Meat on a Stick: Panang Cocktail Meatballs!

I just had a very fun night with an awesome bunch of women—all affiliated with Portland’s vibrant food scene! When my neighbor asked me to join them, I felt a little intimidated because I was going to be in the company of café owners, restaurant owners, caterers, chefs and photographers—you know, professionals. Women who know their stuff. I have to say, though, I was put at easy very quickly. Everyone was so friendly and it was fascinating to hear their stories. I came away with a lot of great information. Thank you so much to my neighbor for inviting me!



There was another reason I was feeling intimidated. Two words: appetizer potluck. What does a food enthusiast (=amateur) bring to a potluck for a bunch of women who know their stuff? What else but meat on a stick and dipping sauce, of course! Because professionals or no, everyone likes meat on a stick. And what's the fun of eating meat on a stick if you can't dip it in something?


Panang Cocktail Meatballs
serves a crowd (8 to 10)

• 2 lbs ground beef
• ¼ cup panang curry paste
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbs cornstarch
• 1 to 2 tbs fish sauce
• ½ to 1 tbs sugar
• 5 to 10 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
• Thai cucumber relish or sweet chili sauce for serving

To begin, set a large pot of water to boil. You may be wondering why? Because you are going to boil these meatballs. Boil meatballs!? Yes! And then you’ll stir-fry fry them. Sounds convoluted, I know, but trust me on this. When have I lead you astray?

You may cook the curry paste by frying it over low-medium heat in about a tablespoon of oil for about 5 minutes. This is not necessary, but it helps to enhance the flavor of the curry paste.

In a large bowl, scramble the eggs, then slowly add in the cornstarch and whisk until it’s well incorporated. Add in the curry paste, fish sauce, sugar and chopped lime leaves. Mix until you get a uniform mass. Mix in the ground beef and make sure it’s thoroughly incorporated. Form into mini-meatballs and plop them into the boiling water. They conveniently float to the top when they are cooked. Fish them out, drain them and let them cool, at least until they stop steaming.

One last step before you’re done! In an ideal world, I would grill these babies over low heat, but trying to start a fire in the rain is just stupid. The second best option is to stir-fry the meatballs to get a nice caramelized outside, while the inside remains moist. During the last minute of stir-frying, I drizzled in some sweet-sour glaze (simple syrup + rice vinegar, to taste) and chopped Thai basil (optional). Alternatively, you could use Thai sweet chili sauce. If you don’t feel like stir-frying you could just as easily stick them under a broiler for a few minutes, turning every so often, until they start to brown.

Serve stuck on skewers with accompanying dipping sauce.

Pad Panang

Panang curry is unlike your typical red or green curry. It’s not like a stew, but a stir-fry, hence the name pad (=stir-fry) panang. I’ve also seen it called gang panang, even though the word gang brings to mind something soupy. Traditionally, it is made with beef, which is generally not a common protein found in Thai cooking. Of course, you can choose the protein of your choice. Flavorwise, panang is generally sweeter and less spicy than red or green curries, so for those of you who can’t tolerate heat, this one is for you. Also, panang should have peanuts in the paste, but I’ve noticed that not all brands include this (the popular Mae Ploy brand doesn't). In that case, you may decide to add in some toasted, ground peanuts to your paste.

Something else you may notice--there is nothing but beef in this dish. In general, Thai curries have very few ingredients, usually just a meat and maybe a vegetable. At some Thai restaurants curries will come jam packed with vegetables. Sometimes I find that annoying because there are too many distracting flavors and textures. Anyhow, if you want to serve this curry with something green, you may try making ajad, which is the cucumber relish often served with fish cakes, satay or massaman curry. Or just serve with sliced fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, tomato and/or sliced carrots.

Lastly, let me touch on the cooking method, because that’s an important factor in the success of this dish. I’ve already discussed the need to fry the curry paste with the coconut cream. If you are unfamiliar with the method, you can read about it in my previous post and see a couple pictures of what it looks like. Of equal importance is the stir-frying bit. Every recipe I’ve come across calls for stir-frying the beef in the curry paste and then adding the coconut milk, allowing it to thicken a bit and adjusting the seasonings. After all the cooking and adjusting, the total cooking time may be 10 minutes or more, which I think is far too long. I have not had much luck stir-frying beef if it has to be in a hot wok for more than about 5 minutes. So here’s my solution: make the curry sauce first, stir-fry the beef and then add the sauce toward the end. Doing it this way allows me to get a good sear on the beef and cuts down the cooking time so the meat won’t overcook.

I know it may seem like a lot of information, but hopefully it has been helpful. Now, on to the recipe!

Pad Panang
Adapted from The Food of Thailand (see right sidebar)
Feeds 2 t0 3

• ¾ pound beef, sliced for stir-frying
• 7 kaffir lime leaves (2 will be finely sliced and used for garnishing)
• 5 oz coconut cream + 10 oz can lite coconut milk (NOT TJ's brand!!) or just one can of regular coconut milk, cream and milk separated
• 2 to 3 tbs panang curry paste
• sugar (palm sugar if you can find it), to taste
• fish sauce, to taste

In a large frying pan (nonstick not recommend) over medium heat, cook the coconut cream with the curry paste and kaffir lime leaves until the oil begins to separate out. Stir frequently and watch the heat to prevent burning. When the oil has separated out, the mixture will change in texture and move more as a mass. Be patient, as this may take a few minutes. Then slowly add the coconut milk and stir well. Allow to simmer until thickened slightly. Add sugar and fish sauce to taste. Don’t be too shy about it because the flavor will have to hold up when you add it to the beef. Set the sauce aside until needed. Also, you probably won’t need this entire portion. I think I used only half of it. Freeze the rest to use at another time.

Heat a wok over high heat. When it’s really (really!) hot, add couple tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. Add the beef and let it sear. This means don’t move it around for 20 to 30 seconds, then move it around only occasionally. When the beef is just about done, drizzle about half of the curry sauce down the sides of the wok. This will further caramelize the sauce, concentrating the flavors. Add more sauce if it seems too dry. Toss the meat in the sauce and quickly taste, adjusting if required. Once the meat is done, remove to a serving dish and garnish with sliced lime leaves.

Serve with steamed jasmine rice.


This is my submission to Weekend Wokking, a blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks that focuses on a theme ingredient and the different ways to prepare it. This month we’re doing beef and the host is Palachinka. If you want to play along, send your submissions to palachinkablog(at)gmail(dot)com by March 29th.

Mexican Adobo Braised Beef

If there’s one thing I miss about living in California it’s the Mexican food. And the Indian food. And the Chinese food. And the sunny weather. Okay, that’s 4 things, but other than those, I love it here in Portland!

May not look fancy, but it's totally satisfying!

In San Francisco, our apartment was only a couple of blocks from the vibrant Mission district (where it was ALWAYS sunny, even if the rest of the city was cloudy or covered in fog). Whenever we had a hankering for Mexican, we’d just walk down the street and pick up anything our hearts desired. Like a plate of chicken mole with rice. Or a fat juicy burrito stuffed with carnitas, beans and extra hot salsa. If we weren’t in the mood for the 2-block walk, we could just go across the street to the taco truck and score $1.50 pork al pastor tacos. Those were the days!

It’s not like there isn’t Mexican food here in the Portland metro area. It’s just not anything to write home about. I’d just as soon make it myself and one ingredient I love using are the Mexican dried chilies. For years I walked past them at the grocery store, never really noticing they where even there. But now that we regularly make Mexican food, various dried chilies have become a staple in my pantry.

A simple and straightforward way to use Mexican dried chilies is to make an adobo sauce, which I like to use for stewing or braising meat. Mexican-style adobo is easy to make and will impart a complex flavor to the meat, especially if a combination of chilies are used. I always throw in chipotles, because I love the subtle smoky flavor they impart. Feel free to use your favorite type of chili and tailor the flavor after your own tastes.




Basic adobo:
Makes about 2 cups

• 2 oz dried Mexican dried chilies (if possible use a combination, including chipotle)
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ can tomato paste (about 3 oz)
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 2 to 3 tbs cider vinegar or lime juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt

To make the adobo, remove the seeds from the chilies if less heat is desired, and rehydrate the chilies by letting them steep in boiled water until soft. Once the chilies are soft enough, add them to a blender or food processor with the other ingredients and about ½ cup of water. I don’t like to use the chili soaking liquid because it’s sometimes too bitter. Process until you get a smooth mixture. It’s always nice to let the paste sit for a little time to allow the flavors to meld, but it’s not necessary. If you taste the mixture, it will taste raw. Don’t worry, it changes during the cooking process.


Mexican adobo braised beef
Serves 3

• 1.5 to 2 lbs beef chuck, cut for stewing
• half portion basic adobo (about 1 cup, freezer the remainder for another time!)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• a few springs fresh oregano
• salt, pepper and sugar (or agave nectar) to taste

Season the beef well with salt and pepper. In a heavy bottom pot with a lid, brown the beef, in batches if necessary. Remove and set aside. Add the adobo to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the paste from sticking to the pot (lower the heat a bit if necessary). Add the beef back in and turn to coat. Add about 1 ½ cups of water to thin it out a bit (like the consistency of spaghetti sauce). Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and oregano. Bring it up to a boil, lower the heat to barely a simmer, cover and cook until the beef is tender. This is probably a good time to taste it and add some salt and sugar, if desired. It may still taste a bit weak, but the flavor will enhance once it’s cooked with the beef. Alternatively, you could braise in the oven at 300° until tender.

Depending on my mood, I will shred the beef or leave it in chunks to serve. Either way, I like fish the beef out of the braising liquid and reduce the liquid to concentrate the flavors a bit and adjust the seasonings. I really recommend this step. It doesn’t take more than 15 extra minutes. Sometimes, if I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I’ll fry the beef in my cast-iron skillet to get bits of crispiness (a la carnitas) before returning it to the sauce. Serve with rice, tortillas, or tortilla chips, a healthy serving of beans and whatever other accompaniments you’d like.

If you like this dish, you may also like chicken mole, made with a combination of Mexican dried chilies and chocolate.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes, the blogging event that spotlights a regional/national cuisine. We've gone to Mexico this time. There's still time to get in on the action! Send your submissions to Wandering Chopsticks at wanderingchopsticks(at)gmail(dot)com by March 15th.

Cheap Meats

Let’s talk about cheap beef. No, not the kind that’s on clearance at the local supermarket because it’s a day or two expired. That’s yuck. Is there anything that sounds less appetizing?

What I’m talking about are the less expensive, underappreciated cuts. You know, chuck steak and cuts from the round (rump). For some reason, these cuts get a bad reputation: too tough or too fatty. Personally, I find these cuts to be wonderfully beefy, particularly the chuck, which I think is the best cut to use for stir-frying. Fat can be trimmed away and if properly prepared, these cuts are not at all tough.

Roast beef seasoned with garlic, smoked paprika and thyme. 

Let's start with roast beef.  Who says it has to be made with the tenderloin? My first choice for roast beef has always been a round roast. It’s a lean cut from the rump of the cow. It has a nice flavor, little fat and is very reasonably priced ($4.99/lb for grass-fed beef). If it’s a special occasion, I’ll spring for a tenderloin or standing rib roast, but no need for everyday roast beef. We are trying to stick to a budget, after all.

If you’ve never made a roast beef, I will tell you it’s one of the easiest things to prepare. The key to success is a meat thermometer (at least for me). I recommend something that can actually go into the oven with your roast. Even better if it’s attached to a digital display that will alarm when the target temperature is reached. I know they sell them at William Sonoma, but I got mine at Ikea for $6, which makes it one of my best kitchen buys.

One of the things I like to do is season my roast overnight before cooking it. Not everyone does this. I do it because I like the salt to penetrate the beef. Seasoning it right before cooking just salts the surface. And contrary to popular belief, seasoning meat in advance does not dry it out. People should have paid more attention to their chemistry teacher discuss osmosis and equilibria. Anyhow, feel free to experiment with different flavor combinations. I kept it simple this time and only used garlic, salt and sugar. Yes, I said sugar. No it doesn’t make the meat sweet. You’ll see.

Hubby bought me a food slicer for Christmas! Roast beef with sauteed kale, mushrooms and blue cheese on toast. An nice appetizer for a dinner party, no?

Garlicky Roast Beef
3 lb round (aka rump) roast (get a larger roast if you have more people to feed)
1 tbs kosher salt
1 tbs brown sugar
1 whole head of garlic, minced or crushed to a paste
salt and pepper to taste

Make the seasoning rub by combining the salt, sugar and garlic. Rub it all over the beef and put the roast in a Ziploc bag (push out all the air) and refrigerate overnight up to 24 hours. Turn the bag occasionally to promote even salting.

About an hour before you are ready to roast, take it out of the fridge to take the chill off. Rinse the seasonings off otherwise the garlic and sugar will burn when you sear the meat. Pat the meat dry and apply a small sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper. Sear the meat in a hot pan (like cast iron), stick your thermometer in and throw the roast into a preheated 275°F oven. (Alternatively, sear it in a very hot oven, say 450°F, for about 15 minutes, then turn down the heat to 275°). For the best results, put it on a rimmed sheet pan or even better if you have a grate or rack that will lift it slightly. You want good air convection to get even browning. For roast beef, I like to cook it until the internal temperature reaches about 125 to 130°F. When you take it out of the oven, let it rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes. During that time, don’t pull the meat thermometer out, otherwise all the wonderful beefy juices will just run out.  Slice and enjoy!

I wanna know.  Who makes roast beef and how do you like to eat it?

Pan-fried Udon Noodles with Beef, Broccoli and Shiitakes

As promised, I’m posting the recipe for pan-fried udon noodles, a dish that I submitted to Citymama’s $10 dinner challenge. Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you! I made this dish for under $10! You can read the original post here. Who says flavorful, healthy, low-cost meals can’t be had anymore?

Someone made the comment that this dish looked sensual. That gave me a good chuckle.

This is a versatile recipe and you can use any vegetables you choose. Same goes with the meat or you could leave it out all together. I do recommend the shiitakes though. They really add a nice flavor and texture. The udon noodles also have a nice texture and they are just fun to eat in the same way spaghetti is fun to eat. I think kids and adults alike can enjoy this dish.


Pan-fried Udon Noodles with Beef, Broccoli and Shiitakes
Serves 3 to 4

• 1 package dried udon noodles (usually sold in 8.8 oz packages) or about 1 pound fresh udon noodles
• 10 ounces chuck steak, sliced for stir-frying
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup + 1 tbs mirin (keep divided)
• ¼ cup low sodium tamari (or 3 tbs regular soy sauce)
• 2 tsp sugar (more to taste)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• ½ pound broccoli, cut for stir-frying
• 1 ounce dried shitake mushrooms
• 1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted

If using dried noodles, boil them first for about 3 or 4 minutes less than indicated on the package. You’ll cook them further when you stir-fry them. Drain and rinse them with cold water. Allow them to drain well and toss them with a little oil if you aren’t ready to us them right away.

Soak the mushrooms in boiling water until they soften up. Squeeze them dry and set aside until needed.

In a small bowl, combine the sliced beef, cornstarch and 1 tbs mirin. Mix well and allow to marinate for 10 minutes or so while you prepare the other ingredients.

Make the sauce by combining the remaining mirin, tamari and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

Once all your ingredients are ready, heat a wok over high heat. When hot, add about 1 to 2 tbs oil (try refined sesame oil, it’s appropriate for stir-frying). When it gets really hot, throw in the marinating meat and garlic. Quickly stir-fry until just no longer pink, but not until done. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add a little more oil if necessary then add the ginger, broccoli, and mushrooms. On top of that add the cold, drained noodles. Stir-fry without over-stirring for about 2 minutes. The noodles should begin to take on some color and the broccoli should begin to soften. Once the noodles are warmed through, add about half of the sauce and allow the noodles to absorb it. Covering the wok helps this go a little faster. Then add the beef back in and the remaining sauce. Once the sauce is absorbed and the beef is cooked through, you’re done!

To serve, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Regional Recipes: Little Shoes!

I want to remind everyone that I’m hosting Regional Recipes this month, and the region is Greece! If you want to join in, you still have a few more days. The deadline for submissions is October 15th and I’ll post the round-up on the 20th. You can read more about it, including the rules, here.

My submission is Greek stuffed eggplant, also known as “little shoes,” because they look like shoes (surprise!). This is probably my favorite of all the Greek dishes I have tried. Well, this and moussaka, which are basically the same thing.



My favorite part of this dish is the bechamel sauce on top. If you are familiar with it, you probably agree it’s one of those standard sauces everyone should know. It’s perfect for topping so many different casseroles. It's got a mild, buttery flavor, but once you get the basic recipe down, you can begin to incorporate different flavors. In fact, I did a version with chopped spinach that was very delicious. I'll try to get a recipe up in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy the "little shoes".

Little shoes

Inspired and adapted from The Best Traditional Recipes of Greek Cooking (1995 version)

• 2 medium-large eggplants
• 1 pound ground lamb or beef
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped (mint, oregano, and basil also work well)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbs crumbled feta cheese

For the béchamel:

• 6 tbs all purpose flour
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 3 tbs butter
• 2 ½ cups hot milk (low-fat is fine, but no nonfat)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• salt (I used about 1 tsp kosher salt, could have used more)
• fresh ground black pepper
• pinch of nutmeg (about ¼ tsp)

Some people prefer to hollow out the eggplants before cooking them, but I find it easier to do when they are softened. Whether you do it before or after cooking, it’s going to take some patience to scrape out the pulp without tearing into the skin. You want to end up with a nice “boat” with about ½ inch of pulp still attached to the skin. If you do decide to do it before, you’ll still need to bake the boats before filling them to ensure the eggplant is sufficiently softened at the end.

Here’s how I do it:
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and sprinkle each face liberally with salt to draw out some of the bitter juices. Let the eggplant halves sit for at least 15 minutes. After that time, rinse off the salt and pat dry. Rub a little oil on the faces and roast them skin side up in a 350F oven until tender but still able to hold it’s shape, about 30 to 45 minutes. If the skins start to burn, tent with foil. Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch, scrape out most of the pulp (keep a little attached to the delicate skin) and reserve it. Try not to rip the skin! It needs to be able to hold the filling.

In a large skillet over high heat, add a little olive oil and brown the lamb with the onions. Before adding the remaining ingredients, you may wish to drain off some of the fat, if there seems to be an excessive amount. Add the reserved eggplant pulp, garlic and tomato and tomato paste. Allow the filling to simmer until some of the moisture is evaporated. Don’t let it get too dry, though! Add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t be shy with the salt, I think I used at least 1 tsp of kosher salt and I think I should have used more. When you turn off the heat, add the chopped herbs. Adding them at the end preserves their flavor so you’ll actually taste it in the filling.

Arrange the eggplant in a baking dish and fill them. Set aside while you prepare the béchamel sauce.

To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and whisk to make a roux. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, but don’t let it brown. Then slowly add the hot milk while whisking vigorously. The mixture will clump, but keep whisking and it will end up smooth. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat briefly and whisk in the eggs. Put it back on the heat and cook over low for maybe another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Watch that the bottom doesn’t burn. The sauce should be thick, like a pudding. Adjust flavor with salt. Another option is to add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. When the sauce is done, spread it over the filled eggplant. If you can’t use the béchamel immediately, transfer it to a heat-proof container and press some plastic wrap on top to keep a skin from forming. Don’t wait too long to use it either. When it cools it will be quite thick and gelatinous and difficult to work with.

Sprinkle 1 tbs of the crumbled feta on top each “shoe” and bake in a 350F to 375F oven until heated through and starting to brown on top, about 30 minutes or so. Allow to cool for 10 or 15 minutes before serving. It’s best warm, not piping hot.

Depending on the size of your little shoes and the side dishes you serve (salad, roasted potatoes or bread are perfect), one half will probably be enough for each person.

A Tasty Meal for Under $10!

Citymama’s $10 food challenge has been quite eye opening. I knew that I could make a delicious dinner for my family within that budget, but I was curious to see how far that would really take me. Would I be able to squeeze in more than just an entrée? Would I have to cut out the meat? I was surprised at what I found.

The dish I decided to make was pan-fried udon noodles. I made this dish a couple of weeks ago using beef, shitake mushrooms and broccoli, but of course I didn’t calculate how much it cost. I assumed it would put me over the $10 limit, so I decided to do it with tofu this time. We’re trying to eat less meat anyways. As it turns out, made with tofu, broccoli and carrots, the dish came in at $5.64, well under the $10 limit. With over $4 left over, I could squeeze in a simple salad (lettuce and cucumber sprinkled with sesame seeds) with nice a miso dressing. A balanced, tasty meal for $10!





Since I came in far under budget with the vegetarian version, I wondered how much it would cost to do it with beef. My preference is to use grass-fed beef (chuck steak), which cost $5.99/ lb at Whole Foods. The same cut of conventional beef at Safeway was $5.29 / lb. I expected the difference to be bigger. The big surprise, though, was Safeway’s price for stir-fry cut beef, over $7/ lb!!! It definitely pays to cut it yourself. Besides, they use a machine to cut the beef, rather than purposely cutting against the grain. Big no no, unless you like tough meat. Long story short—using 10 ounces of grass-fed beef still kept the price under $10 ($8.24 to be exact). Not enough left over to squeeze in the salad, but as Hubby pointed out, enough for a beer with his meal.


One way I keep costs down is to shop around. Whole Foods and Safeway are convenient for me, so that’s where I end up the most. I’ll make a trip to a big Asian supermarket (usually Fubonn or Uwajimaya) every couple of weeks or so. I could get a lot of my Asian sauces at the other two, but I rarely do. Asian products are cheaper at an Asian market. Here is an example. Mirin costs $3.58 for a 17-oz bottle at Fubonn. At Safeway and Whole Foods it’s $5.49 and $8.99 for only 10.5 ounces, respectively. I once saw Sriracha for $5.99 for a 28oz bottle at a local supermarket, but it’s only $2.58 for the same size at Fubonn. It’s smart to get to familiar with your local ethnic markets, no?

If you 're interested to see the cost breakdown, click on the file link 10dollarchallenge.doc.
You'll see the prices I paid, the amounts I used and where I got the item.

If you want more $10 meal ideas, check out Citymama’s site in the next couple of days to see the round-up.

Weekend Wokking with Asparagus

If there’s one possession I’d want to take with me to the Afterlife, it would be my wok. It’s my pride and joy and has immense sentimental value. Weighing in at a whopping 10½ pounds, it’s a real cast iron monster. Countless stir-fries and deep-fries have left it beautifully seasoned. I could probably go on and on about how wonderful it is, but I'm afraid you'll think I'm a weirdo.

That wooden spoon is my second most prized possession. It's 19.5" long and perfect for stir-frying. I scored it on our trip to Italy.

I really don’t need a reason to bust out the wok. As it is, I use it easily 3 times a week. But when it’s for a special event, like dinner guests, a potluck or Weekend Wokking, I get particularly excited. What’s Weekend Wokking, you ask? It’s a blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks. The idea is to come up with a dish around a (seasonal) theme ingredient. This month’s ingredient is asparagus, so if you’ve got an asparagus recipe you know we’ll love, then do share! Wandering Chopsticks is the host this month, so shoot her an email with your entry and she’ll include you in the round-up. But you better hurry, deadline’s this Sunday! If you can't make the deadline but want to participate in the future, check out the host list. And don’t let the fact that you don’t have a wok stop you. It’s not a requirement. You just have to feature the theme ingredient in your dish.



Asparagus...such a versatile vegetable. When it’s in season, like now, I actually like to eat it raw, but it’s also great used in stir-frys. I love the way it stays crisp-tender. It’s also on the approved vegetables list, which is another way of saying Sonny will eat it.

This stir-fry uses one of my favorite flavor bases, a seasoning paste called naam prik phao. It’s a chilli paste made using chillies, shallots, tamarind juice, dried shrimp, fermented shrimp paste and sugar. As you can judge from the ingredients, it a little sweet, a little spicy and has a nice dose of umami. I use it in hot and sour soup, atop sunny side up eggs, in stir-fries and as a general dipping sauce. Naam prik phao can be found at any Thai-Viet grocer and maybe other Asian grocers with SE Asian sections. Alternatively, you can make it yourself. There are numerous recipes on the web, however I can not endorse these, as I've not tried them. I have recently made some based on a recipe from The Food of Thailand (see right side bar), and it was good. Next time I do it, I'll post about it with pictures.


Thai-style Beef and Asparagus Stir-fry
Feeds 4

• 1 pound beef chuck steak, sliced for stir-frying
• 1 tbs Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, roughly minced
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2-inch segments
• 2 tbs naam prik phao
• 2 tbs thin soy sauce (regular soy sauce is fine)
• 2 tbs oyster sauce, preferably Thai

In a small bowl, combine the beef, cornstarch and Chinese cooking wine. Combine well and set aside until needed.

In another small bowl, make the sauce by combining the naam prik pao, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir well to combine the ingredients. Set aside until needed.

Make sure you have all your ingredients very close by because this stir-fry goes lightning fast. Have a small cup of water handy as well just in case you need to thin the sauce a little. I bet it won’t take you more than 4 minutes to cook this dish!

Heat your wok over high heat until very hot. Add about 2 or 3 tbs oil (no olive! not appropriate for stir-fry; grape seed is best!) then add the beef followed by the garlic. If your wok is hot enough, your beef will cook very quickly. When the beef is seared, but not cooked through (about 30 sec to 1 minute, max) add the asparagus. Cook for another minute. Add about 2/3 of the sauce mix. It should caramelize pretty quickly because of the high sugar content. If it gets too thick add a little water to thin it out. Quickly taste it and add the rest of the sauce if you think it’s required. Give everything a quick stir, then you're done. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Added: Check out the round-up here!

Thai Beef Salad

No, I haven’t been on vacation. Nor did I get lost in the woods for 10 days. I’ve just been busy with work. So busy, in fact, that I haven’t fried, roasted or even chopped a thing since my last post. I kept thinking I was going to make this or that, but by the end of the day, I had just enough energy left to pick up the phone to order out or stick a frozen entrée into the microwave. Luckily, things have settled down again, and I actually have the time and energy to step into my kitchen.



Today we had Thai beef salad. It’s super easy to make. In its simplest form, it’s grilled (or pan-seared) beef that is thinly sliced and tossed with sliced onions, herbs and a lime-chili dressing. Traditionally the herbs are mint and cilantro. Mom likes to add sliced cucumber and sometimes sour cherry tomatoes. Sometimes I add a couple stalks finely sliced lemongrass, finely sliced green onions and/or grated ginger. Sweet red, yellow or orange bell peppers are also a nice addition. Be as creative as you like!

Thai Beef Salad
feeds about 3 adults

• 1-pound steak (I used blade steak, but use whatever you like)
• ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch mint, roughly chopped (save a few leaves for garnish)
• 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
• 4 tbs lime juice
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• sliced Thai chilies or sambal oelek, to taste
• romaine lettuce or green cabbage leaves, to serve

For the dressing: Mix the chilies or sambal with the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Taste the dressing and adjust the flavor to taste. Set aside until ready to use.

For the steak: I like to sprinkle the steak with a mixture of kosher salt, sugar and fresh cracked white or black pepper. The formulation is 1 tbs kosher salt + ¾ tsp brown sugar + pepper to taste. You won’t use all of it; save what’s left in an airtight container. Grilled steak tastes best, but that’s not happening when it’s 29°F outside. The second best option is to pan-sear the steak. Don’t cook the steak beyond medium because the lime in the dressing will “cook” the steak a bit further. Once the steak is cooked, set it aside to cool to room temperature before slicing. Be sure to slice against the grain.

In a large bowl, toss the onion, herbs and any other additions of your choice. Add the sliced steak. Just before plating, drizzle the dressing over the salad (start with about ½), toss and taste. Add more dressing to taste. Serve with (or atop) the lettuce or cabbage leaves. I also like to serve it with Thai sticky rice.

Another Reason to Own a Cast Iron Wok

Mom left a couple of days ago, and I’m still finding surprises all over the kitchen. For example, I found the coating on my expensive Dutch oven burned and cracked. But this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. She once used cooking spray on my tri-ply stainless steel (expensive) frying pan when making pancakes, leaving a nice burnt film on the surface and rendering that pan completely useless. Then she made the comment that I should consider spending a little more money on a nice non-stick frying pan. It’s a good thing she is my mother and I’m supposed to love her, no matter how crazy she makes me.

Since the Dutch oven is currently out of commission, I used my wok to make chili. I would actually use my wok more for stewing and braising if only it had a lid. In lieu of a lid, I used aluminum foil. It’s not pretty, but it gets the job done.

I’ve never made chili from scratch. When I lived in Denmark, I used the Knorr seasoning packs that just required addition of ground beef. It was easy and tasty, but I wanted to try making it from scratch. For my first attempt, I used beef chunks rather than ground beef (I will be trying a version with ground beef soon). And no beans. I’m just not a beans-in-the-chili type of girl. The beef was nice and tender and the sauce was thick and well flavored without being too spicy (Sonny loved it). The key is to allow the chili to sit overnight in the fridge. I really do insist you do that part. It allows the flavors to meld and mellow.

Beef and no-bean Chili

• 2.5 to 3 lbs stewing beef, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 tbs cornstarch mixed with 1 tbs water
• ½ large onion, diced
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs ancho chili powder
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 tbs honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Toss the beef chunks in the cornstarch mixture and let it stand for about 10 minutes. Season with salt then brown well in about 2-3 tbs oil (this part was a cinch in the wok). Remove and set aside.

In the same pot, add a little more oil if necessary, and add the onions. When they are soft and browning, add the chipotle and garlic. After a minute, add the dry spices and meat with accumulated juices. Turn to coat the meat well with the spices. Add the beef broth, honey and salt and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cook covered for about an 1 hour or so. When the meat is just tender (but not falling apart), remove the lid and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes to evaporate some of the liquid and thicken the sauce. It's okay to turn up the heat a little, but don't blast it to save time. When you reach the consistency you want, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly before putting it in the fridge to cool completely. Reheat the next day and enjoy!

What to do with Leftover Chipotle Marinated Tri-tip?

I love leftover grilled meats and fish because I love making meat salads. This type of dish is so easy to throw together because the cooking has already been done and everything is to taste, so you really can’t go wrong. I like to keep it simple by adding only 1 or 2 basic veggies, like onion or tomatoes, and fresh herbs. My favorite herbs to use (alone or in combination) are mint, cilantro, basil, or Italian parsley. A squeeze of lime or lemon will give it a fresh citrus taste. This really is the perfect noshing food and it goes great with beer!

For this salad, I used a little of the chipotle BBQ sauce (see original post for details) to moisten the meat. If you don’t have the BBQ sauce, you can add a tsp or two of chipotle in adobo sauce and ¼ tsp sugar instead. I added sweet onions, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and fish sauce (most people would use salt, but the Thai in me is always reaching for the fish sauce). Served with lettuce leaves, it made a wonderful light meal.

Other delicious options include corn kernels, zucchini, shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, avocado, bell pepper, and celery.

My Latest Favorite Thing

My new favorite thing to add to everything is chipotle in adobo sauce. It’s spicy and smoky and just adds extra depth to just about any dish. I’ve been adding it to fresh salsa and BBQ sauces, and of course I’ve used it to make this delicious dressing. Today we grilled a delicious tri-tip that was marinated overnight in a chipotle marinade. The beef was nicely spiced, but not too spicy for Sonny, who devoured his share.

Grilled Chipotle-marinated Tri-tip

• 1-2 tbs chipotle in adobo sauce (more to taste)
• 5 anchovy filets, minced
• 1 tbs worchestershire
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs honey
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• juice of 1 lime
• handful of cilantro, finely chopped
• 2-4 tbs oil
• 1 ¼ to 1 ¾ lb tri tip (or flank steak)
• ¼ to 1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl, except the oil, and whisk until you get a uniform mixture. Slowly add the oil, while whisking, until you get a semi-thick liquid. Add the marinade along with the beef into a large Ziploc bag and marinate overnight in the fridge. An hour before grilling the steak, take it out of the fridge to take the chill off (reserve the marinade). Make sure you generously season the steak with salt before grilling. Don’t be shy, as a lot of it will drip off, so you want to be sure something will be left on there.

To make a basting or dipping sauce, combine about ½ to 2/3 cup of the reserved marinade with ¼ to 1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce. Heat over low heat until heated through and bubbly. An alternative is to combine the BBQ sauce with the reserved marinade in a microwavable bowl and blast it for two or three minutes. If you do this, give it a stir after each minute. Cool to room temperature if using as s dipping sauce.

Now I'm Glad I Didn't get the Salsa

This last Christmas, a coworker gave me this. She gave the other coworkers salsa. As everyone else dug into their salsa, I sat staring at the jar, wondering what the hell it was. She didn’t actually know either, but heard it was good from “another Asian lady” (she meant well so I wasn’t offended). I put it in my pantry with every intention of finding out what it was, but it got pushed to the back of the shelf, and eventually I forgot all about it. Then a couple of days ago, hubby found it while looking for a snack.

After doing a quick Google search, I believe it’s Gochu-jan, or Korean chili paste (anyone in the know, please correct me if I’m wrong). Proceeding under that assumption, I found a recipe for a Korean-style grilled beef (yes, this is the second one this week) and let me tell you, it was good. Click here to see the original recipe on Foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Ming Tsai (an old culinary hero of mine).

Korean-style Grilled Beef

• ½ cup Korean chili bean paste (also called gochu-jan)
• 2 tbs minced garlic
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 cup canola oil
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• 1 ½ bunch chopped scallions
• ½ bunch chopped cilantro
• 1 tri tip steak (about 1 ½ to 2 lbs)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal for garnish
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• 1 portion dipping sauce (recipe below)

Put everything, except the meat and oils, into a food processor and blend. As you’re blending, slowly add in the oils. Reserve at least ½ cup of the marinade for making the dipping sauce. Use the rest to marinate the meat overnight. Take the meat out of the fridge about an hour before grilling. Season with salt and grill to medium-rare. I actually seared the beef on cast iron and finished it in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

The original recipe used 3 lbs of hanger steak, which is not easy to find. I used tri tip. If you can’t find those, flank steak would be another option. These three cuts of beef should not be cooked more than medium (optimally medium-rare), otherwise they will be dry. Please let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before you cut into it, especially the tri tip. It is a thicker cut of beef and needs time for the juices to settle. Slice the meat thinly and against the grain. Another tasty option would be to use pork sirloin or tenderloin.

Serve with Japanese rice and kimchee (see the original recipe for cucumber kimchee). And don’t forget the dipping sauce!

Dipping sauce:
½ cup of reserved marinade
½ tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon

Mix everything in a bowl and enjoy. It’s great for dipping tofu too!

Ulterior Motives

I didn’t spend 3 hours boiling the hell out of a piece of beef just to make sandwiches. What I really wanted to do was make corned beef hash. There are so many variations out there, but in its simplest form it’s leftover corned beef and potatoes. I like to add fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, parsley, cilantro or basil. I also add mustard or hot pepper sauce to give it a kick.

Corned Beef Hash:

• 2 cups boiled potatoes, roughly mashed
• 2 cups cooked corned beef, diced to your preferred size
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbs Italian parsley, chopped fine
• a few (about 4) sprigs of thyme (oregano or basil is fine too)
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard (or a few splashes of hot pepper sauce or Worcestershire to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
  

However you embellish this recipe, just remember to use a 1:1 proportion of corned beef to potatoes. Mix everything together and, if possible, let it sit for half an hour for the flavors to meld together. I mixed it the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

The key to a good hash is patience. I like my hash to be crusty and “loose”, and that takes time. In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom (about 1-2 tbs). When the oil is hot, add the mix and flatten it out in the skillet. Don’t be tempted to turn it. Give it about 4 or 5 minutes to form the first crust. Flip and spread the mix back out in the pan and wait another 4 or 5 minutes. Keep doing this until you get the level of crispiness you like. For me, it took about 20 minutes. Season with fresh cracked pepper. I like it served with fried over-medium eggs, but poached eggs work as well.

When I lived in Denmark, I would make hash with whatever leftover meat we had. Sometimes it was steak and/or sausages. I’ve even done one with salmon. And we never ate it for breakfast, just lunch or dinner.