This simple yet tasty recipe is a great way to dress up humble green beans. And, it’s perfect for summer entertaining because the recipe can easily be doubled and made ahead of time.

The original recipe calls for cooking the green beans in boiling water for 8-10 minutes but I think that is WAY too long so I changed the cooking time to 4-5 minutes*. Have a bowl of ice water ready to put the cooked and drained beans into (this stops the cooking process). For the dressing, I use regular soy sauce and reduce the salt a bit. Make sure to toss the green beans a few times in the dressing so they’re evenly coated. Enjoy!

Sesame Green Bean Salad
-recipe from Taste of Home Magazine

Makes 5 Servings.

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes* or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water; pat dry. Place in a serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, canola oil, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Pour over beans and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds; toss again. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 5 servings.

Tags: canola oil, cider vinegar, green beans, sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sugar

If you like any kind of satay, you’re going to LOVE this dip!!! It’s easy to make and extremely versatile because it goes perfectly with a variety of foods: fresh veggies, summer rolls, or grilled shrimp, chicken and pork. When I first saw the list of ingredients, the 1/4 cup of ketchup threw me. But, hey, I trust Ina Garten so I gave it a go.

I followed the recipe, cooking the ingredients as stated then pureed the mixture in the food processor for a creamier texture. For another layer of flavor and a little kick, I added a few tablespoons of coconut milk and a little Thai chili sauce. One word: YUMM!!! This recipe requires very little effort but delivers loads of flavor. Serve it at your next party and I guarantee you’ll get asked for the recipe. Enjoy!!

Satay Dip
-recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2/3 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Cook the olive oil, sesame oil, red onion, garlic, ginger root, and red pepper flakes in a small, heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat until the onion is transparent, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, sherry, and lime juice; cook for 1 more minute. Cool and serve. Can be stored in the refrigerator for a month. Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Tags: Dip, garlic, ginger root, peanut butter, satay, sesame oil, soy sauce

I cooked swordfish last night for the first time in ages. I was recently flipping through Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbookwhen I came across her recipe for Indonesian Grilled Swordfish. I had heard good things about her Indonesian Chicken recipe so I decided to give the swordfish version a try. Boy, am I glad I did! The ginger-lemon-soy marinade gives the firm fish a wonderful flavor…the whole family liked it.

I let the swordfish marinate for about 6 hours before I grilled it. I served the fish with steamed rice and grilled yellow summer squash (marinated in a little olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar). Yumm!

Indonesian Grilled Swordfish
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings.

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil, plus extra for brushing on the grill
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup minced or finely chopped ginger root
2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 (8-ounce, 1-inch thick) swordfish steaks
Kosher salt

Combine the soy sauce, canola oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger root, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Pour half the sauce in a low flat dish that’s just large enough to hold the swordfish in one layer. Place the swordfish on top of the sauce and spread the remaining sauce on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Thirty minutes before you’re ready to serve, build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.

When the coals are medium-hot, brush the cooking grate with oil to prevent the fish from sticking. Remove the fish from the marinade, allowing some of the ginger to cling to the fish, and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the fish generously on both sides with salt and place it over the coals. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, just until it’s no longer pink in the middle. Place on a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Blog parties I’m linked to:
Real Food Wednesday
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Idea Sharin’ Wednesday
On The Grill
Foodie Friday
It’s a Hodgepodge Friday
Finer Things Friday
New Friend Friday
Friday Favorites
Favorite Things Friday
Follow Friday 40 & Over

Tags: Asian, dijon mustard, garlic, ginger root, Grilling/BBQ, Indonesian, lemon, Seafood, soy sauce, swordfish

This delicious beef stir-fry dish is everything I was hoping it would be! You get great flavor from the peanuts, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice, and a nice kick from the chiles. Yumm!  

Changes I made to the recipe: I doubled the cilantro and omitted the basil, substituted red onion for the shallot, and substituted flatiron steak for the flank steak. Cut back on the chile if you don’t like spicy food.

Serve the stir-fry with an Asian-inspired salad and steamed rice and you’ve got a great dinner in a flash!

Spicy Beef with Peanuts & Chiles
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Serves four. 

1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced on the diagonal against the grain
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. fish sauce
1/4 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
1/4 cup salted peanuts
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped (don’t seed)
3 Tbs. canola or peanut oil
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil

Toss the steak with 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce, 1 tsp. of the fish sauce, and the salt. Combine the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce and 1 tsp. fish sauce with 1 Tbs. of the lime juice and the brown sugar and set aside.

Pulse the peanuts, shallots, and chiles in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl.

Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil and once it’s shimmering, add the beef. Cook, stirring, until the beef just loses its raw appearance, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil and the shallot mixture, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, about 2 minutes.

Return the beef to the pan. Stir the soy mixture and add it, along with half of the cilantro and basil, and cook, stirring to let the flavors meld, 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve sprinkled with the remaining lime juice, cilantro, and basil.

From Fine Cooking, September 18, 2007
Blog parties I’m linked to:
New Friend Friday
Easy Recipe Share Saturday
Weekend Wrap-up Party

Tags: Asian, basil, Beef, cilantro, fish sauce, flank steak, lime juice, peanuts, serrano chiles, soy sauce, stir-fry

Thai food makes me happy! I love all the exotic spices and flavors associated with it. A good curry is a harmony of many different flavors working together to become one. Fortunately for the home cook, many grocery stores now sell Thai curry paste in their Asian food section, which makes it much easier to make a good curry at home. I tried this recipe recently when, Oh joy, I had everything on hand to make the dish. Husband & I loved it!

I wanted more spice and curry flavor so I added a few more tablespoons of red curry paste. I also added mushrooms, celery and broccoli to the simmering curry, although I waited until the end of cooking to add the broccoli and snap peas so they would be bright green and crisp tender. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!

For other recipe ideas & blogs, check out: Foodie Friday, Finer Things Friday, Friday Favorites, New Friend Friday, It’s A Hodgepodge Friday, Company Girl Coffee.

Thai Red Curry with Chicken & Vegetables
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

This recipe is easily adaptable to serve meat-lovers and vegetarians alike: see the variation below to serve one vegetarian. Serve with jasmine rice. Serves four.
 
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 Tbs. red Thai curry paste
2 cups snap peas, trimmed and cut in half on the diagonal
2 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced into 2-inch-long strips
One 13.5- to 14-oz. can coconut milk
6 wild lime leaves (magrut or kaffir lime;optional)
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5), cut into 1- to 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 cup loosely packed Thai basil (or regular basil, torn into small pieces)
2 Tbs. fish sauce, more to taste
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
 
Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 20 seconds. Take the pan off of the heat and stir in the snap peas, shallots, pepper, coconut milk, lime leaves (if using), sugar, and 1 cup water. Stir to combine.

Add the chicken, bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the basil, fish sauce, and lime juice. Let rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Season to taste with fish sauce or salt.

Variations:
To serve 1 vegetarian and 3 meat-lovers: After stirring in the vegetables, coconut milk, lime leaves, and water, transfer about 1 cup of the curry mixture to a 2-quart saucepan. To this smaller pan, add 4 oz. extra firm tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tsp. soy sauce, 1/4 cup of the basil, and 1 tsp. of the lime juice.

With the remaining curry mixture in the 3-quart saucepan, finish the master recipe above to serve the 3 meat lovers, reducing the amount of chicken to 12 oz.

Tags: chicken thighs, fish sauce, lime, red curry paste, red pepper, shallot, Thai

This salad is soooo good! I love the mixture of citrus, soy sauce and sesame oil for the dressing, and the combination of moist chicken, crunchy vegetables and tender greens…delicious! I made it for my Mom’s birthday luncheon recently and everybody loved it (especially Mom)!

I substituted fresh spinach for the watercress, and added some Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce to the dressing for a little kick. To make the salad a meal, I served it with a variety of spring rolls that I got at Trader Joe’s. Yumm!

For other recipe ideas, check out: Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Finer Things Friday, Friday Food, It’s a Hodgepodge Friday.

Chicken Salad with Crunchy Vegetables and Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

I’m always looking for new ways to satisfy my customers’ insatiable appetites for chicken salad. This one can be made several hours in advance, so it’s the perfect thing to take to the office for lunch or on a picnic. If you like to eat lots of vegetables, toss in a handful of shredded savoy or napa cabbage, snow peas, or julienned carrots for more crunch.

Serves 4 to 6.

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (one 3 1/2 to 4-pound roasted chicken)
2 ribs bok choy or celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal into 1/4″ pieces
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 cups watercress, washed and trimmed of tough stems
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, bok choy or celery, red pepper, cilantro, scallions, and 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl and toss to mix. Add the watercress and more vinaigrette to taste. Season with salt and pepper and toss again gently. Divide the salad evenly among individual plates or place on a large platter and serve immediately.

Note: If you make this salad to serve later, add the watercress and toss with the dressing just before serving.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 cup

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (about 1 2″ piece)
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Stir the orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, scallions, and garlic together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the sesame and canola oils until they are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sesame seeds just before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve for up to 1 week.

Tags: bok choy, Chicken, cilantro, ginger, honey, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, Salad, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sesame vinaigrette, soy sauce

I love Japanese food so I was intrigued when I saw this recipe for Japanese Beef Bowl. It’s a tasty stir-fry that only takes a few minutes to make — perfect for a weeknight meal.

For beef stir-fry, I usually use a flatiron steak because it stays tender. For easy slicing, let the meat freeze for 20-30 minutes (it’s a great tip!). After the beef finished cooking in the sauce, I added a teaspoon or so of freshly grated ginger (just because I had it out for another recipe). Serve the stir-fry with steamed rice and veggies for a complete meal.

For more recipes, check out Tasty Tuesdayand Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Japanese Beef Bowl
-recipe from Sunset Magazine

A simple weeknight dinner full of flavor. To slice beef thinly, wrap and place in freezer for 30 minutes before cutting. Makes 4 servings

2 cups short- or medium-grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sake
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound  beef sirloin, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Pickled ginger slices (optional)

In a 4-quart pan, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add rice and salt. Cover and reduce heat to simmer, then cook until almost tender, 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

In a small pan, bring soy sauce, sugar, sake, and 3/4 cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and reserve.

In a 10-inch frying pan over high heat, cook onion in oil until it begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add beef and continue stirring for 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of soy-sake sauce and stir until beef is cooked, 2 minutes longer.

Divide rice among 4 bowls. Top with beef, remaining sauce, and cilantro. Serve with ginger, if desired.

Tags: Beef, cilantry, Japanese, onion, sake, soy sauce, sugar

I could eat stir-fries just about every day. It’s a great way to make a quick meal plus there’s a bazillion different ways to make them, which means you never get bored with the same ol’ thing. Here’s a recipe I found recently that features stir-fried strips of pork with thinly sliced sweet red pepper and spicy jalepeno chiles. 

I used boneless pork loin chops (they were on sale) instead of the pork tenderloin, which worked fine but the tenderloin would’ve been more tender. Thinly sliced chicken breast would be a good substitute for the pork, if you prefer. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Spicy Stir-fried Pork with Garlic and Chiles
-recipe from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers (Winter 2010)

Pork tenderloin is the ideal cut for stir-frying because of its tender texture and meaty flavor. Serves 4.

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces (see note below)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Whisk soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in bowl until sugar dissolves.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skilled over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of pork, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to bowl and repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining pork.

Add bell pepper, jalapenos, and remaining oil to empty pan and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return pork and any accumulated juices to pan. Stir in soy sauce mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in basil. Serve.

Test Kitchen Note: To make the pork easier to slice, freeze the tenderloin for 15 minutes until slightly firm.

Tags: basil, fish sauce, garlic, jalapeno chiles, lime juice, pork tenderloin, red bell pepper, soy sauce, stir-fry

These Asian-inspired chicken thighs grill up tender and flavorful, and take only minutes to prepare. Chinese five-spice powder is a blend of spices that has the five different flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. For this recipe, the five-spice (and a few other basic ingredients) are turned into a rub for the chicken. After grilling, the chicken thighs are tossed with a soy sauce and rice vinegar mixture and sprinkled with freshly chopped cilantro. To round out the meal, serve with steamed jasmine rice and some stir-fried veggies or an Asian slaw. Delicious!

For other recipe ideas, check out Foodie Friday.

Grilled Five-Spice Chicken Thighs with Soy-Vinegar Sauce & Cilantro
-recipe by Pamela Anderson for Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Serves four to six.

2 Tbs. Chinese five-spice powder
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 large, 10 medium, or 12 small), trimmed of excess fat
2 Tbs. vegetable oil; more for the grill
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro

Mix the five-spice powder, the 1 Tbs. sugar, the garlic powder, and the salt in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1 tsp. sugar.

Put the chicken in a shallow pan, drizzle with the vegetable oil, and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken; toss and rub to coat thoroughly.

Prepare a hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill with all burners on medium high for 10 min. Clean the hot grate with a wire brush and then lubricate it with an oil-soaked paper towel. Put the chicken on the grate and grill (covered on a gas grill or uncovered over a charcoal fire) until one side has dark grill marks, 5 to 6 min. for large thighs or 4 to 5 min. for medium and small thighs. Turn and continue to grill until well marked on the other sides and cooked through, 5 to 6 min. longer for large thighs or 4 to 5 min. for medium and small thighs.

Move the thighs to a serving dish. Drizzle with about half of the soy mixture, sprinkle with the cilantro, and toss to coat. Let rest 4 to 5 min., tossing once or twice. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, with the remaining soy mixture passed at the table.

Variations:
To prepare as kebabs: Trim the thighs and then slice them lengthwise into 1-1/2- to 2-inch-wide strips. Toss with the flavorings; then thread the chicken onto six 8- or 12-inch skewers (soak wood skewers in water for at least 20 min. first), folding each strip in half as you skewer it. If some strips are very thick, cut them in half crosswise rather than folding them so that all the pieces of chicken are roughly the same size. Grill the kebabs, turning them every 4 to 5 min. as dark grill marks form, until cooked through, 12 to 15 min. total.

I’m linked to these blog parties:
On The Grill

Tags: chicken thighs, Chinese five-spice, crushed red pepper flakes, Grilling/BBQ, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce

I really enjoyed this simple and refreshing Asian noodle salad! I loved the combination of sweet, salty and tangy flavors.

I added some julienned red bell pepper for extra crunch and color. To make a more substantial salad, stir-fried shrimp, chicken or tofu would also be delicious additions. For the dressing, I added a little sesame oil and soy sauce for extra flavor. Since I only had seasoned rice vinegar, I omitted the extra sugar, and also omitted the salt since I added soy sauce. If you want a little kick to the dressing, add some Asian chile garlic sauce.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad
-recipe from epicurious.com

Makes 4 side-dish servings

4 oz. thin rice noodles
1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 carrot, coarsely shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup loosely packed mixed fresh cilantro, mint, and/or basil leaves, torn if large
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

Soak noodles in hot water 10 minutes, then drain in a large sieve.

Cook noodles in a 4-quart pot of boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 1 minute. Drain in sieve and rinse under cold water until cold. Drain well and pat noodles dry.

Whisk together vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, and salt in a large bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add noodles, carrot, scallions, herbs, and peanuts, tossing to combine.

Tags: Asian fish sauce, cilantro, rice noodles, rice vinegar, Vietnamese