Peking duck

How to make Peking duck

I'm pretty sure you've seen these birdies hanging inside of a commercial rotisserie at a Chinese food shop somewhere in downtown China town.  well this recipe I'm going to share with you is just like the duck you buy from the shops! no need to drive so far to get them no more you can make it straight from home! what you'll need is: 1 tbsp of white peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 star anise, 8 large dried bay leaves, 1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 6 green whole cardamom, 1/2 tsp whole cloves, 4 cups of water, 1 cup of dried siracha chilies, 1/2 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white granulated sugar, 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 2 tsp of MSG, 6 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of ginger, shaoxing wine, 4 cups of beer, and 1 whole duck.

Get your spices ready.

If your duck does not come with a neck it's okay, just use toothpicks to seal shut. 

In a mortar combine: 

1 tbsp of white peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 star anise, 8 large dried bay leaves, 1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 6 green whole cardamom, 1/2 tsp whole cloves.  Crush until semi smooth.  Remove from mortar and place inside of a cheesecloth or in a tea vessel and place aside until ready for use. 

In a medium sauce pan add the water, dried chillies, salt, brown sugar, white granulated sugar, ginger slices, and the crushed spices.  simmer for 30 minutes covered on low heat. after 30 minutes turn off the fire, and add the cold 4 cups of beer.  Set aside until completely cooled. 

In a separate pot big enough to place the duck in, add the cooled brine and soak the duck in the brine for 18-48 hours in the refrigerator, flipping the duck once. 

Remove the duck from the brine after being soaked from 18-48 hours, and place on a baking pan.  Pat the duck as dry as you can on both sides, and remove all the spices stuck on the skin and inside the cavity. Completely seal the abdominal cavity with toothpicks, and if your duck does not have a neck seal the opening with toothpicks as well. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Evenly brush the shaoxing wine on both sides of the duck. Place into the oven and cook for 3 hours at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. At the last 20 minutes increase heat to 350 degree farenheit to brown the duck. 

Remove from oven and serve with folded bao, or rice and duck sauce.  

Ingredients: 

1 whole duck

For the spices:

1 tbsp of white peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick

6 star anise

8 large dried bay leaves

1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp fennel seeds

6 green whole cardamom

1/2 tsp whole cloves

For the Brine:

4 cups of water

1 cup of dried siracha chilies

1/2 cup of salt

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of white granulated sugar

2 tbsp of chicken bouillon

2 tsp of MSG

6 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup of 2" sliced ginger 

4 cups of beer

For brushing: 

Shaoxing wine

Directions: 

1. In a mortar combine: 

1 tbsp of white peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 star anise, 8 large dried bay leaves, 1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 6 green whole cardamom, 1/2 tsp whole cloves.  Crush until semi smooth.  

2. Remove from mortar and place inside of a cheesecloth or in a tea vessel and place aside until ready for use. 

3. In a medium sauce pan add the water, dried chillies, salt, brown sugar, white granulated sugar, ginger slices, and the crushed spices.  simmer for 30 minutes covered on low heat. 

4. after 30 minutes turn off the fire, and add the cold 4 cups of beer.  Set aside until completely cooled. 

5. In a separate pot big enough to place the duck in, add the cooled brine and soak the duck in the brine for 18-48 hours in the refrigerator, flipping the duck once. 

6. Remove the duck from the brine after being soaked from 18-48 hours, and place on a baking pan.  Pat the duck as dry as you can on both sides, and remove all the spices stuck on the skin and inside the cavity. 

7. Completely seal the abdominal cavity with toothpicks, and if your duck does not have a neck seal the opening with toothpicks as well. 

8. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. Evenly brush the shaoxing wine on both sides of the duck. Place into the oven and cook for 3 hours at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. At the last 20 minutes increase heat to 350 degree farenheit to brown the duck. 

10. Remove from oven and serve with folded bao, or rice and duck sauce.  

Hope you'll enjoy it! 

Takikomi Gohan

How to make Takikomi Gohan

I stumbled upon a Japanese rice recipe on Pinterest one day and decided to make it! I love rice! Anyway it's made. in this recipe i replaced dashi flavored seasoning with vegetable broth to make this dish completely vegan! you may leave the dashi flavor if you want just add 1 tbsp of it into 2 cups of water. This is an easy rice recipe that you can easily put together in a matter of minutes.  What you'll need is: 1 1/2 cups of nishiki rice, 2 cups of vegetable broth, 1 1/2 cups of fresh Shiitaki mushrooms, 1 cup of enoki mushrooms, 1 1/2 cups of king oyster mushrooms, 1/2 cup of 1" medium sliced carrots, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 tsp of mushroom bouillon, green onion for garnish. 

Cut the king ouster mushrooms, Shiitaki mushrooms, and carrots into thin slices.  Remove the enoki mushrooms from its stems and cut in half. 

Sautéed on high heat the carrots, and all mushrooms, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.  Sautéed until soft and remove from pan and put aside when ready to use. 

Let's prepare the Japanese rice.  Using a rice cooker, add th rice and rinse the starch out of rice 3-4 times using Luke warm water.  once cleaned, drain all the water out.  add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, mirin, salt, and the sautéed vegetables. mixed together well, and place into rice cooker.  Set mode on rice cooker until cooked.  Once rice is cook leave covered for an additional 5 minutes to release moisture.  Add the mushroom bouillon and mix together. Serve immediately using green onions to garnish. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of nishiki rice

2 cups of vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups of fresh Shiitaki mushrooms

1 cup of enoki mushrooms

1 1/2 cups of king oyster mushrooms

1/2 cup of 1" medium sliced carrots

1 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp of salt

2 tsp of mushroom bouillon

green onion for garnish. 

Directions: 

1. Cut the king ouster mushrooms, Shiitaki mushrooms, and carrots into thin slices.  Remove the enoki mushrooms from its stems and cut in half. 

2. Sautéed on high heat the carrots, and all mushrooms, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.  Sautéed until soft and remove from pan and put aside when ready to use. 

3. Let's prepare the Japanese rice.  Using a rice cooker, add th rice and rinse the starch out of rice 3-4 times using Luke warm water.  

4. once cleaned, drain all the water out.  5. add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, mirin, salt, and the sautéed vegetables. mixed together well, and place into rice cooker.  

6. Set mode on rice cooker until cooked.  7. Once rice is cook leave covered for an additional 5 minutes to release moisture.  8. Add the mushroom bouillon and mix together. 

9. Serve immediately using green onions to garnish. 

 

Hope you enjoy this vegan recipe! 

 

Chili Oil

How to make Chili Oil

The first time I had chili oil was when I was just a kid we use to put it in porridge and pho but you can also but it in anything else.  You'll need 1 cup of dried siracha chillis you can find them at the Asian store or at the Hispanic stores. 6 cloves of garlic, a bottle of chili oil from the Asian store, 1/2 tbsp of sugar, 3 tsp of black pepper, 2 tsp of salt, 3 tsp of chicken boullion, and 1/2 tsp of MSG. 

Start off by roasting the chillis and garlic in a pan until the garlic and chillis have browned a little. 

Remove the roasted chili and garlic and place in a blender.  Also add the whole bottle of chili oil into the blender. 

Add the sugar, black pepper, MSG, chicken bouillon, and salt. 

Blend until well incorporated. 

Remove from blender and store in a small jar preferrably small canning jars. 

That's it!! 

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried siracha chillis 

6 cloves of garlic, 

a bottle of chili oil

1/2 tbsp of sugar 

3 tsp of black pepper 

2 tsp of salt

3 tsp of chicken boullion 

1/2 tsp of MSG.

Directions: 

1. Start off by roasting the chillis and garlic in a pan until the garlic and chillis have browned a little. 

2. Remove the roasted chili and garlic and place in a blender.  Also add the whole bottle of chili oil into the blender. 

3. Add the sugar, black pepper, MSG, chicken bouillon, and salt. 

4. Blend until well incorporated. 

5. Remove from blender and store in a small jar preferrably small canning jars. 

Enjoy!! 

Beef Egg Rolls

How to make Beef Egg Rolls

This is my favorite appetizer! Egg rolls are popular in every Asian culture! They make them very different in each culture but what the common denominator is the pastry we wrap them in.  the reason why their called "egg rolls" is not because it has eggs in them, although now days you can be creative and wrap scramble eggs and sausage and make breakfast rolls.  The reason why the call egg rolls "egg rolls" is because we use egg wash to seal the pastry wrapper to keep the stuffing inside while being deep fried. However I am using cornstarch instead, it doesn't make the oil black after frying a few times. 

What you'll need is 3lbs of ground beef, 3 cups of bean sprouts, 1 whole onion diced, 1 whole cabbage chopped, 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots, 1 bag of egg roll wrap 40 count, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 cups of softened bean thread noodles, 1/2 cup of fish sauce, 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon(divided), 1 tbsp of MSG(divided), 1/2 tbsp of sugar, 1/2 tsp of salt, 3 tsp of black pepper, 1/8 cup of corn starch, 2 tbsp of water, 1 medium bottle of frying oil. 

Start off by cutting the cabbage, onions, garlic, and shred the carrots. 

Soak the bean thread noodles in hot water until soft. do not leave in the water too long, remove from water once soften, and cut into 1 1/2 inch strands using kitchen scissors and set aside. 

In a large pan heat up 1 tbsp of oil on medium heat. Once oil is heated add the minced garlic, stir to avoid burning.  Once garlic have browned a little, add the sugar, stir for 5 seconds, and add the ground beef into the pan.  Brown the meat and add the fish sauce, and diced onions cook until onions have softened.  Add carrots into the mixture, and mix in all together. Next add the black pepper, salt, 1/2 tbsp MSG, 1 tbsp chicken bouillon. Mix together well until cooked, then add the chopped cabbage, mix well again. Now add the other 1 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 1/2 tbsp of MSG, add the bean thread noodles, and bean sprouts.  Mix well until all incorporated. 

Remove from pot into a colander with another bowl to catch the juices that will be drained from the mixture. let sit to cool down, and drain the mixture.  

Mix 1/8 cup of corn starch and 2 tbsp of water.  This is to seal the wrapper.  Set aside until ready to use. 

Once the mixture has cooled, peel a pastry wrapper from the batch place on top of a flat dish and scoop a small portion of mixture onto the wrapper. Just like the second picture.  From the bottom of the pastry wrapper pull over the mixture and roll half way.  Fold the sides tightly, and seal the other end of the wrapper with the corn starch mixture, and seal the roll. continue until yields 40 egg rolls. 

Heat 1 bottle of oil, in a pot or you can use your deep frying, setting the heat to 350 degrees. Test the oil with an egg roll to see if it's hot enough, Once oil is hot

Fry the egg rolls until golden brown. 

Serve with sweet fish sauce. (Check out recipe for sweet fish sauce). 

And voila!! All done. 

Ingredients:

3lbs of ground beef

3 cups of bean sprouts

1 whole onion diced

1 whole cabbage chopped

1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots

1 bag of egg roll wrap 40 count 

4 cloves of garlic

2 cups of softened bean thread noodles 1/2 cup of fish sauce

 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon(divided)

1 tbsp of MSG(divided)

1/2 tbsp of sugar

1/2 tsp of salt

3 tsp of black pepper

1/8 cup of corn starch

2 tbsp of water

1 medium bottle of frying oil

Directions:

1. Start off by cutting the cabbage, onions, garlic, and shred the carrots. 

2. Soak the bean thread noodles in hot water until soft. do not leave in the water too long, remove from water once soften, and cut into 1 1/2 inch strands using kitchen scissors and set aside. 

3. In a large pan heat up 1 tbsp of oil on medium heat. Once oil is heated add the minced garlic, stir to avoid burning.  Once garlic have browned a little, add the sugar, stir for 5 seconds, and add the ground beef into the pan.  

4. Brown the meat and add the fish sauce, and diced onions, cook until onions have softened. 

5. Add carrots into the mixture, and mix in all together. 

6. Next add the black pepper, salt, 1/2 tbsp MSG, 1 tbsp chicken bouillon. Mix together well until cooked, then add the chopped cabbage, mix well again. 

7. Now add the other 1 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 1/2 tbsp of MSG, add the bean thread noodles, and bean sprouts.  Mix well until all incorporated. 

8. Remove from pot into a colander with another bowl to catch the juices that will be drained from the mixture. let sit to cool down, and drain the mixture.  

9. Mix 1/8 cup of corn starch and 2 tbsp of water.  This is to seal the wrapper.  Set aside until ready to use. 

10. Once the mixture has cooled, peel a pastry wrapper from the batch place on top of a flat dish and scoop a small portion of mixture onto the wrapper. Just like the second picture above. 

11. From the bottom of the pastry wrapper pull over the mixture and roll half way.  

12. Fold the sides tightly, and seal the other end of the wrapper with the corn starch mixture, and seal the roll. continue until yields 40 egg rolls. 

13. Heat 1 bottle of oil, in a pot or you can use your deep frying, setting the heat to 350 degrees. Test the oil with an egg roll to see if it's hot enough, Once oil is hot, Fry the egg rolls until golden brown. 

14. Serve with sweet fish sauce. (Check out recipe for sweet fish sauce). 

Hope you'll enjoy!!! 

Bitter Melon soup

How to make bitter melon soup

Bitter melon soup is another traditional Cambodian dish.  Not a lot of young folks like the taste of the bitter melon, in fact they stick to eating the meat only and the soup leaving the parents to eat the bitter vegetable.  I actually liked eating the bitter melon! this dish is actually one of my favorite soups and it is so simple to make. 

For this recipe all you need is two bitter melon cut into fours, ground beef mixture which consists of (black mushroom, garlic, carrots, bean thread noodles, minced onion) to see the recipe for the ground beef mixture please read the post with the stuffed chicken wings.  the stuffing is practically the same just add the black mushrooms for this dish. 2 stalk of green onions, 1/2 cup of fish sauce, 2 1/2 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 1 tbsp of MSG, 3 tsp of sugar, 2 tsp of salt, and 4 cloves of garlic. 

Start by bringing a medium sized pot filled with water 75% of the way with garlic added to a boil. 

Prepare your ingredients while waiting for the water to boil. Cut the bitter melon into fours just like the above picture. 

Remove the seeds on the inside of the bitter melon using a long spoon and set aside for stuffing. 

Once the seeds are all removed, with the same spoon scoop a good portion of the stuffing and stuff the insides of the melon using your thumb to push and pack the melon. 

This is how it should look after being stuffed.  Once the water comes to a boil add 2 tsp of salt.  

Add the stuffed bitter melon into the boiling water. 

Add 1/2 cup of fish sauce. 

Add 2 1/2 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 3 tsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of MSG.  Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Simmer on medium heat for 45 min. 

Add the chopped green onion to garnish the soup, and serve with rice, and spicy fish sauce. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb of ground beef mixture w/ black mushroom added to the mixture. (Recipe found in stuffed chicken recipe blog) 

2 whole bitter melon cut into fours

2 stalk of green onions

1/2 cup of fish sauce

2 1/2 tbsp of chicken bouillon

1 tbsp of MSG

3 tsp of sugar

2 tsp of salt

4 cloves of garlic

Directions:

1. Start by bringing a medium sized pot filled with water 75% of the way with garlic added to a boil. 

2. Prepare your ingredients while waiting for the water to boil. Cut the bitter melon into fours. 

3. Remove the seeds on the inside of the bitter melon using a long spoon and set aside for stuffing. 

4. Once the seeds are all removed, with the same spoon scoop a good portion of the stuffing and stuff the insides of the melon using your thumb to push and pack the melon. 

5. Once the water boils add 2 tsp of salt, and add the stuffed bitter melon into the boiling water. 

6. Add 1/2 cup of fish sauce, add 2 1/2 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 3 tsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of MSG.  Adjust the seasoning to your liking. 

7. Simmer on medium heat for 45 min, turning down the heat to low if the water is over boiling. 

8. Remove from pot and into a bowl, garnish with chopped green onions. 

Hope you will enjoy this recipe! 

Papaya Salad

How to make Papaya Salad 

I'm sure all of you are familiar with papaya salad.  Very popular in the khmer, Lao, and Thai cultures.  This is a dish that is made very often during Cambodian new year as well.  salads are usually tossed together, but as for papaya salad it is pounded with a pestle in a mortar.

What you will need is a pestle and a mortar, 1 half of a papaya seeded, 3 tomatoes sliced into fours, 1/2 cup of dried shrimp, 8 cloves of garlic, 8 frozen or fresh siracha chillies, 4 limes halved

1/4 cup of fish sauce, 2 tbsp of shrimp paste, 2 1/2 tbsp of mud fish sauce, 1 tbsp of chicken bouillon, 1 tbsp of MSG, 1/2 tbsp of sugar. 

Start off by pounding the dried shrimp until it's broken into small pieces.  Remove from mortar and set aside. 

Add the garlic and siracha Chillies into the mortar and pound until broken into fine pieces. 

Add the shredded papaya, and tomatoes to the mortar. 

Add the fish sauce, mud fish sauce, MSG, chicken bouillon, shrimp paste, and sugar. Once added pound with pestle to incorporate the ingredients. 

Add the limes, and the dried shrimp. You do not need to use all four of the limes, just enough to adjust your liking.  Pound to incorporate remaining ingredients. 

Remove from mortar and serve as a side dish with rice and another main course, like stuffed chicken wings, or beef on a stick, or even fried chicken! 

Ingredients: 

1 half of a Papaya 

1/2 cup of dried shrimp

3 tomatoes cut into fours

8 cloves of garlic

4 limes halved (do not need to use all of the limes) 

8 frozen or fresh siracha chillies

1/4 cup of fish sauce

1 tbsp of MSG 

1 tbsp of chicken bouillon 

1/2 tsp of sugar

2 tbsp of shrimp paste

2 1/2 tbsp of mud fish sauce 

Directions: 

1. start off by pounding the dried shrimp inside of the mortar with the pestle until broken into small pieces.  Remove from mortar and set aside. 

2. Add the garlic, and chillies and pound until broken into pieces. 

3. Add the shredded papaya, tomatoes, fish sauce, mud fish sauce, MSG, sugar, chicken bouillon, and shrimp paste.  Pound until all ingredients are well incorporated. 

4. Add limes, and the broken up dried shrimp. you do not need to use all four limes just use as much lime to adjust to your liking. Pound until remaining ingredients are well incorporated. 

5. Remove from mortar and serve as a side dish. 

Hope you'll Enjoy this recipe!!!