Darn!
I would've photographed the meal I made last night, but I was distracted by all of the fun. It was so... Pretty. In an "I love food so much I gotta eat it all right now kinda way", of course. Early in the day I got it stuck in my head that some sort of Asian inspired meal sounded delicious (you know how that goes). Since we are limiting our current diet to fresh foods, I anxiously pondered how I was going to pull off this style of cooking with what little supply wiggle we have to work with. In an attempt to come up with tasty goodness using all of my recent foodie finds, I somehow managed to actually create a flavorful, satisfying couple of dishes. When I'm out shopping, I try to think of the tastes I enjoy in foods and how to incorporate those flavors-- sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. This time, the result was a salty, fiery mix of Chinese/Japanese/Hawaiian influenced foods that both the hubbs and I devoured. Literally. So good, if only I had remembered a bottle of sake or a couple of Tsingtao's to round out the meal. Check it out, all 3 recipes are quick and easy (for you gun-shy wannabe cooks out there), so give them a try and enjoy. I especially love the tuna poke, so simple and yummy, I could eat it everyday.
*Seaweed Salad*
3/4 ounce dried wakame seaweed
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. finely grated ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Soak seaweed in warm water for 5 minutes and then remove, pat dry. If seaweed is not already cut, slice into 1/2 inch wide strips. In separate bowl, mix together all other ingredients except sesame seeds until thoroughly blended. Add seaweed to liquid mixture and toss. Serve with toasted sesame seeds on top.
*Ahi Tuna Poke* (pronounce po-KAY)
2 lbs. fresh ahi tuna, sushi grade of course, cubed or sliced thinly
1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper
Basically combine all of the above ingredients in a large glass bowl, mix well and let chill 2 hours before serving. I used small rice bowls, appetizer size, with a dab of wasabe for kick for serving.
*Sticky Honey Crusted Chicken* (serve over fresh chow mein noodles)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into large bite size chunks
8 oz. dark, raw all natural honey (we used the Napa blend from www.bayareabeecompany.com)
2 tbsp. sriracha hot chili sauce, Rooster sauce as most people know it.
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Clean and chop your chicken breasts, place pieces into large bowl. Add above remainder of ingredients to chicken pieces, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Pour panko crumbs into large ziplock bag and set aside. Remove chicken pieces and place into panko bag gently. Once all are in, zip bag and shake (yes, just like Shake-n-Bake). Use about a tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet on high, place panko chicken in oil and cover for about 15 minutes, stirring only twice. Chicken should be good and done by then, have your chow mein noodles ready to top off with some zesty, crispy chicken bits. Yum!
Whew, that was a lot of instruction... Now it's time for me to start prepping dinner for tonight. We're having herb roasted pork loin with a sauce along the lines of a darker, deeper hollandaise, red potatoes mashed with Fromage Blanc from www.orlandfarmstead.com, and some fresh greens, spinach I believe, wilted with a clove of garlic. I'll make sure to take pictures this time around :)
Enjoy the day,
B
P.S. If you are having trouble finding any of the above ingredients, check out your local Asian Market!
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