Vietnamese Chicken Wings

I love chicken wings. And I love Asian food. So of course, the two work together quite well.

I suspect that this recipe is not standard, but rather one of dozens that fit the definition. Like so many foods, often the recipe is a family one, and varies accordingly.

However, this was perfect in my book. Spicy, a bit hot, but not overwhelming.

Perfect snack food.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2lbs wings, (about 12-14), cut up if you prefer or left whole.
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c lime juice (about 2 whole limes)
• 1/4 c fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp canola oil (or other)
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, diced, or 1 tbsp minced.
• 1-2 habeneros or birds-eye chile

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix all the ingredients together and place wings in it. Marinate for several hours, preferably overnight.
2. Place wings on a grill and cook slowly.
3. Take the marinade and pour into a saucepan and simmer for ten minutes.
4. Use the marinade as a periodic baste as you grill the wings until they are very crispy and well charred.
5. Serve.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: Getting the wings nicely charred is the goal here.

SOURCE: Recipe Tin Eats

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Crab Rangoon Dip

This is some good stuff! It’s crab Rangoon without all the fuss. No wrappers to individually fill, yet the same great taste.

So make up a batch and enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 12 ounces lump crab meat
• 1 cup shredded Black Creek Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place won ton wrappers onto a baking sheet; coat with nonstick spray. Place into oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 5-6 minutes; let cool and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9-inch baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
4. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in crab meat, 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, Parmesan, green onions, Worcestershire, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Spread crab mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese.
6. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and golden, about 20-25 minutes.
7. Serve immediately with won ton wrappers that you have deep-fried until crisp or other crackers.

SERVES: 10

NOTES: You can make this up ahead and then cover and refrigerate for later heating. Just add a bit more time.

SOURCE: Damn Delicious

More Eggrolls!

To me it’s not a proper Asian meal with egg rolls. I adore them, and in all their machinations.

This turned out to be a great little recipe.

Made with pork, my favorite, they turned out wonderfully and freeze up nicely for many more meals.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice (optional)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2½ cups packaged fresh coleslaw (or 2½ cups finely chopped cabbage & shredded carrots)
• 12 (6 inch square) egg roll wrappers
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 quart canola oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Over medium heat, cook pork, ginger, garlic, onion powder and chinese 5 spice (if using) until no pink remains. Set aside.
2. Preheat oil to 375 degrees F.
3. Combine flour and water in a small bowl.
4. Lay out one egg roll wrapper with a corner pointed toward you. Place 2 tablespoons of the meat and 2 tablespoons of the coleslaw mixture in the center. Use your finger to spread a little bit of the flour mixture along the edge.
5. Fold two of the corners together to make a triangle, fold the sides in and then roll tightly. (Seal the edges with the flour mixture).
6. Drop carefully into the oil and fry until a golden brown. Remove and drain.
7. Serve with any sauce you prefer.

SERVES: 12

NOTES: I prefer to use fresh cabbage and carrots but I would press them with paper towels to absorb any juices. Don’t over fill the wrappers which are quite delicate and will tear if you do. Place extras in a freezer bag and place in freezer to reheat at about 400° for about 15 minutes or so. Watch carefully because they will break open if heated too much. I think it works okay to defrost and then just heat slowly in like a 300° as well.

SOURCE: Spend with Pennies

Fried Sesame Pork Dumplings

Oh these are so good. They have to be, because I literally hate messing with cooking that involves a lot of finesse. I’m a cake person, not a cupcake person. Too much fuss. Too much work.

So it has to be really good to get me to go to all this bother.

Actually it’s not so bad, and it’s so worth it. It makes plenty and you can freeze the rest.

Perfect as an accompaniment or as a partner in an appetizer array.

There are several ways of cooking, but I’ve picked the one that works best for me.

 

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ pound ground pork
• 2 teaspoons garlic, finely minced
• 2 green onions, green part only, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce/paste
• 1 teaspoons sesame oil
• 20-25(ish) round wonton wrappers
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• a small dish of water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place all the ingredients through the sesame oil into a bowl and mix gently with your hands. It will be sticky and gooey but don’t over mix. Just even out the ingredients so they are equally dispersed.
2. Take a wonton wrapper and place a scant tsp full of the meat mixture just off-center.
3. Mix the cornstarch in the water.
4. With your finger, dip in the water and trace around the bottom 2/3 of the wonton edge.
5. Fold over carefully and press firmly to seal. (it’s helpful if you stick to the scant tsp so they aren’t over-filled)
6. Place on a parchment until all are done, or at least enough for one batch to cook.
7. Using a chinese bamboo steamer, wet the interior of the basket, and then single layer the wontons around. It’s better if they don’t touch or at least just barely.
8. Place over simmering water and cover. Steam for about 3 minutes or until the wontons seem firm.
9. Remove to a plate.
10. Heat a bit of oil in a saute pan until hot. Add again, in a single layer, and fry gently just until the bottoms are browned. You can turn over and do the top, but this is not necessary. Make sure that there is sufficient oil in the pain so that the wontons are oiled on the bottom, otherwise they will stick and tear apart when you remove. Brown gently.

SERVES: 20-25 wontons

NOTES: You can also drop them in boiling water and boil for about 3 minutes as well. Use a nice dipping sauce, such as Sesame Seed Sauce. Make sure they are dry if you wish to freeze them, and the best way would be to lay them out on a parchment sheet on a cookie sheet, and freeze and then bag them.

SOURCE: Recipe ingredients from Or Whatever You Do, method is mine.

Sesame Seed Sauce

This is a great little basic sauce to be used in just about any Asian dish that benefits from a dipping. It’s quick to put together and of course lasts well in refrigerator where you can use it for multiple dishes.

Perfect for egg rolls, pot stickers and wontons of all sorts.

Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add the olive oil to a small sauce pan and heat.
2. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients but the sesame seeds and bring to a soft boil for at least three minutes.
4. The longer you simmer the thicker  it will be.
5. Pour into a serving dish and add the sesame seeds.

SERVES: About 1/2 cup

NOTES: Will keep for a week or two in the fridge.

SOURCE: Spend with Pennies

Asian Broccoli Salad

If you want your vitamins and want a tasty salad to boot, this is a great one.

A peanut sauce flavors this wonderful broccoli and edamame creation.

Easy to put together, and it holds up well as a left-over.

Great with grilled food or other summer fair. Also nice as a light lunch by itself.

Do try.

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

• • 1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 cup shelled cooked edamame
  • 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup peanuts
  • sesame seeds, for garnish
  • 1/4 cup  peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons hot water, as needed to thin the sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut up your broccoli into small flowerets–bite-size.
2. Place in a steamer if possible and steam until fork tender
3. Cool in a serving bowl.
4. Starting with the peanut butter, whisk the balance of the ingredients, thinning as needed to get the consistency you wish.
5. Add the edamame, onions and sesame seeds.
6. Pour the dressing over and mix well.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: You could substitute other vegetables such as green beans, or peas for the edamame if you wish. Or if you don’t like peanut sauce, you could make a generalized Asian dressing just by eliminating the peanut butter.

SOURCE: Gimme Some Oven

Asian Pot Luck Salad

This salad, or a similar version can be found almost anywhere on the Internet.

It is nicely crunchy and has lots of interesting flavors that make it a great pot luck dish, or in a smaller version perfect for a grilling day.

Feel free to omit any of the extras if they aren’t to your liking.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (16-ounce) bag coleslaw mix or about 3 cups of chopped cabbage with some slivered carrots and red slaw. Also feel free to add in some broccoli slaw as well. Half and half works well.
• 1 (3-ounce) packages of ramen noodles, crumbled (you will not use the seasoning packet)
• 1 cup shelled edamame (you could substitute any bean you like including garbanzos or peas)
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned (or diced) (other fruit is also acceptable such as dried cranberries, or peaches or omit
• 1/2 cup thinly-sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions (scallions)
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (or any cooking oil)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
• pinch of salt and black pepper
• a dish of dry unsalted peanuts

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Crush and spread the ramen noodles on a cookie sheet and add the sliced almonds. Put in a 400º oven just until they start to brown, mix a bit, and leave a couple of minutes more. Remove and cool and place in a separate container.
2. Place all the rest of the veggies into a large bowl.
3. Mix the oil on down together in a separate bowl until emulsified.
4. Dress the vegetables with the vinaigrette.
5. Serve with the ramen noodles on the side along with the peanuts.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: I don’t recommend placing the ramen noodles in the salad unless you are fairly sure it will be eaten that day to keep the crunchiness intact. Others of course may want the ramen noodles softened up. I prefer to add them as a topping.

SOURCE: Adapted from a general recipe found everywhere.