Miso Marinated Chicken

I had a wonderful week in one of my favorite place…Cancun, as a matter of fact we go to the same place at least once a year…especially when I feel the need to unwind…

After spending so many days without any cooking I had to start slowly…to avoid any “shock”. This is a very simple recipe for a chicken marinate…the flavor of the white is delicate and not overwhelming. This marinate sure brings the grilled chicken to a different level. It is easy and works great when served with a side of green salad.

If you do not have your grill set, you can always pan fry on the stove.

Ingredients:

4 to 6 deboned and skinless chicken thigh 1 tablespoon white miso diluted in 2 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger ½ tablespoon chili oil 1 tablespoon cooking wine Method:

Mix all the ingredients together except for the chicken and make a sauce.

Cover the chicken thighs with the sauce and set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Place in a grill until fully cooked. Serve hot or warm.

If you enjoy this simple recipe for Miso Marinated Chicken, you might want to check on Miso Marinated Scallops or Speedy Miso Salmon.

Did you know that miso is produced by the fermentation of soy? Moreover, it can be a product of fermentation of rice, wheat, hemp, buckwheat, barley or as well as the combination of many grains.

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Curry Chicken with This is one of my husband favorite dishes…he claims that he could eat this curry everyday…I still have to test this statement. Actually it is very simple and yes, it is very tasty, but I could not see myself eating this everyday… This time I served with udon noodles, but you can serve over rice, pasta…in another words, any kind of carbs. In this recipe I added extra curry powder for flavor and spiciness enhancement. You can use only the curry cubes if you wish, especially if you are serving to kids.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut in big chunks 6 small red potatoes, cut into quarters 5 carrots, cut in big chunks 2 zucchinis, cut in big chunks 8 oz crimini mushroom cut in half 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 4 cubes of curry 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 ½ to 3 cup water 1 small onion, cut into big chunks

Method:

Sauteé the onion in the olive oil, once the onion start to soften, add the curry powder, continue to cook until a nice fragrance comes out. Add the chicken breast, and brown the chicken. Once the chicken pieces are slightly browned, add the water and let it boil under high heat. Add the potatoes, cook for a couple of minutes. Add the carrot, until slightly soft, then the mushroom and finally the zucchini. Make sure that you do not overcook the zucchini. Once the vegetables are at the consistency of your liking add the curry cubes. Stir gently so the cubes are all dissolved in the broth. Boil for a minute or two and it is ready to serve.

If you like udon, you might want to check on stir fry udon noodles.

Did you know that curry is a leave? It is confusing since that the curry that we know is a combination of spices and herbs , which may include curry leaves and its mixture varies by countries and regions.

Okay, so here are some more pictures from our vacation in Beijing…Ming Dynasty Tombs and the Great Wall.

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Chia Asian Sandwich I recently started to add chia seeds to our morning oatmeal…and decided to make a loaf of Asian bread with chia seeds. I used the water roux method for the bread , therefore the crumb of the bread is soft and cottony, and the texture of this bread will not change for a few days.

This is simple since I did all the kneading of the dough in the Zojirushi bread machineand just let it proof out and molded into the Pullman loaf pan.

Ingredients:

Water roux or Tangzhong 75 ml of water 15 g of bread

Dough

4 teaspoons chia seeds in 1/3 cup of water for at least 15 minutes

2 ¼ cups bread flour ¾ teaspoon salt 1½ tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons dry milk 1½ tablespoon butter 1½ teaspoon dry yeast 1 large egg and complete to 100 ml with water Method:

Water roux

In a small pan, mix all the ingredients of water roux, place in a low heat and stir constantly until the temperature reach 65oC (150F), or if you do not have a thermometer, cook until ripples form. Set aside to cool by covering with a plastic film.

Dough

In the bread machine bucket, add the water roux, and all the other ingredients, except for the butter.

Turn the machine to knead mode until it forms soft dough. Add the butter and let it knead until the butter incorporates to the dough.

Remove the dough and place in a bowl by covering with a plastic film.

Let both dough proof until the dough double to its original size.

Knock back the dough and split into 4 balls and let it rest for 5 minutes on the counter.

Flatten the ball and shape like a Swiss roll, flat again and roll it again like a Swiss roll.

Place the Swiss rolls into the Pullman pan and let it rise until almost 90% to reach the rim of the pan. Cover the pan and bake in a preheated oven of 350 for approximately 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip the bread into a wire rack to cool.

If you enjoy the Chia Seed Sandwich Bread you might to check on the Asian Style Sandwich Bread or Red Bean Buns.

Did you know that chia seed is from the mint family? The chia seed is rich in omega-3-fatty acids, the healthy fat found in fish.

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Peeled Brussels Sprouts with Chicken After eating so much over the Thanksgiving holiday I think that this healthy dish will counter balance the feast that we just had.

This dish is very similar to the one that I made a while ago, Chicken with Brussels Sprout, the difference is that I peeled the Brussels sprouts, blanched and added to the stir fried chicken. I have the feeling that the sprouts tasted nicer and less bitter. Maybe the kids will accept better when cooked this way. This is very simple and great with a bowl of rice…not to mention that makes a great next day lunch.

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, cut into small chunks 3-4 cloves of garlic 1 tablespoon ½ tablespoon corn starch Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, chopped ½ lb Brussels sprouts peeled

Method:

Marinate the chicken with garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Set aside. In the meantime blanch the sprouts. Make sure that you just blanch, otherwise it will be mush. Just before sautéing the chicken add the corn starch by coating slightly the chicken pieces.

In a wok, sauté the chicken in olive oil. Set aside once the chicken is fully cooked. In the same wok brown the onion, add the blanched peeled brussel sprouts. Mix gently and add the chicken back to the wok.

Stir gently and serve hot.

Did you know that Brussels sprouts contain high dietary fiber? Moreover, Brussels sprouts have more vitamin C than oranges, so four to six sprouts contain the adult daily requirement for vitamin C.

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Pork with Dry

This is a simple and easy dish, it is delicious especially paired with white rice…no need to mention that it makes a great lunch next day. Every time I make this dish, I end up having more than one bowl of rice. I used pork chop in this dish and the frozen French beans from Trader Joe’s. You can always use fresh beans or chicken if you do not care for pork. Just make sure that the beans are not over cooked.

Ingredients:

1 lb of pork chop, cut in thin strips 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1½ tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 cup string bean, frozen of fresh 5-6 oz of dry tofu cut in strips Salt and pepper to taste Method:

Marinate the pork strips with garlic, ½ tablespoon of olive oil, cornstarch, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Let it sit for a few minutes.

In a wok, add the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil, pan fry the pork strips. Make sure that the pork in thoroughly cooked.

Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan add the tofu strips and a couple of tablespoons of water, cook until the tofu is somehow soft.

Stir in the pre-cooked beans and cook for a minute or so, and add the pork. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with rice.

If you enjoy this pork strips with tofu, you might want to check on the Baked Tofu Salad.

Did you know that tofu is a product made from coagulation of soy milk? Similar to the production of cheese depending of the amount of water extracted tofu can be found in many different textures.

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All Pumpkin Buns and Rolls

When I bought the can of pumpkin from Trader Joe’s, I had no idea what I wanted to use the can for…I just knew that I wanted to make something using pumpkin…after all, it is Fall and Halloween is around the corner. After many thoughts…why not pumpkin buns using the water roux method? But what do to with the remaining of the pumpkin? Why not fill the buns with it? So this was the end of my quest…pumpkin buns filled with pumpkin. In the middle of the baking, I decided to try and make some rolls as well, like the cinnamon rolls, using the pumpkin filling…

The buns and rolls came out delicious, the combination of the soft and pillowy bread with the creamy pumpkin filling was just perfect.

Ingredients:

Water roux or Tangzhong 15 g bread flour 75 ml water

Dough 1 ½ cup bread flour ¾ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons dry milk 1 ½ tablespoons butter 1 ½ teaspoons yeast 1 egg ½ cup mashed pumpkin 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice Water as needed

Pumpkin filling 1 can of pumpkin minus the ½ cup (used in the dough) 3 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon pumpkins spice 2 tablespoons fresh milk

Egg wash Poppy seeds

Method:

Water roux

In a small pan, mix all the ingredients of water roux, place in low heat and stir constantly until the temperature reaches 65oC (150F), or if you do not have a thermometer, cook until ripples form. Set aside to cool by covering with a plastic film.

Dough

In the bread machine bucket, add the water roux, and all the other ingredients listed under “dough”, except for the butter.

Turn the machine to knead mode until it forms soft dough, add more water if needed. Add the butter and let it knead until the butter incorporates to the dough.

Remove the dough and place in a bowl by covering with a plastic film.

Let both dough proof until the dough doubles to its original size. In the meantime prepare the pumpkin filling by mixing all the ingredients in a medium bowl.

Knock back the dough and split into 2 balls and let it rest for 5 minutes on the counter.

Flatten one of the balls and shape like a Swiss roll, place half of the filling and roll it like a Swiss roll. Cut in 8 equal size and place in a pan, cover the pan with a plastic film until it sizes double.

With the other half ball, split into 8 small portions. Flatten the dough with the roller pin and with your fingers until a disk. Place some filling in the middle of the disk and seal it with all the filling in it. Place the filled buns on the tray, cover with a plastic film and let them rest until their sizes double. When ready to bake, with a sharp scissor make cuts on the side of the buns and brush the top of the buns with the egg wash and sprinkle some poppy seeds on it.

In a preheated oven of 350 bake the buns and rolls for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown Remove from the oven and cool the buns/rolls on a wire rack. If you enjoy this pumpkin buns using water roux method, you might want to check on Simple Pumpkin Cupcakes or Pumpkin Cookies for recipe using pumpkin.

Did you know that pumpkin is very rich in dietary fiber? Moreover, due to its high content in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins is one of the food item that is recommended by dieticians for cholesterol and weight controlling program.

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Chicken Rice Bowl This is my version of chicken rice bowl…I mainly prepared the chicken with a lot of different vegetables and topped over steamed rice. This is a very simple recipe, especially when I feel like “cleaning” the fridge and use up all the vegetables. It is very versatile and you can use all kind of your favorite vegetables and meat, or tofu if you are vegetarian. Oh! Another thing, this is great for next day lunch!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast cup in cubes 3 to 4 cloves of garlic chopped 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon soy sauce Salt and pepper to taste ½ tablespoon light olive oil

1 cup of Brussel sprouts cut into quarter and blanched 2 zucchinis cut into cubes 2 red bell peppers cut into cubes 1 small onion cut into cubes

1 tablespoon light olive oil ½ tablespoon sesame oil

Steamed rice

Method:

Add to the chicken the garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, cornstarch, salt and pepper and it sit for 5 minutes.

Sauté the chicken in olive oil, until slightly golden color. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the same pan add the onion until brown, add the remaining vegetables until cooked but not soggy. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Add to the vegetables the chicken and mix gently. Drizzle sesame oil and remove from the heat.

Have the bowls of rice ready and top it with the chicken and veggies mixture. Serve hot.

If you enjoy this rice dish you might want to check on Fried Rice recipe.

Did you know that rice bowl in Japanese is called “”?

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Spinach with Sauce I hope that all my friends in US are having a fun and safe Labor Day long weekend…

Have you ever bought the bag of spinach at Costco? Well, every time I buy it, I need to desperately use it, otherwise most of it will go to waste.

After sautéing, making salad, steaming…I found myself with still 1/3 of the bag…now, think, think, think… That is when I came up with this very light, simple and yet tasty spinach with ponzu sauce topped with walnuts. It is good and the complexity of textures and flavors are amazing…

Ponzu sauce? Yes, ponzy sauce or ponzu soya is very common in . It is a pre made sauce that is mainly composed of soy sauce and citrus flavor. It tastes like a diluted soy sauce with lemon/lime.

Ingredients:

Bunch of spinach Ponzu sauce to taste Walnut Sesame oil Method:

In a big pot, place water to boil. Add the spinach and let it blanch for a few seconds. Drain the spinach and immediately emerge the spinach in ice water.

Drain the water well by squeezing the spinach in between your hands.

Place the spinach in the serving plate, drizzle with ponzu sauce, then sesame oil and top it with walnuts. Serve immediately.

If you enjoy this simple and easy recipe using spinach, you might want to check on Sauté Spinach with Bacon or the Spinach Rice.

Did you know that spinach contains high levels of antioxidants and is a very rich source of iron? In spite of the high content of iron, spinach also contains oxalate, an absoption-inhibiting substance, which prevents the iron in the spinach to be absorbed by the body.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week! Glass Noodles with Thai Basil

This is a very tasty dish, it is gluten free since the glass noodles are made of sweet potato starch. In this dish I added some slice chicken, shitake mushrooms, bok choy and lots of Thai basil. This dish has a touch of sweet and spiciness. It is delicious, and you have it all in one dish! It seems more complicated that really it is…I like to cook all the ingredients by steps since different ingredients require different time of cooking, once they are cooked you just need to put them together. The good thing is that you just need a big wok pan.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast, thinly sliced 4 to 5 garlic cloves, finely minced ½ tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

6-7 dry mushrooms 2-3 carrots, sliced ½ onion sliced ½ bunch bok choy, cut in approximately 1 in 1 tablespoon olive oil Soy sauce to taste ½ teaspoon sugar Salt and pepper to taste ½ teaspoon chili oil ½ tablespoon sesame oil Thai basil to taste

Glass noddle

Method:

Marinate the chicken with the garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave in the refrigerator for approximately ½ hour to 1 hour.

Soak the dry shiitake mushrooms in 1/3 cup warm water. When soft, squeeze the water and slice. Keep the water for later use.

Cook the glass noodle in boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes or until it turn transparent and soft. Drain the water in a colander and run cold water through. Set aside.

In a wok, sauté the chicken in high heat, making sure that is cooked throughout. Remove from the heat and set aside. In the same pan add the carrot and 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, cook until the carrots are slightly soft. Remove and add to the chicken.

Add olive oil to the pan and the sliced onion and shiitake mushroom, sauté until slightly golden brown, remove and add to the chicken and carrot bowl.

Now add the bok choy to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes and again remove it by placing together with the chicken, carrot and mushroom bowl.

Place in the wok the water where the mushrooms were soaked, the soy sauce and the sugar. Once starts to boil toss in the glass noddle, and mix gently until the noodle is evenly coated with the sauce. Add the mixture of chicken and vegetables to the noodle. Mix gently. Add the chili oil, sesame oil and the Thai basil. Toss gently and remove from the heat. Serve hot.

Did you know that there are many varieties of glass noodles in Asian cuisine? These noodles can be made from yam, mung bean, sweet potato, yucca starch.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!

Chinese Cucumber Salad This is the kind of cucumber that is often served as one of side dishes at the classic Chinese banquet…it is simple and really tasty. The flavors of this cucumber dish is kind of garlicky, sweet with a touch of spiciness. I love this simple side dish, especially when the weather is warm…the cucumbers have crunchy texture with complex flavors, and can be kept in the fridge for a few days.

Ingredients:

3 Japanese cucumbers 1 teaspoon salt 4 to 5 garlic cloves ¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Method:

Cut the cucumber into 1 to ½ in length and add salt. Mix and let it sit for about ½ hour. This will remove the water from the cucumber.

Drain the water from the cucumber and set aside.

In the meantime, prepared the sauce by placing the garlic in the oil, let it fry for a little until some fragrance come from the pan, add the peppers, then the sugar, the vinegar and the soy sauce. Let it boil and immediately add the cucumber. Stir gently and turn the heat off.

Remove from the pan and place in an air tight glass jar. Once the cucumber cool down, place in the refrigerator. Serve cold. If you enjoy this cucumber side dish you might want to check on lighter version of Asian Style Cucumber Salad.

Did you know that cucumber contains approximately 95% water? Moreover, cucumbers have somehow diuretic properties due to the high water and potassium content.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!