orange Ginger ChickenServes 4 people

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs


1 tsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. ground clove

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg


1 cup light olive oil for fryingBreading

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup rice flour




Wash and trim excess fat off the chicken thighs. Pat dry with paper towels.

Combine seasoning and spices. Season chicken thighs on both sides. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the breading ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare the Orange Ginger Sauce as follows.

Orange Ginger Sauce

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 large oranges)

1 TBSP. honey



2 tsps. grated ginger

1 tsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. mustard powder

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

¾ tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 TBSP. water Combine all sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil uncovered over medium heat for 3 minutes. Give the cornstarch mixture another stir and pour over thesauce. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside to cool.

Heat a large skillet and add 1 cup light olive oil. Heat oil just before it starts to smoke.

Dredge chicken with the breading. Fry chicken thighs in hot oil for 4 to 5 minutes oneach side or until cooked. Do not overcrowd the pan. Drain on paper towels.

Serve chicken with Orange Ginger Sauce on the side for dipping and Crispy Sweet

Potatoes Tempura.


• Rice flour is great for breading. It results in much crispier fried foods. Simplyadd 2 tablespoons of rice flour for every cup of all-purpose flour.

• When dredging or breading meats, chicken, fish or shrimp for pan or deepfrying… dredge or bread them in batches. Line them on a plate or baking sheetwhile you heat the oil. These few minutes allow the breading to stick to themeats, chicken, fish or shrimp resulting in much crispier fried foods.

• The best way to season meats such as chicken thighs, breasts, pork chops etc… isto line them in a large baking sheet. This way, you are able to season the piecesevenly, on both sides.



Spicy Curried Deviled EggsServes 4 – 6 people

This dish is a great way to make use of eggs that are nearing their expiration date. They areso good and addictive, and filling. I love to have these in the fridge for my husband andson to snack on while they wait for me cook lunch or dinner. This is a dish that they bothcan eat without fuss especially on weekends when I want to sleep in.

Ingredients:

18 extra-large eggs, boiled and peeled

Curried Dressing

¾ cup real mayonnaise1 TBSP. no sugar added sweet relish (or you can use regular)

1 TBSP. spicy brown mustard

1 tsp. hot madras curry powder

½ tsp. coarse kosher salt

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper


2 TBSPs. minced red onion

Place eggs in a heavy bottomed pot and cover with cold tap water, about 2 inches abovethe eggs. Add ½ tablespoon coarse kosher salt. Bring eggs to a boil over medium highheat. Boil for one minute and then turn off the heat. Keep the pot on the stove, covered,for 12 minutes. Immediately pour out the hot water and fill the pot with cold tap water.Let cool until safe enough to handle. Peel eggs and cut them in half.

Remove yolks from the halved eggs and place them in a bowl. Place egg whites in alarge flat container or baking sheet.

In large mixing bowl, combine curried dressing ingredients. Stir until well blended.



Pour dressing over egg yolks. Mix well. Add more salt or hot madras curry powder totaste.

Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle hot madras curry powder or smoked paprika over the filled egg whites before serving.

Serve as appetizer.


• If you do not have time to babysit boiling eggs, simply set your timer for 20minutes. I am at sea level here in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and it takes about10 minutes for the water to boil. So if you set your timer for 20 minutes, your eggs are cooked just right. Perfect hard boiled eggs.

• Once the eggs are cooked, keep them submerged in cold water. If the water becomes hot after 5 minutes, discard the water and keep changing the water sothe yolks will not turn dark.

• It is easier and best to peel eggs while they are still warm because the shellscome right off.



Sesame Dipping SauceYield: 1 cup

This dipping sauce can be used with anything that’s fried, i.e., fried pork chops, friedchicken, fried fish, etc. It is mildly spicy because of the fresh Thai hot peppers. Youmay reduce the amount of hot peppers or omit them altogether.

Ingredients:1/3 cup soy sauce


2 - 4 fresh Thai hot peppers, chopped

1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated

1 TBSP. roasted sesame seeds, preferably ground

3 tsps. brown sugar

2 tsps. sesame seed oil¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a medium size bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until sugar dissolves. Serve asdipping sauce.



ild, Hot Asian WingsServes 2 – 4 people

If you love hot wings, then you’ll love this recipe.

I created this recipe while in the midst of working on this cookbook and had no plans oincluding it. However, my husband loves these wings so much that he suggested Iinclude the recipe in this book, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

NOTE: I seasoned these wings with my homemade seasoning, so I highly

recommend you make the seasoning so you’ll achieve the same taste. Please see

below for the recipe.

Ingredients:

4 pounds chicken wings

1 ½ TBSPs. Tess’ Homemade Seasoning

2 TBSPs. Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

2 TBSPs. Louisiana Hot Sauce

2 TBSPs. Worcestershire

4 - 5 cups light olive for frying

Wash chicken wings under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut the wingsinto sections (drummettes and wings) and discard the tips. Place in a non-reactive

(plastic or glass) container.Season wings with Tess’ Homemade Seasoning . Be sure to toss the wings to season allthe pieces.

In a small bowl, combine both hot sauces (Sriracha and Louisiana) and Worcestershiresauce. Pour over the seasoned chicken wings. Again, toss the wings to distribute thesauce evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate wings for 1 hour or overnight in therefrigerator.

Take out the wings from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before breading and



frying.

Bread the wings with the seasoned flour and rest them in a tray or baking sheet. This process will allow the breading to stick to the wings and give it a good crunch.

Heat a frying pan or deep skillet large enough to hold 4 - 5 cups oil. Heat oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F or before it starts to smoke.

Fry wings in batches of 6, depending on the size of your pan, for 5 minutes on each side.Drain on paper towels.

Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks and cucumbers, with a side of ranch dressing idesired.

Flour Breading




1 tsp. cayenne pepper Combine all ingredients. Use as breading for chicken wings and other meats.


1 cup coarse kosher salt

1 TBSP. ground black pepper

1 TBSPs. cayenne1 TBSP. granulated garlic

2 tsps. ground coriander

2 tsps. dried thyme

Combine ingredients. Use as seasoning for poultry, meats and seafood. Store in a jar ith a tight fitting lid.



Angel Hair Noodles, Asian StyleServes 4 people

I created this dish when one day I was craving for a noodle dish but only had angelhair noodles in the cupboard. Very easy and only takes minutes to make.

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) bag Angel Hair Pasta or rice noodles

8 ounce pork loin


½ large onion, thinly sliced


1 cup green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch

2 celery sticks, thinly sliced (diagonally)

1 medium carrot, julienned

½ pound raw, peeled & deveined shrimp

1 (10 ounce) bag salad mix (baby red butter lettuce and baby spinach)

Sauce for Noodles

1½ cups low sodium chicken broth

3 TBSPs. oyster sauce

1½ TBSPs. hoisin sauce

1½ TBSPs. teriyaki sauce

1½ TBSPs. soy sauce

Mix the sauce by combining chicken broth, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, teriyaki and soysauce. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Cook noodles as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.



In a small sauce pan, boil 4 cups water with a tablespoon kosher salt. Add pork loin andsimmer for 20 minutes. Drain pork and thinly slice when cool enough to handle.

Heat a large skillet and add 3 tablespoons oil. Sauté garlic and onion until translucent.Add green beans and sauté for 3 minutes or until green beans turn bright green in color.Add the sliced pork, carrots and celery.

Give the sauce another stir and pour over the sautéed vegetables and pork. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp. Stir and simmer for 4minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Empty the bag of salad mix into the wok. Stir to mix.Add the cooked noodles and mix well.

Serve immediately, with Hawaiian rolls if desired.


• You can make this a shrimp noodle dish by omitting the pork and doubling the

amount of shrimp.

• You may use other types of noodles such as egg noodles, spaghetti noodles, etc.Just cook noodles according to the package directions.



Asian Spiced Grilled Beef Serves 4 people

This dish was a big hit on a 4th of July barbecue we attended a few years back. I usedrib eye steaks, fat trimmed and cut into cubes. The rib eyes are a bit pricey so you mayuse sirloin steaks which would work just fine for this recipe. These steaks are slightly

sweet because of the plum sauce, and tangy because of the Thai Chili Sauce. SrirachaHot Chili Sauce which is spicier works well too.

Ingredients:

2 pounds rib eyes, about 4 steaks OR sirloin steaks

1 large red onion, cut into cubes

3 assorted (green, red and yellow) bell peppers

15 – 20 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Marinade:

Zest and juice of 1 lime¼ cup plum sauce

3 TBSPs. teriyaki sauce

2 TBSPs. toasted sesame seeds, preferably ground

3 TBSPs. sesame oil



2 ½ TBSPs. Sriracha hot chili sauce

1 TBSP. grated fresh ginger ½ tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

½ tsp. ground hot peppers (optional)

Wash the steaks and cut them into cubes. Place cubed steaks in a gallon freezer bag andset aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and stir with a fork. Pour marinade over the cubed steaks and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature



or overnight in the refrigerator.

After the steaks have marinated, mix them up one more time.

Fire up your grill to around 350°F.

Thread the steaks alternately with the cubed onion and bell peppers on bambooskewers. Baste with the remaining marinade.

Grill the steaks for about 5 – 7 minutes on each side, or depending on how well doneyou want your steaks.


• For more flavor, keep the fat on the steaks. Just watch for flare ups so the steakswon’t burn.



Fried Meat and Tofu PattiesServes 4 people

This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. He loves to eat this with the sauce over a big bowl of Jasmine rice, with green beans as a side dish.

The key ingredient for this dish is Bragg’s Liquid Aminos which has a unique, distinct

taste. Health fanatics use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos in place of soy sauce. It is available atHealth food stores and in supermarkets in the health food aisle.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb. 90% lean ground beef

1 (7 ounce) package medium firm tofu

½ cup finely chopped onion

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 TBSPs. red wine

2 TBSPs. soy sauce¼ tsp. sesame oil


½ tsp. salt

3 TBSPs. cornstarch

4 TBSPs. light olive oil for frying

SAUCE

4 ½ TBSPs. oyster sauce4 ½ TBSPs. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

2 tsps. brown sugar

1 TBSP. cornstarch

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

Mix meat and tofu. Add chopped onion and garlic.

In a separate bowl, combine red wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, freshly ground pepper,salt and cornstarch. Stir until smooth and free of lumps. Add to the meat and tofu

mixture. Form into 8 patties.Heat the skillet with 4 tablespoons oil. Fry patties about 3 minutes on each side.Transfer to an oven-proof plate and keep warm in the 200°F oven while you continuefrying the rest of the patties.

Wash and clean the skillet. Place all the cooked patties back into the skillet. Keep theheat on low.

In a small sauce pan, combine the sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth and free of lumps.Let it boil while stirring constantly until it resembles light gravy. Pour the sauce over



the cooked patties. Cover skillet and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve hot over rice or mashed potatoes and green beans on the side.


• It’s always better to use top sirloin or top round beef. Even better, if you cangrind it yourself, you’ll have a chance to remove the tough connective tissues(white sinewy parts), so you’ll end up with meat that is lean and tender.

• You could also use ground pork loin, or ground chicken.

• If you are unable to find Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, you may use soy sauce in its place.



Pork Wonton Stuffed Bell PeppersServes 4 people

This is my son’s idea of wontons. I didn’t know what to expect, but I went along. Loand behold, they came out great! They are very easy and simple to make.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground pork

3 TBSPs. soy sauce



1 tsp. sesame oil


4 large cloves garlic, minced


8 ounce package whole mushrooms, washed and finely chopped

3 large bell peppers, seeded and quartered

Preheat oven at 375°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, sesame oil,minced ginger and garlic. Mix well. Add chopped green onions and mushrooms. Mix

ell.

Divide pork mixture into 12 equal portions. Stuff quartered bell peppers with the portioned pork mixture. Place stuffed bell peppers in the foil lined baking sheet. Bake in

the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven.Serve warm. If desired, serve wontons with small individual servings of soy sauce for dipping or drizzling over the wontons.




• The filling is perfect for wontons, egg rolls and lumpia.

• Choose bell peppers of equal size so you can stuff them with equal amounts of filling.

• Select a combination of red, yellow or green bell peppers, or choose one color.

• The filling can also be formed into patties and pan fried.



Sweet Rum BBQ Pork SteaksI was 16 when I had my first drink. It was white, clear, liquid. Very strong, intense andfiery on the tongue. I was with my cousin who was 18 and my step sister, who was 19.We were on our way to the big city, to school. That night, before we boarded a small

boat, our friends – much older than us, persuaded us to have a drink.

“Here, drink some!” said Renato, pushing the small glass towards me.“What is that?” I asked, turning the glass with my finger. “How does it taste?”

“Well, try some and you’ll see.”

I picked up the glass and drank the content. It burned my throat as the clear liquid wentdown my esophagus. I felt my stomach burst into fire. My head felt funny, and my eyesstarted seeing double. The wall started spinning.

I don’t like the taste of straight alcohol. My body has a low tolerance for it... that’s whyI very rarely drink and won’t drink any alcohol unless it is camouflaged with sweetuices or sweet syrup. Even then, I can’t drink that much.

But, I like how alcohol makes certain dishes taste, so I often use medium dry sherry or hite wine in my sauces and marinades. I use white wine with chicken and pork, and

red for beef dishes.

Here in this dish, I used Myers’s 100% Jamaican Rum. Dark rums are ideal for cooking.It makes food and sauces very flavorful.


Serves 4 peopleIngredients

4 large pork blade steaks – about 4 pounds

Rum Barbecue Sauce

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup soy sauce



¼ cup hoisin sauce

2 TBSPs. dark rum

2 - 3 tsps. genuine wasabi paste

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper


Combine sauce ingredients in a medium size glass bowl. Stir until well blended andsmooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a heavy duty baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Wash pork steaks and pat dry with paper towels. Place on foil lined baking sheet. Usinga pastry brush, liberally brush pork steaks on one side with the barbecue sauce.

Bake pork steaks in a preheated oven at 400°F for 30 minutes.

Remove pork steaks from the oven and pour off excess liquid.

For safety, temporarily transfer the pork steaks into a large plate, while pouring

the liquid from the baking sheet.

Turn the pork steaks on the other side and again, liberally brush with the barbecuesauce.

Return pork steaks to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes.

Serve with a bowl of rice on the side. You can also chop pork steaks into small pieces,discarding the bones, and serve in sandwiches.



Asian Pork and Potato SoupServe 4 – 6 people

Pork and potato chowder doesn’t sound like an Asian food, and to be fair, it isn’t. Butif you look closely, my use of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, cornstarch, andgreen onions, give this recipe Asian flavors fused with a Southern touch - salt pork and

hot sauce.Ingredients:

6 ounces salt pork, thinly sliced

2 TBSPs. bacon drippings or olive oil

1½ pounds boneless pork chops or boneless country ribs, thinly sliced

1 large onion, chopped

½ cup Italian parsley, chopped

4 cups boiling water

3 pounds yellow gold potatoes, cubed into one inch pieces2 tsps. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

2 ½ cups frozen or fresh corn kernels

1 cup 2% Fat Milk or Carnation Evaporated Milk


1 tsp. ground Thai hot pepper (optional)

2 TBSPs. soy sauce


2 tsps. sesame oil1 TBSP. Chile Habanero Hot Sauce (El Yucateco) or your favorite hot sauce

2 TBSPs. cornstarch mixed with 3 TBSPs. water

Chopped green onions

Heat a 6 quart pot and add the bacon drippings.

Sauté salt pork until light golden brown. Add the thinly sliced pork and sauté until pork turns golden brown.

Add onion and continue to sauté until onion is translucent. Add chopped parsley. Stir and add the boiling water. Keep the heat on medium.

Add the potatoes. Bring mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20 – 25minutes or until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Add coarse sea salt or kosher salt.Stir.

Add the corn kernels and continue to simmer 5 more minutes.

Add milk and simmer the soup for 10 minutes or until soup is hot but not boiling.

Add the following to the soup:

2 TBSPs. soy sauce




2 tsps. sesame oil


1 tsp. ground Thai hot peppers (optional)

1 TBSP. Chile Habanero Hot Sauce (El Yucateco) or your favorite hot sauce

Stir the soup and taste to see if more salt is needed. Add the chopped green onions.Serve warm. Great with bagels and crusty breads such as sourdough, Ciabatta andFrench breads.



Baby Back Ribs with Apricot White Wine GlazeServes 4 people

The marinade is the key that makes these ribs flavorful. What makes it even better is that

you can cook these ribs in the oven on days when you do not have the energy to grilloutside but want to savor the taste of barbecued ribs.

Ingredients:

2 slabs baby back ribs, about 4 pounds each

Marinade:

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup teriyaki sauce

1 can soda (I used 7-Up)

½ cup apple cider vinegar 6 TBSPs. brown sugar

4 TBSPs. 100% maple syrup

3 TBSPs. honey

4 TBSPs. spicy brown mustard

2 TBSPs. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

2 tsps. fennel seeds, preferably crushed or ground

1½ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. liquid smoke (I used hickory)Juice of 3 large limes



Wash ribs under cold running water. Remove the white sinewy film lining the ribs andcut each rack in half, crosswise. Place ribs in large non-reactive (plastic or glass)container.

Combine marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until sugar and honey



dissolve.

If you are using 2 gallon freezer bags, pour half of the marinade over the ribs in

one bag and the other half in another bag. Otherwise, pour all the marinade

over the ribs.

Pour marinade over the ribs. Marinate ribs for at least 6 hours or overnight in the

refrigerator.Preheat oven at 325°F. Line a heavy duty baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Place marinated ribs meaty side down on the lined baking sheet.

Pour the marinade into a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Then simmer for 20

minutes. This will be used to baste the ribs if necessary.

Cover the ribs with heavy duty aluminum foil and bake at 325°F for 3 hours using thecenter rack.

Check after 3 hours. Use a fork to test if the meat is tender. The meat should easily fulloff the bones; if not, bake 30 - 45 minutes longer with aluminum foil covering the ribs.

Be sure the ribs are not dry; otherwise, generously baste the ribs with thecooked marinade before placing back into the oven to bake an additional 30 - 45

minutes or until the ribs are tender.

Once the ribs are fork tender… remove the foil cover. Liberally baste the ribs on oneside, with the Apricot White Wine Glaze . Turn on the broiler and broil the glazed ribsfor about 6 – 7 minutes. Turn the ribs over and liberally baste the other side (meatyside) and place under the broiler again for 5 – 6 minutes or until the glaze sets. Theglaze on the meaty side usually sets faster, so carefully watch the ribs so they won’t

burn.Remove ribs from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Apricot – White Wine Glaze

1 (18 ounce) jar apricot preserves

4 ½ TBSPs. white wine or any wine you like to drink

2 tsps. fennel seeds, preferably ground

¼ tsp. Chinese Five Spices

Combine all ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl. Stir until mixed well. Base theribs with this glaze as directed above.




• Fennel seeds are usually sold whole. You can grind them using your coffeegrinder.

• Chinese Five Spice can easily be found in Asian Markets that sell Chinese, Thaior Vietnamese ingredients. You can also make your own as listed below. You

need only a very minimal amount of these spices to give a dish that aromaticflavor. Simply store your Five Spice blend in a tightly closed glass jar for futureuse.

1 TBSP. ground allspice1 TBSP. ground cloves1 TBSP. ground cinnamon1 TBSP. ground Szechuan pepper or coriander 1 TBSP. ground star anise



Bacon Sauteed Asparagus

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus, cut into 2 inches

2 thick bacon strips – chopped


½ medium onion, thinly sliced

¼ tsp. coarse kosher salt

Pinch ground black pepper Wash and trim the tough bottom parts of the asparagus. Pat dry with clean kitchen towel.Cut asparagus into 2 inch lengths. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet and add bacon. Sauté bacon until it is lightly crisp and has rendered2 – 3 tablespoons fat.

Add garlic and sauté until light golden brown. Add onion and sauté until translucent.

Add asparagus and sauté for 3 minutes. Cover the skillet and simmer asparagus for another 3 minutes. Remove cover and stir.

Serve warm as a side dish.



Bittermelon with Pork and Salted Black BeansServe 4 – 6 people

Oddly enough, my husband loves bittermelon. He loves them for their bitter taste! Hefirst had a taste of this vegetable in the Philippines almost three decades ago when hismaid cooked them with scrambled eggs.

I can only think that maybe it is his body that craves this bitter vegetable. There has beenresearch backing the “powerful insulin-lowering effects” of bittermelon’s bitter juice.

When buying bittermelon, choose them bright green, firm and free of brown spots or other irregularities in color. If parts of the bittermelon are yellowish or reddish in color,the bittermelon is ripe and slightly soft inside. You don’t want them this way.

If you are fortunate enough to plant your own bittermelon vines, the young shoots andleaves are excellent added to soups, especially mung bean soup.

Ingredients:

2 pounds bittermelons (about 4 large pieces)2 tsps. coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt

1 pound pork loin (boneless), sliced into ½ inch thin

4 thick bacon slices, chopped

1 medium red onion, sliced


3 fresh Thai hot peppers, chopped (optional)

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 small can (about 4 TBSPs.) salted black beans, drained

½ tsp. ground Thai hot peppers (optional)


2 tsps. cornstarch

4 TBSPs. low sodium chicken broth or water

Wash bittermelon under cold running water. Shake off excess water or pat dry withkitchen towel. Trim both ends, and halve bittermelon lengthwise. With a spoon, scoopand discard the seeds. Slice bittermelon, crosswise, into ½ inch half rings and placethem in large mixing bowl. Add 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt. Mix well

hile lightly squeezing the sliced bittermelon. Let stand for 20 minutes.Mix bittermelon with your hands. Take a handful and squeeze and discard the juice.Place squeezed bittermelon in another container. Continue squeezing the remaining

bittermelon until done. Please see How to Prepare the Bittermelon.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped bacon. Stir until bacon pieces are slightly crispy and have rendered about 3 tablespoons fat.

Stir in onion, garlic and fresh hot peppers. Stir fry a few minutes until onion istranslucent. Add pork, tomatoes and salted black beans. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add



ground Thai hot peppers and black peppers. Stir and cover the wok for 10 minutes or until pork slices are cooked.

Add the squeezed bittermelon. Stir fry for 3 minutes. Cover wok and turn the heat tolow.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and chicken broth or water. Stir until smooth. Drizzle

cornstarch mixture over the simmering bittermelon. Turn the heat back to medium highand keep stirring until sauce thickens. Remove wok from the heat.

Serve bittermelon with a bowl of rice on the side.



Braised Pork Chops with Anise Spiced Hoisin Plum GlazeServe 4 people

These pork chops are tender, juicy, sweet and tangy. And the marinade and glaze arealso great for pork spareribs, country style pork ribs, and chicken.

NOTE: if you are going to use more than 6 pounds of meat, you may double the

amount of your marinade and glaze. I do not skimp when I marinade. I like themeat to be fully submerged in the marinade.

Since a bit of work is involved with this recipe, I would suggest marinating the meat onFriday night and cooking it the following day. This way, you can be braising the pork chops in the oven, while you tend to other house chores.

Ingredients:

4 - 1½ inch thick pork chops (about 4 pounds)

Marinade:

1 cup soy sauce

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup brown sugar

2 TBSPs. honey

2 TBSPs. French’s yellow mustard1 TBSP. chili powder


1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. cayenne pepper







1 TBSP. chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried rosemary

Grated zest and juice of 1 medium size lemon

Wash and rinse pork chops under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. With a

metal skewer, pierce pork chops in several places. Place pork chops in a large non-reactive or plastic container. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve.

Pour marinade over the pork chops and refrigerate over night. Or if you plan to cook thechops in the next hour or two, you may marinade them at room temperature for at least 1hour.


Line baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Place the marinated pork chops in the aluminum lined baking sheet. Pour about 1 cup othe marinade over the pork chops and cover the pan with another sheet of heavy dutyaluminum foil.

Bake the pork chops in the preheated oven for 3 hours or until pork chops are fork tender.

Do the same if you are using spareribs or country ribs. Chicken will cook a lot

faster, so vary the cooking time.

Once the pork chops are tender, remove from the oven.

Preheat the broiler for at least five minutes. Position the rack on the second shelf fromthe top.

Generously brush pork chops with the Anise Spiced Hoisin Plum Glaze. Place under the broiler for 5 – 6 minutes or until the glaze starts to bubble. The glaze burns easy, socarefully watch the meat. Remove from oven. Flip the pork chops and glaze the other side. Place under the broiler again for 3 – 4 minutes or until the glaze bubbles.

Serve warm with your choice of side dishes. This dish is also great with potato salad.

Anise Spiced Hoisin Plum Glaze

½ cup hoisin sauce¼ cup plum sauce

3 TBSPs. honey

3 TBSPs. soy sauce

1 TBSP. medium dry sherry or red wine

½ tsp. ground anise seeds or fennel seeds

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper



Combine glaze ingredients in a bowl. Stir well. Brush over the pork chops as directedabove.


• If you can’t find anise seeds, you may use fennel seeds. However, most Latin or Mexican Markets sell anise seeds. They can also be found in aisles of largesupermarkets that carry Latin or Mexican ingredients. And most recently, I foundanise seeds stocked with McCormick brands of herbs and spices at our military

commissary.• Anise seeds are sold whole and come in a small plastic package and/or glass

spice jar. I use a small coffee grinder which I bought just for the purpose of grinding seeds and spices.



Curry Spiced Rubbed Pork ChopsServes 4 people

This recipe is simple and very easy to make. It’s perfect with curried vegetables and plain white rice on the side.

Also, this might appear weird to you, but this dish is great when served with “Fiery

Cilantro Dressing.” We accidentally discovered this odd combination. While in themidst of our dinner my husband asked for the Fiery Cilantro Dressing I had made thenight before to accompany another dish.

Ingredients:

6 pork center chops, about 3 pounds

2 TBSPs. coarse kosher salt

1 TBSP. hot madras curry powder

2 tsps. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

7 TBSPs. light olive oil – divided

Wash pork chops and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, hot madras curry powder, chili powder andground cumin. Set aside 3 teaspoons of this mixture. You will use this for the Curried

Vegetables below.*

Line pork chops in baking sheet. Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush pork chops on both sides with the olive oil. Generously sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with the seasoning and spice mixture. Press lightly so thespices will adhere to the chops. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil.Fry pork chops in batches, 3 pork chops per batch. Fry them about 5 minutes on eachside or until golden brown and crispy. Keep fried pork chops warm in a 225°F oven,

hile you finish cooking the rest of the pork chops.



Reserve the pan dripping to make curried vegetables below.

Curried Vegetables

½ medium red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1 inch thick medallions2 celery sticks, chopped into bite size pieces


3 tsps. seasoning and spice mixture*

2 – 4 TBSPs. Fiery Cilantro Dressing

Scrape the pan drippings. If there’s not enough oil in the pan, add 2 tablespoons oliveoil. Heat the skillet with the dripping and sauté onion and garlic. Sauté until onion istranslucent. Add diced potato, carrot and celery. Stir and cover the skillet for 5 minutes.

Add the spice mixture to the simmering vegetables. Cover the skillet 2 minutes. Add thechicken broth and bring the vegetables to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat andsimmer until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons

Fiery Cilantro Dressing . Taste and add more if needed.

Serve as side vegetable dish.

Fiery Cilantro Dressing

½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 fresh Thai hot pepper (optional)




¼ cup fish sauce

¼ cup lime juice (about 3 medium size limes)

1 TBSP. brown sugar

½ tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until coarsely chopped. Serve over pork chops. Also great as dipping sauce or marinade for meats and poultry.



Ground Pork and Bittermelon in Oyster SauceServe 4 people

Ingredients:

5 large bittermelons, about 2 ½ pounds

1 tsp. coarse kosher salt or sea salt

1 pound ground pork

5 cloves garlic, minced


6 TBSPs. oyster sauce mixed with 2 TBSPs. water

1 TBSP. light olive oil

Wash bittermelons under cold running water. Halve bittermelons lengthwise. With aspoon, scrape and discard the seeds. Slice bittermelon into thin half rings. Sprinkle saltall over the sliced bittermelons. Mix well. Let stand for 20 minutes. Mix bittermelons

ith your hands, and squeeze them a handful at a time, discarding the bitter juice. Pleasesee How to Prepare the Bittermelon.

Heat a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and add tablespoon olive oil. Add ground pork and sauté for 6 – 8 minutes or until cooked and lightly caramelized in color. Add garlicand red onion. Sauté until onion is translucent. Add bittermelons and sauté for 3minutes.

Do not overcook the bittermelons. They should still be bright green and crunchy.

In a small bowl, mix oyster sauce and water. Pour over the sautéed pork and bittermelons. Stir to mix. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.

Serve with a bowl or rice on the side.



Oriental Glazed Pork RibsServes 4 – 6 people

This recipe is a fusion of four different flavors: sweet, salty, tangy and spicy.

Ingredients:

2 slabs pork spareribs or baby back ribs (3 pounds each) or 6 pounds country ribsMarinade

2 cups soy sauce

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup plum sauce

½ cup red wine

1 TBSP. sesame oil

8 garlic cloves – smashed, peeled and minced

2 inch ginger, peeled and grated1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground hot peppers or cayenne (optional)

Wash pork ribs under cold running water. If you are using spareribs or baby back ribs,remove the white sinewy film covering the ribs and cut the ribs, along the rib bones tofit your baking pan.

Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and thesugar has dissolved. Reserve 4 tablespoons of the marinade for the glaze. Pour the rest

over the pork ribs. Marinate ribs for six hours or overnight in the refrigerator.Preheat oven at 325°F. Line a heavy duty baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Place ribs in the foil lined baking sheet and then cover with another piece of heavy dutyaluminum foil.

Bake ribs in the preheated oven for 3 hours.

Prepare the Hoisin Plum Glaze as per the recipe below while the ribs are baking

in the oven.

Remove foil and check the ribs to make sure they are fork tender. Pour all the marinade



liquid into a bowl while keeping the ribs in the baking pan. (Use some of this marinadefor the glaze. See recipe below.)

Turn the broiler on. Make sure the top rack is at least 8 inches away from the heat,otherwise, adjust the rack placement in the oven.

Glaze the ribs on one side and place under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes or until the

glaze caramelizes. Remove the ribs from the oven, glaze the other side and broil for another 5 to 6 minutes.

Serve warm with a bowl of rice and vegetables on the side.

Hoisin Plum Glaze

½ cup hoisin sauce

¼ cup plum sauce

4 TBSPs. of the marinade – see above

3 TBSPs. honey

Whisk ingredients until smooth. Glaze ribs using a pastry brush as directed above.




Serve 4 – 6 peopleI didn’t start using pork steaks until about seven years ago. I found that thisinexpensive cut of pork is very tasty roasted in the oven, charcoal grilled, or pan fried. Ilike to get the thick cuts, especially if I am going to grill them over hot charcoal.

It is the sweet barbecue sauce that makes these pork steaks a winner.

Ingredients:

4 thick cut blade pork steaks, about 4 pounds

Sweet Barbecue Sauce:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup hoisin sauce

¼ cup red wine

¼ cup deli style mustard with horseradish

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper


Combine barbecue sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour sauce

into a large bowl and set aside.Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line a heavy duty cookie sheet with foil. Place a wire rack on the cookie sheet.

Wash pork steaks under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and place themon the wire rack. Liberally brush pork steaks on both sides with the barbecue sauce.

Bake pork steaks for 30 minutes in the preheated oven at 400°F. And then brush themagain on both sides with the remaining barbecue sauce. Return to the oven and bake for



another 15 minutes.

Remove pork steaks from the oven and cool enough to handle. Chop pork steaks intosmall pieces, discarding the bones. Serve pork steaks as sandwiches or use as filling for the Barbecued Pork in a Bun.

You can also serve these steaks as is, with sweet dinner rolls and potato salad on the

side.



Salt Pork Fried RiceServes 4 people

Cook rice as you normally would, using a heavy bottomed pot or rice cooker. If this is your first time cooking rice using over the stove top, please follow the instructions here.

Rice that is cooked for the purpose of making fried rice is best cooked the night beforeand refrigerated. This is the key to perfect fried rice.

If using a rice cooker with the measuring cup that came with the rice cooker, the rule of thumb, in my experience, is that the amount of water is always half a cup more than theamount of rice being cooked. For example, if I’m cooking 2 cups of rice, I’ll need 2½cups of water. The rice I’m referring to here is long grain Jasmine or Calrose for shortgrain. This rule does not apply to sweet or glutinous rice which is never used for friedrice anyway.

For fried rice, long grains are best because they are less starchy and drier when cooked.I prefer Jasmine or Milagrosa rice.

Fried rice is a quick dish in which you can use cured meats, such as ham, Canadian bacon and thick slices of bacon. You can also use roasted pork or chicken. Shrimp arealso excellent with fried rice as it only requires 5 or 6 minutes to cook them.

For this recipe I am using thinly sliced salt pork. I love the salty taste of salt pork and itcooks just as fast as chopped bacon.

Ingredients:

8 cups cooked rice (preferably cooled overnight)

4 ounces salt pork, boiled and thinly sliced


1 medium red onion, chopped


2 extra-large eggs

3 TBSPs. vegetable oil, divided

½ tsp. coarse kosher salt, divided




3 TBSPs. soy sauce

Place salt pork in a small sauce pan and cover with water. Boil over medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked. Cool enough to handle. Thinly slice pork and set aside.

Heat a wok and add 2 tablespoons oil.

Stir fry salt pork for 3 minutes or until golden. Push them to the side of the wok.Stir fry garlic until golden brown. Push to the side with the salt pork.

Stir fry chopped onion and green onions for 1 minute. Again, push to the side.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

Crack 2 eggs directly inside the wok and stir a few times to lightly scramble them.Season with ¼ tsp. salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. Fry the eggs and push to theside.

Loosen the rice with spatula or break up chunks of rice with your hands. Add rice to theingredients already in the wok. Stir to mix all the ingredients.

Use two wooden spoons or spatulas with both hands when stirring fried rice.

Keep stirring until the rice is fully heated through, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining salt and ground black pepper over the rice. Stir to combine.

Add soy sauce to fried rice. Start with 2 tablespoons. Keep stirring until soy sauce iscombined well with the rice. Taste to see if more soy sauce and ground black pepper isneeded.

Serve warm with Corn Soup.



Buns of Sweet and Spicy Pork (Baked Siopao)Serves 8 people

These buns are one of my husband’s favorite foods on the go, and one of my son’sfavorite snacks. The dough recipe itself can be used for making an excellent sweetdinner rolls. I am proud to say that when baked as dinner rolls, they taste closely similar

to the rolls served at Texas Roadhouse, one of my favorite steakhouses known for their free buckets of roasted peanuts at each table. To make the dinner rolls, simply followthe direction for making the dough, and instead of stuffing with the Sweet n’ Spicy Pork ,simply rise the 16 dough balls for 25 minutes and then bake for 20 – 25 minutes or untilgolden brown. Serve warm with butter.

The Dough and the Buns

1 packet Yeast (1/4 ounce)

1 TBSP. granulated sugar

1 cup + 3 TBSPs. lukewarm water (about 105°F)

3 cups high protein flour or bread flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 TBSP. baking powder

1tsp. coarse kosher salt

1/8 cup vegetable oil1 TBSP. white vinegar

In a large measuring cup, combine water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutesor until mixture is bubbly on top.

Using the bowl of an electric mixer (Kitchen-Aid™ Stand-up Mixer), combine flour,sugar, baking powder, and salt.

With the paddle attachment, blend flour mixture on low speed until combined well.



Pour the yeast mixture over the flour and blend on low speed for about 1 minute.

In a small bowl, combine oil and vinegar and slowly pour over the flour mixture. Blenduntil well combined and mixture becomes sticky.

Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook. If flour mixture is tooet, gradually add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour while the mixer is running.

Knead the dough on medium high speed for 5 – 8 minutes, or until the dough clingsaround the dough hook and away from the sides of the bowl.

Lightly flour your chopping board or a clean kitchen counter. Knead the dough, by hand,for another 2 minutes. Form the dough into a smooth ball.

Grease a large mixing bowl with 2 teaspoons light olive oil, coating the bottom andsides of the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and let rise until doubled, about 60minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 350°F.

Line a baking sheet with heavy foil or parchment paper. Lightly spray or brush foil or

parchment paper with olive oil.After the dough has doubled, lightly flour the board or clean kitchen counter. Punch theair bubbles, knead the dough for a few minutes, and cut it into 16 portions.

Flatten each dough ball with your hands, then roll a rolling pin over the dough to createfive inch circles.

Fill each circle with about 2 tablespoons of the pork filling and a slice of hardboiledegg. Gather the edges of the dough, pinch, and twist to seal.

Place each bun, twisted side down on a lightly oiled heavy foil or parchment paper

lined baking sheet.Cover the buns with wax paper or a kitchen towel. Let buns rise for 25 minutes.

Remove the cover and bake buns in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove buns from baking sheet to a wire cooling rack. Serve warm or at roomtemperature with or without dipping sauce.

Baked buns can be left at room temperature overnight, and then stored in the

refrigerator for a few days. If refrigerated, microwave for 10 seconds before

serving.

Sweet n’ Spicy Pork Filling

1¼ pounds ground pork

2 TBSPs. bacon drippings or light olive oil

1/3 medium red onion, minced

2 TBSPs. ginger, peeled and minced


4 TBSPs. hoisin sauce



4 TBSPs. plum sauce

2 TBSPs. soy sauce

1 TBSP. rice wine or medium dry sherry

1 tsp. sesame oil

½ - 1 tsp. ground Thai hot peppers (optional)

½ tsp. ground black pepper ¼ tsp. monosodium glutamate or msg (optional)

1/8 tsp. five spices or ground anise/fennel seeds


4 hardboiled eggs – quartered

Heat bacon drippings in a medium size sauté pan over medium heat.

Sauté onion until translucent. Add minced ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. Addground pork. Sauté for a few minutes, breaking large pieces of meat with the spatula.Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer pork for 10 minutes or until pork is cooked,stirring once or twice while simmering.

In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, plum sauce, soy sauce, rice wine or medium drysherry, sesame oil, hot and black peppers, MSG and five spice. Add sauce to the pork and stir well. Simmer pork for 5 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Stir in chopped greenonions. Remove pan from heat. Pour off excess oil that may have accumulated at the

bottom of pan. Fill the buns as directed above.

Siopao Dipping Sauce2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 TBSP. ginger, peeled and minced


3 TBSPs. plum sauce

3 TBSPs. hoisin sauce

2 TBSPs. soy sauce



½ tsp. ground Thai hot peppers (optional)


1/8 tsp. five spices or ground anise/fennel seeds

3 tsps. cornstarch mixed with 2 TBSPs. water

In a small sauce pan, combine all ingredients except cornstarch. Bring to a boil over

medium heat. Once boiling, add the cornstarch mixture. Keep stirring until the sauce issmooth and has thickened slightly. Remove pan from the heat. Serve as dipping sauce.


• The easiest way to divide dough into portions is to first cut the dough into four

portions, and then cut each portion into four. You should end up with 16 smalldough balls. Form each portion into a smooth ball, being careful not to tear thedough. Cover the rest of the dough balls while you flatten and fill each one.



Sweet Potato Noodles on Sauteed Ground Pork Serves 4 people

Good things happen by accident just like this dish. One night I was bent on makingDangmyeon with sautéed ground pork, only to realize I did not have hot bean paste. Theonly thing I had that was close to being a paste was Thai red curry paste. It was too

crazy to even think that I could use red curry paste as substitute! But I did it anyway,crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. To my surprise, it came out great! I could

barely tell that I used red curry paste. I ate a big plate while wondering what the secretingredient!

Ingredients:

1 bundle (8 ounces) Dangmyeon (Sweet Potato Noodles) also known as clear noodles

½ pound pork loin, ground



1 inch piece ginger, thinly sliced

½ medium size red onion, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into strips

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips


1 TBSP. Thai red curry paste

4 TBSPs. soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. ground hot pepper (Korean)

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth



NOTE: A bag of Dangmyeon or sweet potato noodles contains 3 bundles. You

only need one bundle for this recipe. You can use the remaining 2 bundles for a

Korean dish called Japchae.

Soak one bundle of dangmyeon noodles in cold water for about 25 minutes. Drain andcut noodles in half to shorten the lengths. Set aside.

Heat wok or large skillet and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir fry the pork until cookedand liquid has evaporated, about 10 – 12 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and sliced onion.Stir fry a few minutes.

In a bowl, combine red curry paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and smallamount of chicken broth. Stir until smooth. Add the remaining chicken broth. Pour mixture over the stir fried ground pork and boil mixture over medium high heat. Cover

ok and simmer for 3 minutes. Bring the heat back up to medium high. Add slicedcarrots and green bell pepper. Add sweet potato noodles. Keep stirring until noodlesare soft, but still chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Serve warm with a

bowl of rice on the side.



Butternut Squash FrittersYield: 12 fritters and serves 4 people

I am always on the lookout for finger foods or anything that can be eaten withoututensils, that won’t spoil if not refrigerated and something that I can simply wrap with

paper towels, place in brown bags and stuff in my husband’s lunch box. That’s how this

recipe came about. To my surprise, he loves it! Not only these fritters are convenient for the lunch box this is also an excellent replacement for hash browns. He eats this for

breakfast along with sunny side up eggs.

These fritters are slightly spicy because of hot madras curry powder and slightly sweetfrom the natural sugars in butternut squash. They are perfect as a side dish andappetizer, and as I mentioned above, perfect for breakfast in place of hash browns witheggs, sausage and bacon.

Ingredients:

1 medium size butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled and grated


2 stalks green onions, finely slivered

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion


3 extra-large eggs, beaten1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

1 tsp. hot madras curry powder

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cayenne pepper or according to taste


6 TBSPs. light olive oil – divided, for frying



Peel butternut squash with a potato peeler. Wash under cold running water and pat dryith paper towels. Slice squash into 3 or 4 pieces. With a spoon, scrape and discard the

seeds.

Grate butternut squash using the large holes of a box grater and place grated squash in alarge bowl. Sprinkle salt and mix well. Add sliced red onion, green onions and minced

garlic. Mix well.In a small bowl, beat eggs. Pour over the butternut squash mixture and mix well.

In another bowl, combine flour, hot madras curry powder, baking powder, cayenne, andground black pepper. Add to the bowl of butternut squash. Mix well.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1½ tablespoons olive oil. Swirl theoil around the skillet. Use a ¼ measuring cup to scoop the butternut squash mixture anddrop 3 or 4 cupfuls into the hot skillet.

Flatten each mound with the back of the cup or with a spatula. Fry fritters 4 to 5 minuteson each side until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Continue frying the remaining butternut

squash batter until done.Serve as a side dish, appetizer, or in place of hash browns and pancakes for breakfast.


• A non-stick skillet or pancake griddle is highly recommended for frying thefritters.

• Allow the fritters to become crispy on one side before flipping to the other side.This will keep the fritters from falling apart.

• Wipe the skillet with paper towels in between batches before adding oil andcontinuing to fry. This is highly recommended, especially if there are burned bitsand pieces on the skillet from the previous batch.

• If liquid has collected at the bottom of the bowl, pour it out or simply stir the butternut squash before scooping and frying.

• You can grate the butternut squash one day ahead, keep it in the refrigerator, then

mix it with the rest of the ingredients the following day.• Butternut squash batter keeps in the refrigerator for 24 hours, so this is a great

appetizer that you can prepare ahead. All you have to do is cook the pancakes anhour before serving. Keep pancakes warm in the oven at 200°F.

• A 3 pound butternut squash should yield about 4 cups grated. If you would like tosplit this recipe, the rule of thumb is ¼ cup all-purpose flour and 1 extra-largeegg for every cup grated butternut squash. Adjust the seasoning and other ingredients accordingly.



Garlic Green Beans Lovers' DelightServes 4 people

I love garlic. But my husband’s love for garlic surpasses mine by five times. I addgarlic in almost every dish I prepare, except in fish dishes. Imagine, when for ninemonths while pregnant with our son, and two months after I had him, I could not stand

even the smell of garlic. No garlic was allowed in the house! To say the least, myhusband was not happy not having garlic in his food. So what a relief it was whenfinally after 11 months of torture, he could finally eat garlic again to his heart’s content.

Ingredients:

2 pounds green beans, washed and ends trimmed

1 – 2 whole heads garlic, cloves individually peeled and kept whole

8 ounces salt pork, sliced thinly1 TBSP. light olive oil

2 tsps. Lemon Pepper Seasoning


½ cup low sodium chicken stock

2 tsps. cornstarch

Fill a large pot about three-quarters full with water and add a tablespoon of salt. Bringater to a boil. Blanch green beans in the salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and

set aside.In a wok, bring ½ cup water to a boil. Add sliced salt pork. Continue to boil until all of the water has evaporated. When salt pork starts to sizzle, add a tablespoon of olive oil(to speed up the extraction of fat from the salt pork). Stir fry salt pork until golden

brown and crispy.

By this time, there should about 3 – 4 tablespoons fat drippings from the salt pork in theok. Add garlic and stir fry for one minute. Add the blanched green beans. Stir for a

few minutes. Add Lemon Pepper Seasoning and freshly ground black pepper.



In a small bowl, add a small amount of chicken broth to the cornstarch. Stir untilsmooth. Add the remaining chicken broth and stir. Pour cornstarch mixture over the stir fried garlic and green beans. Bring garlic and beans to a quick boil while stirring, untilthe sauce thickens.

Serve warm with meat and poultry dishes.



Blackened Salmon with Spicy CrustServes 4 people

The spices I used for this dish served as spicy and crunchy breading which alsosealed in the juices of the salmon fillets. The spices emit a spicy and smoky flavor,reminiscent of my childhood eating smoked tuna during the typhoon seasons, when the

ater was too rough for the small fishermen to navigate.

Ingredients:

4 (8 ounces each) boneless salmon fillets

3 TBSPs. smoked paprika

2 TBSPs. ground cumin

2 TBSPs. lemon pepper


2½ tsps. cayenne pepper 2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. ground allspice


Thaw salmon if using frozen. Pat dry with paper towels.

In a small bowl, combine spices and seasoning. Pour half the mixed spices on a flatrimmed dish.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add light olive oil.

Dredge salmon fillets with the spice mixture on both sides, patting the spices onto thefish to make them adhere.

Fry salmon in the heated oil until golden brown and crispy, 4 – 5 minutes on each side.

Watch the oil temperature. If it starts to smoke, turn the heat down; the spices

burn easily.

Transfer salmon fillets to an oven proof dish and keep them warm in a 200°F preheatedoven.




1 pound asparagus, cut into 2 inches

4 thick bacon slices, chopped

10 whole garlic cloves, peeled

½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

Wash and trim the tough bottom parts of the asparagus. Cut asparagus into 2 inches long.Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté bacon until it is lightly crisp and hasrendered 2 – 3 tablespoons fat. Add garlic cloves and sauté until light golden brown.Add onion and sauté until translucent, about one minute.

Add asparagus and sauté for 3 minutes. Keep the heat on medium and cover skillet for another 3 minutes or until asparagus is cooked but still crunchy.

Serve with the Blackened Salmon with Spicy Crust .


½ cup mayonnaise

2 TBSPs. grated horseradish

1 tsp. dried chives


1 TBSP. chili garlic sauce


Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. Take adollop and serve on the side with Salmon with Spicy Crust or other fried seafooddishes.




• Grated horseradish comes in a jar and is stocked in the produce or refrigeratedsection at your local supermarket. If you are unable to find this ingredient, feelfree to substitute with horseradish mustard stocked in the same shelf where

prepared mustards are located.

• You may also use other vegetables such as green beans in place of asparagus.



Drunken Fried FishServes 2 - 4 people

Since I was little up until I was 17 years old, fish was our main source of protein because we could not afford meat. We ate meat (chicken or pork) very rarely, three or four times a year, if we’re lucky. Then I met my husband and married. He hates fish, so I

stopped having fish on my regular diet. After many years of not eating fish, my taste for fish has changed. I’m not sure what happened, but I could no longer eat fish (stewedfish) the way I used to. Often, I generously season fish with herbs and spices tocamouflage the fishy taste. I like this fish though, because it’s fried and crunchy.

Ingredients:

4 large tilapia fish fillets (about 1 pound) or any firm fish fillets

3 TBSPs. red wine


¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper Egg batter – see recipe below

1 (8 ounce) bag Panko bread crumbs

3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Wash fish and pat them dry with paper towels. If the fillets are too large, cut them inhalf, lengthwise.

In a large mixing bowl, combine wine, salt and black pepper. Add the fish and let themmarinate for 15 minutes.

Prepare the batter below while the fish marinates.

Egg Batter

½ cup flour

¼ cup water

2 eggs

½ tsp. salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Beat ingredients until smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.

Heat a deep skillet. Add oil and heat it to 350°F.

Pour ½ bag of Panko bread crumbs in a large, deep dish. Remove fish fillets from themarinade. Dip fish fillets, one at time, in the egg batter, then dip in Panko bread crumbs.Fry fish in batches of 2 fillets about 5 minutes on each side until crispy and golden

brown.

Serve with Horseradish Mayonnaise.



Jumbo Shrimp in Black Bean SauceServe 4 people

Whenever we eat at Asian restaurants, I like to order shrimp dishes. However, I amoften disappointed in terms of quality, size, flavor and portion. So I definitely prefer tomake shrimp dishes at home. This way I have control over the quality, size, flavor and

portion!Fermented or salted black beans are perfect with shrimp dishes.

Shrimp and Marinade:

2 pounds wild jumbo shrimp in shells

3 TBSPs. rice wine or medium dry sherry2 ½ TBSPs. cornstarch

3 TBSPs. vegetable oil for stir frying

Rinse shrimp under cold running water.

With a pair of kitchen scissors, cut each shrimp from the back, starting from the topdown to the tail. Peel the shrimp and remove the veins with a toothpick. Place peeledand deveined shrimp in a large glass or non-reactive dish. Pour rice wine or mediumdry sherry over the shrimp. Mix well. Sprinkle cornstarch over the shrimp and mix well.

Marinate shrimp for 15 minutes at room temperature.Heat wok and add oil. Stir fry marinated shrimp until pink in color, stirring constantly,about 5 minutes. Shrimp should still be plump and not over cooked. Remove to a platter and set aside.

Stir Fried Bell Peppers

3 large green bell peppers, seeded and cut into bite sizes

1 medium red onion, chopped into bite sizes



1 TBSP. vegetable oil for stir frying

Heat the same wok and add tablespoon oil. Stir fry bell peppers and onion for about 2minutes or until bell peppers turn bright green and onion is translucent. Remove to a

platter. Set aside.

Fermented or Salted Black beans Sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced2 inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into strips


4 heaping TBSPs. fermented or salted black beans, coarsely chopped

4 dried Thai hot peppers (optional)


1 TBSP. sesame oil

1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth or water

5 TBSPs. soy sauce2 TBSPs. rice wine or medium dry sherry

2 tsps. brown sugar

1 tsp. ground hot pepper (optional)


4 tsps. cornstarch

Combine chicken broth or water, soy sauce, wine, sugar, salt, ground hot and black peppers, and cornstarch. Stir until smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.

Heat the same wok. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and tablespoon sesame oil. Stir frygarlic and ginger until garlic is light golden brown. Add fermented or salted black beans. Stir fry 2 minutes. Add green onions and dried hot peppers if using. Stir fry for one minute or until dried hot peppers turn dark red but not burnt.

Turn the heat to medium high. Stir the cornstarch mixture and pour into the wok. Bring toa quick boil, while stirring constantly.

Add the stir fried shrimp. Stir and simmer for about 2 minutes.

Add stir fried bell peppers. Stir well and until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove wok from the heat.

Serve immediately with Jasmine rice, or over cooked noodles.Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

• Shrimp in their shells are minimally processed and therefore more flavorful thanthe ones already peeled or cooked. However, if you are short on time, it’s



acceptable to use jumbo shrimp that have been commercially peeled anddeveined.

• Prepare all the ingredients, i.e. marinate shrimp, chop vegetables as directedabove, and mix the sauce before you begin stir frying.



Shrimp with Horseradish Salad DressingServes 4 people

If I want my husband to eat salads, they have to taste good. Otherwise, he just stares atthem till the cows come home. This salad however is different. He loves it. It has plentyof shrimp along with crunchy veggies like snow peas, celery, red bell pepper, celery,

red onion, and parsley. I finish it off with homemade Horseradish Salad Dressing. Thisis excellent served with warm, crusty sesame bread.

Ingredients:

2 pounds shrimp, frozen or fresh – see instructions below for boiling

2 quarts water

1 TBSP. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

2 inch piece ginger, sliced1 stalk lemon grass, chopped into 3 pieces

3 Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 pound snow peas, ends and veins removed then blanched

1 large seedless cucumber, sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced


¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 TBSP. toasted sesame seeds

In a large pot, combine 2 quarts water, ginger, sea salt, lemon grass and tomatoes. Bringto a rolling boil.

Devein shrimp by inserting a toothpick in the back of the shrimp through the

shells and then pull the veins out as if you are pulling a string.

Boil shrimp for 3 – 4 minutes or until shrimp shells turn bright red. (Do not over cook.)Remove boiled shrimp using a bamboo skimmer and place in a colander. Peel shrimp



hen cool enough to handle.

Keep the pot with the shrimp water boiling over medium heat. Blanch snow peas in the boiling shrimp water for 1 minute or until snow peas turn bright green. Drain.

Using a large mixing bowl, combine peeled shrimp, blanched snow peas, slicedcucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced onion, and parsley. Right before serving, pour

the salad dressing and mix with a spatula. Serve with warm sesame bread.

Horseradish Salad Dressing

¾ cup olive oil or peanut oil

2 TBSPs. grated horseradish

Juice of ½ large lime

1 tsp. French’s yellow mustard

1 tsp. Dijon mustard2 tsps. coarse kosher salt


In a bowl, combine dressing ingredients, except the olive oil. Gradually add the oliveoil while whisking until creamy. Pour into a glass jar and cool in the refrigerator untilready to use.


• Prepare the Horseradish Salad Dressing a half-hour before you start with thesalad and just let it cool in the refrigerator. This will allow for all the flavors to

blend in.

• Grated horseradish is available in most supermarkets located in their refrigerated/produce section. It comes in a jar.



• If you do not want to go through the hassle of peeling shrimp, feel free to useshrimp that are commercially peeled and cooked.

• I prefer to buy raw shrimp still in their shells and cook and peel them myself. Ithink they have more flavor because they have only been minimally processed. Iusually spend 15 minutes peeling them, but I consider my time well spent.

• It is easy to devein raw shrimp in their shells before boiling. Pull the veins fromthe back using a toothpick.

• Lemon grass is an aromatic plant that is commonly used in most Asian cooking,including Thai and Vietnamese. They keep longer in the freezer. Simply removethe dried outer layer from each stalk and then wrap 2 or 3 stalks with aluminumfoil then freeze. Warning: Lemon grass leaves are sharp and can cut you, sohandle with care.



Spice Crusted TilapiaServes 4 people

My husband who is not a seafood fanatic absolutely loves this dish. The spicesencrusting the tilapia fish fillets are what take this dish to another level. They arecrunchy and spicy on the outside, and tender, moist, and flaky on the inside.

I also prepares a Lime - Sesame Dipping Sauce to compliment the fish.

Ingredients:

8 tilapia fish fillets, fresh or frozen (about 2 pounds)

2 TBSPs. paprika

2 tsps. cayenne pepper

2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsps. dried thyme


1 tsp. lemon pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground allspice

3 TBSPs. light olive

3 TBSPs. butter

1½ cups flour for dredging, season with -


¼ tsp. cayenne pepper


Thaw tilapia if using frozen.

Combine spices in flat rimmed dish. An 8” x 8” glass baking dish worked well for me.



Pour the flour into another flat rimmed dish. Mix with seasoning.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cooking oil and butter.

Dredge tilapia with the spice mixture on both sides, one fillet at a time. Pat the spiceslightly on the fish to make them adhere.

Lightly dredge spiced tilapia with the flour.

Fry tilapia in the heated oil and butter until crispy, about 4 – 5 minutes on each side.Watch the oil temperature. If it starts to smoke, turn the heat down. The spices burneasily. Drain on tilapia on paper towels.

Serve over garden salad with Lime – Sesame Dipping Sauce.

Lime – Sesame Dipping Sauce

Juices of 2 large limes

3 TBSPs. teriyaki sauce1 TBSP. sesame oil

1 TBSP. toasted sesame seeds, preferably ground



Whisk ingredients in a bowl.

Serve as dipping sauce for the Spice Crusted Tilapia.


• After dredging the fish with the spices, allow them to sit for at least 5 minutes before dredging with flour. This will allow the spice flavors to penetrate the fishand also form a crust.

• Roasted ground sesame seeds are available in Korean markets or Asian markets



that sell Korean ingredients.



Salted Coco Caramel SauceYield: 2 cups

This caramel has great coco-nutty taste, and is very addictive! It reminds me of the type o

candy we used to make when I was a child.To make this caramel, you will need a heavy bottomed saucepan and a candythermometer to monitor the caramel temperature.

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk (Chaokoh brand)

1 tsp. coarse Celtic Gray sea salt (use only ½ tsp. if using coarse kosher salt)

First, make sure you have all the ingredients measured and ready. Once you start the

caramel sauce, you have to give it your full attention, as caramel can quickly burn.Place the sugar in the heavy bottomed saucepan. Heat the pan over medium heat. Whenthe sugar starts to melt, start stirring. The sugar will form into clumps- this is normal.Continue stirring until sugar melts and becomes liquid. Once sugar becomes liquid, let it

boil over medium heat until the color becomes reddish orange or deep amber.

Melting the sugar will take about 15 minutes. Once melted and boiling, it will

turn a reddish orange color in about 2 minutes.

Carefully add the can of coconut milk. Stir.

Add the sea salt. Some of the caramel sauce will clump up. Again, this is normal. Keepstirring until the sauce comes to a boil. The clumped pieces will melt. Keep the heat onmedium. Once the sauce gets slightly thick and color becomes deep amber, immediatelyremove pot from the heat.

Let the caramel sauce cool in the pot for about 10 minutes before pouring into a heat proof glass jar. Store in the refrigerator.

Serve caramel with fresh fruit. This sauce is also a great coffee or latte sweetener.



Banana Rice MuffinsYield: 1 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill stone ground white rice flour

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 cup roasted macadamia nuts, chopped

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder


½ tsp. ground cinnamon3 large very ripe bananas, mashed

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup coconut cream (Aroy-D)

3/4 cup, firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract


Open the can of coconut cream. Dip a pastry brush in the coconut cream and brush

muffin cups. Set aside.In a large bowl, combine together rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking

powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add chopped macadamia nuts and mix well.

In another bowl, mash bananas with potato masher. Add lightly beaten eggs and coconutcream. Whisk a few times and then add brown sugar. Whisk until brown sugar dissolvesand the mixture is free of lumps. Add vanilla extract and stir to mix.

Pour flour mixture over the banana and egg mixture. Mix well. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.



Bake in preheated oven for 19 to 21 minutes, or when toothpick comes out clean wheninserted into the center of a muffin.

Serve warm or room temperature. Store muffins in a plastic container with a lid, linedith two sheets of paper towels. Place another sheet of paper towel over the muffins

before closing the lid to absorb moisture and keep the muffins from getting sticky on top.



Chapter 2

Chinese



Easy and Simple Egg RollsYields 24 large egg rolls

Filling:

1½ pounds ground beef, 90% lean

1 pound ground pork

6 TBSPs. light olive oil, divided

1 large red onion, chopped4 stalks green onions, chopped


1 large baking potato, peeled and finely diced

3 large carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 celery sticks, peeled and finely diced

1 pound green beans, end trimmed and finely chopped

6 green or red fresh hot peppers, finely chopped (optional)

3 tsps. coarse sea or kosher salt½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 package Egg Roll Wrappers (24 wrappers in each package)

Extra-large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

4 - 5 cups vegetable oil for frying

Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons light olive oil. Add and cook ground beef and pork. Stir constantly, breaking up the chunks of meat. Add salt and



ground black pepper. Keep stirring until most liquid has evaporated and the meat startsto sizzle. If there’s too much liquid in the meat, drain the liquid. Add tablespoon oil tothe cooked meat.

Add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is translucent. Add the potatoes. Stir for a fewminutes. Add carrots, celery, and green beans. Stir until vegetables are partially cooked,

about 3 minutes. Add green onions. Keep stirring until meat and vegetables arecombined well. Add soy sauce. At this stage, the potatoes should be soft and masheasily. They should act as a thickener/binder for the meat and vegetable mixture.

If the mixture contains a bit of liquid, sprinkle a tablespoon of cornstarch over themixture. Stir over medium heat for a few minutes. Remove wok from the heat and cool.

How to Roll the Egg Rolls:

1.1. Separate the egg roll wrapper sheets and place them on a plate. Cover with a

damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying.

2.2. Lay an egg roll wrapper sheet flat over a large chopping board with one corner pointing towards you.

3.3. Scoop two spoonfuls of the meat and vegetable mixture onto the wrapper, 1½inches away from the corner facing you.

4.4. Fold the corner facing you over the filling and fold both left and right cornersover the first folded corner, forming an envelope.

5.5. Lightly brush folded corners and the top wrapper with beaten egg.

6.6. Roll and seal. Place egg roll seam side down in a large container or tray. Repeatthe procedures with the remaining filling and egg roll wrappers until allwrappers have been used.

How to Fry Egg Rolls:

1.7. Heat a wok or deep frying pan. Add 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it

reaches 350˚F.

2.8. I always use a thermometer to make sure I have the correct temperature whilefrying. The egg rolls should be fully submerged in the hot oil.

3.9. Fry egg rolls in batches, 5 – 7 pieces per batch for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

The key to having crispy and less oily egg rolls is the filling and frying oil

temperature. The filling must be fairly dry, and the oil must remain at 350°F.

Egg roll wrappers are thicker than Filipino lumpia wrappers, but they are

readily available at any supermarket.



Barbecued Pork in a BunServes 4 people

This dish reminds me of Siopao, a very popular, Chinese inspired steamed bun filledith meat and sliced boiled egg. The preparation for these buns are fairly easy because

I used refrigerated Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits.

I used the Pork Steaks with Sweet Barbecue Sauce for filling.

Ingredients:

1 package Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (8 biscuits per package)

Filling:

1 TBSP. light olive oil

½ medium red onion, finely diced1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, finely diced

1 TBSP. soy sauce

1 TBSP. hoisin sauce

½ cup low sodium chicken broth

1 TBSP. Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry

1 TBSP. cornstarch

2 Pork Steaks with Sweet Barbecue Sauce, chopped

½ cup barbecue sauce of your choice

Please follow the recipe for Pork Steaks with Sweet Barbecue Sauce.

Heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Sauté onion until translucent. Add water chestnutsand stir a few minutes.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and hoisin sauce and pour over the sautéed onionand water chestnuts, stirring to combine. Stir in chicken broth and bring the mixture to a

boil over medium heat.

In another small bowl, combine medium dry sherry, chicken broth and cornstarch. Stir



until smooth. Slowly pour mixture over the onion and water chestnuts, stirring constantlyuntil thick. Remove skillet from the heat and add chopped Pork Steaks with Sweet

arbecue Sauce. Pour ½ cup barbecue sauce over the barbecued pork.

Stir to mix.

Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly butter a heavy duty cookie sheet.

Remove biscuits from the can and separate them. On a lightly floured board or cleancounter, form biscuits into a 6 inch circles using a lightly floured rolling pin. Fill eachflattened biscuit with 4 – 6 tablespoons of the barbecued pork. Gather the edgestowards the middle, twisting and pressing to seal.

Place buns seam side down on the greased cookie sheet. Brush each bun with the glazeand bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm.

These are great eaten as snacks, light lunch or dinner accompanied with soup.

Bun Glaze:

1 large egg

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. water

Beat egg, brown sugar and water. Brush barbecued pork buns with this glaze before baking.



Gingery Egg Drop SoupServes 4 – 6 people

This is my “go to” soup recipe when I’m pressed for time because it is fast and easy;takes only 15 minutes to prepare!

The tiny strips of young, tender ginger in every spoonful are what make this soup. This

is absolutely perfect with fried rice and egg rolls.

Ingredients:

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) low sodium chicken broth

2 cups drinking water

1½ inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into tiny strips

2 TBSPs. Shaohsing rice cooking wine

1 TBSP. genuine rice vinegar 1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. hot pepper oil or ground hot pepper (or to taste)

2 tsps. chicken granules

5 TBSPs. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

5 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten


2 TBSPs. soy sauce or to taste

4 stalks green onions, choppedCrack eggs in a medium size bowl. Sprinkle ground black pepper and then beat eggslightly. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

In a 3 quart pot, combine chicken broth, water, ginger, rice cooking wine, rice vinegar,sesame and hot pepper oil or ground hot pepper and coarse sea salt. Bring to a full boilover medium heat.



Give the cornstarch mixture another stir. Slowly pour over the boiling chicken broth,hile stirring constantly with long chopsticks or spatula. Boil for another minute.

Reduce heat to low. Slowly pour beaten eggs in circular direction over the broth. Stir immediately three times. Turn off heat and cover the pot for 3 minutes. Add soy sauce.

Add chopped green onions. Carefully stir and taste to see if additional ground black

pepper and salt is needed.Serve hot.



Beef and Green Beans with Oyster SauceServes 4 people

This dish is delicious and saucy. Great when served with a bowl of rice.

Ingredients:

2 pounds top sirloin steak, thinly sliced

2 pounds green beans, washed and cut into 1 inch lengths

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

½ large red onion, sliced


Wash steak and trim off tough tendons. Thinly slice steak, against the grain, into two-inch strips and place in a large mixing bowl. Mix marinade as directed below.

Marinade:


3 TBSPs. Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry

3 TBSPs. soy sauce

3 tsps. brown sugar


½ tsp. black pepper

2 tsps. sesame oil¾ tsp. baking soda

3 TBSPs. cornstarch

In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients except baking soda and cornstarch. Mix until brown sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade over the sliced steak. Mix well. The mixtureshould be a bit sticky.

Sprinkle baking soda over the steak and stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrapand marinate steak for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the



refrigerator.

Right before frying, sprinkle cornstarch over the marinated steak. Stir to mix. Add atablespoon of vegetable oil and stir with spatula or mix with your hand.

Divide marinated steak into 4 equal portions. Set aside.

Boil 3 quarts of water plus 1 tablespoon salt. Add green beans and let it boil for three

minutes. Drain and set aside.Beef Oyster Sauce


3 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 TBSP. brown sugar

2 tsps. cornstarch

¾ cup beef broth or water

1 tsp. sesame oilCombine sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Heat a wok and add 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 325°F.

Add marinated steak in the hot oil, one portion at a time. Stir with a long chopstick or long wooden spoon to separate the slices. Fry until golden brown on the edges, 5 to 6minutes. Drain on paper towels. Before frying the next portion, make sure the oiltemperature is back at 325°F. Continue frying the marinated steak one portion at a timeuntil all portions are done.

Pour the hot oil from the wok into a large heat proof bowl. Clean the wok by scraping burned bits and pieces of meat that may have been stuck at the bottom.

Take 3 tablespoons of the hot oil and add to the wok. Stir fry ginger and onion untiltranslucent. Add the blanched green beans and pre-cooked steak. Stir fry for a fewminutes. Make a well in the middle, by pushing the steak and beans to the side of the

ok. Pour the sauce. Quickly boil the sauce by turning the heat to medium high. Stir untilsteak and beans are coated well with the sauce. Keep stirring for about 1 minute longer.Remove wok from the heat. Serve hot with a bowl of rice.

Tess Cooking Secrets:

• The ideal temperature for frying meat is between 325°F and 350°F. The meatwill absorb very little oil. It’s important to monitor and maintain the oiltemperature with the use of candy or deep fry thermometer.

• The oil temperature will drop between 25°F to 50°F depending on the amount of



food you add to the hot oil. You do not want the temperature to drop anymorethan 50°F, so it is important to fry in batches.

• Baking soda is a great beef tenderizer, and a guarded secret in successful Chineserestaurants.

• Another great tenderizer is MSG (monosodium glutamate), but it has gotten such a

bad rap that people are scared of it. And most people don’t know that MSG is anaturally occuring substance found in soy sauce.

• Adding cooking oil to the marinated beef before frying loosens up the slices,which allows for even cooking.



Beef in Black Bean SauceServes 4 - 6 people

I love the flavors that fermented or salted black beans impart on meat and shrimpdishes. Fermented or salted black beans are usually made with small black beans or soybeans that have been preserved in salt and allowed to ferment. They are widely used

in Chinese cooking. They have strong and distinct flavors, pungent and salty.

Ingredients:

2 pounds top sirloin steak

3 TBSPs. soy sauce


2 TBSPs. water

1 TBSP. cornstarch1 tsp. coarse kosher salt

½ tsp. baking soda


4 - 5 cups vegetable oil for blanching/precooking

Vegetables:


3 large bell peppers (green, red and yellow), seeded and cut into 1 inch squares

2 TBSPs. vegetable oil for stir frying

Sauce:

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into thin strips

4 stalks green onion, chopped

3 TBSPs. fermented or salted black beans, coarsely chopped

1 cup water

3 TBSPs. soy sauce



1½ TBSPs. Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry

2 tsps. brown sugar



2 tsps. cornstarch

Wash steak under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice steak into ½x 2 inch strips and place in a large bowl.

In another bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine, water, cornstarch, salt, baking soda andground black pepper. Stir until smooth. Pour over the steak. Mix well until steak absorbs most of the marinade. Let steak marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

Prepare vegetables as listed above and set them aside.

Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine water, soy sauce, rice cooking wine,sugar, ground hot peppers (if using), black pepper and cornstarch. Stir until smooth. Set

aside.

Heat wok and add 4 to 5 cups oil. Heat oil until it reaches 325°F.

Add tablespoon oil to the marinated steak and stir to loosen them up. Divide into 4 portions.

Blanch steak in hot oil, one portion at a time, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the edges arecaramelized in color. Remove steak with a bamboo skimmer or slotted spoon and drainon paper towels. Finish blanching the remaining portions until done but be sure the oiltemperature is back at 325°F.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Turn the heat to medium high and stir fry onion and bell peppers for 2 minutes. Transfer them to a platter.

Add tablespoon oil. Stir fry ginger for 1 minute. Stir in green onions and stir fry 30seconds. Stir in fermented black beans and stir fry 2 minutes.

Give the sauce mixture another stir to loosen the cornstarch. Pour into the wok. Bring toa quick boil, while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and add the blanchedsteak. Stir until steak is mixed well with the sauce. Add the stir fried onion and bell

peppers.

Serve immediately with a bowl of rice on the side, or serve over egg noodles.


• Stir steak 2 or 3 times with long chopsticks while blanching in hot oil to keep theslices from clumping together.

• One of Chinese restaurant cooks’ cooking secrets is the technique called



“velveting” or blanching in hot oil. The recommended temperature is between275°F and 325°F- but since oil temperature will drop between 25°F and 50°Fwhen marinated meat is added, it is better to start at 350°F (but no hotter thanthat).

• For more flavors, I use the same oil I have blanched the steak with to stir fry the

vegetables.• Medium dry sherry is a great substitute for rice cooking wine.



Chicken in Plum SauceServes 4 people

This is an easy yet very delicious chicken recipe. It’s slightly sweet because of the plum sauce. Who says you have to work hard to cook something good?!

Ingredients:

4 – 6 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 inch cubes

Zest and juice of 2 limes


½ cup plum sauce

½ cup hoisin sauce

½ cup soy sauce¼ cup oyster sauce

2 TBSPs. roasted sesame seeds

Wash chicken breasts under cold running water, and slice into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT the chicken. Mix well.Reserve 1 cup of this sauce and set aside.

Add chicken cubes into the sauce mixture. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes at roomtemperature or overnight in the refrigerator.


Line baking sheet with heavy duty foil. Pour marinated chicken into the foil lined bakingsheet. Spread the chicken around the pan so that the pieces are not on top of each other.

Bake chicken for 25 minutes. Remove chicken from the oven and brush with theremaining sauce. Return the chicken to the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then turn off theoven while keeping the chicken in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Serve with a bowl of rice and Stir Fried Green Beans.



Beef with Honey and Roasted Sesame SeedsServes 4 - 6 people

Ingredients:


1 pound snow peas, ends removed

2 bell peppers (green and red), seeds removed and sliced into 1 inch squares



4 - 5 cups vegetable oil

Wash steak and trim off tough tendons. Thinly slice steak, against the grain, into two-inch strips and place in a large mixing bowl. Mix marinade as listed below.

Marinade:


2 TBSPs. soy sauce


2 tsps. brown sugar

2 tsps. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp. baking soda

Dash of sesame oil

2 tsps. cornstarch (to be added last)

Combine marinade ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour marinade over thinly slicedsteak. Mix well. Marinate steak at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in therefrigerator.

Add tablespoon vegetable oil to the marinated steak. Mix to loosen the steak slices.



Divide into four portions.


Blanch marinated steak in the hot oil, one portion at a time, for 5 to 6 minutes or untilthe edges are golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Continue frying the remaining portions until done.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Stir fry bell peppers and snow peasuntil color turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove to a platter.

Add 1 tablespoon of the hot oil to the wok. Stir fry ginger and garlic until garlic turnslight golden brown.

Pour sauce (see recipe below) over the stir fried ginger and garlic. Bring to a quick boilover medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Add the pre-cooked steak and stir

ell. Add the stir fried vegetable. Stir and sprinkle roasted sesame seeds.

Serve with a bowl of rice on the side.

Sauce:

¼ cup oyster sauce

1 ½ cups low sodium beef broth or water

4 tsps. honey

2 tsps. cornstarch

1 tsp. ground hot peppers




6 dried hot peppers

3 TBSPs. roasted sesame seeds (to be added during the last minute of cooking)

Combine oyster sauce, beef broth, honey, cornstarch, ground hot peppers and ground black pepper in a mixing bowl. Use for the stir fried beef and vegetables as instructedabove.


• London broil, flank or skirt steak, and brisket are other flavorful cuts of beef youcan use for all the beef recipes in this chapter. You may also use top round or shoulder cuts.

• Long chopsticks are great tools when deep frying. I use them to stir the meats being fried, especially thinly beef slices to keep them separated. They areinexpensive and available in most Asian markets for about $1.50 for a pair.



Chicken with Fermented Black BeansServes 4 people

This recipe is based on whole chicken, cut-up into pieces. However, you may use 2 pounds of boneless/skinless chicken breasts.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), cut-up

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry



¼ cup cornstarch4 - 5 cups vegetable oil for frying


1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1 inch squares

2 medium size zucchini, cubed


6 - 10 dried hot peppers (optional)

4 TBSPs. fermented black beans

Place chicken pieces in a gallon Ziploc bag.

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, rice cooking wine, salt and ground black pepper. Pour mixture over the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

Remove chicken from the marinade and place in a large bowl or plate. Sprinklecornstarch all over the marinated chicken pieces.

Heat a wok and add 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 350°F. Frychicken pieces, in 2 or 3 batches, for about 8 – 10 minutes or until golden and crispy.Drain on paper towels.



Carefully transfer oil to heat proof container. Use a tablespoon of this same hot oil andstir fry onion for 2 minutes and remove to a platter. Add another tablespoon hot oil andstir fry bell pepper for 2 minutes. Remove to the same platter with the onion. Addanother tablespoon of the same oil and stir fry the zucchini until slightly caramelized incolor, about 3 minutes. Remove to a platter with the onion and bell pepper.

Add another tablespoon oil and stir the fry garlic until golden brown. Add dried hot peppers if using and stir for 20 seconds. Add the fermented black beans. Add the sauce(see recipe below) and bring to a quick boil. Add the fried chicken pieces. Stir untilchicken pieces are coated with the sauce. Add the stir fried onion, bell pepper andzucchini. Stir to mix.

Serve with rice on the side.

Sauce:

2 TBSPs. soy sauce

2 tsps. cornstarch

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 cup low sodium chicken broth or water

Mix soy sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and free olumps. Slowly add water while stirring constantly. Use as directed above.

You may prepare this dish using boneless/skinless chicken breasts sliced into

bite size pieces. Follow the same direction but adjust the frying time. Cubed

chicken breasts will cook faster, between 5 to 6 minutes.



Corn SoupServes 4 people

This soup is a perfect accompaniment with Asian dishes, eaten as a first course mealor a light meal all its own. If you are not fond of imitation crab legs, you can usechopped ham instead.

Ingredients:

1 (14.75 ounce) can cream style sweet corn


4 TBSPs. Shaohsing rice cooking wine

½ tsp. coarse sea salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels


3 extra large eggs, beaten

1 (8 ounce) package imitation crab legs, chopped into ½ inch

2 – 3 TBSPs. soy sauce

In a 3 quart size pot, combine cream style sweet corn, chicken broth, rice cooking wine,coarse sea salt, and ground black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.Add corn kernels (frozen or fresh). Keep the soup boiling over medium heat.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Stir until smooth. Slowly pour cornstarch mixture over the boiling soup, while stirring constantly with a longchopstick. Keep the heat on medium. Add imitation crab legs or chopped ham.

In another bowl, beat eggs.

Swirl beaten eggs into the soup. Immediately stir with long chopsticks three times in acircular motion. Cover the pot and simmer soup for 3 minutes.

Add soy sauce. Start with 2 tablespoons, then taste the soup and add more if needed.



Serve hot with fried rice or other Asian dishes.



Beef with Oyster Sauce and VegetablesServes 4 - 6 people

My husband has several favorite dishes, and this is one of them. He loves to eat itextra spicy! Of course… for you it doesn’t need to be spicy. Make this dish according toyour family’s taste.

Ingredients:


1 cup snow peas, washed and ends removed

1 large green bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into 1 inch squares

2 medium size carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 inch strips

1½ inch ginger, peeled and sliced into strips


4 stalks green onions, chopped5 - 10 fresh Thai hot peppers or according to your taste


Wash steak and trim off tough tendons. Thinly slice steak, against the grain, into two-inch strips and place them in a large mixing bowl. Mix marinade as listed below.

Marinade:


3 TBSPs. soy sauce

2 TBSPs. Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry1 tsp. of sesame oil


1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsps. cornstarch (to be added last)

Combine marinade ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour marinade over thinly slicedsteak. Mix well. Marinate steak at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in the



refrigerator. Prepare the sauce as follows:

Oyster Sauce:


2 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 tsp. sesame oil¼ tsp. salt


2 tsps. cornstarch

1 tsp. brown sugar

¼ cup low sodium beef broth or water

Combine sauce ingredients and stir until smooth. Use as directed below.

Add tablespoon vegetable oil to the marinated steak to loosen the slices. Divide into

four portions.Heat a wok and add 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 325°F.

Blanch marinated steak in the hot oil, one portion at a time, for 5 to 6 minutes or untilthe edges are golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Continue blanching the remaining portions until done.

Remove oil from the wok into a heat proof glass jar. Clean wok by scraping burned bitsand pieces.

Keep wok on medium high heat. Add tablespoon oil to the wok. Stir fry snow peas and

green bell pepper until color turns bright green. Remove to a platter. Add tablespoonhot oil and stir fry carrots until lightly caramelized in color, about 2 minutes. Remove tothe same platter with the stir fried snow peas and bell pepper.

Add tablespoon hot oil and stir fry sliced ginger, garlic, green onions and fresh hot peppers. Stir fry until garlic turns golden and green onions turn dark green. Add saucemixture. Bring to a quick boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Addthe pre-cooked steak. Stir well. Add the stir fried snow peas, bell pepper and carrots.Stir well.




Chinese Five Spiced Pork Burger PattiesServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground pork


4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced

4 stalks green onions, finely chopped


1 tsp. Chinese five spices powder

¾ tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste



4 TBSPs. light olive oil for frying

Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in the order listed in a large mixing bowl.Mix well with your hand or spatula.

Divide pork mixture into 8 portions and form them into patties.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add oil. Heat oil just before it starts tosmoke. Fry 3 or 4 patties at a time, depending on the size of your skillet. Fry patties untilcooked through, about 6 – 8 minutes on each side, flipping them every 2 or 3 minutes.

Continue frying the remaining patties until done.Serve patties with Stir Fried Green Beans and a bowl of rice on the side


• Keep fried pork patties warm in a preheated 225°F oven while you finish frying



the rest.

• These patties can be served as “pork sliders in Hawaiian rolls”.

• When pan frying patties, be it pork, beef or chicken, they are best seared 1 – 2minutes on each side to seal in the juices, then fried on each side until cooked.



Egg and Tofu SoupServes 4 - 6 people

This soup is very easy to make , especially if you have chicken broth on hand. You mayuse water, but I prefer to use chicken or vegetable broth to make this soup moreflavorful.

Meat is optional for this soup since tofu is already rich in proteins. However, I’ve alsotested this recipe with chicken and combinations of pork and/or shrimp.

This same soup can be made into Hot and Sour Soup by simply adding 4 tablespoons orice vinegar.

Meat (Optional):

2 cups thinly sliced chicken, pork and/or shrimp1 TBSP. soy sauce

2 tsps. cornstarch

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and set aside.

Vegetables:

1 (14.5 ounce) package medium firm tofu (about 2 cups), diced into cubes

¾ cup finely diced carrots

¾ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

¾ cup fresh or frozen green peasHave them ready and set aside.

The Soup:


4 TBSPs. soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil




Thickener:

6 TBSPs. cornstarch

½ cup water

4 extra-large eggs, well beaten

Using a 4 quart pot, combine soup ingredients and bring to a boil. Add meat and stir to

separate them. Keep boiling and then reduce heat and simmer meat for 12 minutes.Add tofu, carrots, corn kernels and green peas. Bring soup to another boil then reduceheat. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until carrots are tender.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Stir until smooth. Slowly pour over thesoup, while stirring constantly. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the soup toanother boil.

Slowly pour the well beaten eggs. Stir a few times and turn off the heat.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more soy sauce and ground black pepper if necessary.

Add 3 - 4 tablespoons rice vinegar if you want Hot and Sour Soup.Serve warm.



Hoisin Baby Back RibsServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 slabs baby back ribs (3 pounds each)1 cup hoisin sauce

¾ cup Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry

¾ cup soy sauce

¾ cup brown sugar



2 tsps. Sriracha hot sauce

1 tsp. ground Thai hot pepper ½ tsp. five spices

In a bowl, combine the marinade or sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Wash ribs under cold running water. Remove and discard the white sinewy film liningthe ribs.

Cut each slab into halves, along the rib bone. You should have 4 pieces. Place ribs ingallon Ziploc bag or large plastic container with cover.

Reserve ½ cup of the marinade and set aside. Pour the remaining marinade over theribs. Marinate ribs overnight in the refrigerator or 1 hour at room temperature.


Line a heavy duty baking sheet with thick aluminum foil. Place ribs meaty side up.Discard the used marinade.

Roast ribs in a preheated oven at 450°F for 40 minutes. Baste with the reservedmarinade. Turn ribs over and roast an additional 15 minutes. Turn the ribs again meatyside up, baste with the marinade and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven andrest 5 minutes before slicing.



Serve with a bowl of Jasmine rice on the side and your favorite vegetable dish.



Shrimp with Black Bean Garlic SauceServes 4 people

Black Bean Garlic Sauce comes in a jar and can be found at Asian markets. If youcan’t find this sauce, fermented black beans are a great alternative and come in plastic

packages or small cans.

Ingredients:

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined


1 tsp. coarse kosher salt2 TBSPs. cornstarch

Vegetables:

1 large red onion, sliced

2 bell peppers (green and red), seeded and cut into 1 inch squares



4 TBSPs. black bean garlic sauce or fermented black beans

5 TBSPs. light olive oil for stir frying, divided1 TBSP. sesame oil

Sauce:

2 TBSPs. soy sauce

2 cups chicken broth or water

2 tsps. sugar




4 tsps. cornstarch


In a large bowl, combine rice cooking wine, kosher salt and cornstarch. Stir untilsmooth. Add the shrimp. Mix well. Let shrimp marinate for 15 minutes at roomtemperature.

Prepare the vegetables as listed above. Set them aside.Combine sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Heat a wok over medium high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil. Add marinated shrimpand stir fry until they turn pink, about 4 minutes. Remove to a platter.

Clean the wok by scraping and discarding burned bits and pieces. Keep the wok onmedium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and tablespoon sesame oil. Stir fry garlic,ginger and onion for about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add black bean garlicsauce. Stir well to mix. Add green and red bell peppers. Stir until bell peppers aremixed well with the black bean garlic sauce. Add stir fried shrimp. Stir one minute.

Make a well in the middle of the wok by pushing the shrimp and vegetables to the side.Give the sauce another stir and pour sauce in the middle of the wok. Bring the sauce to aquick boil while stirring constantly. Push the vegetables and shrimp over the sauce.Keep stirring until vegetables and shrimp are mixed well with the sauce. Remove wok from the heat.

Serve warm with a bowl of rice on the side.



Hot Beef and Green BeansServe 4 - 6 people

Ingredients:

2 pounds top sirloin steak, thinly sliced into 1 x 2 inch strips

Marinade:


3 TBSPs. soy sauce

2 TBSPs. water

1 tsp. brown sugar ½ tsp. coarse kosher salt

½ tsp. baking soda


3 TBSPs. cornstarch

4 - 5 cups vegetable oil for blanching

Vegetables:

2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1½ inches

1 medium onion, slicedSauce:



6 dried Thai hot peppers

1½ cups water

½ cup soy sauce




2 tsps. brown sugar

1 tsp. ground hot peppers, for additional heat (optional)



4 tsps. cornstarchWash steak under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice steak into 1 x2 inch thin strips. Place in a glass or non-reactive bowl.

In another bowl, combine marinade ingredients: rice cooking wine, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and ground black pepper. Pour marinade over the steak.Mix well. Sprinkle cornstarch over steak. Mix well. Let steak marinate at roomtemperature for at least 20 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

Boil 8 cups water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add green beans and blanch for 3minutes. Drain in a colander.

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, soy sauce, rice cooking wine or medium drysherry, brown sugar, ground hot peppers, salt, and ground black pepper and cornstarch.Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Heat wok and add 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 325°F. Use a deepfry thermometer to be sure.

Drizzle a tablespoon oil over the marinated steak to loosen and separate the slices.Divide marinated steak into 4 portions.

Blanch steak in the hot oil, one portion at a time, for 5 to 6 minutes or until edges turn

brown. Be sure to stir steak once or twice using long chopsticks or wooden spoon tokeep the slices from clumping and sticking to the bottom of the wok.

Remove steak with a bamboo skimmer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Continue blanching the remaining portions following the same procedures until done.

Remove all, but tablespoon oil from the wok or skillet.

Stir fry onion for 2 minutes and remove to a platter. Set aside.

Add tablespoon oil and stir fry dried hot peppers for 20 seconds or until deep dark redin colors. Add garlic and green onions. Stir fry until garlic is golden brown.

Turn the heat to medium high and add the sauce. Bring sauce to a quick boil, whilestirring constantly. Add the steak. Keep stirring until steak is coated well with the sauce.Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add green beans and stir fried onion. Stir well.

Remove wok from the heat.


This is also great served over noodles. Simply cook noodles according to the

package direction.



Kung Pao ChickenServes 4 people

This dish was inspired by the best Kung Pao Chicken I have ever tasted- it was at aPanda Express in Fort Worth, Texas. You would probably give me a one-eyed look andsay “What? Are you serious? You’ve got to be kidding me!” My answer to that is “I’m

definitely not kidding!” It counts for something, considering that we have lived in sevendifferent cities in six different states in three countries for the past 22 years! Theirs wasconsistently great every single day; freshly cooked, salty, sweet, spicy, and crunchy.

During our 2 week stay in temporary lodging, I must have eaten Kung Pao Chicken

every single day! It was that good. I simply did not get tired of eating it. My son thoughtI was nuts! When I created this dish I made sure the taste, flavor and aroma resembledthe chicken at that Panda Express. This is the result of several experiments.

Ingredients

2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs, sliced into ¾ inch cubes

Marinade:

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tsp. baking soda

2 TBSPs. Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry2 tsps. granulated sugar


4 cups vegetable oil for blanching

Vegetables:

1 - 2 large zucchini, diced into 1 inch cubes



1 medium size red onion, diced into 1 inch squares

2 bell peppers (green and red), seeded and diced into 1 inch squares


6 – 12 dried Thai hot peppers


½ cup roasted, shelled peanuts (optional), to be added at the end of cooking4 TBSPs. vegetable oil, divided for stir frying the vegetables and making thesauce.

Sauce:

½ cup + 2 TBSPs. soy sauce

¼ cup (firmly packed) + 2 TBSPs. brown sugar

¼ cup Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry

¼ cup low sodium chicken broth or water

3 tsps. cornstarch¼tsp. ground black pepper

Wash chicken thighs under cold running water. Trim off excess and visible fat. Pat dryith paper towels. Slice chicken into ¾ inch cubes. Place in a large mixing bowl and

set aside.

In another bowl, combine the marinade (soy sauce, rice wine or medium dry sherry, baking soda, and sugar). Stir until smooth. Pour over cubed chicken and mix well.Combine cornstarch and water. Stir until smooth. Pour over cubed chicken. Mix well.Cover and marinate chicken at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in therefrigerator.

Prepare the vegetables as listed above. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, combine sauce ingredients except cornstarch. Mix well untilsugar dissolves. In a small cup, combine cornstarch and a tablespoon of the saucemixture. Stir until smooth. Add cornstarch to the sauce mixture. Set aside.

Heat a wok and add 4 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 325°F.

Add tablespoon vegetable oil to the marinated chicken to loosen and separate the pieces. Divide chicken into 4 portions.

Blanch marinated chicken in hot oil, one portion at a time. Keep stirring the chicken tokeep the pieces separated. A pair of long chopsticks is great for this job. Fry chickenuntil the edges are caramel brown, 5 - 6 minutes.

Remove chicken with bamboo skimmer or slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels.

Continue blanching the rest of the marinated chicken, one portion at a time.

Remove oil from the wok into a heat proof glass jar. Clean wok by scraping burned bitsand pieces. Keep wok on medium high heat. Add tablespoon of vegetable oil and stir frythe zucchini for 3 minutes or until lightly caramelized in color. Remove to a platter.



Again, add tablespoon oil. Stir fry green and red bell peppers for 2 minutes. Remove tothe same platter with the zucchini.

Add tablespoon oil and stir fry red onion for one minute or until translucent. Remove tothe same platter with the zucchini and bell peppers.

Keep wok on medium high heat. Add tablespoon oil and stir fry garlic until golden

brown. Add dried hot peppers and stir fry for 20 seconds. Be careful not to burn the peppers. Pour the sauce mixture over the stir fried hot peppers and garlic. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, until sauce starts to thicken slightly. Add the pre-cookedchicken. Keep stirring until chicken is mixed well with the sauce. Add the stir friedzucchini, bell peppers, and onion. Stir well and add the chopped green onions. Keepstirring for another 30 seconds. Remove wok from the heat.

Serve warm, topped with roasted peanuts on each individual serving, with a bowl orice on the side.



Pan Fried ShrimpServes 4 people

I like to stock up on unpeeled shrimp when they go on sale. My favorite is ColossalJumbo Shrimp harvested in the gulf of Texas. This is because we lived in Abilene,Texas for several years and the local supermarket had a weekly sale on shrimp.

I prefer to buy unshelled shrimp because they are minimally processed and thereforehave better taste compared to the ones that have already been peeled and deveined.Yeah, it adds a little extra work on my part, but I don’t mind. I’m willing to spend theextra 10 minutes peeling and deveining the shrimp for the sake of flavor. Of course, if you are short on time and you want to make and have this dish ready in less than 30

minutes, by all means, buy the peeled and deveined ones.Ingredients:

2 pounds colossal/jumbo shrimp – peeled and deveined

1½ tsps. coarse kosher or regular salt



¾ cup vegetable olive oil for frying

Breading:



1½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne

Season shrimp with kosher salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne. In large bowl,combine flour, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne. Set aside. Heat a large skilletover medium heat and add the oil. Heat oil just before it starts to smoke. Dredge shrimp



in batches, 8 shrimp at a time, depending on the size of your skillet. Fry shrimp for 3minutes on each side or until golden crispy. Drain on paper towels. Continue dredgingand frying the remaining shrimp.

Serve shrimp with a bowl of rice and Stir Fried Green Beans and Quick Fried Rice.



Hot Pepper Beef Serve 4 - 6 people

Of all the Chinese dishes I cook, this is my husband’s absolute favorite.

This dish was inspired by a restaurant called China Bowl, a “drive thru only” Chineserestaurant located in Abilene, Texas. China Bowl was a “hole in the wall” kind of place

but served good Chinese food at reasonable prices. Each time I drove through there, Iordered Hot Pepper Beef for my husband. After quite a while, I decided to make it athome. I think my version is better than China Bowl’s- not because I am biased, but

because my version is loaded with USDA Choice top sirloin steak and thicker sauce;more flavorful, hotter and spicier, just the way he likes it.

Ingredients:


Marinade:


3 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 tsp. baking soda


½ tsp. ground Thai hot pepper (optional)


4 - 5 cups vegetable oil for blanching or pre-cooking

Vegetables:

2 bell peppers (green and red or yellow), seeded and cut into 1 inch squares


Sauce:





8 – 10 fresh or dried hot peppers


¾ cup soy sauce

¾ cup water 3 TBSPs. brown sugar


1 tsp. ground Thai hot pepper for heat (optional)

1 TBSP. cornstarch

Wash steak under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice steak into 1 x2 inch thin strips. Place in a large glass bowl or non-reactive container. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients (rice cooking wine, medium dry sherry, soy

sauce, salt, baking soda, ground black and hot pepper). Stir. Add cornstarch and stir until smooth. Pour marinade over the steak. Mix well. Let steak marinate for 30 minutesat room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.


In another bowl, combine sauce ingredients (soy sauce, water, sugar, sherry, hot pepper,and cornstarch). Whisk until smooth and free of lumps.

Heat wok and add 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches between 325°F.

Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the marinated steak to loosen and separate theslices. Divide steak into 4 portions. Blanch steak in the hot oil, one portion at a time, for

5 to 6 minutes or until steak is caramel brown on the edges.Remove steak with a bamboo skimmer and drain on paper towels. Before blanching thenext portion, be sure the oil temperature is back to at least 325°F.

Continue blanching the steak, until all portions are done.

Remove oil from the wok into a heat proof glass jar. Clean wok by scraping burned bitsand pieces. Keep wok on medium high heat.

Stir fry garlic, ginger, fresh or dried hot peppers, and green onions. Stir fry until garlicturns golden brown and the hot peppers turn deep, dark red. This will take less than a

minute.Give the sauce mixture a quick stir and then pour over the stir fried garlic, ginger, hot pepper and green onions. Bring sauce to a boil, while stirring constantly. Reduce heat tomedium and add the blanched steak. Stir until mixed well with the sauce. Cover the wok and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the onion and bell peppers. Stir for 2 minutes. Remove wok from the heat.


Tess’s Kitchen Secrets:



• Blanching the marinated beef between 300°F and 325°F hot oil is the key. Thistemperature tenderly cooks the beef while retaining all the flavors.

• If you want the sauce to be thinner, increase the amount of water by 1/4 cup. If you want it mild, reduce or omit the hot peppers.

• A candy or deep fry thermometer is a great tool when blanching or pre-cookingmeat in oil.



Pork in Black Bean SauceServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 ¼ pounds pork loin, boneless and thinly sliced

Marinade

3 TBSPs. soy sauce


2 TBSPs. water

1 TBSP. cornstarch

1 tsp. coarse kosher salt½ tsp. baking soda


4 - 5 cups vegetable oil for blanching/precooking

Vegetables:


1 large green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch squares

2 celery sticks, chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 TBSPs. vegetable oil for stir fryingSauce:


4 stalks green onion, chopped

3 TBSPs. fermented or salted black beans, coarsely chopped

1 cup water

3 TBSPs. soy sauce




2 tsps. brown sugar



2 tsps. cornstarch1 TBSP. vegetable oil

Wash pork under cold running water. Thinly slice pork into ½ x 2 inch strips. Place in alarge bowl.

In another bowl, combine the marinade: soy sauce, rice wine, water, cornstarch, water, baking soda and black pepper. Stir until smooth. Pour over the pork. Mix well until pork absorbs most of the marinade. Let pork marinate at room temperature for 25 minutes.

Prepare vegetables as listed above. Set them aside.

For the sauce, peel and mince ginger, chop green onions and coarsely chop fermented or salted black beans. Set them aside separately. In a medium bowl, combine water, soysauce, rice cooking wine, sugar, ground hot peppers (if using), black pepper andcornstarch. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Heat wok and add 4 to 5 cups oil. Heat oil until it reaches 350°F.

Add tablespoon oil to the marinated pork. Stir to loosen up the slices. Then divide into4 portions.

Blanch pork in hot oil, one portion at a time, for 4 to 5 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove pork with a skimmer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Finish

blanching the remaining portions until done.Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok.

Turn the heat to medium high and stir fry chopped onion, bell pepper and celery for 2minutes. Remove to a platter.

Add tablespoon oil. Stir fry ginger for 1 minute. Stir in green onions and stir fry 30seconds. Stir in black beans and stir fry 2 minutes.

Give the sauce mixture another stir to loosen the cornstarch. Pour into the wok. Bring toa quick boil, while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and add the blanched

pork. Stir until pork is mixed well with the sauce. Add the stir fried vegetables. Keepstirring until pork and vegetables are mixed well with the sauce.

Serve immediately with a bowl of rice on the side, or serve over egg noodles.



Pork Spareribs SoupServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 racks (3 pounds each) baby back ribs, washed and cut into 2 inch pieces


2 quarts boiling water


1 lb. taro root, peeled and cut into chunks

1 lb. white radish, peeled and cut into chunks



½ tsp. ground hot pepper

1 tsp. sesame oil

¼ cup chopped cilantroMarinade:


1 TBSP. sugar

1 TBSP. minced garlic

1½ tsp. coarse kosher salt

½ tsp. five spice powder

½ tsp. ground Thai hot peppers

4 TBSPs. cornstarchWash pork ribs and remove the white sinewy lining off the ribs. Cut into 2 inch piecesand place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredients, except the cornstarch. Pour over theribs. Mix well. Marinate ribs for 45 minutes at room temperature or overnight in therefrigerator.

Sprinkle cornstarch, one tablespoon at a time, over the ribs, mixing thoroughly betweenadditions.

Heat a wok and add vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 325°F.Divide marinated ribs into 6 portions. Fry ribs one portion at a time for 6 – 7 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Boil 2 quarts water in a large pot (while frying the ribs). Boiling water will be

used in our next cooking step. Also preheat the oven at 350°F.

Transfer ribs into a large glass baking dish.

Place baking dish with the ribs in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water on the



roasting pan – NOT on the ribs! Place roasting pan in a preheated oven at 350°F and bake for 45 minutes.Meanwhile, place chicken broth in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add taro root and

hite radish to the boiling broth. Keep boiling and then reduce heat to medium low heat.Simmer taro root and radish until cooked tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add rice cooking

ine, ground black and hot pepper, sesame oil and cilantro.

Add the steamed spareribs into the simmering pot.

Serve hot with a bowl of rice on the side. If desired, drizzle 1 - 2 teaspoons soy sauceover an individual serving of soup to your taste.


• I prefer to use baby back ribs over spareribs because they are meatier.

• Spare yourself some time and work by asking the butcher to cut the ribs in half,crosswise. So all you have to do is slice the ribs along the rib bones as requiredin the recipe above.

• You can also serve this soup with noodles. Simply place the desired amount of cooked noodles in serving bowls then pour soup over the noodles.



Pork Meatballs with VegetablesServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground pork Marinade:

6 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 tsp. brown sugar

2 TBSPs. cornstarch


Vegetables:

1 medium red onion, sliced3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 x 2 inch strips




Sauce:

6 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 TBSP. sugar

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsps. cornstarch

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place ground pork in a large mixing bowl. Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the ground pork. Mix well. Marinate for 20 minutes at room



temperature.


In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Form the marinated pork into one inch balls.


Fry meatballs in four batches until golden brown for about 5 – 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Remove all but a tablespoon of oil from the wok. Stir fry carrots and red onion for 2minutes. Remove to a platter. Add another tablespoon oil and stir fry green onions.Remove to the same platter with the carrots and red onion. Add another tablespoon oiland stir fry ginger and garlic until garlic is golden brown. Turn the heat to medium high.

Give the sauce mixture another stir and pour over the stir fried ginger and garlic. Bringsauce to a boil while stirring constantly until sauce lightly thickens. Stir in meatballs.

Add the stir fried vegetables (carrots, red onion and green onions). Stir until meatballsand vegetables are mixed well with the sauce.




Beef Brisket Noodle SoupServes 4 - 6 people

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. beef brisket, blanched



2 TBSPs. hot bean paste

4 cans (14 ounces each) low sodium beef broth


1 tsp. ground hot pepper or cayenne pepper

½ ground black pepper

10 stalks green onions, chopped into 2 inch lengths

2 baby bokchoy, chopped into 2 inch lengths

8 ounces bean thread or soba noodles, cut into 5-inch lengthsSeasoning and Spices:

7 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 TBSP. brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp. Chinese five spices

Fill a large pot half full with tap water. Bring water to a boil. Add beef brisket and

blanch for 2 minutes. Remove beef and discard water. Slice into one inch cubes and setaside.

Heat the wok and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir fry ginger and hot bean paste untilfragrant. Add beef broth, 5 cups drinking water, ground hot and black pepper, and greenonions.

Add the seasoning and spices listed above and then add the sliced brisket. Bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours or until beef is tender. Taste for additional saltand pepper.

In another pot, blanch bokchoy in boiling water for 3 – 5 minutes. Remove from the potand drain. Set aside.

Bring another pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package direction.Strain noodles and set aside.

Divide noodles into 4 or 6 servings and place them in individual serving bowls. Ladle beef soup and pieces of sliced brisket over noodles. Top with blanched baby bokchoy.Serve hot with a bowl of rice on the side.



Salt Pepper ShrimpServe 4 people

Sam Woo BBQ Restaurant is located in Las Vegas’ China Town and serves authenticChinese food. It was Friday night and there were about 15 – 20 people waiting to beseated. The hostess went through the line and assigned numbers to the people waiting.

We were the last couple in line when she came to us…“Your name?!” The young Asian lady asked with unpleasant tune in her voice.

I told her our name.

“It’s going to be 30 minutes! We have no seat right now! You can wait if you like!”she yelled.

Her tone was offensively condescending, eying us up and down. She could haveaddressed us in a more polite way, but instead, she spoke to us as if we werevagrants and we inconvenienced her by being there!

I noticed that she was rude to the people ahead of us, mostly Asian men. But I alsonoticed that she was rudest to us. This did not sit well with my husband and he gotso pissed off!

“Let’s get out of here! I don’t need that kind of treatment. If I’m going to spend myhard earned money in this place, I would like to be treated like I’m a decent human

being. I would like to be treated with respect! I don’t care if they serve the bestfood in the world. I will never, ever go back there! They don’t get my business. I’lltake my money somewhere else!”

We walked out of the restaurant. It was around 9:30pm and we didn’t know where to

go. I drove back and parked at a nearby high school. My husband was still pissed abouthat happened. We hadn’t eaten, we were both starving, I knew there wasn’t any foodto eat at my sister’s house, and it was too late to cook dinner.

“How about we just get Chinese food at Boulder Station (Hotel & Casino)?” Isuggested to him.

“Frankly, I don’t want to go anywhere! I had lost all my appetite!” He was stillfuming about the incident

“But it’s already 9:30pm and we haven’t eaten!” I reminded him.

“Fine!” He reluctantly agreed.

And so we went.We ordered our food and sat at a table nearby. The whole place was dimly lit. This wasa last minute decision and a bad one at that. The food was horrible. The worst Chinesefood we’ve ever eaten.

———

After we had lived in Las Vegas for a few years, I suggested to my husband that weought to try Sam Woo again. I suggested that we go there after lunch when it might not be



as crowded. “Besides, my sister and her boyfriend took me there last week and their food was very good. The service wasn’t so bad. I think we just dealt with a bad hostessthe night you and I were there.” I convinced him.

“Fine. This is their last chance to redeem themselves. I’m only going becauseyou’re bugging the shit outta me. Their food better be damn good!”

So we went. This time the hostess wasn’t rude like last time. She wasn’t overly niceeither, but that was OK. We weren’t expecting a royal treatment. We just wanted to betreated a little nicer than last time… We were seated right away.

We ordered several dishes: shrimp with lobster sauce, beef in black beans sauce, saltand pepper shrimp, fried rice and iced tea. All these dishes were tasty and flavorful.The sauces were perfectly spiced and seasoned.

It was the Salt and Pepper Shrimp dish that intrigued my husband. He particularlyloved the sautéed peppers which appeared to be Serrano peppers and green onions that

ere served with the shrimp. He loved this dish so much that I decided to learn how to

cook Chinese food. Salt and Pepper Shrimp was my first experiment. My husbandcould not be more than pleased. “You cook these shrimp better than any place I haveever been to. Even better than Sam Woo!! I can eat these all day, every day!” He’d tellme each time I make this for him, which makes me smile from ear to ear.

The key to cooking the shrimp is the oil temperature. The oil must be around 350°Fhen you start frying the shrimp, and no higher, or the shrimp will burn. To be sure, I

attach or place a thermometer in the frying pan.

You could also just gauge it. The oil must be hot but not smoking.

If the shrimp are fried correctly, they should be crunchy. And you should be able to eateverything. I mean everything: the heads, the tails and the shells. If the eyes and heads othe shrimp bother you, you can take them off after they have been fried and beforeserving. Just serve the body with the tails on.

I love the tails much more than the heads, whereas my son only eats the body. He leavesthe heads and tails on his plate, uneaten. My husband, on the other hand, eats everything

hich is unusual for an American man.

For Westerners, this dish may seem bizarre and weird. One might wonder how couldyou possibly fry and eat shrimp with the shells on? Most Filipinos don’t know this

either. You do have to choose shrimp with soft shells. I found that the shells of farmedshrimp are thinner and softer compared to the ones harvested from the Gulf of Texas.



Salt Pepper ShrimpServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 pounds large shrimp in shells (antennae cut)

1 TBSP. coarse sea salt

2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne

1 – 2 cups vegetable oil for frying (start with 1 cup)

Breading:


2 tsps. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Wash and drain shrimp in a colander. Shake off excess water. Place shrimp in a large bowl.

Season shrimp with sea salt, black pepper and cayenne. Let it stand for at least 15minutes at room temperature.

In a bowl, combine breading ingredients. Set aside.

Heat a large frying pan. Add oil and heat to 350°F. Oil must be at least an inch deep.

Dredge shrimp in batches of 8 to 10 shrimp, depending on the size of your pan and the

size of the shrimp.Fry shrimp for 3 minutes on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Continuefrying the remaining shrimp.

Serve shrimp with sautéed jalapeño peppers with a bowl of Jasmine rice on the side.You can also serve shrimp with dipping sauce. See recipe below.

Sautéed Jalapeños

8 large jalapeño peppers



6 stalks green onions

4 TBSPs. shrimp frying oil drippings

Wash jalapeño peppers and green onions under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice the stems and discard. No need to remove the seeds. Chop jalapeños intorings.

CAUTION: Jalapeño peppers are hot. Please wear gloves when chopping them.Remove wilted stalks off the green onions and trim the roots and tops. Wash them under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Chop green onions into 1 inch lengths.

Heat the same skillet you used to fry all the shrimp over medium heat. Remove all but 4tablespoons oil. Stir fry jalapeños and green onions for about 3 minutes. Serve on theside with the shrimp.

Dipping Sauce:

2 TBSPs. finely chopped green onions

1 TBSP. finely chopped ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. hot bean paste (omit if not available)


4 TBSPs. ketchup

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

½ TBSP. brown sugar

2 tsps. cornstarch



Heat wok and stir fry green onions, ginger and garlic. Add hot bean paste, rice cookingine and ketchup. Stir until smooth. Keep the heat on medium.

In a bowl, combine chicken broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and black pepper. Addto the stir fried green onions and ketchup mixture. Keep stirring until mixture comes to a

boil and sauce thickens.

Serve as dipping sauce.


• Pick shrimp that are medium to large sized, not jumbo. Asian markets sell whole,unpeeled shrimp with heads and tails on. If you live in a community with largeAsian population, the local supermarket usually carries this type of shrimp.

• Again, I can’t stress this enough. The oil temperature must be 350°F. Anything



lower will make the shrimp oily and not crispy, and oil temperature higher than350°F will quickly burn the shrimp. When shrimp are fried at the correcttemperature, they stay nice and crispy, even the next day.



Sesame ChickenServes 4 people

This dish is fairly straightforward and uncomplicated. It takes less than 5 minutes tocook after the chicken has marinated and can be served as an appetizer, a quick andsimple lunch, served with salad, or is a great picnic food.

Ingredients:

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)


¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper


1 TBSP. grated ginger

2 TBSPs. white sesame seeds

1 TBSP. black sesame seeds

3 TBSPs. Shaohsing rice cooking wine or medium dry

1 extra-large egg, whites only

½ cup cornstarch


Wash chicken breasts under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice breasts into 1½ inch cubes. Place in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Add

minced garlic, grated ginger, white and black sesame seeds. You may use all white(sesame seeds) if you can’t find the black ones. Mix well.

In another bowl, combine rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry, egg whites andcornstarch. Beat until foamy. Pour over chicken. Mix well. Let chicken marinate for 20minutes at room temperature.

Heat wok and add 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 350°F.

Give the chicken another stir and divide into 4 portions. Fry chicken one portion at a



time until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Continuefrying the remaining portions. Serve warm with Teriyaki Dipping Sauce.


Juice of large lime


1 TBSP. soy sauce1 TBSP. rice vinegar

2 tsps. sesame oil


1 tsp. grated ginger


3 fresh Thai hot peppers (optional)


In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve as dipping sauce for the Sesame Chicken andother meat dishes.



Shrimp Fried RiceServes 4 people

I love to order shrimp dishes, especially Shrimp Fried Rice whenever we eat atChinese restaurants. But they only give you few pieces of shrimp over a mountain ofried rice. This taught me something… If I want plenty of shrimp on my fried rice and

other shrimp dishes, I have to make them at home!

Ingredients:

8 cups cooked white rice, cooled (please see "how to cook rice")

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined


6 garlic cloves, minced6 TBSPs. light olive oil, divided for stir frying


3 eggs, lightly beaten

4 TBSPs. soy sauce

Marinade:



¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 tsps. cornstarch

In a bowl, combine shrimp and marinade ingredients. Mix well. Let shrimp marinate atroom temperature for at least 15 minutes.

Heat a wok over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Swirl the oil aroundthe sides of the wok. Stir fry marinated shrimp until cook, about 4 minutes. Remove to a

platter.

Clean the wok by scraping and discarding burned bits and pieces. Keep the wok on



medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Again, swirl the oil around the sides of the wok. Stir fry garlic, onion and green onions for about 2 minutes. Push to the side othe wok. Add eggs. Keep stirring until eggs are cooked. Push to the side of the wok.Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Add rice and stir fry for 8 – 10 minutes. Keepstirring so the rice will not stick at the bottom of the wok. Add the stir fried shrimp. Stir for about 2 minutes. Drizzle soy sauce over the stir fried rice. Keep stirring until soysauce is well distributed. Remove wok from the heat.

Serve warm.



Pork Egg RollsServe 4 people

Cooking egg rolls is fast. It is the preparation that takes the most time. They are bestserved immediately, fresh off the frying pan. Once cold, they become soggy. The taste isstill there, but the crunch is gone.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork

1 medium red onion, finely diced



2 bell peppers (green and red), seeded and finely diced

3 medium carrots, julienned

2 cups bean sprouts, washed and drained

6 leaves Napa or Chinese cabbage, finely chopped

1 pack egg rolls or spring rolls wrappers (24 wrappers in a pack)

1 egg, well beaten (egg roll wrapper sealant)


Sauce for the meat and vegetables:


3 TBSPs. soy sauce

2 TBSPs. soy bean paste or 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt

1 TBSP. cornstarch

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil. Stir frygarlic, onion, and green onions. Stir fry until onion is translucent.

Stir in the pork. Keep stirring until pork is cooked, about 10 minutes.



Add all the vegetables: bell peppers, carrots, bean sprouts and napa cabbage. Keepstirring until vegetables are partially cooked, about 3 minutes.

In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth. Pour sauce over the stir friedground pork and vegetables. Keep stirring until pork and vegetables are coated well

ith the sauce, about 2 minutes.

Pour meat and vegetables into a fine colander or strainer. Strain all liquid from themeat and vegetables.

Separate the egg roll wrappers. Lay one wrapper over a clean counter or chopping board. Scoop about 2 spoonfuls of the meat and vegetable mixture into the wrapper.Roll and seal the wrapper with the beaten egg. Follow the same procedures until all othe meat and vegetable mixture is wrapped with the egg roll wrappers.

Rolling egg roll is similar to rolling lumpia. Please see "How To Roll Lumpia"

for step by step photos.

Heat a wok or large, deep skillet. Add 4 to 5 cups oil and heat until it reaches 350˚F.

Fry egg rolls until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Serve egg rolls warm, with sweet chili sauce or sweet and sour sauce on the side.



Spicy Chicken Zucchini Stir Fried with Oyster SauceServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes

1½ tsps. coarse kosher salt



½ tsp. baking soda

2 tsps. cornstarch4 TBSPs. light olive oil, divided for stir frying

Vegetables:

2 large zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces




8 – 10 dried Thai hot peppers (whole)

2 TBSPs. light olive oil for stir fryingSauce:



3 TBSPs. water

Wash chicken thighs under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Trim excessand visible fat off the chicken thighs and cut them into 1 inch pieces. Place in a large



Stir Fried Green BeansServes 4 people

Stir Fried Green Beans is one of my favorite vegetable dishes whenever we eat at

Chinese buffet restaurants. I especially love them when they’re crisp, yet tender. Thekey to cooking these type of green beans is “blanching” them in hot oil. The green beans

must be young and freshly picked. They need to be washed with cold water and patteddry before they are blanched in hot oil to avoid splatter.

The green beans shrink once they’re cooked, so allow 1/3 pound per person.

Ingredients:

2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed


8 ounces ground pork


½ medium red onion, slicedSauce:

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup low sodium chicken broth

2 tsps. brown sugar

¼ tsp. sesame oil

Combine soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat wok and add 4 cups vegetable oil. Heat oil until it reaches 350°F.

Divide green beans into 4 portions and blanch them in hot oil, one portion at a time,about 4 minutes or until the skins are wilted. Remove with a skimmer and drain on

paper towels. Continue blanching the remaining portions.

Empty all but 1 tablespoon oil from the wok. Keep the heat on medium high. Add ground pork and stir fry until cooked, 6 – 8 minutes. Add green onions and sliced onion. Stir fry until red onion is translucent. Add blanched green beans and stir fry for another minute. Add the sauce and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove wok from theheat.

Serve as a side dish.



Stir Fried Shrimp and Green BeansServes 4 people

This is simple, easy and quick ... something you could put on the table in less than 45minutes, loaded with plenty of flavor, and perfect over egg noodles or with a bowl of rice on the side.

If serving with egg noodles, please follow cooking directions on the package.

Ingredients:



2 tsps. sesame oil1 tsp. coarse kosher salt


1 TBSP. cornstarch

2 TBSPs. light olive oil for stir frying

1 ½ pounds green beans, ends trimmed and blanched



6 garlic cloves, minced8 dried hot chili peppers

4 TBSPs. light olive oil, divided for stir frying

Sauce:



4 tsps. cornstarch



1 tsp. sugar

1 ½ cups chicken broth or water

¼ - ½ tsp. ground hot peppers (optional)

1 TBSP. roasted sesame seeds (to be added last)

In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, sesame oil, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Pour

over the shrimp. Sprinkle cornstarch over the shrimp. Mix well. Let stand 15 minuteshile you prepare the green beans.

Trim ends off the green beans and chop them into 2 inch pieces. In a large pot, boil 6cups water and tablespoon salt. Blanch green beans in the salted boiling water for 3minutes. Drain on a colander.

Prepare red onion, green onion and garlic as listed above. Set them aside.

Combine sauce ingredients: oyster sauce, teriyaki sauce, cornstarch, sugar, chicken broth or water, and ground hot peppers if using. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Heat a wok and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add blanched green beans and stir fry about 3

minutes or until slightly wilted. Remove to a platter.

Heat the same wok and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stir fry garlic, onion, greenonions, and dried hot peppers, about 2 minutes or until garlic is golden brown. Add themarinated shrimp and stir fry until shrimp turn pink, about 4 minutes. Create a well inthe middle of the wok by pushing the shrimp, garlic, onion and peppers to the side.

Pour the sauce into the wok. Turn the heat up high and bring to a quick boil whilestirring constantly. Push the shrimp into the sauce and stir well. Add stir fried green

beans. Stir until green beans and shrimp are mixed well with the sauce. Remove wok

from the heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the stir fried shrimp and green beans.Serve over egg noodles, or with a bowl of rice on the side.



Spicy Chicken with Water ChestnutsServes 4 people

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (about 2 pounds)


2 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 TBSP. cornstarch


Vegetables:

2 bell peppers (green and red), seeded and cut into 1 inch squares


1 (8 ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained

1 inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into strips



1 TBSP. hot pepper paste

4 TBSPs. vegetable oil for stir fryingSauce:

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup chicken broth or water


1 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsps. cornstarch




Coarse kosher salt as needed

Wash chicken under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice chicken breasts into one inch cubes. Place them in a bowl and set aside.

Combine rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry, soy sauce, salt and cornstarch. Stir

until smooth. Pour over the cubed chicken. Let chicken marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

Prepare vegetables as listed above. Place separately in a tray or containers. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Loosen the marinated chicken cubes by adding a tablespoon vegetable oil and mix themup. Divide chicken into 4 portions.

Heat a wok over medium high heat and add 4 cups vegetable oil. Heat the oil until itreaches 350˚F. Blanch chicken cubes in hot oil one portion at a time for 4 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Drain on paper towels. Continue blanching the

remaining portions until done. Drain on paper towels.Remove oil from the wok. Clean the wok by scraping burned bits and pieces. Add back tablespoon hot oil into the wok. Stir fry green and red bell peppers and red onion for 2minutes. Remove to a platter. Add another tablespoon oil to the wok and stir fry the

ater chestnuts. Remove to the same platter with the peppers and onion. Set aside.

Add another tablespoon vegetable oil. Stir fry ginger, garlic, and green onions untilgarlic is golden brown. Stir in hot chili paste. Give the sauce mixture another stir then

pour into the wok. Let sauce boil on a medium heat while stirring constantly. Add

blanched chicken cubes. Stir to mix with the sauce. Add vegetables. Stir to mix well.Serve warm with a bowl of rice on the side.


• Cutting the vegetables into one uniform size, usually one square inch, allows for even and fast cooking. This is one of the keys to cooking Chinese foods.

• Hot pepper paste or red chili pepper paste is also used in Korean cooking.Korean markets are another place to look for it. You may substitute hot pepper

paste with chili garlic sauce.

• Whenever a recipe calls for a sauce, it is better to combine the sauce ingredientsin another bowl before adding it to the dish, especially when the sauce containssugar or cornstarch.



Chapter 3

Filipino



Asian Stir-Fry Wraps (Fresh Lumpia)Serves 5 – 7 people

We were in Nashville, Tennessee visiting friends - Kim and Ken Greene, during theChristmas Holidays in 2012. Ken asked if I knew how to make fresh lumpia. I told him“No. But I know how to make fried lumpia and the only difference really is in the

rapper. The wrapper is made fresh and not fried, thus the term fresh lumpia.” I wasconfident in cooking the stir fried filling. However, I was a bit nervous when it came tothe fresh lumpia wrapper. I did not have a tested recipe. I tried to emulate what I hadtasted many years ago. So I came up with one, a mixture of flour, water and eggs. But it

as a challenge flipping the crepes without them falling apart. My batter was too thin. Imanaged to make enough to feed five people. I was embarrassed and apologetic that mycrepes were a work of an amateur. But Ken did not care. He was so happy and enjoyedthe Pork - Shrimp - Vegetable Stir-Fry wrapped. It made a cook feel appreciated. Still,I wanted to redeem myself with better texture and better tasting fresh lumpia wrappers.

Then it dawned on me- “I have a Blueberry Crepe recipe in my first cookbook, TheTess Harris Dessert Cookbook . Why didn’t I think of that in the first place? I could usethat recipe as a guide. Just omit the blueberries and adjust the amount of sugar and

boom! I have a recipe that’s already been tested!” So I offered to make more Asian Stir-

Fry Wraps (Fresh Lumpia) for dinner the following day, and the rest is history. I think my friend, Kim remembers me for that dish.

I have made more improvements on the recipe since Nashville, and tested it severaltimes in my kitchen at home. I even made a sauce that is to die for! I can’t wait to cook this dish for Ken and Kim again next time we visit Nashville, or if they come visit ushere in Fort Walton Beach.

I suggest you make the fresh lumpia batter so it has a chance to develop gluten. You canmake the batter 8 hours ahead and just let it sit in the refrigerator. You can then cook the



5.Add 2 tablespoons light olive oil.

6.Whisk until flour and eggs are blended. Do not overbeat. Small lumps are OK.

7.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest the batter for at least two hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

8.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, waxed paper or aluminum foil.

9.Stir the batter after having rested in the fridge for 2 or more hours.

10.Heat a small, 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat.

For convenience, pour about ¼ cup light olive oil into a shallow bowl. With a pastry



brush, lightly brush the heated skillet with the oil.

11.Pour ¼ cup of the batter into the pan.

12.Tip the pan to evenly distribute the batter.

13.Brown the crepe on one side for about 2 minutes and then carefully turn over to theother side.

Browning a crepe on one side should only take about 2 minutes and half the time to brown the other side. If the crepe sides tend to curl up, lightly press the sides with thespatula or shake the pan, thereby spinning the crepe around in the pan.

14.Place cooked crepes in the parchment lined baking sheet. (You should be able to fit 2or 3 crepes per layer.) Once you do this… place another sheet of parchment paper over the layer of crepes, thereby separating each layer.

Keep the wraps (crepes) warm in the oven at 200°F.






1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup brown sugar

4 tsps. cornstarch + 3 TBSPs. water 1 TBSP. soy sauce

1 cup ground roasted peanut for sprinkling over the wraps (optional)

Ingredients

1.Heat a sauce pan over medium heat and add olive oil.

2.Sauté garlic until light golden brown.



3.Add chicken broth.

4.Add water.

5.Bring to a boil.

6.Add creamy peanut butter and whisk until blended and smooth.

7.Add brown sugar and whisk until dissolved.

8.In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, 3 tablespoons water and tablespoon soy sauce.Stir until smooth.



9. Slowly pour cornstarch mixture over the boiling sauce while stirring constantly.

10. Keep stirring until sauce thickens but is still pourable.



Pork Shrimp Vegetable Stir-Fry (Filling)Serves 5 – 7 people

Ingredients:1 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced

1 ½ pounds medium size raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pork/Shrimp Seasoning (divided):


¼ to ½ tsp. cayenne or to taste


2 tsps. sesame oil (divided)

4 tsps. cornstarch (divided)Vegetables:

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed and blanched

3 medium size carrots, peeled and sliced into strips

2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced in ¼ inch strips

½ medium size cabbage, shredded



1/2 medium red onion, sliced6 stalks green onions, chopped

8 TBSPs. light olive oil (divided) for stir-frying

To be added at end of stir frying:

4 – 6 TBSPs. soy sauce (start with 4 tablespoons)





1.Combine salt, cayenne and black pepper. Divide mixture in half.

2.Sprinkle half the seasoning mixture over the pork. Mix well. Add teaspoon sesame oil.Mix again. Then sprinkle 2 teaspoons cornstarch over the pork and mix it well. Cover

ith plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

3.Place shrimp in another bowl and season them with half of the seasoning mixture. Addthe remaining teaspoon sesame oil and mix it up. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoonscornstarch. Mix well and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 20minutes.

4.Prepare the vegetables as listed above.

5.Heat a wok over medium high heat and add tablespoon vegetable oil.



6.Add green beans and stir fry for 3 – 4 minutes or until wilted. Then remove to a platter.

7.Wipe the wok with paper towels or damp kitchen towel. Place wok back on the stoveon medium high heat.

8.Add tablespoon oil to the wok. Stir fry carrots for 3 minutes. Remove to the same platter with the green beans.

9.Wipe the wok again. Add tablespoon oil. Stir fry bell peppers for 2 minutes. Removeto the same container with the carrots and green beans.

10.Stir fry marinated shrimp until pink, about 5 minutes. Remove to a platter.

Scrape burned bits and pieces off the wok and wipe clean if necessary.



11.Heat wok and add 3 tablespoons oil. Stir fry garlic, ginger and onion for 2 minutesor until garlic is golden brown.

12.Add marinated pork. Stir fry until cooked, about 5 – 6 minutes.

13.Add back the stir fried shrimp, carrots, bell peppers, and green beans. Stir.

14.Add cabbage. Stir.

15.In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce and ground black pepper. Pour over the stir fried pork/shrimp and vegetables. Keep stirring until mixed well.



16.Transfer stir fried pork/shrimp and vegetables to a large, serving platter. Haveeveryone help themselves.



How to Assemble Asian Stir-Fry Wraps:

Place wrap on a plate and fill with the Stir Fried Pork /Shrimp and Vegetables. If youlike... drizzle the sauce over the filling.

Fold like omelets.

Serve without sauce... OR drizzle with Asian Sweet Fresh Lumpia Sauce.

Photo above is for illustration purposes only.

However, Fresh Lumpia Wrapper can also be filled with Lumpia Filling and drizzledith Asian Sweet Fresh Lumpia Sauce



Asian Sweet Fresh Lumpia Sauce


• Prepare the wraps before you start the stir fry.

• Layer cooked wraps in a baking sheet lined and separated with sheets of parchment or wax paper.

• Keep the wraps warm in a preheated oven at 200°F or lower. Please do not leavethem in the oven for more than two hours or the wraps will start to get dry.

• Batter for wraps can be mixed the night before and refrigerated up to 24 hours.Simply stir the batter before cooking.

• The Pork - Shrimp - Vegetable Stir-Fry can be served as stand-alone dish with a bowl of rice on the side.

• You may use lettuce leaves as wraps for the Pork - Shrimp - Vegetable Stir-Fry.Or... you may lay a piece of lettuce leaf over the wrap and fill it with the Pork -

Shrimp - Vegetable Stir-Fry.



Siopao – A Dangerous ExperimentSiopao is the Filipino version of Chinese steamed bun, or baozi as the Chinese call it.Siopao is eaten anytime during the day, mainly a quick snack or a light meal on the go. Itcan be filled with meat, sweet bean paste, sweet custard, fruit and/or vegetables.

Once a month, while living in the Philippines over two decades ago, I would go toDunkin Donuts and buy a dozen siopao for my husband. It was usually filled with pork and a slice or two of boiled eggs, and it came with some sweet sauce. And 20 years

later, I decided to start making siopao to provide variety for my son’s school lunch. Icould have opted to buy them at the oriental store, but they only sell them frozen and godknows how long they have been frozen.

I wanted to start with a recipe that’s been proven. Then I remember that Daisy, a friend Imet in Okinawa, Japan, made and sold siopao. But I lost touched with her so I had tocontact another friend of mine, Tina Call, to ask for Daisy’s recipe. Luckily, Tina andDaisy are cousins and both live in Henderson, Nevada.

It took a few days before Tina called me back with the recipe. And while I waited, Ias getting impatient. So I decided to test one of the recipes I found online which called

for Chinese barbecued pork. If I were living in Las Vegas, Nevada, buying Chinese barbecued pork would have been easy. But no Chinese restaurants sold barbecued pork in Abilene, Texas. Though now that I am writing about it… I could have gone to ChinaBuffet and load up a “to go box” with their Chinese barbecued pork off their buffet line!Anyway... I solved this dilemma by experimenting with a Chinese barbecued pork recipe. The recipe called for the pork to be marinated and hung inside a 450°F oven. SoI went to Lowe’s to buy a few hooks and picked up a bottle of 100% Jamaican Rum.

My husband thought I was crazy. “You’re definitely a true experimenter”, he said, while



I was bent over, cowhide welding gloves covering both my arms, trying to hang themarinated pork inside this extremely hot, sputtering volcano oven.

Before the experiment, all I could think of was the pieces of marinated pork cooking…hanged, and dangling inside the oven… sizzling, juices dripping down the bottom of thelarge baking pan, filling the kitchen with a sweet aroma. Even my husband was excited

to taste the finished product.But unfortunately, the pork came out a bit dry. It was fine and edible, it just did notustify all work and risk involved. The pork smelled great during the cooking process,

but it was just too difficult to baste the pieces while suspended on hooks inside a veryhot oven. But of course... with experience and knowledge I have now, I would havedone it differently.

However, great things came out of this experiment. This is how I came up with theChicken with Spicy Asian Sauce filling.

As for the buns, that’s when Daisy’s recipe came in handy. I finally got a call back from

my friend, Tina, and got a rough list of ingredients and instructions for the buns.Like I said... it was a rough list of ingredients and instructions. So I had to fine-tune andtest a more coherent recipe for the buns. I’ve tested this recipe several times; smoothedout the rough edges and worked out the kinks so you don’t have to, and wrote clear cutinstructions.

Remember, you can fill the buns with other meat and savory fillings, including

sweet stuff.

Equipment and Tools Needed:

Electric Mixer (Kitchen-Aid mixer)2 large mixing bowls

Thermometer (candy or deep fry thermometer)

16 – 24 (4” x 4” squares) pieces of parchment paper or foil

2 baking sheets or cookie sheets (if baking the buns)

Steamer (if steaming the buns)

Siopao Buns

Yield: 1 dozen

2 cups lukewarm water (about 105°F)1 TBSP. granulated sugar

2 TBSPs. yeast

6 cups all purpose flour, sifted

½ cup granulated sugar

2 TBSPs. baking powder


¼ cup light olive oil



2 TBSPs. white vinegar

Combine water, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast. Let stand for 10 to 20 minutes or untilmixture is bubbly on top.

Using the bowl of an electric mixer combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, andsalt.

With the whisk attachment, whisk flour mixture until combined well. Remove the whisk and replace with the paddle.

Add the water-yeast mixture to the flour and blend on low speed for about 1 minute. In asmall bowl, combine oil and vinegar and add them to the flour mixture. Blend well untilmixture becomes sticky. Remove the paddle attachment and replace with the doughhook.

Knead the dough on medium speed for 8 – 10 minutes or until dough clings around thedough hook and away from the sides of the bowl.

Lightly flour your board or clean kitchen counter. Knead the dough, by hand, for another

2 minutes. Divide dough into two portions. Roll each portion into smooth ball.Grease each mixing bowl with 2 teaspoons light olive oil; coating the bottom and sidesof the bowls. Place dough in each bowl. Cover each bowl with kitchen towel and letthe dough rise until doubled, about 45 – 60 minutes.

After the dough has doubled, lightly flour the board or clean kitchen counter. Work withone piece of dough at a time. Punch the air bubbles, knead the dough for a few minutesand cut it into 12 portions. You may choose to divide the dough ball into 24, 20 or 16small pieces, depending on how big or small you want your siopao. Form the dough

pieces into smooth balls.

Cover the rest of the dough balls with a clean kitchen towel, while you flatten

and fill each - one at a time.

Flatten the dough ball with your hands. Then, with a rolling pin, flatten until about fiveinches round. Fill the flattened dough with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken filling. Gather the edges and twist to seal. Place the bun twisted side down over a square piece o

parchment paper or foil in steamer trays. Cover the filled buns with kitchen towels andlet rise for about 30 minutes.

It is important to place the filled buns in the steamer trays. So that once the

buns have risen, all you have to do is place the trays in the steamer. Also whilewaiting for the buns to rise, fill the steamer with water, based on how deep down

the trays are going to be positioned, and bring it to boiling.

Steam buns, tightly covered, over briskly boiling water for 8 – 10 minutes.Alternatively, bake buns in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 – 25 minutes or untilgolden brown.

Serve warm.



Chicken with Spicy Asian Sauce

3 pounds boneless or bone-in/skinless chicken thighs


¾ tsp. Chinese five spices


Wash chicken under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Trim and discardexcess fat from the chicken thighs.

Place chicken in a medium sized covered casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle salt andfive spices over the thighs on both sides.

Bake chicken, covered, in a preheated oven at 400°F for 40 minutes for boneless and/or 50 minutes for bone-in.

Please prepare the Spicy Asian Sauce below while the chicken is baking.

Remove chicken from the oven and stir. Pour off 80% of the liquid that may haveaccumulated from the chicken.

Pour Spicy Asian Sauce over the chicken and bake covered for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and shred chicken with a fork, discarding the bones for bone-inchicken thighs. Use 2 or 3 tablespoons for each siopao bun.

Spicy Asian Sauce

1 TBSP. sesame oil

2 TBSPs. light olive or peanut oil

1/3 medium red onion, finely diced





¼ cup soy sauce


Juice of 1 large lime

½ cup hoisin sauce

2 TBSPs. plum sauce or plum preserves

½ - 1 tsp. ground hot pepper In a small sauce pan, heat light olive or peanut oil. Sauté onion until soft. Stir in ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or until garlic turns light golden. Add soy sauce, teriyakisauce and lime juice. Stir and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add hoisinsauce, plum sauce, and ground hot pepper. Simmer for five minutes. stir once or twice

hile simmering. Pour sauce over baked chicken as directed above.



LumpiaRolling stuff is as natural as breathing to me: rolling egg rolls, lumpia, sushi, kimpap,and rolling down the hills. Hahaha! I guess the last one has nothing to do with cooking.But I suppose I could roll anything. As a little girl, I was my mom’s assistant in makingdesserts made of finely grated sweet potatoes and cassava, filled with mixtures of sweet

potatoes/cassava/coconut caramel sauce and rolled in banana leaves.

Filipino lumpia and Chinese egg rolls are made very similar. The only difference is inthe wrapper. A lumpia wrapper is thinner and crispier; delicate and more difficult toroll. Egg roll wrappers are thicker than lumpia wrappers and not as crispy.

Filipinos have two types of lumpia: fresh and fried.

Fresh lumpia is just what the name implies. The wrapper is not fried. It is simply filledith stir fried or fresh vegetables, topped with a slightly sweet sauce. Traditional

Filipino fresh lumpia’s main ingredient is palm hearts, which is difficult to find,especially if you live in a small town here in the USA.

Fried lumpia on the other hand is filled with cooked meats, usually a combination oground beef, pork, and finely chopped vegetables, and fried.

Cooking lumpia is fast. It is the preparation – slicing, dicing, and chopping meats andvegetables, and filling and rolling the wrappers that is time consuming. This is whymost Filipinos only prepare lumpia on special occasions because of the work and time

involved.Lumpia (Filling)

Serves 6 – 8 people

Ingredients:

¾ pound ground beef (93% lean)

¾ pound ground pork





1 large red onion, finely chopped


1 large baking potato

3 large carrots, finely diced

3 celery sticks, finely diced1 pound green beans, finely chopped

6 green or red fresh hot peppers, finely chopped (optional)

3 TBSPs. soy sauce

2 TBSPs. fish sauce

1 package lumpia wrappers (about 30 wrappers to a pack)

Extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water




How to Cook Lumpia Filling:

1.Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons light olive oil.

2.Add ground beef and pork. Stir constantly, breaking up the chunks of meat.

3.Season with sea salt or kosher salt and ground black pepper.

4.Keep stirring until most liquid is gone and the meats start to sizzle. If there’s too muchliquid in the meat, drain the liquid. Add tablespoon oil to the cooked meat.

5.Add onion and garlic to the cooked meat.

6.Stir fry until garlic is golden brown and onion is translucent.

7.Add diced potato. Stir for a few minutes.



How to Roll Lumpia:

1.Separate lumpia wrapper sheets and place on a plate. Cover with damp kitchen towelto keep from drying.

2.Lay lumpia wrapper sheet flat over a large chopping board with one corner pointingtowards you.

3.Scoop two spoonfuls of the meat and vegetable mixture (the filling) on the wrapper,1½ inches away from the corner facing you.

4.Fold the corner facing you over the filling.

5.Tuck in the pointed corner under the filling and roll once.

6.Fold both left and right corners over the first folded corner, forming an envelope.



7.Lightly brush folded corners and the top wrapper with the beaten egg.

8. Roll and seal.

9.Place lumpia seam side down in a large container or tray.

10.Continue filling and rolling the remaining lumpia, following the same procedures,until all wrappers have been used.



Mung Bean SoupServes 6 – 8 people

Mung bean soup is typically cooked with fresh pork belly or pork fat. However, Ifound that salt pork is a perfect addition and flavor enhancer for this soup.

I first learned of cured pork when I was a young girl, in the Philippines. We used tovisit my Mom’s uncle and his family who lived in the mountains. His wife was knownto hide cured pork in a wooden trunk and only brought it out on special occasions. She

used it sparingly when cooking green, leafy vegetables. Imagine my surprise when,many years later, I discovered it again in Abilene, Texas where I started experimentingand developing recipes.

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) bag mung beans


½ cup salt pork, washed and thinly sliced


6 large garlic cloves, minced1 medium size red onion, sliced

1 cup pork loin, thinly sliced

1 – 2 tsps. coarse sea salt or kosher salt


3 medium sized bittermelons, seeds removed and sliced into 1 inch half rings

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen turnip greens

Empty the bag of mung beans into a large bowl. Sort through the beans and discard



cracked, dried out beans, and the occasional rock and other debris packed with the beans.

Place mung beans in a fine colander and under cold running water, tossing and shakingto get rid of dirt and sand. Do this for at least 3 minutes, making sure that all the beansare cleared of sand and other fine debris.

Place beans in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add water. Add salt pork to the beans.Bring beans to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low andsimmer for 50 – 60 minutes or until soft.

Heat another large pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Sauté garlic andonion. Add pork loin. Sauté for several minutes or until pork is no longer pink. Add tothe pot of cooked mung beans. Stir and bring soup to a boil over medium heat. Addfrozen turnip greens. Bring the soup to another boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15minutes or until turnip greens are cooked. Add the bittermelon. Keep simmering for another 10 minutes or until bittermelon is soft but not overcooked. Add ground black

pepper. Stir well. Taste to see if salt is needed. If it does, add salt ½ teaspoon at a time,stirring and tasting.



• Salt pork is a great flavor enhancer, especially in bean soups and greens (collard

greens, mustard greens and turnip greens). It is cured with salt and made fromcuts of pork sides, pork belly or fatback. It resembles an uncut slab of bacon, andis considerably saltier and not bacon-cured or smoked. I prefer the streaky,leaner cuts with about 50% fat content.

• You can reduce the salt content of the salt pork by blanching it in boiling water,then rendering the fat to be used in place of cooking oil.



Pancit Bihon (Sauteed Rice Noodles)Many years ago, I went back to school in the U.S. to learn computer and office skills.One of my assignments was to speak in front of my English class. I had no idea what I

as going to talk about. So a few days before my speech, I decided to teach the wholeclass on how to cook Pancit Bihon. I brought all the ingredients with me, already

ashed and chopped, and my electric wok on the day of my speech. Other than myEnglish teacher, nobody knew what I was going to talk about… but they could see that Ihad brought noodles, vegetables and a wok! Everyone was excited and the word gotaround.

Let’s just say that at the end of my speech, the whole room was filled with a savoryaroma and hungry students staring at a wok filled with Pancit Bihon. Everyone in theaudience was anxious to taste what I had just cooked in front of them! From then on,everyone wanted to know when I would be giving another speech so they could bethere!

Pancit Bihon (Sautéed Rice Noodles)

Serves 6 – 8 people

2 packages (8 ounce each) thin rice noodles1 pound boneless pork, sliced

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt, divided

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/3 medium green cabbage

1/2 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed and chopped into 1 inch lengths



2 celery ribs, chopped

1 medium onion, sliced



6 – 8 fresh hot peppers (optional)

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced6 TBSPs. light olive oil, divided

4 TBSPs. soy sauce

4 TBSPs. fish sauce

2 ½ cups chicken broth

½ tsp. ground hot pepper (optional)

2 large limes, thinly sliced for garnish



How to Cook Pancit Bihon:

1.Wash rice noodles with cold water.

2.Drain on a colander. Set aside.

3.Season sliced pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.Season the shrimp with the remaining salt and black pepper.

4.Heat a large wok or skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.

5.Stir fry carrots, then remove to a platter.

6.Add tablespoon light olive oil to the wok and stir fry green beans until wilted, about 5minutes.



7.Remove stir fried green beans to the same platter with the carrots.

8.Add another tablespoon olive oil to the wok and stir fry celery and cabbage. Removeto the same platter.

9.Again, add tablespoon olive oil to the wok and stir fry the shrimp until pink. Removeto another platter and set aside.

10.Add another tablespoon oil and stir fry onion and green onions for one minute.

11.Add the sliced pork. Stir fry until pork is cooked, about 4 minutes.



12.Add sliced tomatoes and stir fry a few more minutes.

13.Add soy sauce and fish sauce to the pork. Stir well.

14.Turn the heat to medium high and add chicken broth.

15.Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low.

16.Add rice noodles to the pork. Stir to mix well. Keep stirring until most of the liquidis absorbed and noodles are tender but not overcooked. Noodles should just be slightlytender to the bite, but not dry and hard.



17.Add stir fried shrimp to the noodles.

18.Add the stir fried vegetables. Stir to mix well.

19.Serve warm with other Asian dishes. This can be served by itself as a full mealaccompanied with Sweet Hawaiian Rolls or a bowl of rice on the side.

This recipe serves a party of 6 – 8 people. Please cut the recipe in half if only serving 2 to 4 people. Left overs can be refrigerated and warmed in the

microwave for 1 – 2 minutes before serving.




• Stir frying the vegetables individually as shown keeps them from gettingovercooked, thus keeping them crunchy.

• Stir frying the shrimp separately keeps them from getting overcooked andrubbery.

• If possible, always use chicken broth instead of water for more flavorful noodles.

• To add more zest to the noodles, mix an equal amount of fish sauce and freshlemon or lime juice. Drizzle a teaspoon or two over the noodles before serving,or have this sauce available in a tiny saucer for individual serving.



PinakbetServes 4 people

This is a Filipino dish that is made with an assortment of vegetables such as bittermelon,Chinese long beans, butternut squash and eggplant. Some people add whole okra to thisdish too. The bittermelon and squash are required for this dish, blending bitter and

sweet flavors, while the Chinese long beans add crunch. The eggplant completes thetaste.

The seasoning is an integral part of this dish: fish sauce and salted shrimp paste alsocalled ba-go-ong . It is made from very tiny shrimp, salted and allowed to ferment for long periods of time. It is a specialty of the Philippines and can be found in most Asianstores and Filipino markets.

Ingredients:

8 ounce salt pork, thinly sliced (you can also use pork belly)

½ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined1 medium size red onion, thinly sliced

3 Roma tomatoes, quartered


2 medium size bittermelons, seeded and sliced into ½ inch half-rings

1 medium size butternut squash or any firm squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1 pound Chinese long beans, chopped into 1½ inch lengths

3 medium size eggplants, sliced into ½ inch medallions

¼ cup fish sauce1 TBSP. salted shrimp paste (bagoong)


Heat a stew pot over medium heat. Add salt pork and ¼ cup water. Boil until all liquidis gone. Add 2 teaspoons light olive oil to the pot. Stir until salt pork is golden brownand has rendered most of its fat. Sauté garlic and onions. Add the shrimp and cook untilthey turn pink. Add the quartered tomatoes and stir about 2 minutes.



Add squash, long beans, bittermelon and eggplant to the pot. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the squash is tender. (No need to add liquid, as thevegetables contain enough amounts of natural liquid.)

Once the squash is tender, add fish sauce and freshly ground black pepper. Stir and addsalted shrimp paste.




Pineapple ChickenServes 4 people

Most Filipinos cook this dish using canned pineapple and milk (whole milk or evaporated). I prefer to use fresh pineapple and coconut milk, and I like to infuse plentyof flavor to the chicken pieces by browning them in light olive oil after they have

marinated for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator. The result is flavorful chickenith creamy coconut-pineapple sauce.

Ingredients4 pounds chicken drumsticks (about 12 drumsticks)

2 cups pineapple juice (canned)

4 TBSPs. soy sauce

1 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt




1 medium onion, sliced2 Roma tomatoes, sliced (optional)

½ of 14.5 ounce can coconut milk

2 - 3 cups fresh, ripe pineapple chunks

2 medium carrot cut into ½ inch cubes

1 large bell pepper, chopped into 1 inch squares

2 – 4 TBSPs. fish sauce



Wash chicken under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl. With a utility or steak knife, slit drumsticks through the thickest part, along the bone. This process allows the marinade to penetrate the meat.

In a small bowl, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, and ground black pepper. Pour

over the drumsticks and marinate for 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.Take out marinated drumsticks from the fridge and pour the marinade into a small sauce pan. Boil marinade for 10 minutes. Place drumsticks in a colander for at least 15minutes then pat them dry with paper towels.

Heat a large skillet (with a lid) or stew pot. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil. Browndrumsticks in two batches - 6 pieces at a time or depending on the size of your skillet.Brown drumsticks on all sides and transfer them to a platter.

CAUTION: Be very careful when browning the drumsticks. Oil will splatter

because of the pineapple marinade. Cover the skillet with a splatter guard.

Scrape and discard burnt bits and pieces on the skillet. Keep as much of the oil as possible.

Continue browning the remaining drumsticks and transfer them to the same platter.

Again, scrape burnt bits and pieces from the skillet. With a little bit of oil remaining inthe skillet, sauté bell peppers for 2 minutes. Remove to a platter and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the skillet.

Sauté garlic, onion and tomatoes if using until onion is translucent. Add carrots andsauté for 2 minutes. Add the browned drumsticks back into the skillet. Then add the

boiling pineapple marinade and cover the pot. Continue boiling the chicken for about 5minutes, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer chicken for 10 minutes.

Bring the heat back to medium and add coconut milk and pineapple chunks. Stir andcover pot. Simmer drumsticks for another 10 minutes. Add the sautéed green bell

pepper. Stir and add fish sauce. Start with 1 tablespoon, then taste if more fish sauce isneeded.




Pork and Shrimp Sauteed Green BeansServes 4 people

I cannot resist fresh, great looking green beans whenever I go to the grocery store. Theonly catch is that I have to cook green beans within a day or two or the green beans will

begin to lose its freshness and start to deteriorate. One of the quickest ways to cook

green beans is to stir-fry or sauté them.

Ingredients:

3 pounds green beans


½ pound ground pork

1½ tsps. coarse sea salt or kosher salt, divided




3 Roma tomatoes, sliced

2 – 3 TBSPs. soy sauce


4 TBSPs. light olive oil for sautéing, divided

Trim the ends of green beans and wash them under cold running water. Pat dry withclean kitchen towels. Cut green beans into 1 ½ inch lengths. Set aside.

Season shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté shrimp over mediumhigh heat until pink, about 5 minutes. Remove to a platter.



Add another tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet and add the ground pork. Stir to break the ground pork into smaller chunks. Add ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoonground black pepper. Keep stirring for 7 or 8 minutes until most liquid is gone and pork starts to sizzle. Add onion and garlic. Keep stirring until garlic is golden brown. Addgreen beans. Stir for 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the sliced tomatoes. Keep stirring for another minute and then cover the skillet for 10 minutes or until green beans are cooked

but still crunchy. Stir green beans once or twice during the 10 minute period. Add thesautéed shrimp and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Stir and place the cover again for another minute. Taste green beans for additional seasoning. Add the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce if needed.

Serve with a bowl of rice.



Pork Shrimp Rice SticksServes 4 – 6 people

This noodle dish is closely similar to Pad Thai, except I did not use tamarind paste or liquid. Instead, I used rice vinegar which is more common and easier to find in grocerystores. The taste is so close that it’s hard to tell the difference.

Ingredients:

1 pound pork, thinly sliced



2 tsp. kosher salt


4 tsps. cornstarch

1 (14 ounce) package flat rice noodles or rice sticks

½ pound bean sprouts, washed and drained




1½ cups chicken broth or filtered water

4 eggs, lightly scrambled and cooked separately

½ cup ground roasted peanuts or almonds (optional)


Sauce:

1½ cups chicken broth or water

4 TBSPs. granulated sugar

3 TBSPs. fish sauce


1 tsp. ground hot peppers (optional)




Combine rice vinegar, kosher salt, ground black pepper and cornstarch in medium bowl.Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Place pork and shrimp in two (2) separate bowls.

Split the marinade equally and pour over the pork and shrimp. Let them marinate for 15

to 20 minutes at room temperature.Wash and soak noodles with warm tap water for 15 – 20 minutes. Drain and cut noodlesinto 6 inch lengths and set aside.

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a wok or large, deep skillet. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Stir fry garlic, onion and greenonions for about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent. Transfer to a platter and setaside.

Using the same wok, add 2 tablespoons oil and stir fry the pork until cooked, 8 to 10minutes. Transfer to a platter. Clean the wok by scraping burned bits and pieces. Add 2

tablespoons oil and stir fry the shrimp until pink in color. Transfer to the same platter.Clean the wok again by scraping burned bits and pieces. Add the chicken broth or filtered water. Bring to a boil and add the noodles. Stir and boil the noodles untilcooked; and most of the liquid absorbed. Noodles should be al dente.

Add the stir fried pork, shrimp, garlic and onions to the noodles. Stir until mixed well.Add the bean sprouts and mix well. Keep the heat on medium.

Pour sauce mixture over the noodles/pork/shrimp mixture. Stir until mixed well with thesauce. Turn the heat to low and keep the wok covered.

Heat a nonstick skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Crack the eggs andlightly scramble using a spatula. Season eggs with ½ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. freshlyground black pepper. Let the eggs set and cook on one side and turn over to cook theother side. Eggs should resemble an omelet. Tear the eggs into chunks then add to thenoodles.

Serve noodles topped with ground roasted peanuts.



Rice and Chicken Soup (Arroz Caldo)Serves 6 – 8 people

When making this soup, I like to use cut-up whole chicken to give the soup that entireflavor from the meat and bones. I also use plenty of sliced ginger... along with smashedgarlic and sliced onions. After simmering the soup for about 60 minutes… I remove the

cut up chicken and detach the meat from the bones, discard the bones and place thechicken meat back into the pot. If you don’t want to go through all this hassle… you mayuse boneless and skinless chicken breasts, and then use canned chicken broth instead o

plain water to achieve the same flavor that you would have otherwise achieved whenusing whole cut up chicken.

This recipe yields at least 20 cups and will feed 6 to 8 people. You can make this soupon a Saturday to enjoy all weekend long and take some leftovers for lunch at work.Simply store the soup in a tightly covered container. Just warm what you need.

This soup tastes even better the next day. I love to eat mine barely warm and oddlyenough, have enjoyed it more when cold. I find that it is very good and more flavorfulthis way. My husband thinks I’m weird! Of course he prefers to eat his boiling hot,spicy, and loaded with plenty of freshly sliced ginger. He thinks I’m weird. But then I

also think he’s weird for eating this soup with so much ginger!! But of course, Imodified this for you. I cut back on the ginger.

Ingredients:

4 pounds whole chicken (or 4 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts), cut up

1 cup peeled, thinly sliced young ginger (adjust to your taste)

6 large garlic cloves, chopped



1 large onion, sliced




2 tsps. seasoned salt (Lawry’s or McCormick)

2 tsps. coarse sea salt or kosher salt½ cup fish sauce (start with ¼ cup)

4 quarts drinking water (low sodium chicken broth if using chicken breasts)

2 ½ cups uncooked jasmine rice

Wash chicken under cold running water. Cut chicken into sections, i.e. wings (discardthe tips), legs and thighs, breasts and back. Remove excess skin and fat off the thighsand legs. Skin and de-bone the breasts then slice into cubes. Discard the bones and skin.

If using 4 large boneless/skinless breasts instead of whole chicken, simply slice

them thinly and follow the same cooking directions below.

Heat a 2 gallon, heavy bottomed stockpot. Add olive oil and sauté ginger, garlic, andsliced onion for about 4 minutes or until onion is translucent. Do not burn the garlic.

Add the cut up chicken pieces and cubed breasts. Sauté until the chicken pieces are lightgolden brown. Add ground black pepper, seasoned salt and kosher salt. Sauté for another five minutes. Reduce heat and simmer chicken for 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup fishsauce. Stir and simmer for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium high. Add 4quarts water or low sodium chicken broth, if using only chicken breasts. Bring chickento a boil.

Wash and rinse rice with cold tap water at least twice or until the water is no longer milky in color. Strain rice and add to the pot of boiling chicken. Stir then reduce heat tomedium. Bring the pot to another boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 - 60minutes. Stir the pot every 20 minutes to keep the rice from sticking on the bottom of the

pot, and to make the soup creamy.

With a bamboo skimmer or tong, remove the chicken pieces: wings, legs, and thighsfrom the pot to a platter and wait until they are cool enough to handle. Remove anddiscard the bones from the cooked chicken pieces then add the meat back into the pot.Stir the soup and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste the soup for additional seasoning

(salt and ground black pepper). If more salt is needed, add the remaining fish sauce atablespoon at a time, tasting in between additions to achieve a perfectly seasoned soup.

Serve hot and garnished with chopped green onions and a few strips of ginger.




Rice MuffinsYield: 1 dozen

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill stone ground white rice flour

¼ tsp. salt½ tsp. anise seeds or ¼ tsp. fennel seeds

3 tsps. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

3 extra-large eggs

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk (Chaokoh)

½ cup water

¾ cup (firmly packed) brown sugar

2 tsps. vanilla extract


Shake vigorously and open the can of coconut milk. Dip a pastry brush in the milk and brush the muffin pans. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine rice flour, salt, anise or fennel seeds, baking powder andsoda.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, the can of coconut milk and water. Add brownsugar and stir until dissolved. Add vanilla extract and stir to mix. Pour this mixture over the rice flour. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps.

Batter will be runny. This is normal.Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake rice muffins in the preheated oven for 25 – 28 minutes.Muffins are done when toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Serve warm or roomtemperature.




• Instead of baking you may steam the rice muffins. You may have to steam themuffins in batches, depending on how many molds your steamer can hold.

Pour batter into custard mold or cups.Fill a steamer with water and bring to a boil.

Place cups on the steamer.Steam muffins for 30 minutes or when toothpick comes out clean wheninserted.Serve warm or room temperature.

• Baked muffins will last longer than steamed muffins.

• This same batter can be cooked as pancakes.



Salt Pork Sauteed Butternut Squash SoupServes 4 people

Of all the squashes, I love the slightly sweet taste of butternut squash. Not only it isvery inexpensive, it is available year-round and so versatile. I can make many differentdishes out of butternut squash, and this soup is just one of them.

Ingredients:

1 medium size butternut squash, about 3 pounds






½ - 1 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt1/8 tsp. ground black pepper, divided


With a potato peeler, peel butternut squash. Wash squash under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice squash into 4 pieces. With a spoon, scrape and discardthe seeds. Cut squash into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.

Place salt pork in a medium size sauce pan and cover with water. Boil over mediumheat, and then simmer for 25 minutes or until tender. Slice salt pork into thin strips. Setaside.

Heat a stew pot and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic until garlic isgolden brown. Add salt pork and cubed butternut squash. Stir a few minutes. Add thecans of chicken broth. Cover pot and bring squash to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer squash for 25 minutes or until tender. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ground black pepper.Stir and taste if additional salt is needed. Otherwise, add the remaining half teaspoon osalt. Add chopped green onions. Stir and serve.

Serve with a bowl of rice on the side. You may also serve this dish with your favoritecrusty bread or rolls.



Salt Pork Stir-fried BittermelonServes 4 people

For many years, I thought Filipinos were the only people who ate bittermelon. I wassurprised to find out that bittermelon is also eaten by Chinese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese,Caribbean, Latin American, and African people! After all, bittermelon is a tropical and

subtropical fruit. They grow in warm, humid weather. Bittermelon is still considered anexotic vegetable by the western world, but their medicinal use is catching on among

people who believe in natural healing.

I buy 4 to 5 pounds of bittermelon whenever I go to the Asian market. I seem to alwayshave the same conversation with the store owner who is married to a woman fromThailand. “I could never eat that stuff! I tried. I just couldn’t. My wife eats it raw! And Idon’t know how she does it!” he tells me as he weighs the bittermelon. “I know whatyou mean. You have to have an acquired taste for it. For some reason my husband loves

bittermelon which is unusual for an American man. He loves the bitter taste!” is my

usual reply.

Ingredients:

4 large bittermelons, about 2 ½ pounds





1 large tomato, chopped

¼ tsp. ground black pepper, divided


2 extra-large eggs, beaten

2 tsps. fish sauce (optional) to be added at end of cooking



How to Prepare the Bittermelon:

1.Halve bittermelons, lengthwise.

2.With a spoon, remove the seeds and the white flesh.

3.Thinly slice bittermelon into half rings and place in a large mixing bowl.

4.Sprinkle 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt and toss to mix.

5.Allow bittermelon to sit at room temperature for at least 25 minutes.

The process of salting the bittermelon allows the bitter juices to be extracted or

drawn out, thereby making the bittermelon less bitter when cooked.

6.Toss the bittermelon, squeezing them a bit with your hands.



7.Take a handful, and squeeze as much juice out as possible. Place the squeezed

bittermelon in a platter or container. Continue squeezing the remaining bittermelon untildone.

You could also use a flour sack, cheese cloth, or lint free kitchen towel. Place about 1½cups of bittermelon, wrap snugly and extract as much juice as possible.

8.Bittermelon, squeezed and ready for cooking with salt pork.



How to Cook Bittermelon with Salt Pork:

1.1. Place salt pork in a small sauce pan and add water, enough to cover the salt

pork. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes or until tender.2.2. Remove salt pork and discard the water. Slice salt pork into thin strips. Set

aside.

3.3. Heat a wok or large non-stick skillet. Add 2 tablespoons oil.4.4. Add garlic and onion and stir fry until garlic is light golden brown.

Add sliced salt pork and stir fry a few minutes or until salt pork is slightlycaramelized on the edges.

5.5. Add the sliced tomato. Stir. Add the squeezed bittermelon. Keep stirring for aminute. Add the beaten eggs and stir until the eggs are cooked. Cover the skilletfor 2 minutes.

6.6. Stir and taste to see if additional salt is needed. If it does, add 2 teaspoons fishsauce or pinch of salt.

7.7. Stir and serve with a bowl of rice.



Shanghai LumpiaYield: 30 - 40 lumpia

Shanghai lumpia is filled with ground pork or ground beef with minced onions,carrots, celery and water chestnuts, rolled into thin, cylindrical sticks, and deep fried.

It’s called “Shanghai” because the main ingredient is meat. It is simply called lumpia if

the ingredients are comprised of vegetables and small amounts of meat for flavor.Lumpia is a close cousin to spring rolls as they are called in the U.S.A.

The majority of the work involved in making lumpia lies in the preparation. Grinding or mincing the meat, dicing and chopping the vegetables, separating the sheets of lumpia

rappers, and filling and rolling the lumpia. Once you get done with this process, fryingthe lumpia takes less than 6 minutes.

It was only several years ago that pulling and separating the sheets of lumpia wrappersas a slow and arduous process. The wrappers were very thin and got torn easily.

Finally, the manufacturer got smart. They now package lumpia wrappers with each sheet

lined with waxed paper!! This improvement alone cuts down the preparation time by 20minutes.

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds top round beef or pork loin (ground)

8 ounces water chestnuts, finely diced

1 cup carrots, finely diced

2 celery sticks, finely diced

4 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and chopped


½ medium red onion, finely diced


1 TBSP. rice cooking wine or medium dry sherry

2 TBSPs. soy sauce



2 large eggs, beaten

2 TBSPs. cornstarch

1 ½ tsps. coarse kosher salt


2 packages lumpia wrappers (about 30 wrappers to a pack)

4 - 5 cups vegetable oil for fryingLumpia Sealant:

1 large egg

2 TBSPs. water

1 tsp. cornstarch

Soak dried shiitake mushrooms for 10 minutes. Squeeze the water and chop finely. Setaside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork or beef, water chestnuts, carrots, celery,

shiitake mushrooms, garlic, red and green onions, rice cooking wine or medium drysherry and soy sauce. Mix well. Pour beaten eggs over the meat and vegetable mixture;sprinkle the cornstarch and mix well. The mixture should not be watery, otherwise, addmore cornstarch, one teaspoon at a time.

In a small bowl, make the lumpia sealant by beating together egg, water and cornstarchuntil smooth. Set aside.



How to Roll Lumpia:

For step by step photo instructions, refer to "How To Roll Lumpia".

1.1. Place one sheet of lumpia wrapper on a clean, flat surface or chopping board

with one corner facing you.

2.2. Spoon a tablespoon of the meat and vegetable mixture on the lumpia wrapper.With your hands, spread the filling horizontally.

3.3. Fold the corner facing you over the filling, pressing the wrapper lightly.

4.4. Take a pastry brush and dip it in the Lumpia Sealant , brush both left and rightcorners then fold. At this point, the folds should resemble an envelope with thetop flap open.

5.5. Roll towards the open flap, stopping at about 1½ inches before the lastremaining corner. Dip a pastry brush in the Lumpia Sealant and brush over theopen flap. Finish rolling all the way. Place the rolled lumpia in a tray or

container, with the sealed side down.6.6. Continue filling and rolling until all meat and lumpia wrappers are done.



How to Fry Shanghai Lumpia:

1.7. Heat a wok or large, deep skillet. Add 4 to 5 cups oil and heat until it reaches

350˚F.

2.8. Fry lumpia in batches of 6 or 8, depending on the size of your wok or skillet. Fry

lumpia for about 6 minutes, 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drainon paper towels.

Serve warm with sweet and sour sauce or sweet chili sauce.


• Because raw meat is used for this recipe, the lumpia needs to be rolled thin in nomore than ½ inch cylinders so that they will cook through in less than sixminutes.

• You can use other vegetables such as green beans, palm hearts, bean sprouts,cabbage, etc.

• The easiest lumpia you can make is Mozzarella Cheese Lumpia. Simply wrapmozzarella sticks with lumpia wrapper and fry until golden brown. You can useother types of cheese as well. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

• Key points to remember when frying the lumpia:

Oil must remain at 350°F to avoid oily and soggy lumpiaFlip the lumpia as soon as one side turns golden brown, in 2 or 3 minutes.This is critical in order to avoid the lumpia from bursting open.

• A baking or cookie sheet comes in handy here. I use it to hold the rolled and friedlumpia.

• Sweet and sour sauce and sweet chili sauce are great dipping sauces for lumpiaand are readily available at large supermarkets.



Skewered Barbecued Pork Serves 4 people

This is my version of Filipino barbecue pork. The pork is cubed, marinated, threadedon skewers and grilled over hot coals, and then slathered with slightly sweet sauce.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork tenderloin½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup soy sauce

4 TBSPs. honey

2 TBSPs. rice cooking wine

2 TBSPs. red wine

2 TBSPs. sesame oil

2 TBSPs. light olive

5 large cloves garlic, minced2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated



25 pieces (10 inch long) bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Slice pork into cubes. Place in gallon Ziploc bag.

In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, rice wine, red wine, sesameoil, olive oil, salt, garlic, and ginger. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Reserve 1/3 cup of

the marinade for basting.Pour the remaining marinade over the pork in the Ziploc bag. Let the air out and closethe bag. Shake the pork and marinade to make sure the pork is well coated with themarinade. Marinate pork for 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in therefrigerator.

Thread 5 to 6 pieces of cubed marinated pork per skewer. Grill for 5 minutes on eachside or until cooked and caramelized in color. Baste pork while on the grill with thereserved marinade.

Serve warm.



You can use the same marinade for chicken and steak as pictured here.



Sweet Potato SoupServes 4 people

I like the simplicity of this dish, ease of preparation and taste. It serves my sweetcravings, when I’m too lazy to bake or prepare other sweets. I’d like to think it’shealthier than eating cookies or cakes, and it only contains four ingredients: sweet

potatoes, golden raisins, coconut milk, and brown sugar.The key to this dish is the golden raisins, so don’t skip it!

Ingredients:

4 medium size sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces)

½ - ¾ cup golden raisins

2 cans (13.5 ounces each)coconut milk + enough water to make 4 cups

1/3 cup brown sugar

Place sweet potatoes in a pot. Add golden raisins and coconut milk. Cover pot and

bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer the potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender.

Add the sugar and stir to mix. Cover and simmer sweet potatoes for another 5 minutes.If the soup is too thick... thin it out with water. Add water 1/2 cup at a time. Stir andsimmer for another 2 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.This soup thickens as it cools. I like to eat mine barely lukewarm. If desired, add

a teaspoon of vanilla extract at the end of cooking. You can eat this soup in

place of a meal, or eat it as a snack.

Tess’ Kitchen Secret:



• Whenever I make rice pudding, old fashioned oatmeal, or other sweet soup, I usegolden raisins as compared to the regular raisins. Golden raisins taste creamyand are perfect for these types of dishes.



Biko with Coco CaramelServes 8 people

iko is a simple dessert made of sticky rice cooked in freshly squeezed coconut milk and brown sugar, and usually served on special occasion and holidays when I wasgrowing up. I prefer to use black sticky rice over the other variety because of its texture

and nutty taste, but since black sticky rice is difficult to find here in the U.S., I often useOrchids Sweet Rice.

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) bag Orchids Sweet Rice

1 ½ cups Aroy-D coconut cream

2 ¼ cups water

¼ tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar Coco Caramel Topping

1 cup Aroy-D coconut cream

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ tsp. coarse sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Take a pastry brush and dip it in the can of coconut cream. Brush a non-stick,rectangular baking pan with the coconut cream. Set aside.

Prepare the Coco Caramel Topping :

Combine coconut cream, brown sugar and salt. Stir over medium heat until mixturecomes to a boil. Stir until mixture thickens. (This process will take between 15 to 20minutes.) Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside and cool.

Prepare the Sweet Rice:

Empty the bag of sweet rice into a bowl and wash with cold running water. Drain. Washthe rice one more time and drain.

In a 3 quart pot, combine sweet rice, coconut cream, water and salt. Bring to a boil.



Once boiling, begin to stir the rice. Keep stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed.Add brown sugar and keep stirring until mixture becomes thick. Pour into the prepared

baking pan. Level the top with a spatula. Pour and spread half of the cooled Coco

Caramel on top. (Store left over caramel in a tightly covered jar.)

Preheat oven at 350 °F.

Bake sweet rice in preheated oven at 350 °F for 30 – 40 minutes or until carameltopping is bubbly and rice has firmed up. Remove from the oven and cool. Run a butter knife around the edges. Slice into 8 squares and serve.

Store leftovers in the fridge and heat up in the microwave for 30 seconds beforeserving.



Glutinous Rice and Sweet Potato SoupServes 4 – 6 people

This dish is a fusion between sweet rice pudding and sweet potato soup. It is light andcreamy, yet comforting and satisfying. It is best eaten hot for breakfast, or lukewarm/cold for a snack or dessert.

Ingredients:

4 medium size sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces

½ - ¾ cup golden raisins

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk


1/3 cup brown sugar or to taste

1/8 tsp. ground cloves1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 cups cooked sweet or glutinous rice

Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and place them in a large pot. Add golden raisins,coconut milk and water. Cover and bring sweet potatoes to boiling over medium heat.Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer the potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender.

In the meantime, while the sweet potatoes are simmering… cook sweet or

glutinous rice as directed below.

Add cooked glutinous rice and stir. Add brown sugar, ground cloves and cinnamon. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add more brown sugar if you like.

Glutinous Rice

¾ cup uncooked sweet or glutinous rice

2 cups drinking water for cooking the rice

Measure ¾ cup sweet or glutinous rice into a bowl and fill the bowl with cold runningater. Swish rice around and rub in your hands. Drain water. Again, fill the bowl with



cold running water, swish rice around and rub in your hands. Drain water and place riceinto a heavy bottomed small pot. Add 2 cups drinking water and bring the rice to a boilover medium heat. Once boiling, stir the rice and reduce heat to simmer rice for 15minutes or until soft. Stir rice a few times while simmering. Add to sweet potatoes asdirected above.

This soup thickens as it cools. I like to eat mine barely lukewarm. If desired, add ateaspoon of vanilla extract at the end of cooking. You can eat this soup in place of ameal, or eat it as a snack.

Tess’ Kitchen Secret:

• The best tools to use when making caramels are heavy bottom pot (stainless

steel) and wooden spoon with long handle.• After boiling the caramel mixture over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, the

caramel will start to thicken and coat the back of the spoon. The caramel is donewhen the caramel do not drip too quickly.

• Caramel is great with coffee, over ice cream, drizzled over cheesecake, mixedwith peanut butter and jelly (to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches), fruitfondue, or simply take a spoonful to satisfy your sweet cravings.



Chapter 4

Japanese



Sushi RiceServe 4 people

Sushi rice is basically made with cooked short grain rice mixed with “Rice Vinegar

Syrup”. It can be eaten as is (which I love to do), or mixed with your favorite filling,e.g., smoked salmon, fresh ahi tuna, imitation crab or lobster meat, along with thinly

sliced cucumbers, carrots, etc. and rolled in seaweed sheets.

Great sushi starts with perfectly cooked rice. The rice must be washed and rinsed 2 or 3times and it cannot be over cooked otherwise you’ll have rice that is gooey and pasty.You must add the right amount of water.

Nishiki is the brand I have been using for my sushi. It is a premium medium grain all- purpose rice, but excellent for sushi. If you cannot find short or medium grain... I haveused long grain such as Jasmine rice. The only catch is that you have to spread, fill androll the rice while it is still warm. Once the rice cools, it is no longer sticky and willnot stick on the seaweed.

Additionally, a rice cooker takes the guessing game out of cooking rice. So aninvestment of $65 - $100 on a quality rice cooker in exchange for perfectly cooked riceeach time is absolutely worth it. However, if your family does not eat rice more than 3times per week, learning the true, tried and proven method of cooking rice over thestove is a skill that is worthy of your time. Please read How to Cook Rice over the

Stove Top.

Please note that the measuring cup that comes with your rice cooker is not the same size as the standard US dry measuring cup. It is a cup based on “rice

cooker industry standards” and measures ¼ cup less. And it is the cup I use

whenever I cook rice using a rice cooker.

Please prepare the “Rice Vinegar Syrup” while you wait for the rice to cook.



How to Cook Rice using an Electric Rice Cooker:

(Please refer to the step by step instruction in photos )

1.1. Measure 4 cups uncooked Nishiki rice in to a large bowl, using cup that came

with the rice cooker. Otherwise, measure 3 cups uncooked Nishiki rice using a

US standard dry measuring cup.2.2. Fill the bowl with cold running water. Swish rice around with your hands. Thewater will turn milky white in color. Drain the water.

3.3. Again, fill the bowl with cold running water. This time, swish rice around whiletaking handfuls of rice and lightly squeezing and rubbing them with both your hands. Drain the water. Repeat this step one more time. Pour rice into a finestrainer and allow the water to drain for at least 10 minutes.

4.4. Empty the strainer filled with washed rice into the rice cooker pot. Shake the potto level the rice. Add drinking water up to the 4 ½ cup mark inside the rice

cooker.5.5. Plug the rice cooker and press the “cook” button as you normally would when

cooking rice with your rice cooker. When the “warm button” light is on, wait 10minutes before opening the rice cooker.

6.6. Quickly remove the lid to keep liquid from dripping over the cooked rice.

7.7. Gently loosen the cooked rice by stirring it with the “rice cooker paddle” or large wooden spoon. Keep the rice cooker plugged in with the “warm button”light on until you are ready to serve or prepare the Sushi Rice recipe below.

Rice Vinegar Syrup

½ cup rice vinegar


1 TBSP. mirin

1 TBSP. coarse sea salt

Using a small sauce pan, combine rice vinegar, sugar, mirin and sea salt. Stir mixtureover low heat until sugar and salt dissolve. Turn off heat and let syrup cool.



How to Make Sushi Rice

1.1. Gently loosen the freshly cooked rice by stirring it with wooden or plastic rice

paddle. Scoop all the rice into a large mixing bowl.

2.2. Drizzle three fourths of the vinegar syrup over the bowl of rice.

Note: You need not use all the syrup. Rice should not be too wet. Once mixed

with rice vinegar syrup, rice should be shiny and a bit sticky.

1.3. Stir the rice rapidly, being careful not to smash the grains. Use a cutting motion

with your rice paddle. This process is synonymous with folding egg whites into acake batter: cut-turn-fold motion; breaking up lumps vertically and letting in air to cool the rice.

2.4. Serve as a side dish or use for Salmon and Avocado Rolls.



Sushi Taro RiceServes 3 – 4 people

I ate great tasting sushi rice many years ago when I visited a friend in Tokyo, Japan. Itas served on the side along with other dishes that my friend has prepared. I

remembered her mixing a packet of “sushi rice mix” with the cooked rice. She said, “I

bought this from the grocery store.” It wasn’t until May 2013 when we were inAlbuquerque that I had another chance to taste the same great tasting sushi rice. We

ere invited to a barbecue party at Randall Sanders’ house, owner of New MexicoShotokan Karate and host of Meibukan-Goju Ryu Seminar with Sensei MasaakiIkemiyagi. Anyway, I learned that the sushi rice at the party was made by SetsukoHagitani, grandmother to one of Randy-sensei’s students. The sushi rice was so good ittransported me back to Tokyo, Japan at my friend’s house. I wanted to ask Setsuko sanhow she made her sushi rice but was overcome with shyness. I just met her that day anddid not want to impose. It took me three months to finally decide that I would ask her

how she made her sushi rice! Come to find out she uses Sushi Taro Seasoning Mix for Sushi Rice. Her reply was hilarious!

I bought my package of Sushi Taro Seasoning Mix for Sushi Rice from Amazon.com because I could not find it in my local Asian market. If you live in a large city withAsian supermarkets, Sushi Taro would likely be stocked in their shelves.

One package of Sushi Taro Seasoning Mix for Sushi Rice contains 2 packets of Seasoning Mix for Sushi Rice and 2 packets of shredded nori.

For the sake of instructions, I only cooked 2 rice cooker cups of Nishiki Rice and usedonly 1 packet of Seasoning Mix for Sushi Rice. However, if you are serving a crowd of 8 or more people, please cook 4 rice cooker cups (or 3 US standard cups) rice and use



both packets of the seasoning mix.



How to make Sushi Taro Rice:

1.Cook 2 rice cooker cups (equals to 1 ½ US standard measuring cups )Nishiki Rice.

(Please follow instructions on How to Cook Rice Using an Electric Rice Cooker.)

2.Place freshly cooked rice in large mixing bowl.

3.Open 1 packet of Seasoning Mix for Sushi Rice.

4.Empty packet over the rice.



5.Mix using rice paddle, being careful not to mash the rice.

6.Sprinkle the small packet of nori over the seasoned rice.

Serve warm or room temperature along with other Japanese meat dishes.




When we lived in Las Vegas 9 years ago, we had a monthly tradition. We’d go eat atour favorite Japanese restaurant called Makino’s. It was a great place to satisfy our

cravings for sushi and seafood.akino’s is Las Vegas’ best kept secret. It was one of the best Japanese buffet

restaurants we’ve ever dined in. Some days, patrons would come in by the bus load allthe way from California and the line would be an hour wait. The ambiance was nothingto brag about, but people did not flock to Makino’s for their ambiance. They came for their excellent array of foods and excellent sushi. They used fresh, quality ingredients.Every item was hot and fresh. And the sushi was made fresh right then and there.

I started making sushi when we left Vegas and moved to Abilene, Texas. We missed

akino’s. No other place like it! Every time we think of sushi, we think of Makino’s. If e ever go back to Vegas, Makino’s would have to be our first stop. But since we arehundreds of miles away from Las Vegas, I decided to make my own sushi.

When people think of sushi, they think of raw fish. Instantly, they are turned off. Thetruth is… I do not eat raw fish. I use cooked seafood in my sushi.

If this is your first time making sushi, you will understand why sushi can be pricey. Tomake perfectly rolled sushi requires skill. But it doesn’t mean that you and I can’t learnit. It just takes a bit of practice and the willingness to learn.

You will need the following kitchen tools and utensils to make sushi:

Rice cooker or heavy bottomed pot with tight fitting lid (to cook rice)Bamboo rolling mat (made with rounded or squared bamboo sticks)

Rice paddle (wooden or plastic)

Fine strainer or colander

Large ceramic or metal mixing bowl that can hold 10 to 12 cups of cooked rice


Serves 10 people



8 cups sushi rice, see instructions and recipe below

Sesame Spiced Salmon, see recipe below

3 large ripe Haas avocados, peeled, seeded and sliced

8 sheets of dried seaweed or nori

1/2 cup water mixed with ¼ cup rice vinegar to moisten your fingertips when

spreading sushi rice on the seaweed sheetsCondiments to serve with Sushi Rolls:

Teriyaki or soy sauce

Wasabi paste (I recommend a tube of S&B brand)

Pickled ginger (comes in a small glass jar or tube)

Sesame Spiced Salmon

12 ounce fresh Salmon fillets, boneless½ TBSP. toasted sesame seeds

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of ½ lemon


½ tsp. cayenne



Remove the skin from the salmon. Mix salt, cayenne and ground black pepper. Seasonsalmon fillets on both sides.

Heat a skillet and add oil. Fry salmon over medium heat, 4 – 5 minutes on both sides or until cooked through. Cool and flake into large pieces. Sprinkle sesame seeds, lemonzest and lemon juice.

Rice Vinegar Syrup

½ cup rice vinegar




1 TBSP. mirin (sweet cooking rice seasoning)

1 TBSP. coarse gray sea salt (I use Celtic gray sea salt)

1.Measure and add rice vinegar and sweet mirin to a small sauce pan over medium lowheat.

2. Add coarse sea salt.

3.Add sugar.

4.Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool.



Cook Nishiki Rice Using the Electric Rice Cooker

1.Measure 4 cups uncooked Nishiki rice in to a large bowl, using the cup that came withthe rice cooker. Otherwise, measure 3 cups of uncooked Nishiki using a US standarddry measuring cup.

2.Fill the bowl with cold running water. Swish rice around with your hands. The water ill turn milky white in color. Drain the water.

3.Again, fill the bowl with cold running water. This time, swish the rice around whiletaking handfuls of rice and lightly squeezing and rubbing them with both your hands.

4.Drain the water.

5.Transfer rice into a fine strainer and allow the water to drain for at least 10 minutes.



6.Empty the strainer filled with washed rice into the rice cooker pot.

7.Shake the rice cooker pot to level the rice and then fill the pot with drinking water upto the 4 ½ cup labeled mark.

8.Press the “cook” button as you normally would when cooking rice with your ricecooker.

9.When the “warm button” light comes on, wait 10 minutes before opening the ricecooker.



10.Quickly remove the lid to avoid steamed liquid from dripping over the cooked riceand fluff the rice using rice paddle.

Rice is now ready to be mixed with Rice Vinegar Syrup.



Make Sushi Rice or Vinegared Rice

1.Gently loosen the cooked rice by stirring it with the “rice cooker paddle” or largeooden spoon. Scoop all (8 – 10 cups) into a large mixing bowl.

2.Drizzle three-fourths of the vinegar syrup over the cooked rice in the bowl.

3.Stir the rice using the rice paddle as if you are folding egg whites into a cake batter, being careful not to smash the grains. Break up lumps vertically to let in air to cool therice.

Taste the rice and decide if you need to add the rest of the vinegar syrup. The riceshould not be too wet and should be shiny and a bit sticky after mixing it with the ricevinegar syrup.

Make and Roll Sushi:

Have everything prepared and lined up like an assembly line, within reach in front oyou. Leave enough room for the bamboo rolling mat.

Divide sushi rice into 8 equal portions. Do the same with the Sesame Spiced Salmon.Divide into 8 equal portions.

Mix ½ cup water with ¼ cup rice vinegar syrup. Place it next to you.



1.Place the bamboo rolling mat with the bamboo sticks running across horizontally.

2.Cut a piece of plastic wrap larger than the bamboo rolling mat and place it over themat.

3.Place a sheet of dried seaweed with the shiny side down across the bamboo rollingmat, over the plastic wrap.



4.Place one portion of sushi rice and spread it evenly on the seaweed sheet, leavingabout 1 inch on all ends except the far front end (away from you). Leave about 1½inches of empty seaweed on top. Hint: It is easier to spread the rice with fingertips

moistened with water-rice vinegar mixture.

5.If desired, squeeze a thin line of wasabi paste on the rice as shown on the photo.

6.Place two and a half avocado slices, forming a line from left to right over the rice.Line one portion of the Sesame Spiced Salmon next to the avocado slices.

7.Use both hands to keep the filling in place while you fold the bamboo mat over,starting at the side closest to your body.



8.This is how it should look like - both ends of the rice are in contact with each other,sealing the filling inside.

9.Keep rolling and lifting the mat as you go. Keep a slightly firm and even pressure onthe mat. Hold the rolled mat for a few seconds and pat any loose rice on both ends of theroll with moistened fingertips.

10.Done! You’ve rolled your first sushi.

11.Remove rolled sushi from the mat and place in rectangular dish or tray.

Continue steps 4 through 9: spread, fill and roll the shushi rice until done.



12.Moisten the blade of your knife with the water - vinegar mixture. Slice the Salmonand Avocado Rolls. When the knife gets coated with rice and becomes sticky, wipe off the blade with a wet towel. Again, moisten the blade with the water - vinegar mixturethen continue slicing the rolls.

Serve sushi with a small bowl of teriyaki or soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger onthe side.

Salmon-carrot-cucumber sushi

Imitation crab legs, avocados, fried eggs and sliced cucumbers



Imitation crab legs, avocados, blanched asparagus sushi




• A bamboo rolling mat is a great tool and plays a vital role in making perfectlyrolled sushi. I found that bamboo rolling mats made with rounded bamboo sticksare much easier to roll than the ones made with squared bamboo sticks.

• Facts and Helpful Hints about cooking (white) rice: The measuring cup that comes with the rice cooker only holds ¾ cup

rice.Water should be added according the marked label inside the rice cooker pot.When cooking rice over the stove top, use the US standard measuring cup.For Nishiki brand short grain rice, the water to rice ratio is 1 ½ cups water

for every cup of uncooked rice. This type of rice is ideal for sushi making.For long grain rice such as Jasmine or Basmati, the average rice to water ratio is 2 cups water per cup of uncooked rice. Another point to consider iswhether the rice is new or old harvest. New harvest rice will need less water while old harvest will need more water. Again start with 2:1 water to riceratios. If you like drier rice, cut back on the water by ½ cup.One cup of uncooked rice will yield 2 cups cooked rice.Washing and draining the rice 2 or 3 times is very important, even when thecooking instructions on the bag tell you not to. This process helps eliminate

starch that may have been added or have accumulated in the bag.Starchy or overcooked rice can lead to gooey and sticky rice, and this is whywashing and draining the rice is important. If you add more water than what isrequired, this also results in wet, gooey and sticky rice.

• Everything you will need for sushi should be available in the Asian aisle in mostsupermarkets, including Wal-Mart Supercenters.

• Consider these as additional filling for sushi: Cucumbers, sliced into thin sticks

Carrots, sliced into thin strips

Blanched spinachCooked shrimpImitation crab legs or lobster Scrambled eggs, fried like crepesSmoked salmonPan fried tofuIf you are brave… consider fresh salmon, fresh sashimi grade ahi tuna,salmon roe, eel, squid, etc.



Tofu with Soy Rice Vinegar SauceServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 package (12 ounce each) extra-firm tofu, drained2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 extra-large, beaten

2½ tsps. coarse kosher salt, divided

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

6 TBSPs. light olive oil for frying (more if needed)

Soy – Rice Vinegar Sauce:

6 TBSPs. soy sauce

3 TBSPs. rice vinegar 3 tsps. sesame oil

2 tsps. sugar

2 tsps. chili garlic sauce (available in asian stores)


½ inch ginger, peeled and grated

1½ TBSPs. ground, toasted sesame seeds


¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper Pinch of MSG (optional)


Combine sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Drain tofu on a large strainer and arrange them flat, side by side next to each other.Cover tofu with plastic wrap. Place a flat, heavy object on top of the tofu for at least 30



minutes. (This process will allow as much liquid as possible to be squeezed out of thetofu.) Slice tofu into ½ inch thick slices. Set aside.

In a flat rimmed dish, combine flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper. Set aside.

In another flat rimmed dish, beat eggs with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon

ground black pepper. Set aside.Dredge tofu slices in batches of four with the seasoned flour, then dip in beaten eggs.

Heat a large skillet and add 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil. Fry tofu slices until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Follow the same procedures to finish breading andfrying the remaining tofu slices.

Serve warm with Soy – Rice Vinegar Sauce.



Tsukune Turkey in Teriyaki SauceServes 4 people

These tasty turkey patties are also known as Tsukune in Japan. They come in roundor oval-shaped meat patties. They can be fried, simmered, or grilled. When grilled, theyare served in skewers with thick layer of caramelized teriyaki sauce. These patties are

tender, juicy and bursting with flavor in every bite.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground turkey (93% lean – white meat) or chicken2 small carrots, grated finely2 egg yolks, lightly beaten1 ½ tsps. coarse kosher salt3 TBSPs. soy sauce

1 tsp. ground hot pepper (optional)¾ tsp. ground black pepper

1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated4 TBSPs. cornstarch

½ cup light olive oil for frying

Teriyaki Sauce:

2 cups soy sauce1 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice cooking wine)

½ cup water or equal amounts of chicken broth and water

2/3 cup rice vinegar

2 TBSPs. distilled white vinegar 2 tsps. sesame oil





2 TBSPs. + 2 tsps. cornstarch



4 stalks green onion, to added at the end of cooking

Place ground turkey or chicken, carrots and beaten egg yolks in a large mixing bowl.Add salt, soy sauce, ground hot pepper (if using), ground black pepper, and gratedginger. Mix well. Sprinkle cornstarch all over the ground chicken or turkey mixture. Mix

ell. Form mixture into 10 patties. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine Teriyaki Sauce ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.Heat a skillet and add olive oil. Fry patties in batches, over medium heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Continue frying theremaining patties.

A non-stick skillet, preferably with lid, is recommended for frying the patties.

Otherwise, you can use a non-stick skillet for frying patties, and a stew pot for

simmering the patties in the sauce after they have been fried.

Pour off the remaining oil from the skillet, and place the skillet back on the stove. Pour Teriyaki Sauce mixture into the skillet or stew pot with a lid. Bring sauce to a boil over

medium heat. Add patties and turn the heat down to low. Simmer until sauce thickens,about 10 minutes. Add green onions and stir. Serve warm with a bowl of rice on theside.



Vegetable TempuraServe 4 - people

This is an excellent tempura batter enough to make 3 to 5 pounds vegetable tempura.

Tempura Batter

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cornstarch


¾ tsp. baking soda


5 extra-large eggs

¼ cup very cold water 4 – 5 cups vegetable oil for frying

Choice of Vegetables:

1 pound asparagus, hard part trimmed

2 green bell peppers, sliced into ½ inch sticks

1 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½ inch sticks

2 medium zucchini, sliced into ¾ inch sticks

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings (¾ inch width)

Wash vegetables and pat dry with paper towels. Line 2 sheet pans with clean kitchentowels and place vegetables in a single layer. Allow vegetables to air dry for at least 45minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and kosher salt. Add theeggs and water. Stir flour and eggs with chopsticks or fork just until moistened. Batter

ill be lumpy.

Heat wok or 4 inch deep, heavy bottomed pot. Add vegetable oil and heat until itreaches 350°F.



Monitor the oil temperature closely by attaching a deep fry or candy

thermometer on the frying pan.

Dip vegetable slices in tempura batter. Let excess batter drip back into the bowl. Fry inhot oil until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Continue frying until all vegetables are done.

Serve warm with soy sauce for dipping.Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

• It is important to allow vegetables to air dry before dipping in tempura batter because the batter will stick better to vegetables that have less moisture.

• Using very cold water makes for crispy tempura.

• Mix tempura batter only when you are ready to start frying.• Do not over mix the tempura batter so that the flour will not develop gluten which

could result in heavy and doughy batter.

• Use long chopsticks to stir the batter and to turn over vegetables while frying.

• A bamboo skimmer is a great tool in retrieving fried tempura from the oil.

• Maintain oil temperature at 350°F.

• Do not over crowd the pan. Fry in small batches.



Chicken StripsServe 4 people

You can’t go wrong with fried chicken strips, especially if they are breaded like these.Dipped in egg batter, breaded with panko bread crumbs, and deep fried in purevegetable oil, these chicken strips are tender and crispy. The panko bread crumbs make

all the difference in taste for this dish.

Ingredients:

4 – 6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)



Egg batter (see recipe below)

1 (8 ounce) bag panko (Japanese style) bread crumbs4 – 5 cups vegetable oil for frying

Wash chicken breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slicechicken breasts across the grain into four (4) strips. Mix salt and ground black pepper and season chicken slices. Set aside.

Egg Batter:

1 cup flour

½ cup water

3 large eggs



Whisk together flour, water, eggs, salt and ground black pepper. Do not over mix. Setaside.

Pour the whole bag of panko bread crumbs in another bowl. Set aside.

Dip seasoned chicken strips in batches of 4 slices in egg batter and then coat with panko bread crumbs. Place on a platter.



Heat wok or 4 inch deep, heavy bottomed pot. Add oil and heat until it reaches 350°F or before oil starts to smoke. (Please use a deep fry or candy thermometer to be sure.)

Fry chicken strips for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.Drain on paper towels.

Follow the same procedures and continue frying until all chicken pieces are done.

Serve warm with Crispy Sweet Potatoes Tempura.Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

• Panko is available in large supermarkets in the Asian/Latin Food aisle.

• You may use pork, fish fillets or shrimp for this recipe. If using fish, please usefish that has firm flesh. Flounder is not suitable for this recipe as it is a soft,

tender fish. Also, please adjust frying time for fish and shrimp as they cook faster.

• Before frying the next batch, skim off bits and pieces of fried batter and panko bread crumbs floating in the oil with a bamboo skimmer.



Pork Cutlets in Panko Bread CrumbsServes 4 people

This is one of the easiest and simplest dishes to make. The panko bread crumbs givethis dish a nice crunch that children love.

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless pork loin, sliced ½ inch thick



½ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

4 large eggs, well beaten

1 (8 ounce) bag panko (Japanese style) bread crumbs

4 cups oil for frying

Trim and discard tough connective tissue off the pork loin. Slice into ½ inch thick slices. Combine kosher salt, ground black pepper and cayenne. Season pork slices on

both sides.

Cover chopping board with plastic wrap and place 2 or 3 pork slices. Place another piece of plastic wrap over the pork slices and pound them with a mallet until about ¼inch thin. Set them aside.

Crack the eggs in a large bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper and beat. Set aside.

Empty panko bread crumbs in a large bowl or deep dish.Dip pork cutlets in eggs and in panko bread crumbs. Place breaded pork cutlets in asingle layer on a tray or sheet pan. This process allows the crumbs to stick to the pork

hile you wait for the oil to get hot.

Heat wok or 4 inch deep, heavy bottomed pot. Add oil and heat until it reaches 350°F.Fry 4 or 5 cutlets per batch, for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Drainon paper towels.

Serve with Vegetable Tempura.



Crispy Sweet Potatoes TempuraServe 4 people

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and sliced into ½ inch sticks

4 – 5 cups vegetable oil for frying

Tempura Batter:

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup all-purpose flour



½ tsp. cayenne

½ tsp. baking soda

4 extra-large eggs

3 TBSPs. very cold water

Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Pat dry with kitchen towels. Slice potatoes into ½ inchsticks and spread them in a single layer over a kitchen towel lined tray or sheet pan. Let

potatoes air dry for at least 30 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs and water. In another bowl, combinecornstarch, flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne and baking soda. Add to beaten eggs.

Mix eggs and flour with a fork or chopsticks just until moistened. Batter will have plenty of small lumps.

Heat wok or 4 inch deep, heavy bottomed pot. Add oil and heat over medium heat untilit reaches 350°F or right before oil starts to smoke.

Dip sweet potato slices in tempura batter, in batches of 10 – 12 slices. Fry in hot oil for 2 – 3 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cooked and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Continue frying the remaining sweet potato slices until done. Serve potatoesimmediately.




• Tempura batter can be used with other vegetables such as asparagus, zucchini,green bell peppers, etc.

• By lining cut vegetables on a single layer over a kitchen towel, it gives thevegetables a chance to dry, which allows the tempura batter to stick better.

• Before frying the next batch, skim off bits and pieces of fried batter floating in theoil with a bamboo skimmer. This will keep the oil from having a burnt color.

• Mix tempura batter only when you are ready to fry, because you would not want itto develop gluten.



Japanese Style Fried FishServes 2 - 4 people

This dish is fairly easy and quick to make. This can be prepared in less than 45minutes. I used Tilapia fish and marinated them in red wine because that’s what I had onhand. However, mahi-mahi or other firm fish would be great.

Ingredients:

4 large tilapia fillets (1 pound)

4 TBSPs. sake or red wine

½ tsp. salt


Egg batter (see recipe below)

1 (8 ounce) bag panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)


Wash fish under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. If the fillets are toolarge, cut them in half, lengthwise. Place in container.

In a bowl, combine sake or red wine, salt and black pepper. Pour over fish and let them

marinate for about 15 minutes.Prepare the egg batter by combining the following in another bowl:

½ cup flour

¼ cup water

2 eggs

½ tsp. salt




Whisk together flour, water, eggs, salt and ground black pepper. Do not over beat.Small lumps are OK. Set aside.

Heat wok or 4 inch deep, heavy bottomed pot. Add oil and heat until it reaches 350°F or before it starts to smoke.

Pour half the bag of panko bread crumbs in a deep dish. Dip 2 or 3 fish fillets in batter

and then dip them in panko bread crumbs. Fry fish 2 or 3 minutes on each side or untilgolden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Before frying the next batch, skim off bits and pieces of fried batter and panko

bread crumbs floating in the oil, with a bamboo skimmer.

Serve with wasabi paste mixed with soy sauce on the side.



Sirloin Steaks Golden CurryServes 4 – 6 people

The key ingredient in this dish is the S & B Golden Curry Mix which can be purchased at Japanese or Asian markets and military commissaries.

I was 17 years old when I first tasted this curry mix while living with my sister and her U.S. Air Force husband at Clark AB in the Philippines. I did not start using this currymix again until about 7 years ago. Honestly, I didn’t know why I waited so long. At firstI wasn’t sure whether my husband was going to like it, but when I finally had him try it,he couldn’t wait for me to cook more!

Please use tender cuts of meat such as sirloin steak.

Ingredients:

2 pounds sirloin steak cut into 1 inch cubes

3 tsps. coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt


½ tsp. monosodium glutamate (optional)

Season the steak with sea salt or kosher salt, ground black pepper and monosodiumglutamate if you are using. Allow the seasoned meat to sit at room temperature whileyou peel and cut the vegetables listed below.

Vegetables and Other Ingredients:


4 – 6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large red or yellow onion, diced

1 (3.5 ounce) package Golden Curry Mix (mild, medium or hot)

2 large gold or baking potatoes

3 celery sticks, chopped (about 2 cups)

3 medium carrots, chopped

3 cups boiling water



2 tsps. beef granules

1 tsp. coarse sea salt



Heat a large stew pot and add the olive oil. Sauté garlic and onion. Stir until onion is

translucent. Add the steak. Sauté for 10 minutes or until caramelized on the edges.Break the Golden Curry mix into chunks and add to the sautéed steak. Sauté a fewminutes. Cover the pot and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, celery and carrots. Stir until all ingredients are coated with the currysauce. Add the boiling water into the pot. Bring steak and vegetable mixture to a boiland then simmer for about 20 minutes or until steak and vegetables are tender. Do notovercook the vegetables. Potatoes and carrots should be tender but still have their texture. Taste for additional beef granules and ground black pepper.




Chapter 5

Korean



Korean Noodles (Japchae)Serves 4 people

Back when my husband was active duty in the military, we’d visit my in-laws inColumbia, South Carolina in between our new military base assignment. In each visit,my Korean step-mother-in-law would cook several of my husband’s favorite Korean

dishes. Japchae was one of them.

This dish can be eaten warm or cold; it’s great for picnics, parties and traveling.

Ingredients:

2 bundles (8 ounces each) sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon), boiled and drained

1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced and mixed with -2 TBSPs. soy sauce


1 TBSP. roasted sesame seeds

2 tsps. sesame oil


3 medium size carrots, julienned

2 bell peppers (green and red), julienned

8 ounce button mushrooms, sliced

2 medium size red onions, sliced


5 TBSPs. light olive oil for stir-frying, divided

Sauce:

½ cup soy sauce½ cup sugar



2 TBSPs. sesame oil

1 TBSP. roasted sesame seeds

2 stalks green onions, chopped into ½ inch lengths

Boil 2 – 3 quarts of water. Cook noodles for 3 minutes or until soft and chewy. Tasteone or two strands just to be sure. Do not overcook noodles. Transfer noodles to a

colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain well. Transfer noodles to a largemixing bowl. Cut noodles into 6 inch lengths. Set aside.

Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Wash steak under cold running water and pat dry. Slice steak into thin strips and mixthem with soy sauce, granulated sugar, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil and mincedgarlic. Mix well and set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat and add tablespoon oil. Stir fry carrots for 2 minutes. Transfer carrots to the bowl of cooked sweet potato noodles.

Wipe the wok clean and add tablespoon oil. Stir fry green and red bell peppers for 2

minutes. Transfer bell peppers to the bowl of carrots and noodles.Again, wipe the wok clean and add tablespoon oil. Stir fry mushrooms untilcaramelized in color, about 3 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl of stir friedvegetables and cooked noodles.

Wipe the wok one more time and add 2 tablespoons oil. Turn the heat to medium high.Stir fry steak until caramelized on the edges, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add sliced onionsand green onions. Stir fry until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Transfer stir fried steak and onions to the bowl of vegetables and cooked noodles.

Pour sauce mixture over stir-fried steak, vegetables and cooked noodles. Mix wellusing 2 spatulas or both your hands.

Serve with a bowl of rice and cucumber kimchee on the side.


• Noodles used in this dish have many other names, such as “cellophane noodles”

and “glass noodles”. It is best to use sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon)available in Korean stores.

• You can add other vegetables to this dish such as blanched baby spinach and stir fried celery.



Korean Cucumber KimcheeServes 6 – 8 people

This dish is very easy and simple to make, and is one of the best tasting cucumber kimchee I have ever had. I love the pungent flavor, the crunch, and the freshness of thecucumbers. It’s a perfect condiment for all Asian meat dishes and soups; serve with a

bowl of rice on the side.

Ingredients:

6 large cucumbers

½ cup coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt


¼ cup fish sauce

½ cup coarse hot pepper powder (spicy)

1 TBSP. granulated sugar


2 medium size carrots, peeled and grated


2 bundles (about 2 cups) green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1. Wash cucumbers under cold running water and cut them in half crosswise. Take thehalved cucumbers and make 4 cross slits, leaving about ½ inch on end. Do not cut themall the way through.



2. Place cucumbers in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt on all the cucumber pieces. Carefullymix cucumber to distribute the salt. Let cucumbers sit for 40 minutes.

3. In another bowl, combine fish sauce, hot pepper powder, minced garlic and sugar.Stir well with a spoon to make coarse seasoning paste.

4. Grate carrots, slice red onions, and chop green onions.

5. Add fish sauce and hot pepper powder mixture to the grated carrots and onions.



6. Mix well.

7. Rinse salted cucumbers with cold running water. Shake off excess water and place in

a bowl.Serve cucumber kimchee fresh, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto one week.

8. Stuff cucumbers in between slits with coarse seasoning paste.



Dangmyeon (Sweet Potato Noodles) with Ground Pork Serves 4 people

My Korean step-mother in law made a spicy Korean dish that was made of clear noodles with slices of steak she called Japchae. This dish was inspired by that, and isust as good, only milder in taste.

Ingredients:

1 bundle (8 ounces) dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles)

½ pound ground pork loin



1 square inch ginger, thinly sliced

½ medium size red onion, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into strips

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips


1 TBSP. hot bean paste

4 TBSPs. soy sauce

2 tsps. toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. ground hot pepper (Korean)

1 tsp. brown sugar 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth or water

A bag of dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles) contains 3 bundles. You will only

need one bag for this recipe. You can use the remaining 2 bundles for Japchae.

Soak one bundle of dangmyeon in cold water for about 25 minutes. Drain and cutnoodles in half to shorten the lengths. Set aside.



Heat wok or large skillet and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir fry the pork until cookedand liquid has evaporated, about 10 – 12 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and sliced onion.Stir fry for a few minutes. Add hot bean paste and stir a few minutes.

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, brown sugar and a smallamount of chicken broth. Stir until smooth. Add the rest of the chicken broth and stir

ell. Pour mixture over the stir fried ground pork. Stir and boil mixture over mediumhigh heat. Cover wok and simmer for 3 minutes. Bring the heat back up to medium high.Add sliced carrot and green bell pepper. Add sweet potato noodles. Keep stirring untilnoodles are soft but still chewy and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Immediately transfer noodles into individual serving dishes. Serve warm with a bowl orice and Cucumber Kimchee on the side.



Easy Cucumber KimcheeServes 4 – 6 people

I have been making this for years! My friend Ginalyn Davis introduced me to this typeof cucumber kimchee when we were living in Okinawa, Japan. At that time, we used a

bottled product called “Kimchee Base” which can easily be found in most Korean

markets. But when we lived in Abilene, Texas, I could not find Kimchee Base, thus Idecided to create my own “kimchee base” out of the ingredients that were available atmy local Asian store. I’m sure my Korean step-mother-in-law will raise her eyebrowsfor calling this kimchee, because this is nothing like the Korean cucumber kimchee sheknows. But this is so simple and easy to make, and is a great condiment to serve withmeat dishes.

Ingredients:

3 large cucumbers, sliced into ¼ x 2 inch strip

½ cup kimchee base

3 TBSPs. sesame oil





Wash cucumbers and slice into ¼ x 2 inch strips. Place cucumbers in a large mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

Store in a glass jar and refrigerate until ready to serve. Kimchee will last a few days inthe refrigerator.

Serve as accompaniment to any Korean dishes.




• If you cannot find Kimchee Base use the following as substitute:

½ cup Thai chili hot sauce¼ cup rice vinegar ¼ cup fish sauce



Bulgogi (Korean Beef BBQ)Serves 4 - 6 people

I was 14 years old when I tasted Korean food while working for a Filipino-Koreancouple as a live-in baby-sitter for their five year old son and 10 month old daughter. I

remember the food being very spicy and well-seasoned. However, I did not learn howto cook Korean food until I met my step-mother-in-law in Columbia, South Carolina in1990.

This is my “go to” recipe whenever I crave Korean foods - garlicky, spicy and full of flavor. I love the sweet aroma of beef slices caramelizing in a hot skillet! And by the

ay, the marinade is also excellent with rib eye steak and New York strip grilled over hot charcoals. A meal truly fit for the wealthy and nobility as this dish was traditionally

prepared for...

My step-mother-in-law cooked bulgogi two ways.The fancy way was to use a portable, electric grill shaped like a dome (Korean style)and place it in the middle of her Korean table. She’d plug it in and wait for a fewminutes for it to heat up. Then she would lay several slices of the marinated beef over the hot grill, causing sweet and spicy smoke to fill the room. The beef slices weregrilled quickly, about 1 minute on each side, then immediately served to one or two

people. She’d continue grilling the remaining beef slices to serve the rest of the peoplearound the table. This type of cooking was reserved for special occasions and holidays.

When she wasn’t trying to impress anyone, and was not presenting an elaborate dinner,

she simply cooked the marinated beef slices in a skillet with a small amount of oil. Sheould add thinly sliced onions, carrots and green bell peppers, and then serve it with

rice and kimchee or with other leftover vegetables. This version turned out juicier because the beef was cooked in its marinade.

Ingredients:

3 – 4 pounds sirloin steak or top loin roast, sliced into 1 x 2 inch thin strips

8 stalks green onions, chopped into 1 inch



6 – 8 garlic cloves, minced

1 cups soy sauce

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup red wine

¼ cup rice vinegar (genuine brewed)

4 TBSPs. hot pepper paste2 TBSPs. honey

3 TBSPs. hot pepper powder

3 TBSPs. roasted or ground sesame seeds

2 TBSPs. sesame oil

2 – 4 TBSPs. light olive oil for frying

1 large green cabbage or romaine lettuce for serving

Please note that three or four pounds of marinated beef is plenty of meat to cook in

one pan. The best thing to do is to cook them in batches. Cook no more than 2 cups omarinated beef at one time.

1. Wash steak under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.

2. Slice beef into 1 x 2 inch thin strips.

3. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, red wine, rice vinegar, hot pepper



paste, sesame seeds and sesame oil. Stir until smooth. Mixture will be runny.

4. Stir in chopped green onions and minced garlic.

5. Pour marinade over the sliced beef.

6. Mix well.

7. Sprinkle baking soda over the beef mixture and mix well.



8. Marinate beef for one hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

How to Cook Bulgogi in Skillet

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.

2. Add 1 to 2 cups marinated beef slices, depending on the size of your skillet.

3 . Stir until beef slices are browned. Reduce heat and simmer until marinade liquidstarts to thicken and beef starts to caramelize. Remember to stir the beef every fewminutes while simmering to keep the beef from sticking to the bottom of the skillet.



4. Remove cover and keep stirring until all beef slices are caramelized but not burned.

5. Transfer cooked bulgogi to a bigger skillet with cover. Keep warm over low heat.

6. Wash the skillet and repeat steps 1 through 4 and continue cooking the rest of themarinated beef. Allow at least 1 cup bulgogi per person.

How to Cook Bulgogi under the Broiler:

Turn on the broiler. Position the rack in the second shelf, about 7 inches from the broiler (top heating element).

Line a cookie sheet with heavy aluminum foil and spread the marinated beef slices.Place under the broiler for 8 - 10 minutes. Flip beef slices to the other side and broilfor an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until steak is caramelized.

Watch carefully. The beef burns easy because of its sugar content.

How to Serve Bulgogi



1. Separate cabbage leaves into cups. Do the same with romaine lettuce if that is whatyou are using. Allow 2 or 3 cabbage leaves per person.

2. Fill cabbage leaves with cooked rice.

3. Spoon bulgogi over the rice and serve.


• It is faster to cook bulgogi in an uncovered skillet, one cup per batch as it willcaramelize faster.

• Once bulgogi have caramelized, you may stir in thinly sliced vegetables such ascarrots, green bell peppers, and button mushrooms. Stir a few minutes and serve.



• Marinated or uncooked bulgogi will last a few days in the refrigerator. Just takewhat you need and cook.

• If you use the marinade for more tender cuts of beef such as rib eyes, New York strips and tenderloin, please omit the baking soda. These cuts are excellentmarinated whole and grilled over hot charcoal.

• Baking soda helps tenderize tougher cuts of beef as many cooks have discovered.• Other cuts of beef you can use are top round, bottom round, London broil, brisket,

skirt steak, and flank steaks.



Garlic Sesame Flank SteaksServes 4 people

This dish is a close resemblance to the Korean Bulgogi. The key to this dish is themarinade, which is also perfect with beef short ribs.

Ingredients:

3 pounds flank steaks

Marinade:



1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

½ cup light olive oil

½ cup soy sauce

4 TBSPs. firmly packed brown sugar

2 TBSPs. sesame oil

1 TBSP. roasted ground sesame seeds

2 TBSPs. wine (Wine you like to drink)

2 TBSPs. rice vinegar 1 tsp. kosher salt


1 tsp. ground Korean hot peppers

Wash flank steaks under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place in plasticor non-reactive container.

In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Pour over the steaks. Marinate for 30 minutes



at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Position the rack in the second shelf, about 7 inches from the broiler (top heatingelement). Preheat the broiler for 10 minutes.

Line a heavy duty baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil. Remove the steaks fromthe marinade and line them in the aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

Pour the marinade into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. You will use this for basting.

Broil steaks for 8 - 10 minutes. Baste the steaks with the marinade if they’re starting toget dry. Turn over and broil the other side for another 6 minutes. Serve steaks with a

bowl of rice and Cucumber Kimchee.



Kimbap (A la sushi Korean style)Serves 6 – 8 people

Kimbap is a Korean dish similar to Japanese sushi, except it doesn’t contains raw fish

and the rice is not mixed with Rice Vinegar Syrup. It is instead mixed with sesameseeds, sesame oil and sea salt. It is, according to my step-mother-in-law, a Korean

delicacy prepared mostly on special occasions because of the work involved.

Kimbap can be filled with fish cakes which come in various colors (brown, green, pink,red and yellow) which make Kimbap very colorful and appealing. Other fillings areimitation crab legs, imitation lobster, Spam, scrambled eggs, blanched spinach, pickleddaikon, etc. I must say that pickled daikon completes the taste and is a necessary fillingalong with whatever fillings you choose.

This recipe is based on the original recipe taught to me by my stepmother-in-law 22

years ago.Ingredients:

2 ½ cups uncooked Nishiki rice (Please refer to "How to Cook Rice")


4 TBSPs. sesame oil

2 tsps. coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt (I use Celtic gray sea salt)

Filling

1 (8 inch each) preserved daikon (Korean radish), sliced into 1/4 inch sticks



1 cup rice vinegar

1 cup water

2 TBSPs. sugar

1 (4 inch) fish cake, pink or brown or 1 package imitation crab legs

4 scrambled eggs, fried and sliced

1 can Spam, sliced into sticks4 TBSPs. light olive oil, divided

2 tsps. sesame oil, divided

2 TBSPs. roasted sesame seeds, divided

8 unroasted seaweed sheets

Slice Kimbap and serve immediately. Kimbap is perfect for hors d’oeuvres, a snack, or picnic food.

Cook rice using a rice cooker or over the stove top using a heavy bottomed pot.

1 . Slice the preserved daikon into 1/4 inch sticks. You should end up with at least 8sticks. Marinate in 1 cup rice vinegar, 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons sugar. Marinatefor one hour or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain marinated daikon on a colander or strainer before using.

2. Scramble 4 eggs and season with salt, ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon sesameseeds.



3. Slice fish cake into sticks, about 1/4 inches wide. You should have at least 16 sticks.You may also use imitation crab legs instead of fish cake.

4. Slice spam into 1/4 inch sticks. Again, you should have at least 16 sticks.

5. Heat a nonstick skillet and add 2 tablespoons light olive oil.

6. Pour 1/2 of the scrambled eggs mixture and fry as if you are making a crepe. Makesure it doesn’t break. Continue frying the remaining scrambled eggs. Slice scrambledeggs into long strips, ¾ inch wide. Set aside.

7. Heat a skillet and add 1 tablespoon light olive oil and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. Fry fishcakes until lightly browned on all sides. Do the same if you are using imitation crablegs.

Be careful not to tear the fish strips. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sesame seeds all over thefried fish cakes and remove to a platter.



8. Using the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon light olive oil. Fry spam until brown on allsides. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sesame seeds over the spam and stir to coat all the sides.Remove spam to a platter.

9. In large mixing bowl, combine cooked rice, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and sea salt or kosher salt. Mix well using a spatula. Taste to see if more salt is needed. Divideseasoned rice into 8 portions. Set aside.



10. Whatever filling you decide for your Kimbap... line them in a tray and place the trayithin your reach.

11. Lay a bamboo rolling mat over a chopping board or clean surface.

12. Cover bamboo rolling mat with a piece of plastic wrap, overlapping the edges of thethe bamboo rolling mat.



13. Lay seaweed sheet, shiny side down, over the bamboo rolling mat.

14. Spread one portion of seasoned rice over the seaweed sheet.

15. Line 1 or 2 slices of daikon, fish cake or imitation crab legs, scrambled eggs, andspam over the rice.

16. Use both hands to keep the filling in place while you fold the bamboo mat over,



starting at the side closest to your body.

17. Roll until one end of the seaweed sheet is in contact with with the other side, sealingthe filling inside.

18. Continue rolling while keeping a slightly firm and even pressure on the mat. Hold therolled mat for a few seconds and pat the loose rice in.

19. Unroll the bamboo mat, while keeping the Kimbap wrapped in plastic wrap.

20. Place rolled Kimbap in a tray. Repeat steps 13 through 18 and finish rolling theremaining seasoned rice and fillings in the seaweed sheets until all done.




• Lining a piece of plastic wrap slightly larger than the bamboo rolling mat before placing the seaweed sheet is a secret I learned from making sushi which makesrolling Kimbap so much easier.

• It is best to use a nonstick skillet when frying scrambled eggs, fish cakes andSpam.

• Just like sushi, you may also use canned tuna. Simply drain the liquid, stir frywith onion, season with salt, sesame oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

• Blanched spinach is also a great filling in addition to the filling listed above.Feel free to experiment with any filling you like.

• You may prepare Kimbap the night before and serve it the next day. Just be sureto use unroasted seaweed and wrap each log tightly with plastic wrap and makesure the seaweed sheets do not come in contact with liquid.

• To achieve a clean slice of Kimbap, rub a small amount of sesame oil on theknife. When the knife starts to get sticky with rice, wash the knife and oil it again.



Chapter 6

Thai



Papaya SaladServes 4 – 6 people

When we attended a potluck in January of 2013, one of the dishes on the table was Papaya Salad . It tasted fine but was nothing extraordinary. In fact, it was bordering onthe bland side. But my husband loved it, so I took mental notes so I could make it for him at home. Because I did not have a tested recipe to begin with, I went to our localThai market and asked the owner how to make papaya salad. He said, “Oh. Thai peoplemake it with packet seasoning! Come, I show you!” while leading me to an aisle filled

ith packets of seasonings. He handed me a sachet of OJ Thai Instant Delicious SomTam Seasoning Powder. I took his advice and bought a medium-sized green papaya. Ittook a couple of experiments before I finally nailed the perfect taste. This papaya salad

is now a staple in our home. I make a batch at least once a week. This dish, also popularly known as Som Tam ranked #46 in the 50 Most Delicious Foods in the World by CNNGo in September 2011.

Ingredients:

1 green papaya (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and grated

1 (1.1 ounce) packet OJ Thai Instant Delicious Som Tam Seasoning Powder

1 tsp. coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt

1 medium size carrot, peeled and grated

¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced2 garlic cloves, minced

3 fresh Thai hot peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

Juice of a quarter of large lime

Serve papaya salad as a condiment to Thai dishes.

Store in tightly closed plastic container in the refrigerator. Papaya salad will last up to5 days. However, it is best eaten within a day or two.



1. With a potato peeler, peel the papaya.

2. Split the papaya in half.

3. With a spoon, scrape and discard the seeds.

4. Shred the papaya.

5. Combine shredded papaya, carrots, onion, garlic, hot peppers and lime juice.



6. Add papaya salad seasoning powder.

7. Mix well and serve.


• Good Grips Julienne Peeler is the best tool for shredding papaya. Easy to use,fast, safe, and shreds papaya into beautiful noodle shaped strands.

• It is best not to add water to the papaya salad as directed on the seasoning packet, because papaya contains plenty of natural juices which will naturally come outas soon as the papaya comes in contact with the salt and the seasonings.

• Som Tam Powder is very sweet. Adding coarse sea salt counters the sweetnessof the seasoning and gives the papaya salad a more balanced taste. However, if you prefer your salad sweet, then omit the salt. Also, reduce or omit the hot

peppers if you do not want your salad spicy.



Curried Butternut Squash SoupServes 4 people

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, about 4 pounds - roasted


1 medium size onion, chopped

2 inch piece ginger, minced4 large cloves garlic, minced

3 TBSPs. green curry paste

1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth


½ tsp. coarse sea salt



¼ cup chopped cilantro


Line a heavy duty baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Wash butternut squash under cold running water. With a serrated steak knife or fork,stab squash several times in different places. Place squash on a foil lined baking sheetand bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove squash from the oven and cool. Split squash in half. Scoop and discard theseeds using a spoon. Scoop out the flesh and place in a large bowl.



Heat a 4 quart stew pot. Add olive oil. Sauté onion, ginger, and garlic until onion istranslucent. Add curry paste and sauté for a few minutes. Add coconut milk. Whisk until

ell blended. Add chicken broth. Bring curried liquid to a boil over medium heat. Addroasted butternut squash. Stir and bring to another boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash the squash in the pot with a potato masher or hand-held immersion

blender. Taste to see if salt is needed, otherwise add freshly ground black pepper.Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add chopped green onions and cilantro.

Serve hot with Indian bread (Naan) or with a bowl of rice on the side.


• Green curry paste is hotter than red curry paste. Start with 1 tablespoon. You can

always add more before turning off the heat. The 3 tablespoons of green curry paste I use here makes this chicken curry very spicy! But my husband likes hiscurry this way.

• Below is the scale of hotness in this curry based on how many tablespoons of green curry paste you use. Based on a scale of 1 – 10:

1 tablespoon = 4 (good average heat)2 tablespoons = 7 (hot)3 tablespoons = 10 (super hot)

• This soup can be divided into small portions and frozen. When ready to enjoy the

curried soup, simply take out a portion and leave in the fridge overnight.Microwave for 2 – 3 minutes and serve.



Easy Green Chicken CurryServes 4 people

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes


¼ tsp. ground black pepper 4 garlic cloves, minced

2 inch piece ginger, minced


2 cans (13.5 ounce each) coconut milk


2 TBSPs. chopped cilantro

Wash chicken under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with

kosher salt and ground black pepper. Set aside.Heat a sauté pan (with a lid) and add olive oil. Sauté garlic and ginger until garlic isgolden brown. Add green curry paste and sauté for a few minutes. Add coconut milk.Stir until curry paste is smooth. Bring to a boil.

Add seasoned chicken and bring to another boil. Reduce heat. Put the lid over the sauté pan and simmer chicken for 10 minutes or until cooked.

Taste for additional salt and/or curry paste. Add chopped cilantro.




LarbServes 4 people

Whenever we would go to a Thai restaurant, my husband would often order larb, oneof his favorite dishes. Seeing that he loved this dish so much, it became my mission tolearn how to make this dish at home, rivaling his favorite Thai restaurant, if not, better.After several experiments, I finally achieved the perfect taste, comparable to that of hisfavorite Thai restaurant in Abilene, Texas. He later admitted that my version tastes

better. He often requests that I make this dish once a week, second to his absolute

favorite dish of all time: Hot Pepper Beef , which I also make once a week.Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef or pork


1 large red onion, thinly sliced and divided


1 tsp. coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt


4 fresh Thai hot red peppers, chopped

2 large Jalapenos, seeded and chopped

SAUCE:

½ cup fish sauce

½ cup lime juice (juices of 2 or 3 large limes)


4 fresh Thai hot peppers




½ cup chopped cilantro

3 large tomatoes, sliced

2 large cucumber, sliced

1 large lettuce head, quartered and chopped into chunks

In a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Set aside.Heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Cook the ground beef or pork. Add salt andground black pepper. Stir a few more minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatfrom the skillet onto a platter. Pour off the fat or liquid from the skillet.

If you are using lean ground beef, add tablespoon oil to the skillet before adding

back the meat.

Place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat and add back the cooked meat. Stir in garlic and half of the sliced red onion. Sauté until onion is translucent. About 2minutes.

Stir in chopped hot peppers and Jalapenos. Stir to mix well. Reduce heat to low andcover the skillet.

Give the sauce a quick stir. Pour half the sauce mixture over the cooked meat (larb).Reserve half the sauce for individual servings. Stir the larb and turn off the heat.

Add the remaining sliced red onion. Stir to mix.

Grab 4 large plates and layer each one with lettuce chunks, sliced tomatoes, andcucumbers. Spoon about ¼ of the cooked larb over the layered vegetables.

Serve with a bowl of rice on the side.Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

• Control the heat (spiciness) by either reducing or increasing the amount of freshhot peppers in the sauce. Remember, lime juice is acid and therefore willintensify the heat even more.



Green Beans and Pork in Coconut Milk Serves 4 people

This is a great way to get rid of green beans that are close to getting bad. Green beansare one of the vegetables that get bad in the fridge quickly. From the time you buy themfrom the grocery store to your fridge, green beans must be cooked within 3 days or your money is wasted. However, recently I have found a way to keep them in the fridge a dayor two longer, and that is to wash them under cold running water, pat dry with kitchentowels and place in a brown paper bag. The paper bag keeps the beans dry and free omoisture, thus buying you an extra day or two.

Ingredients:

2 pounds green beans

1 pound pork loin, thinly sliced or ground




2 TBSPs. Thai red or yellow curry paste


1 (13.5 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth

1 – 2 TBSPs. fish sauce

Wash and trim green beans. Cut into 1½ inch long pieces. Set aside.

Wash pork under cold running water and slice thinly. Set aside.

Heat wok or large deep skillet. Add olive oil and stir fry pork for about 5 minutes or



until cooked. Stir in garlic and sliced onion. Stir fry until onion is translucent. Addcurry paste and stir for a minute. Add green beans and stir a few minutes. Add coconutmilk and chicken broth. Stir and bring green beans to a boil. Cover wok and reduceheat. Simmer beans for 15 – 20 minutes or until tender. Add fish sauce. Start with onetablespoon then taste to see if more fish sauce is needed.

Serve with a bowl of rice on the side.Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

• Curry paste ranges from mild to hot. Yellow is mild, red is medium to hot, andgreen curry paste is the hottest. The key is to add a tablespoon at a time,depending on how much the recipe calls for. Add more towards the end of

cooking to suit your taste.• I always use low sodium chicken broth. This way, I can control the salt I add to

my dish. Coarse sea salt and kosher salt are my two favorite salts.



Pork and Shrimp Pad ThaiServes 4 – 6 people

Ingredients

1 pound pork loin, thinly sliced

1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

3 TBSPs. rice vinegar, divided

1½ tsps. coarse kosher salt, divided

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

3 tsps. cornstarch, divided

_____

2 bags (14 ounce each) large, flat rice noodles

½ pound bean sprouts, washed and drained




3 eggs, lightly scrambled and fried

½ cup ground roasted peanuts


Pad Thai Sauce

6 TBSPs. fish sauce

6 TBSPs. tamarind liquid


4 TBSPs. sugar





Combine Pad Thai Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine rice vinegar, salt, black pepper, and cornstarch. Stir untilsmooth. Pour half the marinade over the sliced pork and the remaining half over theshrimp. Mix well and marinate pork and shrimp at least 15 minutes while you preparethe other ingredients.

Cut open the packages of noodles. Empty one bag into a large bowl. Take out half thecontents of the other bag and add to the noodles in the bowl. Keep the remainingnoodles in the bag and store for future use.

Rinse noodles under cold running water, then soak for 30 minutes. Drain on a colander.Take a pair of scissors and cut noodles in half to shorten the lengths to about 6 inches.

It only takes about 5 minutes to cook the noodles once they’ve been soaked. Soak

for at least 20 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

Heat wok or large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil and stir fry

marinated pork. Keep stirring until pork is cooked or caramelized on the edges, about 7-8 minutes. Remove to a platter and set aside.

Clean the wok by scraping bits and pieces. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Stir fry marinatedshrimp until pink, about 5 minutes. Remove to a platter with the stir fried pork. Cover

plate to keep warm.

Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to the wok. Stir fry garlic and onion until onion istranslucent. Add beans sprouts and green onions and stir fry a few minutes. Add soakedand drained noodles. Stir to combine.

Pour Pad Thai Sauce over the noodles. Stir until noodles are coated well with thesauce. Add stir fried pork and shrimp. Stir until combined. Turn the heat to low andcover the wok while you fry the eggs.

Heat a nonstick skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Crack eggs in theskillet and lightly beat using a spatula. Season with a pinch of salt and ground black

pepper. Let the eggs set and cook on one side and turn over to cook the other side.Eggs should resemble an omelet. Tear the eggs into chunks and add to the noodles. Stir and taste to see if noodles are tender. Noodles should be firm and not too soft.

Serve warm with ground roasted peanuts sprinkled on top.


• If you cannot find tamarind liquid, use tamarind seedless paste. Simply mix 2TBSPs. of the paste with ½ cup boiling hot water. Mix well and then strain anddiscard the pulp. Use this liquid for the Pad Thai Sauce above.



• Bottled Pad Thai Sauce is readily available in Asian and Thai markets.However, I usually do not use it because my son has intolerance for peanuts, thusI make my own. So if your don’t have problems with peanuts, please feel free totry bottled Pad Thai Sauce. Use 1 to 2 cups, depending on the amount of noodlesyou are cooking. Also, ask the owner, especially if they are native fromThailand, which brand they prefer to use.

• You can use chicken in place of pork.



Green Beef Curry with PotatoesServes 4 - 6 people

I was told by the owners of our local Thai market that Mae Ploy Green Curry Paste isthe brand that Thai restaurants use. The owners are a husband and wife from Thailandand I figured they must know what they are talking about, so I took their advice and have

been using Mae Ploy Green Curry Paste ever since.

My husband loves his food spicy, as you may have noticed in most of my recipes. Andthis recipe is one of them. As with any spicy dish, it is usually served with rice andvegetables to curtail the heat.

Ingredients:

2 pounds top sirloin beef, thinly sliced

1 stalk lemon grass



1 medium red onion, sliced2 tsps. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin


2 cans (13.5 ounce each) coconut milk

1 (13.5 ounce) can low sodium beef broth

¼ cup fish sauce



1 TBSP. brown sugar

Zest of 1 large lime


7 small gold potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and quartered

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Wash beef under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice across thegrain into thin strips, about 1 by 2 inches. Set aside.

Remove the dry, outer layer of the lemon grass. Chop off the top leaves and bottom(root), leaving only the stem. Wash under cold running water. Cut lemon grass in half,crosswise. You should have two stems of about 4 or 5 inches long. Split each stemhalf-way through in the middle. Set aside.

The leaves of the lemon grass are sharp and can cut you. Please handle with

care.

Wash potatoes then peel and quarter. Set aside.

Heat a stew pot over medium heat. Add light olive oil. Stir in garlic, onion, and lemongrass. Sauté until onion is translucent. Keep an eye on the garlic to make sure it doesn’t

burn. Add the sliced beef. Stir a few minutes until the beef is brown and slightlycaramelized on the edges. Add ground coriander, cumin and green curry paste. Stir afew minutes. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil thenreduce the heat. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the lime zest andquartered potatoes. Bring curry to a boil and then simmer for another 30 minutes or untilthe potatoes are tender. Turn off the heat and add chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with a bowl of rice on the side.Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

• Lemon grass has mild citrusy flavor. It is one of the ingredients in curry pastes. Itis commonly used as herb to enhance flavors of poultry, beef and seafood dishes.It is excellent in soups, especially fish soups as it deminshes the fishy taste in

fish.



Shrimp Pad ThaiServes 4 – 6 people

Ingredients:

1½ pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined

1½ TBSPs. rice vinegar



2 tsps. cornstarch

_____

2 bags (14 ounce each) small, flat rice noodles½ pound bean sprouts, washed and drained




3 eggs, lightly scrambled and fried

½ cup ground roasted peanuts


Pad Thai Sauce

6 TBSPs. fish sauce


6 TBSPs. Tamarind liquid

4 TBSPs. sugar





Combine Pad Thai Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine rice vinegar, salt, black pepper, and cornstarch. Stir untilsmooth. Pour over the shrimp and marinate for at least 10 minutes or while you preparethe other ingredients.

Cut open the packages of noodles, and empty one bag into a large bowl. Take out half

the contents of the other bag and add to the noodles in the bowl. Keep the remainingnoodles in the bag and store for future use.

Rinse noodles under cold running water, then soak for 30 minutes. Drain. Take a pair of scissors and cut noodles in half to shorten the lengths to about 6 inches.

It only takes about 5 minutes to cook the noodles once they’ve been soaked. Soak

for at least 20 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

Heat wok or large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil. Stir frymarinated shrimp until they turn pink in color, about 5 minutes. Remove to a platter.

Cover to keep warm.Clean wok by scraping bits and pieces and then add 2 tablespoons oil. Stir fry garlicand onion until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts. Stir for 1minute. Add noodles and stir to combine.

Pour Pad Thai Sauce over the noodles and stir until noodles are coated well with thesauce. Add stir fried shrimp. Stir to combine. Turn the heat to low and cover the wok

hile you fry the eggs.

Heat a nonstick skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Crack eggs on the

skillet and lightly beat using a spatula. Season with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Let the eggs set and cook on one side and turn over to cook the other side. Eggsshould resemble an omelet. Tear the eggs into chunks and add to the noodles. Tastenoodles to make sure they are tender. Noodles should be firm and not too soft.

Serve warm with ground roasted peanuts sprinkled on top.


• Wild, raw and unshelled shrimp pack more flavor than the ones already peeled. I

buy large or jumbo because they take less time to peel and devein.

• Peel shrimp easily by lifting the shells from the bottom up. Use a small utilityknife and slice the back of the shrimp, where the veins are visible, from the topdown to the tail. Remove the veins using a toothpick.

• Left over Pad Thai Noodles are great even the following day. Simply microwavefor 1 or 2 minutes before serving.



Red Curry Chicken with Bamboo ShootsServes 4 people

This is fairly easy and quick to make. You can make it as hot or as mild as you’d like,depending on your taste. Simply adjust the amount of red curry paste.

Ingredients:

2 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts1 (30 ounce) can bamboo shoots (shredded or sliced)


2 TBSPs. red curry paste (adjust according to your taste)

1 stalk lemon grass, outer layer removed and cut into 3 pieces

Zest of 2 limes (juice of 1)

1 large red onion, sliced


2 dried bay leaves¼ cup fish sauce

1 tsp. dried basil

¼ cup chopped cilantro


Wash chicken and trim excess fat. Chop into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Remove the dry, outer layer of the lemon grass. Chop off the top leaves and bottom(root), leaving only the stem. Wash under cold running water. Cut lemon grass in half,

crosswise. You should have two stems of about 4 or 5 inches long. Slice each stemlenghtwise, half-way through in the middle. Set aside.

The leaves of the lemon grass are sharp and can cut you. Please handle with

care.

Heat a heavy bottomed pot or deep skillet with tight fitting lid. Add oil and heat just before it starts to smoke. Sauté garlic and onion. Add lemon grass and bay leaves. Addchicken and sauté for about five minutes or until chicken is slightly cooked. Add redcurry paste and stir until mixed well with the chicken.

Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime zest and juice. Let the mixture boil over medium

heat and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.Drain and rinse the bamboo shoots under cold running water. Add to the simmeringchicken. Stir and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in basil and cilantro leaves. Turnoff the heat.




Thai Beef SaladServes 4 people

This is one my husband’s favorite dishes. Since he loves spicy foods, I make thissalad extra hot for him. If you cannot handle the heat, you can still make this salad work for you. Just reduce the hot peppers or remove them all together. Don’t worry, the only

thing you’ll be missing is the fiery taste in your mouth; the salad will still remain tasty!I’ve made different versions of this salad, using romaine and lettuce head. I’ve also panseared the steak in a very hot skillet, without marinating the meat, and simply seasonedthem with kosher salt, ground black pepper, ground coriander and monosodiumglutamate. But I think the best tasting steaks are the ones that have been marinated andgrilled. If you do not have access to a grill, you can broil the steak in the oven.

Ingredients:

2 (1½ pounds each) porterhouse steaks, marinated

½ large red onion, thinly sliced

2 large seedless cucumbers, sliced

3 large tomatoes cut into bite size pieces

1 Romaine lettuce, chopped

Steak Marinade

4 tsps. McCormick Montreal Steak Seasonings or Lemon Pepper


2 tsps. ground coriander

1 tsp. dried basil

½ tsp. MSG. (optional)

1 tsp. dried oregano


¼ small onion, minced



4 TBSPs. balsamic vinegar

Juice of 2 large limes

Thai Beef Salad Dressing

½ cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)

½ cup fish sauce

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 – 6 fresh hot peppers, stems removed and chopped

2 Jalapenos, seeded and chopped

4 - 6 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled minced



In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Set aside.

Wash the steaks and pat dry with paper towels. Place steaks in a gallon size freezer bagand pour in the marinade. Swish the bag around until the steaks are well coated with themarinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in therefrigerator.

Place dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse to grate. Set aside.

Preheat your grill for at least 10 minutes. Remove the marinated steaks and discard themarinade. Grill the steaks on high heat (350°F) for 6 – 8 minutes on each side.

If broiling, preheat the broiler for at least 10 minutes. Broil steaks for 8 – 19 minutes or

until caramelized on the edges. Flip the steaks and broil the other side for another 5 – 7minutes or until caramelized on the edges.

When the steaks are done remove them to a platter and cover with foil. Let rest for 10minutes. Slice steaks across the grain into thin slices.

In a large mixing bowl, combine steak, sliced onion, cucumbers, and quarteredtomatoes. Pour Thai Beef Salad Dressing over the sliced steak and salad mixture. Mix

ell to coat beef slices and salad with the dressing. Add chopped lettuce and toss.




Thai Fish CakesServes 4 people

Fish cakes are an appetizer that my husband always orders whenever we eat at a Thairestaurant. Imagine how happy he was when I finally re-created his favorite appetizer athome. On the first week of my experiment, I made 3 batches of Fish Cakes and passedhis taste test with flying colors.

Once you make the Homemade Red Curry Paste below, the rest is very easy and quick to make.

Ingredients:12 ounces fish fillets, about 4 fillets (Flounder is fine)

3 TBSPs. Homemade Red Curry Paste, see recipe below

1 TBSP. fish sauce

2 egg whites

Zest of 1 large lime


1 tsp. ground Thai hot peppers

¼ cup chopped cilantro4 TBSPs. light olive oil for frying

1 large seedless cucumber

Pat dry fish fillets with paper towels. Cut fish into 4 chunks and place in food processor. Process fish until coarse in texture.

Add Homemade Red Curry Paste, fish sauce, lime zest and juice, ground hot peppersand cilantro.



Press “pulse” a few more times until fish and other ingredients are well incorporated.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the fish mixture and drop them into the heated skillet. Fryfish cakes in batches of 3 or 4 scoops. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden

brown and slightly crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Serve warm or cold with Fish Cakes Dipping Sauce.Homemade Red Curry Paste

8 fresh Thai hot peppers

1 medium red onion, chopped

6 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and diced

Zest and juice of 1 large lime

2 TBSPs. tamarind concentrate

1 TBSP. shrimp paste2 tsps. smoked paprika

1½ tsp. coarse kosher salt


Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour mixture into a medium sauce pan and boil over medium heat. Stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick.

Use in Thai Fish Cakes or any other recipes that require red curry paste.


2 TBSPs. fish sauce


2 tsps. sesame oil

1 TBSP. roasted ground peanuts or almonds




Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir and serve with Thai Fish Cakes.


• White flesh fish such as flounder or ocean perch is recommended.• Using a nonstick skillet is highly recommended when frying the cakes.

• A small rounded spoon or ice cream scoop is a great tool for scooping the fish batter into the skillet.



Vietnamese Meatball SoupServes 4 - 6 people

This is another recipe inspired by our trip to Nashville in December 2012. KenGreene, Kim’s husband, asked if I knew how to cook Vietnamese Noodle Soup. “Youknow, I have eaten a Vietnamese Soup. It had clear noodles in it and some slices of

beef. It was really good and I was wondering if you know how to make it…?” he

continued. I said, “No…” and was a bit embarrassed that I hadn’t cooked the food heasked about.

When I think of Vietnamese food, plenty of vegetables come to mind. The two people Ilove to cook for have to be almost tricked into eating the vegetables on their plates, butthe thought of Vietnamese Noodle Soup stayed with me until we got back to Fort WaltonBeach. The next time I visited our local Thai Market, I looked for Vietnamese spices or

packaged seasonings. And there it was… Beef Flavor Broth for Vietnamese NoodleSoup. At least we do not need to labor in the kitchen making Vietnamese beef stock-though I can tell you that homemade beef stock is far superior to store bought.

The beauty of this soup is that it can be served with or without noodles. If usingnoodles, different types of noodles can be used such as mung bean or bean threadnoodles, rice noodles, hokkien noodles and other Asian noodles that are boiled andadded to soups. An eight to ten ounce package of noodles is sufficient to serve four

people with the soup.

Ingredients for the Meatballs:



2 pounds lean ground beef




1 TBSP. fish sauce

1½ tsps. coarse kosher salt1 tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste


¼ tsp. ground Saigon cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Juice of medium lime

Preheat oven at 375°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy aluminum foil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

Form beef mixture into 1 or 2 inch balls. Place meatballs on foil lined baking sheet.Bake in a preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and add meatballsto the simmering beef broth below.

Beef Broth:


2 ½ TBSPs. Beef Flavor Broth for Vietnamese Noodle Soup Powder 3 – 5 fresh Thai hot peppers, chopped

1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 (8 ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained

2 cups frozen green peas, blanched separately in boiling water (optional)

4 stalks green onions, chopped – to be added right before serving

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a heavy bottomed pot. Once boiling, add 2 ½tablespoons Beef Flavor Broth for Vietnamese Flavor Soup powder. Stir. Add the



baked meatballs, chopped hot peppers, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Keep boiling for 2 minutes. Then reduce heat and simmer soup for 10 minutes.

Assembling the Soup:

1.1. If serving soup with other vegetables such as the ones mentioned below, please

add vegetables to the bowl and then ladle the boiling hot soup into the bowl.2.2. If serving with noodles, please cook noodles according to package directions.Drain and divide noodles into individual servings and place them in bowls over the vegetables, then ladle the boiling hot soup over the noodles.

3.3. Otherwise, place ½ cup of blanched green peas over the cooked noodles. Ladlesoup with 5 or 6 meatballs. Top soup with chopped green onion. Serve hot.


• Instead of using meatballs, you may use tender slices of beef. Simply add theslices to the simmering broth.

• Blanch green peas separately to avoid overcooking.

• If you are not fond of green peas, add your favorite vegetables such as Chinesecabbage, julienned carrots, baby spinach or bean sprouts. You can also add

bokchoy. However, you need to blanch the bokchoy for 3 minutes before adding

it to the soup.



Index

AAngel Hair Noodles, Asian Style

AppetizerButternut Squash Fritters

Sesame Chicken

Shanghai Lumpia


Thai Fish Cakes

Apricot White Wine Glaze

Asian Fusion

Chapter 1Asian Pork and Potato Soup

Asian Spiced Grilled Beef

Asian Stir-Fry Wraps (Fresh Lumpia)

BBaby Back Ribs with Apricot White Wine Glaze

Bacon Sauteed Asparagus

BagoongBaking sheets

Bamboo Chopsticks

Bamboo Rolling Mat

Bamboo Skimmer

Bamboo Steamer

Banana Rice Muffins

Barbecued Pork in a BunBasics

Beef Asian Spiced Grilled Beef

Beef and Green Beans with Oyster Sauce

Beef Brisket Noodle Soup

Beef with Honey and Roasted Sesame Seeds



Beef with Oyster Sauce and Vegetables


Easy and Simple Egg Rolls



Hot Beef and Green BeansHot Pepper Beef

Larb

Meatballs


Thai Beef Salad


Beef Flavor Broth

Beef Oyster SauceBiko with Coco Caramel

Bittermelons


Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Blackened Salmon with Spicy Crust

Blanching in Oil

Bob’s Red Mill Stone Ground White Rice FlourBodum cast iron wok


Braising

BreadingFlour Breading


Buns of Sweet and Spicy Pork (Baked Siopao)Butternut Squash Fritters

CCaramel

Coco Caramel Topping


carbon steel wok



Cayenne Pepper

chef’s knife

ChickenChicken in Plum Sauce

Chicken in Spicy Asian Sauce

Chicken Strips

Chicken with Fermented Black Beans





Kung Pao Chicken

Lime Teriyaki Chicken

Orange Ginger ChickenOriental Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Pineapple Chicken

Red Curry Chicken with Bamboo Shoots


Sesame Chicken




Chili SauceChili Garlic Sauce

Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

Sweet Chili Sauce

ChineseChapter 2

Chinese Five Spice BlendChinese Five Spiced Pork Burger Patties

Chow Mein Noodles

Coconut cream

Coconut milk

CondimentEasy Cucumber Kimchee



Korean Cucumber Kimchee

Papaya Salad

Corn Soup

cornstarch

Crispy Sweet Potatoes Tempura



Curried Dressing


Curried Vegetables


Ddaikon

Dangmyeon

Dangmyeon (Sweet Potato Noodles) with Ground Pork

Deep Frying

Deep Fry Thermometer

DressingCurried Dressing for Deviled Eggs







dried seaweed

Drunken Fried FishEEasy Cucumber Kimchee


Egg and Tofu Soup

Egg Batter

Eggplant



Egg RollsEasy and Simple

How to Roll

Pork Egg Rolls

electric rice cooker

FFermented Black Beans

Fermented or Salted Black beans Sauce


FilipinoChapter 3

fish cake


fish sauce

Flour Breading

Fried Meat and Tofu Patties

Fried RiceQuick Fried Rice


Shrimp Fried RiceGGarlic Green Bean Lovers’ Delight



Gingery Egg Drop Soup

Glutinous Rice and Sweet Potato Soup

Golden Curry Sauce Mixgrater

Green Beans and Pork in Coconut Milk


Green Curry Paste

Green Papaya (1) (2)



Ground Pork and Bittermelon in Oyster Sauce

Hheavy bottomed pots and pans


Hoisin Plum GlazeHomemade Red Curry Paste




Hot Beef and Green Beans

Hot Mustard powder

Hot Pepper Beef Hot Pepper Paste (Korean)

Hot Pepper Powder (Korean)

Hot PeppersDried (1) (2) (3) (4)

Fresh

Ground (1) (2) (3)

Powder (1) (2)

Thai Hot Peppers

hot sauce

How to Care for your Wok

How to Season a Wok

IIngredients


Commonly Used IngredientsFilipino Ingredients


Korean Ingredients

Thai Ingredients

JJapanese



Chapter 4

Japanese Eggplant


Julienne

Jumbo Shrimp in Black Bean SauceK Kimbap (A la sushi Korean style)

Kimchee Base

Kitchen Tools and Equipment

KoreanChapter 5

Korean Cucumber KimcheeKorean Noodles (Japchae)

Korean radish

Kung Pao Chicken

LLarb

Lemon grass (1) (2)

Lime Sesame Dipping SauceLime Teriyaki Chicken

Liquid Aminos

LumpiaFresh - Asian Stir-Fry Wraps

Fresh Lumpia Filling

Fresh Lumpia Wrappers

Fried Lumpia

How to Fry LumpiaHow to Roll Lumpia

Shanghai Lumpia


Lumpia WrappersOrientex Lumpia Wrappers

Tito Al’s Choice Pastry Wrapper



Lunch Box Friendly MealsBarbecued Pork in a Bun



Fried Lumpia

KimbapKorean Noodles (Japchae)


Pan Fried Shrimp

Pork Cutlets in Panko Bread Crumbs

Rice Muffins



Sesame ChickenShanghai Lumpia

Siopao

Sushi Taro Rice

Wild, Hot Asian Wings

MMarinade

Marinade for beef

Marinade for chicken

Marinade for pork (1) (2)

Marinade for shrimp

Thai Beef Salad

Meatballs (1) (2)

Methods of Cooking

Mirin

Mung BeansMung Bean Soup

Noodles

Angel Hair Noodles, Asian Style

Dangmyeon (Sweet Potato Noodles) with Ground Pork

Korean Noodles (Japchae)



Pancit Bihon

Pork and Shrimp Pad Thai


Shrimp Pad Thai


OOlive Oil


Oriental Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing


OXO Good Grips Julienne Peeler

PPad Thai

Pork and Shrimp Pad Thai

Shrimp Pad Thai

Pad Thai Sauce (1) (2)Bottled Pad Thai Sauce

Pad Thai Sauces

Pancit Bihon (Sauteed Rice Noodles)

Pan Fried ShrimpPan Frying

Panko Bread Crumbs

Papaya Salad

Peeler

Pickled radish

Pinakbet

PineappleHow to Peel Pineapple

How to Pick the Best Pineapple

Pineapple Chicken

Pork Asian Pork and Potato Soup

Baby Back Ribs with Apricot White Wine Glaze



Barbecued Pork in a Bun





Easy and Simple Egg RollsGreen Beans and Pork in Coconut Milk

Ground Pork and Bittermelon in Oyster Sauce



Pork Cutlets in Panko Bread Crumbs

Pork Egg Rolls

Pork in Black Bean Sauce

Pork Meatballs with VegetablesPork Spareribs Soup




Sweet n’ Spicy Pork Filling



Pork and Shrimp Pad ThaiPork and Shrimp Sauteed Green Beans


Pork Shrimp Vegetable Stir-Fry



Q

Quick Fried RiceR Red Curry Chicken with Bamboo Shoots

Red Curry Paste

Riceglutinous rice



How to Cook Rice over the Stove Top

How to Cook Rice using Electric Rice Cooker (1) (2)

Jasmine Rice

Nishiki medium grain rice

Noodles (1) (2)

Quick Fried RiceSalt Pork Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice

Stone Ground White Rice Flour

Sushi Rice

Sweet Rice

Vinegared Rice

Rice and Chicken Soup

Rice cooking wineRice Muffins

Rice noodles

Rice VinegarGenuine Brewed

Seasoned Gourmet


Roasted Sesame Seeds (1) (2)Rum Barbecue Sauce

SSalad


Papaya Salad

Thai Beef Salad

Vegetable Salad


SaltCeltic Sea Salt

coarse gray sea salt

Kosher salt

Salted Black Beans




Salted Shrimp Fry

Salt Pepper Shrimp


Salt Pork Sauteed Butternut Squash SoupSalt Pork Stir-fried Bittermelon

SauceBeef Oyster Sauce

Dipping Sauce for Salt Pepper Shrimp

Hoisin

Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Oyster

Pad ThaiPlum

Rum Barbecue Sauce


Sauce for Noodles


Siopao Dipping Sauce

soy sauce

Spicy Asian SauceTeriyaki Dipping Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce (1) (2)

Sauce for Noodles


Sautéed Jalapeños

Sautéing

SeafoodBlackened Salmon with Spicy Crust

Drunken Fried Fish


Jumbo Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce

Pan Fried Shrimp

Salt Pepper Shrimp

Sesame Spiced Salmon



Shrimp Fried Rice


Shrimp with Horseradish Salad Dressing



Seasoning a Wok seaweed sheets

Sesame Chicken


Sesame oil

Shanghai Lumpia

sheet pans

Shrimp Fried RiceShrimp Pad Thai

Shrimp Paste (1) (2)


Shrimp with Horseradish Salad Dressing

Side DishesCrispy Sweet Potatoes Tempura

Vegetable TempuraBacon Sauteed Asparagus

Butternut Squash Fritters

Garlic Green Bean Lovers’ Delight

Quick Fried Rice



Stir Fried Green Beans (1) (2)

Siopao A Dangerous ExperimentSiopao Dipping Sauce



SnacksBanana Rice Muffins

Barbecued Pork in a Bun






Rice Muffins

Shanghai Lumpia

SiopaoSpicy Curried Deviled Eggs

Sweet Potato Soup

Som Tam Powder

SoupBeef Brisket Noodle Soup

Corn Soup


Egg and Tofu SoupGingery Egg Drop Soup

Mung Bean Soup

Pork Spareribs Soup

Rice and Chicken Soup



soy sauce

Spam


Spicy Asian Sauce (1) (2)




Sriracha Hot Chili sauce

Steak MarinadeSteamed Surimi Seafood



Stir frying

Sushi Nori (1) (2)



Sushi Rice

Sushi Taro Rice

Sushi Taro Seasoning Mix


Sweet Cooking Rice SeasoningSweet n’ Spicy Pork Filling

Sweet Potato Noodles



SweetsBanana Rice Muffins



Rice Muffins


Sweet Potato Soup

TTamarind

Concentrate or Liquid

SeedlessTeriyaki Dipping Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce


Thai Beef Salad


Thai Fish Cakes

Tofu with Soy Rice Vinegar SauceTsukune Turkey in Teriyaki Sauce

UUnbleached All-Purpose Flour

utility knife

V



VegetablesBacon Sauteed Asparagus


Curried Vegetables

Easy Cucumber Kimchee

Green Beans and Pork in Coconut Milk Ground Pork and Bittermelon in Oyster Sauce

Korean Cucumber Kimchee

Pinakbet


Salt Pork Stir-fried Bittermelon


Vegetable Tempura

Vietnamese Meatball SoupVietnamese Noodle Soup

Vietnamese Noodle Soup Powder

Vinegared Rice

Wasabi

ild, Hot Asian Wings

wok spatula

orcestershire sauce



If you are interested in purchasing bulk copies of my books:

The Tess Harris Dessert Cookbook and/or Asian Delights -

The Tess Harris Cookbook, please send inquiries to

[email protected]



Table of Contents

The BasicsKitchen Tools and EquipmentSeasoning a Wok

Methods of CookingCooking Rice

IngredientsCommonly Used Ingr edientsAsian Fusion and Chinese IngredientsFilipino IngredientsJapanese IngredientsKorean IngredientsThai Ingredients

Asian FusionOriental Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard DressingVegetable SaladHoney Mustard DressingChicken and MarinadeGinger Lime Mar inated Broiled ChickenStir Fried Green BeansQuick Fried RiceChicken in Spicy Asian Sauce

Spicy Asian SauceCurried Chicken SaladRoasted Chicken BreastsCur ried Salad DressingLime Teriyaki ChickenTeriyaki Dipping SauceOrange Ginger ChickenOrange Ginger SauceSpicy Curried Deviled Eggs

Curried DressingSesame Dipping SauceWild, Hot Asian WingsTess’ Homemade SeasoningAngel Hair Noodles, Asian StyleAsian Spiced Grilled Beef Fried Meat and Tofu PattiesPork Wonton Stuffed Bell Peppers



Sweet Rum BBQ Pork SteaksRum Barbecue SauceAsian Pork and Potato SoupBaby Back Ribs with Apricot White Wine GlazeApricot – White Wine GlazeBacon Sauteed AsparagusBittermelon with Pork and Salted Black BeansBraised Pork Chops with Anise Spiced Hoisin Plum GlazeAnise Spiced Hoisin Plum GlazeCurry Spiced Rubbed Pork ChopsCurried VegetablesFiery Cilantro DressingGround Pork and Bittermelon in Oyster SauceOriental Glazed Pork Ribs

Hoisin Plum GlazePork Steaks with Sweet Barbecue SauceSalt Pork Fried RiceBuns of Sweet and Spicy Pork (Baked Siopao)The Dough and the BunsSweet n’ Spicy Pork FillingSiopao Dipping SauceSweet Potato Noodles on Sauteed Ground Pork Butternut Squash Fritters

Garlic Green Beans Lovers' DelightBlackened Salmon with Spicy CrustSautéed Asparagus with Whole Garlic ClovesHorseradish MayonnaiseDrunken Fried FishJumbo Shrimp in Black Bean SauceShrimp with Horseradish Salad DressingHorseradish Salad DressingSpice Crusted Tilapia

Lime – Sesame Dipping SauceSalted Coco Caramel SauceBanana Rice Muffins

ChineseEasy and Simple Egg RollsBarbecued Pork in a BunGingery Egg Drop SoupBeef and Green Beans with Oyster Sauce



Beef in Black Bean SauceChicken in Plum SauceBeef with Honey and Roasted Sesame SeedsChicken with Fermented Black BeansCorn SoupBeef with Oyster Sauce and VegetablesChinese Five Spiced Pork Burger PattiesEgg and Tofu SoupHoisin Baby Back RibsShrimp with Black Bean Garlic SauceHot Beef and Green BeansKung Pao ChickenPan Fried ShrimpHot Pepper Beef

Pork in Black Bean SaucePork Spareribs SoupPork Meatballs with VegetablesBeef Brisket Noodle SoupSalt Pepper ShrimpSautéed JalapeñosSesame ChickenTeriyaki Dipping SauceShrimp Fried Rice

Pork Egg RollsSpicy Chicken Zucchini Stir Fried with Oyster SauceStir Fried Green BeansStir Fried Shrimp and Green BeansSpicy Chicken with Water Chestnuts

FilipinoAsian Stir-Fry Wraps (Fresh Lumpia)Fresh Lumpia Wrappers (Crepes)Sweet Asian Fresh Lumpia Sauce

Pork Shrimp Vegetable Stir-Fry (Filling)Siopao – A Dangerous ExperimentSiopao BunsChicken with Spicy Asian SauceSpicy Asian SauceLumpiaLumpia (Filling)Mung Bean Soup



Pancit Bihon (Sauteed Rice Noodles)PinakbetPineapple ChickenPork and Shrimp Sauteed Green BeansPork Shrimp Rice SticksRice and Chicken Soup (Arroz Caldo)Rice MuffinsSalt Pork Sauteed Butternut Squash SoupSalt Pork Stir-fried BittermelonShanghai LumpiaSkewered Barbecued Pork Sweet Potato SoupBiko with Coco CaramelCoco Caramel Topping

Glutinous Rice and Sweet Potato SoupJapaneseSushi RiceRice Vinegar SyrupSushi Taro RiceSalmon and Avocado RollsSesame Spiced SalmonRice Vinegar SyrupCook Nishiki Rice Using the Electric Rice Cooker

Make Sushi Rice or Vinegared RiceTofu with Soy Rice Vinegar SauceTsukune Turkey in Teriyaki SauceVegetable TempuraChicken StripsPork Cutlets in Panko Bread CrumbsCrispy Sweet Potatoes TempuraJapanese Style Fried FishSirloin Steaks Golden Curry

Asian Delights the Tess Harris Cookbook (PDF)

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Transcript of Asian Delights the Tess Harris Cookbook (PDF)