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Fresno Pepper

Dinner, Dressing, Lactose Free, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Salad, Side Dishes, Summertime Meal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Refreshing Rice Noodle Salad

May 10, 2024

This refreshing, crunchy, rice noodle salad covers all the bases. It’s the perfect meal for those warm days when cooking over a hot stove is out of the question. A tangle of rice noodles and crispy vegetables makes a delightful summer salad.

A mandoline comes in handy for cutting the cucumber and carrot into thin strips. Not to worry if you don’t have one. A good chef’s knife can do exactly the same task.

The dressing is zesty from the fresh lime juice with a hint of sweetness and punch from the Fresno pepper and lemongrass. It’s perfect for springy rice noodles and crispy vegetables showered with lots of fresh herbs.

I serve the salad with sesame tofu. It is one of my favorite summertime meals and because both the salad and tofu can be prepared in advance, it’s a breeze to make for a crowd.

Refreshing Rice Noodle Salad
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Refreshing Rice Noodle Salad

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

  • Salad

  • 7 ounces rice noodles (such as Eden Bifun)

  • 1 large Japanese cucumber with soft core and seeds removed, cut into thin strips (use a mandoline if you have one)

  • 1 medium carrot, julienned

  • 2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

  • 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

  • 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves

  • 1/3 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

  • Fresno pepper rings for serving

  • Lime wedges for serving

  • Dressing

  • 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

  • 4 teaspoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic, finely grated

  • 4 teaspoons lemongrass, finely minced

  • 2 teaspoons Fresno pepper, finely minced (cut the rest of the pepper into thin slices to garnish noodles)

Directions

  • Soften rice noodles according to package directions. Drain well and place in a low-sided serving bowl. Cover and chill.
  • Stir all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until sugar has dissolved. Dressing can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
  • Toss cabbage, carrot and cucumber strips and 1/3 cup each of torn herbs together. Place vegetables on chilled rice noodles. Drizzle some of the dressing over the noodles and vegetables and mix together gently with two forks or tongs, just enough to coat the noodles. Sprinkle peanuts over the top of the salad along with reserved 2 tablespoons each of torn mint and cilantro. Place lime wedges and Fresno pepper slices around the rim of the dish. Serve with extra dressing on the side.
Chicken, Lactose Free, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Soups

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

May 10, 2018

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

I fell in love with this soup the first time I made it.  The simple addition of lime juice and fish sauce that flavors the broth may not sound all that extraordinary, but they both have big flavors that make this soup stand out. I switched out the chicken thighs from the original recipe. I substituted my favorite chicken tenders and added a few stems of baby bok choy for taste and color.  I found that cooking the rice separately, then adding it to the bowl before serving, worked better.  Though it is an extra step, leftover rice and broth should be stored separately. If put together for storage, there will be little broth left the next day since the rice absorbs most of the liquid.

Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice is perfect for this soup, however, you could substitute what you have available: basmati, white rice (medium or short grain), or brown rice.

Calamansi

These pretty citrus fruits are calamansi and are sold locally in Hawaii and widely grown in the Philippines.   The calamansi are very small with a tangy, sour flavor.  I just happened to see them at the market the day I made the soup and thought it would be a great addition.

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger
 
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Adapted from Bon Appetit
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks
  • ¾ cup jasmine rice rinsed well
  • 1 pound chicken tenders, trimmed
  • 1 carton (32 ounce) chicken stock + 1 can (14.5 ounce) chicken broth
  • 3 small shallots, halved
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce (Red Boat brand recommended)
  • 4 baby bok choy, stalks separated and washed well
  • kosher salt
  • 1 Fresno pepper thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup crushed salted peanuts
Preparation
  1. Combine sugar and ½ cup hot water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add ginger and let cool; drain and set aside.
  2. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add rice and gently boil until rice is just done, about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain well.
  3. Pour chicken broth (14.5 ounce can) in a 2 cup measuring cup. Top off with enough water to measure 2 cups. Pour the broth and chicken stock into a large saucepan along with chicken, shallots and garlic. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken and garlic to a plate and let cool. Strain stock through a cheesecloth lined sieve (discard shallots). Return broth to the saucepan.
  4. Shred chicken; set aside.
  5. Smash garlic to a paste using the side of a chef's knife. Add garlic paste to broth and bring back to a gentle boil. Place bok choy stalks in the broth for a minute just until they are tender. Remove to a plate. Turn off the heat.
  6. Add lime juice, fish sauce, and reserved chicken to the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning adding salt and more fish sauce if needed.
  7. Divide rice among 4 bowls, ladle hot soup over the rice with some of the chicken. Top with reserved ginger, bok choy, Fresno pepper slices, scallions, and peanuts.

 

 

Dinner, Lactose Free, Pork, Recipes, Veggies

Ginger Pork Udon with Baby Bok Choy

April 12, 2018

Ginger Pork Udon with Bok Choy

One of the best restaurants here in Maui is Star Noodle.  They feature a superb eclectic Asian menu that we enjoy each time we dine there.  We particularly enjoy one of their noodle dishes: “Lahaina Fried Soup.” The combination of savory ground pork and fresh noodles is irresistible. I was looking for a dish with a similar flavor profile when I discovered this recipe. With perfectly seasoned pork, chewy udon noodles, and crisp baby bok choy, it is a dish I will be making often. The original recipe by Melissa Clark at NYT Cooking calls for rice noodles but I couldn’t resist fresh udon made by Sun Noodles, the renowned artisan noodle producer.

Fresh Udon

Sun Noodles originated in Honolulu in the late 1980’s.  Today, they make more than 600 types of noodles, many of which were created specifically for individual ramen shops and restaurants all over the world.  Luckily, there are a few markets in Hawaii that sell a selection of their noodles for the home cook such as ramen, soba and udon.

Fresh Udon

Baby Bok Choy

With their crisp, juicy stems and tender dark green leaves, baby bok choy is a perfect vegetable for stir frying, or simply steamed and drizzled with soy sauce and sesame oil.

Ginger Pork Udon with Bok Choy

Ginger Pork Udon with Bok Choy

Ginger Pork Udon with Bok Choy
 
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Adapted from The New York Times
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 pound baby bok choy
  • 16 ounces fresh udon (or noodles of your choice)
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons neutral oil
  • 1 pound lean ground pork
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
  • 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar, divided (not seasoned)
  • ½ cup sliced scallions, divided
  • 2 teaspoons finely minced ginger
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
  • few dashes of red chile flakes
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  • cilantro for serving
  • 1 Fresno chile or Thai chile
Preparation
  1. Trim bok choy and separate dark green tops from white stems. Leave the smaller tops whole, cut the larger ones in half. Thinly slice the stems about ⅓-inch wide.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. The fresh udon took about 4 minutes. Drain and run under cool water; drain again.
  3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork and cook, breaking up with a wooden spatula, until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1½ tablespoons soy sauce and ½ tablespoon rice vinegar. Use a slotted spoon to transfer meat to a bowl. Wipe the pan of any residual oil from the pork.
  4. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Stir in half the scallions, finely chopped ginger, garlic, and chile flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bok choy stems and cook until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Toss in leaves and bean sprouts. Cook for another minute or two. Return pork to the skillet.
  5. Toss noodles, remaining 2½ tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and sesame oil into the pan. Cook until just warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Transfer to a large wide bowl and toss with remaining scallions. Sprinkle sesame seeds and cilantro over the top, along with thinly sliced peppers.

 

Dinner, Fish, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sauces

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

August 28, 2017

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

Finding good fresh ahi tuna has been a hit and miss endeavor until I discovered Oki’s Fish Market in the Kahului Foodland market. They always seem to have the freshest fish on a regular basis. So whenever I’m in the area, I’ll stop by to pick up a nice piece of ahi for dinner.  This Tyler Florence recipe caught my attention for a few reasons.  It’s quick, tasty, and uses lots of cilantro and avocado, two of my favorite ingredients.  Now those of you who are cringing about cilantro, don’t give up yet.  You could certainly switch out the cilantro and substitute it with a smaller amount of chives or parsley.

Ahi tuna steaks

I cut the ahi into 1-inch thick steaks but you could certainly cut yours thicker if you prefer to.

Lime, Jalapeno, Cilantro

The original recipe says to use the juice of two limes however that can mean 2 tablespoons or up to 4 tablespoons in my case.  So try the 2 1/2 tablespoons noted in the recipe first, then add more if you want to.

Avocado

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

Sometimes I serve steamed bok choy with the ahi, and other times a green salad or baked sweet potatoes and broccoli.  I always have a pot of Japanese white rice to go along with this dish.

If you prefer a little spicier sauce, use a jalapeño instead of the Fresno pepper.  I like the burst of red color from the Fresno however I have seen red jalapeños in the markets on occasion.

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger & Lime
 
Save Print
Adapted from Tyler Florence's recipe
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 Fresno pepper, thinly sliced (or ½ jalapeño)
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic
  • 2½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 ahi (tuna) steaks, about 6 ounces each
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 small or 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, cut into small chunks
Preparation
  1. Combine the cilantro, Fresno pepper slices, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small bowl. Stir ingredients until well incorporated. Set aside while you prepare the ahi.
  2. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season ahi steaks generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Sear ahi for about 1 minute on each side to form a light crust. The cooking time will depend on how thick your ahi is cut, and whether you prefer your fish to be medium-rare or more well done. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the sauce over the ahi steaks to coat the fish (once you start searing on side #2). Transfer the ahi to a platter. Top with avocado and drizzle remaining sauce over the fish.

 

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