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Sunday, March 27, 2011

Bac Ha Soup

bac ha vietnamese taro stem alocasia odora soup recipe

Bac Ha, the stem of Alocasia Odora (related to Colocasia), is something I had not used in my cooking until now. When D found it at a nearby Asian store, he bought some for us to try.

bac ha vietnamese taro stem alocasia odora soup recipe

One of my favorites to this day is Plantain stem (Vaazha Thandu). My mom makes wonderful koottu (Koottu recipes) as well as pachadi (Pachadi recipes) with it. It takes a bit of preparation to peel the outer layers of the stem, and pull out the fibres as they emerge during the chopping process, but, the slight crunch with watery insides absorbing the flavors of the dish, not to mention the health benefits, makes it a much-treasured food for me. Something I miss a lot as I have not been able to find Plantain stems in my area.

Anyway, the starchy rhizomes of some Colocasia (or Taro) - Cheppan Kezhangu/Chaembu as I am used to calling them - was quite a staple when I was growing up. My mom didn't cook much of taro leaves though. Much like Rhubarb, some varieties of taro leaves need to be cooked with caution, as they can be toxic.

Peel the green outer skin, trim off the hard ends, and cut up the spongy insides of the stem to use Bac Ha in recipes.

bac ha vietnamese taro stem alocasia odora soup recipe


My inspiration for this soup came from Wandering Chopsticks. This is a lazy-cook's version of a clear and brothy soup made with bullion cubes for stock and some other handy vegetables thrown together, just to try Bac Ha.

After the first taste, do I like Bac Ha? Hmmm... am not sure... they say it takes at least 15 tries for children's sensitive palates to accept a new taste. Or reject it categorically. I am not a child, except at heart of course. And, after nearly 50 tries in the last 3 years, cooked and presented in more ways than I can remember, my five-year-old has convinced me that she does not care for tomatoes or sweet potatoes. Bac Ha for me has a texture similar to water chestnut or even vaazha thandu, and quite a bland flavor... I guess I'll have to try it a few different ways to see if it grows on me.

Ingredients
5 or 6 foot-long stems of Bac Ha
6 cups Vegetable Stock
pearl onions, bok choy, spring onions, Napa cabbage, Long green beans
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp coconut vinegar (optional)
spices: red pepper flakes (or Vietnamese chili paste)

Preparation
  1. Sauté the vegetables in a bit of sesame oil, add the stock, spices, cover and simmer till vegetables are cooked
  2. Stir in mirin and coconut vinegar, garnish with cilantro/spring onions, and serve warm

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Friday, March 25, 2011

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Mole Sauce

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Mole Sauce

Some leftover mashed potatoes and a handful of fresh spinach leaves came together for this filling. The sauce is based on my version of the Mole Sauce shared almost 4 years ago, but, just a bit different.

Ingredients
2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup thick mashed potatoes
1 cup tightly packed baby spinach leaves
1 or 2 Tbsp finely diced red onions or shallots (optional)
½ Tbsp Smart Balance Omega butter (optional)


for the Mole-ish sauce:
2 cup stewed diced tomatoes
½ cup full-bodied red wine* (or a favorite that you prefer to cook with)
1 Tbsp dark cocoa powder
½ medium onion diced finely
½ cup water (as needed)
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
½ tsp oregano powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste

*I use Gato Negro Shiraz for sauces as it is usually handy, but I also like to use Port (tawny) for cooking sometimes. The alcohol cooks off anyway, so, any good wine is fine.

Preparation
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
  2. Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts flat and marinate them in red wine vinegar if preferred for about 10 or 15 minutes while assembling the rest of the ingredients
  3. Filling: Combine the potatoes and spinach with some salt (and any additional herbs, seasoning if preferred) to make a thick mass for filling the chicken breasts
  4. Prepare: Line a cookie sheet or baking tray with Aluminium foil, lay the chicken breasts flat, add just enough filling to be able to fold over, dot with butter, fold over the chicken breast and hold with a toothpick; dot with butter (or brush some on) on the outside
  5. Bake: Cover with another piece of Al foil and bake in the 400°F oven for about 20-25 minutes or so till juices run clear and internal temperature is over 165°F; remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes or so, remove from oven, let it rest a few minutes;  it is a bit tricky to check temperature when filling is in, but, as long as the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 170°F, I am satisfied; 
  6. Sauce: Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients in a pan and cook till reduced to 2/3rds its initial volume; purée in a blender to desired smoothness, return to pan and continue cooking till sauce is reduced to the desired thickness. (I prefer the sauce not too runny)
  7. Serve: Optionally, heat a teaspoon or so of oil in a pan and brown the chicken breasts on the outside before serving with the sauce

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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Cremini Mushroom in Chili Garlic Sauce with Brown Rice

Cremini

Portabello/Cremini mushrooms are my all time favorites among mushrooms. Since D will not eat mushrooms of any kind (how can you voluntarily ingest fungus?!), I don't get to cook much of it. Every once in a while, I do indulge in my very own marinated grilled portabello sandwiches or Mushroom Stroganoff or spicy Mushroom-and-Bell-pepper Curry or Baked Mushroom with Walnut-Cilantro Pesto...

Anyway, nothing extraordinary about this Mushroom in Chili Garlic Sauce, except that I made it exclusively for myself and enjoyed the whole experience, including eating it as leftovers the next day when it tasted even better.

If store-bought Black Bean Chili Garlic Sauce is available, go for it. I have a self-imposed ban on many of the store-bought items, especially the ones with MSG, or are heavily processed. Just a short-term ban to manage the wicked-nasty migraines... hopefully I can reintroduce some of them later on.

A large jar of Sambal Oelek is a staple in my kitchen, but, any other favorite chili paste or home-made chili concoction is good for that extra bite.

Ingredients
3 or 4 cremini or portabello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 medium onion sliced thin
a handful of baby spinach leaves (optional)
Cilantro and Spring onions for garnish

1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp light soy sauce

Preparation
  1. Heat the sesame oil in a pan, add the garlic and ginger, sauté a bit, then add the onions, mushroom, spices, cover and cook till mushrooms are just done
  2. Toss in the spinach if using, cover and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. The slightly wilted spinach adds a nice texture and flavor to this simple dish

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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Help Mercy Corps Help Japan

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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Bergenost Cheese

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Bergenost Cheese

Much like classic Chicken Kiev, Chicken Cordon Bleu, this is stuffed chicken breast dish. Stuffing can be anything - like the Pesto Sun-dried Tomato Feta Chicken, or greens and cheese as in this recipe.

Any favorite cheese would work. I had a small chunk of buttery Bergenost, some (non-smoked) Gouda, and some Colby-Jack which is what I ended up using. A combination of fresh mustard greens, Swiss chard and baby spinach leaves worked well. But, any favorite greens would be fine, I'm sure.

These Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Cheese are served here with Asparagus Salad.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (even-sized for uniform cooking)
a handful of greens - mustard, chards, spinach
Bergenost, Gouda, Colby-Jack cheeses
salt and pepper to taste
a few teaspoon olive oil, or canola oil, or butter if preferred
marinade: red wine vinegar (optional)

Preparation
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
  2. Marinate the chicken in red wine vinegar for 15-20 minutes, if preferred
  3. Slit the chicken breasts to make a pocket into which the stuffing can be introduced
  4. Stuff with cheese and greens, season with salt and pepper, place in a baking sheet, brush with oil, cover with Aluminium foil and bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes
  5. Remove the foil, brush with oil cook uncovered for another 8-10 minutes
  6. Check for doneness - juices run clear, internal temperature is 170°F
  7. Optional: Before serving, heat oil in a pan and brown the sides to desired richness

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Asparagus Salad

v

I still remember the sweet juicy white Spargel I had a few years ago in Germany, where Asparagus (aka Spargel) is usually white as they grow it under cover of soil.

This Asparagus Salad is very simple and open to variations. Simply blanch the asparagus, toss in some pepper strips, spring onions, onions, even sliced cooked potatoes as I do here to make it a full meal.

Dress with favorite vinaigrette - I like the Aka Miso and Blue Agave Nectar vinaigrette. Just a hint of citrus vinaigrette would be good as well.

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Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Brown Rice and Okra Stew

v

I love tangy sourdough bread bowls, and they are perfect for serving rich thick stews and soups. The bread bowl soaked with the goodness from the soup/stew is a filling treat.

Rather than baking my own bread bowls I left it to the master artisan bakers who supply it to my local grocery store. Simply warm per directions, slice the top, scoop out the innards and fill with stew.

Ingredients
2 cups frozen cut okra, thawed (fresh okra is hard to come by here)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ cup cut baby corn
1 small red onion or a few shallots, diced
½ can stewed diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes if in season)
4 - 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
optional: cooked lima beans, peas, butter beans, double beans
6 cups water or stock
1 tsp canola or vegetable oil

Spices:
cayenne pepper, cumin powder, coriander powder (1 Tbsp each, or adjust to taste)
2 or 3 bay leaves
salt to taste
1 Tbsp brown sugar

garnish: spring onions, cilantro

Preparation
  1. Heat the oil in a pot, sauté the onions and garlic; add the celery, tomatoes, okra and any other vegetables, brown rice, some salt, spices and bay leaves, stock/water, cover and allow to simmer over medium heat till thickened
  2. Stir in the brown sugar, adjust flavors to taste
  3. Warm up the bread bowl per package directions and serve it filled with the stew, garnish with chopped spring onions and cilantro leaves

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Sunday, March 06, 2011

Chicken in Piquant Sauce with Savory Corn Cakes

Chicken in Piquant Sauce with Savory Corn Cakes

It seems like I've been defaulting to salads and simple sandwiches lately. The stormy freezing weather last weekend spurred me to make something warm and substantial for the nicer half and the kids.

The sauce piquant for the chicken is not really hot as I cut back on the chilies and peppers so kids can try some without complaining.

The corn cakes almost tasted like corn fritters even though they are not deep fried. The rice flour gives it the crisp crunch.

Steamed green beans and carrots rounded out this simple meal.

Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts, marinated in red wine vinegar

For Savory Corn Cakes:
1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup fine cornmeal
2/3 to ¾ cup water, as needed
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (or any other favorite spice mix, check label for salt)
1/3 cup steamed sweet corn kernels
a few tablespoon vegetable oil for pan frying


For the Piquant Sauce:
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
red and green bell pepper, sliced thin, as much as preferred
1/3 cup sweet corn kernels (optional)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup stewed crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dry crushed oregano
1 tsp dry crushed thyme
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder (more if preferred)
salt to taste
1 Tbsp Canola or vegetable oil
1 cup water

Preparation
  1. Corn Fritters: Combine the ingredients to form a slightly thick batter. Heat some oil in a pan or skillet, add spoonfuls of batter and flatten it out; allow to cook till brown around the edges, flip and cook the other side till desired brownness
  2. Piquant Sauce:heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onion and bell peppers, add the tomato paste and allow to cook a bit till rich and darkish red; add the rest of the sauce ingredients, simmer till sauce thickens
  3. Chicken:Heat some oil in a grill pan and brown the chicken pieces and cook part way; then drop them into the simmering sauce to finish cooking

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Thursday, March 03, 2011

Chicken and Red Cabbage

Chicken and Red Cabbage in red wine and gin sauce

Red cabbage is packed with nutrients and dietary antioxidant, plus has a rich flavor compared to regular green cabbage. Asian Cabbage Salad and Red Cabbage with Mock Kibbeh are a couple of ways we enjoy this vegetable.

In this recipe, chicken is browned and cooked part-way first, then smothered in shredded red cabbage and cooked through with some red wine and spices. For extra rich flavor, I decided to relax my self-imposed restriction on butter, but substitute any favorite oil or butter if preferred. The chicken makes a great leftover for sandwiches and soups.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium head of red cabbage, shredded (about 4 or 5 cups)
1 small red onion cut into rings (optional)
½ cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tsp gin (optional)
1 to 2 Tbsp butter
salt to taste

marinade: red wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar

spices/herbs:
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 small bay leaf, crushed
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation
  1. Cut the chicken breasts into even-sized pieces for uniform cooking, and marinate in the marinade for 30 minutes up to overnight (in the fridge)
  2. Heat butter in a pan, sauté the onions if using, brown the chicken on both sides
  3. Add the shredded red cabbage, wine, a light sprinkling of salt, herbs and spices, cover and cook till chicken is done; stir in gin if using
  4. Garnish with spring onions or other fresh herbs and serve warm

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