Fried Rice

I love Asian food. Ok, I just love food, period. This homemade version is just as good or better than your favorite Chinese place. To make the potsticker dumplings pictured, go here.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of parboiled rice
• 1.5 cups frozen edamame OR frozen peas, whichever you prefer
• 4-6 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
• 3-5 green onions, chopped (some people like more or less)
• 3/4 to 1 lb raw meat of your choice (shrimp, sliced pork, chicken breast, chicken thighs)
• soy sauce to taste
• 1 Tbl rice wine vinegar
• sesame oil for frying
• optional: red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

Directions:

1. I found that the trick to making great fried rice begins with COLD rice. Make a batch of my Perfect Rice beforehand, and chill in the fridge. You can make the rice the night before if you want. Use 1.5 cups of rice and 3 cups of water, following all other directions in the Perfect Rice recipe. Add the frozen edamame or peas to the rice while it's cooking.
2. Use any meat you like - shrimp, chicken, beef, no meat, whatever! I used a package of chicken thighs because they're cheap and they have more flavor than chicken breast. Cut up into small pieces.
3. Place the onion, meat, and bell pepper (if using) in the pan, adding enough sesame oil to saute until the meat is cooked. 
4. Add the carrots, garlic, green onions, and the cold rice/edamame mixture to the pan. Add 2 Tbl sesame oil also. 
5. Mix everything well, add the rice wine vinegar and soy sauce to taste and let this cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until it starts to brown on the bottom. Patience is another trick to great fried rice. Take a peek to see if it's golden brown; if not, let it cook some more. 
6. Keep stirring and browning until it is cooked thoroughly. Push the rice to one side of the pan and use this bare space to scramble the 2 eggs.
7. Fold the scrambled eggs into the rice and serve! Makes about 6 servings.

Vegetable Potstickers

One day, I had a craving for potstickers. When I got off of work, I went to go buy some ready-made from the frozen food section, and they wanted 8 bucks for a bag of them. Naturally, I said "to hell with that" and set out to make them myself! You can use ground pork if you like, to make a good meaty potsticker - just use 1/4 to 1/3 pound and eliminate the cabbage. Take care not to make too much filling. What looks like a "good" amount of filling will easily keep you in the kitchen for an hour making 5 dozen potstickers. The fried rice pictured can be found here. Ok, here we go!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
• 4 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 3 carrots, peeled and shredded (use a cheese grater; if you buy the pre-shredded carrots, they will not have the same texture and the mixture will not fit as well.)
• 1/2 package of wonton wrappers
• sesame oil for frying
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 3-4 mushrooms, with the stem pulled out, and VERY finely chopped

For the dipping sauce:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbl honey
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper 
• 1 Tbl rice wine vinegar

Instructions:

1. Prepare a large work surface. You can cover the kitchen counter with wax paper and use that, or use a large cutting board like I did. You will also need a bowl of water to dip your hands in.
2. Peel off the outermost leaves of the cabbage. Cut in half, then half again. Use this 1/4 cabbage and shred it with a cheese grater. Shred the carrots with the cheese grater also. 
3. Rinse the mushrooms and pull the stems out. Slice and chop finely. You want to slice them and then go back over them until you have very small pieces.
4. Toss the veggies into a large mixing bowl, along with the egg, breadcrumbs, ginger, and garlic. Mix well.
   
   
   
5. You will need a large non-stick skillet. Warm up on medium heat with 1-2 Tbl sesame oil and 1/4 cup of water. As the potstickers cook, some of the water will be absorbed, so you will need to add a little as you go.
6. Lay out a bunch of your wonton wrappers. Place about 1 Tbl of filling in the middle of each one. To seal, dip your fingers in water, trace around the edge of the wrapper with the water, then press to make a seal.
   
   
   
   
7. Place them in your pre-heated pan and cook until browned on one side. Turn once and brown on the other side.
8. While the potstickers are cooking, mix up the dipping sauce. I like to make it in a measuring cup, that way I can pour it easily into a small dish for each person. Mix all ingredients and microwave until it just starts to boil. If you like a really spicy dipping sauce, add more crushed red pepper and heat in the microwave again. Heating the sauce really brings out the spicy kick of the red pepper.
9. When the potstickers are done cooking, place them in a covered dish so they don't dry out. Serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!

As written, this recipe should make about 2 dozen potstickers. 

Mexican Rice

This rice is so easy to make and full of flavor, a perfect compliment to Mexican food. To make the shrimp pictured, go here : Mexican Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1 cup parboiled rice
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1 small clove chopped garlic
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped finely
• 1 can chicken broth (or homemade broth, if you have it!)
• fresh or dried cilantro to taste
• 1 Knorr caldo de pollo (chicken bouillon) cube
• 2 Tbl vegetable oil
• 1 cup of frozen corn
• 1/2 chopped red or yellow bell pepper (if desired)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil on medium-high heat in a non-stick pan. When making rice, I find that the wider the pan, the better it will turn out.
2. Add the rice, bell pepper, and onions. Saute, stirring frequently, until the rice is golden brown and looks like rice krispies.
   
3. In a measuring cup, pour the tomato sauce and broth together to make 1.5 cups of liquid.
4. Add the liquid, the frozen corn, and all the spices. Mix well. Once it starts simmering, cover and turn the heat down to low.
5. Cook for 20 minutes and do not peek! Instead of stirring, shake the pan back and forth with the lid closed, and do this a few times while cooking. 
6. Remove from heat and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
7. Uncover and mix gently before serving.

Mexican Shrimp

This is one of my favorite Mexican dishes to make at home. Guests are always impressed and it is so easy to make!

For the rice recipe, click here: Mexican Rice



Ingredients:

• 1 pound of raw shrimp, peeled
• 1 cup of your favorite salsa
• 1 sweet yellow onion
• 1 yellow or red bell pepper
• vegetable oil 
• 3-4 cloves of garlic 
• Fresh cilantro

Instructions:

1. Once you have the shrimp peeled, place them in a large mixing bowl and pour in the salsa. 
2. Wash the cilantro well and chop roughly. Add cilantro to your taste; some people like a whole lot, but for me, about 1 Tbl is good.  Add this to the shrimp, mix well, and let the shrimp marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
3. Slice the onions and bell pepper thin, julienne style. Do the same for the garlic.
4. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a skillet and add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Saute on medium heat until the onions are clear.
5. Add the shrimp and salsa together. Simmer until the shrimp is done and serve!