Hot and Sour Soup

 

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One of my favourite soups.  And, it’s so difficult to find a good one!  Usually so “gloppy” and so not complex.  This version is based on a recipe from one of my favourite chefs, Alton Brown, from his book, Serious eats.  One ingredient I added was chili oil- first try it in a bowlful.  If you like it, slowly add to your pot of soup, a little at a time, tasting after each addition. 

I also made the broth using my own homemade chicken broth, which I always have on hand in the freezer and a litre of packaged organic chicken broth.  

This recipe serves four to six generous portions

Ingredients 

• For the Broth (see notes):

• 1lbs (455g) chicken feet

• 1 lbs (455g) chicken carcasses, roughly chopped

• 4 ounces (115g) Jinhua ham

• One 2-inch knob fresh ginger (25g), smashed with the side of a knife

• 4 medium cloves garlic (20g), smashed with the side of a knife

• 1 onion (8 ounces), split in half

• 6 scallions, roughly chopped

• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1tbsp (15ml) light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp (15ml) toasted sesame oil
• Kosher salt
• For the Garnish:
• 1 oz (30g) dried wood-ear mushrooms (see notes)
• 1 oz (30g) dried daylilies (see notes)
• 6 oz(170g) extra firm tofu, cut into thin matchsticks
• 6 oz (170g)trimmed pork shoulder or loin, cut into 2-inch long slivers
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• To Serve:
• 1 1/2 tsp ground white pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Chinkiang vinegar, plus more to taste (see notes)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) toasted sesame oil, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup picked fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. For the Broth: Combine chicken feet, chicken bones, and ham in a large stockpot. 

   Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Drain bones in sink, then rinse 

   under cold running water. Return to pot, add ginger, garlic, onion, and 6 scallions. 

   Cover with water, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, and cook 

    1 hour, skimming off scum and fat occasionally. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer 

   into a large pot. Discard solids. You should have about 1 1/2 quarts broth. 

   If not, reduce to 1 1/2 quarts.

2. Combine 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl and mix with 

   a fork. Add to broth. Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring to a boil, season to taste 

   with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

3. For the Garnish: Meanwhile, place wood-ears and daylilies in separate bowls, cover 

   with warm water, and let soak at least 30 minutes. Drain carefully, then thinly slice 

   wood-ears and cut daylilies crosswise into 2-inch pieces.

4. When broth is ready, add sliced wood-ears, daylilies, tofu, and pork. Beat together 

   egg with 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch. Bring broth to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer, and 

   slowly pour the egg into the broth in a thin steady stream. Let egg set for 15 seconds, 

   then stir gently to incorporate. Season soup to taste with salt if necessary.

5. To Serve: Just before serving, stir in white pepper and vinegar. Drizzle with sesame 

   oil and sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, passing more white 

   pepper, vinegar, and sesame oil at the table to adjust for taste.

Notes 

For a much faster version, use 1 1/2 quarts store-bought low-sodium chicken broth simmered

 with a 2-inch knob of ginger (sliced), 6 scallions, and 4 smashed coves of garlic simmered on the stovetop for 20 minutes in place of the homemade stock. Proceed from Step 2 as directed.

Jinhua ham is a Chinese-style smoked raw ham. You can use country ham, prosciutto, or 

even a smoked ham hock or bacon in its place. Wood-ear mushroom is sold as black fungus 

and can be found in Asian market, along with dried daylilies. Chinkiang vinegar is also sold as 

Zhenjiang vinegar in Asian markets. If unavailable, substitute with two tablespoons red wine vinegar and 

two tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

Hainanese Chicken Rice - and a variation :-)

I enjoyed my first taste of Hainanese chicken in Vancouver about ten years ago.  I don't remember the name of the restaurant but I do remember the great taste of this chicken dish.  It was really nice to enjoy it at home.

This dish is easy to prepare.  You can easily multitask - while your chicken is cooking, it helps to prepare the ingredients for your dipping sauce and rice. Both of these are usually assembled after the chicken is done because they require the chicken broth, but you can get started washing and soaking the rice, chopping the garlic and ginger. In this recipe, all of the poaching broth is reserved -- some is used in the rice, a small amount is used in the chili sauce, and the remainder is saved to be heated and served as a simple soup to accompany the chicken.  This broth is delicious...

To serve six.

Korean Bulgogi Bolognese - a marriage of Korean and Italian.

I am always on the lookout for great cooking websites.  The New York Times cooking section is one of the top ones.  What I especially love are the comments from cooks who have tried and "tweaked" the recipes.  I also tend to ignore those who have lots to say about a recipe they never tried.

The Korean Bulgogi Bolognese intrigued me.  It is a mashup of my two favourite cuisine.  This is a great dish! Oh, and I forgot to buy egg noodles so I just had to make them from scratch bringing the dish to another level- delicious!

Served with homemade spinach and red pepper egg noodles.

To serve four.

General Tso's Chicken- a take out favourite made at home

I've had my share of General Tso chicken over the years- it's a staple on all the takeout menus.  This home version is easy and fairly quick to make and oh so much better than the takeout versions.  They are coated with corn starch for lighter batter and pan fried (then air fried) instead of deep fried.  Your family and friends will love it!

General Tso's Chicken served with stir fried sweet peppers and steamed broccoli.

To serve four.

Devil's curry

This recipe is based on the recipe from Leite's Culinaria website.  Devil’s curry is a classic Malaysian curry, made with a complex curry paste - lemongrass, dried chiles (that how you will control the heat) fresh ginger, turmeric.  It is loaded with satisfying chicken and potatoes. Don't let the name scare you- this is delicious.

To  turn down this devil's heat use mild, dried guajillo and ancho peppers and pass around a homemade hot sauce for others to "heat it up" to their taste.  It is delicious and hearty!

To serve four.

Malaysian Chicken Laksa - an Asian favourite

This is one of my all time favourite Asian soups.  Meat and noodles in a curry broth garnished with boiled egg, bean sprouts, coriander and chilis... love in a bowl.

I based my recipe on Donna Hay's Laksa recipe.

To serve four.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp        grapeseed oil
400ml       coconut milk
1 l              chicken stock
500 ml      water
1 tbsp        fish sauce
2               kaffir kime leaves
1 lb           potatoes, cut into chunks or whole small potatoes
720 gr       chicken thighs
200 gr       flat rice noodles, cooked

garnish:
coriander leaves, thai basil leaves, green onion, bean sprouts and sliced red chilli
soft boiled egg

LAKSA PASTE

3               cloves garlic
3cm         piece fresh ginger, peeled
2               French shallots, peeled
3               long red chilies
1  stalk      lemongrass, white part only
4               coriander roots
3cm          piece turmeric root
1 tbsp       fish sauce
65 gr         grated palm sugar
1tsp           ground coriander
1 tsp          ground cumin

Directions:

To make the laksa paste, chop the garlic, ginger, eschalots, chillies, lemongrass and coriander roots. Finely grate the turmeric.Place in a small food processor. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, ground coriander and cumin and process until the mixture forms a paste.

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the laksa paste and cook, stirring, for six to eight minutes or until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk, stock and water and bring to the boil. Add the fish sauce, lime leaves, small potatoes and chicken and cook for 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Carefully remove the chicken and shred using 2 forks. Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the laksa and shredded chicken. Top with the coriander, basil, onion and chilli to serve. Serves four to six.

WANNA PLAY?
You can always add cauliflower florets, small chunks of carrot, sweet potato.

Jeon- Korean pancakes- this one is vegetarian

My first taste of a traditional Korean pancake was in a little Korean restaurant in Kelowna BC.  The Korean owners prepared their traditional dishes and were always ready with samples.  Delicious. Their jeon were made with shrimp and vegetables.

Jeon is easy to make.  You can include whatever vegetables you have on hand.  It is worthwhile making the dipping sauce, spicy or not, to serve alongside.  Can be served as an appie, a side dish or a main.

Thank you to Bren at brendid.com for the inspiration for this dish.

Korean jeon served with a spicy dipping sauce and homemade kimchi.  

Enjoy!

This recipe serves four.

Korean Dak Kaiguksu- Chicken noodle soup

The Olympic Games are on tv and I am craving Korean food.  Thanks to a really informative Korean website called Korean Bapsand, I have a chicken simmering on the stove and a house that smells heavenly!  Hyosun Ro provides lots of information and some nice pics.

I am making this for friends and looking forward to their comments.  I couldn't find fresh Korean noodles.  Luckily Hyosun provides a recipe.  If you can make Italian pasta, Korean noodles should be just as easy.  Especially if you have a KitchenAid paster roller on your countertop.  And they will taste so much better than store bought.

You can be creative with the vegetables you garnish the soup with... check out the Asian produce section at the store.  T&T, in Ottawa, carries an amazing variety of Asian produce.

Homemade noodles and an amazing broth!

This recipe will serve 4-5 generously.

Korean BBQ Chicken

My ode to the PyeongChang Olympics- Korean BBQ Chicken!  Actually, I will confess that I actually baked it in the oven.  I promise to make this dish again in the summer when I can roll out the BBQ.

The main ingredient in the Barbecue sauce is gochujang.  A korean chili sauce that is sweet, spicy and thick.  Finding it was a bit of a mission.  T&T is the best place for finding any Asian ingredient you could ever wish for.  T&T on the eve of Chinese New Year is a crazy, amazing, "happening" place.  Despite the crowds, finding ingredients with names I can't pronounce was easy- the staff know their stuff and will gladly lead you to the right shelf.

Be sure to wander over to the produce section: Asian vegetables and fruits to discover.  Brought home lotus root (you will not find this at Farm Boy) to add to the Korean soup I am also making.  A lesser known ingredient for my guests to sample.

This recipe makes about four portions.

Chinese Pineapple Chicken

Looking for a quick, tasty and healthy dinner?  This is it.  The beauty of this recipe is that you can use most vegetables- carrots, squash, onions, celery, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes...

This recipes serves four.

Pork & Shrimp Wonton Soup

For me, making wontons is a labour of love.  I gather all my ingredients, find a comfortable, scenic spot (or the television) and get to work at a leisurely pace.  These are not the usual wontons from the neighbourhood Chinese takeout- these have flavour and crunch.  They are both beautiful and tasty!

I make five or six dozen, freeze them in bags to hold one dozen each, ready for soup or deep-frying or steaming. So many possibilities.

To make about three litres of broth and approx, five dozen wontons.

Tart and Spicy Asian Plum Sauce

Plum sauce - a pantry must have.  This one is definitely not as cloyingly sweet as the stuff you buy.  It is spicy and just a little tart.  Use it as a dip for egg rolls, as a baste on duck or chicken, with cheese and crackers...

Makes approximately 7 250-ml jars

Kimchi - Love it or Hate it- it's good for you! and it's awesome!

Koreans love their kimchi.  I had the pleasure of sampling homemade kimchi- delicious- but just couldn't find a store bought one I really liked.  So, here is a version that does the trick.  Kimchi is easy to make, the most challenging part was finding Korean chili powder in Ottawa.  Found it!

Every Korean family has its own recipe so feel free to adjust your batch to suit your preferences.  Make it as hot and spicy as you like, add whatever vegetables entice you, enjoy!

This recipe makes approximately 4-5 litres of kimchi.

Apricot Jam- Use it for Asian Dipping Sauce

It doesn't get better than this!  Crispy, crunchy spring rolls dipped in apricot sauce (yes, apricot, not plum) made with your very own apricot jam!  Talk about multitasking!

Ingredients:

125 ml jar    Apricot jam (the recipe is posted)
2 tbsp              soy sauce
2 tsp                ginger, freshly grated
2 tsp                rice vinegar
Pinch of red pepper flakes


Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.  You're ready to dip in your spring rolls!

Sumptuous, Healthy, Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup

You'd think I've never met a soup I didn't love... Well, I do love soups; I love to make them and I especially love to eat them.  I also judge a restaurant by its soups- if soups seem to be an afterthought, so might the rest of their food.

Hot and sour soup tops my list of foods to order in a Chinese restaurant.  The hotter the better!  This version  begins with a Nina Simonds light version of the classical soup by substituting the usual pork with chicken.  I go further by foregoing the meat and making it vegetarian.  It's just as flavourful and perfect for a light lunch or dinner.

Don't let the list of ingredients scare you.  All of the ingredients are available at your local Oriental grocer or at well stocked grocery stores.

To serve six.

Skip the Wontons- Easy Faux Wonton Soup with Pasta

I love wonton soup!  But sometimes, I just don't feel like, or have the time, to make wontons and I don't really like the frozen variety.  This soup gives me the flavour of the wonton filling and the bite of the wonton wrapper with a minimum of preparation.  Add lots of ginger and vegetables and voilà! a healthy, satisfying Asian soup.

This soup serves 6 to 8.

Malaysian Curried Coconut Chicken Rendang

I love curries, all kinds.  This one is from Malaysia.  Curry pastes from all over the world are now readily available in the grocery stores.  But, I often like to make my own, from scratch...

 To serve six.

Crisp Vietnamese Shrimp Fingers with Fresh Herbs

Wonton wrappers never had it so good!  Wrapped around lightly seasoned shrimp paste, these wonton fingers are deep fried then served in lettuce leaves and herbs.  Soooo good!

Make a double batch and freeze half.  Just reheat them in the oven and you're ready to serve!

Makes 25 rolls.

Great Appy- Crunchy Asian Meatballs

I like to have a selection of appetizers in my freezer.  Just in case guests drop in or to supply my friends who have friends drop in.  I made these meatballs with chicken but you can use turkey or veal or pork and they are baked in the oven- no deep frying.  You can cook them then freeze then reheat in the oven-so convenient.

The fragrant sesame oil and crunchy water chestnuts provide great Asian taste.  They will be a hit with your guests.

Spray or brush the meatballs with oil before placing them
in the oven.  They'll crunch up nicely! 

Makes about 32 meatballs, depending on the size.  These are about 1 tablespoon in size.

Coconut Crusted Crab Cakes- I Love Crab Cakes!

The basic recipe for this crab cake originates in a great little book entitled: "I Love Crab Cakes".  It features dozens of  crab cake and related recipes.

This particular crab cake incorporates the great flavours of fresh ginger and coconut with the crab meat.  I'm going "Thai" by adding lemongrass, fish sauce and Thai peppers.

This recipe makes eight large crab cakes.