Category: Asian

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 c chicken broth
3 Tbsp sweetened chili sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
¼ c lime juice
1 tsp creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
lime wedges (optional)

1.  Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to ½ inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.  Sprinkle chicken evenly with ¼ tsp salt.

2.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

3.  Add broth, chili sauce and fish sauce; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 2/3 c (about 4 minutes).  Remove from heat; add lime juice and peanut butter, stirring until smooth.  Serve sauce over chicken; sprinkle with peanuts.  Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.  Yield: 4 servings.

Packaged coleslaw and matchstick carrots speed preparation. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.
Reviewers had issues with the short marinating time but raved about the slaw.

Ingredients
Steak:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray

Slaw:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups packaged angel hair slaw
2 cups packaged matchstick-cut carrots
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Remaining ingredient:
8 (6-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Preparation
To prepare steak, combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
Prepare grill or broiler.
Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.
To prepare slaw, combine juice and next 6 ingredients (through 2 garlic cloves) in a large bowl. Add slaw and next 3 ingredients (through cilantro); toss well to combine.
Divide steak evenly among tortillas; spoon about 1/2 cup slaw onto each tortilla. Fold in half; serve immediately.
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

The pan sauce here doubles as a piquant vinaigrette for the main-dish salad. Serve with crunchy breadsticks, if you wish.

1/4  cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2  tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1  tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1  tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1  tablespoon bottled chopped garlic
2  teaspoons sugar
1  pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
1  tablespoon peanut oil
4  cups mixed salad greens
1/4  cup chopped fresh basil
1/2  cup thinly sliced red onion
2  tablespoons finely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
Lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to broth mixture, stirring to coat. Let stand 3 minutes.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Add chicken to the pan; cook 4 minutes or until done, stirring frequently. Stir in the reserved marinade. Reduce heat; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat.
Combine greens and basil in a large bowl. Add chicken mixture, tossing to coat. Place 1 1/4 cups salad mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons onion and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts. Serve immediately. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Use a multitray bamboo steamer so you can cook all the buns at one time. To make them up to two months ahead, fill the dough, and freeze unsteamed buns on a tray in the freezer before placing them in a freezer-safe zip-top plastic bag. Steam directly from the freezer for an additional five minutes.

Ingredients
Filling:
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Dough:
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 14 2/3 ounces)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Preparation
1. To prepare the filling, rub five-spice powder evenly over pork. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 18 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°, turning pork occasionally. Remove pork from pan, and let stand 15 minutes.
2. Cut pork crosswise into thin slices; cut slices into thin strips. Place pork in a medium bowl. Add onions and next 7 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt); stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
3. To prepare dough, combine 1 cup warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
5. Punch dough down; let rest 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto a clean surface; knead in baking powder. Let dough rest 5 minutes.
6. Divide dough into 10 equal portions, forming each into a ball. Working with one dough ball at a time (cover remaining dough balls to keep from drying), roll ball into a 5-inch circle. Place 1/4 cup filling in center of dough circle. Bring up sides to cover filling and meet on top. Pinch and seal closed with a twist. Repeat procedure with remaining dough balls and filling.
7. Arrange 5 buns seam side down, 1 inch apart, in each tier of a 2-tiered bamboo steamer. Stack tiers; cover with lid.
8. Add water to a large skillet to a depth of 1 inch; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Place steamer in pan; steam 15 minutes or until puffed and set. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Yield
10 servings (serving size: 1 bun)

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 plump stalks of lemongrass, tender white inner bulb only, minced
1 medium red onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine, sake or water
1/2 cup Vietnamese Stir Fry Sauce (see below)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Asian chili paste
4 large scallions, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
5 small dried red chiles
1 large jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

1) In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon of pepper.

2) In a large skillet or a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil until small puffs of smoke begin to appear. Add half of the chicken and stir-fry over high heat until browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

3) Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Add the lemongrass, onion and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the Vietnamese Stir-fry Sauce, oyster sauce, chili paste, scallions, dried chiles and jalapeño; bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer until heated through, then serve.

Serve with Steamed jasmine rice. Serves 4-6.

Vietnamese Stir Fry Sauce

1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the fish sauce and sugar; stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool.

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and 1/4 cup sauce)

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 pounds boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.
Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.

CALORIES 227 (38% from fat); FAT 9.5g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.1g); IRON 1.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 73mg; CALCIUM 30mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.7g; SODIUM 561mg; PROTEIN 21.6g; FIBER 0.4g

Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Use more sambal oelek for extra heat. Shrimp crackers come in a variety of shapes and are available in Asian markets. Total time: 35 minutes.

Spice paste:
1/2  teaspoon grated lime rind
2  tablespoons lime juice
1  to 2 teaspoons sambal oelek (chile paste with garlic)
1  teaspoon fish sauce
1/2  teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2  teaspoon turmeric
3  garlic cloves
2  shallots, chopped
1  (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

Remaining ingredients:
Cooking spray
1  cup light coconut milk
1  pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Chopped cilantro (optional)

To prepare spice paste, combine first 9 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add spice paste to pan; sauté 1 minute or until fragrant. Add coconut milk and shrimp; simmer 4 minutes or until shrimp are done. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

These cookies are ideal for bake sales trying to promote a cause; customize the fortune to suit the occasion. Bake three cookies at a time so they’ll be soft enough to shape. Tuck your message into the cookie while shaping. If the cookies become too brittle, return them to the oven for a few seconds to soften.

1/2  cup bread flour (about 2 1/3 ounces)
1/2  cup sugar
1  teaspoon vanilla extract
2  large egg whites

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until blended. Scrape batter into a bowl using a rubber spatula; cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cover 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw 3 (3-inch) circles on paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape. Spoon 1 teaspoon batter into center of each of the 3 drawn circles; spread evenly to fill circle. Bake one sheet at 400° for 5 minutes or until the cookies are brown just around the edges. Remove from the oven. Working quickly, loosen edges of cookies with a spatula, and turn over.

Lay the handle of a wooden spoon and a prepared fortune along the center of 1 cookie. Fold cookie over so the edges meet over the spoon handle; press edges together. Remove spoon. Gently pull the ends of the cookie down over the rim of a small bowl (or jar); hold for a few seconds or until set. Repeat procedure with remaining cookies.

Repeat procedure until all of the batter is used. Cool cookies completely; store in an airtight container.

Yield: 18 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)

1 10 oz package fresh spinach
8 oz fresh bean sprouts
1 6 oz can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
4 hard cooked eggs, sliced
6 strips bacon, crisply fried and crumbled

Dressing:

1 c vegetable oil
½ c white vinegar
¾ c sugar
¼ c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c catsup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion, quartered

Dressing:  Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and run on high speed for a few seconds.

Salad:  Wash, dry and remove stems from spinach and tear into pieces.  Add the bean sprouts, water chestnuts, eggs and bacon and toss lightly.  Add the dressing and toss again, gently.

Serves 10-12.

You can brush this versatile sauce over cubed skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Or use it as a dipping sauce with spring rolls. Time: 40 minutes.

Serve with grilled asparagus and mashed sweet potatoes (refrigerated pkg with butter, maple syrup and salt – sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds

Ingredients

Sauce:
1/4 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Kebabs:
48 large peeled and deveined shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
32 (1-inch) pieces cubed fresh pineapple (about 3/4 pound)
1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
Cooking spray

Preparation
Prepare grill.

To prepare sauce, combine teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds in a small bowl.

To prepare kebabs, thread 6 shrimp, 4 pineapple chunks, and 1 onion wedge alternately onto each of 8 (10-inch) skewers. Brush kebabs with teriyaki mixture. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes or until shrimp are done, turning once.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 2 kebabs)