Mushroom Dumplings

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INGREDIENTS

• 12 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 4 Tablespoons of neutral oil plus more for pan searing dumplings
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms
• ½ large onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup sake
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 oz medium firm tofu
• 1 package dumpling wrappers*
• 1 egg*

Dipping  Sauce:

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons shredded ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

INSTRUCTIONS

MAKE THE FILLING:

1. Soak shiitake mushrooms in 2 cups of warm water for 15-30 mins. (Put a small plate on top of the mushrooms to fully submerge them in the water.) 
2. Drain and squeeze the mushrooms dry. Remove the hard stems and discard. Coarsely chop and set aside. 
3. While you are rehydrating the shiitakes, prep your vegetables and make the cremini mushroom mixture:
4. Coarsely chop the cremini mushrooms. 
5. In a large pan, heat a pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and the onion. Cook for 3-4 mins until soft and starting to caramelize, and then add the fresh chopped mushrooms. 
6. Add the salt and ground black pepper. Raise the heat to high, and cook for another 2-3 mins, letting the moisture evaporate and the mushrooms cook down. 
7. Put the cremini mushrooms in a bowl and set aside.
8. Heat the same pan over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 10 seconds. Add the shiitakes and cook for 3 mins, stirring constantly. 
9. Add the sake, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Cook for an additional 3-4 mins until the liquid is mostly gone. 
10. Add the scallions, mix to combine, and then add the shiitakes to the bowl with the other mushrooms. 
11. Press the tofu gently between paper towels and eliminate some of the liquid. Squeeze the tofu over a colander, crumbling it into small pieces with your hands, until it resembles large curd cottage cheese. 
12. Add it to the mushroom mixture and stir to combine. 
13. Put the mixture in the same colander you used to drain the tofu and place a bowl underneath it. If your colander does not have a foot, then put a small plate underneath to prop the colander up. (You want as much liquid as possible to drain off). 
14. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and put a weight on top (I put a bowl on top under the weight to keep the weight clean).
15. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight to drain.

FILL THE DUMPLINGS:

1. Crack the egg into a small bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk with a fork to combine.
2. Pick up 1 dumpling wrapper. Using a pastry brush or small spoon, brush the edge of half of the wrapper with the egg wash. Place a heaping 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle. 
3. Seal the wrapper either by simply folding it over and pinching to seal it tight (push out any air as you seal it) or by practicing your crimping skills and pleating the dumplings as you seal them closed. 
4. Pro-tip: Use a finger from one hand to tuck the filling into the dumpling while using the other to seal it and squeeze out any air.
5. Continue with the rest of the wrappers until you finish all of the filling. You will yield approximately 50 pieces.

PAN FRY DUMPLINGS:

1. Heat a non stick or well seasoned pan over medium heat for several minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl the pan to coat the surface. Place 8-12 dumplings (depending on the size of your pan) in the pan, making sure there is enough space between dumplings so they do not touch. 
2. Sear the dumplings for 2-3 mins (check and see if the bottoms are golden brown). Flip and brown the other side for another 1-2 minutes. 
3. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of water to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 mins. Uncover and cook for another minute to crisp up the bottoms again. 
4. Repeat with remaining dumplings by cooking in batches. Serve with the black vinegar dipping sauce.

DIPPING SAUCE:

1. Combine the soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, shredded ginger, and sesame oil.
2. Stir until the sugar is totally dissolved. 
3. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

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NOTES

* There are vegan wrappers available, look for the Nasoya brand.

* The dumplings can be sealed with water to make these vegan.

CRANBERRY ORANGE CAKE

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

zest of one orange – about 1 tablespoon

juice of an orange

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

For the Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 – 3 tablespoons water, milk or orange juice

Directions :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cranberries on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until sugar turn a lemon color, about 4 – 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and mix in until incorporated.

Add the orange juice and zest. Add the sour cream.

When incorporated add the flour, salt and baking powder. When this is all mixed together stir in the remaining 1 1/4 cups cranberries.

Bake for 50 – 55 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Let pan set for 5 minutes after you take the cake out of the oven. Turn over cake unto a wire rack to cool. Mix up your glaze ingredients and spread on top and sides of cake.

Dhal Cha

I kg beef,( get fatty cuts,) cubed

3 shallots

2 garlic

1" ginger

All blended together. Add to 1 cup santan. If using canned santan, dilute with 1 cup water or more. Stir in  2 small packets beef curry powder. 

1 stalk serai, titik

1 sprig curry leaves.

2 cups beef stock

Soak 1 cup dhal in cold water.

Cut 1 brinjal into 2 inch pieces ( better to use long brinjals than eggplants)

Cut potatoes and carrots into quarters. 

Cut beans into 2" lengths.

Cut 1 big onion into 6ths.

Saute beef ribs till lightly browned.remove from oil and set aside.

Fry rempah tumis ( cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom) the curry leaves, then the santan/curry powder mixture and the serai. Fry till santan pecah minyak (if possible. I notice with canned santan this is hard. Doesn't matter) Add the beef and continue sautéing. Add vegetables, first carrots then potatoes, then brinjal and then beans. Add beef stock, and the dhal. Season to taste. Reduce flame and simmer  about 15 minutes or till vegetables are tender.

Chicken Marinade

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Marinade Recipe

For 4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• ⅓ cup water
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper

1. Whisk water, fish sauce, honey, salt, and pepper together in bowl.

2. Transfer mixture to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add chicken, press out air, seal bag, and turn bag so contents are evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Eclair Cake

​Ingredients 

• Pastry Cream:
  
• 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
  
• 4 large egg yolks
  
• 1/3 cup (37 grams) cornstarch
  
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 1/2 cups (341 grams) whole milk
  
• 1/2 cup (114 grams) heavy cream
  
• 1/2 vanilla bean (or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)
  
• 2 tablespoons (29 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
  
• Pâte à Choux:
  
• 1/2 cup (114 grams) whole milk
  
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter
  
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) fine sea salt
  
• 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
  
• 5 large eggs (have an extra 2 on hand, just in case)
  
• Chocolate Ganache:
  
• 1 cup (227 grams) heavy cream
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 cup (170 grams) chopped dark or semisweet chocolate (or chips)

Method

1. Make the pastry cream: Stir together the sugar, yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Combine the milk, cream, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat and heat until hot. While whisking, slowly stream about half of the hot liquid in the yolk mixture. Pour this tempered yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the milk mixture (you can pour through a fine-mesh sieve if you're worried about any cooked egg bits). Cook over low to medium-low heat for 4 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until bubbling and thickened like pudding. Turn off the heat, then mix in the butter. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, discarding any clumps caught in the sieve. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold. (This step can be done up to 2 days in advance.) 
2. Make the pâte à choux: In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup (114 grams) of water, the milk, butter, and salt. Bring to boil over medium heat. Stir in all of the flour with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes sticky paste and there’s a visible film of starch on the bottom of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the flour mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Whisk the eggs in a large liquid measuring cup. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs in slow, steady stream and continue mixing until totally incorporated, about 4 minutes total. Dip the paddle into the batter and lift it up—the batter should form a V shape that eventually breaks away from the batter in the bowl. If the dough is too stiff or pulls away too quickly, add another egg to loosen the consistency.
3. Bake the pâte à choux: Heat the oven to 375°F. Get out an 8-inch square baking dish. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using the baking dish as a guide, trace two squares with pencil on the parchment, then flip the parchment. Pipe or spread the choux evenly inside those two squares (about 320 grams of pâte à choux per square), leaving a ½-inch or so border for the pastry to expand in the oven and fill out the squares. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. (Don’t open the oven during the first 25 minutes, otherwise the choux will depuff.) Transfer the baked choux squares to a wire rack to cool completely. 
4. Make the ganache: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and salt. Wait a few minutes, then stir until the chocolate is silky smooth. Let cool until barely warm. 
5. Assemble the éclair cake: If needed, use a pair of scissors to trim the border of the choux squares so they can fit inside the baking dish. Place one choux square at the bottom of the baking dish. Stir the pastry cream to smooth out, then evenly spread that on top. Place the second choux square on top. Spread the chocolate ganache on top. Tightly cover the pan and refrigerate for 10 to 24 hours before slicing and serving. 

Korean Steak Tacos

​Steak

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

One 2-pound flank steak (about 1 1/2 inches thick), fat trimmed

Tacos

1/2 head napa cabbage, halved lengthwise and shredded crosswise (about 3 cups)

1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch-long matchstick-size strips

8 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced on a sharp diagonal

1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro sprigs

Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas

Step 1

1. To marinate the steak: In a large baking dish, whisk the cilantro, brown sugar, canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, jalapeños, black pepper, and coriander to blend well. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture in a small bowl for serving. Place the steak in the remaining marinade and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate the reserved marinade.

Step 2

2. Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high cooking over direct heat.

Step 3

3. Remove the steak from the marinade (discard the marinade) and grill, turning halfway through cooking, for a total of about 10 minutes, until the meat feels only slightly resilient when pressed with a fingertip for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

4. Meanwhile, prepare the tacos: In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, scallions, and cilantro together.

Step 5

5. Heat the tortillas on the grill, turning occasionally, for about 1 minute, or until hot. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover to keep warm.

Step 6

6. To serve: Cut the steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer the steak slices and any carving juices to a platter. Serve the steak with the reserved marinade, tortillas, cabbage mixture, and guacamole. Let each guest fill two tortillas with some steak and cabbage mixture and top with some of the marinade and guacamole.

smooth soy sauce chicken

Ingredients 

2 chicken thighs 

2 tbsp oil

1 piece star anise 

1 small piece cinnamon stick 

1 bay leaf

6 cloves of garlic 

5-6 pieces ginger

3 tbsp light soy sauce 

3 tbsp dark soy sauce 

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 small piece rock sugar

3 cups water

Add oil into wok, followed by spice ingredients, fried until aromatic. Then add the soy sauces, the rest and water. When water boiled, add chicken thighs skin side down simmer in sauce for 5 mins, then turn over the other side. Cover for 20 mins at low heat. After 20 mins, ladle sauce over chicken until you get the color. Cover again off the heat and let sit in the sauce covered for 20 minutes. Watch video if need be. Take out and let cooled b4 deboned chicken. Reduce sauce and thicken with cornstarch solution. Pour sauce over chicken. 

Video sharing: https://youtu.be/BK1pZScKCs8

Thanks Admin

#1228cooking #chinese #soyasaucechicken #easycooking