Spicy Thai Beef with Lime Coconut Rice

I hope everyone had a good Thursday.  We are only 4 days out from the big Christmas Day.....I can hardly wait.  What is on your list?  Anything great for the kitchen I should ask Santa Bill for?

Today I have one of Bill's top 10 favorite dinners for you.  This recipe is requested about once a month since i discover it 2 years ago in Martha Stewart's Every Day Food magazine.  This magazine was a great little guide for me in my early years of cooking - it gave me great meal ideas with minimal ingredients and great flavors.  I recommend it to any new cook!

Spicy Thai Beef with Coconut Rice
Modified from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food
This recipe is easy and impressive you will feel like you just ordered take out in your kitchen.

Prep time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Servings - 4

Ingredient List: 

Rice-

• 1 1/2 cup dry jasmine rice

• 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk ( light or regular)

• Coarse salt

• Beef-

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce

• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 2 teaspoon sugar

• 2-3 dry chili peppers or serrano peppers 

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 3 long hot peppers or red jalapeno chiles, seeded and sliced into 2-inch matchsticks  ( you can use red bell peppers if you want low spice) 

• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin

• 1 cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves

• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:
1. In a rice cooker or sauce pan, combine rice, coconut milk, 3/4 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cookuntil rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Please enjoy the picture of Bill playing with the cat and giant bag of jasmine rice - 

 

2.  When rice is almost done, combine
fish sauce, soy sauce,hot peppers, 2 cloves of garlic and sugar in a
small bowl; set aside. 

3. Heat a cast-iron
skillet or wok over high. Add oil and
heat; add garlic and half the chiles. Cook,
stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Add
beef and cook, breaking up meat with
a wooden spoon, until completely
browned, about 4 minutes. Add soy
mixture and cook 30 seconds. Add
basil and remaining chiles and stir to
combine. 

Serve beef over coconut
rice with lime wedges.

p.s. I used dried basil because I forgot fresh.  Still amazing! 

Mu Shu Pork - King Wha Copycat Recipe

For those of you who live by me, King Wha Restaurant has been the iconic Chinese food restaurant  in the little land we live and love call Burien.  When I would tell people I lived in Burien they only know the name because King Wha, the best Chinese food restaurant was there.  I have been going to King Wha since I was in grade school and I have always stayed true to my order, Hot and Sour soup, Mu Shu Pork and Mandarin Chicken.  All of these items I had also deemed in my head "restaurant food" and had never tried at home until today....I made Mu Shu Pork!! And in my option it turned out better than King Wha, and it was easy!

Mu Shu Pork - King Wha Copycat Recipe 

Serves 6 -1 large pancake or 10 -1 small pancakes  

pre-time : 20 mins, cook time 30 mins 

Ingredients: 

1 lb pork loin -trimmed, pounded and cut into small bit size piece

Marinate:
2 Tbls dark soy sauce
2 Tbls rice wine or dry sherry ( I only had dry sherry cooking wine)
2 Tbls sugar
2 tsp cornstarch 

Sauce: 

1/2 cup chicken broth 

2 Tbls soy sauce

2 Tbls rice wine or dry sherry 

1 tsp salt

2 tsps sesame oil 

2 tsps corn starch 

Other: 

1 cup - 1 1/2 cups any kind of mushrooms cut into bit sized pieces
1 small can bamboo shoots- rinse din water 2-3 times.
1 bunch green onions
3tbls chopped fresh ginger
2 - 3 eggs beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 bag bean spouts
Plum sauce - Prepared
Tortillas or Mandarin pancakes ( Tortilla Land is what I used in the refrigerator section with a yellow package) 

Directions: 

1.  Take Pork; trim off fat, cut into bite sized pieces and pound then. 

(this is what I used, it's a end piece of a pork loin) 

2.  Make marinade, combine soy sauce, rice wine/sherry, sugar and corn starch in a bowl and mix until blended. Add pork and allow to sit for at least 15 mins.  

3. Make Sauce in a separate bowl and set aside - broth, soy sauce, salt, oil, sherry/rice wine, corn starch. 

4. Heat up your frying pan be sure to use a non-stick or a Wok. I used a 10 in cast iron non-stick on Med-High heat.  When pan is hot add 1 tablespoon oil.  Add your 2-3 scrambled eggs to the pan and scramble eggs until no longer runny.  Remove egg and wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

4.  After pan has been cleaned out heat 1-2 tablespoon oil  on Med-High heat and add in the chopped ginger until fragrant then add in the pork and the marinade and cook pork until no longer pink. Some of the pieces will stick to the bottom but that's okay, just done let it burn. 

Once pork is done, remove from pan and set aside.  Wipe down pan as best as you can and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. 

5.Add mushrooms to hot oil and allow to reduce 2 minutes until they begin to wilt.  Add bamboo shoots and 1/2 of your bunch of onion then add the pork and eggs back into hot pan and turn heat to high and add your reserved sauce. Allow all flavors to blend and sauce to thicken ( about 5 mins) .

vegetables cooking 

                                                         final assembled Mu Shu Pork  

6. Pancake assembly: 

Warm your pancakes - I used these Tortilla Land tortillas and my crepe pan: 

7.  Spread plum sauce, bean sprouts, green onions and pork mixture on your pancakes and enjoy! 

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

Today I wanted to share with you a new discovery of working with rice paper wrappers and my fascination with Vietnamese cooking.  I have always thought of Fresh Spring Roll as restaurant food.  When I say "restaurant food" I need to define that in my words,  it's food I never imagined being able to make at home.  Something too that I would not consider attempting or know where to begin to shop for the ingredients.  About 5 years go I had my first fresh spring roll at Pho Thai Burien  and could not believe how delicious it was.  It was packed full of vegetables fresh mint, basil, rice noodle and shrimp all rolled into a wrapper.  And then dip in a creamy peanut butter sauce or a hot chili sauce.  I loved these rolls so much that it justified going to Pho Thai Burien at least once a week for dinner.

When Bill asked today what I wanted for my birthday dinner, I told him I wanted to try to make Pho Thai's Spring Rolls.  So he sent me flowers and we went and shopped for the ingredients.  

Birthday Flowers:

And now the how to make spring rolls:

Prep time:  25-30 mins
Ingredients: 
Rolls: 
8  large rice wrappers
1 large bowl of hot tap water
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cucumber (peeled and julienne)
20 leaves of Thai basil or fresh mint
2 cups mixed baby greens salad mix
1/2 lb cooked and peeled shrimp butterfly cut (51/60)  *any protein you can use; chicken, pork tofu*
1/2 lb cooked rice noodles  (optional)
Sauce:
(your choice)
Peanut Sauce
Any Asian style dressing
Thai Chili Sauce

** Most restaurants will use noodles as fillers to add density, if you're going to use rice noodles cook to package instruction and let cool. I didn't use in my rolls and they were not missed**
Directions:

1. Prepare all vegetables and butterfly your shrimp for easy rolling.

2.  One all roll ingredients are prepared put hot tap water in a dish.  Each wrapper will need 3-8 seconds in the hot water depending on how hot your water is.

**I got these wrappers at Wayne's in Burien, they were $1.60 for 20** There are lots of options, I have not a clue if one is better than the other, I got the one with the cutest picture on the front.  

3. Start your rolling:

I am still a little rusty at the roll part but you get the hang of it after about 4. I rolled them like a burrito and the rice paper was really stretchy.  

4. Cut them at an angle and serve!  You can also wrap them individually in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for a day.  Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce, I used home made peanut sauce.

Curry Coconut Lime Chicken with Rice

I found this recipe on Pinterest about two months ago - Chaos In The Kitchen . We have made this dish twice since "pinning" it.  It's easy, the first time we used the grill and the second time I used my "inside grill"..... I planned tonight to grill the chicken on the grill. It's sunny and gorgeous outside, Bill went to fire up the grill and poof, we are out of gas.  Realizing this last minute and not wanting my house to smell like curry you'll enjoy the "inside grill" Bill rigged up. 

Curry Coconut Lime Chicken with Rice 

Adapted from:  Chaos In the Kitchen. 
Serves 4, Prep time 10 mins - at least 2 hr marinating chicken, Cook time 20 mins 

Ingredients List: 

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts - each breast butterflied and pounded thin 
• 3 tbsp oil
• zest and juice of 2 limes  
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 4 tsp curry powder
• I can cup coconut milk
• pinch cayenne 
• 2 small fresh hot chili, such as Thai or Serrano, minced (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Fresh limes, cut into wedges
• cooked rice 

How To: 

1. Trim fat from chicken breasts.  Starting on thick side, slice the breasts almost in half, then open each like a book.

Place each open breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper.  Using a small heavy pan, bottle or smooth meat mallet lightly pound out each breast into even thickness.

2. Mix all remaining ingredients except fresh cilantro and limes.

3. Add chicken and marinade to a large bowl and chill in the refrigerator for up to two hours.

Once you are ready to cook the chicken, remove each breast from the marinade.

4. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.  Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn.

5. Warm up your grill here - Chicken will cook quickly! - I hope you love my rigged up grill method to keep the curry smell out of the house.  

Cook the chicken in batches to prevent over crowding the pan.

Chicken will cook about 4-5 mins tops 

6. Place cooked breasts on a plate in a warm oven or under foil while cooking the remaining chicken.

Looks who also thinks Chicken Curry is for them! 

7. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Serve with sauce on the side or on top.  Plate and serve hot! 

If you typically have these ingredients on hand this is a quick, cheap main dish to throw together.  It would be delicious on the grill or as kabobs and whole pieces of chicken. P.S. Use the Trader Joe's Coconut milk that is only .99 cents! 

Spicy Orange Chicken with Rice

I love Asian food and so does Bill (and Hannah).   This is a repeat for sure and hopefully you can add it to your list. I first saw this recipe on Pinterest last week and I have made this recipe twice.  Modified from Sweet Pea's Kitchen Blog  I added green beans the first time and red bell pepper the second.  

Recipe and Tutorial 

Cook time: 30 mins   Prep Time:20 mins  Marinate time:40-60 mins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
6 tablespoons white vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup  brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts ( I used 3 breasts)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoon cold water

8 small whole dried red chiles (optional)

8 thin strips orange peel
1 tablespoon any kind of oil
Optional : 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper or 2 cup fresh green beans 

Directions:

1.                   Place the chicken in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne until the sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and pour into the bag with the chicken. Refrigerate 60 minutes. 

I doubled the recipe and froze one but made
two bags like above

2.                  While the chicken is marinading, in a large saucepan, bring the remaining orange juice mixture to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until combined and add to the sauce. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the orange peel and chiles; set aside.  This takes about 20 mins on high to reduce. I started in my dutch oven but it my fry pan got hotter so I would suggest using a fry pa

Reduction (not effective)

Reduction Effective - 20-25 mins on high heat should be thick 

I added in the vegetable here to the sauce after i turned the heat off. 

3.                 

3. Heat  oil in a wok or large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken until browned and cooked through; remove from heat and set aside. Reheat the sauce over medium heat until simmer, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve over rice.

Prior to cooking 

Dinner last night with red bell peppers

Dinner last week with green beans

Enjoy!

Modified from: I have been in love with http://sweetpeaskitchen.com  blog and that is where I found this recipe. I found her on Pinterest and have been obsessed with the fun recipe she cooks and finds.  This recipe I modified for