Beef Strips with Hot Chile

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The beef in this dish is coated with egg white, and should be stir fried very quickly so it will remain tender. Eating the red chile pod pieces is not recommended.

Ingredients

Beef Strips with Hot Chile

 

1 pound fajita-style beef strips
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 egg, separated, reserving the white
1/2 cup dried red chile pods, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a bowl, mix the beef with the salt and egg white until coated.

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet and add the beef, stir frying until the pieces no longer stick together. Add the chile, ginger, and scallions and fry until the meat is cooked through. Add the sugar and soy sauce and turn until the meat is coated. Spoon out the mixture and put it into a serving bowl. Serve over cooked white rice.

Sweet, Sour, and Spicy Fish Sauce

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This sweet and sour fish sauce dip is made spicy with chopped chilies and garlic, while fresh-squeezed lime or lemon gives it a sour edge. Called nuoc cham or nuoc mam cham in Vietnamese, it is the ubiquitous condiment of the Vietnamese table. Drizzle it over grilled meat set atop thin rice noodles tossed with shredded vegetables for refreshing fare, perfect for summer.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced or minced
1 to 2 fresh red Thai chilies, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced or minced

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the fish sauce and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the lime or lemon juice and add the garlic and chilies. Let steep for 20 minutes or so before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Asian-Style Kirby Pickles

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I don’t know about you, but I like to nibble on sweet, salty, and tangy vegetable pickles with my meals. They help digest food and provide balance during the meal, especially when you are eating starchy foods like noodles. They also whet the appetite, which is probably why they are served the minute you sit down in many Asian restaurants. I call for kirby, Persian, or Japanese cucumbers, all of which are slender when compared to regular cucumbers. Kirby and Persian pickles are 4 to 5 inches long, while Japanese cucumbers are a couple of inches longer. The pickling liquid here is traditionally used for pickling sliced cucumber, carrots, and daikon, so feel free to try these vegetables as well. The amount of pickling liquid may look inadequate, but there will be enough because the cucumbers give up some of their natural water while sitting in the brine.

Ingredients

12 kirby, Persian, or Japanese cucumbers, quartered lengthwise (see Note)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons sugar
1 cup rice vinegar
1 to 2 red Thai chilies, stemmed, seeded, and halved or coarsely chopped (optional)

Asian Pickles

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers with the salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain, wipe, and transfer them to a large resealable plastic bag.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and rice vinegar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into the large plastic bag containing the cucumbers, and add the chiles (if using). Seal the bag, squeezing any air out. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours. The longer the vegetables macerate, the more pickled they will taste.

Note: If you like a milder flavor, pickle these small cucumbers whole.

Owensboro-style BBQ Lamb Shoulder

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This is my take on the pulled mutton served at the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn. It’s not their recipe but the final outcome is pretty close to their great mutton buffet offerings.

Ingredients

1 (5-pound) lamb or mutton shoulder roast

For the rub:

2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

1 tablespoon crushed rosemary

For the basting sauce:

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 cup beer

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

2 tablespoons rub mixture

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Instructions

Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the basting sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Use this to mop the roast every hour during cooking and as a dipping sauce at the table.

Prepare a smoker or grill for indirect 225 degrees F. cooking using hickory and cherry wood.

Generously season the roast with the rub and place the roast, fat side up, on the cooking grate. Cover and cook for one hour. Baste with the warm mop and continue cooking, basting every hour and replenishing the coals as needed, for another 8 to 9 hours or until the roast has an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Remove the roast from the grill and allow it to cool until it can be shredded.

Serve with remaining dipping sauce. Accompany the lamb with potato salad, baked beans and cornbread.

Sesame Chicken Yakatori with Wasabi Ginger Glaze

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Yakatori got its name from the Japanese words “yaki” for grilled and “tori” for poultry or chicken and refers to small pieces of marinated, grilled chicken. But, since we’ve already taken some liberties with traditional recipes in making this version, you can also make them with pork. Yakatoris are probably the most popular snack food in Japan and  make a great appetizer hot off the grill. The glaze can be prepared 3 to 4  hours in advance, be refrigerated, and then warmed to room temperature before using.   

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 green onions, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
15 bamboo skewers

Glaze:
1 cup rice wine or dry sherry
2/3 cup mirin (sweet sake, available in Asian markets)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons minced green onion, including some of the greens
1 tablespoon Asian chile oil (available in Asian markets)
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Togarishi Seasoning, commercial or see recipe, below
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

Cut the chicken into either 1-inch cubes or cut crosswise into pieces 2-inches long and  1/2-inch thick and wide. Thread the chicken strips crosswise in a S-shape on the skewers alternating with the onion.
Combine all the glaze ingredients in a saucepan and over a medium high heat and bring to just boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by half and forms a glaze, about 5 minutes.

Grill the yakatori over a medium heat for 2 minutes per side or until slightly browned. Brush liberally with the glaze and continue cooking for a couple more minutes per side until the chicken is done.
Brush the yakatoris a final time with the glaze, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve.