when i posted my first brussels sprouts recipe, i joked that you would never find the vegetable in asian kitchens. well, mark me wrong— we ate asian-inspired brussels sprouts at the monterey, one of our favorite local restaurants. i liked the dish so much i hacked the recipe i.e. i asked the waitress nicely for the ingredients and figured out the rest.
ideally i would sauté the sprouts with red chinese sausage (found at asian grocery stores) but bacon is easier to find. the recipe is slightly sweet, spicy, and savory. in other words, it’s awesome.
MATERIALS
- 2 lbs of brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, washed, and halved
- 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
- 4-6 pieces of chopped bacon (or chopped chinese sausage)
- 1/2 cup of thai sweet chili sauce
- cilantro
- crushed cashews
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
- sesame oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a skillet to medium. add a dash of sesame oil and sauté the bacon or sausage in the pan until the pieces are brown and slightly crispy. the meat will add oil to the pan as it cooks. use a few paper towels and wipe away most of the oil.
- add the garlic and sprouts to the pan. cook until the sprouts are tender and slightly brown (10-15 minutes). lower the heat and stir in the sweet chili sauce. season with salt and pepper.
- let the sprouts cool. serve with crushed cashews and cilantro on top.
whenever we have guests, i think of two appetizers: potstickers (dumplings) and caprese. i don’t serve them together; they’re just terribly easy to make.
michael and i usually make caprese the traditional way with large tomato slices. on friday, we changed it up with bocconcini because i saw some photo on pinterest. are you on pinterest? of course you are. i am, too.
i’m sure this recipe has a real name, but i’m calling it compact caprese because alliteration is awesome.
MATERIALS
- 1 container of fresh bocconcini (mozzarella balls)
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch of fresh basil
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
- toothpicks
INSTRUCTIONS
- sandwich a piece of basil between a mozzarella ball and tomato on a cocktail toothpick. repeat until done.
- drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. season to your liking.
- try not to eat them in one sitting.
my parents eat kale and other dark, scary greens regularly. in elementary school, the cafeteria served steamed, chopped kale and i couldn’t bear taking a bite. now i don’t mind it for two reasons: soup makes it less bitter, and if you roast it, it supposedly resembles japanese seaweed. i haven’t roasted any yet (i’d rather eat seaweed) but i like kale soup.
i’m not quite sure where we got the original recipe; michael tore a picture out of a magazine (possibly cooking light or southern living) when we lived in dallas because he thought it would be a healthy lunch. we usually make it in a big pot and divide it among containers for two or three days worth of food. few things make you feel more productive than a pre-packed lunch!
MATERIALS
- 1 large can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic
- 1 package of mild italian sausage links, cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon of herbs de provénce
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a skillet to medium. add the sausage pieces and brown them. wipe up access oil and sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are softened and garlic is fragrant.
- transfer the sausage and onions to a large pot. pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. reduce the heat and add the chickpeas. using your hands, add small bunches of kale to the soup, stirring as you go.
- season the soup with herbs, salt and pepper.
sometimes michael and i crave foods from different cities we’ve visited or inhabited. last saturday, we got chicago style hot dogs and cheese fries for dinner. two days later, we went northeastern and had a shrimp bake at home.
i call it a shrimp bake as a play on the traditional clam bake. a shrimp bake is easier to manage when you’re serving a small family and lacking beach front property. everything is tossed together and cooked in the oven except the corn.
i kept the shells on the shrimp because i thought it would be fun to peel ‘em and pop ‘em in our mouths. it was fun (and messy).
MATERIALS
- 1 pound of raw shrimp, shells on
- 1 pound of golden potatoes, washed and quartered
- 1 package of andouille sausage, chopped into 1” pieces
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4-6 ears of yellow corn
- tony chachere’s creole seasoning
- kosher salt and pepper
- olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat the oven to 375F. in a large bowl, combine the shrimp, sausage, and onions. drizzle olive oil and mix well. add a few shakes of creole seasoning. set aside.
- dry the potatoes and coat them with olive oil. season with salt and pepper. place them on a large baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- when your timer goes off, take the pan out of the oven and add the shrimp, sausage, and onions. return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the shrimp are pink and potatoes are tender.
- while the shrimp cooks, boil the corn for 7-8 minutes until bright and yellow. drain the corn and serve alongside the shrimp bake.
i’ve been eating pho (southeast asian noodle soup) for most of my life. whenever we had company, my mom cooked pho or curry in large steel pots. she bought noodles in armfuls and kept condiments on a tray; there were too many kinds of chili sauces to count.
you can find most of these ingredients at asian grocery stores. if you live in a small town, the meatballs and condiments may be difficult to acquire. but as my mom says, “that’s okay. go eat it at a restaurant.”
MATERIALS
- 1 package of beef bones (look for soup bones)
- 1 sweet onion, quartered
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 ginger root, skinned and sliced diagonally (optional)
- kosher salt and black pepper for seasoning
- frozen chinese meatballs
- chopped scallions
- chopped cilantro
- thai basil leaves
- jalapeños
- bean sprouts
- rice noodles (labeled with pho)
- vegetable oil
- water
CONDIMENTS
- soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- hoisin sauce
- sriracha sauce
- chili garlic sauce
- fried garlic
- sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a large stock pot to medium. add a capful or two of vegetable oil. lightly sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant. add the beef bones and brown.
- measure 12 cups of water and pour into the pot. bring to a simmer before covering the pot and lowering the heat. cook the broth for 3 to 4 hours. skim any fat off the top occasionally.
- prior to serving the soup, add the meatballs to the broth. use a large fork and pull meat off the bones. discard the bones.
- season the broth with soy sauce, salt, and pepper to your liking.
- remove the pho noodles from the packaging. boil water in a medium sized pot. quickly blanch the noodles for 2-3 minutes and place in a strainer. run cool water on top. the noodles should have an al dente texture (the soup will finish cooking them).
- divide the noodles among serving bowls. ladle the hot soup on top. serve with mixed condiments, scallions, cilantro, thai basil, and jalapeños. we usually have bean sprouts, too; i added them after michael took photos.
- at the table, you can “doctor” the soup with condiments. i usually tailor mine with fried garlic, a spoonful of sugar, a squeeze of sriracha, and a tiny bit of chili garlic sauce.
whenever i cook risotto i pretend to make a potion in professor snape’s class. being at hogwarts makes the constant stirring less monotonous and more delicious.
one of our favorite risotto recipes hails from epicurious. i’ve memorized it by heart and i never mess it up. don’t forget to use fresh lemons!
MATERIALS
my ingredients differ slightly from the original recipe.
- 1 bunch of asparagus, washed and quartered diagonally
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup of chopped italian parsley
- fresh lemon zest
- 15-20 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 cups of risotto (arborio rice)
- 4 tablespoons of smart balance buttery spread
- 5 cups of vegetable broth
- dry white wine
- grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
- view the full recipe from epicurious.
chicken posole is a beautiful name for a spicy southwestern veggie soup. you can find posole on many menus in texas. if you’re not a local gal, it’s cool— posole is no-fuss soup to recreate at home. last monday, i made a big batch and ate it for lunch the rest of the week.
MATERIALS
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 poblano peppers, chopped and seeded
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can of black beans, rinsed
- 1 can of white beans, rinsed
- 2 cups of sweet corn kernels
- 1 big can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red chili pepper
- 4-5 grilled chicken thighs, shredded
- olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
- sliced limes
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat an oven or grill to 400F. season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place on a greased baking sheet. cook the chicken for 20-30 minutes until done. remove from oven and allow them to cool.
- in a heavy stock pot, sauté the garlic with a generous drizzle of olive oil until fragrant. add the onions and peppers. when the onions brown, pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes.
- bring the soup to a simmer. add the beans and corn and season the broth with salt and pepper. use the crushed red chili pepper for extra spice (use less if you prefer a mild soup).
- shred the chicken thighs with a fork and dump the pieces in the soup. stir until the chicken is heated thoroughly.
- serve the soup in bowls with lime wedges.
p.s. my recipe is loosely based on this recipe from real simple. i modified the original version by using our own chicken versus rotisserie, deleting the hominy, and including more vegetables.
we usually have three ingredients on standby in our kitchen: salad greens, cucumbers, and some type of frozen fish. on saturday we made an impromptu lunch using baby spinach, mahi mahi, cukes, and dried fruit from the pantry. it turned out quite tasty.
MATERIALS
- 2 frozen mahi mahi fillets, thawed and rinsed in lemon juice
- 1 cucumber, sliced into moons
- 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, raisins, and pomegranates
- 2 big handfuls of baby spinach
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- white wine vinegar
- honey
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a non-stick grill pan to medium. drizzle with olive oil. quickly season the fish with salt and pepper. sear the fillets for 3-5 minutes on each side until the centers are opaque. transfer the fish to a cutting board and allow the fillets to cool.
- divide the spinach between two salad plates. top with the cucumber.
- whisk together a quick dressing using olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper. add more honey or salt to your liking.
- gently cut the fillets crosswise and add to the bowls. pour a little dressing on top, and add a dash of dried fruit for color, sugar, and tart.
on saturday, michael cooked miller lite chicken— if you’re unfamiliar with texas traditions, it’s a roasted chicken that sits on an open can and cooks in a grill. i used the leftover carcass to make stock, and on sunday, i used the stock for wild rice.
wild rice is stubborn— sometimes it cooks quickly and other times it takes forever. it cooks best when you simply cover it and leave it alone. because we had a lot of leftover chicken, i divided the pieces among the rice, creating two days of lunches. we reuse and recycle around here.
MATERIALS
- 1 1/2 cups of wild rice
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of garlic
- 1 sweet potato, skinned and chopped
- 4 cups of chicken stock or broth
- extra stock or broth
- leftover grilled chicken
- olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a skillet to medium. drizzle some olive oil and sauté the garlic and onions until fragrant. pour in the dry rice and stir for a few minutes. add one cup of chicken stock and bring to a simmer before adding the remaining cups.
- throw in the chopped sweet potato and mix the pieces into the rice. lower the heat and cover with a tight lid. check on the rice every 10-15 minutes and make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- the rice should be done in 45 minutes or less. if your rice isn’t cooked, keep adding one cup of extra broth and letting it absorb until the rice is edible. i told y’all— wild rice is unpredictable!
- season the rice with salt and pepper. serve in bowls with leftover chicken.
soup is a comfort food in many cultures. whenever i feel sad, ill, or homesick, i crave my mother’s chicken soup. she cooked chicken soup with rice, flat noodles, or udon noodles, always garnished with sliced scallions.
udon noodles felt exotic to me as a child— they were much thicker than thai noodles, and my brother and i often picked up strands with our fingers and compared noodle lengths. now when i make my own soup, i prefer udon over anything else.
p.s. this isn’t a traditional japanese udon. it’s more like me messing around with my mom’s recipe.
MATERIALS
- 6 cups of beef broth
- 3 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1 small ginger root, halved lengthwise
- 1 package of white mushrooms, halved
- 2 anaheim peppers, sliced and seeded
- 1 cup of shredded carrots
- 1 cup of sliced scallions (white and light green parts)
- 1 cup of chopped onion
- vacuum-packed udon (common at asian groceries)
- 8-12 beef finger ribs
- dark soy sauce
- hoisin sauce
- mirin
- brown sugar
- sesame oil
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
MODIFICATIONS
- for vegetarian udon, use veggie broth.
- substitute beef with lightly grilled tofu.
- use dry udon if you can’t find it in vacuum packs.
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a skillet to medium. season the finger ribs with salt and pepper. add a good splash of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of garlic. sear the ribs until they are brown on all sides.
- transfer the ribs to a pot (make sure the top has a heavy lid). add 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of mirin. bring to a simmer. the meat should be “sitting” in the concoction; don’t cover them up completely. if the braising liquid tastes too salty, temper it with more brown sugar and water to your liking. lower the heat, put the lid on the pot, and cook the ribs for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- in the last 40 minutes, make the soup base. quickly sauté the remaining garlic, ginger, and onions with sesame oil. add them to a separate pot and stir in the beef broth. bring the soup to a simmer and season with salt (or soy sauce) and pepper to your liking. toss in the vegetables and cook until almost tender.
- vacuum-packed udon cooks very quickly. you can usually find the noodles in the refrigerated case at asian grocery stores. add the udon to the broth before serving. the udon will cook in 3-5 minutes.
- ladle the udon soup into large bowls. using tongs, gently place 2-3 ribs on top. garnish with scallions.
as previously mentioned, michael and i can’t make it through the work week without hearty salads. one of our blue plate specials is chicken and apple salad. it takes 20-30 minutes to prep and tastes great.
MATERIALS
- 1 fuji apple, cut into chunks
- 2 grilled or broiled skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- mixed greens
- blue cheese crumbles
- raspberry walnut vinaigrette
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
MODIFICATIONS
- add candied walnuts for a sweet touch.
- substitute pre-cooked chicken if you’re in a pinch.
INSTRUCTIONS
- season the chicken with salt and pepper. cook it on the grill or on a greased broiler pan. let it cool and cut into strips or chunks. we use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts because they have better flavor.
- divide the mixed greens into two bowls or containers. add the chicken and apples on top. sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the salads.
- serve with raspberry walnut vinaigrette.
my short record with tikka masala isn’t impressive. we’ve been using this recipe from real simple but the results vary. the first time i cooked it, it was wonderful. the second time, it was sour. the third time i cooked it, the dish needed a little more salt and spice (an easy recovery).
what went wrong? well, i didn’t follow directions. i paid more attention to them on the third try, and looking back, i used two cans of tomatoes on the second. what made my first attempt different?
you hear it all the time on top chef— cook from your heart. i didn’t take the instructions word for word. i eyeballed ingredients instead of measured and added a bit of this and bit of that. i smelled, tasted, smelled, and tasted again. or maybe i got lucky.
when i began posting recipes, i worried that readers might think little tin soldier was transforming into a food blog. it’s not. michael and i both enjoy cooking and sometimes i/we mess up. but you heard it here first— i’ll get you next time, tikka masala!
if you’re an experienced tikka masala maker, please share your tips.
MATERIALS
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- tomato paste
- garam masala
- 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thigh
- 1 cucumber, sliced into moons
- 1 cup of chopped cilantro
- lemon juice
- steamed rice
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
MODIFICATIONS
- substitute the cream with plain greek yogurt
- add more garam masala
- add 1 cup of green peas and potatoes (as shown)
INSTRUCTIONS
- view the full recipe from real simple.
on sunday mornings, we drink a lot of coffee, eat waffles (lately eggs because we ran out of waffle mix), and plan meals for for the week. we pick three or four lunches and three dinners.
for lunch, we usually make a variety of salads. they’re easy to prepare in the evenings or mornings. one of our favorite salads is a super simple, super sensible chickpea salad.
MATERIALS
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
- 1 vacuum-pack of white tuna
- 1 can of chickpeas
- 1 can of cannellini beans
- 1 cup chopped italian parsley
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
MODIFICATIONS:
- substitute the canned tuna with seared tuna steaks.
- add 1/2 cup of chopped red onion.
- serve on top of crostini as an appetizer.
INSTRUCTIONS
- rinse the beans with cold water and drain. put them in a mixing bowl.
- wash and halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the beans.
- mix the beans and tomatoes with the tuna and parsley. add a splash of olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. adjust the dressing to your liking.
- season with salt and pepper.
- divide into four containers for four lunches!
michael and i usually use tomatillos for salsa. on sunday, i substituted them on a whim in chili. i thought, they’re kind of like green tomatoes, right? the chili could have gone two ways: yucky or yummy. fortunately it turned out fantastic. have you ever made chili with tomatillos?
MATERIALS
- olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 5-6 fresh tomatillos, paper removed and chopped
- 1 small can of hatch diced tomatoes with chilies
- 1 can of hatch crushed tomatillos
- 2 cans of great northern beans or white kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 cup frozen or fresh sweet corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- kosher salt and pepper for seasoning
- chopped cilantro
MODIFICATIONS
- add 1 cup of water or chicken stock if the chili is too thick.
- chop a few jalapeños for extra spice.
- ditch the canned tomatillos and substitute with 15-20 roasted, crushed tomatillos.
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a skillet to medium. add a splash of olive oil and sauté the garlic, onions, tomatillos, and peppers until the onions brown slightly. transfer the vegetables to a large pot.
- pour the cans of tomatoes and tomatillos into the pot and bring to a simmer. add the chili powder and season with salt and pepper.
- place the chicken thighs on top and cover with a lid. you have two options: keep the heat going and cook the chicken quickly or lower the heat and slow-cook the chicken (crock pot style).
- when the chicken is cooked, use a fork and shred the thighs to pieces. stir in the beans and corn kernels. continue to cook for 10-15 minutes.
- serve in bowls with chopped cilantro on top.
by the time i was six years old, i had eaten every kind of thai curry imaginable. when my mom had company, she usually made a big batch of curry, simmering the concoction to spicy perfection in a giant steel pot. we ate curry spooned on top of noodles with cabbage, thai basil, and soybean sprouts.
i didn’t cook my own curry until i moved to texas. i remember calling mom and asking for the ingredients. like a true asian mother, she recited the vaguest recipe possible. six years later, i feel like i finally have it down.
on saturday, i whipped up a vegetarian curry for tanvi and some of michael’s coworkers who are also veggie-lovers. i didn’t take any photos of the dinner party, but michael took a picture of our leftovers on sunday for the blog. let me know if you try this recipe!
MATERIALS
- 1 small eggplant, cubed
- 1 yellow squash, cut in half-moons
- 2 bell peppers, cubed
- 3-4 white potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cups of water
- 2 cans of coconut milk
- sesame oil
- 1 small can (or 1/4 cup) of red curry paste
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of minced ginger
- steamed rice or rice noodles for serving
- shredded cabbage and sprouts as a garnish
- kosher salt and black pepper for seasoning
- skillet
- stock pot
MODIFICATIONS
- use soy sauce for seasoning instead of salt
- serve on top of quinoa
- use less curry paste for milder curry
- add sliced fresno peppers on top for extra heat
- this recipe serves 4-5. double or triple the recipe for parties.
INSTRUCTIONS
- preheat a skillet to medium. add a splash of sesame oil and sauté the onions, ginger, and curry paste until fragrant. add the coconut milk. mix and bring to a simmer. transfer everything to a stock pot with water.
- bring the larger pot to a low boil. add the potatoes. wait 10-12 minutes before throwing in the bell peppers, squash, and eggplant (they require less time to cook). stir together and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- while the curry’s on the stove, prepare your rice or noodles. when the rice is ready (or noodles are ready), season the curry and add brown sugar. the sugar will mellow some spiciness from the curry and add a pleasant aftertaste. i recommend seasoning now because if you season too early, the curry can become salty if a lot of water evaporates.
- ladle the curry over the rice or noodles. throw cabbage and sprouts on top. let the curry cool for a few minutes before you dig in. otherwise you’ll burn your mouth! enjoy.
