Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup minced beef or pork
• 1 small section of scallion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• Pinch of fresh ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon water

For the dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup hot water (just off the boil)
• 1/4 cup room temperature water
• Vegetable oil for brushing
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Mix around 2 cups of all-purpose flour with pinch of salt in a large bowl. Swirl the hot water in firstly and then the cold water. Mix with chop stickers during the process until you get floccule texture. Wait for cool.

Grasp all the floccules with hands and then roll into a smoothie dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, add water by three batches. After adding the water each time, stir the beef quickly in one direction until all the water is absorbed by the meat. Then mix with salt, soy sauce, sesame oil and herbs firstly and then followed by scallion and grated ginger. Set aside.

Divide the dough into 8 small ones.Brush some oil on surface and roll each one into a round wrapper; place around 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Press the filling a little bit and seal the wrapper completely.

Press the sealed bun prepared in previous step; turn over. Brush some oil on both sides and saute with slow fire until golden-brown.

China Sichuan Food

Ingredients

For the chili paste/oil:

• 2 tsp of red Szechuan peppercorn
• 1 tsp of green Szechuan peppercorn
• 3 + 2 tbsp of chili flakes (divided)
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1 small piece of scallion
• 2 star anise
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp of ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp of curry powder
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 grated garlic
• 3 tsp of soy sauce

For the sesame sauce:

• 90 grams (1/4 cup + 1/8 cup) of toasted sesame paste
• 35 grams (1/8 cup) of creamy peanut butter
• 20 grams (1/8 cup) of chili oil (without the “bits”)
• 4-5 tbsp of soy sauce
• 2 tsp of dark Asian vinegar
• 2 tsp of sesame oil
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 cup of water (more or less depending on the thickness of sesame paste)

For serving:

• 2 servings of ramen noodles, plus more
• sesame oil for rubbing the noodles
• cucumber, cut into thin strips
• radish, cut into thin strips
• 1 egg, beated with a tiny splash of milk
• Crushed salted peanuts and toasted sesame to top

Preparation

To make the chili paste/oil: Finely grind the red/green Szechuan peppercorn in a spice-grinder or stone mortar (but you’ll need to work harder to break them down). Set aside. In a deep sauce pot, add 3 tbsp of chili flakes (reserve the other 2 tbsp), minced garlic, scallion, star anise, bay leaf, ground cumin, ground coriander, curry powder and vegetable oil. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a sizzle. Stir constantly and let the mixture cook for 1 ~ 2 min until the minced garlic turn JUST LIGHTLY BROWNED. Turn off the heat completely, then add the ground sichuan peppercorns and 2 tbsp of chili flakes (ground sichuan peppercorns will turn bitter if overcooked which is why it’s added at the end). Keep stirring until the oil stops sizzling/bubbling. Then add the grated garlic and soy sauce, and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for AT LEAST 2 hours. After which you can remove the star anise, bay leaf and scallions, then keep the oil and paste in a jar. It will keep in the fridge for… a long long time.

To make the sesame sauce: Add the toasted sesame paste, peanut butter, chili oil from above, soy sauce, dark vinegar, sesame oil and sugar in a blender. Blend on high while slowly adding in 1/2 cup of water. Scrape the sides down a few times to ensure even blending. You can add more soy sauce or water to adjust seasoning and consistency if needed. The sauce should be the consistency of yogurt.

To make the noodle: Heat a flat and wide non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and brush the surface with oil. Pour in 1 beated egg and swirl the pan to evenly distribute it so the egg thinly coats the bottom of the skillet. Cook until both side of the egg-sheet is evenly browned, then thinly cut it into short strips. Set aside.

Cook the ramen noodle according to the package instructions. Once done (DON’T overcook it! It should be still slightly chewy), rinse under cold water until cools down completely. Toss with 2 tsp of sesame oil to prevent sticking, then you can keep it in the fridge until needed. Before serving, toss the ramen noodles, cucumber strips, radish strips, egg strips and enough sesame sauce to generously coat every strand of noodles. Evenly stir the chili paste/oil then add a couple tsp to the noodle (or more…), plus crushed salted peanuts and sesame on top.

Lady and Pups

Ingredients

• 1 whole striped bass or sea bass (about 1 ½ lbs), cleaned (see instructions)
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely julienned
• 2 scallions, finely julienned with green and white parts separated
• 8 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• Fresh ground white pepper to taste

Preparation

Preparing the fish:

1. Remove any scales from your fish using a serrated steak knife. The areas to look for are the belly and the edges of the fish including the top, near the dorsal fins, and the head. There is nothing worse than having to pick out scales while you’re having dinner.

2. Cut off any fins with kitchen shears. They are pretty tough, so be careful with this step. Leave the tail and head in tact for presentation.

3. Look at the cavity, and you should see the backbone. You may also see a membrane that you should pierce and cut, revealing a blood line near the bone. Run your finger or a spoon across it to clean it thoroughly.

4. Check the head and gills. You should not see any gills left, and if there are, remove them with the kitchen shears and rinse the area clean. Older Chinese folks who like dining on the fish head will appreciate this step.

5. Give the fish a final rinse, shake off the excess water (no need to pat it dry) and transfer to a heat-proof plate for steaming. No salt, seasoning, or wine should be used on the fish before steaming. Repeat. Nothing on the fresh fish before steaming!

Assembling the dish:

For steaming, I used an elongated heat-proof plate. To accommodate that, I needed to MacGyver a steaming apparatus that would fit said plate. It’s simple enough. I used a wok and metal steam rack. If you need more height to keep the plate above the water in the wok, set a rack on top of a metal can with both ends removed. It’s a handy and cheap addition to your kitchen arsenal!

Steam for 9 minutes and turn off the heat. Use a butter knife to peek at the meat and confirm the fish is cooked through. The meat should be opaque down to the bone, but the bone should be slightly translucent and not fully cooked (remember, you will not be eating the bone. Trust me on this one!).

Next, carefully pour off all of the liquid accumulated on the plate from steaming and spread half of the ginger, the green portions of the scallion, and the cilantro over the fish.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the other half of the ginger in a saucepan until the ginger begins to sizzle. Next, add the water, salt, soy sauce, and fresh ground white pepper and heat the mixture until simmering.

Once simmering, add the rest of the oil and white portions of the scallion and stir until the liquid begins to simmer and sizzle once again. Spoon the entire mixture evenly over the fish and serve hot!

The Woks of Life

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint or basil

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from 3-4 limes
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

Add quinoa, salt and 1-2/3 cups water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. (If necessary add 1-2 tablespoons more water in cooking.) Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool in the refrigerator.

In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the lime juice, fish sauce, vegetable oil, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

Once the quinoa is cool, add the red bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, fresh herbs and dressing. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, sugar and lime juice if necessary. Chill.

Once Upon a Chef

Ingredients

Chile sauce:

• 3 pasilla chiles, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil Kosher salt

Meatballs:

• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, 7 cloves chopped, 1 clove finely grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon rice flour or all-purpose flour
• 4–5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain sheep’s-milk or cow’s whole-milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• Crushed red pepper flakes (for serving)

Preparation

Chile sauce: Toast chiles, red pepper flakes, and cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and cumin seeds are golden, about 3 minutes.

Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind in spice mill, then transfer to a blender. Add vinegar, paprika, and garlic to blender and blend until smooth. With motor running, gradually stream in oil and blend until combined. Transfer to a large bowl; season with salt.

Meatballs and assembly: Pulse onion, chopped garlic, parsley, oregano, sage, fennel seeds, coriander, cumin, and 1 tablespoon salt in a food processor, scraping down sides as needed, until finely chopped. Add egg, lamb, and flour and pulse until evenly combined. Form lamb mixture into 1 1/2" balls.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in 2 batches and adding another 1 tablespoon oil to skillet if needed, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, 5–8 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper towels to drain.

Transfer all meatballs to bowl with chile sauce and toss to coat. Toss cucumber in a medium bowl with lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.

Spoon yogurt into bowls. Evenly divide meatballs among bowls; top with dressed cucumber and mint and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Bon Appetit, April 2015

Ingredients

• 1 double-crust pie shell
• 1 1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach or 2 qts. fresh spinach (2 8-oz. bags works well)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1-2 c. grated Swiss cheese
• 1 egg yolk for brushing top of pie

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze. If using fresh, cook, drain, dry, and chop. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. In a bowl combine spinach, onion, nutmeg, salt, eggs, and cheese. Mix well. Pour into the pie shell. Arrange the top crust over the filling and crimp the edges. Brush the top with egg yolk if desired. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 16 oz. long grain/wild rice mix
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. yogurt
• 1 c. chopped celery (around 2 stalks)
• 1 c. chopped tomatoes (around 1 lg.)
• 1/2 c. diced cucumber
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/8-1/2 tsp. salt (or seasoned salt)
• 1/8-1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 c. peanuts, chopped, optional

Preparation

Cook the rice according to package directions, omitting any butter or oil. Let cool. Put in a bowl with all the remaining ingredients but the peanuts. Stir to combine. Can serve right away, or cover and serve cold. Garnish with the peanuts right before serving.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 1 pint oysters (in oyster liquor)
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Prepration

Strain oysters over a bowl to remove grit and separate them from the oyster liquor; reserve liquor. Chop oysters, cover and refrigerate until needed. Measure oyster liquor and add enough chicken stock to make 4 cups; set aside. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until a blond roux is achieved. Add onions and green onions; cook, whisking constantly, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and artichoke hearts; cook an 2 additional minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved oyster liquor and chicken stock. Add Lea & Perrins, thyme and cayenne pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add chopped oysters and simmer until oysters are cooked through and edges curl, about 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Raised on a Roux

Ingredients

• 24 fresh oysters
• 1/2 c. corn flour
• 2/3 c. plain flour
• Enough ice-cold sparkling water to make a sticky batter to coat the oysters

For the wasabi cream dip:

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tsp wasabi paste

Preparation

In a bowl, pour whipping cream, add the wasabi and whisk till stiff.

Open the oysters and drain the water. With a sharp knife, cut of the oyster off. In a medium pan, heat 3" of oil until approx. 350F. Place each oyster in a teaspoon, dip in the batter until coated all over. Fry in oil until golden. The fritters will puff up instantly. Fry oysters by batches (5 by batch). Drain on kitchen towel before serving.

Drizzle oyster fritters with coarse salt and black pepper. Serve immediately with wasabi cream dip.

Manger

Ingredients

• ½ cup melted unsalted butter, more for greasing tins
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour, preferably pastry flour
• ¾ to 1 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of fruit
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed or puréed banana, sweet potato, apple, zucchini, cooked or canned pumpkin, or other fruits or vegetables
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup buttermilk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease two 6-cup muffin tins or fill with liners. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, banana, egg and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined.

Fill muffin tins or liners; bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top. Serve warm if possible.

Mark Bittman, NYT