Tag: Side Dish

Tofu and Corn Rice

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Have a rice cooker? This easy summer dish couldn’t possibly be easier. Adapted from Donabe, a little bit of quinoa adds extra nutrition to this sweet and savory side.

Tofu and corn rice
Ingredients:
  • 2 rice cups jasmine rice, rinsed
  • 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sake
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 7 ounces firm tofu, drained and pressed
  • Kernels from 1 ear of corn
  • 1/2 cup rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, sliced into small pieces
  1. Place the rice, quinoa, and water in a rice cooker and cook according to rice cooker instructions.
  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: in a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sake, chicken bouillon, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
  3. Heat the sesame oil in a saute pan and saute the garlic for 1 minute over medium heat. Crumble the tofu into small pieces and add to the pan. Stir, continuing to break up the tofu with a wooden spoon and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the tofu is lightly browned. Add the corn and wood ear mushrooms and saute for 3 more minutes, until cooked through.
  4. Add the sauce to the pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Saute until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Once the rice has finished cooking, uncover and gently fold in the corn and tofu mixture. Serve warm.

Sesame Noodles with Cucumber and Nori

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I’m always finding ways to sneak in nori into my meals. Avocado toast? Sprinkle some nori. Dumpling soup? Stir in some nori. Summery noodles? Nori, of course.

Cold sesame noodles with cucumber and nori
Ingredients:
  • 4 packages dried ramen (about 12 ounces total)
  • 4 Persian cucumbers
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dried nori seaweed, torn into small 1-inch pieces
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  1. Slice cucumbers into thin rounds, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then drain and gently squeeze out water.
  2. Soak nori in cold water until reconstituted, about 5 minutes, then drain. Gently combine the cucumber and nori in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Boil noodles according to package directions until al dente. In a colander, drain and rinse under cold water. Gently toss noodles with sesame oil to prevent them from sticking.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar to achieve the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. If it’s too thick, whisk in a few tablespoons of water.
  5. To serve, place the noodles in a large serving bowl and top with the cucumber nori mixture, green onions, roasted sesame seeds, lemon zest, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Gently mix and serve.

Yuzu Kosho Pesto Rice

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This is a simple dish, but it’s much greater than the sum of its parts. I love anything with pesto, but would have never thought to add spicy, citrusy yuzu kosho to it. Adapted from Donabe, I usually serve this with good-quality tinned sardines.

Yuzu kosho pesto rice

Ingredients:

  • 2 rice cups (1 1/2 cups) short-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 cups basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon yuzu kosho
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker according to directions.
  2. Meanwhile, make the pesto: in a small saucepan, toast the pine nuts over medium-low heat, stirring and watching carefully until pine nuts are lightly golden, about five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. In a food processor, combine 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts with the garlic, basil, olive oil, yuzu kosho, soy sauce, and lemon juice.
  3. Once the rice has finished cooking, uncover and add the pesto, the remaining pine nuts, and the Parmesan cheese. Gently mix to combine and serve.

Classic Spring Rolls

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These are my OG, been-making-them-since-I-was-thirteen, classic spring rolls. Adapted from the legend himself (Martin Yan, obv), this is the spring roll recipe I still find myself going back to. They’re a bit of work but oh-so-worth it. I recommend Menlo brand spring roll wrappers for the crunchiest exterior.

Classic spring rolls
Ingredients:

Filling:

  • 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 4 ounces dried bean thread noodles
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 3/4 pound boneless chicken

Marinade:

  • 2 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 20 spring roll wrappers
  • Avocado oil for shallow-frying
  1. Soak mushrooms in warm water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Trim stems and thinly slice caps. Soak bean threads in warm water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Cut bean thread noodles into 4-inch lengths. Combine mushrooms and bean thread noodles in a large bowl and add remaining filling ingredients; mix well.
  2. Cut chicken into thin slices, about 2 inches long. Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  3. Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil, swirling to coat sides. Add chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the chicken mixture and add to the bowl with the filling and mix.
  4. To make each spring roll, place a wrapper on work surface with one side facing you. Place 3 tablespoons filling in a band along base of wrapper. Fold bottom over filling, then fold in left and right sides. Tightly roll up to completely enclose filling.
  5. Heat oil (enough to be 1-inch deep) in a wok or frying pan to medium-high. Shallow-fry spring rolls, a few at a time, and cook, turning carefully occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Eggplant with Crispy Shallots and Fish Sauce-Lime Vinaigrette

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It’s eggplant season! Adapted from chef Joe Ogrodnek, this buttery, savory, and lime-heavy eggplant dish is one of my new favorites. I could eat this all summer.

Ingredients:

4 medium Japanese eggplants (about 1 3/4 pound)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the dressing:
6 tablespoons hot water
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece lemongrass stalk, halved lengthwise and smashed
1 makrut lime leaf

Additional ingredients:
1/4 cup torn fresh basil, cilantro, and or mint, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
1/4 thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup toasted chopped peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 teaspoons crispy fried shallots
2 teaspoons fried garlic

1. Cook the eggplant: Working in batches, sear the eggplants in vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high until browned on all sides and tender. Set aside to cool slighly.

2. Whisk together 6 tablespoons hot water and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and chile. Add lemongrass and lime leaf.

3. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise (do not cut all the way through).

4. Place eggplant on a serving platter. Stuff eggplants evenly with herbs, radishes, and red onion. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing over each stuffed eggplant. Top evenly with peanuts, scallions, fried shallots, and fried garlic. Sprinkle with additional herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature.