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Category Archives: Chinese Inspired

Sauteed Tofu with Hoisin Sauce

1 pack extra firm tofu, drained of excess liquid

¼ cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

3 garlic cloves, grated

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

¼ cup green onions, chopped

 

Place the drained tofu on a plate lined with several paper towels. Cover tofu with several more paper towels and top with a heavy pan or something heavy. Let sit for 30 minutes to drain excess liquid.

Mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, oil, 1 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes in a large bowl and keep aside.

Cut tofu into bit sized squares and toss in the bowl with the sauce. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat a heavy pan with peanut oil. Once really hot, add tofu and sear on all sides- about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Remove from heat and sprinkle sesame seeds and green onion. Serve with rice.

 

 

 

Chinese Eggplant with Ground Turkey and Green Beans

1 pound ground turkey meat

2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine

2 teaspoons ginger, grated

1 teaspoon salt

 

Marinate the turkey meat with the cooking wine, ginger and salt and keep aside for an hour.

 

4 to 6 tablespoons oil

2 long Asian eggplants, cut on a bias into 2 inch pieces

1 pound thin green beans

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, chopped

4 green onions, green and white part separated and chopped

3 tablespoons doubanjiang (broadbean sauce)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt if needed

 

Transfer the eggplants into a large pot filled with water with 2 teaspoons of salt and soak for 10 minutes. Add a weight if necessary to make sure the eggplants are well soaked. After 10 minutes, drain completely and dry well.

 

Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a wok like pan and fry the eggplants for 6 to 9 minutes till the eggplants become soft and golden brown. Take out of pan and keep aside. Add more oil and fry the green beans for 4 to 5 minutes. Take out of the pan and add more oil and add the white part of the green onions, ginger and garlic. Saute on medium heat for a minute and add the marinated ground turkey. Saute on high heat till the meat is nicely separated and golden brown. Add the doubanjiang, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Mix well and check for seasonings and add salt if necessary. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions and serve with steamed rice.

 

 

Sesame Glazed Chicken

Sesame Glazed Chicken

  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Toast the peppercorns in a cast iron skillet on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Take out and cool and grind in a spice grinder. Keep aside.

  • 2 medium shallots, ends cut off
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon extra light olive oil
  • Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the shallots and garlic cloves on a piece of aluminum foil. Add the oil and salt, wrap well and roast for about half an hour. Let cool and keep aside.

  • 1½ pound chicken breast cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon sweet chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Marinate the chicken pieces in the chili garlic sauce, tamari and sesame seeds. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Glaze

  • ½ cup oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup apple cider

Add the oyster sauce, tamari, rice vinegar and apple cider to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes till the sauce gets thick. Add the roasted shallots and garlic. Mix well and blend till smooth. Check for seasonings and keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1/3 cup green onions, chopped

Heat a large saucepan and add the oil. Brown the chicken pieces in 2 to 3 batches, browning both sides. Take the pieces out and keep aside.
Add the glaze in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and simmer till the chicken is cooked through- about 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Minced Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

Minced Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

  • 1 pound minced chicken (thighs)
  • 1 tablespoons tamari
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch

Add the chicken to a medium bowl. Dissolve the corn starch in the rice vinegar and tamari. Add the corn starch mixture, mix well and marinate for 2 to 3 hours. Keep refrigerated.

Sauce

  • ¼ cup black bean sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

Mix the black bean and sweet chili sauce. Keep aside.

  • 2 to 3 bunches broccolini, cut the tops off and chop; cut the green stalks and chop, keep aside
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 inch ginger, grated

Heat a wok like saucepan with the olive oil. Add the broccolini stalks, ginger and garlic. Saute on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the minced chicken and cook while separating on high heat. Add the broccolini greens and mix well. Add the black bean sauce and mix well. Bring to a boil and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Check for seasonings and serve with rice or noodles.

Crispy Tofu with Sugar Snap Peas

Celebrating Chinese New Year!

This is a great recipe to make for Meatless Mondays… I love making tofu dishes- we all love it. Recently I have been getting my inspiration from the New York Times cooking site – it has lots of really really good ideas. This recipe is from there.. I tweaked it a bit but it is still quite similar. Try this one, it is a winner!

  • 1 14 ounces package extra firm tofu
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/3 cup corn starch

Sauce

  • 4 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 large jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • Juice of 2 medium limes
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Transfer all the ingredients to small bowl, mix well and set aside.

  • Peanut oil
  • 2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Drain tofu and wrap it with several layers of paper towel and place on a plate. Top with a heavy can and let the tofu drain for 30 minutes. Unwrap the tofu and into four parts and then diagonally. Dry with more paper towels and keep aside.

Transfer the cornstarch and salt into a wide bowl. Dredge the tofu and set aside. In the meantime, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 3 tablespoons peanut oil and start browning the tofu on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Take out of the pan, add more peanut oil and add the sugar snap peas and scallions. Stir fry until soften- 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the tofu and garnish with cilantro, basil and sesame seeds. Serve with brown rice.

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I tweaked this recipe from New York Times cooking section- it is definitely one of my favorite places to get inspired as they have such amazing variety of recipes. This one reminds me of my childhood in India ordering sweet and sour chicken from a local Chinese restaurant called Suzie Wong.

  • 2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • Mix the cornstarch with the salt and pepper and toss the chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture.
  • 4 tablespoons peanut oil plus more
  • 4 to 5 dried red chilies

 

Heat a large non-stick frying pan with the oil on high. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning occasionally until golden brown and near cooked, about 4 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the chicken and keep aside.

  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ cup pineapple juice
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup canned pineapple chunks
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

 

Mix the vinegar, honey, pineapple juice, ketchup, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic in a small bowl and keep aside.

Add more oil to the frying pan if needed. Heat on medium heat and add the dried red chilies. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the onion and pepper and sauté on high heat for 2 minutes. Add the sauce, pineapple chunks and the chicken. Bring to a boil and let the sauce reduce on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked through. Check for seasonings and garnish with scallions. Serve with white or brown rice.

Cauliflower and Yellow Pepper Stir Fry

Cauliflower and Pepper Stirfry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon tamari

Place the florets onto a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and tamari. Mix well and broil under a high setting until the florets are golden brown for about 10 minutes.

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Sauce

¼ cup ketchup

2 tablespoons sweet garlic chili sauce

2 tablespoons tamari

1 teaspoon hoisin sauce

Mix the ketchup, garlic chili sauce, tamari and hoisin sauce and keep aside.

Heat a large wok like saucepan and add the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic cloves and sauté on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sauce, mix well and cook covered on low heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Take the lid off, check for seasonings and top with cilantro.