New Year's Day Chinese Feast

Good evening, my possibly hungover lovelies.  I hope every one rang in the New Year with style and fun. After a nice lie in this morning, my husband and I became inspired by our Taiwanese guests last night.  Hubby is dabbling with making Chinese bread (which is actually Japanese bread, but it is made in Chinese bakeries.) If you have never had Chinese bread, we are talking about the baked, rather than steamed kind. It is like a soft, delicate yeast roll filled with sweetened red bead paste or coconut custard or sometimes even a pineapple custard. Very yummy indeed.  So, taking my menu cue from his baking, we are having Chinese dishes tonight.

I also decided to keep things casual in the kitchen after yesterday's dress and heels combo.  Today it's comfy black skinny jeans, a heathered grey tank embellished with silk rosettes and beading, a lovely dark grey boyfriend cardi, and grey and purple plaid flannel flats.  Yes, you read that right.  Flats.  Don't worry, the stilettos will be back on tomorrow!

So, now for the tasties-

Gingered Chicken with Asparagus


8 oz of chicken tenderloins, sliced finely
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and broken into bite sized pieces
3+ T. fresh ginger, finely minced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 T. orange blossom honey
1/2 t. Sriracha sauce (found in the Thai section of your grocery store or Asian market)
2 T. black vinegar (also found in Asian markets)
1 T. dark sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 T. corn starch dissolved into 1/4 cup water

In a bowl combine the ginger, garlic, honey, sriracha sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce.  Stir until honey is thoroughly mixed into the liquid.  Add sliced chicken and marinate for 30 minutes-2 hours.

In a wok or large frying pan, add 3 T. vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat.  Remove the chicken from the sauce (reserving the sauce for later) and add to wok/pan.  Cook over medium high heat until chicken is completely done.  Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender.

Add reserved sauce and cook for 2 minutes.  Add corn starch mixture a little at a time, stirring and cooking, until it reaches desired thickness.

Serve with steamed rice-yummo!

Sauce ingredients.

Marination process.

Almost done!

*A note on rice.  Not all rices are created equal.  We prefer Nishiki rice, a Japanese short grain rice, but you can also use a longer grain rice or even a glutenous rice like Thai rice. And, always cook in a rice cooker rather than boiling on the stove.  The flavor is so much better this way!


Crispy Tofu with Shiitake Mushrooms


8 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
1/4 cup dark sesame oil, for frying the tofu
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 T. black vinegar
1 T. orange blossom honey
1 T. dark sesame oil
1 serrano pepper (or Thai red pepper if you prefer), finely minced
2 T. fresh ginger, finely minced
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 T. corn starch dissolved into 1/4 cup water

In a bowl, mix garlic, vinegar, honey,  2 T. sesame oil, pepper, ginger, and soy sauce together.  Add mushrooms and marinate for 30 minutes.

In a wok or frying pan, heat 1/4 cup sesame oil over medium low heat.  Add tofu in small batches and cook, turning occasionally until golden brown and crispy on all sides.  Place on paper towel lined plate when crispy. BE CAREFUL WITH THIS STAGE! THE OIL WILL SPLATTER AS YOU COOK!

When all the tofu is crispy, remove the mushrooms from the sauce (reserve for later) and cook over medium high heat until tender.  Return tofu to the wok along with reserved sauce.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add corn starch mixture slowly, cooking and stirring until sauce reaches desired thickness.

Luscious!

Last, but not least, are those fabulous sweet bean Chinese buns-honestly, my husband is a bread genius!

Wearing anything fabulous? Making anything luscious? Go forth, my lovelies and enjoy!

Cheers!