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 A colleague at work posted this stew one day as an easy quick-to-make recipe, and I kind of dismissed it as not looking that flavorful. I happened to have the ingredients for it a little while later, and was surprised how good it is.  I also think it shows off the strengths of the Instant Pot, since mom recently got one. You can use these techniques for anything. I use the "pressure cook just the beef" technique all the time.  It's also very easy to keep the ingredients in the freezer - I usually keep some stew beef stored, and daikon radishes are so huge I will cut the whole radish up and store the extra in the freezer also. So if you make this once, it's easy to make another round later.   The recipe is based primarily on the recipes from Maangchi  and from here . It's normally served with rice. How you combine the rice with the soup is kind of a choose-your-own-adventure situation. You could do noodles too for a true one-pot meal, but beware the red spl...

I love this recipe in late summer, when the farmer's markets are full of Japanese eggplants and Thai basil. It's a sweet, gooey, savory treat that's as spicy as you want to make it and I love eggplant far too much. You can use normal European eggplant too in a pinch.   Serve on white rice.      Ingredients 1-2 eggplants depending on size, in thin slices (Japanese and European work fine, Thai would be weird) 1 red bell pepper (cut into small squares) 4 cloves garlic (smashed and roughly chopped) Thai chilis, to taste (minced) Small quantity of shallots or onions (thin sliced, optional, I like the sweet they provide) Protein of your choice, pre-cooked - I've been liking baked tofu, but chicken or pork work well Thai basil (to taste), remove the bigger stems and chop roughly.  Sauce 4 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp brown sugar (+palm sugar if available) 1 tsp dark vinegar, or white vinegar 2 Tbsp fish sauce  Optional: 1 Tbsp corn starch dissolved in 2 Tbsp co...

This dish (sometimes called lagman) is part of Sogd cuisine, food from what we call "the 'stans", in the general region of The Silk Road. The recipe is from one of my most prized possessions: a self-published cookbook from our tour guides in Tajikistan. Characteristics of this cuisine are various noodles and dumplings, rice dishes, lamb and beef, and lots and lots of herbs. This dish is traditionally made with hand-pulled noodles, but a reasonable substitution is dried bucatini. I recommend cooking the meat in a pressure cooker or insta-pot for tenderness & time saving. This makes enough for two people. Double for more. Noodles: 1/2 lb. bucatini, cooked in well salted water Sauce: 2 Tbsp. oil 1/2 lb. ground lamb or beef 1 clove garlic, minced 1 onion, sliced thin 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 turnip, peeled and cubed 1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 2-4 c. water or broth salt and pepper to taste Garnish: 2 Tbsp. parsley, minced 2 Tbsp...

I made this last night and it turned out fantastically - I wasn't going to post it since it was a bit improvised, but we haven't had a post in a while. I was going for a cross between (American) Chinese and Korean flavors. This is really easy to make, and doesn't even involve chopping an onion. It's pretty similar to galbi jjim in some ways, but again, a lot easier. Ingredients 1 large (2-3#) beef roast, preferably something with a bit of fat (I used bottom round) 4 carrots, cut into thick circles 1 medium purple turnip, peeled and cut into medium chunks. Daikon radish would work just fine too, it's harder to get around here. Sauce: 3/4 c. soy sauce 1/4 c. water 4 cloves garlic 1-2" of ginger root, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon rice wine/dry sherry 1 tsp sesame oil 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar 1 tsp (or more) ground black pepper dried chinese chilis to taste (...

I cooked this one directly from one of my favorite food blogger's sites, Eating Thai Food . It basically takes your laab game ( beef or chicken ) up to the next level. Grilled beef, mint, Thai spices...what's not to like? My version, served with cabbage leaves (you can roll them up like a taco with the meat; lettuce also works) and sticky rice. Marinade 1 lb flank steak 1 tbsp ground black pepper 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce Marinate the beef for about an hour. Grill the steak and allow it to rest 5 minutes or more on a plate, reserving any juices. Slice across the grain into bite-sized strips. Salad 2 Tbsp khao khua (toasted sticky rice powder, check out the recipe here ) 4 Tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp sugar 1 – 2 tbsp chili flakes 3 Tbsp lime juice 6-7 small shallots, sliced thinly, ~1/3 c. 2 green onion, minced 1 handful mint leaves + more to garnish Combine the sliced beef with the salad ingredients and any beef juices that collected on your pl...

Holy moley it's been a long time since I've posted! It's not that I haven't been cooking, but that my recipes have been getting rather arcane and many not worth recording for posterity. I've posted so many recipes at this point, I really have to reach to come up with something I haven't done before. Anyhow, here's a really simple marinade, which is great on chicken breasts or thighs. I think it would also be good on a firm fish such as halibut, swordfish, or salmon. 1 lb chicken breast 3 Tbsp. yellow miso (you could probably use red or white instead) 1 Tbsp. mirin 2 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. sugar 1-2 Tbsp. grated ginger (a piece the size of a large-ish thumb) Butterfly the chicken breast and pound slightly so that it is even thickness ~1/2". Combine the marinade ingredients. Spread the marinade onto the chicken breast and allow to sit for at least one hour. Place onto a medium-hot grill, turn after about 7 minutes. Cook another 4-5 minute...

This recipe is really simple and easy to make, but shockingly delicious - the first time I made it I was trying for something that wasn't too much like American Chinese food but still had elements of sweet and savory. I was surprised how balanced it turned out. It's not overly sweet, nor is it overwhelmingly soy-sauce flavored. It's as easy to eat as it is to prepare. Ingredients Pork or Beef Roast (I used a 3 pound pork blade roast most recently - whatever is cheap) 1/2 c. soy sauce 1/2 c. water 1.5 Tbsp cider vinegar 2-3 Tbsp brown sugar (more if you want it sweeter) 1 Tbsp yellow mustard powder 1 tsp ground pepper 1 2" cube of ginger, cut into slices 2 medium cloves garlic, cut in half 1-2 dried red chilis (to taste) Combine sauce ingredients. Taste for balance. Place roast in crockpot, pour sauce over roast, let cook until it's dinner time. If you're feeling fancy, you can add some veggies to the crockpot at the very end. Make sure it ...

My goal in making this recipe was to explore Asian recipes that would translate well into American holidays. I think this would be a great recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas, as it has a rich, special-occasion quality to it, as well as spices such as cinnamon which are traditional at the holidays. It turned out great, and really wasn't that difficult. Maybe not an everyday meal, but certainly worth making a few times a year. The pork becomes glazed with a sweet, flavorful sauce, and the meat is fall apart tender, with the fat completely melting in your mouth. There are many versions online, and mine is primarily based on this video . You can add puffed tofu or hard boiled eggs at the end for more variety in texture. Finished product, with stir fried Chinese broccoli and scallion pancake. Towards the end of the cooking time, before you add the sugar and cook down to create the final glaze. The assembled ingredients. The pork has already been blanched and is ready fo...

This is a wonderfully flavorful dish that can be easily prepared in a pinch. If you cannot find the kaffir lime leaf, omit it (although it adds nice flavor). You can also use standard string beans instead of the long beans. Make sure to cook the dish on as high a heat as possible so that the chicken sears quickly and doesn't dribble out all its juices in the pan. I recommend cooking only 1 lb of chicken at a time so you don't overcrowd the pan. My recipe is based off of the one here at Eating Thai Food . 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 3/4" slices 1/2 c. Chinese long beans, cut into 1/4" slices (or string beans) 3 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste 1 Tbsp. fish sauce 1 tsp sugar 4 kaffir lime leaves, chiffonade 2 Tbsp. peanut oil Heat a flat bottomed wok on medium high and then add the oil. Add the curry paste and stir/chop with a wok spoon or spatula so that it sizzles and softens for 30 seconds. Ensure it does not burn. Add the chicken, fish sauce, and sugar an...

This is unfortunately a bit of a non-recipe, since I just eyeball the ingredients. However, it turns out delicious every time I've made it, it takes almost no effort, and it makes a lot. Obviously beef and broccoli is normally a stir-fry and doesn't make that long to cook. The advantage to this recipe is that it allows you to use a really cheap roast cut instead of more expensive cuts good for stir frying, and it actually takes even less effort than stir frying. Beef roast (~2 lbs) - my favorite is London Broil, since the grain makes for pieces that are great for picking up with chop sticks 1/2 onion, cut into wedges Sauce: 3-6 garlic cloves depending on size 2-3 slices of ginger Soy sauce (Tablespoons) Oyster sauce (Tablespoon-2 Tblsp) Rice wine/sherry (Tablespoon) Water Cornstarch + cold water (optional) Broccoli Mix up the sauce and taste. I often end up making too little - the roast will contribute less liquid than you think.Adding water actually helps the ...

Ages ago I bought some szechuan peppercorns for a recipe, and haven't tried many recipes with them since. They're very strange - they have what can only be described as a floral, citrisy taste, a bit like lychees (but less floral). In this dish, based loosely on authentic szechuan chicken recipes, they lend a really nice counterpoint to the chilies, but you don't want to add too much and overwhelm things. Note that this is a fairly dry stir fry. I made this with Japanese eggplants, but if you only have normal eggplant, cutting it into cubes might actually be nice, since they'd be a similar shape to the chicken chunks. Ingredients 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (breasts reheat better for leftovers), cubed 5 Japanese eggplants, in slices 3+2 cloves garlic, sliced 1.5 teaspoons peeled sliced fresh ginger 1 heaping tablespoon szechuan peppercorn 3-8 Chinese-style dried red chilis, seeds removed 3 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine 2 tab...

Accompanied by my illustrious photographer and culinary muse, JiJY, I present to you: Tom Kha. This fragrant soup is made with chicken and is bursting with flavor from the aromatic spices (and no curry powder/paste at all), and brought together with coconut milk and lime. Finished product, garnished with Thai basil and an egg. Photo by JiJY Thanwalee. Broth 1 chicken 4-5 quarts water 1 chicken boullion cube 3-4 stalks lemon grass 1 galangal root 6-8 kaffir lime leaves 4 large shallots or 1 red onion 4 cloves garlic 3 Thai chilies Simmering the broth. Scoop off the scummy bits so you get a nice clear broth. I accelerated the process by using a pressure cooker. Photo by JiJY Thanwalee. Place the chicken, aromatics, and water together in a large pot or pressure cooker. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 1 hour (or 35 min in pressure cooker). Drain the broth for use in the soup and discard the aromatics. Remove the chicken and when it is cool enough to handle, stri...

I received a request to share my fried rice recipe, written for a kitchen beginner. There are a lot of subtleties for making awesome fried rice, which would make it a lot easier to teach in-person; this step-by-step is the next best thing. I'm going to shout a bit in this post, but listen to me if you want your rice to fulfill your every hope and dream! TWO KEY THINGS YOU MUST HAVE: LEFTOVER rice (at least one night in the fridge, ideally a few days old). If you try to make it with fresh rice it will be mushy.  A BIG-ASS non-stick pan. Don't try to be a cowboy with cast iron or some other shiz. I am serious--if you are a beginner, DO NOT PASS GO without fulfilling those requirements or you will be disappointed and frustrated and never try cooking again. For rice I recommend a long-grain Thai jasmine rice, but other types will work. If you don't have a GOOD non-stick pan, I recommend Swiss Diamond . If you are concerned about carcinogens or whatever tin-foil hat b...

Can also be made with chicken. 50% of the household thinks this would be better made with bone-in, fattier chops, and 50% of the household likes it lean. Either way it's got tons of flavor! 3-4 pork chops, whatever cut you enjoy 2 stalks lemongrass 5 cloves garlic 3 shallots 2-3 red chili peppers 3 Tbsp. fish sauce 3 Tbps. brown sugar 2 Tbsp. black soy sauce 1 Tbsp. oil 2-3 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper Pat the pork chops dry, set them on a plate, and salt lightly. I find it's easiest to control the salt in the marinade if you salt the meat directly. Pound the base of the lemongrass stalks with something heavy to break them up a bit. Slice into 1/2" pieces and then chop in the food processor. Add the garlic, shallots, and chili peppers and chop until fine textured (will be a little fibrous from the lemongrass). Add in the remaining ingredients and process until well combined. Test the flavor and adjust if needed. The marinade should be the texture of ...

Let's face it: samosas are delicious but a P.I.T.A. to make. Why bother with the pastry crust? Just eat the filling! These are a great side dish, perfect for potlucks, and if you're really ambitious you can use it as a savory pastry filling. 3 lbs potatoes (can be any kind, peels can stay on small reds or Yukon gold) 2 stalks celery 1/2 small onion 1/2 c. frozen peas 1 jalapeno pepper 3 green onions 1 stick butter 1 Tbsp. black mustard seeds 1 Tbsp. whole cumin seeds 2 tsp. fresh ginger 1 tsp. turmeric 1 tsp. black pepper 1 pinch hing powder OR 1 clove garlic, minced loads of salt Boil the potatoes in well-salted water until tender, then drain. Smash them up a bit with a spoon. Dice celery, onion, and jalapeno very small. Slice green onions into little rings. Heat the butter in a large pan until it is bubbling. Add the pinch of hing--it should sizzle. (If you are using garlic instead, add it later with the ginger instead) the mustard and cumin seeds and s...

Japanese curry is its own food category, different than Thai or Indian curries. It is a revelation in easy home cooking--just don't fight the packaged-food-ness! The "secret" is to follow the directions on the package. Serve with good white rice and Japanese pickles (all these things can be found at United Noodle). The curry comes as solid blocks (like a chocolate bar) that you break into your curry pot. There are many brands, such as "Java", "Vermont", and "Golden Curry"...all seem to be good, and "hot" is not hot at all, so get that one if you want a slight heat. I made the batch in the photo with tonkatsu , but it can be accompanied with any protein or just eaten plain. As you can see, pickles are a large part of the appeal for me, but don't worry if you can't find them. 1/2 package of Japanese curry blocks 3 large potatoes 2 large carrots 1 medium onion 1/2 c. water Something like that...just free-form i...

These should really be called dinosaur eggs! These are a beautiful and simple accompaniment to a meal. They can be stored for several days. Make them with Congee to add some protein if you are feeling under the weather. Looks beautiful after 1.5 hrs simmering! They would have been darker if I let them steep overnight. Eggs with delicious congee . Perfect when you need something comforting and easy to digest. This is a simple recipe but it takes time. Scale up as needed for more eggs. 6 eggs 2 Tbsp. of black tea leaves(I used pu-erh) 1/4 c. light soy sauce 2 pieces star anise 1 small stick Vietnamese cinnamon 2 Tbsp. brown sugar Plenty of water First pre-cook the eggs: Place eggs in saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then put the lid on turn the heat off. Let sit, covered, for 11 minutes if eggs were room temperature or 13 minutes if they were cold. This will make PERFECT hard boiled eggs with pure yellow yolks (no green!) Cool the eggs in cold w...

My original tonkatsu recipe has been tested many times, and I've learned a few things. Mainly I have improved the salad dressing. Also I include a more detailed description of how to make the cutlet. Not pictured: mochi ice cream. Ganbatte! Improved Salad Dressing The key to the improved salad dressing is the miso. Hint: even if you are using the pre-packaged instant miso soup, you can repurpose one of the packets for the salad dressing. 2 Tbsp. white miso 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger 1 dash roasted sesame oil 1 Tbsp. roasted sesame seeds Combine all ingredients and toss with lettuce and finely julienned carrots, daikon, and red onion. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. I like to let it rest while I'm cooking the other things so that the veggies marinate a bit. Grated Daikon This forms the bed for the cutlet. I have found that if you grate the daikon, then squeeze out the water, sprinkle...

I take great delight in convincing people they like foods they thought they hated. Spam is one of them. I re-examined this ingredient after a trip to the Spam Museum in Albert Lea, which led me to stumble across this recipe. It is also known as spam musubi, and it is native to Hawaii, where the US military bases introduced the locals to the 'wonders' of canned luncheon meat. Since each musubi is made with a cross-section of the whole Spam loaf, they make for a very filling appetizer. You can either season the rice as for sushi or leave it plain. These are a real crowd-pleaser and I've had a number of requests to bring these to parties. 1 can Spam 2 Tbsp. oil 1/3 c. terriyaki sauce 2 sheets nori, cut into 1.5" strips 1-2 qt cooked sushi rice (season with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar if desired) Remove the Spam from the tin--this may take some vigorous shaking. Slice into 1/4" pieces. Brush the pieces with terriyaki sauce. Fry lightly in a small amount o...

This recipe is actually a melding of two previous recipes: Hmong Chicken Salad and Fresh Spring Rolls . It would be hard to find something that isn't delicious in a spring roll, but this is a particularly tasty combination with a zingy, juicy flavor. I am also including the recipe for hoisin peanut sauce. This batch makes about 8 spring rolls--increase as necessary. Chicken Salad Spring Rolls 8 banh trang spring roll wrappers 4 oz. rice vermicelli noodles 2 c. Hmong Chicken Salad 4 large lettuce leaves, sliced very thin across the midrib 1 carrot, thinly julienned 3" slice of daikon, julienned Place the rice noodles in a bowl and submerge in boiling water. Let sit for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Cut the pile of noodles a few times with kitchen scissors. Fill a pie platter with warm water. Briefly wet a wrapper in the warm water and place it on a moistened plate. Place a rectangular pile of lettuce in the center of the wrapper, then put a small amoun...