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Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:15:17 -0800

Looking for another poultry alternative to turkey this Thanksgiving? Then you might turn to this dish, a national tradition in one Asian country that dates back at least 600 years.

Monday's Leftovers: General Tso's Chicken

YumSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:50:09 -0700

I haven't had Chinese for a while, and lately I've been craving the spicy-sweet flavor profile of that good old standby, General Tso's chicken.

Normally I order takeout at least once a week, but this month I'm on a tighter budget, so I'll take a different route and try to make a home-cooked rendition of this choice restaurant dish.

Not only am I saving money by using up the rest of yesterday's chicken, but I'm also going to lighten it up by eliminating the need for a deep-fryer - and I'll have dinner on the table in well under an hour. Make the recipe tonight.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Five-Spice Snapper

partysugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:50:42 -0700

Once you learn about a new ingredient, like five-spice powder, the best way to get to know it is to cook with it. To experiment with China's most popular spice blend, consider this recipe. The five-spice powder gives the fish a sweet, spicy, and pungent flavor.

A quick and simple slaw consisting of napa cabbage, scallions, and soy sauce is an ideal crunchy companion to the dish. If you can't find snapper, substitute another firm-fleshed fish. To get the recipe keep reading.

Definition: Five-Spice Powder

YumSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:55 -0700

A crucial component of Chinese cooking, five-spice powder (also known as Chinese five spice) is a mixture of ground spices that combine the five primary flavors of Chinese cuisine: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and pungent.

The five spices - cinnamon, cloves, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, and either fennel seed or ginger - are employed based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing the yin and yang in food. The powder is used to flavor dishes from Cantonese roasted duck to beef stew.

Would You Eat This Taiwanese Fried Bread Sandwich?

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:00:28 -0700

Earlier this week, a new study found that different generations have distinct ideas of foods they consider to be comforting. The same goes for various cultures. In Taiwan, this fried-bread-on-fried-bread sandwich, known as sao bing you tiao, isn't just a popular breakfast item - it's also considered the ultimate in comfort food. You tiao (literally, "oil sticks" which resemble long, savory doughnuts) are sandwiched between sao bing, a flaky, sesame seed flatbread. Together, the two make a craveworthy, if greasy sandwich with a carb content that rivals Domino's Bread Bowl Pastas. In Taiwan, they're favored with a great, big warm bowl of Chinese soymilk. Would you try one?

Monday's Leftovers: Peking-Style Chicken Wraps

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:00:58 -0700

Even after tearing through tandoori-style chicken burgers yesterday, I've still got a hankering for foreign flavors. I don't have too much time to dedicate to dinner tonight, but I've discovered a recipe that satisfies my spice quotient - and makes use of my leftover chicken thighs.

There are few entrées that engage the senses quite like Peking duck, with its shimmery, crackling skin, which gets rolled up with sweet hoisin sauce and fragrant scallions in a steaming-hot pancake. This imperial duck dish takes a long time to make, but I've found a variation with chicken, plums, and tortillas that's a fraction of the prep time. Get the super simple recipe now.

Yummy Links: From Chinese Noodles to the Pork Party

partysugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:50:45 -0700

Chinese noodles are a simple and delicious meal.- Cooking With Amy
Costco is now accepting food stamps at two New York City locations. - Serious Eats
A new movie, Fresh, puts the food industry into perspective. - Epicurious
Should teens be taught more about alcohol? - Alcademics
Don't miss this crazy video of the 2009 Cheese Roll. - Eat Me Daily
Move over margarita, here's 10 other tequila cocktails to enjoy this Summer. - Chow
The latest on the frozen yogurt front: the Pinkberry Fruit Parfait. - Eater
Wouldn't you love to eat at this pork party for the ages? - The Feedbag

Fast & Easy Dinner: Sweet and Sour Chicken

partysugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:50:10 -0700

Instead of ordering out tonight, consider whipping up this homemade rendition of the classic takeout dish. Chunks of chicken are tossed with crisp vegetables and an uncomplicated sauce made of apricot preserves and soy sauce.

Served on brown rice, this dish is healthier than the restaurant counterpart because there's no deep-frying involved. If you're a vegetarian, substitute tofu for the chicken. Look at the recipe when you read more.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
From Eating Well

Ingredients

2 cups instant brown rice
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated or minced fresh ginger
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers
1 5-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Directions

Prepare rice according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds.
Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir in water chestnuts and the chicken.
Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.

Serves 4.

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Monday's Leftovers: Five Spice Turkey Lettuce Wraps

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:50:04 -0700

Start off the week on the right foot with a wholesome meal that's both healthy and hearty. Chinese-inspired lettuce wraps - made with leftover ground turkey - are sweet, thanks to hoisin sauce, and spicy, courtesy of five-spice powder, which contains cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, anise, and Szechuan peppercorns.

If you want to get a head start on your meal plans, you can make the filling a day ahead, or make extra to reserve for lunch the next day. To enjoy this well-balanced meal that's full on flavor, read more.

Five Spice Turkey Lettuce Wraps
From Eating Well

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup instant brown rice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see Note)
1 teaspoon five-spice powder (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives
1 large carrot, shredded

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 285 calories, 11g fat, 66 mg cholesterol, 24 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 5 g fiber, 543 mg sodium, 390 mg potassium.

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Would You Eat These Chicken Feet?

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 05:30:48 -0800

Last time I went out to dim sum with my grandmother, she ordered chicken feet and urged me to take one. While I appreciate the slippery, gelatinous texture of chicken feet every now and then, my sweetheart absolutely refused. "Chickens run around in filth," he said. "I eat with my eyes first, and the sight of a pair wrinkly chicken feet just grosses me out." How do you feel about it?