Aunt Kathy's Recipes

A couple of nights ago my parents had company over and made cornish game hen and green beans in a bacon vinagrette. I was complaining to my Aunt Kathy (AK is the coolest) that the smell of bacon overpowered the house and I had a hard time getting it out of my clothes in hair. Sensing my "distress" she sent me a bunch of vegetarian(ish) asian recipes that I will post here, otherwise I might lose them:

Fragrant lentil rice (Malaysian style)

1/3 cup lentils

1cup long grain rice (I like jasmine)

2TBS (tablespoons) cooking oil

2tsp (teaspoons) minced ginger

1walnut size shallot, chopped

1 green onion (scallion) sliced

2 1/4 cups water

1/2 carrot cut into 1/4 inch cubes

8 green beans cut into 1/4 inch pieces

2TBS soy sauce

soak lentils for 30min and drain

rinse and drain rice

heat oil in a 2 quart pan over medium heat

add ginger shallot and green onion–– cook stirring for two min

add lentils and rice mix well

add water and bring to a boil

cook uncovered until craterlike holes appear in rice (8 to 10 min)

reduce heat to low. Add carrot and green beans

cover and continue cooking until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender

about 15 min

add soy sauce and mix well

*

Chanko Nabe (food of sumo wrestlers)

you can omit the shrimp and chicken and meat)

1 leek white part only

1 large carrot

1 med piece jicama

6 fresh shiitake mushrooms

1 baby bok choy

1/4 lb spinach

1/2 of 14oz package of firm tofu

cooking sauce (ingredients from an asian store or whole foods)

maybe Dagastino's or Shaw's in a special section?

2 cups japanese soup stock (dashi)–– made this way

(2 pieces dried kelp each about 4 by 6 inches)

4 cups cold water

3/4 cup loosely packed flaked dried bonito

wipe kelp with damp cloth

place in 2-3 quart pan with water

bring slowly to boil over medium heat, 6 to 8 min

remove kelp and discard

add bonito, remove from heat and let stand until shavings settle to bottom

strain broth and discard flakes

makes four cups (you can freeze what you don't use)

place tofu and all vegetables except spinach in a deep frying pan

keep each ingredient separate

pour cooking sauce over (2 cups–– half of the dashi mixture)

bring to a boil

reduce heat and simwer uncovered until vegetables are tender–– 4- 5 min

turn vegetables as needed but keep in its own place

tuck spinach into edge of pan and continue cooking for 2 min

to serve

ladle tofu and vegetables and broth into deep soup bowls

pass lemon wedges to squeeze over servings

accompany with rice

*

Penang Salad

3/4 lb sweet potato or yams

1/2 lb bean sprouts

1 mango cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 fresh pineapple peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 English cucumber cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 small jicama cut into 1/2 inch cubes

dressing

1/2 tsp dried shrimp paste

2 fresh red jalapeno chilies seeded

1/4 cup tamarind water––

(in southeast asian market buy tamarind pods or tamarind paste

combine 1/2 cup hot water

with 2 1/2 TBS tamarind pulp or prepared paste

soak 10-15 min

then squeeze the pulp to extract juices

and strain to remove seeds)

2TBS packed brown sugar

2TBS peanut butter or peanut flavored sauce

2TBS lime juice

2TBS soy sauce

lettuce leaves

black and white sesame seeds

boil sweet potatoes until tender (20-30min)

drain and cool

peel and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

place in large bowl and add bean sprouts

mango, pineapple, cucumber, jicama–– cover and chill until serve

wrap shrimp paste in foil

place in a frying pan over medium heat

and toast for 1 min on each side

place paste in blender with chilies, tamarind water, brown sugar, peanut butter, lime juice, and soy sauce

process until smooth

pour dressing over salad and toss

arrange on lettuce lined serving plate

and garnish with sesame seeds

*

winter miso soup

4 dried black mushrooms

1 large carrot

1/2 pound sweet potato

1/2 of 14 oz firm tofu

1/4 cup bamboo shoots

4 cups dashi soup stock

2TBS sweet cooking rice wine (mirin)

4 slices ginger the size of a quarter

1/3 cup fermented soybean paste (white miso)

2 scallions cut into 1/2 inch pieces

soak mushrooms in warm water 20 min

drain and discard stems

cut caps into 1/4 inch squares

cut carrot and sweet potato into 1/2 inch cubes

drain tofu and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

place mshrooms, carrot, sweet potato, bamboo shoots, dashi, mirin and ginger in a 2 quart pan–– bring to a boil, reduce heat , cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, 6-8 min–– remove ginger

stir in miso–– blend until smooth. Add tofu and scallions–– simmer 2-3 min

*

Japanese stir fried noodles

sauce

2TBS vegetarian oyster flavored sauce

2TBS Worcestershire sauce

1TBS seasoned rice vinegar

1tsp sugar

2tsp Japanese rice wine (sake)

6 dried black mushrooms

1/2 of a 12 oz package of fresh Chinese egg noodles (or soba noodles cooked by directions)

2TBS cooking oil

1/2 onion sliced

3 slices ginger, size of a quarter, shredded (or grated)

1 carrot thinly sliced

1 cup shredded cabbage

2TBS chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1/4 pound snow peas trimmed and cut in half diagonally

2 scallions cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch lengths

combine sauce ingredients in small bowl and set aside

soak mushrooms in warm water about 20 min

drain, discard stems and slice caps

bring large pot of water to a boil

add noodles and cook according to package

drain, rinse with cold water, drain again

set aside

place wok over high heat

add oil swirling to coat sides

add onion and ginger

stir fry for 1 min

add mushrooms, carrot, cabbage and broth

stir fry until veg are tender–crisp, about 1 min

add snow peas and scallion cook for 1 min

reduce heat, add reserved sauce, add noodles and toss to coat, about 2 min