Roasted lamb with garlic and mint

I think that I just post the recipes.  I have no words to say.... Yummy lamb!!

Ingredient :
1. Leg of lamb        2 lbs
2. Garlic                  4 cloves
3. Mint leaves        a handful
4. Salt                     1 tsp
5. Ground pepper   1 tsp
6. Olive oil              2 tbsp              

Step by Step :

1. Preheat the oven to 420F.

2.Prepare a mortar and pestle, put the garlic, mint leaves, salt and pepper together.  Use pestle to mash them till mushy.











3. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into the mortar, and mix with the garlic mint well.





3. Pour the olive + garlic mint mixture onto the lamb. Coated in both sides. And set on the baking rack.





4. Bake the lamb for 40 minutes with 420F.

P.S. I forgot to make the photo of finished product. I took this one which actually was with Rosemary + garlic.  But, the finished product should be just like it.  It is very very delicious.



Enjoy!

Spiced Chicken

OK, I have another nice recipe to show you, Spiced Chicken.  I make this once a month. Sometimes I use a whole chicken, chopped into 12 pieces: 2 legs,  2 thighs, 2 wings and 6 breasts. But my family likes legs more than breasts.We like dark meat better in my family, which is more expensive than white meat in Chinese societies. But breast meat is more expensive than legs here,  so I used chicken legs which we both like better and are cheaper.

Ingredient :

1. Cumin seeds            3 tbsp 
2. Coriander seeds       2 tbsp
3. Light brown sugar  1 tbsp
4. Cinnamon powder   1 tsp
5. Cayenne pepper       1 tsp or 1 tbsp (the more, the spicier)
6. Salt                          1 tsp
7. Pepper                     1 tsp
8. Chicken legs           10 pieces

Step by step :

 1. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a skillet for 2 minutes.



2. Preheat the oven to 400 F

3. Grind the toasted cumin and coriander seeds together. I prefer to use toasted seeds, not the powder you buy at a supermarket, because toasted seeds are more fragrant.  Of course, you can use powder if you don't have the time or equipment to grind the seeds.




4. Mix all the spices together.







5. Rub the spice mixture onto the chicken legs and place them on an oven rack.







 6. Bake the chicken at 400F for 40 minutes.

If you like crispy skin, you can broil the chicken for a further 10 minutes after baking.



7. This is our dinner today.  The spiced roasted chicken comes with baked french fries and green salad with beets.





Enjoy!

Crispy Duck

The first time I had this dish, was about 28 years ago when I was teenager.  I still remember how crispy and juicy the duck is.  My mother loved to cook.  But she couldn't really cook much after both my brother and I moved out from home.  And my father's digestion system isn't that well so that he can only eat soft and mushy food.  I am going to make this dish for my mother this summer when I visit her.  Hope that she will like it.

First, you should prepare the spices and seasoning as follows :

1.  Sichuan Pepper corn          2 tbsp  (whole piece, not grounded)
2.  Star Anise                          3 pcs
3.  Rice wine                           1 1/2  tbsp
4.  Scallion                              2 stems
5. Ginger                                 3 slices
6. Five spices powder             2 tbsp
7. Flour  (all purpose)             1/2 cup
8. Salt                                      1 1/2 tbsp
9. Duck                                    1 pc          (cut off the head and feet if you don't like them)

Step by step :
1. Clean the duck and pad dry with paper towel.  Set aside.
2. Use the mortar to crush star anise to small pieces (or put the anise to the towel and cover the anise. Use roller pin to mash them).  This spice will be remove before deep fry.
3. Pour rice wine to the duck, and use hand or brush to coat the wine on the duck.  Set aside for 30 minutes.
4. Prepare a wok with low heat. Dried fry (no oil) Sichuan pepper corn on the wok until the fragrant release.  And add salt to fry another 1 minute.  Set the spice on a bowl.

5. At Sichuan pepper corn + salt bowl, combine with scallion and ginger.  Squeeze hard with scallion and ginger to release the flavor, and mix well.  Rub the spices to the duck's skin. And put the rest inside the duck belly.  Marinate for 6 hours.

6. Prepare a big wok (or your own steamer), put a small bowl or rack on the bottom of wok for support the plate with duck.  Pour 3 cups of water. High heat to boil the water.  And put the duck with plate on the support. Cover the lip and turn the heat to medium low.  Steam for 2.5 hours. 

After steamed, remove the spices, scallion and ginger. Wait for it cool down until it won't burn your fingers.

7. Prepare a bowl to combine flour and five spices powder.  Coat it to the duck thoroughly.

8. Prepare a wok with high heat, pour the oil and heat it till 300F. And put the duck on the oil, deep fry it until it's brown.  And turn to another side to fry until it's brown.

Just like it!!   You can used knife to take the meat out, or just like me, with my heavy cleaver... cut them cut them cut them as.......

This!!  Also prepare a small salt + white pepper mix.  Take the duck and dip a bit the salt's mix.  Yum!!





Enjoy!!

Minced shrimp with cabbage lettuce

This is very delicious dish for seafood lovers.  We use the cabbage lettuce a lot in Chinese dish.  If you put it at refrigerator for couple hours before you eat it, it is very crispy and juicy.  There are couple Chinese food dish which use cabbage lettuce as "serving bowl".  You eat the food and bowl together.  You really can try it at home!!

Ingredient :
1. Shrimp                1/2 lbs        peel the shell, de-veined, washed with salt +
                                                  tapioca starch for 3 mins, and washed out by
                                                  water until the stickiness on the shrimp is all
                                                  gone, dried by paper towel.  Pad the shrimp by
                                                  one side of knife and then chopped for small pieces.
2. Waterchestnut     4pcs           peeled and chopped
3. Celery                 1/2 stem     small dice
4. Cabbage lettuce  1 pc            cut the bottom of lettuce and run by the water
                                                  from the bottom until the leaves are full with
                                                  water and are easy to take apart leave by leave.
                                                  Trim it shape the leave a bit and make like as a
                                                  bowl.
5. Scallion              1 1/2 stems  1/2 stem not chopped + 1 sterm chopped
6. Ginger                4 slices and 1 tsp grounded ginger       
7. Egg white           half
8. Tapioca starch    1 tsp            Can be replaced by corn starch
9. Rice wine           2 tsp
10. Salt, pepper      1 tsp
11. Sesame oil        1 tsp
12. Green bean noodle    1 pc     cut small pieces by scissors
13. Mixed seasoning : 1 tsp rice wine, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp
                                     sesame oil

Step by step :
1. Mixed minced shrimp,  1/2 stem not chopped scallion,  4 slices ginger, half egg white, 1 tsp tapioca starch, 2 tsp rice wine, salt and pepper on a big bowl, used chopsticks to mix them for about 3 mins. 

Removed the scallion and ginger

2. Prepare a mixed seasoning (Ingredient 13)


3. Prepare 1/3 pot of oil, heat till 300F.
 
4. Put the shrimp to the oil and use spatula to loose the shrimp.  About 3 mins. Used colander to drain the oil for shrimp, set aside.




** use scissors to cut green bean noodle to small pieces

5. Put the Green bean noodle into the hot oil. Only took 10 seconds and all the noodle will pop up. And change another side for another 10 seconds.  Take it out and put it on a paper towel.  Wait until it is a bit cold, and use hands to break the noodle to small pieces.



 ** Deep fried green bean noodle, use hands breaking it to small pieces.




6. Leave only a bit oil on the wok.  Put ground ginger, chopped water chestnuts, chopped celery into the wok and stir fry for 1 min. Seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  And sprinkle the chopped scallion before scoop it up from wok.

7. Scoop the shrimp to the top of crispy green bean noodle. 

8. Served the shrimp with “bowl” lettuce…





Em... it is really yummy, and enjoy!!

Lamb Marrakech - Anita mom's comfort food

The first time I have this delicious lamb dish was at 2nd month after Sara was born.  My mother-in-law Anita came to visit us.  She was helping me a lot in that visit.  She even painted one of our old dresser.  I still keep that dresser even Josh wanted to throw it away after we moved to NYC.  This green color dresser is meaningful a lot for me and I will keep it until it is totally broken. 

Anita mom made a wonderful Lamb Marrakech dish that time.  I can't believe that lamb can be so tender and juicy.  And it is not sheepy at all.   At that time, I also learn the different between lamb and goat.  What we have more in Asia was goat and it tastes so sheepy.  I started eating lamb since then.  And lamb becomes my favorite meat!  Thanks gods that we got good Halal stores nearby. So we have this dish once every month (sometimes more than once). And thanks Anita mom to give me such good recipe.

1. Ingredient :
3 lbs lean boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1/4 inch thick cube
         (can be replaced by leg of lamb, have butcher to debone it)
1/2  cup  peanut oil
2 pc        large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves  garlic, chopped
2 tsp        salt
                                                   1 tsp        crushed red pepper flakes
                                                   1 tbsp      Spice Parisienne (**)
                                                   3 large     tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped
                                                                   or 28 oz. can plum tomatoes
                                                   1 cup       raisins, soak in sherry wine, just to
                                                                   cover
                                                   1 cup       toasted almond or cashews, or
                                                                  peanuts.

** Spice Parisienne 
     1 tsp   ground cinnamon                  2 tsp    dried tarragon
     2 tsp   ground all spice                     2 tsp    dried thyme
     1 tsp   ground cloves                        2 tsp    ground coriander  
     1 tsp   ground nutmeg                    

                              This portion can make at least 2 pots of marrakech.

2. Step by Step

In a large, heavy pot, over medium-high heat, brown lamb in oil for about 5 minutes.  Please be patient to brown the meat, don't put too many of meat in one time.  Too many meat in the same pot will general too much juice.

Take the brown meat out and set aside.

Same pot, and add chopped onion and garlic, brown lightly. 

Add brown lamb cubes, all the ingredient except nuts.

Bring to gentle boil.  And turn to lower heat, cover and simmer for 1.5 hours, or until the lamb is tender.

Add nuts just before serving.

Da-la!!  It is better served with couscous.

Couscous : 1 cup of couscous + 1 cup of boil water.  Cover with foil for 10 minutes.  Use fork to loose couscous before serving. 


Enjoy!!

I have Italian spirit!! - Broccoli rabe with Italian sausage pasta

I am a Taiwanese... I am married to a Canadian. My husband Josh always liked to take me out for dinner in the first few years after we got married. Before I married him, the only way I knew pasta was served was with ground beef and tomato sauce. I actually thought the sauce was "ketchup." I have to admit that I didn't like pasta then. The first time I tried to make pasta with ketchup, it was  too sweet and I was almost sick when I tasted it. So, I didn't like pasta at all until I met Josh's stepmother Santa, who is an expert at cooking Italian food. I finally knew how delicious pasta can be. I hadn't previously seen broccoli rabe in Asia, and I didn't know people take sausage meat out of the casing to use as an sauce ingredient. This pasta is made in a very similar way to Asian fried noodles. Here is the recipe : and thank you Santa mom!!

Ingredient :
Italian sausage         1 pack (about 5 pieces)
Onion                       1 piece, large size           finely chopped
Garlic                        4 cloves                         finely chopped
Broccoli rabe            1 lbs                               cut to small piece
Cherry tomatoes       handful                          halve
Parmesan cheese      2 tbsp                            grated
Penne                        1 box

Step by Step :

 Wash the broccoli rabe, and cut into small pieces.

Halve the cherry tomatoes.

 Chop the onion and garlic.

 Cut the sausage case open.







 Take out the sausage meat and set aside. Prepare to boil the water.  Put 2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp olive oil into the boiling water, and add the penne to the water. Boil until the pasta is 90% cooked. (it will complete cooking with the sauce). Drain, but keep a little bit of pasta water (about 2 tbsp).

 Put a big pot on high heat. Pour a thin layer of olive oil. Put the sausage meat into the pot. Stir, breaking the sausage meat to smaller pieces.






 When the sausage is cooked, add the onion and garlic. Stir until the onion is soft. 

Add the cherry tomatoes. Turn heat to medium and stir for 2 minutes.

 

Add the broccoli rabe and cook until soft; about 5 minutes. Then put in the the 90%-cooked pasta and 2 tbsp of pasta water into the meat sauce and stir for a further 2 minutes.

Serve with parmesan cheese.





Enjoy!

Wonton is dumpling's sibiling!

My mother's homemade dumplings were always cooked with boiled water.  But she made the dumpling's wrap by herself.  She made the dough, rolled the dough, and used rolling pin to make a round and thin shape.  And then, she wrapped the dumplings with the speed of 10 seconds / pc.  Our neighbor who could make it in 10 seconds/pc, but it was including the time he rolled the shape.  I have tried so many different dumplings from our neighbors.  My mother's dumplings are always the best!

I consider that wonton is the sibiling of dumpling.  The difference is on the shape of wrapper.    Dumpling is round shape, wonton is square shape.  Chinese like to cook wontons with soup.  Wonton soup is my comfort food especially it goes with chicken broth.  In Taiwan, our wonton is smaller and with very small quantity of meat inside.  In Hong Kong, wonton is wrapped with shrimp  and use "yellower" wrapper (it adds egg on the dough). In Shanghai, the wonton is a giant!! They wrap a lot of filling inside.  In Sichuan, they cooked the Wonton in the boiling water and mix with hot chili sauce and grounded peanut.  The name is "Chili oil Chao Shou". Even they are with different fillings, sizes and sauces, they all are delicious.  If you love dumplings, you will love Wonton, too.  Here is what I make "Wonton"... (I COPY THE DUMPLING'S FILLING FROM MY LAST POST),

Ingredient :
1. Ground pork                    1 lb
2. Ginger                             1 tbsp
3. Soy sauce                        2 tbsp
4. White pepper powder     1/2 tsp
5. Salt                                  a bit
6. Water                              2 tsp
7. Square Wonton wrap      1 pack (about 30pcs)
8. Chive                              1/2 handful

Step by step :
1. Meat filling : Prepare a big bowl.  Combine the ground pork, ginger, soy sauce, white pepper powder and water.  Use your hand to mix well (clockwise) for about two minutes until the meat is a bit sticky(**).  This mixing process is very important.

** It is hard to explain in English what will happen when you stir the ground pork over two minutes. The meat will generate kind of "glue" and "white tissue".  If you stir it too long, the meat will be too dry and won't taste good.  Or just don't worry about it!! After stirring for 2 mins, the meat will be like what I said.  And then, put the chive into it and mix them well.

2. Chive : Wash and pat dry with clean towel or paper towel.  Cut into small pieces. Combine the chives and meat together and stir well.

3. Wrapping wonton :
 

Take a wonton wrapper, put a small portion of meat in the center. The dab a bit of water on the edge of wrap







Fold it in half and seal the edge well.

Dab a bit water on the bottom right corner





And move the bottom left corner to stick on the top of bottom right corner, and press them together.  Check it up whether the edge is sealed well.  Fix the shape a bit, and put them to a tray (don't forget to sprinkle a bit flour on the tray).


Boil a pot of water, add some salt on the water.  After it is boiled, put the wontons into the water.  Use wooden scoop to stir them gently once a while so that the wonton won't stick on the bottom of pot.  When they all float up, drain the water and put them to the sauce.

This is my "Chao Shou". The sauce is :
 Chopped cilantro        1 tbp
Chopped scallion        1 tbp
Ground ginger             1 tsp
Ground garlic              1 tsp
Soy sauce                    2 tbp
Honey                          1 tsp             AND........
                                                     
A BIG SCOOP OF HOT CHILI SAUCE.... mix them well at a serving bowl and put the cooked wontons into the bowl... Wow!  You might also need a glass of ice water...



 BTW, this is my favor chili sauce in this moment.  It is spicy and delicious!  But it contains dried shrimps inside.  Just be aware!!
Enjoy it!!