Grilled Salmon with Fresh Herbs

Salmon is the healthiest fish that we should include in our meals at least twice a week. I share here a simple marinade for salmon with fresh herbs, which will make this recipe hard to resist, especially because there are tremendous health benefits come with it. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Two 6 oz salmon fillets
Marinade:
1 tbs fresh basil, chopped
1 tbs fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbs olive oil
2 tsp butter

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients together, except the butter. Place salmon fillets into the marinade and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Bring the salmon into room temperature. Remove salmon from the marinade and reserve the marinade for basting while grilling the salmon.
Salmon can be grilled outdoors on high heat or over a stovetop burner on a cast iron pan.
Preheat the outdoor grill on high heat. Spray the grill grate with cooking oil. Grill salmon for 5 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade.
If using a cast iron pan:
Place cast iron pan over high heat. Spray with some oil and butter. Place salmon onto the hot pan. Cook salmon for 5 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade. Serve with your choice of vegetables.

Simple General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's chicken is the most popular dish in the Chinese cuisine. It appears on most takeout and fancy banquet dinner menus. It originated in Hunan, China, but then traveled around the world, and each cook changes the way of making this dish to satisfy his or her taste. The main ingredients that never change are the dry red chili, ginger, and garlic. Also, Chinese rice vinegar plays a leading role to create the special effect of crunchy, sweet, and sour using a mild coating of egg white and cornstarch. I've been practicing this recipe and have replicated the taste, as closely as I can determine, to that of reliable takeout restaurants by following some recipes that were published by famous chefs. My General Tso's chicken is quite simple to make and does not compromise its original taste
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
Meat marinade:
2 egg whites
2 tbs shaoxing wine or dry sherry
2 tbs soy sauce
Sauce:
1 tsp shaoxing wine
1 tsp hoisin sauce
3 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
Accompaniments:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
4 dry red chilis or 1 tbs chili flakes
1/2 cup white onions, roughly chopped
1 cup sliced green onions
1 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup oil

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, beat well the egg white, wine, and soy sauce. Add chicken and marinate for 1 hour.

Combine sauce ingredients in another bowl. Whisk until the cornstarch dissolves and set aside.

In a shallow dish, place cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Coat the marinated chicken and shake off any excess flour.

In a wok over high heat, add oil. When oil is ready at the temperature of about 350°, carefully drop the coated chicken into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot.

 Deep-fry the chicken until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Remove from wok and drain on a paper towel.

Pour off the oil and use the paper towel to wipe off any brown bits from the wok. Add 2 tbs of oil. Stir in white onions, ginger, garlic and dried red chili.

Cook until fragrant (about 3 minutes). As sauce. Stir sauce until thickened. Add chicken into wok and stir chicken to coat completely with sauce.

 Throw in the green onions.

Stir a few seconds. Remove chicken and place onto a serving plate, Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with a bowl of cooked brown rice.

The Best Easy Brownies

It was the surprisingly easiest brownie that I ever made – just a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes to prepare. Amazing!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.; Grease and flour an 8" x 8" baking pan.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
With a handheld mixer, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture. Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread the batter onto the prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting into 9 squares. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top, if desired.

Watercress Chicken Soup

Watercress is a garnishing green that provides bountiful health benefits, and this leafy green has been around for a long time. In my country, Vietnam, this beautiful, shiny, rounded leaf grows wild along the banks of streams or slow moving rivers--essential to a water plant. My sister and I used to collect this leafy green for my mother to prepare dinner for us. At that time we did not know this free vegetable has high value nutritious benefits http://www.juicing-for-health.com/health-benefits-of-watercress.html. Unfortunately, some restaurants often threw way watercress or used it only for garnishing. Watercress can be used in different ways – from juicing with other vegetables, making salads, stir frying with meat, or adding to soup. I created this recipe for a quick cooking soup to capture all the nutrition provided from watercress and making a meal by throwing in cooked Ramen noodles at the end of cooking time.
Ingredients:
4 cups good chicken stock
1 bunch of watercress, washed
1/2 cup tofu or cooked chicken, cut into cubes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste.
1 bag Ramen noodles*

Directions:
Bring a pot with chicken broth to boil. Add tofu or chicken at this time. Season with salt and pepper. Let broth boil and add watercress. Turn heat off. Pour soup onto a serving bowl and serve. Some green onions can be used for this soup.

To prepare Ramen noodles:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the noodles and discard the contents in the bag. Cook for 2 minutes and drain. Place cooked Ramen noodles on the bottom of serving bowl and pour soup on top.

Ma Po Tofu

The combination of tofu and meat was used to create this dish. The authentic ma po tofu is very spicy and won't be easy to enjoy if the level of heat is too high. The tradition of ma po tofu came from the Sichuan Province in China and travelled the world. The basic sauce for this dish is fermented black bean and hot bean paste. Other spice ingredients are Sichuan peppercorn, garlic, and hot chili. Lately, the ma po tofu that is serve to American customers is milder in taste, and sometimes meat can be omitted for a healthier meal. I have tried ma po tofu make from different cuisines, such as Japanese, Korean and Taiwan; I have created my own version ma po tofu, which, as always, is much healthier and does not compromise its powerful original taste. You be the judge!
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized package of tofu
1/2 lb ground chicken or turkey
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp hot chili paste
Ma po sauce:
2 tbs miso paste
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs sake
1 tbs sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth or 1 tsp chicken powder mixed with 1/2 cup water
Thickening agent:                                                    
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs water
1 tbs coconut oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Submerge the tofu block into the boiling water for 3 minutes and drain. When tofu is cool is enough to handle, cut into 1 inch cubes.
Combine ma po sauce very well in a small bowl and set aside
Combine thickening agent in another small bowl and set aside.
In a wok over medium heat, add oil. Cook chili paste and then ginger and garlic until fragrant about 3 minutes. Add ground chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in ma po sauce and bring to a boil. Add tofu cubes and green onions (cook for 3 minutes). Add the thickening agent. Cook further for another 2 minutes. Stir in sesame oil and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Serve alone in a bowl or over steamed rice.

Chicken Biryani

This mouth watering Pakistani/Indian chicken dish is very popular to serve at wedding receptions, parties or during Ramadan holiday in the Middle East. Although the recipe has a long list of spicy ingredients, it is worth the way to prepare it. Because the Middle East is a part of the Asian continent, all their spices are very familiar to the Vietnamese/ Chinese cuisines. I like to sometime include some of Pakistani recipes in my diet because the spices which they use to prepare their dishes have a lot of medicinal benefits to general health. When the cinnamon, ginger-garlic paste, cumin, and fennel hit the stove, their fragrances will perfume the kitchen with a warm and healthy way to welcome guests as they arrive. My version of chicken biryani is so much simpler to make. It is a slightly different way to prepare and serve, but it will hold true to the taste of the original one.
Ingredients:
2 tbs butter and grape seed oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp to taste
Spices:
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cardamom
1 inch cinnamon stick, broken up
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 cloves
1 tsp turmeric
2 star anise
1 tsp black peppercorns
Vegetables:*
2 large potatoes, peeled cut into 1 inch slices
2 carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
Garnish with 1 cup of chopped fresh cilantro leaves and mints

Directions:
Mix yogurt and ginger-garlic paste in a bowl until blended and add chicken. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Grind the spices ingredients to a fine powder in a coffee grinder and set aside.
In a cast iron pot over medium heat, add butter and oil. Stir in onions and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly brown. Reduce the heat and add ground spices, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the marinated chicken, salt and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes. Add enough water to cover chicken entirely. Top with potatoes and carrots. Bring to boil. Cover and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender. Serve

* If intended to serve with rice, then omit the potatoes and carrots.

Graduation Diploma Recipe

An invitation from my sister for her daughter's graduation party made me think about this recipe. It is quite simple to put together for a party and is cute looking when it is done. Kids will love it, and adults will adore it as well. Another good thing about making this recipe is that it is truly budget friendly designed to create a party dish without sweat.

Ingredients:
1 loaf of sandwich white bread, crust removed
2 eggs, hard boiled
1 can 12 oz tuna, drained
1 can 6oz crab meat, drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp yellow mustard
2 tbs sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
A bunch of chives
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Directions:
Using a rolling pin, roll all the sandwich bread slices to completely flat and set aside
Blanch the chives in hot boiling water for few seconds and set aside
To make Tuna salad:
Combine the rest of the ingredients except the coconut oil in a mixing bowl.
Assembling the diploma:
Place one slice of sandwich bread on a countertop. Spread 2 tbs of tuna salad on the slice and roll into a cylinder. Press slightly. Repeat and continue until all the slices are rolled up. Use pastry brush to brush each sandwich with coconut oil.
Bake in preheated oven set to 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely.
When the diploma cools off, use a strand of chives to tie around the middle of each roll with bow knot.

Pork-Eggs Simmering in a Clay Pot

Growing up with an excellent cook, my mother, I feel like I never missed any good meals that my mother could not duplicate to feed her ten children. Since 1954, after the Geneva treaty was signed, my parents left their home town in the North of Vietnam and continued to move further to the south of Vietnam. At the time like the other refugee families in your own country, my parents had to learn how to survive. The only way my mother knew best was her talent as a cook, and she trained herself as she went. She prepared meals for neighbors to receive a little money and kept some left over food for us. Later, she catered to bigger groups of people until we settled in Saigon (the then capital of South Vietnam) to open her first restaurant. She thought that from then on her family would be safe and rooted, but her destiny changed one more time in 1975 when the North Vietnamese Communist government forced its way into the South, and the Vietnam war ended,. My family again was forcibly removed from our hometown, but fortunately my family was able to emigrate to Chicago, Illinois in the United States where a new restaurant was opened in 1985. My mother once again contributed her talents with every meal that sold in the restaurant to help us graduate from college so that her children wouldn't have to work so hard like herself. My mother is now 85 years old and enjoying her retired life around her loving children. Among her kids, I am fortunate to have inherited her cooking talent, and for that I always am grateful. Mother's Day is coming. I just want to share one of many dishes that was sold in my family's restaurant during those years. This dish is quite famous among Asian people, and later the recipe was introduced in my family's restaurant with a few changes in the ingredients to satisfy the Western customers' tastes, and now it is a Happy Mother's Day present for mothers everywhere.
Ingredients:
1 lbs pork butt, cut into 2 inch chunk
5 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 dried hot chilies
1/2 cup ponzu sauce (Japanese flavor sauce) store bought or home made*
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tbs honey

Garnish with chopped green onions, chopped cilantro leaves

 Directions:
In a large clay pot over medium heat, add oil, shallots and garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add pork and then brown on all sides (about 5 minutes). Add hard boiled eggs, ponzu sauce, hot chili, chicken broth, black pepper, and honey. Bring to boil. Cover and lower heat to simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover to cook further to reduce the sauce in half. Season with salt, if needed. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro and serve with rice.

To make ponzu sauce:
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dark soy sauce
1 cup dashi stock (kombu stock made with seaweed)
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Bring all of these ingredients to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes; Remove and refrigerate (can be refrigerated for months).

Beggar-Spam Sushi

Sushi is famous Japanese cold rice cake wrapped with nori (seaweed sheet) and supposedly is a very healthy and elegant meal. It uses fresh uncooked seafood and vegetables, served with vinegar sauce, pickles, and Wasabi (Japanese horseradish). It is rapidly gaining in popularity outside Japan because of the wide range of delicious recipes available. Very little equipment is actually needed to make sushi. A special bamboo mixing bowl or wooden bowl is used to mix the hot rice. A sushi mat is another piece of equipment that one might need to shape the sushi rolls. A wide selection of sushi recipes typically uses a variety of fish, such as salmon, tuna, cod, eel, mackerel, and trout. It is very pricey even to make at home. The California sushi roll is another sushi roll which can be made at home within most everyone's budget, using imitation crab and an avocado. Asian people love to eat spam with rice, and this dish is so well known, especially among college students or families with tight budgets. I used this idea to create my own spam sushi recipe to turn inexpensive ingredients into a very elegant meal every day, using a little imagination to turn a tight budget meal into a magnificent one.
Ingredients:
Sushi rice:
2 cup sushi rice or short grain white rice
2  cups water
1 piece of kombu (seaweed)
Sushi rice seasoning:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Japanese sauce for spam:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs lemon juice
Other ingredients:
1 can 8 oz spam, cut into matchstick lengths
1/2 avocado, cut into thin strips
1/2 cucumber, cut into batons
4 tbs mayonnaise
1/2 tsp wasabi paste
6 pieces nori sheets
3 tbs toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
To make sushi rice:
Wash the sushi rice under running cold water until the water running through it is completely clear, then drain the rice. Put the rice, water, and kombu in a rice cooker and press to start. When the rice is cooked, remove the kombu and quickly place hot rice in a wooden bowl and add the rice seasoning. At this stage, use both hands, one to mix the seasoning into the rice with a quick cutting stroke using a spatula, the other hand to fan the rice in order to cool it down as quickly as possible (do not break a single grain of rice). The sushi rice should look shiny and be ready at the room temperature.
To make sushi rice vinegar: Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Cook until sugar and salt dissolve.
In another-saucepan, put all the Japanese sauce ingredients and cook for 5 minutes. Reserve some of this sauce for dipping.
Slice spam into thick strips (about 5 inches long and 1/2 inch thick) and then pan fry them. Remove and place to simmer in the Japanese sauce for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Mix wasabi paste and mayonnaise in a small bowl and place Avocados, cucumbers and spam along with sushi rice on a work station for assembling the sushi.
1) Divide the sushi rice into 6 equal portions.
2) Put a sheet of nori, shiny-side down, on a rolling mat with the longest end toward you.

3) Using wet hands, spread one portion of sushi rice in an even layer on the nori sheet, leaving 3/4 inch of nori visible at the farthest end. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds evenly.

4) Spread small amount of wasabi-mayonnaise onto the rice at the end nearest you, then lay spam, cucumber, and avocado in a line beside each other.

5) To roll the sushi, fold the mat over, starting at the end where the ingredients are and tucking in the end of the nori to start the roll. Keep rolling, lifting up the mat as you go and keeping the pressure even but gentle until you have finished the roll. Moisten the top edge of the nori to seal the sushi roll.

To serve:
Cut sushi roll into 4 equal-size pieces with a wet-sharp knife. Arrange them on a plate and serve with sweet soy dipping sauce with a ginger pickle on the side.

Breakfast in a Crockpot

Breakfast is the most important meal each day, and a healthy breakfast is even better. Using a crockpot to prepare breakfast is an easy way to achieve this task, especially for busy moms. This wonderful breakfast will have enough protein and fiber to provide tremendous energy throughout the day.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried red beans, soaked for 8 hours
1/2 cup barley, washed and drained
1 stick cinnamon, 4 inch length
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups water
1/2 cup rolled oatmeal
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup milk, half and half or coconut milk (optional)

Directions:
In a 4 quart crockpot, place soaked red beans, barley, cinnamon stick, and 4 cups of water. Cover and turn to low setting. Let slow cook overnight.
In the morning, and oatmeal and raisins. Cover and let cook for another half hour. If desired, thin with milk and add brown sugar before serving.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Vegetables

The most famous takeout items on a good Chinese restaurant menu are stir-fried dishes. Most people do not realize that stir-fried dishes are so easy to prepare at home with very little time and effort. The result is far better than from stir-fried dishes on the takeout menu. I created a stirfry sauce, and this sauce should be used for all stir-fried dishes with different kinds of meats, seafood, and vegetables. The combination of ginger, garlic and onion makes a fantastic stir-fry dish. Every time a stir-fried dish was offered to my guests, it never failed to receive a compliment.
Ingredients:
Marinade:
Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cooking wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
Stirfry sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
1 tsp cornstarch
Vegetables:
1/4 cup white onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 cups combination of vegetables of your choice:
Cauliflower, green beans, snow peas, carrots, celery, mushrooms, Napa cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces.
Garnish with green onions and cilantro

Directions:
Combine chicken with the marinade sauce and let it marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Combine the stirfry sauce and set aside.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp of salt and blanch the vegetables for a few minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat wok over high heat and add 2 tbs of peanut oil until almost smoking. Add chicken and cook until chicken is browned. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Stir for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add chili flakes at this point, if desired. Add blanched vegetables and stirfry sauce. Bring to boil and cook further until contents appear to be thickened. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Serve with rice.

Coconut Cashews Cookies

These soft, tender, super-easy cookies are perfect for dunking in a cup of coffee.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped cashews
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 °.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, mix coconut and chopped cashews and set aside.
With a handheld electric mixer, beat both sugar and butter until fluffy. Add egg and beat until well combined. Stir in the flour mixture and the coconuts mixture into the flour until well mixed. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place the balls 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten each ball with the back of spoon. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes. Remove cookies and let cool on cookie rack.

Braised Fish In Mushroom Sauce

The braising technique is a healthy way to prepare food with a minimum of fuss. Perhaps including some additional ingredients into the braising liquid, such as from heavy cream to low fat milk, sour cream or nonfat yogurt, is up to each cook's desire. However, the perfect complements with fish are always butter, lemon and tarragon herbs – their flavors permeate the delicate flesh of the fish during braising.
Ingredients:
Two 6 oz. halibut or firm whitefish
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Braising liquid:
2 tbs butter and oil
1 cup chopped fresh button or portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup fish stock
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbs fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs flour
Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:
Mix paprika, salt and pepper to make a rub (a seasoning made of ground spices and herbs). Sprinkle rub over fish on both sides.
In a nonstick pan with lid, add half of butter and oil. Place fish on pan and brown fish on both sides. Remove fish and set aside.
In the same pan, add the rest of the butter and oil. Add mushrooms, red pepper and onions. Stir until soft. Add flour and stir to make a roux (term for thickening the sauce). Add fish stock and bring to boil. Stir in sour cream and return fish and fresh herbs back to the pan. Cover and simmer on a stovetop with medium-low heat for 10 minutes or bake in a preheated oven set to 350° for 15 minutes.