Chicken Katsu

 Ingredients:

• 2 packages of boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 3 lbs total)
• Salt and sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• panko crumbs, about 1 7 oz container
• onion powder, black pepper, paprika (optional)
• 1/4 cup milk (or use water)

Instructions:

Rinse and dry the chicken with some paper towels. Cut up any pieces that are too thick or too big. Poke holes through each piece of chicken with a fork.

Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt and sugar on one side of the chicken pieces. Then flip to the other side and sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt and sugar on the other side. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Prepare oil in a frying pan, heating to 350.

Add the 1/2 cup of flour to a bowl and add up to 1/2 tsp of salt, plus black pepper and 1/4 tsp of onion powder (optional). Mix.

Crack the 2 eggs in a bowl and whisk to scramble them.  Add 1/4 cup water or milk and mix into the eggs.

Add some panko bread crumbs to a third bowl.

Dip the chicken pieces into the flour first, then into the egg, then into the panko to coat with crumbs.

In a frying pan, brown the chicken pieces about 4 minutes on each side, until they have a toasty brown color on each side. 

Chicken Juk

 Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked rice, washed
• 4 cups water plus 1 can chicken broth OR
• 6 cups water plus 1 Tbsp Better Than Buillion 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• sesame oil and/or soy sauce to taste
• mix ins: cooked chicken, BBQ pork, pork fu, abalone, squid, calamari, green onions, kimchi, etc.

Instructions

Bring water/broth to a boil in a large pot. Once it is boiling, add the rinsed rice and stir once. Let it come to a boil and turn down the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a little gap and cook for 25 minutes. Do not stir during this cooking time.

After 25 minutes, if the rice seems tender, start whisking it. Whisk for 5 minutes, breaking up the rice until it reaches a porridge consistency.  Add salt, soy sauce, and sesame oil to taste.

Taiyaki (Bunggeopang or "Fish Bread") Waffle type recipe

 Ingredients

• red bean paste for filling (or other fillings such as Nutella, cheese, etc.)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Mochiko flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Combine all the dry ingredients and whisk them together in a bowl. Combine the milk, egg, and oil in a small bowl and whisk together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk together.
• Heat both sides of a taiyaki pan on medium heat, about one minute per side. Lower heat to medium-low. Open the mold and spray with cooking spray or brush on some vegetable oil.
• Fill one side of the mold about 1/3 full and add the filling.  Add more batter to cover the filling and close the mold. Cook each side for about 2.5 to 3 minutes, or until golden.
• When done cooking, remove the fish from the mold and let it cool before eating. Continue with the batter until finished.

Chinese Steamed Egg

Ingredients 

• 4 medium eggs 
• 1 1/4 cup of low sodium chicken broth or water 
• 1/2 tsp salt (or less, to taste) 
• Soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, sliced green onion for topping 

Instructions

1. Scramble the 4 eggs well and mix in the chicken broth or water and salt. Mix it really well. 
2. Strain the egg mixture through a fine sieve into heatproof containers and steam gently until the center of the eggs is jiggly but set, about 20 minutes. Keep checking it towards the end to prevent overcooking.
3. Remove from steamer and serve with toppings.

Chicken Stir Fry

 Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (20-24 oz), sliced or cut into chunks
• 1 tsp salt (can use less)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp chicken powder
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp cooking wine
• 4 tbsp water

Instructions

1. Marinate the sliced chicken for at least 1/2 hour in the refrigerator, or up to 2 hours.
2. Add olive oil to saute pan and cook chicken in small batches so that the pieces will brown a little bit.  Do not overcook chicken breast.

Galbi Marinade Recipe

• Cut up Korean or bosc pear (about 2 cups of pieces)
• 8 cloves of garlic (about 2 - 3 tbsp)
• 1 medium onion, cut up in chunks
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup cooking wine
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• (optional but it adds flavor) 1 tbsp liquid smoke)

Put the chunks of pear, garlic, onion and ginger in a blender or processor, blend into a smooth paste. Add the rest of the ingredients, and marinate up to 3 lbs of beef overnight.

CAST IRON SCALLION PANCAKES

Yield: 4 to 6 appetizer servings 

These light and crispy pancakes are made from mung beans, a dried bean most often used to grow bean sprouts. They can be served as a light meal, appetizer or snack. Make sure to choose yellow mung beans which look like lentils and can be found in Asian markets. When soaked and ground, they give the pancakes a texture similar to cornmeal. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup yellow mung beans 

Water, for soaking 

2 large eggs 

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon Korean red pepper powder or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1 cup ice water 

8 green onions, white and light green parts only, cut into 3-inch matchstick-size strips 

Vegetable oil, for coating skillet 

Dipping Sauce: 

3 tablespoons soy sauce 

2 teaspoons rice vinegar 

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 

1/4 teaspoon Korean red pepper powder 

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil 

Directions: 

1. Add mung beans to a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. 
2. Drain mung beans in a fine-mesh strainer and place in a blender or in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add eggs, flour, salt, pepper powder, and ice water. Process until batter is smooth. Pour batter into a medium bowl and fold in green onions. Set aside. 
3. To prepare the dipping sauce: Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, hot pepper flakes, and sesame oil. Set aside. 
4. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with 1/8 inch of oil. Heat oil until hot but not smoking. Using a ladle, pour about 1/2 cup batter and tilt the pan to create a circle about 6 to 8 inches across. Cook until pancake is browned in spots, about 2 to 3 minutes, adding more oil as needed. Using a fish spatula, flip the pancake and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on opposite side. Transfer cooked pancake to a paper towel-lined plate and cover with another paper towel. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, stacking the pancakes on top of each other with layers of paper towel in between. 
5. To serve: Cut pancakes into wedges and serve with dipping sauce on the side as part.

JAPCHAE (STIR-FRIED GLASS NOODLES WITH VEGETABLES)

Japchae is a festive stir-fried dish made with colorful seasonal vegetables and sweet potato noodles. Sweet potato noodles, also known as starch noodles or Korean vermicelli, are made from sweet potato starch and water. When cooked, these dried gray noodles turn clear. Korean sweet potato noodles can be found in Asian or Korean markets. 

Ingredients 

1/2 package (8 ounces) dried Korean sweet potato noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps julienned
1 medium onion, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
1 red bell pepper, cored and julienned
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
5 ounces baby spinach, stemmed
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, plus more to taste

Directions 

1. To cook the noodles: Bring a medium pan of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add noodles and cook until transparent and al dente, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. Immediately transfer cooked noodles to ice-water bath to stop the cooking and cool. Drain and toss well with 1 tablespoons sesame oil. Set aside. 
2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add mushrooms, onions, carrots, and bell pepper; season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spinach, and green onions and stir-fry until aromatic, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add drained chilled noodles and remaining ingredients. Stir-fry until vegetables are completely soft and most of cooking liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

MARINATED CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SCALLIONS AND SESAME

Korean meals are not complete without Banchan: little side dishes of pickles, marinated veggies and kimchi served along with a typical Korean meal. These quick pickles are ready in no time and become more flavorful the longer they marinate. 

Ingredients

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups thinly sliced English or Persian cucumbers
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or green onions

Directions 

1. To a medium bowl, add vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar; whisk until well combined and sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumbers and toss to coat; cover and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve pickling liquid. (The pickling liquid makes a great base for vinaigrette or more pickles!) Set aside cucumbers. 
2. In a mortar and pestle, combine the sesame seeds and salt; lightly crush and stir.
3. To serve: Transfer pickled cucumbers to a serving dish, toss with scallions, and generously sprinkle with sesame salt; serve.

GRILLED BULGOGI BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS

Yield: 4 servings

Translated, “bul” means “fire” and “gogi” means “meat.” This popular Korean dish features thinly sliced marinated beef that’s seared to a caramel brown and eaten with a variety of Korean condiments. Freezing the meat for 20 to 30 minutes ahead of time and using a sharp knife will help you cut the thinnest possible slices. 

Ingredients

2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons Japanese rice wine (mirin)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound New York strip or rib eye steak, very thinly sliced 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing grill grates

Garnish:

8 to 10 Bibb lettuce leaves Gochujang
1 Asian pear, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
Kimchee
Cilantro leaves

1. To prepare the marinade: To a medium bowl, add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, sesame oil, green onions, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, and pepper; whisk to combine. Add beef slices and toss well. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to marinate.

2. Remove meat from marinade and drain very well in a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the marinade. Heat a grill or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, add meat and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer beef to a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds.

3. To serve: Place 2 or 3 strips of meat in a lettuce leaf and garnish with a dab of Gochujang. Add pears, carrots, kimchi, and cilantro; wrap and serve. 

Spicy Pork BBQ

 Ingredients (enough marinade for 2 batches):

• 1.5 lbs pork shoulder or pork belly, cut into thick slices for skewer
• 1 small onion, cut into chunks
• 1 small apple or pear, cut into chunks
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 2-3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder)
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp black pepper
• (optional) 2 Tbsp Korean BBQ sauce

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and marinate the meat overnight.  Grill on charcoal grill using grill pan. Alternative method is to skewer the meat and arrange over a baking pan with a little water at the bottom to prevent drippings from burning.  Roast in 450ºF oven for about 15 minutes or until done.

Japanese Curry My Custom Recipe

 Japanese Curry 

curry roux from the box, mild flavor; custom ingredients added

Ingredients (cut up into small chunks)

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 coin size slice of ginger, chopped
• 3-4 medium gold potatoes (can use russet but they fall apart more easily)
• 1/2 lb ground pork, chicken or turkey
• 3 large carrots
• 1/2 apple, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 2 blocks of the curry roux (I only use 2 for a mild flavor, but add salt to taste)
• ketchup, about 2 tsp, optional
• frozen green peas, optional

Instructions

Saute the onions in with some cooking oil in a large skillet until caramelized.  Add ground meat and cook until done.  Add garlic and ginger and cook one more minute. Season with salt to taste.  Add carrots, apple, and potatoes plus 3 cups of water.  Let it come to a boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.  Stir in curry roux blocks one at a time.  Add peas and ketchup.  Simmer for 5 more minutes. Check for seasoning - only using two blocks is mild flavor so it might need some salt.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Japanese Creamy Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise (Kewpie mayo recommended)
• 1 Tbsp white (shiro) miso paste
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 to 1 Tbsp light soy sauce (to taste)
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until blended smooth.  Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Fried Rice

Ingredients

5 cups uncooked rice to cook in rice cooker

4 Chinese sausage (lop chung)
2 eggs, scramble in a bowl
4 green onion, chopped

1/2 cup diced Chinese BBQ pork (char siu) or other meat or tofu (optional)

2 carrot, diced, about 1 cup

1 cup frozen peas

soy sauce (1-2 Tbsp) and salt to taste

sesame oil (optional)

Cook rice in the rice cooker and the carrot in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain the carrots.  Peel and dice the chinese sausage.  Stir fry the sausage in a wok or frying pan until the fat becomes clear or translucent.  Mix in the diced meat or tofu.  Remove from pan.  Cook the scrambled egg and chop up with a spatula. Move to the side of the wok and add/heat 3-4 Tbsp. of vegetable oil in wok until smoking hot.  Add the rice, diced sausage, carrot, peas, green onion, and mix well.  Add soy sauce and sesame oil last, just enough to taste. Add salt if needed.

Baked Chinese Buns

I think this is a recipe given to my mother from one of her friends that used to run a restaurant that made these...

Ingredients

• 1 lb high gluten flour (bread flour)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 packet (2 1/2 tsp) dry yeast
• 1/2 cup sugar
• dash of salt
• 1 whole egg
• 3 oz butter

Instructions

1. Use small amount of milk to dissolve the yeast with sugar, salt, egg, milk, and mix well.
2. Sift flour into the ingredients, mix well and smooth until dough looks gooey. Then knead witb hands; throw the dough with force on the table or counter about 40 times.
3. Cover smoothed dough and let rest for about 10 mins
4. Soften butter and cut in small slices. Hand mix the butter into the dough until smooth.  Then slap the dough against the table 40 times.  Cover dough over 1 hour. Dough will rise double size.
5. Hand mix dough until smooth again then divide into 12-15 parts,  Smooth each part into a round ball,  Press round ball flat and add filling (char siu),  Pinch the dough closed on the bottom of the bun and place the closed end on a piece of parchment paper.
6. Let the buns rise at room temperature about 1 hour.
7. Preheat oven to 350 F
8. Brush room temperature liquid on buns
9. Bake 14-16 minutes or watch the color to golden brown
10. Bursh previous melted butter on buns to make them shiny

Variety filling:

• Coconut flakes, anko (red bean paste), mashed cooked taro.
• Coconut filling:
• 40 oz coconut flakes
• 2 oz sugar
• 2 oz soft butter
• 2 tsp Eagle Brand condensed milk
• 2 oz nonfat dry milk powder

Mix well and refrigerate to firm up.  Scoop into ball shape before filling buns.

Chow Fun Noodles w Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

8 oz fresh rice noodles (or dried rice noodles - reconstitute by soaking in water)

4 oz thinly sliced flank steak

Marinade for steak

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp Chinese cooking wine

1 clove chopped garlic

1/2 tsp sesame oil

4-6 stems Chinese broccoli (like gai lan)

Green onion

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 T vegetable oil for cooking

Sauce

Dark soy sauce

Regular or light soy sauce

White or rice vinegar

Sugar

Oyster sauce

Instructions

Vegetables:  Trim broccoli ends, wash thoroughly and cut into 3 inch pieces.  If stem pieces are very thick, slice them vertically so they will cook evenly.  Cut the green onions into 2 inch pieces.

Using fresh noodles: separate the strips of noodles by hand.  They are usually coated with oil in the packaging.  Place in microwave safe dish or bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, until they are able to be GENTLY separated by hand.  Don't soak them in water.  They will break easily if they aren't heated enough to be soft and pliable. Loosen them up in the bowl. Use immediately.

Using dried noodles:  prepare according to package directions - usually by soaking in hot water. Drain immediately and use immediately once they are prepared.  Do not leave them lying around.

Sauce: Mix ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Cooking:  Heat 1 Tbsp oil in wok or frying pan over high heat.  Add garlic, cook 15 seconds, then add meat and cook until mostly done (a little rare is fine). Remove from pan.

Add 1 Tbsp oil, add broccoli stems first, cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the leaf parts and cook until just wilted.  Remove from pan.

In a non stick frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp oil until smoking hot.  Add noodles and stir fry on high, using chopsticks or toss method to stir.  Handle the noodles as little as possible to minimize breakage.  Add the sauce and toss to distribute.  Over high heat the noodles and sauce will caramelize.

Add the meat, vegetables and green onion in and toss to distribute. Serve freshly cooked.

Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

Sauce ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp Smooth peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped very finely
• 2 scallions, trimmed and chopped
• Juice of 1 fresh lime
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
• Salt to taste

• 1/2 lb dry linguine, spagetti, or rice noodles

• peeled and sliced cucumbers, or other toppings (bean sprouts, snow peas are good)
• (optional) sliced scallion or cilantro, for garnish
• (optional) cooked chicken

 Instructions

• Cook noodles in boiling water according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and chill if desired.
• In a food processor, blend all the sauce ingredients until smooth. The sauce can also be whisked together in bowl. Add salt as needed, to taste. Toss the cooled noodles with the sauce. until the noodles are well coated. Serve with cucumber and scallions on top.

Chinese Pastry Recipe

Almost all the recipes online for flaky Chinese pastry dough - the kind for lao po beng or other dim sum type pastries - were in grams and not cups and tbsps like I'm used to.  I have a food scale but it is in ounces not grams 'cause we're not metric, sorry! So this recipe will have to do until the time I ever get a gram scale.

The crust can also be used for flaky don tart (Chinese egg custard tart).

Ingredients:
Water dough

• 1/2 cup flour or bread flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
• up to 70 ml water
• 1/4 cup shortening or butter

Oil dough

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup shortening

Instructions:

• Mix up both doughs separately (use food processor).  Wrap each dough in plastic and chill in refrigerator for about 1/2 hour.  
• When ready to use, divide the water dough into 4 equal pieces.  Divide the oil dough into 4 pieces also.  
• Roll out a piece of water dough into a rectangle.  Roll out a piece of the oil dough and then distribute the oil dough fairly evenly (it will be crumbly, don't worry about broken pieces) over the rolled out water dough.  
• Roll up the two dough layers, swiss roll style, and flatten again. Then roll swiss roll style again, the opposite way, and flatten once more. 
• Use the flattened dough to wrap around filling like red bean paste, or as Chinese tart pastry.  Brush with egg wash.  Bake at 350°F until golden.

The original recipe I found for lao po beng (wife cake, sweet winter melon filling) is here:

http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2008/08/wifes-biscuitloh-por-paeng.html

Easy Tamago (Egg) Sushi

I bought this little square nonstick pan at Ralphs for only $6.99 a few months ago thinking it would be perfect for making tamago (Japanese sweet egg). Since I'm too lazy to make the little rectangle shaped sushi nuggets by hand , I just make a roll and slice it up.  It's fast, tastes great and I am hoping Mr. Guy might even like scrambled eggs cooked this way (plain of course).

Ingredients:

My cute little tamago pan

• 2 large eggs, scrambled with a fork
• 1/8 tsp dashi powder
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp mirin
• 1/4 tsp light soy sauce or shoyu
• 1/4 cup water
• pinch of salt, optional
• vegetable oil or cooking spray

Instructions:

• Heat the pan and brush or spray with oil.  Add a couple of spoonfuls of egg, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.  Cook gently (lower the heat if needed) until not quite set on top, but not runny.  Roll it up with chopsticks or a fork to one side of the pan.
• Brush or spray the exposed part of the pan with more oil.  Add another small quantity of egg to coat the bottom again, lifting the cooked rolled up egg to get uncooked egg to run under it.  Cook until almost set, then roll the egg to the opposite side of the pan.
• Keep repeating this procedure until all the egg is used up.
• Optional step:  Place the egg log on a moistened sushi mat and roll firmly into a rectangle shape, with seam side down.  Allow it to cool, then remove and slice and serve.
• Or:  Take the whole egg roll and wrap in a half sheet of nori; slice and serve.
• Or:  Spread some sushi (vinegared) rice onto a whole nori sheet, add the egg log and roll up.  Slice and serve.

Japanese Pickled Cucumbers

Ingredients:

• Cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt (to sprinkle)
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• Place cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and let sit 5-10 mins.
• Rinse cucumbers under cold water to remove salt.
• Mix together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve.
• Pour over cucumbers.
• Marinate cucumbers overnight in refrigerator in sealed container.

Source: Japanese Pickled Cucumbers