Vietnamese Chicken Drumsticks Stew

In the Vietnamese cuisine, beef stew (Bo kho) is very famous among the Vietnamese people as well as the tourists who visit Vietnam.  I love this dish too, but my diet does not allow me to eat beef.  So the chicken drumsticks that I use as a substitute for beef works out very well. The cooking method and ingredients for this stew are the same as if made with beef; however, this recipe can be enjoyed as a healthier substitute.

Ingredients:

10 chicken drumsticks

Marinade ingredients:

1 tbs chopped lemongrass

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 shallots, chopped

1 tbs minced ginger

1 tsp 5 spice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs peanut oil

Other ingredients:

1 medium white onion

2 carrots

1 cinnamon stick

3 star anise

1 tsp ginger, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 stalk lemongrass cut into 3 inch lengths and bruised

1 tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Korean chili powder

2 tbs oil

1 cup chicken broth

Serve with chopped basil, cilantro, green onions, lemon wedges, and fresh chilli.

Directions:

Soak the chicken drumsticks in a salt, vinegar, and water mixture for a few hours. 

Drain and cut each chicken drumstick in half.

  Place the halved chicken drumsticks in a large container and add all the marinade ingredients. Marinate the chicken overnight or for 4 hours.

Cut the white onion in half. Then chop one half into pieces and the cut the other half into wedges and set aside.

Peel carrots and cut diagonally into 2 inch lengths and set aside.

Heat oil in a large pot and start browning the chicken (reserve the marinade).

Heat oil in another pot. Add chopped onion pieces, garlic, ginger, and Korean chili 
powder (stir and cook for 1 minute).

 Add diced tomatoes, sugar, and salt (this method is done to make a bright red color for the stew).  Cook until you are happy with the color.

  Pour this onto the chicken.  Add the bruised lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon stick, and the chicken broth with the reserved marinade.

Bring to boil and cook for 20 minutes. Add the sliced carrots. Adjust the seasoning with more sugar, salt, or fish sauce.  Cook until the chicken and carrots are tender.  Add the white onion wedges.

 Cook for an additional 5 more minutes (total cooking time should be about 40 minutes).

This stew is now ready to serve. It can be served with rice, noodles, or bread. Do not forget to sprinkle with the fresh chopped herbs that are listed above.

Three-Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)

I posted a Taiwanese three-cup chicken recipe not so long ago. Today, I will share this recipe using drumsticks and revise some ingredients.  I like this recipe because it reminds me of the classic "red-cooked” chicken or pork dish of Northern China. The three-cup is named because it commonly uses equal quantities of soy sauce, sesame oil, and Shao Hsing wine-the Chinese cooking wine. In this recipe, I use less sesame oil and add more water instead, and it turns out better tasting than the Taiwanese three cups chicken.  However, the taste can be adjusted for each personal cook to make his or her own signature

Ingredients:

10 chicken drumsticks, skin removed (your choice)

6 garlic cloves, minced

10 slices of fresh ginger then chopped

5 whole dried pepper, more or less

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbs peanut oil

Stable sauce ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup cooking wine, Shao Hsing or sake*

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sweet soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/4 cup honey

Garnish with 4 green onions

Directions:

Soak chicken drumsticks in a large bowl filled with water, salt (2 tbs), and vinegar. This method will make the chicken meat clean and tender.

Heat a large pan with oil. Brown the chickens on all sides. Remove chicken from pan and discard most of the oil. Keep about 1 tbs of oil. However, I remove skin from chicken so it will not leave much oil

Add ginger, garlic, and chilli and stirfry for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Add stable sauce and chicken to the pan and bring to boil. Stir to submerge the chicken with sauce. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until chickens is tender. Add green onions and make a quick stir for 1 minute.

Serve chicken with rice and some sauce. The leftover sauce as most of Chinese chefs call the "master sauce". This sauce can be stored in the freezer and reused as many times as necessary in future Chinese cooking.

*Sake has a stronger taste than Shao Hsing wine. Adjust the amount used to fit your taste.

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Asian Potato Salad

After the fall of the South of Vietnam in1975, Vietnamese people scattered around the world and have learned how to modify so many different cuisines. The Vietnamese cuisine did not have a potato salad exactly, but we also love all kinds of potato dishes.  I like Western potato dishes, but western potato salad contain more fat than I would like to consume. Especially, during BBQ season, such as the 4th of July, potato salad side dishes are the most requested on the menu. I have combined both Asian and Western world cuisines to create this common sense recipe to serve even to the most critical eater. This is an easy and healthy potato salad that can be served outside under the sun for a few hours without fearing of getting bad. I hope this contribution will make your BBQ season healthier and enjoyable. Let's get started.

Ingredients:

1 lb. potatoes

2 carrots

2 hard-boiled eggs

1 /2 to 1 English cucumber

1 cup corn

1/2 to 1 small white onion

1 tsp salt

Seasonings:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/ 3 cup mayonnaise (use the avocado mayonnaise for better health)

Salt and pepper to taste.

1 ½ tsp honey

Garnish with chopped cilantro

Directions:

Combine the seasoning ingredients in a jar and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Peel and chop potatoes into big chunks.

 Cook potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and then mash them. You can mash the potatoes well or still leave some potato chunks.

Slice white onion and English cucumber and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Run them under cold water and squeeze out the water from the onions and cucumber

Peel carrot and dice. Add diced carrot and two eggs to a pot of water and bring to boil . Turn heat off and cover for 10 minutes. Drain. Peel eggs and finely chopped eggs

If using frozen corn, blanch corn in a pot of water for few seconds. Drain.

In a container, combine mashed potatoes, corn, carrots, eggs, white onions, and cucumber. Pour the seasoning over and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle chopped cilantro.

Easy Chicken & Bean Chili using a Crock-Pot®

The following may be the recipe that is the easiest in my blog to prepare. 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cubed

1 medium white onion, diced

1 yellow pepper, seeded, diced, and salted also

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth or water

1 cup Salsa Verde

3 cups cooked beans (your choice)

Season with:

2 tbs tomato paste

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Top with Jack cheese and sour cream

Directions:

Place all the ingredients into a Crock-Pot®. Turn to low for 5 to 6 hours

Enjoying a bowl of chili now is heaven. (See! I told you this was easy.)

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:
2 lb ground turkey
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup jicama, finely diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
1/2 white onions, chopped
2 garlic, minced
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 egg
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup peanut oil
Sauce:
1 cup tamarind juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tbsp oil
Serve by itself or with rice or noodles

Directions:
Heat oil in saute pan and add jicama, onions, carrots and garlic. Stir and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are wilted. Let it cool

In a mixing bowl combine cool vegetable , ground turkey, egg and cornstarch. Mix well and season with fish sauce, salt and black pepper.

Roll meat mixture into a ball smaller golf ball size.

At the rest of oil in a saute pan and start pan-fried the turkey ball about 4 to 5 minutes each size.

Combine the sauce ingredients and mix well. Pour in to the meat balls and cook for 5 more minutes for the sauce to coat all the turkey meat balls.

Another way to serve the turkey ball is to make a sauce separate and serve the sauce as the dipping sauce on the size a long with lettuce,cucumber, herbs.
To make a sauce as the dipping sauce:
In a small pan heat 1 tbsp oil and stir in shallot and garlic; cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant, Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil. Adjust the seasoning and cook for 2 minutes, Add slice hot fresh Thai chili if desire

Healthy Broccoli, Potato, and Kale Soup

The basic ingredients of broccoli soup are milk, cream, butter, and flour to make a roux.  Also, most people love creamy broccoli soup with cheddar cheese.  My healthy version of broccoli soup is none of the above. I use potatoes instead of butter and flour. I also use kelp broth to add nutrition to this soup as well.  Kale is another good vegetable to add to this soup. The cheddar cheese topping for this soup is very much for each guest who wants to enjoy a creamy taste. This recipe is much easier when a Crock-Pot® plays a part to help finish this recipe. The broccoli potato soup is one of my comfort foods on a lazy day.

Ingredients:

4 cups of broccoli florets

2 medium potatoes

2 cups chopped kale

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup white onion, chopped

4 cups kelp broth or chicken broth

2 tbs olive oil

Season with salt and pepper

Chili flakes (optional)

Cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

I use a-one-pot rice cooker. It is sold at Costco.

Peel the potatoes and roughly chop the potato

Turn the sauté function on. Add oil. Add garlic and onions. Stir to cook for 4 minutes.

Add broccoli, potatoes, kale, and the broth to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.
Close the lid and turn the dial to the soup function and let cook until everything is soft and tender.

Use a handheld blender and blend the soup until smooth.

Adjust the seasoning to your liking and add more broth or skim milk if too thick (your choice).

Ladle soup into a serving bowl and top with cheddar cheese.

*Other protein ingredients that can be added to this soup are tuna or shrimp.

Enjoy!!

FORGIVING

Please take a moment to take in the following message:

What forgiveness is

"Forgiveness is a form of realism. It doesn't deny, minimize, or justify what others have done to us or the pain that we have suffered. It encourages us to look squarely at those old wounds and see them for what they are. And it allows us to see how much energy we have wasted and how much we have damaged ourselves by not forgiving.



Forgiveness is an internal process. It can't be forced, and it doesn't come easy. It brings with it great feelings of wellness and freedom. But we experience this only when we want to heal and when we are willing to work for it.


Forgiveness is a sign of positive self-esteem. We no longer identify ourselves by our past injuries and injustices. We are no longer victims. We claim the right to stop hurting when we say, "I'm tired of the pain, and I want to be healed." At that moment, forgiveness becomes a possibility-although it may take time and much hard work before we finally achieve it.



Forgiveness is letting go of the past. It doesn't erase what happened, but it does allow us to lessen and perhaps even eliminate the pain of the past. The pain from our past no longer dictates how we live in the present, and it no longer determines our future.



It also means that we no longer need resentment and anger as an excuse for our shortcomings. We don't need them as a weapon to punish others nor as a shield to protect ourselves by keeping others away. And most importantly, we don't need these feelings to identify who we are. We become more than merely victims of our past.



Forgiveness is no longer wanting to punish those who hurt us. It is understanding that the anger and hatred that we feel toward them hurts us far more than it hurts them. It is seeing how we hide ourselves in our anger and how those feelings prevent us from healing. It is discovering the inner peace that becomes ours when we let go of the past and forget vengeance.



Forgiveness is moving on. It is recognizing all that we have lost because of our refusal to forgive. It is realizing that the energy that we spend hanging on to the past is better spent on improving our present and our future. It is letting go of the past so that we can move on.

Mistake of trying to run away from the past. The problem is that no matter how fast or how far we run, the past always catches up to us-and usually at the most inopportune time. When we forgive, we are dealing with the past in such a way that we no We all have been hurt. And at one time or another most of us have made the longer have to run.



For me, learning how to forgive wasn't easy. But I did learn, and my life is better for it - even here on death row."

Michael B. Ross
Death Row
Somers, Connecticut

"To be angry is to let others' mistakes punish yourself.
To forgive others is to be good to yourself.
Master ChengYen

Buddhism today