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Showing posts with label spicy. Show all posts

Spicy Rice Noodle Salad – Strange But Chew

Thursday, April 17, 2014

The first time I had a spicy, cold rice noodle salad, it wasn’t the bold flavors that caught me by surprise, but the strange and addictive texture. It was so different to any pasta salad I’d ever had before, that I was kind of bummed I hadn’t known about this stuff sooner. Makes me sad to think about all the time back I wasted on those stupid, tri-color fusilli salads.

Anyway, this is pretty easy and delicious stuff. I’m not even sure these noodles are technically cooked, but simply softened in very hot water to your personal preference of tenderness. You can, and many do, boil this stuff like pasta for a couple minutes, and have what’s much closer to a proper al dente angel hair, but I much prefer the toothsomeness you get using the hot water method.

Unlike undercooked wheat flour pastas, this isn’t a gummy, crunch, but much more of a “pop” or “snap” as your teeth break through the almost tender noodles. Once soaked with the vibrant dressing, and topped with the optional, but highly recommended grilled chicken, you have a change-of-pace lunch that will be the talk of the water cooler.

Speaking of the chicken, all you’ll need to do is double the dressing recipe, and pour half over some boneless skinless chicken thighs (or any other cut). Let sit out, marinating for 30 minutes, and then grill to caramelized perfection. I hope you give this great spicy rice noodle salad a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large servings:
1 package (6.25 oz) thin rice noodle (soaked in almost boiling water until desired tenderness, rinsed, drained thoroughly)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 or 2 tbsp samal or other ground chili sauce

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup carrot julienne

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup packed mixture of chopped basil, mint, and cilantro

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

1 tsp sesame oil

Optional:

6 grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs

sliced Fresno chilies

View the complete recipe

SPICY BROCCOLI SALAD

Monday, March 10, 2014

SPICY BROCCOLI SALAD
I like my broccoli to have some color and crunch in them. I used to cook them for 30-40 seconds in the microwave with some salt. In this recipe, I have used mild spices and zinged up the salad just a little bit. I have baked them for a few minutes, so the broccoli still retain their color and crunch. Again, this is just another idea of spicing up the salad. Any amount of spices can be added here according to individual taste. Even any regular salad dressings can also be added after baking them. Each one of you is sure to have some variations like this one. Any suggestions to make these salads yummier will be most welcome. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Broccoli, 2 large heads.
Chili flakes, 1 teaspoon.
Any type of seasoning mixture, 1 teaspoon.
Garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon (optional).
Salt as per taste.
Dried parsley flakes, ½ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Break the broccoli into large florets and wash them well. Pat them dry with a paper towel and put them into a bowl. Mix chili flakes, seasoning mixture, garlic powder, dried parsley leaves, and salt together. Add this mixture on top of the broccoli and mix everything well. Grease a baking sheet with any cooking spray and arrange the florets on the sheet leaving sufficient space between each of them. Bake them at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes and remove them for the oven. Serve them hot or cold. This salad tastes yummy both ways.

Spicy Orange Zest Beef – It Is What It Is

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

As I mentioned in the intro, this orange zest beef recipe is not supposed to be Chinese food, or even Americanized Chinese take-out food. Of course, since it’s obviously inspired by those day-glow orange, deep-fried beef nuggets (which may or may not be actual beef), comparisons are inevitable.

While I have no delusions that those crunchy bits would be preferable to most people, especially ones that just stumbled out of a Phish concert, this much-lower-fat alternative is still a quick, easy and perfectly delicious meal.

You’ll want to use a tender beef for this, since the cooking time is only 4-5 minutes. Cheaper cuts like chuck are going to be too tough, unless, of course, you pound it paper-thin, or use some kind of tenderizer. I used sirloin, which worked fine, but ideally you’ll find yourself some beef tenderloin trimmings.

Here’s another instance where you are much better off going to talk to a butcher, rather than a clerk at the supermarket. A real butcher will sell you the scraps produced when a whole tenderloin is trimmed. The meat is cut from something called the “chain” (be sure to use that word to impress the butcher), which is super-tender, and probably half the price.

One last tip: Be sure the beef is VERY well drained before it hits the hot pan. If your meat is wet, it will just boil and steam, and won’t work as well. Of course, if beef isn’t your thing, this will also work with chicken, pork, and…[gulp]…textured vegetable protein. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb tender beef, ideally trimmed tenderloin scraps

vegetable oil spray, as needed

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Sambal hot chili sauce

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tbsp brown sugar, or to taste

2 tbsp orange zest

1 bunch green onions

1/4 cup water

1 tsp corn starch

salt and pepper to taste, optional

white rice as needed

View the complete recipe