I’ve always loved Chinese Hot and Sour Soup. In fact, it’s usually one of the foods I send Husband out to get for me when I feel like I’m coming down with a cold. Now that I have this recipe, though, I can make it myself in just a few minutes.

I followed the recipe as written except for substituting regular mushrooms for the shiitakes. I also took the recipe’s suggestion of adding sesame oil to the soup. Yumm! A steaming bowl of hot and sour soup ready in no time!

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Hot and Sour Soup
-recipe from Martha Stewart Living

In this Chinese soup recipe, an egg is stirred in at the end to form tiny ribbons. For more flavor, add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil just before serving. Serves 4.

Note: Be sure to drain the tofu thoroughly before adding it to the soup so it will soak up the flavor of the broth.

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 4 cups), stemmed, caps thinly sliced
3 to 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 package (7 ounces) soft or firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, drained
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
3 scallions, thinly sliced

In a large (5-quart) pot, combine broth, soy sauce, crushed red pepper, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add mushrooms; reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons vinegar and cornstarch. Add to pot; simmer, stirring, until soup is thickened, about 1 minute.

Add egg through a slotted spoon, and stir to form ribbons. Stir in tofu. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 1 minute. Put ginger in a small sieve, and squeeze to release juice into soup (discard solids). Taste; add remaining tablespoon vinegar, if desired. Serve sprinkled with scallions.

Tags: ginger, hot and sour soup, mushrooms, rice vinegar, soy sauce, tofu

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 Hawaiian-inspired pork dish is simple yet very tasty. The pork becomes extremely tender from braising over an hour in a broth mixture seasoned with Chinese five-spice powder, a blend of spices that incorporates the five basic flavors of Chinese cooking (sweet, sour, bitter, savory, and salty).  To save time on the Stir-fried Cabbage, substitute a bag of coleslaw mix for the whole cabbage and proceed with the recipe as written. Serve with steamed rice.  

Hawaiian-Style Braised Pork with Stir-Fried Cabbage
- recipe from Bon Appétit  Magazine, April 2002

“My wife, Jean, and I run a coffee farm on the Big Island of Hawaii,” writes George Fike of Keauhou Mauka, Hawaii. “I really love to cook, so we entertain a lot, and I enjoy planning the dinners as much as I do making them. I tell people the best restaurant in town is our house! Since I do most of the cooking, recipes must either be relatively fast or look after themselves. My recipe for Hawaiian-style pork has both of those qualities. It’s based on the traditional Hawaiian kalua pig, in which the meat is steamed in an underground oven. For this version, you don’t have to dig a pit in your back yard, and once everything’s in the pot — which involves chopping a few ingredients — it cooks slowly but doesn’t require a lot of attention.”

Complete this main course with steamed rice. Look for Chinese five-spice powder in the spice section of the supermarket.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

3 1/2 pounds boneless country-style pork spareribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 14-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Stir-fried Cabbage (recipe below)

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of pork to pot and sauté until brown, about 6 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining pork. Add garlic, green onions, and ginger to pot; sauté 1 minute. Return pork and any juices to pot. Add 1 1/2 cups broth, soy sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, and five-spice powder; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until pork is very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Stir remaining broth and cornstarch in cup to dissolve; mix into pork. Simmer until gravy thickens, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly and chill. Rewarm over low heat.) Serve pork with cabbage.

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of pork to pot and sauté until brown, about 6 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining pork. Add garlic, green onions, and ginger to pot; sauté 1 minute. Return pork and any juices to pot. Add 1 1/2 cups broth, soy sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, and five-spice powder; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until pork is very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Stir remaining broth and cornstarch in cup to dissolve; mix into pork. Simmer until gravy thickens, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly and chill. Rewarm over low heat.) Serve pork with cabbage.

Stir-Fried Cabbage

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 2-pound green cabbage, quartered, cored, very thinly sliced
6 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil

Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add ginger and stir 30 seconds. Add half of cabbage and toss until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add remaining cabbage, green onions, and sesame oil. Toss until all cabbage is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Tags: braised, Chinese five-spice, ginger, hawaiian-style, pork

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

Who needs Asian takeout when you can easily make it yourself in just a few minutes? Ok, I admit that it is fun to get takeout but this recipe for Cashew Chicken just might inspire you to skip the takeout joint and try it yourself at home. With just a few minutes of prep and a few minutes on the stove, I had a great weeknight dinner for my family. I actually tripled the recipe so I could take some over to my neighbor who was recovering from knee surgery. My family and my neighbor gave the Cashew Chicken two thumbs up.

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Cashew Chicken
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

For a quick and easy side dish, separate 1 lb. broccoli into small florets. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the broccoli, and cook just until bright green and tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain well, place in a dish, drizzle lightly with soy sauce and chili or sesame oil, toss and serve.

3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbs. corn or peanut oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup salted roasted cashews
Steamed rice for serving

Marinate the chicken:
In a large bowl, stir together 2 Tbs. of the soy sauce, the wine and ginger. Stir in the chicken to coat evenly and set aside for 15 minutes.

Make the sauce:
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbs. water, the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch, and stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch.

Stir-fry the chicken:
Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and add 2 Tbs. of the corn oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, draining it well, and discard the marinade. Add the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until opaque, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Return the wok to medium heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. corn oil. Add the green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok and add the cashews. Give the sauce a quick stir, add to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the steamed rice. Serves 4.

Tags: Asian, cashew, Chicken, ginger, Quick Cooking, sesame oil, soy sauce, stir-fry

Recipes don’t get much easier than this one: a simple, fresh-tasting sauce tossed with cooked pasta. I also like to add cooked chicken for protein, and sliced red pepper and steamed snow peas for added color, crunch and flavor. I recommend making 1.5 to 2 times the sauce if you plan to add the vegetables and/or chicken. I’m a cilantro lover so I dig the combination of flavors in the sauce (cilantro, sesame oil, fresh ginger).  For the sauce I omitted the chicken broth because I didn’t want to open a can of it for such a small amount. Instead, I used a few tablespoons of water. If you do this, you may need to add a bit more soy sauce or salt, depending on your tastes. I also substituted regular ol’ dried spaghetti for the fresh noodles.

Asian Noodles with Ginger-Cilantro Sauce
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine – epicurious.com

Add chicken or pork to turn this side dish into a satisfying main course. Chopped roasted peanuts are a nice garnish.

Serves 4.

1 12-ounce package fresh oriental-style water noodles or linguine
3 tablespoons oriental sesame oil

2 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 small jalapeño chili, seeded
1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons (or more) canned chicken broth

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain noodles. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil.

With processor running, drop ginger and chili through feed tube and mince. Add cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, 3 tablespoons broth and remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Process until mixture is almost smooth, adding more broth if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sauce to noodles and toss.

Tags: Asian, cilantro, ginger, noodles, Pasta