Asian

Showing 24 Result(s)
Black Garlic Cloves and Whole Heads
Appetizers Asian Sauces & Condiments

Black Garlic Tapenade: A New Classic

Black garlic. First things first – what is this mysterious stuff? Perhaps it’s easiest to begin by describing what black garlic is NOT. Black garlic is not a new strain of garlic; it’s not genetically modified, nor is it a recent invention by practitioners of modernist cuisine. Black garlic starts out as regular white garlic (some say that hardneck garlic varieties make the best black garlic), but ends up with a delicately sweet flavor, soft, jam-like texture and striking jet-black color. …

Miso Broth with Crab and Grilled Matsutake Mushrooms
Asian Mushrooms Seafood Soups & Stews Wild Foods

Miso Broth with Crab and Grilled Matsutake Mushrooms

Matsutake mushrooms are in season again. Wild mushroom aficionados look forward to the arrival of the esteemed pine mushroom with great anticipation each year. Matsutake can be prepared in any number of traditional ways, but it’s always a pleasant challenge to create new dishes that highlight their woodsy flavor. Matsutake have an intriguingly spicy aroma akin to a blend of pine, cinnamon and rosemary. Their texture is quite firm and holds up well to just about any cooking method. We …

Thai Mushroom and Coconut Soup
Asian Mushrooms Soups & Stews

Thai Mushroom & Coconut Soup

This rich and satisfying soup starts with a mixture of dried mushrooms typical of Asian cooking – shiitakes, with their deep and distinctive woodsy flavor; oyster mushrooms, with a light buttery taste that goes well with everything; lastly, woodear mushrooms, which have very little flavor at all, but which contribute a wonderfully crunchy texture. Like all dried mushrooms, this blend requires rehydration before use. A good soak in a hot bath for 20 – 30 minutes is all that’s needed …

Soba Noodles with Black Lentils, Smoked Bacon and Greens
Asian Meat Pasta Vegetables

Soba Noodles with Black Lentils, Smoked Bacon and Greens

Quick-cooking lentils are probably the oldest cultivated legumes and are certainly among the earliest cultivated plants. Often planted alongside wild wheat and barley by our ancestors, lentils are both highly nutritious and good-tasting. Lentils are generally split into two broad groups: flat, large lentils and small, rounded lentils. While the large varieties are generally more common, it’s the small, varieties that are more prized. Small lentils tend to keep their shape better and have a finer, creamier texture than their …

Sausage-stuffed Tofu
Appetizers Asian

Sausage-Stuffed Tofu with Smoked Soy Sauce

To fans of authentic Asian cuisine, the flavors & textures of this dish will feel as comfortable and familiar as an old friend. A steamed dish might not seem like summer food, but the preparation is quite easy and cooking time is only about 20 minutes. It won’t heat up the kitchen and can be enjoyed immediately while hot, or later, at room temperature. Our version of stuffed tofu, a venerable classic of many Asian cuisines, uses sausage made from ground …

Appetizers Asian Mushrooms Poultry Sauces & Condiments

Black Garlic Shu Mai with Smoked Soy Dipping Sauce

If you’ve ever been to a dim sum restaurant, you’ve probably eaten shu mai. Shu mai are little open-topped filled dumplings that usually come to your table in little steamer baskets. Shu mai rank among our favorite dumplings, and are both fun to make and eat. They don’t take a lot of effort and are very forgiving for the uninitiated – much easier than wontons or potstickers. Think of them as delicious little meatballs held in a tender, noodle-like wrapper. …

Asian Poultry Rubs and Marinades Sauces & Condiments

Five-Spice Grilled Cornish Game Hens

A savory-spicy marinade is the secret to these intensely flavorful and juicy grilled Cornish Game Hens. The fragrant marinade is spiked with a generous dash of Five-Spice Powder, a popular Asian spice blend which includes Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, fennel seeds, cloves and star anise. Our version of this dish is inspired by and adapted from a recipe by foodwriter Joyce Jue, which was originally intended for quail. We loved the flavors so much that we wanted to try it with a …

Spicy Gochujang Pork Puffs
Appetizers Asian Breads & Baked Goods Meat

Spicy Gochujang Pork Puffs

Ah, it’s that time of the year again. The holidays are past, winter is back with a vengeance and the Super Bowl is just around the corner. Sounds like the perfect time to whip up some hot, tasty party food! Over the past few years, we’ve noticed that Super Bowl snacks have gone far beyond the usual guacamole, chili and nachos. You’d almost think that the game was secondary to the increasingly elaborate edibles featured at Super Bowl parties with …

Soba Noodles with Roasted Matsutake Mushrooms
Asian Mushrooms Pasta Salads Sauces & Condiments Wild Foods

Soba Noodles with Roasted Matsutake Mushrooms

It’s already November, well into the fall season. Depending on where you live, fresh produce from your home garden may be done until next spring. Thankfully, there are a few hardy radishes and the last scallions to be harvested from our garden which add some crisp texture, fresh flavors and tangy “bite” to this preparation. With the addition of a few foraged wild mushrooms, it’s enough to make a wonderfully earthy dish, featuring hearty Japanese soba noodles. Soba noodles are made with buckwheat, a …

Appetizers Asian Mushrooms Pasta Sauces & Condiments Soups & Stews Wild Foods

Wild Mushroom Wontons, Three Ways

Wontons are fun. They’re great party food, perfect as appetizers and for special occasions. But wontons are, at their heart, simple Asian comfort food. Wontons have been around in some form for literally thousands of years. Most basic wonton recipes are quite similar (after a thousand years or so, you should pretty much have the basic recipe perfected). Popular as street food in almost every Asian country, wontons have plenty of local variations. While fillings can vary, the basic technique remains …