Tag: Asian

Korean-Style Seafood and Green Onion Pancakes

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These are not the most beautiful seafood and green onion pancakes, but they are the most versatile. Adapted from a J. Kenji Lopez-Alt recipe, these savory pancakes can be made with nearly any combination of seafood, including canned tuna or salmon, making it easy for a quick weeknight dinner. Serve them warm or serve them room temperature, but be sure to serve them with the tasty dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

For the dipping sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice or black vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 green onion, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

For the pancakes:

  • 8 ounces mixed seafood (I recommend canned tuna, oysters, mussels, or surimi)
  • 6 green onions, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) flour
  • 1 ounce cornstarch or potato starch
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) cold water
  • 1 egg
  • Avocado oil, for pan-frying
  1. Make the dipping sauce: combine all the ingredients and stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
  2. Make the pancakes: combine the seafood, green onions, flour, cornstarch, sugar, water and egg in a large mixing bowl. Stir rapidly with a spoon just until no dry flour remains (do not over mix). The batter should be thin enough to flow when you tilt the bowl.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the bottom of a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add just enough batter that you can spread it into a thin pancake with the back of a spoon (you should be able to make 2 10-inch pancakes or several smaller pancakes). Let the pancake cook without moving until the bottom of the pancake is set, about 2 minutes.
  4. Continue to cook, swirling the pancake around to encourage even browning until the first side is browned, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the pancake. Continue cooking until the second side is also browned, about 4 minutes longer.
  5. Slide the pancake out onto a cutting board. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for remaining batter. Cut into wedges with a knife or pizza slicer and serve with the dipping sauce.

Nasi Lemak (the Easy Version)

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Nasi lemak is a Malaysian breakfast staple but I love it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I already have a knockout nasi lemak recipe but it’s time-consuming, and sometimes I want a shortcut without sacrificing flavor. This version saves you the trouble from making your sambal ikan bilis base from scratch, and you can make many of the components ahead of time, too.

Ingredients:

For the coconut rice:

  • 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt

For the sambal ikan bilis:

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup dried anchovies
  • 1/2 cup sliced shallot
  • 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons lime juice
  • Salt

To serve:

  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
  • 2 cucumbers, sliced on an angle
  • Dry-roasted peanuts
  1. Make the coconut rice: combine the rice, water, coconut milk, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt in a rice cooker and cook according to rice cooker instructions. Let stand 10 minutes, then fluff the rice and keep warm.
  2. Make the sambal ikan bilis: heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and let them sizzle in the oil, stirring until they are golden and crisp, about 3 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary so the fish does not burn. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon. Add the shallot to the pan, return the heat to medium, and cook the shallot in the oil until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
  3. Return the anchovies to the pan and stir in the chili garlic sauce. Stir in the sugar and lime juice. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Season with salt if needed.
  4. Assemble the dish: pack a small bowl with coconut rice and invert onto a plate. Garnish with quartered eggs, a scoop of sambal ikan bilis, cucumber slices, and peanuts.

Chicken with Basil and Fish Sauce

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I finally got J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s tome The Wok a few months ago and honestly? It’s one of the best cookbooks I’ve ever cooked from. All hits, no misses. The first dish I cooked out of the book was this Thai-style chicken stir-fry, with an Iranian twist. Lopez-Alt calls for Thai basil this recipe, but I was gifted a bumper crop of Persian basil and used that instead. Both basils posses a strong anise and licorice-like flavor so the substitution worked perfectly. Serve this with jasmine (or basmati!) rice and think of it as a delicious Thai-ish Iranian-ish mashup.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/8-inch slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

For the sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • Hot red pepper flakes to taste

For the stir-fry:

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, 2 smashed, 2 minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 2 cups loosely packed Persian or Thai basil leaves
  1. Prepare the chicken: Place chicken in a medium bowl, cover with cold water, and vigorously agitate it. Drain through a strainer set in the sink and press on the chicken with your hands to remove excess water. Return the chicken to the bowl and add the fish sauce, pepper, sugar, baking soda, and cornstarch. Stir vigorously with your fingers for 30 seconds. Set aside while you prepare the remaining stir-fry ingredients (at least 15 minutes).
  2. Prepare the sauce: Combine the fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and chile flakes.
  3. Make the stir-fry: Heat 1 tablespoon oil and the smashed garlic cloves in a wok over high heat until the garlic is sizzling at starts to brown. Add the chicken, spread it into a single layer, and cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, tossing, and stirring frequently, until the exterior is just cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  4. Wipe out the wok and add the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat over high heat until shimmering. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  5. Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the shallots are softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Add the sauce and toss to coat. Add the basil and toss until they’re wilted. Transfer to a plate and serve with rice.

Smashed Cucumbers with Tahini-Soy Dressing

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Cucumber season is upon us! And since I’m Iranian, cucumber snacking is baked into my DNA. This spicy and creamy cucumber salad is perfect with any kind of crisp cucumber, particularly Persian, Armenian, or Japanese. Eat it as a side dish or on its own (it’s that good).

Ingredients:
  • 6 Persian cucumbers
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon white miso
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Chili crisp or chili oil, for serving
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  1. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise, then slice 1/4-inch thick on a diagonal into 2 1/2-inch-long pieces. Place cucumbers in a large bowl, add salt, and toss to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Drain cucumbers.
  2. Whisk garlic, tahini, lime juice, soy sauce, vinegar, miso, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl to combine. Pour dressing over cucumbers and toss to coat.
  3. Transfer cucumber salad to a platter. Drizzle with chili oil and top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Chicken Larb and Bean Thread Noodle Lettuce Cups

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I absolutely love larb and I absolutely love bean thread noodles in all their permutations. These lettuce cups are kind of a love child of both these dishes — not authentic by any means, but delicious nonetheless. Packed full of herbs, they make a perfect quick and easy meal when you’re craving something light but satisfying.

Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minceed
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • Salt
  • Juice of 2 limes (about 4 tablespoons)
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup basil leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup mint leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
  • 4 ounces bean thread noodles, prepared according to package instructions
  • 1 head butter lettuce
  1. In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the chicken and salt and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 7 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, coconut sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture with the onion, basil, cilantro, mint, peanuts, and bean thread noodles and combine with the sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  4. Spoon the chicken and noodle mixture onto lettuce leaves and serve warm or at room temperature.