WoksForDinner

Stuffed Cabbage wraps with Duck

2010-05-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 duck breast, skin on, scored

1 garlic clove, minced

Thumb-size of ginger, peeled & minced

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

4 Chinese cabbage leaves

4 garlic shoots

4 Chinese long beans

3 tablespoons Shou Xing wine

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4-cups water

Bean sprouts, to serve

Preparation Method:

1. Place the duck breast skin side down in a wok and place the wok over a medium-high heat. Cook for about 4 minutes to render out the fat, then continue cooking until the skin is crispy, turn and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Take out and rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice.

2. Heat same wok over high heat, sauté the garlic and ginger for a minute in the duck fat, add the duck and oyster sauce and toss quickly to coat. Take off heat and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, cook cabbage in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 30 seconds, drain onto paper towel and pat dry. Tenderize the stalk by crushing lightly with the side of a knife.

4. Lay the cabbage leaves across a flat surface; take small spoonfuls of the duck mixture and place in the centre of each leaf, lay across each a long bean and a garlic shoot, fold the cabbage leaves into rolls. Place the wok back over a med-high heat and cook the cabbage rolls, 1-2 minutes on each side.

5. For the broth, combine the rice wine and soy in a medium saucepan, add water and simmer, season to taste and remove from heat.

6. To serve, arrange the cabbage rolls on a plate, spoon over the broth and top with bean sprouts.

Super foods, the ultimate health foods – the benefits of Chilies

2010-04-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Chilies pack a mighty punch in nutrition terms. They have a strong concentration of vitamin C , around two to three times greater than citrus fruit, and are high in fibre , minerals like potassium and some of the B vitamins . But as the quantities of chili consumed are fairly small, their overall contribution ends up being minor (although for chili aficionados, it may be significant).

Red chilies and beta-carotene

Red chilies, a more mature stage of ripeness than green, offer plenty of beta-carotene, a prominent antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A . Dried chilies have less vitamin C than fresh or bottled, but are still rich in beta-carotene, other related carotenoids and minerals.

Raise your metabolic rate - great for weight loss

Chilies are known to raise the metabolic rate, one of the reasons why a curry often warms you up. This has been promoted as an advantage to dieters, as a body with a ‘super-speed engine' burns fuel faster. In any case, chili and chili sauces can certainly pep up an otherwise bland diet meal.

Oral irritants

Chilies are one of a number of oral irritants in our diet. Pepper, ginger, mustard and horseradish fall into the same category, but chili is the strongest and most widely consumed.

Chilies around the globe

Around 25 per cent of the world's people eat chili daily in many and varied ways ranging from harissa paste in Morocco, tomato-lime salsas in Mexico, fiery jungle curries in Thailand to bottled chili sauce, a condiment which can give oomph to a stir-fry or noodle soup.

Other benefits

Chili lovers swear that chilies stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juices and act as a digestive aid. If used in large enough quantities, they appear to have anti-bacterial qualities which is valued in hot climates where refrigeration is often absent. Ointments and lotions with capsaicin have also had success as an external remedy for nerve pain and itching. Capsaicin blocks substance P which is part of the body's pain-and inflammation chemistry.

Nutrition stats

Per serve:

One hot thin red chili (about 3” long) supplies: trace of protein, trace of fat, 1g sugars, 0 starch , trace of dietary fibre and 23 kilojoules (5 calories).

Per 100g hot thin chillies:

1 per cent protein, trace of fat, 4 per cent sugars, trace of starch, 2 per cent dietary fibre and 115 kilojoules (27 calories).

Easy ways to enjoy more chilies

- For an Asian meal, have fresh chopped chillies on the table so people can add as much or little as they like

- Pour sweet chili sauce over a slab of ricotta or light cream cheese and serve as a dip with raw vegetables.

How to get rid of the burn

Eat yoghurt or milk like the Indian drink lassi (they coat the mouth with a layer of fat, so dilute the chili). Capsaicin is fat-soluble so drinking water or sucking on ice doesn't help as it doesn't dissolve away the irritant.

Knowing More About Japanese Sushi

2010-03-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

By: David H. Urmann

Japanese sushi is a type of vinegar rice topped with fish, meats and vegetables. Nowadays, sushi is prepared creatively for a more inviting appearance. It possesses many nutritional benefits.

Sushi comes from an archaic grammatical form of word which means sour. Rice and fish is being combined for a more likable meal. Most restaurants today serve sushi in different ways. Here is some additional information about one of the most popular food not only in Japan but in many countries across the globe.

Sushi Origin

Sushi did not actually originate in Japan. It was introduced into Japan from China during the 17th century. People made sushi from fermented fish. This is since there were no refrigerators back then.

The fish was consumed and the rice is discarded. Sushi is even considered as the marriage of vinegar rice with many other ingredients. Different sushi combinations had actually evolved. Sushi became the most popular food in Japan until now.

The Japanese love sushi, especially if it is served in rolled nori called Makizushi and nigirizushi (toppings laid in clumps of rice). This is also for inarizushi (stuffed with fried tofu) and chirashi-zushi (toppings scattered over a sushi rice bowl).

One should learn the basic ingredients in preparing sushi. Ingredients should be properly set in order so as to achieve the perfect art of making sushi.

Ingredients:

Sushi rice - This is a type of short grained rice mixed with vinegar, salt, sugar and sometimes sake. Short grain brown and wild rice can also be used and is usually cooled down before placing it into a type of filling.

Nori - Nori is an alga, a type of seaweed wrapper. Algae are scraped, rolled out into thin and dried into the sun just like rice paper. High quality Nori must be thick, shiny, smooth, and green, having no holes on it. The Nori standard sheet is about 18 cm by 21 cm.

Omelette (fukusazushi) -An omelet is used in forming the pouch for the fillings and rice. It may also replace the nori, for wrapping purposes.

Toppings and fillings may include fish, seafood, vegetables, red meat, tofu and eggs.

Condiments

Shoyu - This is referred to as murasaki. It is more commonly known as soy sauce.

Wasabi - This is made from the grated root of the wasabi plant. Hon wasabi (real wasabi) may reduce food poisoning because of its anti-microbial properties. However, seiyo-wasabi (imitation wasabi) is made from mustard powder and horseradish.

Gari - This is a sweet pickled ginger which aids in the digestive processes. It actually cleanses the palate.

Ocha - This is a type of green tea (ocha) in Japan.

Nutritional information

The main ingredients of sushi which is rice and fish are naturally low in fat but are high in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals.

• Fats: Rich in Omega 3 or unsaturated fat. No fat was introduced in making sushi because it is served raw.
• Proteins: High levels of protein are found in tofu, seafood, egg and most specially fish.
• Vitamins and Minerals: Gari, nori and many other vegetables are rich in nutrients.
• Carbohydrates: Found in vegetables and mainly rice.

Risks in Health

Fish such as tuna and bluefin is found to have high levels of mercury. It can be hazardous to one's health when eaten in large quantities. A weekly dose should acquire 2 to 6 pieces depending on the person's weight as well as the amount of tuna inside the sushi. Raw seafood may result to risks of anisakiasis, causing diarrhea, parasitic infection and poisoning, especially if not prepared properly.

Etiquette

Sushi can be eaten via chopsticks or with your bare hands. This can be served with desired condiments like wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Utensils

• Fukin: Kitchen cloth.
• Ryoribashi: Cooking chopsticks.
• Hangiri: Rice barrel.
• Hocho: Kitchen knives.
• Makisu: Bamboo rolling mat.
• Shamoji: Wooden rice paddle.
• Oshizushihako: a mold used to make oshizushi.
• Makiyakinabe: Rectangular omelet pan.

About the Author

For more information on Japanese Sushi and Miso Soup & Rice Bowls please visit our website.

(ArticlesBase SC #678063)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Knowing More About Japanese Sushi

Adaptation sometimes produce wonderful results

2010-03-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

So I was in the grocery store at lunchtime today, picking up some cold cuts and a French baguette for a sandwich. While inside I spotted some fresh egg noodles sitting next to the tofu packets on the shelf. Figured I could do something with them later, so grabbed them, not really with any plan in mind.

At around five o'clock when my daughter reminds me it's almost time for supper, I do a quick Google search for "egg noodle recipes". Came across a recipe entitled "Lemon Grass Chicken with Egg Noodles", but the ingredient list called for chayote (a type of squash apparently), sweet soy sauce, canned coconut juice and shiitake mushrooms - none of which were in my pantry.

The recipe followed the familiar pattern of first cooking the chicken, then removing before stir frying the aromatics and veggies. Return the chicken, add the noodles and some liquid and cook for 5 minutes. I figured I could use the framework of the online recipe, but use what I happened to have in the fridge.

Here's what i came up with:

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, skin off, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium yellow onion, cut in half against the grain, then thinly sliced

1 inch piece of ginger, sliced into thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

3 dried thai chilis, chopped up with seeds

2 carrots sliced lengthways, then chopped thinly

1 head of fresh broccoli cut into florets

1/4 cup of fish sauce

2 teaspoons of sugar

1 packet fresh egg noodles

2 tablespoons of garlic chili sauce

About a cup of chicken broth

Method:

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the egg noodles for a minute. Drain and set aside

2. Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in your wok until it starts to smoke.

3. Carefully drop the chicken in the hot oil and leave undisturbed for 3 minutes, to allow them to brown slightly. After 3 minutes, stir the chicken and cook for 1 more minute.

4. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and place in a dish with some paper towel on the bottom.

5. Drain the hot oil from the wok (I used an old tomato tin from my recycling bin - never pour down the sink).

6. Return wok to high heat and drop in your onion, garlic & ginger sticks. After 20 seconds mine started to look very dry, so I splashed in some chicken stock to deglaze the wok and stop the aromatics from burning.

7. After a minute or so, I dropped in the carrots and broccoli and cooked for 3 minutes more

8. Added back in the reserved chicken, sprinkled the sugar over the top, poured in the fish sauce and garlic chili sauce

9. Added some more chicken stock, just to keep the ingredients moving on the bottom of the wok and to prevent burning.

10. After a couple of minutes, dropped in the reserved egg noodles.

The noodles basically suck up all the juice in the wok, so add more chicken stock (as needed), put on the wok lid and let it cook for a couple of minutes, until done.

When I served this dish to my family, they all went crazy!! Everyone was full of praise - between you and me, it WAS delicious. Like I said, sometimes, quite by accident you can adapt a recipe to what's on hand and get lucky.

After this evening's success, I thought I should write down this recipe (so I can recreate it) and share with our readers. Please let me know how you get on with this, should you choose to try it. Of course, feel free to adapt it according to your own taste and pantry contents. Ha.

Thanks for reading

Camille

WoksForDinner Customer Support

The history of the Chinese tea

2010-03-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

The history of tea is as long and storied as the history of China itself. One legend states that early emperor Shen Nong required all drinking water be boiled. While traveling to a distant part of his realm, some dried leaves from a bush fell into the water his servants were boiling for him. Shen Nong, a creative scientist, was intrigued by the brown liquid. He took a drink, found himself refreshed, and thus, legend goes, created tea.

Another legend credits ruler Yan Di, who tasted many herbs looking for medicinal cures. An herb he ingested poisoned him, but a drop of water from a tea tree dripped into his mouth and saved him. Tea has long been used as an herbal medicine.

Tea found its way into every stratum of Chinese society. During the Zhou Dynasty, it was a religious offering. Later, the Chinese ate fresh tea leaves as a vegetable. And during the Tang Dynasty, tea shops became popular. Around 765 A.D. the first definitive book on tea, the Ch'a Ching, was written. In it, Lu Yu codified the methods of tea cultivation and preparation. Having been raised by Buddhist monks, Lu Yu's work was clearly influenced by Zen philosophy and teachings. Missionaries would later introduce this form of tea service to imperial Japan, shaping the creation of the Japanese tea ceremony.

Over several centuries, through exploration and trade, tea eventually spread throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas. With it, a distinct culture within each region arose. From British afternoon tea to Russian tea houses, tea infused itself into local customs as it infuses itself into water. Today, tea continues to be the beverage consumed by the largest number of people worldwide.

The varieties of Chinese tea are extensive with many different types grown during each Chinese dynasties in China.

Tea dates back to the West Zhou Period in ancient China, when the Chinese used tea as offerings. Since then, tea leaves were eaten as vegetables, used as medicine, and finally, in the Han dynasty, people boiled the leaves in water, and this new drink became a major commodity. There are almost an infinite number of different kinds of tea, but the three most basic categories are green tea (non-oxidised), oolong tea (semi-oxidised) and black tea (fully oxidised). These teas are usually all made from the same type of plant, the "Camellia Sinensis", although some teas are flavored with other plants and flowers.

Tea is made through a very long and delicate procedure where young tea leaves are picked, steamed or pan fried, then dried and sifted, and finally distributed to wherever they need to go. The flavor of tea varies depending on how it is prepared.

Many people drink tea because of its health advantages. Tea promotes digestion, is rich in vitamins, and brings a feeling of relaxation when you drink it. Tea is consumed more than any other drink besides water worldwide.

Food Trivia

2010-03-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a question for you: What fun item is synonymous with Chinese food, but is not usually found in Chinese restaurants outside the United States. Whoever invented me, was probably inspired by the Chinese custom of placing messages inside cakes and sweets. What am I?

Answer: I am a Fortune Cookie. In the United States, no Chinese restaurant visit would be complete without the crescent-shaped cookie containing words of wisdom and insight - sometimes jokes, verbal ramblings, Chinese translations and even lottery numbers!

While the fortune cookie was invented in the twentieth century, the original concept dates back to the railway boom of the mid-1800's. Unable to enjoy traditional moon-cakes during the annual Autumn Moon Festival, Chinese railway workers substituted biscuits with messages inside instead. Hence the birth, at least in the US of the fortune cookie.

Ironically, despite their popularity in the United States, fortune cookies have never caught on in China.

Chinese Cooking Methods are Usually Healthy Ways

2010-03-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

By: Salman tagore

Feeling puckish and can't be bothered with the regular meal preparation that is time-consuming and asks for a whole lot of steps? Then you are in luck with putting together a healthy and fast meal with basic cooking tips using the Chinese Cooking Method, ideal for those unannounced hunger-pangs that can quickly be appeased without compromising on granting taste-buds their due and simple to follow.

For more details go to: www.cat-head-biscuit.com Most Chinese recipes require one or more of a combination of methods like stir-frying, steam-cooking, boiling or sauteing besides other styles adapted over the years!

The most commonly used Chinese cooking methods of all times though is frying, which may include deep, shallow, stir or slippery frying while popular Chinese food items include noodles, fried-rice, chicken pieces and shrimp dishes. Sometimes, Chinese cooking methods extend to dicing chicken and veggies into small bits and stir-frying them to serve with noodles or a rice dish.

Sauteing, also known as shallow cooking is another popular Chinese cooking method that requires a thin oil layer to cover the food which uses minimal grease and cuts down on much of the calories that creep in with other cooking methods. To ensure all the food items being cooked in this manner are not under-done, the veggies or meat is sliced thinly to enable faster, even cooking. When a light-brown color is achieved, then the spices and seasonings are added in to complete the process of sauteing.

Chinese cooking methods are usually very healthy ways of cutting back on calories and excess oil and thus Stewing food (first sauteing thinly sliced or diced veggies or meat, then pouring a sauce over it and cooking it over slow fire) is yet another popular cooking style adapted for world cuisine from Chinese cooking methods.

For help visit: www.breakfasts-recipes.com The stir-frying ensures the food items are cooked superficially but raw inside so nutrients are retained and once gravy is poured over it, the simmer-and-cook method works well to give a good taste with a zesty tang to the dish.

Slow cooking over low flame and boiling are other smart and healthy ways of preparing food that are borrowed from the various Chinese cooking methods many chefs follow. Boiling calls for large pots with hot water used to cook vegetables, rice or noodles and meat; it can also incorporate the use of sauces to lend a savory taste to the ingredients while they cook. Simmer-cooking involves cooking in water or sauce for a long time and low heat is required and since it does away with the need for oil, this is among the best dietary helpers agree experts as no extra calories get a chance to creep.

About the Author

Salman tagore is MBA holder, currently working in FMCG company as a manager. He likes to explore his extraordinary skills and talent. He is very keen to express his views in front of others.

(ArticlesBase SC #701279)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Chinese Cooking Methods are Usually Healthy Ways

More Spice, Anyone?

2010-03-01T15:14:00.000-08:00

AS YOU stir more turmeric into the vindaloo or grate ginger into the stir-fry, it's good to know these ingredients not only make food taste good but they also may be working inside your body to protect you from disease.

Spices and herbs make up one of the newer pieces in the complex jigsaw of nutrition science, says Professor Linda Tapsell, director of Wollongong University's Smart Foods Centre. But while scientists have a good grasp of how vitamins and minerals work and how much we need, they're only beginning to understand the role of the thousands of phytochemicals in plant foods.

"Some of these phytochemicals are thought to help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's by targeting two underlying problems these diseases have in common - one is oxidation that can damage cells or cause bad LDL cholesterol to oxidise and damage arteries, and the other is inflammation," Tapsell says.

What makes spices special, apart from their big flavours, is that they contain concentrated amounts of some of these chemicals, says Tapsell, whose review of research into the health effects of spices and herbs will appear in the journal Nutrition Today next month.

The spices currently attracting research interest include ginger for its anti-inflammatory properties, cinnamon for controlling blood sugar and, especially, turmeric, which contains curcumin, a phytochemical from a family of powerful antioxidants called phenolics. Animal and lab studies suggest curcumin may protect against cancers of the stomach, colon, prostate and skin, as well as Alzheimer's.

But one small study in humans by Johns Hopkins University in 2006 found that when doses of both curcumin and quercetin (a phenolic found in red onions) were given to five patients with inherited pre-cancerous polyps over six months, the number of polyps shrank by 60 per cent.

What's intriguing about curcumin is that we absorb it better when it's combined with piperine, a substance found in pepper - a combination cooks have used instinctively for thousands of years. Still, regular doses of turmeric are no guarantee against cancer, as Tapsell stresses. There is much to learn about the potential benefits of spices and herbs for human health, she says.

"It's one thing to get promising results in test tubes and with mice, but humans are more complex - because people are different not only in their genes but in how they live their lives, they can respond to these substances in different ways," she says.

She's cautious, too, about the weight loss benefits often attributed to eating chilli.

"Again, it's one part of the jigsaw puzzle - one of many things that can help weight loss, but in a small way. But you can't take one single element and pin your hopes of weight loss on it - at the end of the day it's the total diet and exercise that counts," she says.

But while we're a long way from knowing how much of the compounds in spices we need to protect our health, there's an argument for using them generously: it's an easy way to boost the variety of nutrients in your diet - and reduce the salt as well.

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday May 15, 2008

Paula Goodyer

Cooking with a Wok (101 on using one)

2010-02-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows the Wok is a very versatile kitchen utensil used for many dishes.

Cooking methods suited to the wok are:-

Stir-frying
Steaming
Braising
Deep-frying

Stir-frying is the most popular technique used in Asian Cooking.

The benefits are:

It’s a quick method of cooking as foods are cut into small pieces and seared over a high heat.
It’s healthy as only small amounts of fat are used to sear foods.
Lean cuts of meat are preferred with little fat - steak, chicken breast, pork fillets etc.
A higher proportion of vegetables to meat are used.
Vegetables retain their natural flavors, textures and colors with minimal nutrient loss.

The Method

Sear thinly sliced meats eg. Chicken, beef, lamb, pork or seafood in a small amount of oil, remove from wok.
Cut vegetables into even sized pieces and stir-fry in a small amount of oil. Suitable vegetables for stir-frying include:Onions, carrots, bell peppers, snow peas, asparagus, broccoli, baby corn, bok choy, choy sum, celery and cabbage.
Sauces are added to the wok once vegetables are cooked, the meat is returned to the wok, heat and serve.

Purchasing a Wok
The traditional style of wok made of iron or carbon steel are recommended. They are excellent conductors of heat, therefore respond very quickly to temperature changes. They are inexpensive but must be seasoned before use to prevent foods from sticking and to prevent them from rusting.Stainless Steel woks won’t rust and heat quickly, but won’t respond as well to temperature changes. Woks with a non-stick coating need to be treated carefully so as not to scratch or damage the surface.

A fun Friday evening....

2010-02-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

Japanese Sukiyaki
So we decided to try something new this week - something for all the family to try and enjoy together. Sukiyaki requires little cooking skill, so is ideal for younger diners -- all you need is fresh ingredients, a cast iron skillet or wok and a tabletop cooker.

Preparation method
Essential is thinly sliced beef. If you can't buy it thin sliced, place in the freezer, and while partially frozen, slice into thin slices using a sharp knife.

For vegetables, you need shallots (lots as they wilt to nothing) chopped into 1" lengths, Chinese cabbage, chopped into similar size, fresh shiitake mushrooms, trimmed of stems and also some firm tofu cut into cubes. Also essential is beef suet or, a big lump of beef fat. You can also add other mushrooms, like enoki, shimeji etc. and shirataki (noodles made from konnyaku root), white onion moons, and other greens like watercress or chrysanthemum leaves, bok choy, etc. and arrange on a big platter so everyone can throw into the pot whatever they desire.

For the sukiyaki sauce, mix 1 cup of soy sauce and 1 cup of mirin with 8 tablespoons of sugar and bring to boil to dissolve sugar. This is called Warishita. Also make up another sauce called Tamazake which is equal amounts of sake and water.

Heat the skillet and line with suet and cook the beef slices first, add little of the Warishita sauce and then veggies & tofu. If it becomes dry, add the Tamazake to prevent burning. When ready, everyone serves themselves.

Continue to add ingredients and sauce until sated. if there are some leftovers, keep for the next day and add rice or udon for a quick stir fry.

Seasoning a Carbon Steel Wok Video

2010-01-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

For those of you who prefer visual instructions, we came across this video on YouTube. In it you'll see how someone seasons a brand-new carbon steel wok.

Although this differs slightly from the written instructions we have on our site here

It's equally as effective - just be careful not to burn your fingers!!

Almond Tofu

2010-01-03T16:43:00.000-08:00

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1/2 cup almonds (raw, roasted, or toasted)
1 block extra firm/firm tofu (frozen, thawed, and cubed)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
sprinkle of onion powder and garlic powder
oil (I used safflower and sesame)
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped or grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 celery stalks, chopped
8 green onions, sliced
1/2 small head of cabbage, chopped
fava beans or snow peas
2 tablespoons cornstarch + 1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions:

Quickly toast/roast the almonds. Pour 1/4 cup soy sauce, the peanut butter, and the garlic and onion powder in a bowl. Toss cubed tofu in with this sauce and heat safflower/sunflower/olive/canola oil in a wok or large pan. Once oil is heated, add the tofu, and stirfry until golden, crispy, and cooked throughout.

Transfer the tofu to a bowl, and heat some more oil in the wok. Add the celery, cabbage, and beans/peas, and stirfry for about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and green onion, and stirfry for one more minute. (You may add any vegetables that you desire, at any point!)

Mix the cornstarch, water, and additional 1/4 cup soy sauce, and pour over veggies. Continue to cook and stir until the sauce is thickened to your liking. You may add more water or soy sauce. Once it is thick, toss in the almonds and tofu.

Serves: 4-6

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Homemade Sushi

2009-12-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

People love its salty taste, the gooiness of the rice and the fact that sushi is a much healthier alternative to other fried options. Sushi is also easy to make at home assuming you have the right equipment and fresh tasty ingredients.

Once you buy the essential sushi-rolling mat and special sushi rice, you’ll be set up for many more sushi meals. The sushi rice is readily available in most major supermarkets. There are few tips and tricks to keep in mind while preparing your homemade sushi.

What you’ll need:
• Sushi mat
• Sushi rice
• Seaweed
• Fillings: avocado, salmon, tuna etc

Hand roll (temaki): Start with a half sheet of nori (seaweed). Place some rice to one side of the nori, (about ½" thick) and whatever topping you want on top of the rice. Then roll up the nori from the side with the rice on it so it looks like an ice-cream cone with rice and the filling sticking out of the top. Serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

Basic sushi roll: Use a full sheet of nori on a sushi mat and place rice along the width of the nori about a quarter way down so that it covers a quarter of the sheet. Top with whatever topping you want such as avocado, salmon, tuna or egg. Fold the sushi mat over and make a cylinder-like roll.

These are just two types of sushi to get you started. Keep it simple and don’t pack too much rice into the roll. It’s also a good idea to keep your hand wet, so have a bowl of water close by that you can dip your fingers into when they get too sticky from the rice.

2009-11-29T18:22:00.000-08:00

A Favorite Recipe: Fresh Fish Sushi

Ingredients
1 cup short-grain rice
1 tablespoon fine sugar
5 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 oz fresh fish fillet (such as salmon, tuna, ocean trout or kingfish)
1 small Lebanese cucumber, peeled
1/2 avocado
4 nori sheets
Wasabi, to taste
Pickled ginger, to serve
Japanese soy, to serve

Preparation Method

Rinse rice under cold water and drain well. Place rice with 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Decrease heat to low and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand with lid on for a further 10 minutes.

Place rice in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and pour over rice. Stir to combine. Cover a flat tray with aluminum foil and spread rice on it to cool.The rice should be completely cool before using.

Choose from a variety of fillings. We used fresh salmon and tuna, cucumber and avocado. Prepare the fish and vegetables by slicing into batons about 2 inches long. Set aside. Meanwhile, combine remaining vinegar with 1 cup of cold water in a bowl.

Place 1 nori sheet, shiny-side down, on a bamboo mat (or non-stick baking paper). Make sure longest edge of nori is at top of mat. Dip hands in water mixture (to prevent rice from sticking) and spread a quarter of rice over bottom two-thirds of nori, leaving a small border around edge.

Spread a thin line of wasabi along the middle of the rice and arrange a little of the fish and vegetables alongside the wasabi. Gently lift the end of the mat closest to you, and roll it over the ingredients to enclose.

Continue rolling the mat forward to make a complete roll. With one hand on top, gently roll mat back and forth a few times to make a nice round shape. Use a sharp knife to slice the rolls about 1 inch thick.

Serve with pickled ginger, soy sauce and extra wasabi.

Japanese Knifes

2009-10-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

For someone looking to become a serious Japanese cook, he or she must own more than a simple Japanese sushi knife. There are many Japanese knives, from the very common to the very specific use. The Japanese cooking knife has its roots intertwined with the Samurai katana sword, both originating from Sakai, Osaka. During the late 1800’s the Samurai were banned from carrying swords around in public. With the demand gone, sword smiths simply shifted their craft to manufacturing cutlery. They employed the same skill to produce the same high quality blade, only instead of a tool used in war their new product was used to prepare food. Originally Japanese knives had only one “cutting side” with the thought that it cut cleaner. Over the past six decades much of the Japanese knife manufacturing has shifted to a more western style with two edges to their cutting blades. Along with the original carbon steel blade, Japanese knives are now also manufactured in stainless and ceramic.

The most popular Japanese knife is the deba bocho (cleaver used for fish). There is also the nakiri bocho (standard vegetable knife) and usuba bocho (high end professional vegetable knife) the santoku knife (all

purpose knife) and the tako hiki and yanagi ba (sashimi slicers). There are other less popular, more specific knives such as the Unagisaki hocho (eel knife) and the Hancho hocho (long knife used to fillet tuna).

Many Master Chefs own their own Japanese knives, which only they use. In some cases they will have two sets of knives. At the end of the day they will sharpen the set they used and let the knives sit for a day for fear of any metallic scent or taste being passed on to the food.

Knife sharpening is an art unto itself. With Japanese knives it is recommended to use a whet stone. There are three kinds employed; the Arato (rough stone used to repair chips, broken tips and repairing a blade angle), The Nakato (medium stone used for sharpening a blade and keeping shape) and Siageto (small rough stone used to finish the process). It is recommended you do not attempt to sharpen your own blades until you receive proper instruction. A full set of Japanese knives for beginners can start as low as $69.

Popular Asian Cuisines

2009-09-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

With cooking shows rivaling sports broadcasts celebrities like Emerald Lagasse and Rachael Ray are as popular now as Dale Jr. and Tiger Woods. What used to be boring, best nutrition for least effort, meals has been reinvigorated with creative dishes from many different cultures. Asian cuisine is at the forefront of this movement.

Years ago, when picking an Asian restaurant many people used a general term called Chinese, just like Italian or Greek. In recent years this general (American) term for all of Asian cuisine has finally diversified. We now have a myriad of choices in this once “Chinese” only category. There is Japanese sushi, Korean, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Thai recipes just to name a few. These options have also crept from restaurants into our homes.

The definition of Asian food has different meanings in different areas of the world. In different cultures it refers to specific areas of the continent of Asia. For argument’s sake we will use as broad a stroke as possible focusing on the three most popular styles.

The first is the Southwest style which includes countries such as Burma and Pakistan. This is influenced by Arabian civilization which uses flat bread, hot peppers, strong spices along with kebabs. There is rice used with much of the food, but also chapatti and beans.

The second major cooking style is the northeast, which includes Korea, China and Japan. This style uses oils and sauces in much of its cooking. Food in this culture blended with many of the medicines and religious meanings. This was probably the first culture that consciously used food to bridge the mind body relationship.

The third style is the southeast (Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia). This style employs stir frying and steaming. Spices in this style are more subtle that the southwest using juice and herbs such as mint and cilantro.

The most important tool in the southeast cooking is the wok. This was directly based on the poor economic situation of the culture. Because of this they needed to invent a pot which they could cook a myriad of foods in. The rounded bottom of the original wok allowed for a variety of temperatures and cooking capacity with this one pan. Today, the western version of this has evolved into a flat bottom pan for use with electric stove tops. It is a universal tool, which to this day can be easily mastered to cook a variety of dishes.

How to Season your Wok

2009-07-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

The most famous piece of Chinese cookware is the wok. The shapes, depths and handles vary according to how many people you cook for. There are electric woks, cast iron woks, stainless woks and carbon steel woks. While material can vary, the inexpensive carbon steel (or spun steel) is considered the best material for a wok as it has pores that open when heated which absorb oil and become sealed. The thinner the metal the better as it will respond to heat changes immediately. The most important step in the care of your (carbon steel or iron) wok is to season it properly prior to cooking. This is similar to seasoning a stir fry pan or iron skillet. This helps seal the cooking surface, improve the flavoring of your food and prevent rust.

Before you start seasoning your wok, open all your windows and turn on your hood vent. The next step is to wash the wok in hot water with detergent and a steel wool sponge or pad. Rinse the wok and dry it. Place the wok on high heat until the metal turns a blue-yellow color. Remove from stove and lower heat to medium. Next add 1 ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil (you can also use corn or peanut oil) into the wok. Use some sort of heat resistant material, brush or tongs and a paper towel to apply the oil. Heat the wok on low to medium for tilting the wok constantly to redistribute the oil over the entire inside of the pan. You will see smoke rise up from the pan at this point. After about 10-15 minutes turn off the heat and clean off the residual oil with a paper towel. There will be a dark residue on the towel. Repeat oil application until no dark residue remains on the towel. This process should be repeated 3-4 times. After several coats of oil have been ‘burned in’, the wok will begin to turn dark, but may be spotty or uneven. A completely dark wok comes only after multiple uses in the kitchen as the seasoning builds up. When the wok has developed enough of an oily surface that does not look dry when heated up, you may begin to start your wok cooking.

When cleaning the wok, you should never use soap or any abrasive scrubbing, which will dislodge the seasoning layer, especially in the early stages in the life of the wok. After use, rinse the wok with hot water and, if there are any pieces of food sticking, scrub with a paper towel to remove. A well seasoned wok will need very little oil to cook. The average time to season a wok is about 45 minutes. If treated well the wok should give you a lifetime of wok cuisine enjoyment.

Notes:

Don’t keep any flammable materials near the stove
Be careful when shopping for woks. Many come covered with a coating of machine oil to keep the metal from rusting, so be careful when handling not to get the oil on your hands, arms and clothing.
Make sure you have proper ventilation prior to seasoning.
Flat bottomed woks are better for electric ranges, while round bottomed woks can damage this type of stove by reflecting heat back at the element.

Article written by John Theo Jr. (June 2009)

Getting ready to get started

2009-06-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

My partner and I have decided to have a go at creating a website dedicated to asian cooking. In particular cooking fabulous, delicious, healthy and wholesome dishes in a wok - the "one-pot wonder" at the heart of many great dishes.

The new site is going to be called woksfordinner.com and it will be launched sometime over the summer of 2009. We are currently busy writing what we hope will be interesting articles and looking for great recipes to share with our new online friends. We might even throw a few products up there for sale assuming they work well and pass our own rigorous testing.

Hopefully the site will be an interesting read and place to meet like-minded folks trying to feed their family fresh, inexpensive meals.

Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks. Here's the link - http://www.woksfordinner.com

Best

- Lucille