Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)

Shumai

I love Dim Sum and shumai is one of my favorites things on the menu.  Today I "made" shumai from Trader Joe's.  I have found that many types of dumplings from Trader Joe's or any Asian store are just about as good as made from scratch.  I steamed the shumai in a bamboo steamer and made a dipping sauce that consisted of soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds and salt.  I made Jasmine rice to go along with it and had a very satisfying dinner without having to wait to go to a Dim Sum restaurant.

Korean Teriyaki Hot Dog

I bought a package of Filipino red hot dogs at my local Asian market with the intention of having them with rice and eggs for breakfast, a dish posted here in March called Hotsilog.  I wondered how else they could be cooked and I discovered a recipe on Omma's Kitchen on YouTube.  This is possibly one of the best fast food dishes I've ever made.  The hot dogs are cut on the diagonal and stir-fried with onion and garlic, then a small splash of soy sauce and sugar are added, just a scant teaspoon of each.  Served with an egg and you have a quick and easy lunch. 

Egg Fried Rice with Scallions and Ginger

My biggest challenge in the kitchen is to use everything I buy and to not waste food.  A friend of mine who was born in France but came to the U.S. at the age of 20, learned life long lessons about food and never allowing a single thing to go to waste.  She's the only person I know who is like that and it seems everyone I talk to says they too can do better about not wasting food.  So today, instead of having my usual hash brown patty with a fried egg on top for breakfast, I used up some rice from several days ago, and some scallions that looked like they were close to being put in the disposal, and I made a wonderful and simple fried rice.  I cooked the rice, scallions and a little fresh minced ginger in canola oil until it was a little crispy in places then tossed in a whisked egg.  It only takes a few minutes for the egg to set and breakfast is ready.  I topped it with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds and salt and before I had finished I wanted a little spice so I added a dash of Sriracha.

Filipino Sour Soup

This soup called Sinigang is made with Knorr Tamarind soup mix and is so easy to make.  It's a staple in the Filipino kitchen and can be made with variations using different meats such as shrimp, beef and pork, and many different vegetables.  However, the soup is always made with tomatoes and onions.  I used baby back pork ribs that I bought from my local Asian market, and my vegetable choice was baby bok choy, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), and Daikon radish.  In a large soup pot, onions and ginger are sauteed in oil for a few minutes then the pork and tomatoes are added and browned for 15-20 minutes.  Fifteen cups of water is added along with the Tamarind mix and simmered for about an hour.  Add sliced Daikon radish and simmer another 30 minutes, then at the last minute add the bok choy and gai lan just long enough to wilt a little.  Serve over rice and enjoy this soup chock full of healthy vegetables with a slightly sour taste.

Sriracha Honey Salmon

I found this wonderful pan-seared Asian salmon recipe on rasamalaysia.com.  I bought a cut of salmon with skin on from my local Safeway for $3.42.  I mention the price because pan-seared salmon at most restaurants is easily $25.  The salmon filet is marinated for 1-2 hours in a mixture of Sriracha, rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, grated fresh ginger and minced garlic.  Drizzle a little toasted sesame oil in a pan and sear skin side down for several minutes, then flip and sear the other side.  Flip again and pour the marinade over the salmon and continue cooking until just barely done.  Salmon is best when it's not overcooked.  Serve topped with sliced scallions.

Shishito Peppers (Kkwarigochu)

I was at my local Farmer's Market with a neighbor and she asked if I had ever had shishito peppers.  I told her I was familiar with them and that they seemed to have recently burst on the culinary scene but that I had never eaten them.  They are popular as a side dish in Korean cooking.  She said she roasts hers with a little olive oil and sprinkles them with sea salt.  I looked at a few recipes on-line and decided to blister them in a cast iron skillet.  I tossed the peppers in a little canola oil then put them in a piping hot cast iron skillet and cooked until they were soft with a nice char on the skin.  I sprinkled a little pink Himalayan sea salt on them and what a delicacy!