Category Archives: Side dish

by | September 18, 2012

Tasty spicy chickpeas side dish

A very easy recipe that goes with just about any main course or for breakfast with eggs.

This chickpeas recipe is spicy and full of flavor,  I made this for breakfast than for dinner. Might sound strange for breakfast but it works as a side dish with eggs.

 

1 can chickpeas or  2 cups chickpeas soaked overnight (boil until tender)

3 tablespoons Olive oil

1 diced zucchini

1 jalapeno diced

3 cloves garlic diced

1/2 cup dice white onion

1 diced tomato

1/4 teaspoon powder cumin

1/2  teaspoon turmeric

sea salt to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste

chili flakes to taste to taste

 

 

Directions:

In a pan on medium heat add olive oil and chickpeas, onion, garlic and tomato. Stir until onions are translucent, add the jalapeno, zucchini and spices. Stir for about 5 minutes without burning the garlic.  Remove from heat and place in a serving dish.

Garnish with cilantro(optional).

 

Breakfast, eggs with spinich and herbs, papaya salad and spicy chickpeas.

breakfast, eggs with spinach, herbs,served with a sweet papaya salad and spicy chickpeas.

 

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by | May 29, 2012

Kale salad with Raspberries, Cranberries and Almonds

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A tasty and healthily  salad.  Use seasonal berries in salads during summer, very refreshing!

Ingredients:

2 bunches  fresh kale (leaves only discard stems and ribs)

1/4 cup sliced purple sweet onion

1/3 cup cranberries

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1/4 cup sliced roasted almonds

1/2 lemon juice

1 orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon or orange zest

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt according to taste

fresh ground pepper according to taste

1 teaspoon sugar

 

Directions:

Make sure kale is washed under cold water.   Spin water from kale and chop into bit size. Set aside in a large serving bowl.

Add sliced onions, almonds, cranberries, and lemon zest.

Dressing:

Mix lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, salt and olive oil. Drizzle dressing mixture over kale salad adding fresh raspberries and ground pepper.

Toss salad light and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

 

 

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by | February 12, 2012

Quiche made with asparagus, cheese and smoke ham

 

Savory Quiche dish made with whatever ingredients you have in your refrigerator .

This was made with a pre-made pie shell.  You can find pre-made pie shells in the frozen section at your local supermarket. Quiche are very easy to make for a nice Sunday brunch or weekend  breakfast .

Ingredients:

1 pie shell

1/2 cup low-fat milk

6  Large organic eggs

1/2 cup cooked ham or smoke ham diced

asparagus chopped except for the tips about (six chopped)

1/4 cup onions or leeks

1/2 cup  cheese (to your liking)

slice mini yellow tomatoes (any kind)

1 cup fresh baby spinach

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

chili flakes

optional  ingredients to add.

sliced mushroom

diced green onions

sliced zucchini

sliced potatoes,  add your own personal touch to your quiche.

 

 

Directions: Pre-heat oven 375 degrees  Bake 35-40 mins.

In a large mixing bowl add eggs and milk and mix well.  Chop onions and stir fry in a pan over medium heat, until onions are translucent. Set a side.

Add cheese, asparagus , ham and spinach to the egg mixture,  add onions, chili flakes, salt and pepper.

Pour liquid mixture into pie shell,  add a little more cheese, asparagus tips  and tomatoes. Make a design, be creative.

Bake until  the Quiche is firm and crust is golden brown. Cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing.  Serve with a salad or soup.

Enjoy!

 

Quiche with leeks and mushroom recipe   HERE leeks and Mushroom quiche

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by | July 8, 2011

Taiwanese Street Food Grill Corn with Hot chili sauce

 

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Corn steam or grill is street food in Taiwan.  You can find a few street vendors still selling at the night markets.   I really miss this style of eating corn and walking around the night markets.on hot summer evenings.  I do make grill ” Taiwanese Corn” at home.  In Taiwan they use to use lard but now a days, butter,  vegetable or olive oil is used to brush it on the cooked corn.

The sauce is called Shacha sauce, it has a savory spicy taste.  It is a Chinese condiment. It is used as a soup base,  a rub for BBQ meats,  stir fry dishes also for hot pot dishes-and dipping sauces.  If you do not want to make the sauce . You can buy this brand or any other brand. I like to make the sauce because there is nothing better than making a sauce according to your taste and with no preservatives.  After making the sauce store it in an air tight container and refrigerate it.

aka Sa Cha sauce

Ingredients:
One corn per person vegetable (white or yellow corn)
2 clove fresh garlic finely diced
1 stalk diced green onions or shallots
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chili, adding sweet chili you do not need to add sugar
1 teaspoon chili flakes,  according to taste
red chili sauce  Sriracha Hot chili sauce add last to the corn,  according to taste
shrimp sauce (optional) a fermented shrimp paste
Cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil (in Taiwan vegetable oil or lard is use)
All ingredients can be adjusted to taste. Everyone makes it different but those are the main ingredients. If making the sauce for other usage  just triple the ingredients.

                                                                          This chili sauce is a staple at our home

any brand of sweet chili can be  used

Directions;

Mince and mix the following ingredients or use a food processor, garlic, green onion, sweet chili and soy sauce.  Set a side.
In a large pot start to boil water at a high heat. Once the water is boiling add the corn and cook for about 3 minutes.
On a hot grill add the semi-cooked corn to the grill.  Brush  corn with  soy sauce mixture as it grills.  Brush a few times,  turning  corn so that corn is braised with the sauce.    Before removing  corn from the grill,  brush corn with olive oil adding hot chili sauce,  add a dash of the hot chili according to taste.

great for summer BBQ’s
Brushing soy sauce mixture while grilling  adds salty and sweet flavors. Taiwanese style corn is delicious.
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I took these photos on my last trip too Taiwan of street food in Taipei’s night market.
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by | July 8, 2011

Okra Grill with Soy Sauce, Olive oil and Lemon juice

  

Okra is a favorite vegetable that we like to eat. There are so many ways to eat okra.  It is also used to thicken soup and stews.

Ingredients:
Okra 3 cups
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sesame seeds
juice of one fresh lemon

Directions:
In a large pot,  boil water at a high temperature.  Once it starts to boil add  Okra and cook for about 4 minutes.  Transfer cooked Okra to a hot grill.  Brushing a mixture of soy sauce and sea salt.  Turn okra on the grill so that it does not burn.  Brush soy sauce mixture on the okra a few  times.  Once it is cooked sprinkle roasted sesame seeds and serve warm,  drizzle fresh lemon juice over cooked okra.

Serve with steam rice.

Enjoy as a side dish. <3

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by | May 27, 2011

Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts

bean sprouts

This is a light salad with a touch of spicy chili powder.

Ingredients:
1 lb bag of Bean sprouts
1  1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon  garlic minced
3 green onions finely chopped
salt to taste
sesame seeds toasted..to taste
a pinch of cayenne pepper or Korean chili powder

If you want a fresh crunch taste do not boil but the traditional way is to place the bean sprouts in a pot of boiling water for about 4 minutes.
Drain all the water and keep the sprouts in the pot adding the other ingredients such as  sesame oil, garlic, green onion, chili powder or cayenne pepper and salt. Stir and toss for about 2 minutes than add the sesame seeds.

Refrigerate and serve cold.

Enjoy <3

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by | May 27, 2011

Korean Cold Cucumber salad, a side dish

This salad is refreshing with a nutty spicy taste.

Ingredients:

4 Persian cucumbers

2 teaspoons sea salt

3 green onions  finely chopped

1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Using a slicer,  slice cucumbers and place in a large bowl,  sprinkle salt and toss until all sides of the cucumber is covered with salt.

Let it sit for about 15 minutes at room temperature,  if you like a crunch in the cucumbers, rinse cucumbers sooner,  or let it sit longer for a soft texture.

Rinse and drain, with a paper towel squeeze dry.

Place the cucumbers in  a smaller bowl adding the other ingredients,  rice vinegar,  red chili flakes,  sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Toss and chill for 30 minutes.

Enjoy <3

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by | May 27, 2011

Red Cargo Rice with Pearl Barley

Red Cargo Rice is a long grain and has a nutty earthy flavor.  When cooked it has a deep burgundy color.  This rice is more chewy and has a nice texture.  I combined barley with rice in a half water half vegetable broth.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Red cargo rice is non glutinous long grain rice.  Barley added is optional for glutton free.

Ingredients:

2 cups red cargo rice

2  1/3 cups water (1/3 cup water if adding the barely)

2 cups broth

big pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Barley  (optional) soak for 30 minutes in water  rinse & drain,

1/2 of lemon~ juice

lemon zest of one whole lemon(optional)

Directions:
In a large sauce pot add water or broth and bring to a boil.  Add salt and olive oil.
Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

If mixing  pearl barley add it with the rice.  Reduce heat to low. When rice is done,  fluff the rice adding lemon juice and lemon zest. (optional)

Enjoy!

A nutty texture rice from Thailand

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by | May 26, 2011

Classic Spicy Tandoori Chicken and side dishes

 Indian Tandoori chicken
I love any kind of chicken.  This recipe is one of my favorite India recipes for chicken.

Ingredients

4 pieces of skinned chicken breast.

1/3 cup plain unflavored yogurt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoon red chili powder

2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic or garlic paste

1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger  minced or paste

1 teaspoon powder cumin

1 teaspoon powder coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne red pepper

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder  (can be found in international stores)

a big pinch of cardamom
1 teaspoon saffron

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (to your liking)

butter for basting

Cilantro For Garnish

What compliments the chicken:
Sliced lemon and sliced cucumbers
4 roasted tomatoes on Vine (check my recipe)
Basmati rice
Naan ( Indian bread) or try buttered pita bread.

Directions: Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes on each side than grill for 5 minutes on each side.

Place the chicken in a large bowl.  Combine all the spices in a bowl,  add the yogurt and lemon juice, mix well and cover the chicken with the mixture.   Pierce the chicken with a fork so that the marinate will infuse into the chicken,  set a side for 30 minutes.

Cover and refrigerate over night  or marinate for 5 hours. When ready to grill
remove any extra spice paste.   Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

If grilling the chicken,  grill about 10-12 minutes on each side until done.  Bast the chicken with butter on each side before serving,  or place the chicken on a baking sheet covering the bottom of the baking sheet with foil.

Place foil over the chicken so it will not dry.  Bake 10 minutes on each side than place the chicken on a hot grill for 5 minutes on each side.  You will have a moist and juicy tandoori chicken with a grill taste.

This is what I served for dinner with the Tandoori chicken.

Basmati  Rice.  Follow directions on package.  Bring to a boil add
1 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin Olive oil
Pinch of sea salt  reduce heat and slow cook the rice.
1/2 teaspoon Caraway seeds when rice is done.  Mix well before serving.  Has a nice flavor and aroma.

caraway seeds added to cooked rice

Adding sweet potatoes to rice is another way of serving rice!

Cucumber  salad
3 sliced  Persian cucumber

1/3 cup yogurt

1/8 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

minced  mint leaves (about 5 leaves)

pinch of salt

Yogurt and Tandoori chicken compliment each other with a unique flavor.
Grill yellow tomato. Spray olive oil on the tomato adding a pinch of salt.  Grill until tender.  (yellow for color balance).

Our dinner plate had  grill onions, rice, cucumber yogurt salad, grill tomato and tandoori chicken
(Photo)

 another way of serving Tandoori is with rice & sweet potatoes with a tabouli salad as a side dish on lettuce
Tabouli Salad on romaine lettuce

These are some of the products to buy at an Indian store,  Spices are already mixed for the Tandoori.

These items (photo) makes  it easy to make Tandoori chicken just follow directions on pack
Tabouli recipe under ” Labels”  in the salad section

Enjoy <3

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by | May 21, 2011

Amazing Coleslaw with Yogurt NO Mayo! A cabbage salad

This Coleshaw salad is light and very flavorful.   Perfect for a summer parties.
Ingredients:
1/3 head of cabbage finely shredded
1/3 head of red cabbage
1 small onion shredded or chopped
1 small carrot shredded
1/3 cup plain yogurt
juice of half lemon
juice of half an orange
1/2 teaspoon  caraway seeds or celery seeds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except for the “red cabbage”.   Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour so that flavors blend.

Before serving toss in red cabbage.  Red cabbage will bleed and color will change.
Serve in green cabbage leaves.

Adding granny smith shredded apples, is a nice twist in flavor.

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