Category: Asian

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound pork spare ribs, cut up
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 2 tsp water

Black bean Marinade

• 1 tbsp black bean sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
• 3 glove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• A pinch white pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Marinate spare ribs (see above) in a bowl for 30 minutes. Then add 2 tbsp of oil. Then add 1 tbsp of cornstarch and mix well. Finally, add 1-2 tsp of water and mix well.
2. Add 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker. Place steam rack into IP. Put the bowl of spare ribs on the rack. Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes. Then, natural release.
3. Garnish with green onions if you wish, then serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. of bone-in beef shank (or 1 lb. bone-in beef shank, + .5 to 1 lb. beef tendon)
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 3 slices of ginger
• 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 2 scallions (cut into 2-inch segments)
• 3 dried chilies

For sauce:

• 2 teaspoons Doubanjiang (spicy bean paste)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine

Broth:

• 6 cups water (to make soup broth)
• Spice bag (or tea bag) with below:
• 3 star anise (small)
• 1/4 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorn
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves

Final Assembly

• Wheat noodles
• Bok choy (or spinach)
• Pickled daikon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make sauce of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, spicy bean paste, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
2. Cut the beef shank into one inch cubes.
3. Boil water in a pot. After boiling, add the beef and 1 tsp of Shaoxing wine. Let it come back to boil and boil 1-2 minutes. Strain in a colander and rinse thoroughly in fresh water.
4. In Instant Pot, turn on the sauté setting. Add the oil, sliced ginger, sliced garlic, scallions, and chilies. Stir until flavors release.
5. Add the meat to the pot.
6. Add the sauce (step 1). Stir fry for a few minutes.
7. Pour in 6 cups of water (or about half the pot, covering the ingredients)
8. Put star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon stick, and 2 bay leaves in a spice pouch. Put spice pouch into pot.
9. Close the lid of the pot. Cook 42 minutes in the meat stew setting. Natural release for 25 minutes.
10. If using Le Creuset Dutch oven instead of Instant Pot for a firmer, but still tender, texture, simmer for 2 to 2.5 hrs (#2 on my electric stove).
11. Boil the noodles, and in the last couple of minutes, add the bok choy and blanch until tender.
12. Placed noodles in a bowl, add beef & broth, add veggies, and pickled veggies.
13. This recipe should make three servings (meals) for two people.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb gobo (burdock root)
• 1/4 lb carrot
• 1 Tbsp oil (for stir frying)
• 2 tsp roasted sesame oil (for taste)
• 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

SEASONING

• 3/4 cup dashi
• 2 TBsp sake
• 1 TBsp sugar
• 1 TBsp mirin
• 1 TBsp soy sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel gobo’s skin with peeler or scraper (back of kitchen knife). Diagonal cut into 2 inch length. Collect slices and cut into thin matchbox strips.
2. Soak the gobo in water (optionally add one drop of vinegar). Change water a couple of times until the water becomes clean. Leave the gobo in water until ready to stir fry.
3. Cut carrots into matchbox strips.
4. In a fry pan, heat oil to medium high and stir fry the gobo first. After a few minutes, add the carrots.
5. Add the seasonings, and cook until most liquid evaporates.
6. Add sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 210 ml water
• 2 stalks of green onion
• Pinch of five spice powder
• Pinch of salt
• Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. In mixing bowl, stir water into flour, and keep stirring with an egg whisk. Make sure water and flour are completely combined. Set aside for a few minutes.
2. Finely chop green onions and throw into mixing bowl with flour/water. Add pinch of salt and five spice seasoning. Stir until everything is combined.
3. Heat up cooking oil. Pour mixture into a pan. Pan fry over medium heat for 2-4 minutes, until one side turns golden brown. Turn over, and pan fry the other side about 2 minutes. Then turn heat up to high, and fry each side 1 minute for a darker color.
4. Transfer out and absorb extra oil with a paper towel.
5. Cut into wedges to serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 10 oz Chinese long eggplant chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2.5 tablespoon oil
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 tsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

1. (Optional salting step). Place eggplant in large bowl and add water to cover. Add 1 tsp salt. Mix well. Place a pot lid on top to keep the eggplant under water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well.
3. Sprinkle eggplant with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and mix by hand, until eggplant is evenly coated with thin layer of cornstarch.
4. Add two tablespoon oil to nonstick skillet and heat over medium high heat. Spread eggplant across the bottom of the skillet without overlapping. Cook the eggplant one side at a time until all the surfaces are charred and the eggplant turns soft, 8 to 10 minutes in total. Sprinkle water as needed to speed cooking.Transplant the eggplants to a plate. If the skillet starts to smoke, turn to medium heat.
5. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp oil, the ginger and garlic into the same skillet. Stir a few times until fragrant. Add the eggplant back into the skillet. Mix the sauce until the cornstarch is fully dissolved and pour it over the eggplant. Add water to soften eggplant. Immediately stir a few times, until the eggplant is evenly coated and the sauce thickens. Transfer everything to a big plate.
6. Serve hot as a side or as a main course over steamed rice or noodles.

Kale makes a nice soup. The taste and texture is very nice and satisfying in a soup. A good source of nitric oxide and other nutrients.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch of kale (Lakota is pictured)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 cups chick broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp of laver (seaweed)
• 1/2 tofu, cubed
• Mung bean vermicelli noodles (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash the kale
2. Pick off pieces of leaves from the stem
3. Heat cooking oil in bottom of soup pot
4. Stir in minced garlic for a minute, until flavor releases
5. Stir fry kale until it starts to wilt
6. Add chicken broth, and water; and bring to boil
7. Add seaweed for flavor
8. Let simmer for 20 minutes
9. Add tofu and vermicelli noodles (optional)
10. Simmer for 2-3 more minutes
11. Add salt and pepper to taste
12. Add sesame oil to taste (optional)

Taiwan or Chinese cauliflower can be found in Asian markets. It is sweeter and crisper than western cauliflower. It is delightful stir fried.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 head of cauliflower
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2-3 tbsp chopped Chinese bacon (optional)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup chicken broth (optional)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse cauliflower
2. Cut cauliflower into small pieces
3. Mix soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and oyster sauce in a bowl
4. Heat cooking oil in wok
5. Add minced garlic, and (optionally) minced Chinese bacon
6. Add the cauliflower, and saute
7. Add chicken broth or water to raise temperature
8. Stir fry in the soy sauce mixture
9. Done in 2-3 minutes
10. Add salt and pepper, or sesame oil, to taste

INGREDIENTS

1 bitter melon about 8 inches in length
2 eggs
2 Tbs. oil
.5 tsp mushroom powder
1 Tbs light soy sauce
.5 tsp sesame seed oil

DIRECTIONS

Cut the bitter melon in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and slice each half crosswise in thin pieces. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a dash of mushroom powder.

Heat a wok. Swirl in the oil and let heat 10 to 15 seconds. Add the bitter melon and sauté in the oil for 1-2 minutes, or until the melon starts to soften. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and continue to sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the melon pieces thinly over the wok surface. Pour the beaten eggs evenly over the melon pieces. Let eggs set about half a minute, then flip the mixture over to cook the other side. Cook until eggs are set and lightly browned. Sprinkle with a little sesame seed oil.

Serves 4-6 with other dishes and rice family-style.

Note: Bitter melons are less bitter when they have fully ripened. A ripe melon will be light green in color with tinges of yellow or light orange on the outside. Inside, the spongy covering of the seeds would have turned from their light greenish white to a bright red. A less mature deeper green melon can be very bitter, but for people who have acquired a taste for the bitter flavor, it is a delicious bitterness. Bitter vegetables are known in the Orient to be very nutritious and medicinal and bitter melon perhaps leads the bunch for its medicinal properties. Riper bitter melon is softer and cooks faster.

Source: