quinoa

September 24, 2010, 11:07 am

There’s Something About Quinoa

By TARA PARKER-POPE

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

During my recent interview with Martha Rose Shulman about her new Recipes for Health cookbook, she mentioned that she had just finished cooking up some new quinoa dishes. Although she has written about the grain before, she realized there was more to say — and eat.
“Every time I do anything with quinoa, I get more requests,” she said. “It’s clearly a grain people are excited about.”
She describes quinoa as an easy-to-cook and versatile grain with a delicate texture, nutty flavor and high protein content. She writes:

Several readers have asked me about the way I cook quinoa, which differs from the package directions. I use three parts water to one part quinoa. I cook the quinoa until the grains are fluffy and a spiral appears as the outer germ separates from each grain (15 minutes). Then I drain off the excess water through a strainer, return the quinoa to the hot saucepan, cover the pan with a towel and put the lid back on, so the quinoa will dry out and fluff.
Quinoa will cook well using two parts water to one part quinoa, but I find that the grains are fluffier if I do it my way.

Here are five news ways to cook with quinoa.
Breakfast Quinoa With Fruit and Almonds: Quinoa cooks so quickly that you can make it for breakfast without getting up especially early.
Stir-Fried Quinoa With Vegetables and Tofu: Use regular or red quinoa instead of rice in this easy, quick stir-fry.
Quinoa Pecan Muffins: These moist, nutty muffins rely on homemade quinoa flour.
Whole-Wheat Quinoa Bread: This hearty bread provides beautiful slices for toast or sandwiches.
Quinoa and Squash Gratin: Quinoa substitutes for rice in this comforting Provencal-style gratin.

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Quinoa

May 27, 2011, 3:11 pm

If You’re Keen on Quinoa

By TARA PARKER-POPE

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

If you enjoy cooking with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), then you’ll be interested to learn how to use it best. This week Martha Rose Shulman explores the proper uses of this popular grain.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how best to use quinoa, in part because of some misguided dishes I’ve recently had in restaurants.
Note to chefs: Quinoa doesn’t work as a risotto. It doesn’t have enough starch for the broth, which is what makes a good risotto creamy. Quinoa also has a grassy flavor and a texture that ranges from fluffy — too fluffy for risotto — to granular.
Quinoa is perfect, however, for a salad. It can be the main ingredient, or it can play alongside lettuces and other greens. Quinoa works very well as a pilaf, but think about adding vegetables that will complement its grassy flavor. I often add cooked quinoa to baked goods like muffins and breads, and this week I added it to my son’s habitual whole-wheat buttermilk pancakes.

Here are five great ways to cook with quinoa.
Quinoa and Beet Pilaf: This beautiful pink pilaf, made with pearl white quinoa, uses both roasted beets and their greens.
Rainbow Quinoa Tabbouleh: Quinoa lends itself to lemony salads, and the rainbow mix is particularly nice because each type of quinoa has a slightly different texture.
Quinoa, Lentil Sprout and Arugula Salad: Use lentil or sunflower sprouts, which have a peppery flavor, in this well-textured salad.
Quinoa and Chard Cakes: These delightful “burgers” can be served as a main dish or side, and made with spinach in place of chard.
Quinoa Pancakes: The addition of cooked quinoa to regular buttermilk pancake batter results in a thick, moist pancake that’s hefty but not heavy.

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Quinoa

Quinoa Pancakes

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: May 24, 2011

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The addition of cooked quinoa to my regular buttermilk pancake batter results in a thick, moist pancake that’s hefty but not heavy.

Recipes for Health

Martha Rose Shulman presents food that is vibrant and light, full of nutrients but by no means ascetic, fun to cook and to eat.

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Related

• Recipes for Health: Proper Uses for Quinoa (May 23, 2011)

• Recipes for Health: Quinoa and Beet Pilaf (May 24, 2011)

• Recipes for Health: Quinoa and Chard Cakes (May 25, 2011)

• Recipes for Health: Quinoa, Lentil Sprout and Arugula Salad (May 26, 2011)

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup cooked quinoa (any type)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or other fruit, like sliced bananas, strawberries or raisins (optional)
1. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the buttermilk and whisk together, then whisk in the vanilla extract and the oil.
3. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and quickly whisk together. Do not overbeat; a few lumps are fine. Fold in the quinoa.
4. Heat a griddle over medium-hot heat. If necessary, brush with butter or oil. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons onto the hot griddle. Place six to eight blueberries (or several slices of banana or strawberries) on each pancake. Cook until bubbles begin to break through, two to three minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for about a minute or until nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and continue cooking until all of the batter is used up.
5. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.
Yield: 15 pancakes (five servings).
Advance preparation: These pancakes freeze well and can be made a day ahead, refrigerated and reheated.
Nutritional information per pancake: 105 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 26 milligrams cholesterol; 14 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 192 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein
Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

Michael Chiarello's Preserved Artichokes

Michael Chiarello's Preserved Artichokes

Serve these marinated artichoke wedges as part of an antipasto platter with cured meats. If you prefer not to process the jars, keep them refrigerated and use the artichokes within two weeks. When you finish a jar of artichokes, save any remaining marinade for use on salads, vegetables or fish.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil + more to fill the jars
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup quartered garlic cloves
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves, torn in half
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 dozen medium artichokes
INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the 1 1/2 cups olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and salt in a large bowl.
Pull back the outer leaves of each artichoke until they break at the base. Continue until you reach the tender inner leaves that are at least half yellow-green. (Reserve the meaty outer leaves for steaming the next day, if desired.)
Using a serrated knife, cut across the leaves at the point where the color changes from yellow-green to dark green. Remove all but 1 inch of the stem. Using a paring knife, trim the stem of its outer layer, then trim the base, removing any dark green bits. Halve the artichokes and scoop out the hairy choke with a melon baller or spoon, then cut each half into two wedges. As the artichokes are trimmed, put them in the bowl with the olive oil and toss to coat.
Put the artichokes and their seasonings in one 14-inch or two smaller skillets and cook, covered, over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, until they soften slightly -- just enough so that you can pack them in the jars a little more tightly.
Fill a canning kettle with hot water and bring to a boil. Sterilize eight wide-mouth pint canning jars. Keep jar lids covered in hot water. Using stainless tongs, pack the artichokes tightly into the jars. Put the first ones in stem up, then fill in the gaps with artichokes stem down. (You may not need all the jars.) Divide the cooking liquid and bay leaves evenly among the jars. Add additional olive oil to come three-fourths of the way up the side of the jars. Wipe the rims with a damp cloth. Dry the lids and place them on top, then screw on the rings. Place the jars in a canning basket, submerge in the boiling water bath and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove jars from the water.
After you hear the pops that indicate the jars have sealed, tighten the rings and turn jars upside down to finish cooling. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a couple of weeks.
Yields 6 to 8 pints
The calories and other nutrients absorbed from marinades vary and are difficult to estimate. Variables include the marinating time and amount of surface area. Therefore, this recipe contains no analysis.

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Shaved Artichoke, Arugula & Parmesan Salad

Note that you need a mandoline, V-slicer or other manual slicing device to shave the raw artichokes thinly enough for this salad, which has been served at Incanto in San Francisco.
INGREDIENTS:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 large artichokes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced to a paste with salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 pound baby arugula
Chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
INSTRUCTIONS: Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the juice of the 1/2 lemon. Pull back the outer leaves of each artichoke until they break at the base. Continue removing leaves until you reach the innermost yellow leaves with prickly tips. (Reserve the meaty outer leaves for steaming the next day.) Cut across the artichoke just above the base and cut off all but 1 inch of the stem. Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out the fibrous choke. Using a paring knife, trim the stem of its outer layer, then trim the base, removing any dark green bits. Halve the artichoke bottoms and place in the lemon water.
Combine the lemon juice and garlic in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Add several grinds of black pepper and more salt to taste.
Remove the artichokes from the lemon water and, using a mandoline or other slicer, shave them thinly. Add the shaved artichokes to the dressing immediately and toss to coat. Add the arugula to the bowl.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave curls of cheese directly into the salad, using as much cheese as you like, then toss again gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 145 calories, 4 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 86 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

SF Gate

Steamed Tofu With Shrimp Mousse

• Contributed by Martin Yan

Steamed Tofu With Shrimp Mousse

• FAST

1. 1/4 pound raw medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
2. 1/2 teaspoon chopped cilantro
3. 1 egg
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine
5. 1 teaspoon sesame oil
6. 1 tablespoon cornstarch
7. 1/4 teaspoon salt
8. 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
9. 1 package (16 ounces) soft tofu, drained
10. 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11. 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
12. 1 green onion (including top) chopped

1. Chop the shrimp in a food processor. Add the remaining mousse ingredients and process until the shrimp are finely chopped. Remove the shrimp mousse to a bowl and mix rapidly to incorporate air into the mixture.
2. Cut the block of tofu in half horizontally; cut each piece in half lengthwise, then crosswise, to make 8 equal pieces. Lay the tofu pieces side by side in a 9-inch glass pie pan or other heatproof dish. Evenly spread shrimp mousse over each piece.
3. Place a steaming rack in a wok, add water to just below the level of the rack, and bring to a boil. Place the dish on the rack; cover and steam until the shrimp mousse turns pink, about 6 minutes. Remove the dish from the wok; carefully pour off the cooking juices. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over the tofu; sprinkle with green onion and serve.

Ginger Duck Salad With Green Tea Dressing

• Contributed by Hiro Sone

• ACTIVE: 30 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS 30 MIN
• SERVINGS: 6
  

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Chef Hiro Sone of Terra in Napa Valley and Ame in San Francisco is fascinated by matcha, a fine powdered green tea that can give foods like soba noodles and ice cream a grassy, floral, slightly bitter taste. Sone says he's keen on matcha because "it has the quality of an herb, but it also has umami (the fifth taste), which means it really adds a depth of flavor and a mysterious, delicious accent to a dish." He's been mixing matcha with salt to make a seasoning for chicken, fish and steak and whisking it into vinaigrettes, as in the dressing for the lush duck salad here. 

Ginger Duck Salad With Green Tea Dressing

• HEALTHY

1. 4 duck legs (about 1 pound each)
2. 1/2 cup mushroom soy sauce (see Note)
3. 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4. 3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
5. 3 tablespoons sake
6. 1/3 cup sugar
7. 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced crosswise
8. 1/2 star anise pod, broken
9. 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
10. 1 large garlic clove, smashed
11. Water
12. 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
13. 2 tablespoons canola oil
14. 1/4 teaspoon powdered green tea (matcha), plus more for dusting
15. Salt
16. 1 Asian pear or Bosc pear, cored and cut into thin wedges
17. 3 cups mizuna or mesclun greens (3 ounces)
18. 1 cup finely shredded napa cabbage

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Put the duck legs in a medium enameled cast-iron casserole. Add both soy sauces, the black vinegar, sake, sugar, onion, star anise, ginger and garlic. Add enough water to just cover and bring to a boil. Cover the casserole and transfer it to the oven. Braise the duck for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is very tender. Remove the duck legs from the liquid and let cool. Discard the duck skin and braising liquid. Pull the meat from the bones in large shreds.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the rice vinegar with the canola oil and the 1/4 teaspoon of powered green tea. Season with salt. Add the Asian pear, mizuna and cabbage and toss. Transfer the salad to plates and top with the shredded duck. Sprinkle with green tea powder and serve.

Make Ahead The duck can be refrigerated in the cooking liquid for up to 3 days. Notes Mushroom soy sauce is dark soy sauce flavored with straw mushrooms. Look for it in Asian markets.

Soba in Green Tea with Chicken and Snow Peas

• Contributed by Suki Hertz

To make green tea, steep leaves for 2 to 3 minutes in very hot—but not boiling—water. Brewing it longer makes tea taste bitter; for stronger flavor, use more tea. 

© Antonis Achilleos 

 

Soba in Green Tea with Chicken and Snow Peas

• FAST
• HEALTHY

1. 3 tablespoons soy sauce
2. 1 1/2 tablespoons mirin
3. 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
4. 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
5. 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into thin strips
6. 1/2 pound soba noodles
7. 3 cups brewed green tea
8. 1/4 pound snow peas, cut lengthwise into thin strips
9. 1 medium leek, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
10. 2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar (see Note)
11. 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro

1. In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce with the mirin, ginger and sesame oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the soba noodles until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain the noodles; transfer to a large bowl and cover.
3. In the same saucepan, bring the tea to a simmer. Add the chicken, snow peas and leek and cook over moderately low heat until the chicken is just white throughout, about 3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and cilantro, ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes One serving:;Calories 352 kcal, Total Fat 3.3 gm, Saturated Fat .4 gm

Note Umeboshi vinegar is made with pickled plums and has a salty, tangy flavor. It is available at health food stores. For this recipe, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.

 

Soba Noodles with Dashi, Poached Egg and Scallions

• Contributed by Douglas Keane 

Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus restaurant in Healdsburg, California, and an F&W Best New Chef 2006 creates a quick but flavorful broth using kombu (a type of seaweed) and dashi powder (an instant Japanese stock made from shaved bonito—tuna flakes). He poaches eggs in the broth and serves them for a protein-rich lunch or even breakfast. 

© Lucy Schaeffer

Soba Noodles with Dashi, Poached Egg and Scallions

Soba Noodles with Dashi, Poached Egg and Scallions

• FAST
• HEALTHY

1. One 1-ounce piece of kombu
2. 4 cups water
3. 2 tablespoons dashi powder (see Note)
4. 4 ounces dried soba noodles
5. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6. 2 heads of baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
7. 2 large eggs
8. 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
9. 2 teaspoons soy sauce
10. 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
11. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the kombu with the water and simmer gently until the kombu rises to the surface, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the dashi powder and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.
2. Return the broth to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the soba noodles and the sesame oil and cook for 3 minutes. Add the bok choy and submerge them in the broth with a spoon. Crack one of the eggs at a time into a small bowl and gently tip it into the warm broth. Poach the eggs until the whites are just set and the yolk are still runny, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to bowls. Stir the scallions, soy sauce, lime juice and crushed red pepper into the broth. Transfer the soba noodles and bok choy to the bowls, pour the broth on top and serve immediately.

Notes Dashi powder is available at many health food stores and at Asian markets.

Warm Soba in Broth with Spinach and Tofu

• Contributed by Anya von Bremzen 

In this restorative recipe, soba is served in dashi, a broth made with bonito-tuna flakes and kombu (a kind of seaweed that's loaded with calcium, iodine and magnesium), and combined with protein-packed tofu.

Plus: More Soup Recipes and Tips

Our Pairing Suggestion

Pungent sake is a classic pairing with this light, salty broth. Or, contrast the brininess with an off-dry California Chenin Blanc.

Warm Soba in Broth with Spinach and Tofu

• FAST
• HEALTHY

1. 4 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
2. Vegetable oil cooking spray
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 2 teaspoons sugar
5. 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
6. 2 tablespoons mirin (see Note)
7. 10 ounces soba noodles (see Note)
8. 5 cups boiling water
9. 2 teaspoons instant dashi or 1 tablespoon miso paste (see Note)
10. 4 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice
11. 2 cups baby spinach leaves
12. 1/4 cup finely shredded daikon
13. 1 scallion, thinly sliced
14. 1 sheet nori seaweed, cut into 1/8-inch strips (see Note)

1. Preheat the broiler. Spray the mushroom caps with vegetable oil cooking spray, season with salt and pepper and broil 6 inches from the heat, turning the caps once, until lightly browned and tender, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then thinly slice the mushrooms.
2. In a small bowl, stir the sugar into the soy sauce and mirin until dissolved.
3. In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the soba noodles, stirring once or twice, until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water and drain again thoroughly. Add the boiling water and instant dashi to the saucepan. Add the tofu and shiitake and simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach. Transfer the soba to 4 deep bowls and spoon the dashi mixture on top. Garnish the soba with the daikon, scallion and nori and serve right away, passing the soy sauce mixture alongside.

Notes One Serving 328 calories, 3 gm total fat, 0.1 gm saturated fat, 64 gm carb.
Most Japanese products are now available at large supermarkets, health food stores and Asian markets. Look for soba noodles with a high percentage of buckwheat.

Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro

• Contributed by Su-Mei Yu 

Garlicky, spicy and bright with lime, this noodle dish is both warming and energizing, according to Thai tradition. Just don't skimp on the lime wedges or cilantro: "The sour juice protects the respiratory system in the early spring," Su-Mei Yu says, "and cilantro helps when you're congested."

Our Pairing Suggestion

Tangy dishes like these lime-inflected noodles pair better with tangy wines; softer wines tend to lose their flavor. Try a dry Australian Riesling—they're crisp, vivid and great with Asian cuisines.

Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro

• FAST
• HEALTHY
• STAFF-FAVORITE

1. 12 ounces soba noodles
2. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
3. 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4. 3 tablespoons tamari
5. 1 teaspoon agave syrup
6. 2 large shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings
7. 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
8. 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
9. 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
10. Salt
11. 2 scallions, finely chopped
12. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
13. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
14. Lime wedges, for serving

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until tender, 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil with the soy sauce, tamari and agave syrup. Add the noodles and toss.
2. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden brown and crisp, 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to paper towels. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook over low heat until golden and crisp, 2 minutes. Transfer the garlic to the paper towels.
3. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a bowl, combine the lime zest and juice with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir in the shrimp and season with salt. Grill the shrimp over high heat, turning once, until glazed and just white throughout, 3 minutes.
4. Arrange the noodles on a large platter. Sprinkle with the scallions, cilantro, crushed red pepper and the fried shallots and garlic. Arrange the shrimp on top and serve with lime wedges alongside.

Notes One serving 234 cal, 26 gm carb, 8 gm fat, 1.5 gm sat fat, 16 gm protein, less than 1 gm fiber.

Slow Cooker Rice Congee with Chicken

• Contributed by Marcia Kiesel 

Slow Cooker Rice Congee with Chicken

• MAKE-AHEAD

1. 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
2. 2 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3. 1 quart water
4. 4 quarter-size slices of fresh ginger, plus 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
5. 6 scallions—2 whole, 4 thinly sliced
6. 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
7. 2 Chinese sausages (optional)
8. Salt
9. Chopped roasted peanuts, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and hot sauce, for serving

1. In the slow cooker, combine the rice, stock, water, sliced ginger and whole scallions. Cover and cook on high, stirring occasionally, until the rice has broken down and is soupy, about 4 hours.
2. Pick out and discard the ginger and whole scallions. Stir the chicken into the congee. Cover and cook on high, stirring a few times, until the chicken is white throughout, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cover the Chinese sausages with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until heated through, about 6 minutes. Drain the sausages and cut them into thin slices.
4. Season the congee with salt and ladle into bowls. Pass the sliced sausages, minced ginger, sliced scallions, peanuts, soy sauce, sesame oil and hot sauce at the table.

Make Ahead The congee can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently, whisking well to break up any lumps.

Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Chicken Stew 

 Contributed by Melissa Rubel Jacobson

 

Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Chicken Stew

• MAKE-AHEAD

1. One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2. 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon green curry paste
4. 2 1/2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
5. 3 pounds skinless chicken thighs
6. 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
7. 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
8. 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
9. 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
10. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
11. Cilantro leaves, lime wedges and steamed rice, for serving

1. In a slow cooker, mix the coconut milk with the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the green curry paste and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the fish sauce. Add the chicken thighs and onion, cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours, until the chicken is tender. Add the potatoes and tomatoes, cover and cook on low for 1 hour longer, until the potatoes are tender.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and vegetables to shallow bowls. Skim the fat from the surface of the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a blender. Add the lime juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon each of green curry paste and fish sauce and puree until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges and rice.

Make Ahead The chicken stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving.

Cucumber-Grapefruit Crab Salad

• Contributed by Sandro Gamba

The Good News Sandro Gamba uses nonfat yogurt in many of his sauces and salad dressings. Here he mixes it with succulent Dungeness crab, a high-protein seafood that's also high in iron and zinc.

© Kana Okana

• FAST
• HEALTHY

1. 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3. 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
4. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5. Tabasco sauce
6. Salt and freshly ground white pepper
7. 1/2 pound Dungeness crabmeat
8. 1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar
9. 1 seedless cucumber—peeled and sliced into thin half moons
10. 1 pink grapefruit, cut into segments
11. 1/2 cup steamed edamame

1. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt with the lime juice, lime zest, oil and a few dashes of Tabasco. Season with salt and white pepper. Place the crab in a bowl and fold in 3 tablespoons of the yogurt dressing.
2. Stir the vinegar into the remaining yogurt dressing. Fold in the cucumber, grapefruit and edamame. Spoon the salad onto plates, top with the crab and serve.

Notes One Serving 195 cal, 8 gm fat, 1.1 gm sat fat, 14 gm carb, 3.6 gm fiber.

Pickled ginger

 

 

Pickled ginger is usually served with sushi and is called gari. Try to eat gari between different kinds of sushi. It helps to clean your mouth and enhance the flavors. It's best to use fresh young ginger (shin shoga) to make pickled ginger.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb fresh young ginger (shin shoga)
• 2 tsps salt
• 3 cups rice vinegar
• 2 cups sugar

Preparation:

Wash young ginger root and rub off skin. Slice the ginger thinly and salt them. Leave salted ginger slices in a bowl for about one hour. Dry the ginger slices with paper towels and put them in a sterilized, heat-resistant container/jar. Mix rice vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of vinegar and sugar over the ginger slices. Cool them. Pickled ginger changes its color to light pink. (*If you are using old ginger, it might not turn pink naturally.) Cover the jar and store it in the refrigerator. 

 

http://japanesefood.about.com/od/sushiforbeginner/r/gari.htm

Tofu salad

Dana's Tofu Salad, Taste of Aloha

Tofu
Tuna
Maui onion, finely chopped (maybe thinly sliced, super thin)
cucumber,thinly sliced (could be a nice refreshing crunch)
toamato thinly sliced

Dressing
2/3 cup peanut oil (that's a lot)
1 garlic clove
seasme oil (to taste)
2/3 soy sauce
Dash tobasco sauce

garnish green onions.

Goya Chanpuru

 

Because it's said that the bitterness of goya helps us beat the heat, goya dishes are often cooked during the summer in Japan. Chanpuru are stir-fried dishes which are regional specialities in Okinawa.

Ingredients:

• 1 goya (bitter gourd)
• 1 block cotton tofu, drained
• 1/4 lb thinly sliced pork, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsps soy sauce
• 2 tsps sake
• 1/2 tsp salt
• *vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

Cut goya in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon. Slice the goya thinly and place goya slices in a bowl. Sprinkle some salt over them. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Wash goya slices and drain. Squeeze them to remove excess water. Heat 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet. Stir-fry pork and season with salt and pepper. Add goya slices and cook until softened. Crumble tofu into large pieces and add in the skillet. Lightly stir-fry with pork and goya. Season with sake. Pour beaten eggs over and stir quickly. Season with soy sauce. Stop the heat. Adjust the flavor with salt.

 http://japanesefood.about.com/od/pork/r/porkgoyachanpu.htm

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Tofu Salad

Tofu can be a great ingredient in salads. This is a simple tofu salad with tomatoes.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 block silken or cotton tofu (about 12 oz.), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced into half-rounds or quarter-rounds.
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 shiso leaves, sliced into thin strips *optional
• *For dressing
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar

Preparation:

1. Heat a little bit of oil in a small skillet and fry garlic slices until browned.
2. Arrange tomatoes and tofu on a plate.
3. Top with shiso leaves.
4. Sprinkle fried garlic over the salad.
5. Mix soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad before eating. 

http://japanesefood.about.com/od/tofu/r/tofusalad.htm

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Shiraae Recipe

Shiraae is a traditional Japanese tofu dish in which various ingredients are dressed with seasoned mashed tofu.

Ingredients:

• 14 oz cotton tofu (firm tofu)
• 1/4 lb carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 4 shiitake mushroom, stem removed, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup dashi
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• *for seasoning tofu sauce
• 2 Tbsp roasted white sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar

Preparation:

Wrap tofu with paper towels and place it on a flat tray. Put a cutting board or a flat plate on top the tofu and let sit for about 15 minutes. Lightly squeeze tofu in a cotton cloth to drain out excess water. Strain tofu through a strainer to a large bowl. Set aside. Put dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a small pan and bring to a boil. Add carrot and shiitake mushroom and simmer on medium heat until carrots are softened. Set aside. Boil lots of water in a large pot. Boil spinach for about one minute. Drain and soak the spinach in water until cool. Drain and squeeze the spinach to remove the excess liquid. Cut spinach into about 1 inch lengths. Grind roasted sesame seeds in suribashi (or spice grinder). Mix soy sauce and sugar in the sesame seeds. Season mashed tofu with the sauce. Drain carrot and shiitake and add in the tofu. Add spinach and mix with tofu. *Makes 4 servings

http://japanesefood.about.com/od/tofu/r/shiroae.htm

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Recipe: Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing
Ingredients:
1 pack organic baby spinach (I got mine at Costco)
1 pinch sesame seeds (for garnishing)
1/2 block tofu (cut into small cubes)
Low Fat Japanese Sesame Miso Dressing:
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon ponzu sauce
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (ground with mortar and pestle)
1/4 cup water
Method:
Mix the sesame miso dressing ingredients until well blended. (You can heat up the dressing in a small sauce pan and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before use.)
Wash the baby spinach and drain excess water. In a salad bowl, toss the baby spinach with tofu and sesame miso dressing. Dish out and serve cold.

 http://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-spinach-and-tofu-salad-with/

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Tofu Salad with Red Shiso, Nori, Bonito Flakes and Banno Soy Sauce

It all started with this cute little pot of red shiso microherbs that I found in Northbridge Plaza.

We used to live in a townhouse a few blocks away from this plaza and I haven't been back there often since we moved to a different suburb a few years ago. I have always loved to shop there because of the Tokyo Mart and Alfresco Emporium (they have since moved to Collaroy). Over the years though, lots of the independent retailers such as the bookstore, the bakery and some of the clothing stores have been replaced by bigger chain stores.
A few weeks ago, I have started going to a new Pilates studio for my weekly Pilates lesson. The Pilates studio is close to this plaza and so I started to shop there again and I love what I have found in Antico's Fruit World adjacent to Tokyo Mart. One of The Wiggles segment to promote fresh fruits and vegetables for kids was filmed here and I believe Tokyo Mart is the place where Maeve O'Meara and Tetsuya Wakuda filmed shopping for Japanese grocery in one of the episodes of Food Safari, but please correct me if I am wrong.
Zucchini Flower Tempura, Posh Prawn Toast (recipe coming soon) and this tofu salad dish are the results of my finds from Antico's Fruit World. Red shiso leaves are often used in Japan to make tempura, and to color pickled plums (umeboshi). They can also be used fresh in salads, soups, and as a garnish.

I reckon the anise flavour from the leaves pairs wonderfully with the silky texture of tofu. I grabbed what I had from my pantry - nori (Japanese seaweed) and bonito flakes (katsuobushi), and whipped up this quick and easy salad.

I have adapted the Banno soy sauce (I have slightly adjusted the proportion of the mirin & soy sauce) from my favourite Japanese cookbook author, Harumi Kurihara. It is a simple sauce that is made of mirin, soy sauce and kombu seaweed (dried kelp) and it is slightly milder and sweeter than the normal soy sauce and can be used in many different dishes including this salad. You can make a large batch and store in refrigerator.

Tofu Salad with Red Shiso, Nori, Bonito and Banno Soy Sauce Serve 4
Ingredient
2 blocks silken firm tofu (or use my homemade tofu recipe)
Handful of red shiso microherbs
1 small sheet of nori (Japanese seaweed), use a kitchen scissors to cut into small batons
2 tbsp Bonito flakes
Banno Soy Sauce:1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup mirin
1 inch piece kombu seaweed

Method

1. Heat mirin in a small saucepan under medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
2. Remove from heat and add soy sauce and kombu.
3. Let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate until needed.
4. Slice tofu into small blocks and lay them out on serving plate.
5. Sprinkle with red shiso, bonito flakes and nori.
6. Pour the banno soy sauce over the salad and serve immediately.

 

http://almostbourdain.blogspot.com/2011/03/tofu-salad-with-red-shiso-nori-bonito.html 

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The next two were tofu dishes costing a buck more, but proved much more substantial.  First was a kind of tofu salad, while a classic agedashi tofu followed:

http://akueats.com/hanamaru-a-closer-look.asp

It's a basic recipe to make Japanese noodle dipping sauce (men-tsuyu). This noodle dipping sauce can be served with many kinds of noodles, such as udon, soba (buckwheat noodles), and somen.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups konbu and katsuobushi dashi
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup mirin

Preparation:

Put mirin in a sauce pan and heat. Add soy sauce and dashi soup stock in the pan and bring to a boil. Stop the heat. Cool the sauce. 

 

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Ingredients

2.5cup boiling water 1/4 cup dried bonito (katsuobushi) 5-6 Tbsp soy sauce (I prefer quinoa sauce, but it is hard to get.) 5-6 Tbsp mirin

Directions

1. Toss dried bonito in boiling water in a pan and cook for 5-10 minutes in low to medium heat without a lid.
2. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes until bonito sink to the bottom of the pan.
3. Drain the broth into a medium size pan and add soy sauce and mirin. When it boils, turn off the heat.

Keep refrigerated. The sauce will last about two weeks in a refrigerator.


Number of Servings: 6

 

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old noodles are one of the best things about the summer. My favorite cold noodles are soba noodles. When it’s hot outside and steaming rice sounds like the last thing I want to do, I can always rely on soba noodles. But there have been more than a few times that I find that my tsuyu (soba dipping sauce) supply is bone dry or when my wallet is feeling the burn. Premade tsuyu in bottles is convenient if you do not regularly have a dashi-making method. But premade tsuyu is pricey – over $4 for only 12 ounces (about 6 or 7 servings) and if soba is a staple meal for the summer at your household, it’s comforting to know that there is a budget-friendly alternative with very little fuss. Making tsuyu from scratch is astonishingly easy and uses only three ingredients:
1 cup dashi stock (please refer to my post a few weeks back on how to make dashi)
1/4 mirin
1/4 soy sauce

http://www.umamimart.com/2010/06/japanify-tsuyu-soba-dipping-sauce/

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http://www.justhungry.com/basics-cold-soba-noodles-dipping-sauce

Basics: Cold soba noodles with dipping sauce

posted on 30 Jun 2009 by maki :: 73 comments

I’ve updated this very popular article a little bit and pushed it up from the archives, since it is the season for cold noodles now. I’ll also have a followup recipe soon for the perfect accompaniment to zaru soba. Originally published in May 2007.

Most of Japan gets very hot and humid in the summer. To combat the heat, a number of dishes meant to be eaten cold have been developed. One of the main cold summer dishes is cold noodles.
Soba noodles, made of soba (buckwheat), are available all year round but are really popular when the heat turns unbearable. As with other cold noodles, they are prepared in a way that may seem strange if you’re used to pasta and other Western-style noodles. Unlike pasta, most Japanese noodles, including soba, are rinsed rather vigorously in cold running water. This not only cools them down but gets rid of excess starch, which adversely affects the flavor of the noodles. Many recipes written in English omit this critical rinsing step: you don’t just plunge it in cold water, as many directions incorrectly state, but you actively wash the noodles. Once you’ve done this once, you will definitely notice the difference. I’ve given detailed instructions for this procedure below.
Dipped into a properly made sauce or soba tsuyu, with plenty of spicy condiments or yakumi, there’s nothing more refreshing to eat on a hot summer evening.

Cold soba noodles with dipping sauce (Zarusoba)

Note: zaru means basket - so these are soba served in a basket.
To serve 4 people
For the sauce (soba tsuyu):

• 1/2 cup of kaeshi
• 1 1/2 to 3 cups of dashi stock or vegetarian dashi stock

Combine the two in a pan and bring up to a simmer. The less dashi you add the more intense the sauce will be, so add the dashi a little at a time, and start tasting after you’ve added about 1 1/2 cups: keep adding if it’s too strong. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then let cool. You can do this a day ahead of time, and refrigerate the tsuyu.
Quick and easy version: Buy a bottle of concentrated tsuyu or mentsuyu, such as this one from Kikkoman, and thin out with water.
The noodles:

• 400g soba noodles, or about 100 grams per person (See note below about selecting soba noodles). Most soba comes in 100 or 200 gram packets.

Condiments, or yakumi:
Select at least one from:

• Finely chopped green onions (this for me is essential)
• Grated wasabi
• Seven-flavor pepper (nanami tohgarashi = see this list for a description)
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Finely shredded green shiso leaves (another favorite for me, if it’s available)
• Finely cut nori seaweed (cut with a pair of kitchen scissors, or just shred with your hands)
• Grated fresh ginger
• Finely julienned myouga (a kind of onion-like bulb: hard to find outside of Japan)
• Finely grated yuzu peel

Cooking the soba noodles

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Unlike Italian pasta, you do not need to salt the water. Once it’s boiling, hold the noodles over the water and sprinkle them in strand by strand.

Once all the noodles are in, stir gently so that they are all immersed in the water.

Bring the water back up to a gentle boil, then lower the heat so that the water is just simmering. (This differs from the ‘rolling boil’ that’s recommended for pasta.) If the water threatens to boil over, add about 1/2 cup of cold water (but if you lower the heat to the gentle simmer, and have a big enough pot, this shouldn’t be necessary). Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, or following the package directions (for thinner noodles 5 to 6 minutes may be enough. Test by eating a strand - it should be cooked through, not al dente, but not mushy either).

At this point, you may want to reserve some of the cooking water. This is called sobayu (そば湯), literally ‘hot soba water’, and many people like to add it to the remaining soba dipping sauce at the end of the meal to drink like soup!
Drain the noodles into a colander. Immediately return them to the pot and fill the pot with cold water. When you’re draining the hot water you may notice that it smells quite ‘floury’. This is what you want to get totally rid of.

If the noodles threaten to flood out over the pot, put the colander on the pot to hold the noodles down. Leave the water running for a while over the noodles.

Once the water and the noodle are cool, start to ‘wash’ the noodles. Take handfuls and gently swish and rub them in the water. Your goal is to wash off any trace of starchiness or gumminess on the noodles. When you’re done the water should run clear.

Make ready a flat sieve - a bamboo one is ideal and looks pretty. (You can use a nice looking colander instead, but flat sieves like this aren’t expensive - look in Asian markets.) Take a few strands of the noodles at a time.

Loop the strands onto the sieve to make a nice little bundle. This is one portion.

Allow for about 10-12 portions or so per person, if you’re using individual sieves. Arrange each bundle separately, to allow for easy pickup with chopsticks.

To serve the noodles: place a plate under the sieve or sieves to catch any drips. Put out small bowls filled with the condiments of your choice, which each diner can pick from. (Remember to put out small spoons and things if needed for the sesame seeds etc.)
The dipping containers can be anything that can hold about a cup or so of liquid. A rice bowl or a small soup bowl, or even a tumbler, can be used. Here I’ve used some small pudding molds that were a flea market find. (In Japan you can get special soba bowls or sobachoko.)

Fill each dipping bowl halfway with the cooled dipping sauce or soba tsuyu.
To eat, each person puts in the condiments of their choice, take a portion of the soba, and dips it in the sauce briefly - then, immediately eats the soba. Don’t let the noodle soak in the sauce or overload it with condiments, otherwise the delicate flavor of the soba will be overwhelmed.
At the end of the meal, you can add some of the reserve sobayu to the rest of your sauce (see above) to finish your meal.

Types of soba

The purest kind of soba noodle is made of 100% soba or buckwheat flour, plus water and salt. That’s really my favorite kind. There are other kinds of soba noodles though. Here I’ve used one made partly with konnyaku powder (which makes it quite sturdy, and supposedly lower-calorie).

Another popular kind of soba noodle has some green tea powder in it, which makes it a pleasant green in color. You don’t really taste the tea much though.
The best kind of soba noodle is freshly made (te-uchi), but this is a bit tricky…I haven’t actually mastered it yet. Maybe one day…

What to have with soba noodles

One of my favorite summer meals is cold soba, cold tofu or hiyayakko, some not-too-salty pickled cucumbers, and ice cold mugicha to drink. Another favorite soba accompaniment is tempura, which can be dipped in the same sauce - for some reason tempura (battered fritters of vegetables, squid, shrimp and so on) seems to fit particularly well. But tempura is a rather hot and sweaty thing to make, so I usually stick to the cold tofu.