Spicy Green Beans

Spicy Green Beans

Ingredients

500g Long or Green Beans
100g Ground Pork
1 Packet (100g) Ya Chai (Sichuan Preserved Vegetables)
1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Chili Oil With Sediment
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Peanut Oil

Sea Salt to taste



Method



Remove any strings from the edges of the long/green beans and top and tail them. Break them into short sections (about 5cm long).


Heat 1 ½ Tbsp of oil in a wok over a low to medium heat. Add the long/green beans and stir-fry over a medium heat for about 6 minutes, or until they are cooked and tender, with slightly puckered skins. Remove and set aside.



Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in the wok over a high heat. The add the Ya Chai, ground pork, dark soy sauce, chili oil with sediment, and stir-fry until the meat are cooked and fragrant. Toss in the beans and stir and toss the ingredients together, adding pepper and sea salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Grilled Chicken Salad

Grilled Chicken Salad

4 Pieces (800g) Organic Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless

Marinate
½ tsp Ancho Chili Powder
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 ¼ tsp Sea Salt
½ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Juice of 1 Lime (about 2 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salad
3 Small Romaine Lettuce, halved, rinsed and pat-dry
6 Stalks Scallion
1 Can (540ml) Chickpea, rinsed and drained
1 Can (15oz/425g) Organic Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 Packet (227g) Small Tomatoes, halved
1 Avocado, sliced, grilled lightly (if desired)
A Handful of Toasted Pine Nuts, or Slivered Almonds
A Handful of Fresh Coriander Leaves
A Handful of Fresh Raspberries (optional)
A Handful of Fresh Blueberries (optional)
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Olive Oil

Dressing
Juice of 1 Lime, or more to taste
6 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander/Cilantro
1 tsp Chili Flakes
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt, to taste

Method

Grilled Chicken, Lettuce and Scallions: Marinate the chicken for at least 3 hours. Bring it to room temperature before grilling. Brush lettuce and scallions with olive oil and season lightly with black pepper and sea salt. Light up the charcoal or prepare the gas grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Grill and baste the chicken with additional oil until the chicken is fully cooked. Let the chicken rest for at least 2 to 3 minutes before slicing. Grill the lettuce and scallions about 6 to 7 minutes, turning once or twice until they are tender.

Salad Dressing: Whisk together the lemon juice, coriander, chili flakes and olive oil until emulsified and season with sea salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, gently toss all the salad ingredients with some salad dressing and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Kiwi And Berries Jelly~Agar-Agar

Just last week, I lamented that the weather was not Summer like over here in Vancouver. Guess what? The sun is finally out, and I couldn't be happier. Got the kids to join me on a stroll along the beach and we enjoyed a little picnic as well over the weekend. I packed some salad with grilled chicken and a refreshing Kiwi And Berries Jelly to cool us down. Anyway, my summer vacation starts tomorrow, and I will try to share some new recipes with you whenever possible. So, have a great summer everyone!


Kiwi And Berries Jelly~Agar-Agar

Ingredients

2 Kiwi Fruits, peeled and sliced
125 g Blueberries, rinsed
170 g Blackberries, rinsed
70 g Raspberries, rinsed
10 Medium-Sized Strawberries, hulled and sliced

4 Cups of Water
3 tsp Agar-Agar Powder
½ Cup Rose Water
6 Tbsp Sugar, or more to taste

1-rectangular baking dish or tin

Method

In a large saucepan, combine water, agar-agar powder, rose water, and sugar and bring it to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until agar-agar and sugar completely dissolves, about 10 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat immediately, and strain the contents into a baking dish. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes, and scattered the fruits into the agar-agar mixture. When cool, chill the jelly in the refrigerator. Cut as desired and serve chilled.

Mushroom Soup

Summer school holidays kicks in today. Everyone at home is still fast asleep except yours truly. Woke up early, made myself a cup of coffee and snuggled into my living sofa to enjoy the Wimbledon ladies' semi-finals. A lot of grunting, struggles, and double faults from Sharapova on the TV. Although we are officially well into summer now, the wet and cool spring weather is still lingering around. The cool weather had me thinking of making a hot soup for lunch, and so, I decided on this light and earthy Mushroom Soup. I used some dried Porcini mushrooms (for its nutty and earthiness flavors) and a couple of other varieties of fresh mushrooms. There’s no cream in the soup, the creaminess of the soup came from the potatoes. It's a delicious soup, light and yet comforting. Back to Wimbledon, I was ecstatic Sharapova won. She is one of my favorite players is the WTA circuit and I am glad she's in the final this weekend. Her victory certainly made my day and it put me in the right mood to take my kids out for some retail therapy followed with a nice dinner to celebrate their summer break.


Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

20 g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
2 Cups Boiling Water
600 g Mixed Fresh Mushrooms, (Cremini, shitake, chanterelle or button mushroom) cleaned and sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped

1 White Onion, peeled and diced

3 (about 330 g) Yellow Wax Potatoes, peeled and finely diced
Fresh Thyme (small handful)
Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley (small handful)
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 ½ Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper



Method


Soak dried mushrooms with 2 cups of boiling water for about 15 minutes. Pick out the soaked mushrooms, and reserved the liquid.


Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot; add garlic and onions with a pinch of salt. Cook the mixture until soft and translucent but not brown in color. Then turn the heat on high and toss in all the mushrooms, thyme, and parsley. Cook for a minute or 2, season with some salt and pepper. Mix in the finely diced potatoes, reserved liquid, and chicken or vegetable stock. 



Bring it to the boil and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the soup to cool slightly before you puree it with a handheld blender. Bring the soup back to the boil and season with some salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Goan Prawn Curry

Recipe adapted from At Home With Madhur Jaffrey

Goan Prawn Curry

Ingredients

1 lb Large Prawns, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 Medium Shallots, peeled and finely chopped
½ to 1 tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp Ground Paprika
½ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ tsp Ground Turmeric
1 Can (400 ml) Coconut Milk
½ tsp Sea Salt, or to taste
2 tsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice, or to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy pot and set over medium high heat. When hot, put in the shallots. Cook until the shallots are light brown in color. Then add the cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper, and turmeric. Cook briefly until they are fragrant.


Add the coconut milk and bring the curry sauce to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Then, add the prawns, sea salt, and lemon juice. Stir and cook on low heat until the prawns just turn opaque. Season the curry with sea salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Serve the curry warm with steamed Basmati rice.

Raw Energy Bars~Apricot Delight

Raw Energy Bars~Apricot Delight

Ingredients

1 Cup (150g) Apricot, finely chopped
1 Cup (150 to 180g) Moist Persian or Medjool Dates, pitted and finely chopped

1 Cup (140g) Raw Cashew Nuts
1 Cup (140g) Raw Pistachio

½ Cup (60g) Raw Almond (without skin)
2 Tbsp Hemp Seeds

A Pinch Of Sea Salt

1 ¼ Cup (100g) Unsweetened Shredded Coconuts

2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1 - 2 Tbsp Cold Water



Equipment: Food Processor
11 ½ x 4 ½ inches (29 x 12 cm) Loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil



Method


Combine cashew, pistachio, almond, and hemp seeds in a food processor and process until the nuts and seeds are finely ground.


Then add chopped apricot, dates, and a pinch of sea salt, pulse and process all the ingredients together until the texture is coarse. Then add the shredded coconut, a quick pulse, and add the vanilla extract, a little water at a time until it reaches a dry but moist dough consistency. Scrape the dough mixture into the lined pan, press evenly with a rubber spatula, and chill for about an hour before serving.