Spicy Sambal Long Beans with Roasted Peanuts

This recipe is quick and an easy side vegetable for many Asian themed meals. Long beans are also known as “Chinese Long Beans” and “Yard Long Beans”. They can grow up to 3 feet long, but you'll see them sold at most Asian stores between 12 and 18 inches in length. If you live in the Bay Area, you'll even find them at Safeway, Luckys or even at the Farmer's Market. They usually sell them in 1 lb bundles. Long beans taste a lot like green beans but they are flexible and thinner and LONGER! Cook them very quickly because when they are over cooked they can get mushy. I like mine with a little crunchiness!

Ingredients: (4 servings)

2 lbs long beans (trim both ends and cut in half)

3 Tbsp canola oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
1 onion sliced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp fermented black bean paste
6 Tbsp water
2 tsp sambal chili sauce
2 Tbsp roasted peanutes
juice from 1 large lemon

Heat a wok or large skillet, and add the oil. Toss in the garlic, onion and ginger. Quickly stir fry for about 1 minute.

Add the beans to the pan and stir-fry them for 1 minute.

Add the black bean paste, sambal chili sauce and the water and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir, cover and cook for 1 minute.

Add the peanuts and the lemon juice and stir. Serve immediately with steamed rice and your favorite meat or fish dish or just eat as it is with a cold beverage!

Garlic Sauteed Chinese Mustard Greens

Yay! Summer is here and that means more variety of vegetables and fruits will be in the market. I stopped by the farmers market today in Oakland and I bought several types of Asian vegetables. It's going to be veggie galore in my kitchen for a few days! Here is one dish I've been craving to make all day.

Ingredients: (1 serving)

1/2 lb of young Chinese mustard greens

4 cloves of garlic (minced)

6 dried red Thai chili pepper

3 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 teaspoon of rice vinegar

1 tablespoon of low salt soy sauce

Heat a wok or large frying pan in high heat  and add oil. Add the garlic and stir until its aromatic and lightly brown. Add the chili pepper and stir for 1 minute then toss in the mustard greens, the rice vinegar and the soy sauce and saute for 2 minutes or until they are tender. Serve immediately with rice and your favorite meat.

Tandoori Flatbread Japanese Mushroom Pizza

I'm not a pizza lover but if the crust is thin enough and crunchy, then I will eat it. Lately, I've been seeing flat bread pizza being served at restaurants as an appetizer.  Flat breads when baked can become crunchy so now, when I crave for pizza, I always look for a place with flat breads! I recently came across a recipe that sounded simple enough and I knew that I will try to make it my own. The outcome is one very healthy yummy pizza!!

Ingredients:

3 Tandoori Flat Bread (Indian Naan)

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 large white onion

3 tablespoon pesto sauce

1 cup feta cheese

150g brown Beech mushrooms

150g white Beech mushrooms

3 tablespoon of mint chutney

Preparation: 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat, when hot, add the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and the onions, and saute until slightly soft, about 2 minutes.

On the flatbread, spread the basil pesto, avoiding the outer one inch edge.

Top the flat bread with the feta cheese

Add the mushroom and onion mixture

Set the oven for 400 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted and the flatbread is toasted. Sprinkle with the mint chutney. Serve hot!

Chicken Tikka Masala

I finally had a chance to visit one of the biggest Indian grocery story in the Bay Area - Bharat Bazaar in Fremont. It's about a mile from my house. I've heard that it's really big and they were right! I spent about 1 1/2 hour slowly walking through the aisles to make sure I don't miss an item to check out. I came out with more spices and some raw rotis, chapatis and naans and some Indian snacks. This week, I decided to try and cook more Indian dishes so I did my research on a few recipes I've been eyeing on. The first one is Chicken Tikka Masala. I borrowed the recipe from another blogger who adapted it from Cook's Illustrated Magazine September/2007 Issue. I did make a few substitution because I didn't have some of the ingredients.

For the chicken tikka:
1/2        tsp ground cumin (I USED 2 TEASPOON WHOLE SEED CUMIN)
1/2        tsp ground coriander
1/4        tsp cayenne pepper (I USED POWDERED RED CHILI PEPPER)
1           tsp salt
2           lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat*
1           cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2           Tbsp vegetable oil
2           medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2tsp)
1           Tbsp grated fresh ginger

For the masala sauce:
3           Tbsp vegetable oil
1           medium onion, diced fine (about 1 1/4cup)
2           medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)
2           tsp grated fresh ginger
1           fresh serrano chili, ribs and seeds removed if you cannot take the heat
             (I OMITTED THIS INGREDIENT)
1           Tbsp tomato paste
1           Tbsp garam masala (I USED 2 TBSP TO ACCOMMMODATE THE SERRANO CHILI I DIDN’T HAVE)
1           can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (I USED 2 BIG ROMA TOMATOES AND MINCED THEM)
2           tsp sugar
1/2        tsp salt
2/3        cup heavy cream (I USED REGULAR MILK)
1/4        cup cilantro leaves, chopped (I OMITTED THIS)

Directions: 

Cut up the chicken in cubes. Mix cumin, coriander, cayenne yogurt, oil, garlic, ginger and salt in a small bowl. Marinate the chicken with the mixture and refrigerate for 30 to 60 mins or longer. 

Make the sauce:  Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, stir occasionally and cook until light golden, 6 to 8 mins.

Add garlic, ginger,  and garam masala to the mixture, stir frequently, until fragrant for about 3 mins.

Add chile tomato paste minced tomatoes, sugar and salt, bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15mins, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.  

Broil the chicken:  While sauce simmers, adjust over rack to upper middle position (about 6" from heating element) and heat broiler.  Put a foil baking sheet in a deep pan.  Spread chicken in the pan. Broil chicken for 10 to 15mins. Flip chicken half way through cooking time.  Chicken is done when it reaches about 160F and is slightly charred. 

Let chicken rest for 5 mins and then stir into warm sauce. Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve with basmati rice or naan/roti.