Sweet Rice with Yuca Roots (Xôi Khoai Mì)

Most of us have a dish from childhood that follow us throughout our lives. With me,
sweet rice with yucca roots (Xôi Khoai Mì) topped with scallion oil and add a little soy sauce and chili pepper is a dish that I have loved since childhood. However, my mother did not like yucca roots, because she believes that the poison in cassava is not good for health, and consuming a lot of yucca will make us feel dizzy like people feel seasick on the boat. Apparently, according to the web site, Living Strong http://www.livestrong.com/article/158692-yucca-root-health-benefits, yucca is a very healthy root. Even though I enjoy this dish, my mom only made it  when I was very good. For that reason,  Xôi Khoai Mì also became it brings back memories about my mom. Sweet yucca rice dish is actually a very rustic dish and inexpensive to implement. Normally, I do not usually make this dish because I have  go to a Korean or Vietnamese market  to buy yucca. However, yesterday, when I had gone to the newly opened organic supper market – voila! I was surprised then when I saw that yucca was sold there and memories came flooding back,  I  bought 1 lb. of yucca  immediately. However, I still remember mom's advice when making Xôi Khoai Mì that the yucca needs to soak overnight with water so the poison is eliminated before cooking. When I got home, immediately I peeled the yucca skin and soaked it in water so I would be able to prepare the childhoods cassava dish for breakfast today. Hope this recipe will always be a breakfast dish reminiscent of my homeland.

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of yucca (about 2 yucca roots)
2 cups sweet rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp mushroom seasoning
Scallions oil ingredients:
3 green onions, sliced
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Peel and cut yucca into 1/2 inch pieces. Be careful to remove the core; otherwise, it is hard to chew. Soak in water overnight.

Wash the sweet rice a few times until the water is clear and also soak in water overnight.

The next morning place a steamer on the stove over high heat. This step is important to steam the rice.
Drain the yucca and the rice. Add both of them in a bowl or still use the sieve. Add salt and mushroom seasoning. Mix well.

 When the steamer is boiling, add the rice-yucca mixture on to the steamer; Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

 In the last 10 minutes pour 1/4 cup of the hot water over the rice (this method assures that the rice is soft, not dry).
While the rice is cooking, add the scallions in a microwave heatproof bowl. Add salt, sugar, and oil. Place in microwave and cook for 30 or 40 seconds.

To serve:
Scoop the rice-yucca on a serving plate. Top with scallion oil and place some soy sauce on the side.

Italian Garlic Chicken

During spring or summer, my herbs garden is fantastic. I have oregano, thyme, tarragon, and parsley. These herbs are used all the time in Italian cooking and other countries cuisines, such as France, England, etc. One easy recipe is chicken cooked with garlic and tomatoes. I like this recipe because it is light and has no need to add cheese to this dish like most Italian dishes. The ingredients are simple and most cooks will have them. Even though fresh herbs might not be available, dry herbs can be used. The only thing I do differently is to remove the skin from the chicken thighs for my family’s taste and health concerns. Other than that, this recipe is easy to put together.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. of chicken thighs
Marinade ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs: thyme, parsley and oregano
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Other Ingredients:
2 to 3 fresh tomatoes, sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 red onions, chopped
1/4 cup Chardonnay
1 cup green or black olives
 

Garnish with more chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Remove chicken thigh skin and cut thighs into large pieces.

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl with lid or a Ziploc bag. Add the chicken and marinate for a few hours.

Heat a heavy sauté pan over medium high heat. I do not add any more oil for this because there is enough oil in the marinade. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and brown chicken for five minutes.

 Add the marinade, stir, and cook until fragrant.

 Add wine and cook for 3 minutes or until the wine evaporates. Add bay leaf, tomatoes, and red onions.

Stir to combine and cover with lid. Cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and season with more salt, if needed. Check the chicken to see if it is tender.

 If so, then stir in the olives. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Serve on a platter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Accompany with bread, pasta, or even rice.

Pumpkin Shrimp Egg Rolls

By now, everyone knows that egg rolls are the most popular foods as an appetizer or snack and are always served at Asian events. I love egg rolls and posted quite a few recipes for making egg rolls. The recipe that I will introduce today is quite intriguing because the pumpkin will be used for part of the filling. I should name this recipe as the brain egg roll because the fillings are very healthy with more vegetables and pumpkin, which are a big boost for a healthy brain. I also use whole shrimp for each of rolls instead of chopping them into small pieces. With its low calorie content , shrimp is a smart addition to calorie and health-conscious diets. According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration, shrimp is very low in Mercury but provides several nutritional advantages as a result of its protein, vitamins, and mineral content.  I will add the fact that shrimp is high quality and provides lean protein. These days people are interested in healthy food, and, if you are one of them, then this recipe is definitely for you.

Ingredients:
30 egg roll wrappers

30 medium shrimp – shelled, leave tail on, and deveined
Filling ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
4 oz. fish paste, store-bought (optional)
2 cups shredded pumpkin
2 cups shredded taro
2 cups shredded jicama
1 cup carrots, shredded
3 dried funguses, soaked for 20 minutes and chopped
2 oz. cellophane noodles, soaked and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
3 green onions, sliced
 Salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper, to taste

2 cups oil for deep frying

Serve with:
Sweet and sour dipping sauce
Lettuce, cumbers, cilantro

To Assemble the egg rolls:
30 egg roll wrappers, such as the Menlo brand

Directions:
Separate the egg roll wrappers and cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying out and set aside.
In a safe microwave heatproof bowl, combine the taro and pumpkin and lightly cook in a microwave for 5 minutes.

 Squeeze out as much water in the jicama as you can and combine with the rest of the ingredients with the partially cooked taro and pumpkin; Break 1 egg and separate the yolk. Save the egg white for "gluing" the skin and mix thoroughly.

 

Place one wrapper on a working surface.

Place about 2 tbs of the filling on the middle of the wrapper, but nearer the bottom of the wrapper facing you.

Use your hand or fingers to fold the filling into a cylinder around 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Fold the two pointed ends of the wrapper in and place one shrimp (leave the tail protrude before rolling to enclose the shrimp body).

Dab a little egg white along the edges and seal the egg roll. Repeat the above steps to finish the fillings.

To fry the egg rolls:

 

Preheat a large wok and add the oil. When the oil reaches about 350°, carefully place the rolls into the hot oil.

Do not crowd the pan or add the egg rolls on top of each other. Fry them about 5 to 7 minutes (turn them occasionally until they are golden brown).

 Reduce the heat if the oil is too hot. Remove the fried rolls and place on a tray lined with a paper towel to absorb most of the oil. Serve warm.

Singapore Stir-Fried Vegetables with Rice Noodles

Asian stir-fried noodles come from different ways to prepare. Most of them use beef, chicken, and seafood. The Singapore stir-fried noodles is a popular dish sold on the streets of Singapore. I guess this is where the name comes from.  I also know curry powder is part of the sauce and gives this dish a special taste different from other Asian stir-fried noodle dishes. Typically, rice noodles are used to prepare this dish. The dried rice noodles are soaked in warm water until the noodles are soft and pliable to cook. The fresh noodles are soaked in water too, but for less time. I will make these stir-fried noodles without any kind of meat or seafood today. This is the basic stir-fried Singapore noodles dish that I like to prepare in a hurry and use most of the frozen vegetables that available to me. I like to make this dish when I have some left over roasted chicken or grilled fish, but it still tastes wonderful by itself. Let’s make this wonderful stir-fried rice noodles dish now.

Ingredients:
½ lb. fresh rice noodles
3 cups frozen vegetables
Sauce ingredients:
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tbs curry powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Other ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white onions
2 tbs oil

Directions:
Soak fresh rice noodles in a pot of cold water for 15 minutes and drain.

Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the frozen vegetables and then drain.

In a wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions. Stir and cook until fragrant.

 Add noodles and half of the sauce ingredients. Stir quickly to coat the noodles with sauce.

 Add vegetables and the rest of the sauce ingredients. Mix them well together.

Remove from heat and, if you like, sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro. Serve. 

 

 

 

Chicken Legs with Black Bean Sauce

I am not a fan of chicken legs, but most of my family members love them. The recipe I will introduce today is similar to the chicken legs that is served in Chinese dim sum restaurants. I think most Asian people love the dim sum chicken legs. I can see that when my family orders dim sum, almost every table in the restaurant also orders this dish. And old tale told by my mom states that chicken legs have a lot of collagen and tendons that will help to make stronger bones. Even now, my mom, who is 88 years of age, still has most of her teeth and still eats dim sum chicken legs every chance she gets. The chicken legs dim sum is very tasty, so, after doing some searching for this recipe over the Internet, I learned how to make this dish the last time when mom visited me. It is not hard to re-create this restaurant dish at home, and the cost is just a fraction of the cost to order it in the restaurant. When you master this dish, the shock and wow effect on the faces of those whom you serve this dish is enjoyable. I receive many compliments every time because people always have the perception that only restaurants can create this dish. Now, we have this easy and tasty chicken dim sum in our own kitchens.

Ingredients:
1 ½ to 2 lbs chicken legs
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sake
3 quarts of water
1 cup oil
Sauce ingredients:
2 tbs black bean sauce

1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tbs blackstrap Molasses
1 tbs honey
1 tbs sesame oil
Other ingredients:
4 star Anise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 piece fresh ginger, Julienned
2 cups chicken broth or water
Garnishes:
4 green onions, sliced
Chili flakes

Directions:
Cut off the chicken leg talons and soak chicken legs with water, vinegar, and salt for 20 minutes.

Wash and drain well.

Bring a 3 quart of water in a pot to boil. Add sake and salt. Drop in the chicken legs and cook for 7 to 8 minutes.

 Drain well (I let them sit for 1 hour because it is easier if the chicken is dried out when you deep-fry the chicken legs). The oil will not splash all over kitchen.

 

I use a Fry Daddy, a small deep fryer, to fry the chicken. Add oil and start frying the chicken until golden brown. Remove.
While the chicken is frying, mix all the sauce ingredient in a bowl.

Heat a large sauté pan or wok over medium high heat. Add 2 tbs of vegetable oil and stir in garlic and ginger. Stir and cook until fragrant. Add sauce and chicken broth.

 

 

 Bring to boil. Taste the sauce and add more soy or salt, if needed. Add fried chicken legs and bring back to boil. Cover pan partly and simmer until all the sauce is absorbed or thickened (about 1 to 2
 hour). Sprinkle with green onions and chili flakes on top and serve.

Note: I use blackstrap molasses and honey to replace the sugar part for the sweetness of this recipe for my own health purposes. You can use the same amount sugar for this recipe. You can use the wok to fry the chicken legs if a Fry Daddy is not available to you.