This is a great summer recipe because it’s light, cool and refreshing. Be liberal with your use of the fresh mint and cilantro…it brings a ton of flavor to the salad!

I’ve made this salad with different types of rice noodles, and rice sticks work as well as rice vermicelli. Whatever type of rice noodles you use, cook them according to the directions on the package (soaking the noodles in hot water like the recipe states didn’t cook them enough). After the noodles are cooked and drained, I like to toss them with some of the dressing. Then I layer the chicken, shredded carrots, fresh herbs and chopped peanuts on top of the noodles and drizzle with more dressing. Sometimes I add a dash or two of soy sauce for a little extra flavor. Enjoy!

Five-Spice Chicken Noodle Salad
-recipe from Sunset Magazine (June 2010)

Like a cross between a noodle bowl and a salad, this dish is low in fat and has a kick. Yield:  Serves 4

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon sugar
4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
1 package (6 oz.) rice vermicelli
1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
Chile Lime Dressing (recipe below)

1. Heat grill to medium (350° to 450°).

2. Mix soy sauce, oil, five-spice powder, and sugar in a shallow dish. Turn chicken in marinade and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Heat a large pot of water to boiling.

4. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Oil cooking grate, using tongs and a wad of oiled paper towels. Grill chicken, covered, turning once, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.

5. Add vermicelli to pot of water and turn off heat. Let stand until soft, 5 to 10 minutes; drain.

6. Divide noodles among dinner bowls. Thickly slice chicken, set on noodles, and top with carrots, herbs, and peanuts. Serve with dressing.

Chile Lime Dressing
-recipe from Sunset Magazine (June 2010)

This recipe goes with Five-Spice Chicken Noodle Salad. Yield:  Makes 1 cup.

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce
6 tablespoons lime juice
1 to 2 tablespoons minced red or green jalapeño chile

Mix 1/2 cup hot water and the sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in remaining ingredients.

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Tags: Asian, carrots, Chicken, Chinese five-spice, cilantro, fish sauce, jalapeno, lime juice, mint, peanuts, rice vermicelli, rice vinegar, Salad, 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.

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Tags: Asian, dijon mustard, garlic, ginger root, Grilling, 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
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Tags: Asian, basil, Beef, cilantro, fish sauce, flank steak, lime juice, peanuts, serrano chiles, soy sauce, stir-fry

This fried rice is a delicious blend of sweet (pineapple), salty and savory (soy sauce and hoisin sauce). Plus, it’s super fast to make so it’s a perfect weeknight meal.

I used pork tenderloin instead of pork chops, and two cups of leftover steamed jasmine rice. The Asian chili-garlic sauce I used says “Sweet Chilli Sauce” on the label. It’s the sweet-hot kind with little flecks of chili and chili seeds in the sauce.

The recipe says it serves 4 but I’d double the recipe if you’re serving it as a one-dish meal to 4 big eaters.

Pineapple Pork Fried Rice
-recipe from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers (Winter 2010)

Sauteing the pork with soy sauce and chili-garlic sauce gives the lean meat a rich flavor. Serves 4.

2 boneless center cut pork chops (about 1 pound), cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into ½-inch pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained and chopped, 3 tablespoons juice reserved
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 (8.8-ounce) packages Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice (see note below)

Combine pork, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce in bowl.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add pork mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to bowl.

Add remaining oil to pan and cook scallion whites until just softened, about one minute.  Add eggs and cook, stirring vigorously, until scrambled, about one minute.  Transfer to bowl with pork.

Add hoisin sauce, pineapple chunks, reserved pineapple juice, sesame oil, remaining soy sauce, and rice to empty pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Stir in scallion greens and pork and egg mixture and toss until heated through, about 1 minute.  Serve.

Test Kitchen Note: Two cups of leftover white or brown rice can be substituted for the Uncle Ben’s.

Tags: Asian, chili-garlic sauce, Eggs, fried rice, hoisin sauce, pineapple, pork, rice, soy sauce

I love stir-fry dishes! They’re quick, easy to make, and a great way to eat more veggies.  My family is always thrilled to see beef on the menu so this meal was a hit (even with my Young Picky Eater). I particularly liked the sauce, which is flavored with hoisin sauce and sesame oil.

To get thin slices of beef, I froze the flank steak for 20 minutes or so then sliced it as thinly as possible. I used less garlic because I got side-tracked and forgot to put the remaining 4 cloves into the stir-fry (whoops!). It was still really good but the forgotten garlic would’ve added even more flavor. A rib-eye or flatiron steak would be a good substitute for the flank steak (use about a pound of meat). I sprinkled the stir-fry with toasted sesame seeds and served it with steamed jasmine rice.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry
-recipe from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers (Winter 2010)

Cooking the steak in two batches ensures maximum browning and flavor development. Serves 4.

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small flank steak (about 1 pound), halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 (16-ounce) bag broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Whisk water, hoisin, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch in bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of steak until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to bowl and repeat with additional 1 tablespoon oil and remaining steak.

Add broccoli, bell pepper, and remaining oil to empty pan and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until vegetables are nearly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return steak and any accumulated juices to pan. Stir in hoisin mixture and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve.

Test Kitchen Note:To spice up this simple stir-fry, add a seeded, minced jalapeno chile (or two) along with the bell pepper.

Tags: Asian, Beef, broccoli, flank steak, garlic, ginger, red pepper, stir-fry

This is so good! noodles and ground pork mixed with a spicy peanut-flavored sauce. Yumm!

I thought the dish had a nice amount of heat. To make a mild version, leave out the red pepper flakes. Instead of serving the noodles with the sauce ladled on top, I just mixed it all together in the pot and added about 1 .5 cups of shredded cabbage and carrots (Dole bagged cole slaw mix). Although I forgot to add the bean sprouts for the main photo, I did add them to each serving when we ate the noodles. Bean sprouts (pictured at right) add nice flavor and cruncy texture so do use them if you can. I didn’t use the Sichuan peppercorns so I don’t know how they would enhance the dish. I’ll probably try and find them for next time, though. With the added veggies, this is a great one-dish meal!

Spicy Sichuan Noodles—Dan Dan Mian
-recipe from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen (Cook’s Illustrated)

Serves 4 as a main course.  

If you cannot find Asian noodles, linguine may be substituted. If you are using natural peanut butter or Asian sesame paste that has a pourable rather than spreadable consistency, use only 1 cup of chicken stock. Also note that the amount of sauce will coat 1 pound of fresh noodles but only 12 ounces of dried noodles, which bulk up during boiling.

8 ounces ground pork 
3 tablespoons soy sauce 
2 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry
 ground white pepper 
2 tablespoons oyster sauce 
4 tablespoons Asian sesame paste or peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar 
1 – 1 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon peanut oil 
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 
12 ounces dried Asian noodles or 1 pound fresh Asian noodles (width between linguine and fettuccine) or 12 ounces linguine
3 medium scallions, sliced thin (about 1/3 cup)
2 cups bean sprouts (about 6 ounces) (optional)
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns toasted in small dry skillet until fragrant, then ground (optional)

1. Combine pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, and pinch white pepper in small bowl; stir well with fork and set aside while preparing other ingredients. Whisk together oyster-flavored sauce, remaining soy sauce, peanut butter or sesame paste, vinegar, and pinch white pepper in medium bowl. Whisk in chicken stock and set aside.

2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large stockpot over high heat.

3. Meanwhile, heat 12-inch skillet over high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add pork and cook, scraping along pan bottom and breaking up pork into small pieces with wide metal or wooden spatula, until pork is in small well-browned bits, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter/chicken stock mixture; bring to boil, whisking to combine, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer to blend flavors, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in sesame oil.

4. While sauce simmers, add noodles to boiling water and cook until tender (refer to package directions, but use them only as a guideline and be sure to taste for doneness). Drain noodles; divide noodles among individual bowls, ladle a portion of sauce over noodles, sprinkle with scallions, bean sprouts, and ground Sichuan peppercorns, if using; serve immediately.

Tags: Asian, Pasta, pork, Spicy Sichuan Noodles

This crisp-tender, Asian-inspired asparagus dish is easy, delicious and a snap to make! I’ve made it many times and people always love it.

Always, always, always trim asparagus!!! There’s nothing worse than having to gnaw on the woody, tough end of a piece of asparagus, especially at a party. Those untrimmed ends are impossible to eat. Do your guests a favor and take a few extra  minutes to trim the tough ends off. Next, have your bowl of ice water ready when you start cooking the asparagus so you can immediately “shock” it after you drain it from the boiling water. This stops the cooking process and helps the asparagus stay bright green.

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Chilled Asparagus with Sesame Vinaigrette

Serves 8.

2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
toasted sesame seeds (garnish)

Cook asparagus in large skillet of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and immerse in bowl of ice water. Drain again, pat dry and set aside. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil. No more than 1 hour before serving, add asparagus to soy sauce mixture and marinate. Chill at least 30 minutes. Remove from marinade and arrange on a serving plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Tags: Appetizer, Asian, asparagus, sesame oil, sesame seeds

Here’s another great take-out favorite that can be whipped up in a flash: thin slices of beef with crisp-tender green beans, crunchy water chesnuts and a garlic and ginger flavored sauce. It’s delicious!

Don’t let the oyster sauce frighten you. It doesn’t smell fishy or taste anything like oysters…it just forms the base of the sauce along with the beef broth. Look for oyster sauce in the Asian section of your grocery store (by the soy sauce). You need to have everything prepped and ready to go before starting to cook the stir fry. When I say everything, I mean everything (your table set, your rice cooked, etc.). You don’t want your stir fry getting cold while you wait for your rice to cook. I used flatiron steak instead of flank steak because that’s what I had in the fridge. Also, I only used 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes because I wanted my kids to enjoy the dish, although I think it would be better with the full amount of spice. Serve with steamed rice.

Stir-Fried Beef with Green Beans and Water Chestnuts
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

To prepare the flank steak, slice the meat with the grain into 3 long strips, then cut each strip across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. A stir-fry is a welcome weeknight meal because it takes just minutes to cook. Our version includes crunchy green beans and water chestnuts, which pair perfectly with tender flank steak. Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

•Stir-frying is very quick and demands a cook’s complete attention for the best results. Have all the ingredients properly prepared and near the stovetop before beginning cooking.
•Freeze the beef for 15 minutes—the meat will firm up enough to slice thinly.
•Skip the wok. We use a nonstick skillet here, which puts more surface area in direct contact with the burner for faster cooking and more even heating than a traditional wok.
•Be sure the pan is properly preheated (the pan is ready when the oil is just smoking) and that the ingredients are spread evenly across the pan. The food should cook quickly, not steam.

Serves 4

1/3 cup oyster sauce  
1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth  
2 teaspoons rice vinegar  
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes  
2 tablespoons vegetable oil  
1 flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into thin slices  
1 pound green beans , trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 
2 (8-ounce) cans sliced water chestnuts , drained 
8 garlic cloves , minced 
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger  

Whisk oyster sauce, broth, vinegar, and pepper flakes in bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Cook half of steak until browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to bowl and repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining steak.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in empty skillet until just smoking. Cook beans and water chestnuts, covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return steak and any accumulated juices to pan. Add oyster sauce mixture and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve.

Tags: Asian, Beef, green beans, oyster sauce, stir-fry, water chesnuts

 This quick and easy weeknight meal is better than takeout any day: tender pieces of pork in a gingery, hoisin-based sauce studded with cashews and garnished with fresh cilantro…delicious!

I used 50% Less Salt Roasted & Salted Cashew Pieces from Trader Joe’s, which meant I didn’t need to chop any cashews and they were less expensive than whole cashews. If you’re watching your sodium intake, you may want to use low sodium soy sauce. Other than that, the recipe is very straight-forward. If you’re serving four people, be sure to serve with rice and a few side dishes (stir-fried veggies, potstickers, etc.). You may even want to double the recipe if you’re serving big eaters.

Stir-Fried Cashew Pork
-recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

Test Kitchen Note: Pork tenderloin is easier to slice when partially frozen. If time allows, freeze the tenderloin for 15 minutes or until slightly firm. Serve finished dish with white rice.

1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin (3/4 to 1 pound), cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup roasted unsalted cashews, half coarsely chopped, half left whole
1/4 cup fresh whole cilantro leaves

Combine hoisin sauce, 1/3 cup water, soy sauce, and pepper flakes in medium bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork and cook until no longer pink, about 2 minutes; transfer to plate. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining pork.

Add remaining oil to empty skilled and heat until shimmering. Cook garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add hoisin mixture, cashews, pork, and any accumulated juices to pan and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve.

Tags: Asian, cashew, pork, pork tenderloin, stir-fry

This dish is super tasty, super quick and super easy. The caramelized onions add a nice richness to the stir-fry, and the grated ginger gives the sauce a bright, fresh taste without overpowering it. Chilling the beef in the freezer for 20-30 minutes makes it easier to slice it into thin strips.  I used a few rib-eye steaks (instead of the tenderloin or sirloin) because that’s what I had in the fridge. Serve with steamed rice and stir-fried veggies or salad and you’ve got yourself a quick and delicious meal.

Beef with Ginger & Caramelized Onions
-recipe from Williams-Sonoma: Asian Food Made Fast Cookbook

1 1/2 lb beef tenderloin or sirloin, cut across the grain into thin strips
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, seed and sliced (optional)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
red pepper flakes (optional)
Steamed rice, for serving

Marinate the beef: In a large bowl, combine the beef, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, and the wine and mix to coat the beef evenly. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons water, the remaining 4 tablespoons soy sauce, and the Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon of pepper and stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch.

Stir-fry the vegetables: Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot and add 1 tablespoon of the corn oil. Add the onion and bell pepper, if using, and stir-fry until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion mixture to a plate. Return the pan to high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the beef and stir-fry just until it begins to brown and is still rare in the center, about 1 minute. Return the onion mixture to the pan. Give the sauce a quick stir, add to the pan, and stir until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 seconds. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes to taste, if desired. Serve with the rice.

Cooks tip: Look for fresh ginger that feels firm and heavy for its size and has smooth, shiny, pale skin. Use a vegetable peeler or the edge of a spoon to remove the thin skin before cutting as directed in a recipe. You may use a variety of tools to grate ginger, including a rasp-style grater; a specialized flat ceramic grater with tiny, sharp rasps; or the finest holes on a box grater-shredder.

Tags: Asian, Beef, caramelized onions, ginger, quick, stir-fry