• Sesame Garlic Ramen Noodles

    March 16, 2024 Author: Rachel
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    This dish is perfect for a quick weekday dinner.

    Recipe adapted from The Modern Proper.

    Ingredients:

    • 3 (3 oz.) packages instant ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded or 14 oz. fresh noodles
    • 1/4 c. soy sauce
    • 1/4 c. oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
    • 1 TBSP rice vinegar
    • 1 TBSP brown sugar, optional
    • 1 tsp chili sauce like sambal or sriracha
    • 1/4 c. water
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced about 2 tsp
    • 1 TBSP ginger paste
    • 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
    • 1 small onion, large chop
    • 1 sweet red pepper, large chop
    • 6 oz. baby spinach
    • 1 TBSP chili crisp
    • 4-6 green onions, thinly sliced
    • 1 tsp sesame seeds
    • Top with fried egg, crispy tofu, or cooked chicken

    Directions:

    1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package; drain well.
    2. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce through ginger paste.
    3. In a large skillet, heat sesame over medium heat.
    4. Add the onion and peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes; then add the spinach and sauté until spinach is wilted.
    5. Pour in the bowl of sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the chili crisp, and then add the noodles until heated through and evenly coated in sauce, about 3 minutes.
    6. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
    7. Top with fried egg, crispy tofu, or cooked chicken, and extra chili crisp, if desired.

    Sesame Garlic Noodles:

  • Curry Udon Noodles

    September 25, 2023 Author: Rachel
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    Recipe adapted from the Foodie Diaries.

    Ingredients:

    • 16 oz. super firm tofu, pressed
    • Udon noodles (about 16 oz. of prepared heat and serve, such as Ka-Me)
    • 1-2 TBSP oil
    • 1 TBSP ginger paste
    • 2-4 TBSP favorite curry paste
    • 2-4 tsp. sugar
    • 1 onion, sliced thick
    • 1 c. red bell peppers, sliced thick
    • 1 c. green beans, 1 inch pieces
    • 1 can of coconut milk
    • 3/4 can of water
    • Basil, chiffonade

    Directions:

    1. Tofu: Prepare tofu as desired. Option: freeze, thaw, press, cube, sprinkle with 1 TBSP cornstarch and 1 TBSP of oil, and then saute in pan before making sauce (or you can bake at 450F until crispy).
    2. Udon Noodles: Prepare according to package.
    3. Veggies: Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat; then add the onions, bell peppers, and green beans and saute until just crisp; then remove from the pan.
    4. Curry: Add a bit more oil to the saute pan and then add the ginger paste and curry paste and saute until fragrant; then stir in the sugar. Then add the coconut milk; refill the can 3/4 of the way with water and add the water to the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then add the Udon noodles, veggies, and tofu, and toss to combine. Top with basil.

    Curry Udon Noodles:

  • Vietnamese Spring Roll Bowls

    July 7, 2022 Author: Rachel
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    Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum.

    Dressing/Sauce Ingredients:

    3 garlic cloves
    2 TBSP rice wine vinegar
    1/4 c. brown sugar
    1/4 c. fish sauce
    1/3 c. lime juice
    1/3 c. vegetable oil

    Bowls:

    Rice noodles or egg noodles
    Basil, chopped
    Cilantro, chopped
    Mint, chopped
    Jalapenos, chopped
    Cucumbers, julienned
    Carrots, julienned
    Red bell peppers, julienned
    Tofu, crispy baked
    Mixed greens

    Directions:

    1. SAUCE PREP: Pulse the sauce ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
    2. VEG PREP: Chop the herbs and jalapenos, julienne cut the vegetables, prepare crispy baked tofu.
    3. NOODLE PREP: Cook your noodles according to package. Run under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to large serving bowl.
    4. BOWL PREP: Toss the noodles with the dressing and all the herbs and veggies; then add mixed greens to your bowl and top with the noodle mixture and tofu.

    Vietnamese Spring Roll Bowl:

  • Gogi Bowls

    July 21, 2020 Author: Rachel
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    Vegetarian Korean salad that will make your taste buds explode!

    Note: if you can’t find the gochujang paste at your local Asian market, you can substitute Sriracha in lieu of the Spicy Gochujang Sauce.

    Salad Ingredients:

    Cucumber and Carrot Salad:

    • 1/4 c. rice vinegar
    • 3 TBSP honey
    • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
    • 1 tsp. sesame seeds
    • 1 c. thinly sliced cucumbers
    • 1 c. shredded carrots

    Spicy Gochujang Sauce:

    • 3 TBSP soy sauce
    • 1 TBSP sesame oil
    • 1 tsp. rice vinegar
    • 4 TBSP gochujang paste
    • 2 TBSP brown sugar
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 green onion, chopped (optional)
    • 2 tsp. sesame seeds (optional)

    Directions:

    1. Cook brown rice according to package.
    2. Prepare the Crispy Baked Tofu and then toss with Korean Marinade and Sauce.
    3. Cucumber and Carrot Salad: Combine all cucumber and carrot salad ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Chill until ready to use.
    4. Spicy Gochujang Sauce: Combine all Spicy Gochujang Sauce ingredients in a bowl.
    5. Fry eggs.
    6. In individual salad bowls: add mixed greens; then add a scoop of brown rice on the side of the greens; then add a scoop of the Cucumber and Carrot Salad onto the greens; then add the Crispy Baked Tofu; then drizzle salad and rice with some of the Cucumber and Carrot Salad sauce and some of the Korean Marinade Sauce; then top the dish with fried egg(s); and then drizzle the Spicy Gochujang Sauce on top.

    Gogi Bowls:

  • Sesame Peanut Noodles

    January 13, 2009 Author: Rachel
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    I wanted to to try something new and Asian, so I looked at my spicy soba noodles recipe, and created a whole new recipe that was delicious!  You can keep this dish vegetarian and add tofu or use leftover chicken and just cook up some chicken.  Either way it will be tasty and satisfying…you’ll want more and more!

    Ingredients:

    • 2/3 c. peanut butter
    • 2 inch piece of ginger, grated
    • 1 garlic clove, pressed
    • 5 TBSP soy sauce
    • 1 TBSP sesame oil
    • 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
    • 1/4 c. honey
    • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper (more or less to your liking)
    • 1 c. of carrot matchsticks (you can buy a bag of them at the grocery store)
    • 1 c. sugar snap peas
    • 1 c. red bell peppers, sliced thinly
    • Protein: Leftover chicken or 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast (poached or grilled), or extra firm tofu cooked to your liking
    • 16 oz. soba noodles, whole wheat thin spaghetti, thin spaghetti, or pasta of your choice
    • 1/2 c. sliced green onions
    • 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
    • 6 TBSP chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts

    Directions:

    1. Sauce: Combine peanut butter through crushed red pepper in a bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth.
    2. Cook pasta according to package.
    3. Cook chicken or tofu if using.
    4. In a large serving bowl add the carrots and snap peas and then add the hot pasta on top; let the hot pasta sit on the veggies to soften slightly.  Then add the sauce and toss to combine  Top with chicken or tofu, red peppers, green onions, cilantro, and peanuts, and toss to combine.
    5. Serve immediately or refrigerate until 1 hour prior to serving and let the sesame noodles come to room temperature.

    Sesame Peanut Noodles:

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  • Coconut Curry Soup

    December 9, 2008 Author: Rachel
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    This recipe comes from the December 2008 issue of Cooking Light.  The soup is delicious!!!  I substituted tofu for the chicken, but I think any protein would be really tasty.  Don’t be scared by the list of ingredients, because it comes together really quickly.  We will definitely make this one again.

    Ingredients:

    • 4 c.  water
    • salt to taste
    • 3 c. fresh spinach leaves
    • 1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed and cut in half crosswise (or green beans)
    • 1 (5 3/4-ounce) package pad Thai noodles (wide rice stick noodles)
    • 1 TBSP canola oil
    • 1/4 c. thinly sliced shallots
    • 2 tsp. red curry paste
    • 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
    • 1/2 tsp.  ground turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp.  ground coriander
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 6 c.  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
    • 2 1/2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast or 1 lb. baked tofu (about 1 pound)
    • 2 TBSP sugar
    • 2 TBSP fish sauce
    • 1/2 c.  cilantro, chopped
    • 1/2 c. green onions, chopped
    • 4 small hot red chiles, seeded and chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 7 lime wedges

    Directions:

    1. Bring 4 c. water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt, spinach, and peas/green beans to pan; cook for 30 seconds. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add noodles to pan and let come to a boil, then turn the heat off and let the noodles sit in the hot water for 10 minutes, or until done according to the package. Drain and run under cold water. Chop noodles if desired, and either add noodles to spinach mixture in bowl or keep noodles separate to add to individual bowls.
    2. Heat canola oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken/tofu, brown sugar, and fish sauce to pan; cook for 2 minutes.
    3. Add the chicken or tofu and bring to a simmer; then add the cooked veggies (if adding the noodles to the pot, do so now).
    4. Serve: Add noodles to individual bowls and ladle soup over and top with cilantro, green onions, and chiles and serve with lime wedges.

    Coconut Curry Soup:

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  • Crockpot Thai Red Curry

    July 12, 2008 Author: Rachel
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    I found this recipe at A Year of CrockPotting. The Crockpot Lady got it from Rachael Ray. I thought this dish tasted really good, and it was really good the next day for lunch. It had really great flavor, and since I think so many crockpot recipes are light in flavor, I was really pleased with this dish. I’m always looking for good crockpot recipes for those busy weeknights that are filled with my kiddos’ activities. I’ll definitely put this dish in the crockpot rotation. You can skip the chicken and make this vegetarian or you can add tofu at the end.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (if you use light, add some cream to finish the sauce at the end)
    • 1TBSP brown sugar
    • 1 TBSP soy sauce
    • 1 1/2 TBSP Thai red or green chili paste, or more or less to taste
    • 1 tsp. fish sauce
    • 2-3 inch knob of ginger, minced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 lb. chicken breast, cut into 2 inch pieces
    • 1 sweet potato, cut into 2 inch pieces
    • 1 yellow onion, rough chop into large pieces
    • 1 small eggplant, cut into 2 inch pieces
    • 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
    • Lime, quartered
    • Hot white rice
    • Garnish with cilantro, green onions, basil, and/or peanuts

    Directions:

    1. Combine coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, chili paste, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic in the crockpot. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Then add the sweet potato, onion, eggplant and peppers.
    2. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours. If you used light coconut milk, stir in some cream to thicken the sauce and give the sauce some richness.

    Crockpot Thai Red Curry:

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  • Lettuce Wraps

    April 15, 2008 Author: Rachel
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    I saw a recipe for lettuce wraps on the Picky Palate food blog. Since I love the lettuce wraps at PF Changs, I thought I’d give it a try. I originally was going to use ground turkey, but we had a meals worth of salmon left over from the previous night, and even though I’m usually not one for leftover fish, this was an excellent use for the leftovers, and it tasted wonderful. You could also use roasted chicken or tofu in place of the fish or you can use ground turkey. This meal comes together so quickly, especially if you use leftover meat, so it’s perfect for busy night.  Here’s my version of lettuce wraps.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp. sesame oil
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • Optional: ground turkey
    • 16 oz. bag of broccoli cole slaw (shredded broccoli, carrots, and cabbage)
    • 1 c. mushrooms, sliced
    • 1 can of water chestnuts, roughly chopped
    • 3/4 c. Yoshida’s Original Gourmet Sweet and Savory Sauce
    • Leftover fish, chicken, or tofu
    • Iceberg lettuce leaves, cut in half
    • Steamed white or brown rice
    • Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles

    Directions:

    1. Heat sesame oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Add garlic and ginger, and saute for about 2 minutes; then add the onions, and cook for 2 more minutes. If using ground turkey add at this time and cook until thoroughly cooked.
    2. Add the broccoli slaw, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and saute for another minute or two; then and Yoshida’s, and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until everything is heated through and the veggies reach desired doneness.
    3. Assemble: Take a lettuce leaf, add some rice, then your leftover meat/tofu, then your veggie mixture, and top with crunchy chow mein noodles.

    Lettuce Wraps:

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  • Fresh Green Curry

    March 14, 2008 Author: Rachel
    1 Comment

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    We got this great curry cookbook by Nancie McDermott over the holidays. So many of the recipes sound so yummy, and this week we tried the fresh green curry. I did make some changes to the recipe, and it turned out delicious. More importantly I conquered my fear of cooking with fish sauce! I know it’s strange for someone who loves Thai food to hate fish sauce. It’s not that I hate fish sauce per se, in fact I don’t have a problem eating dishes with fish sauce at Thai restaurants. The operative phrase is AT the restaurant. In the past when I’ve used the fish sauce, it’s made the whole house smell, and for someone with an sensitive sense of smell, that’s not a good smell. Anyway, I decided to buy the Thai Kitchen variety instead of one of the Asian varieties found at the Asian grocer. Much to my surprise no smell! Maybe the Asian store variety one I had before was just super strong.

    I added chicken to the recipe, but you can add beef, tofu, or just keep it veggies.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb. chicken, cut into strips
    • 1 lb. new potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
    • 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
    • 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped (I used green pepper because red peppers were $2.38 each)
    • 1 shallot
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 2 inch piece of ginger
    • 1 serrano chili
    • 3 TBSP water plus 1 c.
    • 3/4 c. cilantro leaves, divided
    • 1 can coconut milk
    • 1 TBSP brown sugar
    • 2 TBSP fish sauce
    • 1/4 basil, chiffonade

    Directions:

    1. Heat nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and saute until nearly cooked through. Remove chicken from pan.
    2. Meanwhile combine the shallots, garlic ginger, serrano, 3 TBSP water, and 1/2 c. cliantro in a food processor and pulse until smooth paste.
    3. After chicken is removed from pan, add coconut milk, green curry paste, 1 c. water, brown sugar, and fish sauce, and bring sauce up to a simmer. Add chicken, potatoes, and eggplant. Bring to a boil then add the red pepper and simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. The eggplant starts to break down and thicken the sauce as well.
    4. Garnish with remaining cilantro and basil.
    5. Serve over rice.

    Fresh Green Curry:

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  • Pineapple Sesame Chicken

    January 20, 2008 Author: Rachel
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    I saw this recipe on the Picky Palate blog, and I knew this one one was right up my alley. I added pineapple to my dish, and it was a very tasty addition. The recipe calls for grated ginger, and I highly recommend buying a ginger grater (they sell them at Asian food stores, and I think I got mine for about 95 cents!) When you rub the ginger along the grater, the fibrous root is left behind, and it produces this wonderfully fragrant and delicate ginger pulp, which incorporates nicely in a marinade. If you don’t have a ginger grater, you can use a Microplane rasp, but the grater is definitely worth a trip to your local Asian grocer.

    Our oldest complained for over 10 minutes before dinner that he was hungry and he didn’t want this dinner, because he didn’t like it. I told him that he had to try everything on his plate, and if he didn’t like it then I’d consider fixing him something else. Wouldn’t you know that he ate everything on his plate and even asked for seconds!!! We’ve fought tooth and nail to get him to eat broccoli, and I believe that is the first time he’s ever eaten broccoli. For that reason alone this dish is a keeper, oh and the dish is really really good too!

    This dish is super tasty, super easy to make, and you can also substitute tofu for the chicken for a vegetarian dish.
    Ingredients:

    • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 4 tablespoons pineapple juice from a 20 oz can of pineapple chunks
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 2 tablespoons ginger (grated)
    • 1 pound chicken (cut into bite sized pieces)
    • 1 teaspoon oil
    • 1 pound broccoli florets, blanched in salted water
    • 1 20 oz can of pineapple chunks
    • cooked rice
    • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    • green onions to garnish

    Directions:

    1. Mix the soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, brown sugar, ginger, and chicken in a ziploc bag and marinate in the fridge for about an hour.
    2. Heat the oil in a pan.
    3. Add the chicken and marinade to the pan and saute until the chicken is cooked and the sauce begins to thicken.
    4. Meanwhile, blanch broccoli florets in salted water until tender, but still crisp.
    5. When chicken is cooked, add blanched broccoli florets and pineapple chunks. Toss to heat through.
    6. Serve on cooked rice and garnish with the sesame seeds and green onion.

    Pineapple Sesame Chicken:
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