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Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Salad-e Shirazi (Persian Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad)

July 29, 2021

Salad-e Shirazi - Persian Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Salad

This refreshing salad comes from Samin Nosrat, writer of a James Beard award-winning New York Times best selling cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.  We watched a documentary on Netflix featuring Ms. Nosrat a few years ago and really enjoyed it.  I love the simplicity of this recipe.  It has just a few ingredients but it packs loads of flavor.  It’s the perfect summer salad.

Diced Cucumber, Red Onion, Green Onion, Tomato & Fresh Herbs

The cucumbers and onions are crispy, the tomatoes are sweet, and the fresh herbs add life to this wonderful salad.

Italian Parsley in the Garden

Our herbs do quite well in our hot climate.  Italian parsley is an herb that we always have in our garden.

Salad-e Shirazi - Persian Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Salad

This salad is delightful on its own, but pair it with grilled chicken and tahdig, and you’re in for a real treat.

Salad-e Shirazi - Persian Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Salad with Grilled Chicken and Tahdig

Salad-e Shirazi (Persian Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad)
 
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Adapted from Samin Nosrat's recipe
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces Persian or Japanese cucumber
  • 3 tablespoons diced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons any combination of finely chopped Italian parsley, basil, dill or cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon diced green onion
  • 8 ounces diced grape or cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
  1. Remove alternating stripes of peel on the cucumbers and trim ends. Dice cucumbers into ¼-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with onion and fresh herbs including mint. Cut grape or cherry tomatoes into quarters, about ¼-inch pieces.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup lime juice, olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Just before serving, dress vegetables with some of the vinaigrette and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more dressing. Serve slightly chilled with your favorite grilled chicken, tahdig or buttered rice. Leftover salad can be refrigerated for 1 day.

 

 

Beans, Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Ramen with Charred Scallions, Green Beans & Chile Oil

May 5, 2021

Ramen with Charred Scallions, Green Beans & Chile Oil

Lately I’ve been having fun making all sorts of different ramen dishes. Fresh ramen is best for this dish if you can find it.  Luckily here on Maui, a few select markets sell fresh Sun Noodle ramen.  The original recipe from The NY Times calls for 3-ounce packages of ramen, however, Sun Noodle ramen comes in 5-ounce packages, so that is what I used here.

Green Beans, Ginger, Scallions, Ramen

Anything that calls for fresh ginger gets my attention immediately.  I love the refreshing flavor it brings to various dishes.  There’s no shortage of it here.  It’s used in the chile oil and also stir-fried with the ramen.

Chile Oil Ingredients

Red Pepper Flakes, Kosher Salt, Ginger, Garlic

The chile oil is so easy to prepare and it tastes divine.  Besides using it for this ramen recipe, you might drizzle it over soft cooked eggs served over rice, on tofu, over steamed bok choy or other greens.  

Chile Oil

We used flat green beans that we grew in the garden but you can use regular round green beans as well.  Just make sure your wok or pan is hot so they get a nice char. The flavor of the charred beans adds so much flavor to this dish.

Ramen with Charred Scallions, Green Beans & Chile Oil

Ramen with Charred Scallions, Green Beans & Chile Oil

Ramen with Charred Scallions, Green Beans & Chile Oil
 
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Adapted from NY Times Cooking
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Chile Oil:
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup grapeseed or canola oil
  • 1 piece ginger (1/2-inch), peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon roasted white sesame seeds
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • Noodles:
  • 2 (4-5 ounce) packages fresh ramen (I use Sun Noodle brand)
  • 1 bunch scallions (6 pieces), white and green parts separated and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil
  • 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and julienned
  • ½ tablespoon roasted white sesame seeds
  • salt and pepper
Preparation
  1. Prepare the chile oil: Add the red pepper flakes and salt to a heatproof bowl. Place the oil, ginger and garlic in a small saucepan, and heat over medium until it bubbles, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the hot oil over the red pepper flakes. Add the sesame seeds and sesame oil, and stir well. Set aside while you make the rest of the dish. (You can make the chile oil a few days in advance, store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator).
  2. Prepare the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the ramen and cook according to package directions, until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain well again.
  3. Heat a wok or large deep skillet on high. When smoking hot, add ½ tablespoon oil, toss in the green beans and season with salt. Cook, tossing the beans for 2 - 3 minutes, until charred. Remove beans from the wok and set aside.
  4. Heat the same wok or skillet over high, and when smoking, add 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the scallions, both white and green parts, and the ginger. Allow the scallions and ginger to sizzle for 20 seconds, to release their aromas, then stir-fry for 2 - 3 minutes until the scallions have a nice scorch.
  5. Add the green beans and noodles back to the pan, along with 1 to 1½ tablespoons of chile oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to combine, just until the noodles are heated through (you want to keep the noodles chewy and not overcook them). Divide noodles between two bowls, top with roasted sesame seeds and more chile oil.

 

Breakfast, Dinner, Eggs, Lactose Free, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Side Dishes, Veggies

Kale Fried Rice

March 8, 2021

Kale Fried Rice

There are countless versions of fried rice.  It can be a stand-alone meal or a splendid side dish. Some of my favorites are ramen fried rice and kimchi and Spam fried rice.  Quick and inexpensive, this particular version couldn’t be easier to make.  Leftover brown rice with wilted kale makes for a healthy meal.  I make it regularly and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it.

Kale, Brown Rice, Turmeric, Eggs, Lime, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions

Don’t skip the turmeric.  It’s what gives this dish a slightly earthy flavor and a gorgeous color.

Sliced Garlic, Kale, Light Green Onions, Ginger, Green Onions

Once the rice is warmed and crisped, handfuls of kale get tossed into the pan until wilted.  If your pan is hot enough, some of the kale will get a bit charred.  This adds another level of flavor to the fried rice.

Garlic, Green Onions, Ginger

The garlic is cut into thin slices then lightly browned until the edges are crisp.  Fresh ginger and green onions are stir-fried with the garlic before adding the turmeric and eggs.

Kale Fried Rice

You’ll end up with a gorgeous pan of fried rice that is healthy and delicious.  

Kale Fried Rice

Kale Fried Rice

I like to serve the fried rice with sriracha sauce which adds the perfect kick to this meal.  Sprinkle sliced green onions and squeeze fresh lime juice over the rice just before serving.

Kale Fried Rice
 
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Adapted from Bon Appetit
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced (set aside a tablespoon for serving)
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided (or another mild flavored oil such as canola)
  • 2 cups cooked short grain brown rice (day old is best)
  • 1 small bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn (about 2-3 ounces)
  • 2 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 large eggs
  • lime wedges for serving
Preparation
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add rice, breaking up any lumps. Pat down into an even layer and cook, undisturbed until beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, adding kale by the handfuls and letting wilt slightly before adding more. Toss occasionally, until rice is heated through and all the kale is wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a plate.
  2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic, ginger, and green onions, stirring often until garlic is lightly browned (careful not to burn) around the edges, about 1-2 minutes. Turn heat up to medium sprinkle turmeric over, then stir in eggs. Using a pair of chopsticks or a heatproof spatula, blend whites and yolks with garlic, ginger, and green onions until the eggs are barely set. Return rice and kale to the skillet, tossing occasionally until hot, adjusting heat as necessary. Divide fried rice between two plates and top with reserved green onions. Serve with sriracha sauce.

 

 

Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Tofu, Vegetarian, Veggies

Green Tea Noodle Salad

March 2, 2021

Korean Green Tea Noodle Salad

On my recent trip to Oahu I visited H Mart, a terrific Korean market in Kakaako.  I had so much fun checking out all of the items on the shelves, slowly making my way down each aisle being careful not to miss anything.  There are dozens of types of nori, instant noodle bowls, rice, snacks and more. They also have a nice selection of meat and produce.  I always bring back some Chinese broccoli if they have it.  This time I was able to squeeze a large package of fresh green tea noodles in my small cooler bag.  When I returned to Maui I decided that I should create a dish that would feature these noodles in a refreshing salad. 

Korean Green Tea Noodles

Korean Green Tea Noodles

These noodles are similar in shape to the fresh Sun Noodle udon I buy at Island Grocery (a good substitute for this dish).

Cilantro, (mint for garnish), Fresno Pepper, Japanese Cucumber, Radish, Edamame

I love the bright green colors in this salad which consists of cucumbers, edamame and lots of fresh cilantro.  For a pop of color and crunch, I included sliced radishes that I cut as thin as possible and placed in an ice bath for 5 minutes to get them super crispy.  Use whatever you have on hand, such as julienned carrots, lettuce, watercress and avocado.  

Homemade Sriracha Sauce

Sriracha is a key ingredient in the dressing.  We use our homemade sriracha but the “Rooster Sauce” works very well.

Salad Dressing

The dressing can be used on any cold noodle salad, drizzled over tofu, or as a dressing for a crispy iceberg salad.

Korean Green Tea Noodle Salad

Korean Green Tea Noodle Salad
 
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Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces fresh green tea noodles (substitute fresh udon or your favorite noodles)
  • ½ cup cooked edamame
  • ½ Japanese cucumber, julienned
  • 1 small radish, sliced thin and chilled in ice bath for 5 minutes
  • chopped cilantro
  • chopped green onions
  • sliced Fresno pepper (optional)
  • Dressing:
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
  • 1½ tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons light miso
  • 1 teaspoon gochugaru
  • 3 teaspoons sriracha (less or more depending on your preference)
  • 2 teaspoons finely ground roasted sesame seeds
Preparation
  1. Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Immediately transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside to drain.
  2. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined.
  3. Divide noodles between two bowls. Drizzle some of the dressing over the noodles. Top noodles with vegetables, cilantro, green onions and Fresno pepper if using. Serve extra sauce on the side to drizzle over the vegetables.

 

Breakfast, Dessert, Fruit, Lactose Free, Recipes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Mango Galette

February 14, 2021

Fresh Mango Galette

I had every intention of posting this in August when mangos were abundant, yet here it is, February….  It looks as though it will be a good mango season this year.  All the trees in the neighborhood are full of flowers and keiki fruits right now. So when the time comes and you have a few pounds of mangos and want an easy to assemble dessert, this mango galette is the perfect choice.  It is a beautiful dessert to bring to the table after dinner or to serve with your morning coffee.

Pirie Mango Slices

Between the two types of mango trees we have, the White Pirie is the one I use most often for making jams and preserves as well as for baking.  With its sweet, intense, mango flavor and relatively firm texture, it holds up well when chopped or sliced for recipes such as mango bread, cake, streusel muffins, and this galette.

Arranging Mangos on Galette Dough

Mango Galette Ready to Bake

The wonderful thing about a galette is its free-form shape.  Roll it out, add your ingredients then tuck up the sides.  You will use the entire piece of pie dough since there’s no need to trim the edges of the crust.

Fresh Mango Galette

Serve a slice all by itself, or top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Fresh Mango Galette with Vanilla Ice Cream

Mango Galette
 
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Pastry adapted from Dorie Greenspan
Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • 1½ cups (204g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons, 4 ounces, 113g) frozen Earth Balance Buttery Sticks cut into about 16 pieces (if using regular unsalted butter increase salt to ½ teaspoon)
  • ¼ cup ice water
  • Filling:
  • ⅓ cup (heaping) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups (about 2½ pounds) mangos, peeled, seeded, and cut into ⅓-1/2-inch-thick slices
  • mango jam for glaze (can substitute with apricot jam)
Preparation
  1. Dough: Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour. The mixture will look like coarse meal. Continue to pulse until you get small flake-size pieces and some larger pea-size pieces. Add a little of the ice water and pulse, add some more, pulse and continue until all of the water is in. Now work in longer pulses, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl if needed, until you have a dough that forms nice bumpy curds that hold together when you pinch them. Heads up. Just before you reach this clumpy stage, the sound of the machine working the dough will change.
  2. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk and put it between two large pieces of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Don’t worry about getting the exact size or about having the edges be perfect.
  3. Slide the rolled-out dough, still between the parchment papers onto a baking sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes or refrigerate for 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove chilled dough from freezer or refrigerator while you prepare the fruit. The dough should still be cold but pliable and not prone to cracking.
  5. Filling: Place sliced mangos in a large, wide bowl. Combine sugar, corn starch, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over mangos and toss gently with a wide spatula.
  6. Remove top layer of parchment paper from dough round. Starting 1½ to 2-inches from the edge of the round, arrange the mangoes in a single layer in concentric circles, creating overlapping folds as you work around the perimeter. If your mangos are extra juicy, leave the extra juice in the bowl so the filling does note overflow in the oven. Gently lift the border of the dough up and around the filling, making pleats as you go. Brush the border with half & half or milk. Sprinkle with turbinado or coarse sparkling sugar. This is optional but makes for an attractive and crispy crust.
  7. Bake on the parchment lined baking sheet for 45 - 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Remove the galette from the oven and brush the fruit with warmed mango jam. Let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Asian Cucumber Salad

January 24, 2021

Asian Cucumber Salad

This is a quick (10 minutes max) cucumber dish that is perfect to serve alongside teriyaki meat sticks, lemon grass tofu, and Korean hamburger patties.  It’s a very refreshing salad that everyone will enjoy.

Japanese Cucumber, Cilantro & Gochugaru

Japanese cucumbers are the best choice for this salad.  They are super crispy with tender skins and have very few seeds.  I always have a big jar of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) on hand.  The chili flakes add a subtle heat and beautiful pop of color to salads like this one.

Asian Cucumber Salad

We have some beautiful cilantro growing in the garden so I added a few tender leaves to the salad.  If you’re not a fan of cilantro, use thinly sliced green onions or chives.  If you are not planning to eat the salad right away, store cucumbers and dressing separately until ready to serve.

Asian Cucumber Salad with Tofu & Rice

Asian Cucumber Salad
 
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Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 Japanese cucumber (about 5 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
  • ¼ - ½ teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
  • few sprigs of fresh cilantro torn into pieces (may substitute thinly sliced green onions or chives)
Preparation
  1. Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds, about ⅛th-inch thick.
  2. Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well until sugar has dissolved. Mix in gochugaru and and most of the sesame seeds.
  3. Place cucumbers in a low sided bowl. Spoon sauce over the cucumbers. Sprinkle remaining sesame seeds over the top followed by the cilantro.

 

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