Category Archives: Asian Recipes

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Thai Basil Chicken is a Treat

My life seems jam-packed the past couple of months and time is fleeting. Here we are, well into Fall in the northern hemisphere, and the temperatures are dropping. We’re expecting freezing lows in the Reno, Nevada area tonight and tomorrow. I could use a little more fall.

I haven’t done too much cooking, especially of any new dishes, but the one I’m offering today is a really good one. I’ll also throw in a couple of links to some seasonal recipes from this site.

This is a simple recipe to turn chicken thighs into a delightful and spicy dish. I love many of Chef John’s recipes and this one is high on my list of make often. It is very low-carb’d and totally satisfying.

I only made a few little changes to the chef’s recipe to make it lower carb’d. I served it with Natural Heaven Hearts of Palm Brown Rice. If you haven’t tried Hearts of Palm rice or pasta, it is a very good low carb alternative to rice. They also make a delicious mashed potato substitute.

Recipe adapted from Chef John’s Thai Basil Chicken.

Thai Chicken

Thai Basil Chicken

1/3 cup Chicken Broth
1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons Fish Sauce
1 teaspoon White Sugar Substitute
1 teaspoon Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 pound skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs, coarsely chopped
¼ cup sliced Shallots or Green Onions
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced Thai Chilies, Serrano, or other hot pepper
1/2 cup very thinly sliced fresh Basil Leaves
2 cups hot cooked rice substitute (Cauliflower or Hearts of Palm)

In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar substitute, and brown sugar substitute until it is blended together.

Heat a large deep skillet over high heat or use a wok. Drizzle in oil and spread around. Add chicken and stir fry until it no longer looks raw, about 2 to 3 minutes. And shallots, garlic, and sliced chilies and stir and cook on high heat until you see the juices start to caramelize in the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 more minutes. Add a tablespoon of the sauce mixture to the skillet; cook and stir until sauce begins to caramelize, about 1 to 3 minutes.

Add the rest of the sauce. Cook and stir until sauce has deglazed the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until sauce glazes onto the meat, 1 or 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in basil. Stir until basil is wilted, about 20 seconds. Serve with cauliflower rice or riced Hearts of Palm.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information

I love pumpkin and don’t really need the excuse of Halloween or Thanksgiving to cook with it. Here’s a few recipes for you to try:

Pumpkin Pie

 

Pumpkin Pie

 

 

Pumpkin French Toast

 

Pumpkin French Toast

 

 

Pumpkin Pizza

 

Pumpkin and Pizza equal yummy!

Asian Recipes, Beef, Pork, Poultry, Recipes

A Taste of Asia with an Eggroll Filling

Photo: Eggroll in a Bowl

I haven’t been posting much this month. It’s a writing month for me, so I have been working on two books needing their final chapters, plus editing a book for Amazon’s new episodic format called Vella and another book’s final edit. Then it seems like a dozen other things happen that need your attention immediately.   And now the Olympics have started and I’m trying to watch while writing this. Consequently, I haven’t been cooking much this month either. But this recipe is a winner! It comes together quickly and tastes great.

An eggroll filling makes or breaks the eggroll, but often there’s just not enough in the wrapper. But for those who don’t need a wrapper, here’s a great low carb filling that you can eat without the rice or add a serving of cauliflower rice.

Eggroll in a Bowl

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound lean ground turkey, sausage, or beef
1 1/2 cups sweet onion finely diced
1 cup carrots shredded
1 15-oz can Asian Baby Corn, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste or minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed or 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
1/4 cup chicken broth
5 cups shredded cabbage
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper to taste
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds, optional
Green onions, optional

First, begin by cooking your meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.

Cook the turkey or beef until nearly cooked through (about 5-6 minutes).

Push the meat to one side of the pan and add the onions and another tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Then, add the carrots, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes and stir the veggies and meat together.

Then, add the chicken broth to the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan.

Add in the cabbage, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Combine and cover, reducing the heat to medium-low. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the cabbage is cooked to your desired tenderness.

Add the toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and green onions before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Tip: I wrapped about a cup of this mixture into a warmed low-carb spinach tortilla and it makes a great fusion wrap.

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry

Delightful Thai Peanut Chicken with Broccoli

Image: Thai Peanut Chicken with Broccoli

I love cooking with a wok, but you don’t need one to cook Asian food. A heavy metal deep-sided skillet will work fine.  Prepare all your ingredients ahead of time and keep them close. Stir-fry is a quick cooking method using high heat, so you need to add the ingredients quickly.

This yummy recipe uses cayenne pepper and Asian Chili paste to add a spice to the dish. If you don’t like much spice, then you can omit them and still have a tasty, healthy main course. Pair this up with riced cauliflower, either cooked fresh or one of the frozen varieties to keep this a low carb meal.

Thai Peanut Chicken with Broccoli

3 tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
4 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
2 teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 skinless, boneless Chicken Breast halves – cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons chopped Garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Ginger Root
3/4 cup chopped Green Onions
2 /2 cups Broccoli Florets
1 tablespoon Asian Chile Paste
1/2 cup unsalted dry-roasted Peanuts

In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, and cayenne pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add chicken, garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is golden on the outside, about 5 minutes.

Reduce to medium heat, then add green onions, broccoli, peanuts, Asian chile, and the peanut butter mixture. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, or until broccoli is tender, and chicken is cooked through.

Serve over riced cauliflower.

 

Appetizers, Asian Recipes, Recipes, Seafood

Break Tradition With This Sushi Roll

 

Photo: California Roll made with cauliflower rice

I love California roll sushi. Not so crazy about raw fish, but put cooked crab or shrimp on it and I’m in. The only problem is that pesky rice exterior that holds the whole roll together! So as I was chomping down on a forbidden rice encrusted treat, I wondered if riced cauliflower would work with it. Just like that, this experiment blossomed in my mind.

I took fresh cauliflower, pulled apart the flowerets and tossed them in the food processor, pulsing until I had rice sized pieces. Then I cooked them in a pan with about 1/4 cup of water until the bits were tender and most of the water had evaporated. I put them in a bowl and placed it in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours.

When I was ready to make the sushi, I took out an ounce of cream cheese and softened it, then mixed it into the cauli-rice. From this point, I followed the recipe to make the roll. It came out great! Okay, not as pretty as a restaurant-bought one, but this was my first try at making it at home. I did buy a sushi kit that provided the bamboo rolling mat, other tools like a paddle and an avocado slicer, and a sushi knife.

Photo: Trio of sushi rolls made with cauliflower rice

Curious about options, I also tried this using riced turnips. This works well also, although the turnip retains more moisture than the cauliflower, so it’s best to drain after cooking and squeeze the excess water out in a paper or clean kitchen towel. The turnip has a tiny bite to it that actually works with the oriental flavors.

So, if you’re adventurous, try this California Roll recipe with either cauliflower or rice and let me know what you think.

California Rolls made with riced turnips

Low Carb California Roll

1 cup Cauliflower rice or riced turnips
1 ounce Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
4 half-sheets Nori roasted seaweed
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
4 pieces Crab Meat or 4 tablespoons of Cracked Crab.
4 thin slices Cucumber, cut in sticks
4 – 8 pieces of Avocado, cut into sticks
4-8 pieces Zucchini, cut into sticks
4 Carrot sticks, about 3-1/2 inches long, cooked and chilled

Wasabi
Sliced Ginger
Sodium-reduced Soy Sauce

Cook cauliflower rice in a small pan or skillet with 1/4 cup water, bringing to a boil, then reducing to a simmer. Stir frequently and add additional water if it evaporates too quickly. Cook about 15 minutes until done. It sound be firm, but tender to chew. Drain any excess water off. Let rice chill for 1 to 2 hours. Mix cream cheese, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds into the rice. This will help to bind the riced vegetables together.

You will need a bamboo sushi mat for rolling. Place it on a counter or cutting board and cover with plastic wrap.

Cut the vegetables for the filling and ready the crab.

Riced cauliflower with sesame seeds, cream cheese, and rice vinegar mixed in plus sliced avocado and zucchini.

Place 1/2 sheet of nori, rough side up, on the plastic wrapped sushi mat. Spread 1/4 cup riced cauliflower over the nori evenly, leaving a 1/4 inch edge free at each end. Across the narrow side, lay down the vegetables and crab next to each other.

Begin to roll the nori across the length of it, using the mat to press it firmer in the roll as you go. Rolling the mat over the top keeps it clear of the actual roll as you work.

When complete, place the sushi roll on a plate and repeat with the remaining vegetable rice, vegetables, and crab.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill and set. This also softens the nori. Cut each roll into five pieces with a sharp knife.

Place on small plates with about 1/4 teaspoon wasabi and several pieces of ginger to serve.

Makes 4 servings (1 roll each).

Asian Recipes, Breads, Recipes

Get a quick flatbread to the table in 15 minutes

1 Comment

Photo: Naan flatbread

If you’re a fan of Indian cuisine, then you’re familiar with naan bread, that lovely flat bread that is served with sauce dishes. While it can be made with yeast so it rises more, I was delighted to find this simple recipe, which is made without yeast. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to find I could make a low carb version using low carb flour in it and still get a very tasty bread to sop up my curry sauce.

I added the garlic and herb seasoning — I used Mrs. Dash, but any brand will work– and curry powder. Not everyone is as thrilled with curry as I am, so feel free to omit it. This recipe is flexible, so if you want to add onion powder or even chopped green onions to it, you can. Look for the lowest carb plain yogurt you can find. These vary quite a bit in the carb count, so try to get one around 7.5 g or less per serving.

Simple Naan Bread

1 cup Carb Counters All Purpose LC Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 teaspoon Curry powder (optional)
3 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash (R) Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and sugar substitute together. Add olive oil, yogurt, garlic and her seasoning, and curry powder, if using. Mix together until the dough pulls together and is elastic.

Separate the dough into 4 balls. Lightly powder a bread board with a little low carb flour, then pat one of the balls into an oval shape. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out in an oblong shape until it is about 1/4″ thick.

Heat a heavy skillet, such as a cast iron or copper skillet, over medium high heat. Spray the pan with baking spray (like PAM), then cook the flatbread for about 2 minutes or until the bottom begins to show a mottled brown pattern. Turn and cook the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and spread melted butter over the cooked bread.

Repeat with the other three balls. Makes 4 servings.