A last Asian favorite

February has been a fun but challenging month for me. Lots of recipes, many I know I'll make again and again. If I had to pick a favorite, it probably would be the bulgogi. Aaron and I loved it so much, and it's one I know we'll make over and over.

I've got a new theme starting tomorrow. It's a really good one; hope you're up for some more really great recipes.

My last Asian recipe is one of my very favorites. It's certainly become Americanized over the years, with tons of marinades to pick from at all sorts of grocery stores. But this one is homemade, and it's so delicious. It's worth the extra time and effort for this one. Serve with a side of brown rice and some steamed vegetables, and dinner's ready!

This is from the book "The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook."

Chicken teriyaki

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (6 to 8 oz. each), trimmed

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. vegetable oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp. mirin, sweet sherry or dry white wine

2 tsp. grated ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, skin-side down.

Weigh the chicken down with a heavy pot. Cook until the skin is a deep mahogany brown and very crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. (The chicken should be moderately brown after 10 minutes. If it is very brown, reduce the heat; if it is still pale, increase the heat.)

Remove the weight and flip the chicken over. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, without the weight, until the second side is brown and the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, ginger, garlic, cornstarch and pepper flakes together.

Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off all of the fat from the skillet. Whisk the soy sauce mixture to recombine, then add to the skillet and return to medium heat. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin-side up, and spoon the sauce over the top. Continue to simmer until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 2 minutes longer.

Serves 4.

This one's not for me

As I get ready to finish my month of Asian favorites, I decided to add a recipe that I know I won't try. The thing is, I love the idea of this Vietnamese sandwich. There's just too many ingredients that I won't eat. Including, yes, cilantro.

There's a lot to like about it -- lots of vegetables, a healthy premise, roasted meat, tons of spice. And it's unlike any sandwich I've ever seen. It's one that certainly would shake up any lunchtime routine.

So, enjoy. I just wish I could.

This recipe is from the January 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

Pork meatball banh mi

Hot chili mayo:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork
1/4 cup finely chopped basil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp. fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 tbsp. hot chili sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

Sandwiches:
2 cups finely grated carrots
2 cups finely grated, peeled daikon (white Japanese radish)
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. Asian sesame oil
4 10-inch long individual baguettes, or 4 10-inch long pieces of French-bread baguette (cut from 2 baguettes)
Thinly sliced jalapenos
16 large cilantro sprigs

To make hot chili mayo, stir all ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste. Can be made a day ahead. Cover and chill.

To make the meatballs, line rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Using wet hands and a scant tablespoon for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet. Can be made a day ahead. Cover and chill.

To make sandwiches: Toss carrot, daikon, rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs; saute until browned and cooked through, turning meatballs often and reducing heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Cut each baguette or baguette piece horizontally in half. Pull out enough bread from each bread half to leave 1/2-inch-thick shell. Spread hot chili mayo over each bread shell. Arrange jalapenos and cilantro in bottom halves. Fill each with 1/4 of the meatballs. Drain pickled vegetables; place atop meatballs. Press on baguette tops.

Serves 4.

Celebrating a childhood favorite

One of my husband's favorite dishes from when he was a youth was sukiyaki. It's a wonderful Japanese dish, made of thinly sliced beef and lots of vegetables. Served with a sweet yet salty sauce and a bowl of rice, I understand why my husband loves it so much.

We hadn't had sukiyaki in years until I had it about a year ago during a trip to visit family in Texas. We went to a Japanese steakhouse, and as soon as I saw it on the menu I knew I had to have it. The best part -- my daughter had as much of it as I did!

We had a recipe we loved -- it was from an old Betty Crocker cookbook -- but lost it. So I did some searching online and found this one on Food Network's Web site. It's easy, delicious and can be adapted to suit your tastes.

Sukiyaki

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
1 cup beef stock
1/4 cup mirin
1 lb. thinly sliced beef
1/4 cup sugar
4 oz. yam noodles (shirataki)
2 medium onions, sliced
1 cup bamboo shoots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. tofu, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch green onions, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 leaves Napa cabbage, sliced
2 tbsp. oil

Mix soy sauce, 2 tbsp. sugar, stock and mirin together in a large bowl. Arrange meat and vegetables on a large platter. Heat electric skillet to 375 degrees.

Add oil to the skillet and heat. Brown meat in the oil, adding sugar slowly. Move meat to the corner of the skillet when well browned. Add other vegetables, keeping each separate. Add sauce and cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and stir all ingredients, and cook 2 more minutes. Serve.

Serves 3 to 4

Cook's notes: I usually don't add noodles, as I serve the sukiyaki over rice to sop up all the sauce. I add a few more vegetables to make up for it. Spinach would make a great substitute for the cabbage, and water chestnuts would make a great addition.

A taste of Thailand

For many years, Thai food has become a go-to for us when we can't decide what we want for dinner. There's some great Thai restaurants in Concord and Walnut Creek, and they rarely disappoint us.

However, Thai food can be terribly unhealthy. Coconut milk is the main culprit, but peanuts are used in sizable quantities, too. Not to mention peanut and sesame oils. Ugh. But I've searched -- and found -- a delightful alternative to a favorite Thai dish. Here's hoping you like it, too.

The peanut sauce from this recipe can be used to make phra ram, a Thai stir-fry dish that uses peanut sauce to top any meat and vegetables. I usually double the sauce, so I can have some extra if needed. It's one of my favorite Thai dishes!

This recipe is from a 2005 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Chicken satay with peanut sauce

Satay:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 8 strips
1 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. fresh ginger
1 tsp. grated lime zest
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce:

1 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. natural-style, reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Prepare grill.

To prepare satay, combine chicken, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest, red pepper and garlic in a medium bowl. Let stand 10 minutes

To prepare sauce, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, red pepper and garlic in a bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Thread chicken strips onto each of 8 (8-inch) skewers. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve chicken with sauce.

Serves 4.

Ready for some fire meat?

Another week, another delay. This time, it was because of a trip to Disneyland. I wish I had a great restaurant review or some other tasty news to share, but not this time. Back to the recipes.

I've been interested in Korean cuisine for a long time. A former colleague at the Times, who is Korean, piqued that interest. When I first moved to California, I had limited knowledge about a lot of foreign cuisines. He and I had many chats about good places to eat, and new dishes I should try. He was very encouraging of Korean, and it certainly interested me. But I didn't know of any Korean restaurants near where I lived, and I was a little scared going on my own. But I never forgot those chats.

About a year ago, I found a restaurant in Concord that served Korean fare. I convinced Aaron to try it, and we were hooked almost immediately. Korean Bulgogi House, located on Salvio Street near the Brenden Theaters, was fantastic. A colorful menu helped us in ordering. A small dish of edamame was a great starter. Then came the main dishes. We both were served huge plates: spicy meat, rice, a small salad with an addictive gingery dressing, some steamed potatoes in a sweet sauce, potstickers, tempura shrimp (Aaron ate mine) and some pickled daikon radish. Amazing!

We've gone back several times, and one of us always goes for the spicy bulgogi. To us, the sweet bulgogi, made with beef, just wasn't as good as the fiery versions made with pork or chicken.

Which brings me to my recipe. I had to have a recipe for bulgogi. I wanted to be able to make this dish in my own kitchen. And I found one that Aaron and I adored. It's relatively quick -- the longest part is the time it marinates in the fridge -- and it's incredibly easy. This recipe is certain to become part of our regular rotation.

This recipe is from the book "Eating Korean" by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee.

Spicy sliced pork (dwaeji bulgogi)

2 lb. sliced pork sirloin

3 tbsp. chili paste

3 tbsp. sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, minced

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

Black pepper

2 green onions, chopped (optional)

Combine the sliced pork with the chili paste, sugar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Let marinate for about 30 minutes.

Stir-fry the meat until thoroughly cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add black pepper to taste. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

Cook's notes: We used pork tenderloin, and we absolutely loved it! We stir-fried some other vegetables, including carrots and celery, and served it over steamed brown rice. We highly recommend it!

More tasty noodles

Emma, my notoriously picky 5-year-old, would eat pasta every single day of the week if I let her. She never tires of it, especially if it is served to her plain with some parmesan cheese on the side.

So, I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that when we go for Chinese food, she always wants the same thing -- chow mein. Or lo mein. Doesn't really matter -- just so long as there's noodles involved. On the other hand, I tend to shy away from chow mein, or lo mein. At most restaurants, those dishes are so oily, and there's usually a ton of MSG in them. Plus, the vegetables are wilted and flavorless. Yuck.

When I came across this recipe, I knew immediately that we had to try it. Homemade lo mein, where I can control the oil, seemed like an ideal choice. It certainly was. Aaron made it last week, and while the littlest picky eater at our house didn't care for it, her parents thought it was great. It was easy and healthy, making this recipe a winner in my book.

This recipe is from a 2005 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Five-spice pork lo mein

8 oz. uncooked Chinese-style noodles
1 tbsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp. five-spice powder
1 pork tenderloin (about 12 oz.), trimmed and cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Place in a large bowl. Snip noodles several times with a kitchen scissors.

Combine ginger, five-spice powder and pork in a medium bowl; add 1/4 tsp. salt, tossing to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture; saute 2 minutes or until browned. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, water and hoisin sauce; cook 2 minutes or unitl pork is done. Add pork mixture and green onions to noodles; toss well to combine.

Serves 6.

Cook's notes: We used somen noodles in this; while they certainly tasted good, they were a bit on the thin side. I would recommend udon, if you can find them. If not, linguine or another wide Italian pasta would be a good choice. This recipe, unfortunately, does not call for many vegetables. Cabbage or bok choy would be a great first choice; celery, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts also would be delicious. I would just add a bit more water and hoisin sauce to make sure all the vegetables get a hint of the sauce.

Slurp this one up

Sorry, friends, for my absence for the past few days. That darn cold I'd been trying to avoid caught me. But I'm better now, thanks, so ... back to some good eats.

One of my very favorite things to eat is pasta. In Asian culture, they're called noodles. Either way, I am carb crazy. This dish combines so many of my favorite Asian flavors, then chills them. It's another one I don't make often, but my family absolutely loves it.

Here's hoping you'll slurp up these delicious noodles!

This recipe is one I clipped from a newspaper (I don't have the date or paper, though).

Cold sesame noodles with grilled chicken

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 lb. fettuccine or other thin noodle
Salt
Red pepper flakes
8 oz. fresh snow peas, sliced in half
2 green onions, cut into thin diagonal slices
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 cups cucumber, thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into thin shreds about 1-inch long

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, water, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic and ginger until well combined. Set aside.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and immediately toss with the soy sauce-sesame oil mixture. Season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Add snow peas and green onions and refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold.

On a large plate, drizzle the chicken with canola oil, turning to coat. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Grill the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through. When cool enough to handle, cut into thin, diagonal slices.

To serve, mound the noodles on a large serving platter. Surround with the cucumber and carrot, and then with the chicken.

Cook's notes: I like to sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on the top of this, for a little added sesame flavor and for texture. I also tend to go a little crazy on the vegetables and ease up on the chicken. This doesn't last very long in the fridge, so it's best within the first day or two.

Celebrating a taste of Asia

To mark February's arrival, I decided to share some favorite Asian and Asian-inspired dishes. What a great way to mark the start of the lunar new year! While, like many, I love Chinese food, I don't want to limit myself to the cuisine of one nation. So, expect recipes with the flavors of Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea.


But before I offer my first recipe, I wanted to offer some ingredients that make up a great Asian pantry. Here are some of the most important ones:

-- Soy sauce. Obviously.

-- Oils. Save the extra-virgin olive oil for another time. For Asian cuisine, there's two classic choices: peanut and sesame. Peanut has a great flavor -- and a high smoking point, which makes it ideal for stir-fry. Toasted sesame has a very distinct flavor, and many people like it in salads. I am OK with it, but in very small amounts.


-- Ginger. I think it adds such an incredible depth and subtle heat to Asian foods. While most recipes call for grating fresh ginger, I buy small jars of preminced ginger and keep them in my fridge. That way, I always have some on hand, and I don't waste ginger root that's gone bad.


-- Garlic. Like ginger, it provides a great savoriness to most dishes. And again, I keep a jar of prechopped garlic in the fridge.


-- Hoisin sauce. This is kind of like Chinese barbecue sauce. It's very richly flavored, and a little goes a long way.


-- Lemongrass. It's a stalk that can be found in the produce section. I love the citrus, herbal flavor. Do not skip this!


-- Rice. Another obvious one. There's many varieties out there, so explore and find one you really enjoy. We prefer jasmine and basmati (preferably brown) types at our house.


-- Noodles. Lots of varieties. All of them fantastic. Some of my favorites include udon, soba, somen and rice.


-- Fish and oyster sauces. While they are not for me, they are traditional Asian ingredients. Like many others, they are very strongly flavored, so again a little goes a long way.


-- Fresh herbs. Basil, cilantro and mint are widely used. I'll skip the cilantro, but I won't miss the others.


-- Peanut butter. This may sound strange, but it's a requisite for peanut sauce. It also tastes great in salad dressings.


-- Vegetables. OK, you likely will keep these in a refrigerator rather than a pantry. But they are absolutely essential to great Asian cooking. Some of my favorites include: carrots, bok choy, pea pods, celery, mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, spinach, daikon radish and edamame.


-- Wasabi. The traditional green Japanese horseradish is a requisite for those who love sushi and Japanese food. It's too spicy for my tastes.


There's certainly others I've missed. If there's an Asian market near you, go check it out. In Concord, the 99 Ranch Market at the Park and Shop is fantastic. Emma and I spent an hour there one Sunday morning, loading up on tons of tasty treats.


So, here's hoping this list is inspiring you to whip up something delightfully Asian. My first recipe is a classic Chinese dish, one that's been a favorite for years.


This recipe is from a 2005 issue of Cooking Light magazine


Kung pao chicken


1 tbsp. canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tbsp. ground fresh ginger, divided
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped salted peanuts


Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 2 tsp. ginger to pan; saute 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm.


Heat remaining 2 tsp. oil in pan; add remaining 1 tsp. ginger, crushed red pepper flakes and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.


Combine broth, hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and garlic in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.


Serves 4.