Asian

New Orleans Yakamein

1 (2 1/2-to 3-pound) boneless chuck or eye of round roast
8 to 9 cups water
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, such as Tony Chachere’s
1/2 to 2/3 cup soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon ketchup, plus more for topping if you like
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 (1-pound) package of spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
5 hard-boiled eggs, cut in half

Place the beef roast in a large stockpot. Cover with water, and then add the Creole seasoning. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef is tender. Remove the beef to a large bowl and allow the beef and stock to cool for 20 to 30 minutes.

Shred or chop cooled beef, removing and discarding any large chunks of fat. Skim the fat from the top of the stock. Add the soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce to the stock, tasting as you go and adjusting the seasonings if needed. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the skimmed stock over medium heat until simmering.

To serve, divide the spaghetti and meat among 10 bowls. Top each with scallions and half an egg and ladle some stock over the top. Serve with hot sauce or ketchup.

Cambodian Beef Salad

?1 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and sliced about 1/8 inch thick (see note)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil, preferably toasted, plus more to serve
1/2 small head red cabbage, finely shredded (about 4 cups)
1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 jalapeño chili, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

In a medium bowl, toss the beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. In a large saucepan, stir together the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, oil and 1/4 cup water.

Bring to a simmer over high, then add the beef and cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes; the beef will release liquid as it cooks. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cabbage, cucumber and 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables with your hands, rubbing in the salt, until they just begin to wilt. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to the bowl with the vegetables, then add the chili and scallions.

Add 1/4 cup of the beef cooking liquid and toss to combine. Taste and, if desired, toss in additional cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until the salad is dressed to your liking. Transfer to a serving bowl, then top with the peanuts and drizzle with additional oil. Serve with lime wedges.

Mapo Tofu

1/2 cup oil (divided)
1-2 fresh Thai bird chili peppers (thinly sliced)
6-8 dried red chilies (roughly chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns (coarsely ground, plus 1/4 teaspoon for garnish at the end)
3 tablespoons ginger (finely minced)
3 tablespoons garlic (finely minced)
8 ounces ground pork (225g)
1-2 tablespoons spicy bean sauce (depending on your desired salt/spice levels)
2/3 cup low sodium chicken broth (or water)
1 pound silken tofu (450g, cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 scallion (finely chopped)

First, we toast the chilies. If you have homemade toasted chili oil, you can skip this step. Heat your wok or a small saucepan over low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the oil and throw in the fresh and dried peppers. Stir occasionally and heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes, ensuring that the peppers don’t burn. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil in your wok over medium heat. Add your ground Sichuan peppercorns and stir occasionally for 30 seconds. Add the ginger. After 1 minute, add the garlic. Fry for another minute, and then turn up the heat to high and add the ground pork. Break up the meat and fry it until it’s cooked through.

Add the spicy bean sauce to the mixture and stir it in well. Add 2/3 cups of chicken broth to the wok and stir. Let this simmer for a minute or so. While that’s happening, ready your tofu and also put a ¼ cup of water in a small bowl with your cornstarch and mix until thoroughly combined.

Add the cornstarch mixture to your sauce and stir. Let it bubble away until the sauce starts to thicken. (If it gets too thick, splash in a little more water or chicken stock.)

Then add your chili oil from before—peppers and all! Stir the oil into the sauce, and add the tofu. Use your spatula to gently toss the tofu in the sauce. Let everything cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the sesame oil and sugar (if using) along with the scallions and stir until the scallions are just wilted.

Serve with a last sprinkle of Sichuan peppercorn powder as a garnish if desired.

Ginger Chicken

3 scallions (cut into 2-inch long pieces, with the white and green parts separated)
4 cloves garlic (cut in half)
6 slices ginger (1/4 inch thick)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (can substitute canola oil or avocado oil)
24 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs (680g, cut into 1-inch chunks)
3 shallots (cut into quarters)
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons oyster sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)

Using a cleaver, lightly smash the white parts of the scallions, the garlic, and the ginger (use a firmer hand on the ginger). This releases the flavors of the aromatics for a more flavorful dish.

Spread the canola oil around the perimeter of the wok, and heat it until it just starts smoking. Add the smashed ginger slices, and fry for 15 seconds.

Spread the chicken pieces in a single layer in the wok. Sear for 45 seconds. Flip them and fry the other side for another 30 seconds.

Add in the white parts of the scallions, garlic, and shallots. Continue to stir-fry over high heat, mixing everything together for another 30 seconds.

Add the Shaoxing wine, and stir-fry again for 20 seconds. Next, add in the chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, and oyster sauce (optional, but it’ll give the dish a nice additional flavor!). Cover and continue to cook on high heat for 5 minutes.

Remove the cover, and cook for another 7 minutes to reduce the liquid. Mix in the green parts of the scallions, and then immediately stir in the cornstarch and water mixture to thicken the sauce. Add more cornstarch slurry if you like a thicker sauce.

Stir-Fry Sauce for Any Meat and Vegetable

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable or mushroom stock; 350ml)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce (can sub gluten-free soy sauce or tamari)
1 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce (or vegetarian or gluten-free oyster sauce)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a jar with a tight lid (must hold 2 cups of liquid), combine all of the stir fry sauce ingredients together and shake well.

This sauce should keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator; all you need to do is measure and pour out what you need for your dish.

Makes enough sauce for about 3 dishes. Nutrition info is for one out of twelve servings of sauce, assuming that there are 4 servings per dish

HOW TO USE THIS STIR-FRY SAUCE:

1. MARINATE YOUR PROTEIN:

Marinate 12 ounces of sliced beef, chicken or pork with:

2 tablespoons water
A pinch or more of baking soda (for beef only)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

2. PREPARE AROMATICS:

Mince 3 cloves of garlic, grate a teaspoon of ginger, and perhaps slice 1 or 2 scallions into 2-inch lengths.

3. SLICE VEGETABLES:

Prepare the vegetables ahead of time, slicing celery, carrots, bell peppers, snow peas, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and/or broccoli. Use whatever you like and make sure to cut the vegetables small/thinly enough so that they’ll cook quickly (i.e. a couple of minutes).

4. PREPARE YOUR THICKENER:

2 tablespoons water mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.

5. SEAR MEAT:

Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your hot wok (it should be almost smoking). Add the meat, sear on both sides, and set aside.

HOW TO USE THIS STIR-FRY SAUCE:

1. MARINATE YOUR PROTEIN:

Marinate 12 ounces of sliced beef, chicken or pork with:

2 tablespoons water
A pinch or more of baking soda (for beef only)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2. PREPARE AROMATICS:

I like to cut my aromatics fresh, so I will mince 3 cloves of garlic, grate a teaspoon of ginger, and perhaps slice 1 or 2 scallions into 2-inch lengths if I have some.

3. SLICE VEGETABLES:

I’ll prepare the vegetables ahead of time, slicing celery, carrots, bell peppers, snow peas, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and/or broccoli. Use whatever you like and make sure to cut the vegetables small/thinly enough so that they’ll cook quickly (i.e. a couple of minutes).

4. PREPARE YOUR THICKENER:

2 tablespoons water mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.

5. SEAR MEAT:

Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your hot wok (it should be almost smoking). Add the meat, sear on both sides, and set aside.

Searing Meat in Wok, thewoksoflife.com

6. ASSEMBLE STIR-FRY

Add another tablespoon of oil and add the garlic and ginger. (If you also sliced scallions, you can add the white parts of the scallion at this stage.)

After a few seconds, add the vegetables and stir fry for 1 minute or until just softened.

Add about 2/3 cup of stir fry sauce (more or less depending on how much sauce you like), and heat until simmering.

And add in the seared meat.

Bring to a boil and stir in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon (you may need a little more or a little less cornstarch slurry depending on how much sauce you added and how high your heat is). Add the green parts of your scallions (if using), and cook for another 15 to 20 seconds.

Serve over rice.

Daikon Radish with Ginger

1 pound daikon radish (about 450 g)
1 slice ginger
1 cup water or stock (235 ml)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (16 g)
1/2 teaspoon salt (about 2 g, or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon sugar (about 1 g)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 scallion (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Cut the daikon into half-inch thick, bite-sized pieces. In a pot, add 1 slice ginger, 1 cup water or stock (235ml), 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (16 g), 1/2 teaspoon salt (2 g), 1/4 teaspoon sugar (1 g), 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (a large pinch), and stir to combine. Add the daikon.

Cover and bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes until the daikon is folk tender, stirring occasionally.

Right before serving, add in the chopped scallion, and a few drops of sesame oil (optional). Mix well and serve!

Scallion Oil Noodles (Cong You Ban Mian)

1/3 cup oil
8 ounces scallions (225g, julienned)
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
4 teaspoons sugar
1 pound Chinese white noodles (450g, cooked until al dente)
—-if you want to add the pork component, you’ll also need 1 cup ground pork, 3 more tablespoons oil, and an extra 1/2 cup of chopped scallion

Heat oil in your wok over medium heat, add the scallions, and let them fry slowly. Once they start to turn golden brown, remove the scallions from the oil and set aside.

To the oil, add both kinds of soy sauce and the sugar. Use low heat and cook the mixture for about two minutes, until it starts to bubble up.

If you want to add pork to your noodles, simply brown the ground pork over high heat with about 3 tablespoons oil. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped scallions, and season with a bit of salt.
This recipe serves six. Portion out the noodles into bowls, and start with a tablespoon of sauce (it really doesn’t take much!). You can keep adding a bit more until the saltiness is to your liking. If using the pork, add a spoonful of your crispy pork and scallion mixture to the top, along with a small handful of the reserved fried scallions.

Toss it all together and dig in.

Hot Oil Noodles (You Po Mian)

4 oz. dried wheat noodles
a handful of leafy greens (choy sum, spinach, or baby bok choy)
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese black vinegar
Crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Chopped scallion
Chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 1/2 tablespoons oil

Boil the noodles according to package directions until al dente. In the same pot, blanch the leafy greens until cooked through. Drain.

Add the cooked noodles and greens to a heatproof bowl, along with the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, scallion, cilantro, and minced garlic.

In a small pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Carefully pour the hot oil over the bowl of noodles, and mix everything together. Serve!

Chinese Handmade Noodles

300 grams bread flour (also known as strong flour or high-gluten flour, about 2 U.S. cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1.5g)
150 ml water (about 2/3 cup)

Add the bread flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (or a large regular mixing bowl) and whisk together to incorporate.

Turn the mixer on low speed, and gradually add the water in two batches, giving the flour time to absorb the water with each addition. If doing this by hand, simply stir with your hands as you gradually add the water.

The mixture will eventually form a shaggy dough after 5 minutes of kneading. If the mixer fails to bring it all together, turn off the mixer and push the dough together with your hands.
Once the dough has formed a relatively cohesive ball (it will look lumpy), continue to knead by with the mixer for 10 minutes or by hand for 15 minutes. Avoid the temptation to add additional water, as this will affect the texture of your noodles.

Cover the dough with an overturned bowl, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. During this time, it will continue to absorb moisture, and become more pliable and elastic.

After the dough has rested, knead it a few more times to get any air bubbles out of it. Form into a ball and cut the ball in half.

On a floured surface, roll one half of the dough into a thin sheet, about 2mm thick––this will take time! Flour the surface of the sheet thoroughly, flip over, and thoroughly flour the other side.

Once floured, fold the dough so you have 4 layers. Slice the noodles with a sharp knife to your desired thickness. We decided to cut them about ?-inch thick. As you’re cutting the noodles, gently separate them out with your hands and toss them in flour so they don’t stick.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness. Keep an eye on the noodles as they cook and taste them to determine when they’re cooked (there is a lot of variation depending on how thinly they were rolled and cut, so test in real time to determine when they’re cooked (there is a lot of variation depending on how thinly they were rolled and cut, so test in real time to determine when they’re done). Serve in soup or with sauce as desired!

You can use your Chinese handmade noodles in any noodle soup or sauced noodle dish of choice! Here are some ideas:

15-Minute Hot Oil Noodles (our pick for something quick and easy, and what is pictured in the prepared photos in this post!)
10-Minute Sesame Noodles
Scallion Oil Noodles
Dan Dan Noodles
Hot Pot Sauce Noodles
Lao Gan Ma Noodles
Steamed Noodles and Green Beans
Big Plate Chicken with Noodles
Beijing Fried Sauce Noodles (Zha Jiang Mian)
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Yang Chun Noodle Soup
Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

Chinese Hot Mustard

1 tablespoon mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon hot water
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar optional

Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl until evenly combined. Add water and stir well until a liquid paste forms and all dry ingredients are absorbed. Next, add oil and vinegar and stir well until evenly combined.

Let your Chinese hot mustard rest for 10 minutes covered, and re-stir to ensure the dry ingredients have fully absorbed. At this point, taste your Chinese Hot Mustard and adjust it to your own preferences.

Add a little more water or oil if you like a thinner in consistency. Add more vinegar if you like it a tad tart. Omit the vinegar altogether if you like it spicier, since vinegar makes your mustard a bit mellower in flavor. Add more white pepper and/or mustard powder if you like it spicier.

NOTE: Since Chinese mustard is so easy to make, we like to make in small amounts to have it fresh every time. Feel free to multiply the ingredients proportionally to make larger batches.

Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup

5 ears yellow or bicolor corn (or 5 cups frozen corn kernels)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 serrano chile (or other chile), minced
2 small red potatoes (6 to 8 ounces total), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or 2 1/2 cups of hot water whisked with 1 1/2 teaspoons jarred bouillon)
1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice (from 1/2 lime)
Kosher salt, to season
Torn cilantro leaves, toasted coconut flakes, chopped roasted peanuts, crispy fried shallots, lime wedges and more sliced Serrano chiles, to serve (optional)

Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer to a bowl. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape the cobs so that all of the milky juices collect in the bowl and the cobs look completely dry, like wrung-out sponges. Set aside. (If using frozen kernels, skip this step.)

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add shallots, garlic, ginger and chile, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and juices to the pot, and sauté until the corn is softer and brighter, about 3 minutes more.

Add potato pieces, and stir to coat, 1 to 2 minutes.

Now, pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through.

Use an immersion blender to roughly purée the soup, so that it’s creamy with some kernels of corn, chunks of potato, and chile flecks remaining. (Alternatively, ladle about half of the soup into a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.) Season with lime juice and salt, and mix to combine. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toppings of your choice.

Cauliflower, Cashew, Coconut Curry With Peas

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green chile, roughly chopped (seeded if you prefer less heat)
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons canola oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1 large head cauliflower (about 1 1/4 pounds), broken into bite-size florets
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
4 ounces unsalted cashews (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves chopped, for serving
1 lemon wedge, for serving
Cooked basmati rice, for serving

Place the ginger, garlic and green chile in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt. Mash until a paste forms and set aside. Alternately, finely chop the ginger, garlic and green chile together, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then mash into a coarse paste using the flat portion of your chef’s knife.

In a large skillet with a lid, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium. Cook the onions until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, coriander, cumin, chile powder and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Stir in the cauliflower and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium. Fry the cashews, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add the peas and garam masala to the cauliflower mixture and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Top the curry with the cashews, cilantro and a squeeze of lemon just before serving. Serve with a big steaming bowl of basmati rice.

Cauliflower Adobo

1 large cauliflower (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons canola oil, plus more as needed
1/2 cup rice-wine vinegar
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons raw or light brown sugar
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 bay leaves
1 Thai chile, halved lengthwise, or 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 scallions, thinly sliced, for serving

Trim leaves and woody stalk from the cauliflower, then cut through the root into 8 wedges. Season both sides of each wedge with salt and pepper. Reserve any loose cauliflower pieces.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Place one layer of the wedges in the skillet cut-side down and cook without moving them until well browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and continue until all the cauliflower is seared, adding more oil as needed. Return all the cauliflower to the pan with uncooked side facing down.

Add 1/4 cup water, any loose cauliflower pieces, 2 teaspoons black pepper, rice-wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, bay leaves and Thai chile. Cover and let simmer over medium heat until the cauliflower is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Uncover, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook, basting the cauliflower occasionally with the sauce, until the cauliflower is tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve the cauliflower with plenty of sauce and a sprinkle of scallions.

Tip: If you plan to eat rice with the adobo, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan before you start the recipe. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup long-grain rice, cover, and let simmer on the lowest heat possible for 18 minutes. Proceed with the adobo. Let the rice sit, covered and off the heat, until the adobo is ready. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.

Turmeric-Coconut Rice with Greens (or Vegetables)

2 cups long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon white or black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
Pinch of saffron (optional)
Kosher salt
1 medium bunch kale, spinach or Swiss chard (or anything that steams in 10 minutes, such as frozen peas or edamame, green beans, broccoli, grated carrots or sliced fennel)
1 lime

While a meal all on its own, this rice would also be great accompanied by tofu, white fish, chicken thighs or stewed black beans. Prepared as written, this dish has a relatively pure, mild flavor, so if you want more oomph, add more turmeric and saffron and season with plenty of salt and pepper as you cook.

Korean Rice Cakes with Beef, Cabbage, and Chili Sauce

8 ounces fresh or thawed frozen tteok (see note)
4 ounces beefsteak, such as chuck or sirloin, very thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups green cabbage, cut crosswise into large pieces (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chile paste)
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
2 scallions, cut into 1-inch batons
Sesame seeds

Soak tteok in cold water to cover while preparing the other ingredients, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Combine beef with soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and garlic.

Heat a wok or skillet over high heat until very hot. Add beef mixture and stir-fry just until lightly browned, 1 minute. Add onion, scallions, and cabbage, if using, and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add gochujang and mix. Add about ? cup water, remaining teaspoon sesame oil, sugar and tteok. Mix and let simmer until sauce is thick and tteok is soft, adding water a little at a time as needed. Adjust seasonings with sugar and gochujang.

Mix in scallions and serve hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Tip:
Tteok (Korean rice cakes, also spelled dduk or toppoki) are available in Asian markets. For this dish, the traditional shape is long cylinders; cut them crosswise in half before cooking. If using dried tteok, cook according to package directions and do not soak.

Korean Cheese Buldak (Fire Chicken)

1/4 cup gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)
2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red-pepper paste)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ¾-inch cubes
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or peanut
4 ounces sliced Korean rice cakes (optional)
6 to 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, thinly sliced
2 scallions, sliced, for garnish

Combine the gochugaru, gochujang, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and black pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the chicken and stir until it is well coated.

If you’re using the rice cakes, swirl the oil into a large, oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat and wait for it to shimmer. Add the rice cakes and cook, turning the cakes often, until they are a little crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the rice cakes to a small bowl and set aside. If you’re not using rice cakes, simply swirl the oil into the pan and move along to the next step.

Add the chicken mixture to the pan along with ¼ cup water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring in the rice cakes halfway through, if using. Meanwhile, heat the broiler in your oven.

Remove the chicken from the heat. Cover the pan with the sliced mozzarella, then slide the pan under the broiler. Cook until the cheese has melted and browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with scallions. Serve immediately, with rice.

Quick Chicken Vindaloo

To start:
1 1/2 lb. chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into 3/4″ cubes
2 Tbsp cooking oil divided
1 small onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp ginger paste or 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Spice Mix:
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp white or brown sugar
3/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes plus more, to taste, for more heat or omit for no heat

To finish:
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 Tbsp vinegar white, white wine or red wine vinegar
2 cups water or chicken broth or a mixture of both

To serve:
Chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leafed parsley

Prepare the spice mix by combining all the spices in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large saucepan with a lid, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add cubed chicken and cook until you don’t see any raw spots, 3-4 minutes. Remove from pot to a plate.

Add 1 Tbsp more oil to the pot. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until quite soft and starting to brown lightly, about 4-5 minutes. (I like to add a splash of water to the pot about half way through cooking onions, which loosens any brown bits on the bottom of the pan and flavours the onions).

Add the garlic and ginger to the pot and cook, stirring, another 30-45 seconds. Add the prepared spice mix to the pot and cook, stirring, for 45 seconds – 1 minute.

Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir to combine.

Add the vinegar and water or chicken stock to the pot and stir.

Return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot with a lid.

Allow the curry to simmer covered for about 20 minutes, for the flavours to blend and the chicken to cook through. Remove the lid and simmer another further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken the sauce.

Taste sauce and add salt as needed (it probably will need some to bring out all the flavours).

Serve garnished with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, with basmati rice and Naan bread, if you like.

Note: ou’d like a smoother sauce (better for dipping!) and you don’t mind an extra step, place your chopped onions, garlic and ginger in a food processor and process into a paste. Use in the recipe the same as the chopped onions, except cook for a bit less time.

Indian Spiced Stew with Chicken and Potatoes

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 large skin-on/bone-in chicken breasts (or can use boneless)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 – 3/4 tsp cayennne pepper (depending on how spicy like it or you can omit)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (plus a bit more thinning, if necessary)
3/4 cup tomato purée
1/2 cup heavy cream (can use a lighter cream)
1/2 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes,sliced 1/4″ thick (or small fingerlings, sliced in half lengthwise)

Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in to the pan. Cook until golden brown without turning, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

To the same pot, add onion, garlic, and ginger to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and golden brown, about 8–10 minutes.

Add tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste is beginning to darken, about 4 minutes.

Add chicken pieces, chicken broth, tomato purée, and cream to pot. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is almost falling off the bone and liquid is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. If using bone-in chicken, remove chicken to a plate and carefully remove chicken from the bone and discard skin and bones. Cut or pull chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return chicken pieces to the pot.

Add potatoes to the pot and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are fork-tender and sauce is thickened, 30-45 minutes. *Check and stir every so often to ensure the sauce hasn’t thickened to much and potatoes aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pot. If sauce is too thick, thin with a bit more chicken stock.

To serve, spoon stew into a shallow bowl and place a large dollop of yogurt on one side. Sprinkle with some fresh chopped mint, cilantro or parsley and serve with naan bread on the side. Alternately, spoon stew over some warm basmati rice.

Cauliflower Korma with Blackened Raisins

2 large heads cauliflower, broken into ?bite-size florets?Canola oil? 2
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste?
2 large yellow onions,?thinly sliced?
6 garlic cloves, grated?
1 (2 1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated?
2 teaspoons garam masala?
1 teaspoon freshly ground ?black pepper?
Pinch of ground cardamom?
Pinch of cayenne pepper?
1 cup ground almonds?
2 tablespoons honey?
2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt?
3/4 cup whole milk?
1/2 cup raisins?
1/2 cup sliced almonds?

Heat oven to 350°F. Toss cauliflower with 1/4 cup oil and ?1 teaspoon salt. Arrange in a single layer on 2 aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheets. Roast cauliflower until tender and browned, 30 to 40 minutes. ?

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, until fragrant. Stir in garam masala, black pepper, cardamom, and cayenne. Add ground almonds, honey, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring, until almonds cling to onions, about 3 minutes. Stir in yogurt and reduce heat to low. Simmer until sauce is thickened and a rich golden color, about 10 minutes. Add milk and cook, stirring, until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and remove from heat. ?Heat oven to 350°F. Toss cauliflower with 1/4 cup oil and ?1 teaspoon salt. Arrange in a single layer on 2 aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheets. Roast cauliflower until tender and browned, 30 to 40 minutes. ?

Heat a small frying pan over medium. Add raisins and sliced almonds; cook, shaking pan to keep raisins and almonds moving, until raisins start to blacken and puff up and almonds are golden brown, about 2 minutes.?

Spoon sauce onto a platter. Top with cauliflower, and sprinkle with raisins and almonds.?

Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry

1/4 cup cooking oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 medium head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cut into large florets (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes (about 4), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen petite peas

In a large deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and red-pepper flakes and stir. Add the cauliflower and potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the water, and the salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and cook, covered, until the peas are tender, about 2 minutes longer.

Variation: If you like, you can add three tablespoons dried unsweetened coconut to the curry. Put it in at the same time as the peas.