"mi-fen" shiitake rice noodles

tangy worcestershire is the key to this dish

This dish is one of our family favourites.  Whenever my mom hosts dinner or attends a potluck party, it's a safe bet that she will be making this dish.  Everyone fights for leftovers, if there are any!  I made it yesterday for the first time for my cousin and aunt in-laws; they loved it so much they had seconds and thirds.  It can be served hot, at room temperature, and even cold, making it an easy meal to pack on a picnic, for lunch, or to bring to a potluck.  It's also great because you only need one pan:) easy clean up. It can be easily made vegetarian by omitting the meat.

what you need:
*serves about 6

• 1 12 oz package rice noodles ("rice sticks" made in Taiwan best - found in asian food markets)
• 1 large red or yellow onion
• 1 large crown of broccoli
• 2 carrots
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/3 lb or so of ground pork
• worcestershire sauce
• soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• canola oil
• fresh cilantro, small bunch
• 2 green onions
• white pepper
• 2 dried red chilies *optional*
• 1 cup chicken stock or water

what to do:

1. Soak rice noodles in cold water for 15 minutes, until softened.  Use scissors to roughly cut the noodles (difficult to serve if noodles are too long).
2. Re-hydrate shiitake mushrooms by immersing them into a small bowl of hot boiled water.
3. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil.  
4. Prepare your vegetables - cut onion into thin long slices, julienne carrots, and cut broccoli into small, bite size pieces.  Roughly chop cilantro and green onions, set aside.  
5. Blanch broccoli and carrots in boiling water for about 2 minutes, until broccoli is bright green.  Remove from hot water immediately and rinse quickly with cold water.  Set aside.
6. Once shiitake mushrooms are softened, remove from water and slice thinly.
7. In a large non-stick pan, heat 2 tbsp oil on medium heat.  Add onions and shiitake mushrooms, allow to caramelize slowly, then add 1-2 tsp or so of white pepper, 1 tsp sugar and the red chilies (crushed gently for more spice, or leave whole for milder taste).                                                                                      Push the mushrooms and onions to one side of the pan where there is less heat once they are golden brown, and add the ground pork, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.  Add about 8 dashes of worcestershire sauce and 1 tbsp soy sauce, then stir, allowing the meat to brown slightly.  Once browned mix meat and onions/shiitake together.
8. Add the broccoli and carrots to the pan.  Drain the noodles and add to the pan.  
9. Add a few more dashes of worcestershire and soy sauce.  Mix gently and add chicken stock or water.  Continue to mix while noodles cook and soak up the liquid, for about 10 minutes.  If it appears too dry and the noodles are not cooked yet, add a little bit more stock or water.  The noodles will look slightly more translucent than white when cooked.  Taste the noodles - and add soy sauce or more worcestershire sauce as required.  
10. Turn off heat - mix in green onions and cilantro, and garnish with both on top before serving.  Enjoy!

ginger chicken with snow peas

a saucy dish best served over rice

This dish was part of a Taiwanese family style dinner (alongside sticky rice meatballs). This is an easy main course with lots of sauce to accompany any starch - personally I think rice works best. The ginger and snow peas make it fresh and light. It refrigerates well so don't worry about making extra - it's a leftover you'll want. Ryan and I both packed it for lunch and it was just as good the next day.

what you need:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 cups or so of snow peas
• 5 round slices of fresh ginger root
• 2 tbsp finely diced ginger root
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp corn starch, dissolved in about 1/4 cup water
• 1 medium onion
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce 
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• *optional - 3 dried red chilies

what to do:

1. Slice raw chicken breast into about 1/3" thick strips, about 2-3" in length.  Marinate in a bowl with the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and diced ginger.  Store in fridge, for at least 2 hours (up to 12 hours) and the chicken should soak up most of the marinade.
2. Slice onion roughly into long strips.  Remove rough ends of snow peas and wash thoroughly.
3. In a pan on medium, heat up canola oil and sesame oil.  Add the dried red chilies and cook until blackened.  Add the ginger slices and onions - cook until onions are softened but not browned.
4. Add sliced chicken and be sure not to overlap the strips.  Be sure to flip them to get even cooking on both sides, about 5 min each.
5. Once the chicken doesn't look raw on the outsides anymore, deglaze the pan by adding the chicken stock.  If it looks like you need more sauce, add a little more chicken stock.
6. Once the liquid comes to a gentle simmer, turn it down and add the snow peas.  Cook for about 2-3 more minutes then add the water with the cornstarch.  Stir to thicken the sauce.  Give your sauce and chicken a taste - add more soy sauce (1 tsp at a time) if it isn't salty enough.  
7. Serve hot on top of rice (or noodles, or any starch you like) - enjoy!

ginger chicken: bottom left corner, on a bed of white & wild rice

sticky rice meatballs

sticky rice meatballs on the bottom right corner, topped with peanut sauce

OK so this is actually one of my favourites.  I love sticky rice and I love meatballs - so this is the best combo ever!!!  It's a dish I've had in Taiwan and my mom has made it a few times - it does take a bit of work so you want to make them for special occasions or when you have some extra time.  It's not hard - just has a number of steps but its totally worth the effort!  They are great as part of a main course but also could be used as bite size appetizers.  You can eat them on their own or serve them with peanut sauce, which is what I did recently.  My friends Jillian and Criff were in town for only one night and I really wanted to make a special dinner for them.  I went with a Taiwanese family style dinner (with lots of help from my husband, Ryan) and these meatballs were one of the 4 dishes we made.  Our friends loved it!

what you need:

• 1/2 lb lean ground pork
• 2 green onions, chopped finely
• 1 large egg
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup glutinous sticky rice (short grain rice, arborio rice would work as well)
• peanut sauce (see fresh rolls page for this recipe)

what to do:

1. Boil about 4 cups of water.  Remove from heat and add the rice; let it sit for about 1 1/2 hours.  This step par cooks the sticky rice. (note: this step can be done the day before).
2. Line a tray with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, use your hands to combine the pork, onions, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.  Form meatballs (about 1 1/2" diameter) and place them on the parchment paper. 
4. Drain water from rice, and allow the rice to dry for awhile in a strainer or spread out onto a plate lined with paper towel and pat dry.  
5. Roll each meat ball in the rice until well studded with rice.
6. Steam meatballs for 20 minutes.  You can use a steamer, or create one by using a bamboo steamer basket over a pot of boiling water. (check out the gourmet sleuth website on how to use a bamboo steamer). 



electric steamer

7. Remove gently with chopsticks/tongs (be gingerly as you don't want to lose the sticky rice on the tongs!) - serve hot on their own, with a simple sauce of sriracha + soy, or with the peanut sauce for extra flare.  Enjoy!

best part! eating with friends

tasty tofu bites

a fun vegetarian appetizer!

I know some people aren't fans of tofu, and sometimes the soy bean curd gets a bad rep for being bland and funny in texture.  This is a great way to enjoy it, and it is a simple vegetarian appetizer that will satisfy your taste buds.  The spicy crispy outside and soft inside of the tofu mixed with the creamy but fresh peanut dipping sauce makes one delicious bite.

what you need:

• 1 package firm or extra firm tofu
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed 
• 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 green onions, chopped finely
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce 
• salt and pepper
• *optional: chopped cilantro can be added to the peanut sauce & garnish

what to do:

1. Combine peanut butter, ginger, lime zest and juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and most of the green onions in a bowl.  (Save a little bit of the green onions for garnish).  Stir until a smooth sauce forms; set aside.
2. If your tofu came in water, be sure to pat it dry with a paper towel.  Cube into about 1/2" squares.  
3. In a pan, heat the canola oil on medium, then add garlic.  Do not let the garlic burn; once you see it start browning lightly and the oil has aromas of garlic, remove the smashed garlic from the pan.  Add red pepper flakes to oil.
4. Add tofu cubes (do not over crowd your pan or the tofu won't crisp up).  Flip the cubes every few minutes to get even browning on all sides.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Once the tofu is browned on all sides, remove from heat and plate.  Sprinkle chopped green onion on top for garnish.
6. Serve with the peanut dipping sauce & toothpicks.  Enjoy!

asian-inspired baked salmon

dinner in the oven!

This meal is quick, easy and you won't have any pots to clean!

Sometimes you get home from work and you just don't feel like making a big mess in the kitchen.  This dinner is perfect for those days - all you need is your oven, a cookie sheet and an oven-proof baking dish.  The Asian-inspired flavour combination of salty, sweet, sour, and umami really make this meal satisfying and delicious.

what you need:
*serves 2*

• 1 small bunch of asparagus
• 2 pieces of salmon fillet (about 4-5 ounces each)
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 green onion
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp honey
• canola oil, olive oil
• 2 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 5 dashes each of mirin and ponzu 
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• salt and pepper

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  
2. Mix 1 tbsp canola oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, ponzu and vinegar in a bowl.  Add the salmon and gently roll it around so the entire fish is covered with the marinade.  Set aside in the fridge.
3. Wash sweet potato thoroughly and leaving the skin on, cut into 1 1/2" thick medallions.  Toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.  Arrange on one half of your cookie sheet (line with parchment paper or aluminum foil).  Place in the middle rack of your oven.
4. Trim off tough bottom bits of the asparagus (about 1" off).  Toss the same bowl as above, adding a little more olive oil, salt and pepper as required.  Once the sweet potatoes have been in the oven for about 10 minutes, remove cookie sheet and spread asparagus out on the other half of the cookie sheet, do not stack them.  Return the cookie sheet into the middle rack of your oven.
5. Cut the green onion on a sharp angle to get the blade effect.
6. Line a oven-proof glass baking dish with parchment paper (make sure there is extra paper that flows over the edges of the dish) and place salmon fillets in the centre with the skin side up.  Add the rest of the marinating liquid and then take each corner of the paper and bring it to the centre and fold a few times to make a loose package enclosing the salmon.
7. Check the vegetables in about 10 minutes.  You want to flip the sweet potatoes and roll the asparagus around a little to get even browning.  Once you flip the veggies, put the dish with the salmon onto the top rack of the oven. Continue baking for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how well done you like your salmon.
8. Remove veggies once they are lightly browned.  Remove the salmon baking dish and cut away the extra parchment paper - turn the oven to broil and put the salmon back in for another minute or two (keep a close eye, it can burn quickly). The skin should crisp up nicely and become golden brown.
9. Arrange the asparagus, salmon and sweet potatoes on a plate.  Drizzle honey on the salmon and then sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions to garnish.  Serve hot and enjoy!

Enjoy minimal cleaning since you've lined all your bake-ware with parchment paper :)

asian smashed cucumber salad

simple and fresh

This is a classic Taiwanese side dish.  My mom makes it all the time in the summer, it goes really well with BBQ and anytime you want a quick salad with minimal effort.  The cucumbers are smashed so that they can really soak up the dressing flavours - sweet, savoury, sour and a little kick of heat - delicious!

what you need:

*serves about 4

• 8 mini cucumbers
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly minced
• 1 small red chilli pepper, chopped finely
• 1 tsp mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine, optional)
• 1 tsp ponzu (citrus Japanese vinegar, optional)

what to do:

1. Mix all ingredients (except cucumbers) in a large salad bowl.  Taste and adjust if required (e.g. add more soy for saltiness, more canola oil if too acidic)
2. Cut tips off both ends of each cucumber.  You will need a knife with a wide side/face.  Place a cucumber in the centre of a big cutting board and smash it lengthwise with the side of the knife.  The cucumber will burst/crack - cut it into about 3 sections on a diagonal and then break it up a little bit with your fingers for a rustic look.  
3. Toss all the smashed cucumbers in the salad bowl with the dressing and refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes prior to serving to allow flavours to marry.  Serve alongside any BBQ protein or on it's own as a snack. Enjoy!

apple fennel salad

 crunchy!

Fennel is such an interesting vegetable - when you cut it you might be surprised at how strong it smells (like black licorice!) - but it's quite mild and adds great crunch to a salad.  I made this salad for Ryan's birthday BBQ and it was received well!  The sweetness of the apples, subtle flavour of fennel and brightness of ginger in the dressing make this salad delightful.  If you don't like asparagus, leave it out! Or replace with any other veggie you dig.  Tip: frozen ginger is easier to grate, so pop some into the freezer for dressings, ready to use.


what you need:

• 1 large fennel bulb
• 1 large apple (Granny Smith or McIntosh best)
• 1 orange pepper (red or yellow work too)
• 1/2 bunch of asparagus
• large bowl with lots of ice and cold water

      dressing:

• 1 tbsp grated fresh or frozen ginger
• 1 lemon's zest and juice
• 1 tbsp or so of honey
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp mirin (a sweet Japanese cooking wine) - optional
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• pinch each of salt & pepper

what to do:

1. Trim off tough ends of asparagus, then cut into about 1 1/2" sticks.  Blanche them in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes, until they are bright green.  Remove from hot water and immediately immerse into the ice bath.
2. Combine dressing ingredients and taste.  You may find that you want more acidity or sweetness - so you can add more lemon juice, vinegar, or sugar - but if you find it too acidic add a little more olive oil.
3. With a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice fennel (remove the top layer - tends to be tough) and bell pepper and save a few sprigs of the fennel fronds for garnish.  Thinly slice apple and squeeze some lemon juice on slices to prevent browning.   
4. Drain asparagus, then toss vegetables together with dressing and allow it to marinate in the fridge for about 10 minutes before serving (stays good in the fridge for about 3 days!).  Garnish with fennel fronds and enjoy!

Even the boys liked it:)