Adventuring for More Bite.

 

Back on April 27, 2022, I gave you a recipe for Garlic Chicken with Soba Noodles and it is a fantastically good dish. As with many recipes, including my own, I like to play with the ingredients; perhaps improving further, perhaps not. That's the adventure, and honestly, do we really want to be stuck in a rut when it comes to eating?

For instance, crushed red pepper flakes give heat, but wanting more than overall heat in the mouth is the goal, we want bite!  A bite on the insides of the cheeks, on the tongue; something to make the diner stand up and take notice of the intense flavor of the dish, not just the heat. What better to work with than freshly cracked black pepper?  The oil from the cracked peppercorns gives a fresher flavor, and exciting aroma, to the dish.  Its main active compound, piperine, has benefits that include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as for brain and gastrointestinal health.

In the recipe for Garlic and Pepper Chicken, the chicken is coated in cornstarch, fried in oil and immediately seasoned with coarse salt and cracked pepper.  As the chicken drains, the seasonings adhere to the chicken ensuring a flavored packed coating.  Using peanut oil is beneficial due to its ability to reach a high temperature quickly, so the food cooks quickly itself. The oil is not heavily absorbed, so your food is light, not greasy; and no, there is no peanut taste to the finished product.

This is a one pan meal, prep and cooking times are minimal and it is a meal that you and a family member can prepare together. While a large skillet can be used, I highly recommend investing in a Wok as they cut cooking time and require easy maintenance.

 

Garlic and Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, thighs or combination); cut into ½-inch strips

½ cup cornstarch

1 cup peanut oil

1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt

2 tsp. cracked black pepper, divided in half

1 and ½ cups broccoli florets

¾ cup diced red bell pepper

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. chili sauce

2 Tbsp. mirin wine (Japanese sweet rice wine)

¼ cup dark soy sauce

¼ cup hoisin sauce

Preparation:

Coat the chicken strips in the cornstarch; shake off excess. In a Wok or large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat; add the chicken, cook until done; drain chicken on paper towels, but season with sea salt and 1 tsp. black pepper immediately.

Remove all but two tablespoons oil; add in broccoli and bell pepper; cook for two minutes. Whisk together garlic, chili sauce, mirin wine, soy and hoisin sauces, remaining teaspoon black pepper; add back chicken to Wok or skillet; pour in liquid, mix thoroughly to coat. Cook for additional two minutes before serving over rice (white, brown or fried) or rice noodles.

Makes four servings.

But wait, maybe recipes with an Asian flare are not up your taste bud alley.  Then how about going the classical culture route, Italy and Greece, aka Mediterranean, which is known for its healthy usage of garlic, olive oil and fresh ingredients.

 

Garlic Chicken and Pasta

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided in half

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ¼- inch slices

2 cups steamed broccoli

1 cup red bell pepper strips

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 cups cooked rigatoni

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, low heat, melt the butter; add the garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes and stir occasionally to keep from sticking or burning.  Remove from heat.

In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat; sauté chicken until fully cooked; remove from skillet.  Add remaining oil to skillet and sauté vegetables until edges just begin to brown.  Add chicken back into skillet, add the garlic butter sauce, parsley and pasta; mix thoroughly and cook for 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Pasta not on your diet, whether due to the carbs or gluten?  Let’s change up the broccoli to asparagus; add sliced black olives, and give a tangy zest with feta cheese.  I call this Greek Chicken with Asparagus.

First, cut the chicken breast in half, lengthwise; then cut each cutlet in half, so we have four palm sized pieces.  With the asparagus, make sure to purchase the thin, “baby” type; bend each spear slowly and it will snap apart where freshness meets woodiness.  Those woody sections can be thrown into the compost bin.  Now, lay flat a 14” x 10” piece of aluminum foil (they are sold pre-cut), and place about 8-9 spears down, next place a piece of chicken on top.  Spread a few bell pepper strips and a good pinch of slice olives; then spoon that lovely garlic butter sauce over all.  Fold the foil over the ingredients and seal the ends, making a packet; place on a jelly roll pan (ensures no drippage onto the oven floor if a packet leaks).  Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes.

 

When you open the packet, carefully transfer all to a plate, including that scrumptious sauce, and sprinkle feta cheese crumbles over.  You will be amazed, not at just how easy this dish is, but at the wonderful flavors and scents.

This is a time when celebrations are coming up; graduations, young men and women going off on their missions, engagement parties, wedding receptions, and do not forget the yearly birthday and anniversary celebrations.  You now have three chicken recipes that will wow your guests, and, being easy to create, can be done in bulk preparation as well.

Mary Cokenour

 

Yippee Yee, Getting Me Some Bubble Tea.

One fun source is any site listing “food holidays” for the year.  There are many, so I do not rely on just one site, since they tend to have different information.  So, looking at a listing for April became a matter of, “Did that. Yeah, did that too.  Not doing that one again.  Oh heck, you could not pay me enough to eat that!”.  Last day of the month and it was a hallelujah moment – April 30th is National Bubble Tea Day!

Before I get into what bubble tea is, it is best I explain differences between milkshakes, smoothies and blended coffees; and give hints on where to find them.  First off, a milkshake is a thick, sweet, cold mixture made by blending milk, ice cream, and flavorings, like caramel sauce, chocolate syrup, or a fruit syrup.  In Blanding, the go-to place is definitely Patio Diner for milkshakes (and other delicious ice cream treats).  My hubby prefers the classic vanilla, while a cool and refreshing mint is my choice.

A smoothie is a beverage made by puréeing ingredients in a blender. It has a liquid base, such as fruit juice, milk, plant-milk, or yogurt. Ingredients added in are fruits, vegetables, or a combo of both, crushed ice, whey powder or nutritional supplements.  To really simplify the creation of a smoothie, powdered mixes can be purchased, so just add a liquid and crushed ice.  In Monticello, High Desert Café and The Over Bite have selections of smoothies to please any palate.

A blended coffee is, in simple terms, a coffee slushy.  Coffee, crushed ice, milk and flavoring are mixed in a blender; similar to creating a smoothie, just more ice.  The Over Bite creates splendid blended coffees, and my very favorite is with oat milk and three shots of sugar-free caramel syrup.  Hubby goes for the gusto with whole milk, shots of caramel and Irish cream syrups; no wonder he can’t get to sleep after drinking one of those!

 

Now for bubble tea, and the mecca, in San Juan County, for this is Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi, in Monticello.  Bubble tea originated in Taiwan, in the 1980s, and was brought to the USA, in the 1990s, by immigrants.  Of course, it spread like wild fire in China, Japan and Thailand.  The process is blending black tea with milk, fruit and/or fruit juices, simple syrup (mix of water and sugar) and crushed ice, shaking vigorously for a thick mixture.  This is then poured into a tall glass or container, with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom.  A wide straw is used, so the pearls can be sucked up with the liquid, and surprise, a chewy candy treat along with a drink.

 

Bubble tea is often referred to as Boba tea.  Is there a difference?  No, the term “boba” is the Chinese term for the tapioca pearls.  The pearls can be made at home (loads of recipes amongst Asian food bloggers), purchased dry, but needing to be cooked; or purchased wet and just add as needed.  With the dry pearls, or even making from scratch, the cooking has to be precise.  Otherwise, instead of chewy pearls, you might end up with jaw breakers, or a mushy paste no one wants to eat.  There are also types of pearls that are lighter in consistency, so instead of sitting at the bottom of the mixture, they float on top, and are eaten using a spoon.  Are the pearls always black in color?  Oh no, bubble tea has become an art form, so a multitude of colors can be purchased or created.  Blue Mountain Foods sells bubble tea kits in their freezer section, right next to another favorite of mine, “My Mochi” (see San Juan Record, June 28, 2023, if curious about mochi).

 

Prepackaged Tapioca Pearls

 

Dried Tapioca Pearls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Palm, the niece of Waen Roll, owner of Ja-Roen, gave me a personal lesson in bubble tea making.  Creating bubble tea has been simplified, as with smoothie making, by having the tea and flavored ingredients mixed together, and made into an easy to add powder.  Flavors like chocolate, strawberry, coconut, watermelon, matcha green tea, and my new favorite, taro, can be blended up in minutes.  What is taro?  Taro is a starchy root vegetable, and a staple in African and Asian nations.  Have you been to Hawaii and eaten poi?  Poi is cooked and mashed taro root.  The flavor is hard to describe; sweet, yet fruity, but there is really no fruit to compare it with.

 

Now to my bubble tea lesson.  Palm is a patient teacher, so thank you so much for putting up with me.  The process begins with about two cups of crushed ice placed in the blending container.  Then it is half cup measurements of your favorite flavor powdered mix, milk and simple syrup.  Insert container into the blending machine, and cover your ears, it gets loud!  A half cup of tapioca pearls goes into the individual serving container and the blended mixture poured over; cap it, stick a straw down to the bottom and suck!  Do not swallow immediately as those pearls will be coming up with the liquid.  Take it slow, let the liquid swirl around in the mouth and ease down the throat, and there they are, the pearls.  Mmm, chewy, sweet candy balls mixing with the fruity flavor of the liquid, so good. 

First the Crushed Ice.

Palm measures out ingredients by half cup.

Bubble Tea Blending Machine

 

 

Tapioca Pearls at Bottom of Serving Glass.

Blended Mixture Over the Pearls

My Taro Bubble Tea, which my husband ended up stealing and drinking.

Currently Ja-Roen only serves up 24-ounce bubble teas, but it seems to be the perfect size, as no one is complaining in that department.    Due to availability of flavors, the menu for bubble teas is subject to change.

 

So, on April 30th, all you San Juan County residents, get on in to Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi, in Monticello, and order up your favorite flavor of bubble tea. For all of us who have tried it, and enjoy the experience, we come up with all types of excuses to stop in for one.  If you have not tried it, now is the perfect time! 

Mary Cokenour

Chinese New Year of the Wood Dragon

For 2024, the lunar cycles have brought the Chinese New Year to fall on Saturday, February 10^th.  In China, this is a special public holiday, so workers will be given off from February 9^th to the 15^th.  There will be colorful festivals, mind blowing fireworks displays, lion and dragon dancers winding their way throughout the throngs of celebrators, and food delicacies as far as the eye can see, and the stomach can fill.

Of the twelve animals of the zodiac, this is the year of the dragon who represents health, strength, and good fortune.  If one is born in a dragon year (1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024), it is believed the individual will have the innate qualities of the dragon (leadership, charisma, and boundless enthusiasm).  If conceived and born within the same year, the chances double, in other words, the child is doubly blessed by the zodiac animal.

Besides the zodiac animals, one of the five elements (earth, wood, fire, metal, and water) is assigned to a year.  2024 is the year of the wood dragon and symbolizes humanity’s aspiration to achieve, progress, grow, and expand.  Perhaps the wood dragon can get the world’s nations to finally grow up, stop acting like spoiled brats, and work together for a united/beneficial-to-all world.  We can only hope.  Also, on this note, I would highly recommend making the effort to read the ancient stories and poetry of China.  While many can explain the basis of a warrior nation (and whose nation was not like that at some point in history?), others tell tales of deep emotions full of love, hope and dreams.

During the feasts, red envelopes, called hongbao, are given out as tokens of good wishes.  The red color symbolizes luck, life and happiness.  These are also given out at weddings, and typically, depending on the occasion, there are designated amounts expected to be given.

Now here comes the menu for this year:

§  Fish and seafood: favorite treats of a fire-breathing Dragon.

§  Red meat (pork, beef): for a rich New Year's table.

§  Poultry (turkey, duck, goose): for wealth and luxury.

§  Spices of garlic, hot red pepper, ginger, cloves, and anise to fire up a dragon’s tongue.

§  Fresh fruits which must include tangerines and oranges.

So, to honor the wood dragon, and appease his appetite, here is my offering of a roasted pork rice bowl.

 

Roasted Pork Rice Bowl

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless pork roast, or pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cracked black pepper

1 Tbsp. smoky paprika

¼ cup sesame oil

¼ cup soy sauce

2 cups bell pepper strips (mixture of red, yellow and green)

2 cups onion strips

Fried Rice or Jasmine Rice

Preparation:

Score top and bottom of pork with diagonal cuts to create diamond pattern.  Mix together salt, pepper and paprika and rub on all sides of pork.  Mix together oil and soy sauce, again rubbing into all sides of pork.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for six hours.

Preheat oven to 425F; set wire rack into small roasting pan. 

Heat medium sized skillet, on high, and sear all sides and edges of the pork.  Place onto wire rack, and roast pork for 50 to 60 minutes; until internal temperature reaches 145F.  Remove from oven and let pork rest 10 minutes before slicing.

 

 

 

For the bell pepper and onion strips, heat stir-fry oil in large skillet, or Wok, on high heat.  Sauté vegetables until softened, but do not brown or burn; about 20 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

In bowl, place one cup cooked rice, 4-5 thinly cut slices of pork and 2 heaping tablespoons of pepper/onion mixture.

 

Fried Rice

Makes 8 servings.

 

While jasmine rice can be store bought, I have discovered that creating my own version, using jasmine green tea, gives deeper flavoring and scent to the rice.

Jasmine Green Tea Infused Rice

To make rice, in a 3-quart pan, place 8 cups of cold water, ½ tsp. salt, 2 teabags of jasmine green tea.  Set heat to high and bring to a boil.  Remove tea bags and add 4 cups uncooked, medium grain, white rice; stir, reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 20 minutes.  Remove lid, let rice rest for 5 minutes before fluffing up with a fork.

Makes 8 servings.

Happy Chinese New Year, and may the year of the Wood Dragon bring us all much good luck, health and fortune.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Just Another Stir-Fry Recipe.

Not too much to say about this new recipe.  Roy and I simply enjoy delving into Asian cuisines, and this was another opportunity to play.  I think the most creative thing was coming up with a way to flavor the rice without a lot of ingredients.  Using jasmine green tea bags did the job with any mess.  Just place them in the water being used to make the rice, bring to a boil, remove the bags, and wallah, the water is infused with the flavorful tea.

The entire recipe, including rice, makes eight servings, and the leftovers simply got more flavorful over time.

 Order Up, and You're Welcome! 

 

Sweet Chili Stir-Fry

(Over Jasmine Green Tea Rice)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. raw, peeled and deveined large shrimp (or chunks of chicken breasts or pork tenderloin)

1 cup chopped red bell peppers

1 (15 oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained

½ cup julienned purple (also called red) onions

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground lemon grass

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

½ cup sweet chili sauce (aka Thai sweet chili sauce)

8 cups jasmine green tea infused rice **

Preparation:

In a sealable plastic container, mix together protein, peppers, mushrooms, onions, black pepper, ginger and lemon grass.  Place in refrigerator for one hour, but begin making rice in a half hour.

 

** To make rice, in a 3-quart pan, place 8 cups of cold water, ½ tsp. salt, 2 teabags of jasmine green tea.  Set heat to high and bring to a boil.  Remove tea bags and add 4 cups uncooked, medium grain, white rice; stir, reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 20 minutes.  Remove lid, let rice rest for 5 minutes before fluffing up with a fork.

 

 

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat; spread out contents from plastic container in skillet and sauté’ until protein in thoroughly cooked (shrimp will turn pinkish/red, and no longer be translucent).  Add sweet chili sauce, mix in thoroughly, remove skillet from heat, and serve.

 

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour