Category Archives: Asian

Soup Addict

Sweet, spicy, and tangy, this dish is also great served on rice.

A few years ago my husband and I started our own apparel company, and there were many long nights where it wasn’t unusual for us to work straight through until the next afternoon in order to fulfill orders in time. During that time we lived off of Red Bull, pizza, takeout Thai, and reruns of Seinfeld. One of my favourite episodes was “The Soup Nazi,” and when I came across this blog, Soup Addict, I naturally thought of Seinfeld, that particular episode, and that chapter in our lives that has now closed.

What hasn’t closed is our love of Thai food, though we’ve cut back on the takeout and try to make our own dishes. Since I’m half Thai you’d think I’ve tasted every Thai dish under the sun, but actually, I haven’t. I don’t know how authentic this Thai Chicken With Rice Noodles is, but I served it to my mother (she’s the Thai side of me) and she loved it! I’ve made this a few times, all without the curry paste so my toddler could have some, and I didn’t find the dish lacking. In fact, it’s an excellent balance of sweet and tangy, and the smell it emits is mouthwatering. I used red bell peppers and prefer it served with rice so the sauce can really sink in. This is definitely a cozy-night-in dinner. I have no doubt you’ll be making it more than once!

Soup Addict is written by Karen Gibson, a writer and self-professed soup addict based in Ohio. Obviously, she loves soup and you’ll find a nice array of soup recipes in her index, including this Cauliflower Apple Soup with Thyme Croutons. Now that summer has all but disappeared and fall is being ushered in by early autumn winds and rain, there’s nothing like a hot bowl of soup to keep you warm. The roasted cauliflower imparts a nutty flavour, which works well with the tartness of the apples; I used gala apples but I’m sure any kind will work. All of this flavour is then built on top of a brown butter base, folks. Nice and silky, I had this soup with a simple grilled cheese sandwich and it was a perfect afternooon meal.

There’s so much more to Soup Addict than soup. The recipes are based on seasonal ingredients, and Karen uses many herbs and vegetables from her beloved garden. There are many delicious vegetarian recipes, too. I don’t want to classify these Spicy Quinoa Patties as only suitable for a meat-free meal because I think they’re fabulous for any time or ocassion. Quinoa is super healthy for you (it’s a complete protein) and when cooked with herbs,  caramelized onions, and Gruyere, it’s irresistible. A dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt on top is all you need. We had these alongside a green salad for dinner, but they would also be wonderful for a light brunch, as appetizers (just make them smaller) for a dinner party, and my husband thinks they’d make great burgers. Oh, and the little one loved them as a snack!

Photos via Soup Addict

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Rasa Malaysia: Easy Asian Recipes

 

This chow mein is big on flavour yet light on the sauce.

Mother’s Day is coming up, and since I’m a mother and food obsessed, I thought long and hard about what I was going to post. Then I realized that mothers do most of the cooking and, truth be told, apart from Mother’s Day, do we really get a break from the kitchen? If you’re going to cook the rest of the days of the week, make something you’d normally consider a treat. So this post is for my mother, myself, and all the mothers out there whose idea of a well-deserved treat is wearing yoga pants, watching trashy reality tv shows, very full glasses of wine, and eating yummy Chinese food.

In North America, Chinese food has taken on a bad rap for being unhealthy; people tend to look at it almost like junk food, and will limit themselves to how often they have it. With the help of Rasa Malaysia, you can learn to cook authentic, healthy, and easy Chinese dishes. Started by Bee Yinn Low in 2006, it has become the definitive source for easy Asian recipes including Thai, Malaysian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Cambodian — the list goes on. If you’re craving it, she’s got it, like this wonderfully tasty Chow Mein. Unlike most chow mein I’ve tried, which are usually soggy with sauce, this chow mein is flavourful yet light on the sauce, and the vegetables still have a bite to them. I suggest you double this recipe as it makes for great lunches for work.

Mmmm...Malaysian Mango Chicken. That is all.

What I like best about Bee’s site, aside from the gorgeous photos, is that she uses ingredients you can find in any grocery store. Not only that, but she also untraditionally incorporates North American ingredients in order to achieve the right flavour. My husband, B, and I fell in love with this Malaysian Mango Chicken. It was supereasy to make, and I appreciated that I had one more use for the steak sauce in my fridge. My local grocery store was out of Chinese hot sauce so I used Sriracha instead and it worked well. A combination of sweet, tart, and spicy, the sauce was incredible, especially served over jasmine rice. Again, double this recipe!

Blanching the broccoli first preserves its crispness.

My son has this thing where he gags when he sees vegetables. I don’t know why; he loved them a couple months ago! However, he gladly opened his mouth wide for this Broccoli Beef (btw, Bee also has recipes for baby food). Broccoli Beef is probably one of the most popular Chinese dishes. Usually the sauce is goopy and the broccoli too soft, but Bee’s recipe is the total opposite. With over 400 recipes on the site you’ll be sure to expand your cooking repertoire. Bee is so prolific she has also published a cookbook, Easy Chinese Recipes. 

 

Photos courtesy of Rasa Malaysia