Tag: sesame oil

Categories
Main Dish Side Dish

Want a veggie stir fry this week? I say go ‘floret’

Chinese vegetable stir fry is heavy on the broccoli but really packs some great flavor with seasonings and the addition of earthy mushrooms and fresh garlic and ginger.
Chinese vegetable stir fry is heavy on the broccoli but really packs some great flavor with seasonings and the addition of earthy mushrooms and fresh garlic and ginger.

People often comment that they don’t understand how Joey and I can work together as a married couple and not want to kill each other.

Honestly, 99 percent of the time, we get along really well, both at home and at work.

If there is something that could spell trouble in paradise, though, I’d say it would have to be the one thing we have never been able to agree on: broccoli.

I love it. Joey thinks it makes the house smell like flatulence every time I cook it.

We’ve had to agree to disagree.

But since he was out of the house for a couple days last week, I took full advantage and made this week’s recipe, which features a ton of delicious broccoli, and I have zero regrets about filling our house with the delicious aroma of my favorite veggie.

This comes from the blog “Once Upon a Chef” by Chef Jenn Segal. You can find the original post at https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chinese-vegetable-stir-fry.html. I added extra garlic and other spices in my version.

Print

Chinese Vegetable Stir Fry

Chinese vegetable stir fry is heavy on the broccoli but really packs some great flavor with seasonings and the addition of earthy mushrooms and fresh garlic and ginger.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword baby bellas, broccoli, dry mustard, fresh broccoli, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, green onion, minced garlic, mustard powder, red bell pepper, red pepper flakes, rice win vinegar, sesame oil, shiitake, soy sauce, vegan, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 pound broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 ounces baby bella or shiitake mushrooms sliced thin and stems removed
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced (separate the light and dark parts into two piles)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated

Instructions

  • Start by preparing all of the vegetables. Cooking will go quickly, so having everything prepped will make things easier.
  • Add the soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, red pepper flakes and mustard powder to a bowl, and stir to combine well. Set it aside.
  • Add about one inch of water to a deep non-stick skillet, and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for about three minutes or until it’s just shy of how tender you like it. Drain it, and run cold water over the broccoli so it stops cooking. Set it aside to finish draining.
  • If there is any liquid left in the skillet, dry it, and then add the vegetable oil, heating it over medium-high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms and red peppers, stirring regularly, and letting them cook for about five minutes or until the peppers are softened.
  • Add in the light-colored parts of the onion, the ginger and garlic, and saute for another minute or so, until you can really smell the ginger and garlic.
  • Dump in the broccoli and stir to combine the ingredients. Once the broccoli is heated back through, pour in the sauce you prepared earlier, and continue stirring constantly, being sure to coat the vegetables in the sauce.
  • Once the sauce thickens to your liking and the vegetables are hot, remove the skillet from the heat and serve immediately, topped with the dark green onions.
  • I served mine with lo mein noodles. You could also eat this with rice or just by itself.

This was really yummy. I should have cooked the broccoli just a bit less for the sake of my leftovers, since it was a bit mushy by the time I reheated it, but it was still flavorful and just what I wanted.

Who can complain about a big dish of well-seasoned veggies?

Well, OK, I know one guy, but that’s what he gets for leaving me home alone. You never know what kind of culinary mischief I might get into.

This piece first appeared in print June 12, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish Soup

Easy potsticker soup will have you shouting for ‘choy’

Potsticker soup is a hearty meal, full of delicious Asian flavors, such as bok choy, soy sauce and sesame oil. Combo that with the ease of using frozen potstickers, and you have a fulfilling meal that is quick to prepare.
Potsticker soup is a hearty meal, full of delicious Asian flavors, such as bok choy, soy sauce and sesame oil. Combo that with the ease of using frozen potstickers, and you have a fulfilling meal that is quick to prepare.

Just when I think I have explored every part of the produce section, I find something new to try. This time, it was bok choy.

Bok choy, according to the Food Literacy Center website, is considered the oldest green in China, harkening back to the fifth century.

It is sometimes referred to as “Chinese cabbage,” and if you’re unfamiliar with it, that’s probably the best description I could give. Flavor wise, it’s kind of like a less intense green cabbage.

I absolutely loved it, and it added some brightness to the fabulous soup I’m sharing with you this week.

This comes from the awesome food blog “Gimme Some Oven.” You can find the original post at https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/potsticker-soup-recipe/. I put extra garlic in my version and used regular bok choy instead of baby bok choy, since that’s what I could find locally.

Print

Potsticker Soup

Potsticker soup is a hearty meal, full of delicious Asian flavors, such as bok choy, soy sauce and sesame oil. Combo that with the ease of using frozen potstickers, and you have a fulfilling meal that is quick to prepare.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Keyword 30-minute meal, baby bellas, bok choy, chili crisp, easy soup, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, fresh mushrooms, frozen potstickers, green onions, potstickers, quick dinner, sesame oil, sesame seeds, shiitake, soy sauce, vegetable broth

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 ounces baby bella or shiitake mushrooms sliced
  • 5 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • about 20 ounces frozen potstickers
  • 1 bunch bok choy roughly chopped to spoon-sized pieces
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven.
  • Saute the mushrooms and green onions until they are softened, and then add the ginger and garlic. Saute for another couple of minutes until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant, and pour in the vegetable broth and soy sauce scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any stuck-on bits.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Add the potstickers and bok choy, and stir to combine. Let everything boil, stirring occasionally, for about four or five minutes until the potstickers are heated through and the bok choy is cooked to your liking.
  • Turn the heat to low and add sesame oil and pepper. Be sure to taste the broth before adding salt.
  • To serve, this soup can be garnished with a variety of goodies. We used sesame seeds, soft-boiled eggs and chili crisp in ours.

This was so, so good. We really enjoyed this and decided that this must go into our regular rotation for quick, cold-weather meals. Despite using frozen potstickers, this felt completely homemade, with lots of delicious Asian flavors. It was a really hearty soup, too, with plenty of veggies to fill us up.

I made soft-boiled eggs to go in our bowls, and that added a creamy component that we really enjoyed.

Plus, I can mark a new vegetable off my list. I’m guessing those fifth century farmers never imagined the new veggie in their gardens would be enjoyed over 1,000 years later and 7,000 miles away, but whoever they were, I’m a big fan of their work.

This piece first appeared in print Feb. 20, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Appetizer Main Dish

It’s a wrap on these tasty dumpling pockets

Rice paper dumpling pockets take a lot of the work out of traditional Asian-style dumplings, but they pack all of the flavor. With a great combination of ground pork and shrimp, along with lots of great spices, these are a good, quick meal.
Rice paper dumpling pockets take a lot of the work out of traditional Asian-style dumplings, but they pack all of the flavor. With a great combination of ground pork and shrimp, along with lots of great spices, these are a good, quick meal.

I know it’s January and I should have tons of goals in my mind for 2025, but honestly, I haven’t considered very many resolutions for myself.

Well, I do have a couple, but of course, they’re all cooking related.

The first is to master my new pasta roller, which already had its maiden voyage with some pretty stellar results.

The second is to get really good at making dumplings. My first few attempts have been good but not as much of a success as I hoped, and in 2025, I’m really shooting for the grand daddy of them all: soup dumplings.

With those lofty goals in mind, I started out easy with a dumpling recipe that didn’t require any dough making—just some assembly and an oven—and I was very pleased with the results overall.

This comes from the Instagram account @saltNpiipa, which is created by father and son duo Michael and Nathan Le. They have a fun dynamic. I recommend giving their channel a watch. I added a little extra garlic, changed the sesame oil amount, and decided not to make the very spicy sauce they recommended.

Print

Rice Paper Dumpling Pockets

Rice paper dumpling pockets take a lot of the work out of traditional Asian-style dumplings, but they pack all of the flavor. With a great combination of ground pork and shrimp, along with lots of great spices, these are a good, quick meal.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword chili crisp, dumplings, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, green onion, ground pork, minced garlic, rice paper, sesame oil, sesame seeds, shrimp, soy sauce, spring roll wrappers

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 10 ounces raw shrimp minced
  • 3/4 cup green onion chopped
  • 8 to 10 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • about 16 sheets rice paper spring roll wrappers
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and set it aside.
  • In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients (except the rice paper and olive oil), and stir to combine.
  • Set up a wrapping station. You will need a deep dinner plate with the bottom just covered in warm water, a clean spot on the countertop, your bowl of filling and your prepared baking sheet.
  • To make the dumplings, carefully dip a sheet of rice paper into the warm water. Let it set for a few seconds until it is pliable.
  • Carefully place it on your countertop and place a large scoop of the filling in the middle (maybe just shy of 1/4 cup’s worth). Fold the sides in over the filling and then one of the ends. Then, as you fold the last end up, roll the dumpling a bit to get as much air out as you can. Basically, you’re making a packet with all four sides of the rice paper being folded over toward the center.
  • Place the packet onto your prepared baking sheet and repeat until all of the filling is used or you run out of rice paper. (You can always saute any remaining filling and eat it over rice later on.)
  • Brush the dumplings all over (top, bottom and sides) with olive oil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • When the filling is cooked through (at least 160 degrees internal), turn your broiler on high and let the dumplings brown for just a couple of minutes. Watch them closely, and as soon as they are as brown as you want them, take them out of the oven.
  • Serve with your favorite Asian-style dipping sauce.

These were really tasty. I tried to be fancy and eat mine with chopsticks, but I had trouble with them falling apart a bit. I think I needed to wrap them a little more tightly to keep the structural integrity.

Regardless, we really enjoyed these. Joey opted to dip his in a spicy sauce with chili crisp. I was more in the mood for soy sauce with some sesame seeds. Both were great.

And now that I have my feet wet in the world of dumplings, the next project will be conquering the wrappers. Or maybe I’ll just buy rice paper a few more times—you know, just to get the hang of things.

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 2, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

You have to try this delicious ‘mein’ dish tonight

Chicken lo mein is a delicious dinner with tons of flavor and plenty of fresh, sauteed vegetables over yummy Asian noodles.
Chicken lo mein is a delicious dinner with tons of flavor and plenty of fresh, sauteed vegetables over yummy Asian noodles.

An article from “Eat This, Not That” by Cheyenne Buckingham breaks down all the differences between Italian and Asian noodles.

I started wondering a bit this week, after I bought a package of lo mein noodles and the finished product really didn’t look a whole lot different from spaghetti, so of course, I had to do a deep dive on the subject.

There is a difference, it turns out. Buckingham interviewed Chef Chris Barch, who said ingredients are the main variation.

“For example, soba uses buckwheat, lo mein uses eggs, rice noodles use rice,” he said. “Italian pasta essentially has two main pasta doughs: egg dough and non-egg dough.”

So, yeah, you totally could use spaghetti instead of lo mein noodles, but you’re probably not going to get the full flavor and texture you’re looking for. So even if they’re a little tougher to find, when you try this week’s recipe, I highly recommend traditional Asian noodles.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Dinner then Dessert” by Sabrina Snyder. You can find the original post at https://dinnerthendessert.com/chicken-lo-mein/. I added extra garlic in my version and left out the bean sprouts.

Print

Chicken Lo Mein

Chicken lo mein is a delicious dinner with tons of flavor and plenty of fresh, sauteed vegetables over yummy Asian noodles.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword cabbage, carrots, chicken, Chinese takeout, fresh ginger, garlic, green onions, lo mein, red bell pepper, sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces lo mein noodles
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil divided
  • 2 large chicken breasts cut into thin strips
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
  • 1 large carrot cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 cup green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or fish sauce
  • 1/2 cup cabbage shredded
  • sesame seeds and/or green onions for garnish

Instructions

  • Cook the noodles according to the package instructions; drain them and toss them with the sesame oil. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
  • Saute the chicken in batches, cooking four or five minutes on each side until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate for now.
  • Add the pepper, carrot and green onion to the skillet and saute until they are cooked through to your liking.
  • Add the ginger and garlic to the vegetables. Saute for one to two minutes or until the garlic is very lightly browned.
  • In a small bowl, mix 3/4 cup water, soy sauce, cornstarch, one tablespoon vegetable oil and oyster sauce, and then pour it into the skillet. Also add the cabbage. Let it cook for just a couple minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and the cabbage wilts.
  • Add the chicken and noodles back to the pan, and stir to coat everything in the sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low. Once everything is heated back through, serve, topped with sesame seeds and freshly sliced green onions, if you like.

On her blog, Snyder notes that this is a lot like takeout Chinese food, and I have to agree. It was a fabulous dinner, and then it heated up for leftovers about as well as normal Chinese restaurant leftovers do. We served ours with some fried rice (Joey accused me of stacking carbs), and it made for a great dinner.

When you do this, make sure to thinly cut your vegetables and really try to get a consistent thickness on your slices. That will help everything cook quickly and evenly.

And don’t forget to get the right noodles for the job. Spaghetti is great in a lot of applications, but in this case, lo mein is a must.

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 18, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

It’s jarring how great leftover peanut butter can be

Using the last few tablespoons of peanut butter in a jar, you can easily create delicious, elevated ramen with a flavorful peanut sauce. Add in a little chicken, and it’s a great meal.
Using the last few tablespoons of peanut butter in a jar, you can easily create delicious, elevated ramen with a flavorful peanut sauce. Add in a little chicken, and it’s a great meal.

Despite being a “food columnist,” I have to admit that a lot of my tastes are fairly, well, childish.

For rare meals where I’m eating on my own, I’m likely to give in to my cravings for a serving of box macaroni and cheese or a bowl of cereal, or even more likely, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I’m guessing we go through a lot more peanut butter than households that don’t have toddlers in them normally do. Regardless of its simplicity, though, I just can’t get enough.

That also means that I’m often scraping the last dregs of peanut butter out of the bottom of a jar. This week, though, I learned that I don’t need to scrape any more. I have a recipe to use all the last bits. And, boy, is it good.

This comes from the blog “Crunch Time Kitchen” by Nick Evans. You can find the original post at https://www.crunchtimekitchen.com/jar-scraps-peanut-butter-noodles/. I added extra garlic and chili crisp in my version.

Print

Peanut Butter Noodles

Using the last few tablespoons of peanut butter in a jar, you can easily create delicious, elevated ramen with a flavorful peanut sauce. Add in a little chicken, and it’s a great meal.
Course Main Course
Keyword Asian noodles, chili crisp, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, honey, leftover peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut sauce, peanuts, quick meal, ramen, sesame oil, sesame seeds, udon

Ingredients

  • 2-3 tablespoons peanut butter creamy or crunchy
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon chili crisp
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 packet ramen seasoning or 1 bullion cube
  • 1 packet ramen or other Asian-style noodles I used udon
  • green onions/scallions for garnish
  • chopped peanuts for garnish
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Begin by cooking your noodles according to package directions (minus the seasoning). Save back about 1/3 cup of the pasta water when you drain the noodles.
  • In your mostly empty peanut butter jar or just a bowl with about two tablespoons peanut butter in it, add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chili crisp, honey, sesame oil and seasoning, along with the 1/3 cup of hot pasta water.
  • If you’re using the jar, put the lid on and shake to combine the ingredients. Otherwise, use a fork or whisk to thoroughly combine everything.
  • The sauce will thicken up a bit as it cools, but if it’s really thin, add just a bit more peanut butter until it’s closer to what you like.
  • Toss the noodles with the sauce, and garnish with green onions, peanuts and sesame seeds.
  • I ended up doubling the recipe and cooked some popcorn chicken to throw into the mix, as well. That made for a very satisfying meal.

This was absolutely delicious, and not only was I excited to use up the last bits of peanut butter in a nearly empty jar in the pantry, but I also finally opened a jar of chili crisp I impulse bought a few weeks ago. (Side note: that stuff is fabulous.)

If you haven’t dabbled in savory peanut butter dishes, this is a quick and easy one to start with, and I highly recommend it.

Plus, it gives me a grown-up reason to go through even more peanut butter. The fact that 90 percent of the jar is designated for a kids’ favorite is irrelevant. After all, I actually eat my crusts.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 14, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

Make a great Asian dish like you’ve never had ‘beef’ore

Mongolian beef features delicious seared steak with a sticky, yummy Asian-inspired sauce that goes great over a bed of rice.
Mongolian beef features delicious seared steak with a sticky, yummy Asian-inspired sauce that goes great over a bed of rice.

I was so glad this week that the smoke detector in my kitchen isn’t particularly sensitive.

As I sauteed thin slices of steak on my stovetop, the room filled with a fine smoke that my exhaust fan just couldn’t keep up with.

I am normally really nervous about cooking anything on high heat. I think it goes back to the first place I moved into when I left home. The cooktop in my rental got extra, extra hot and led to my first experience with a grease fire, despite having the temperature set to what should have been a normal one for frying. (Always remember to smother a grease fire with a lid, and do not to try to put it out with water!)

My current oven is newer and behaves itself, though, so despite putting off a little smoke, my dish turned out absolutely delicious.

The recipe I tried comes from the blog “Dinner at the Zoo” by Sara Welch. You can find it at https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/mongolian-beef/. I added veggies and extra seasoning in my version.

Print

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef features delicious seared steak with a sticky, yummy Asian-inspired sauce that goes great over a bed of rice.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword bell pepper, brown sugar, flank steak, fresh ginger, green onion, minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, top round steak

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds flank or top round steak sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil I ended up needing more than this
  • 2 bell peppers any color, cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup green onions cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced (I used ginger paste)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • rice or rice noodles and sesame seeds for serving

Instructions

  • Cut the steak into one-inch-wide strips and add it to a plastic bag with 1/4 cup of cornstarch. Seal the bag and shake to evenly coat the strips.
  • Prepare a plate by lining it with a paper towel and set it aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on high heat.
  • Once the oil is hot, add the strips of steak in a single layer. Saute for a few minutes on each side until the meat is browned. Remove the strips from the skillet and place them on the paper-towel-lined plate.
  • Continue in batches (adding more oil if it’s sticking) until all the meat is browned.
  • Turn the heat down to medium-high heat, add a bit more oil if necessary and add in the bell peppers and green onions. Saute until they reach your desired level of doneness. Toss in the garlic and ginger and saute for about 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, water and brown sugar to the pan, making sure to scrape the bottom for any good, browned bits from the steak and the veggies. Let the mixture come to a simmer, stirring regularly.
  • In a small bowl, combine the other two teaspoons of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture is starting to thicken, reduce the heat to low, and stir in the steak. Make sure to mix well to evenly coat everything.
  • Add salt and pepper as desired (I didn’t have to add any salt at all, thanks to the other seasonings. It’s better to taste the sauce first.)
  • Serve over prepared rice or rice noodles and top with sesame seeds.

This was amazing. In fact, I have already made a second batch of this one in the time since I first tried it. The sauce is sticky and has tons of great flavor without being cloyingly sweet. This also reheats super well as leftovers, so be sure to make some extra rice or noodles so you have pre-made meals for later in the week.

And pay attention to your own stovetop’s “high” setting when you try this. Some are more sensitive than others—as are some smoke detectors. But as long as you get a good sear on your meat, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

This piece first appeared in print on July 6, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

Sprinkle in something new with peppered beef

Peppered beef is lightly spiced with black pepper and complemented with Asian seasonings and fresh vegetables.
Peppered beef is lightly spiced with black pepper and complemented with Asian seasonings and fresh vegetables.

When my sister and I were growing up, my mom always joked she was going to open a restaurant called “I don’t care,” thanks to the number of times we uttered the phrase when the family was choosing where to eat.

On the occasions when we did care, there were certain places that turned into a bit of a debate for us in the back seat.

I, for one, loved going to a good Chinese buffet. My sister, not so much.

On the rare occasions I would convince her that, yes, she would find plenty to eat that suited her tastes, one of my favorite food items to grab was some peppered beef. The combination of steak with sauteed peppers and onions was (and still is) one of my favorites.

I was reminded of those trips this week when I decided to try making some peppered beef in my own kitchen, and I have to say that it turned out great.

This comes from the blog “Kitchen Sanctuary” by Nicky Corbishley. You can find the original post at https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/black-pepper-beef/. I added extra garlic to my version.

Print

Peppered Beef

Peppered beef is lightly spiced with black pepper and complemented with Asian seasonings and fresh vegetables.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword bell pepper, black pepper, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, steak, yellow onion

Ingredients

  • 1 pound steak sliced thinly (I used charcoal steak)
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper or more, to taste
  • salt to taste
  • 4 tablespoons oil I used canola
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 large onion cut into quarter-inch strips
  • 2 large bell peppers cut into quarter-inch strips (any color)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce or oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup beef stock or broth
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
  • rice for serving

Instructions

  • Season the sliced steak with the black pepper and salt.
  • In a wok or deep frying pan, heat the canola and sesame oils over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the steak and fry for a couple minutes, until it is browned, stirring constantly.
  • Remove the steak from the pan and turn the heat to medium. If there isn’t much oil left in the pan, add another tablespoon of canola oil and toss in the onions and peppers.
  • Saute for several minutes until they reach your desired level of tenderness.
  • While the vegetables cook, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, fish/oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, beef stock and more black pepper (to taste) in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Once your vegetables are cooked through, add the garlic and ginger to the pan and saute for about two minutes.
  • Add the sauce from the bowl, along with the steak (and any accumulated juices) to the pan, and stir to coat the vegetables and meat with the sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for another couple of minutes until the sauce thickens and everything is heated through.
  • Serve over rice.

Joey raved about how good this meal was all during dinner. It was peppery without being overly spicy, and the sauce was fantastic. I ended up doubling the recipe for plenty of leftovers later in the week, which was a great move. Who doesn’t like leftover Chinese food?

Actually, I can tell you one person who isn’t a fan of Chinese food—fresh or left over. Or at least that was true. After we were both adults, my sister and I were spending an afternoon together, and when it came time for us to decide what to grab for lunch, she suggested a nearby Chinese restaurant.

“I thought you hated Chinese food?!” I told her, remembering all of our backseat battles.

She just shrugged.

“I guess I got over it,” she said.

Sisters…am I right?

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 20, 2022.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish

Spicy Korean chicken is a great bite to ‘heat’

Korean chicken is a spicy, delicious dish, perfect for stuffing into fresh bao and topped with cilantro and sesame seeds.
Korean chicken is a spicy, delicious dish, perfect for stuffing into fresh bao and topped with cilantro and sesame seeds.

A lot of people took time during their quarantine to learn to make fresh bread. I don’t know how many Pinterest posts I saw where people proudly showed off their sourdough starters. 

Rather than tackle that particular challenge, I decided to try my hand at some Asian dishes instead.

As a lifelong Kansan, I haven’t had a lot exposure to different cultures’ cuisines, so I decided to see if I could create some of those flavors myself. It was fun to explore some areas of the grocery store I don’t normally even visit.

Last week, I shared my experience with making steamed buns, bao, for the first time, and I promised to tell you how to make the chicken recipe I made to go with it. (If you missed that one, check out my website at spiceupkitchen.net to find it.)

Ironically, while I spent all kinds of time making my bao from scratch, I simplified the recipe for the chicken quite a bit, so even if you don’t have time to make steamed buns, I highly recommend trying this recipe out and serving it alongside some rice or maybe even over some Asian noodles.

This comes from the blog “Kitchen Sanctuary” by Nicky Corbishley. You can find the original post at https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/korean-chicken-bao/. I switched out a few ingredients—opting to use popcorn chicken instead of breading my own and substituting miso and sambal oelek for gochujang paste, which wasn’t available at my local grocery store. I also added extra garlic.

Print

Korean Chicken

Korean chicken is a spicy, delicious dish, perfect for stuffing into fresh bao and topped with cilantro and sesame seeds.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Keyword Asian, chicken, garlic, ginger, honey, Korean, miso paste, sambal oelek, spicy

Ingredients

  • 25 ounces frozen popcorn chicken
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • fresh cilantro for serving
  • white and/or black sesame seeds for serving

Instructions

  • Fry or bake the popcorn chicken according to package instructions. While the chicken cooks add the miso, sambal oelek, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, canola oil and sesame oil in a saucepan, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about five minutes, until it thickens.
  • Add the chicken and sauce to a bowl and stir to coat the chicken. Serve the chicken inside bao or over rice or Asian pasta. Top with cilantro and sesame seeds.

This had a great kick to it, spice wise. If you’re not into spicy stuff, you might tone down the sambal oelek a bit and opt for a bit more miso instead, but I highly recommend giving this a try. It has more of a slow, sweet burn to it rather than one that smacks you in the face.

We ate ours in bao, obviously, and the puffed, simple bread was the perfect vehicle for the Korean chicken.

I don’t think I’ll be making bao all of the time, thanks to how time consuming it is, but this chicken will definitely go in the regular rotation.

If I’m going to completely master Asian cooking, I have quite a few more dishes—and countries—to explore. It might have been easier to stick with sourdough.

This piece first appeared in print on Oct. 7, 2021.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Main Dish Soup

Spicy ramen makes ‘miso’ happy

Spicy garlic ramen comes together in about 15 minutes, has lots of levels of flavor and is extremely easy to customize with your favorite ingredients.
Spicy garlic ramen comes together in about 15 minutes, has lots of levels of flavor and is extremely easy to customize with your favorite ingredients.

One of the first meals Joey and I had inside a restaurant after we were officially vaccinated for COVID-19 was to try out some local spicy garlic ramen we heard about online.

The restaurant serves its spicy ramen in levels, with each level getting progressively hotter. Joey started off asking for a relatively high number, and the sweet girl at the counter just shook her head at him and asked if he was sure. He went with a lower option, just in case.

We really enjoyed the ramen. It was flavorful and just the right amount of spicy. It made for a great meal, so of course, we decided we had to figure out how to make some spicy garlic ramen for ourselves at home.

If you’re not into spicy flavors, I’d recommend starting with less of the sambal oelek, which is a spicy chili sauce. I used only one tablespoon the first time, and in the four or five times I’ve made this since, I added a second tablespoon, and it gives it a good “makes your nose run” heat.

This comes from the blog “40 Aprons” by Cheryl Malik. You can find her original post at https://40aprons.com/15-minute-spicy-ramen/. I added extra garlic in my version.

Print

Spicy Garlic Ramen

Spicy garlic ramen comes together in about 15 minutes, has lots of levels of flavor and is extremely easy to customize with your favorite ingredients.
Course Main Course
Keyword garlic, gingerbread, miso paste, ramen, sambal oelek, sesame oil, soy sauce, spicy

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1- inch knob fresh ginger cut into fourths
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 1-2 tablespoons sambal oelek
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • dash rice wine vinegar
  • 2 blocks ramen
  • Optional toppings: soft-boiled eggs sliced green onion, sesame seeds, fresh sliced mushrooms, etc.

Instructions

  • Combine the broth along with one cup water in a medium-sized pot. Toss in the ginger, garlic, miso paste, sambal oelek, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar and stir to combine.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer, letting the flavors meld for 10 minutes.
  • If you are serving this with soft-boiled eggs, place your eggs in a pot and just cover them with cold water. Bring to a rapid boil and remove from heat after six minutes. Drain the eggs and immediately plunge them in a bowl of ice water, and set them aside while your ramen finishes.
  • To finish off the ramen, remove the slices of ginger, and bring the broth back to a low boil and drop in the blocks of noodles. Cook for two minutes or until the noodles reach your desired level of doneness.
  • Serve with whatever toppings you choose.

This was so, so good. I don’t normally make something again, let along numerous times, before I share a recipe with you guys, but this one was so good that it has its own card in my recipe box already. 

It’s so easy to add extras, too. You could add shrimp or chicken or tofu, too, if you want some protein in there.

And the nice thing about controlling the spice level yourself is even if you guess wrong, you don’t have to deal with the judgmental eyes of a cashier, silently telling you, “I told you so.”

This piece first appeared in print on April 29, 2021.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Exit mobile version