Tag Archives: soy

Citrusy Asian Salad in Crispy Wonton Shells

Posted in Salads, Sides, Simple and Delicious by

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It’s been a very hectic week and I didn’t have the chance to go by the grocery store like I had hoped to. There was a potluck BBQ party on Saturday and I had to figure out a no-fuss, yet rather light summery appetizer to take along.  I know I had a tray of shaved beef in the freezer. Since one of my kids has more or less sworn off beef, I figured I could use the meat for an appetizer.

After a mental run down of what seemed like dozens of ideas, I decided on a summery, citrusy salad that could be eaten as a finger food. Ah, what better vehicle to hold the salad than crispy wonton shells! Have you tried those? I must say, this was my first time and I was quite impressed! The shells remained partially crisp the next day, even after a light drizzle of the delicious citrusy-Asian dressing.

It is super easy to make the shells. Just spray a muffin pan and gently mold a wonton wrapper into a general cup shape and bake at 350F for about 7 minutes or so. Similarly, shaved beef is super easy to cook. Fast too! Just season with whatever – in this case, an Asian-inspired marinade, and just saute for a few minutes.

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The salad dressing, which probably is the best part of this entire dish, is a simple combination of lemon juice, honey, teriyaki sauce, few drops of dark sesame oil and a dash of salt and pepper.

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Just layer on the salad ingredients and drizzle the dressing right before serving. These cups were a huge hit at the gathering and people raved about the dressing. Addition of lemon zest does take it a whole new level, so don’t hold back on it!

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So, what are you waiting for? Get ready to impress your friends and family at the next gathering with this super light, yet super delicious Citrusy Asian Salad in Crispy Wonton Shells!

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  • Servings: ”18″
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Ingredients
18 wonton shells
cooking spray
2 cups of Spring green mix
1/4 cup thinly sliced salad radish
1/4 cup finely minced red peppers
1/2 lb shaved beef
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted peanuts
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
dash of salt and pepper

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spary a muffin pan with cooking spray. Carefully place a wonton wrapper into each of the muffin cups and gently form into shells. Bake for 8 minutes till golden. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
2. In a medium frying pan, spoon a tablespoon of oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the beef and quickly stir around till meat is browned. Add the teriyaki sauce and garlic and saute for another 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let the meat cool to room temperature.
3. In the meantime, remove the wonton shells from the muffin pan and carefully arrange them on a large platter. Place a layer of salad greens into each shell. Place about a tablespoon of the sautéed beef and top with radish and peppers. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Set aside while you prepare the dressing.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, honey, salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad cups right before serving.

Soy Glazed Chicken on a Stick

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish, Simple and Delicious by

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Anything on a stick seems to elevate to the top when it comes to perfect finger foods that are enjoyed by all – although not all of them are good for you (was your first thought corndog??!). But this recipe is truly not that bad at all – especially if you use chicken breast although I used bones, skinless thighs!

I don’t know if this belongs to the true “chicken satay” category. I probably have most of the satay marinade ingredients in this, but this is more of a general Asian flavor than any one particular cuisine. Marinade consists of sweet soy sauce (it is like molasses – dark and thick), regular soy sauce, dark sesame oil, ginger, garlic, honey, rice wine vinegar and green onions.

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There is not much to this recipe. Hardest part is probably cleaning the chicken to remove all excess fat and slicing them into long strips. Other than that, you just let the chicken (on the stick) marinate for a while and cook! Don’t discard the marinade. Boil it up to make a delicious dipping sauce for your chicken on a stick!

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Soy Glazed Chicken on a Stick

  • Servings: 4
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Ingredients
4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Cooking spray
12 short bamboo skewers
1 tablespoon peanut butter, optional (for sauce)

Preparation:
1. Begin by preparing the chicken. Trim off excess fat and slice into long strips, about 1″ wide. Thread the chicken pieces through the skewers. Set aside in a shallow dish while you prepare the meat. Alternatively, you can marinate the chicken and then thread through the skewers.
2. Prepare the marinade pan by mixing all the ingredients from dark soy sauce through crushed red pepper. Pour over the chicken, cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for about 15-20 minutes.
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Remove the skewers from the marinade and drain the marinade into a small sauce pan. Place the skewers in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Test for doneness. Alternatively, you can grill the chicken as well.
4. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the marinade along with the peanut butter (if using). Bring to a slow simmer and continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes. If the sauce looks too thin, you can thicken it by adding a bit of cornstarch. Taste the sauce and adjust salt/sweetness per your taste.
5. Serve the chicken with the sauce and a side of rice or salad.

Soy-ginger glazed salmon burger with crispy Asian slaw

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by

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We love salmon in my family – although our tastes differ when it comes to preparation method – broiled, grilled, in curries, steamed etc. But, what we all enjoy is a juicy and well-seasoned salmon burger!

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I have made salmon burger in various ways before – primarily changing up the seasoning mix. However, I had never made one infused with Asian flavors of soy, ginger and sesame. Last night seemed to be the time for it! I had all the ingredients I would need making it a snapt to proceed!

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This is a three part recipe – salmon patty, soy-ginger glaze and Asian slaw. Once you gather all the ingredients, it’s pretty fast to assemble. You could skip the slaw but I think you will miss it. 🙂 I personally think this particular burger is elevated to a whole new level with the addition of the fresh, crunchy topping. You have various options for the slaw – a combo green and purple cabbage with some tart apple, a combination of Napa cabbage with red onions and radish etc. Served on a lightly buttered and toasted bun, topped with a smattering of the slaw, this burger will likely become a family favorite!

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Soy-ginger glazed salmon burger with crispy Asian slaw

  • Servings: 4
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Ingredients
Salmon Burger Patty
1 1/4 lbs salmon
1/2 inch ginger, finely minced
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons finely minced onions or green onions
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce or sambol oelek
1/4 cup panko or regular breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten

Soy-ginger glaze
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Asian slaw
3 cups of shredded and thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
5-6 red radishes, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Preparation
1. Start by mincing the salmon either in a food processor or using a knife. If using a processor, take care not to over process as salmon will very easily turn into a “paste”.
2. Combine salmon with rest of the patty ingredients. Cover and set aside while you prepare the glaze.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the glaze ingredients and simmer on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes till the sauce thickens and become syrupy. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
4. Combine all the slaw veggies in a bowl.
5. Heat a griddle over medium/medium-high heat. Cook salmon patties for about 4 minutes per side till it is golden and cooked through.
6. Toast the hamburger buns with a very light spread of butter.
8. Toss the slaw veggies with the soy-ginger glaze.
9. Assemble the burger, drizzling bit of the glaze on the patty. Top with the tossed slaw and ENJOY!