General Tsao/ Stir Fry sauce

I'm always looking for stir fry sauces, trying different ones. I found that the sauce for General Tsao Chicken actually tastes pretty good.  Picture next time I make some.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (Ionly  used sesame oil last time and it was Delicious!)
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 dried whole red chilies
• 1 strip orange zest
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

Combine and let boil then add 

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

To thicken... Of course this can always be adjusted for what you have and don't have.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

 This was simple and delicious!  For the stir fry I used a pre-packaged bag of stir fry as well as a red bell pepper, made it easy!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

1 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained and juices reserved

3 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

3-4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs diced into 1 inch pieces

(you could also use pork tenderloin, or sliced boneless pork chops)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 cups broccoli florets

1 medium bell pepper, stemmed , seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch squares*

hot cooked white or brown rice

*In this post, I used half of the bell pepper, and added 1/2 of a diced onion as well
 
Instructions

• Start cooking your rice so it will be ready.
• Combine cornstarch and water in a medium sized bowl and stir to dissolve.  Add the reserved pineapple juice*, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar to the bowl and stir to combine.
• *If you’re using a stainless steel pan, save pineapple juice for de-glazing it
• heat 2-3 teaspoons of the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger.  Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink, 3-4 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm.
• Add the remaining 1-2 teaspoons oil to the pan and add the broccoli and bell pepper.  Stir-fry over medium-high heat until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the broccoli is bright green, 3-5 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the pan and add the pineapple chunks and sauce mixture.  Bring to a simmer and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over the hot cooked rice.  If desired, top with sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Shrimp and Cilantro Shu Mai

Mmmm...  These were delicious!!  Given to me from a teacher who travels to Asia.  This actually made a whole cookie sheet of them, not 10-12 like the recipe says.  We also didn't measure our Shrimp though...  Still tasted great! :)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped scallions, white parts only
• 10 to 12 round dumpling skins
• Juice of 1 lime.

Directions:

• Combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and ginger in a bowl. Put half the shrimp, half the cilantro and all the scallions in a food processor and pulse; add just enough of the soy mixture to create a smooth paste, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a bowl. Roughly chop the remaining shrimp and cilantro, add them to the bowl and stir to combine.
• Place a dumpling skin on a work surface, moisten the edges with water, and put 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center. Gather the edges of the wrapper up around the filling, squeezing gently, to pleat the sides; some of the filling should remain exposed. Repeat with the remaining dumpling skins and filling, keeping the dumpling wrappers and dumplings covered with damp towels while you work.
• Rig a steamer in a large pot over an inch of water; bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Meanwhile, add the lime juice to the remaining soy mixture to make a dipping sauce.
• Put as many dumplings in the steamer as you can fit in a single layer and cover the pot. Cook until the exposed filling turns pink and the wrappers are tender, 4 to 6 minutes, then transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining dumplings. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Teriyaki Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze or 1 recipe of Teriyaki Sauce
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/3 C sliced green onions, chopped
1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted
1 mango, cut into small cubes (or 1 small can of Mandarin oranges, drained)
1 small can pineapple tidbits OR roughly-chopped chunks
1/3-1/2 c. light mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Croissants or pitas
Lettuce leaves
DirectionsMarinate chicken for at least 4 hours. Grill. While chicken is grilling, combine celery and green onions in a small mixing bowl or a plastic storage container with a lid. When chicken is done, allow to stand for about 10 minutes and then cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with celery and onions and then add mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Start with 1/3 c. and go from there. Add 2-3 (or more) tablespoons of Teriyaki sauce to taste. The thickness of the Kikkoman Baste and Glaze (or the homemade recipe) is important because it helps keep the dressing from becoming too runny. You want to add some of the yummy Teriyaki flavor, but you also don't want it to be overwhelming. Refrigerate for several hours.

Right before serving, add mango, pineapple, and nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add more mayo and/or Teriyaki--if you need it, go for it! Serve on a lettuce leaf in a croissant or a pita (or by itself if you feel the urge!)

Asian BBQ Chicken

(We don't have a grill otherwise they'd look as good as the top one! :)

Ingredients

1/4 C packed brown sugar

1/4 C soy sauce
2 T lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t curry powder
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Directions

Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Reserve a couple of spoonfuls of the marinade in a small bowl and place the rest, with the chicken, in a zip-lock bag. (If your chicken pieces are extra large and you feel like you need a little more marinade, you can always add a bit of water to stretch it.) Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but overnight is best.

Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness