Showing posts with label Chinese food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese food. Show all posts

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Easy Beef with Broccoli





Put down the phone--no need to order takeout with this simple beef with broccoli recipe!  I changed it up a bit--used top round steak instead of the pricier flank steak (which I can never find in our grocery anyway) and I cut way back on the oil using one tablespoon in all.  I also microwaved the broccoli until crisp tender then added it to the mix.

3 TBL cornstarch, divided
3 TBL water
1 pound flank steak, cut into thin 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 TBLS packed light brown sugar
1 TBL minced garlic
2 tsps. grated fresh ginger
2 TBLS vegetable oil, divided
4 cups small broccoli florets, microwaved until crisp tender 
1 small onion, sliced 

Whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add the beef to the bowl and toss to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Set the sauce aside. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium heatWhen hot, add the beef and cook, stirring constantly until the beef is almost cooked through. Transfer the beef to a plate.



Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and heat.  Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is tender.  



Return the beef to the pan along with the broccoli and add the sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens slightly.  




OUT NOW!

Amazon review: "Murder, She Encountered by Peg Cochran is a terrific quasi-cozy mystery and a terrific read for anyone who likes WWII era fiction. One of the outstanding things about this book, which doesn't always happen, is that the author kept us solidly in 1939 New York between speech patterns, history happening in real time, and social history as it was happening....This was an excellent mystery and museum piece, both. I highly recommend it."
 
New York City, 1939. A rising star at the Daily Trumpet, Elizabeth “Biz” Adams has been sent to the World’s Fair—billed as the “World of Tomorrow,” a look toward a brighter future even as the drumbeats of war grow louder—to cover a robbery. What she stumbles upon instead is a dead woman, dumped into the Aquacade’s pool with a nylon stocking wrapped around her neck.

Elizabeth snaps a photo as the police arrest Joey Dorman, a gentle young hot dog vendor who made no secret of his obsession with the murder victim. Even though she’s thrilled that her photo makes the front page, the fear and confusion evident on Joey’s face are haunting. So Elizabeth vows to prove his innocence—or his guilt—with her partner at the Daily Trumpet, Ralph Kaminsky. Meanwhile, her romance with Detective Sal Marino is heating up, and Elizabeth is more determined than ever to follow her heart.

But when Kaminsky’s efforts to expose the real killer land him in the hospital, Elizabeth is forced to continue the investigation on her own. And as she tries to narrow down the long list of suspects, she discovers a dark secret running through the Fair—a secret some would kill to protect.









Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dumpling Dipping Sauce for Year of the Dragon from Cleo Coyle


Okay, let's get this out of the way right now. I do not make my own dumplings. I mean, are you kidding? I live in New York City, land of Chinese take-out. Despite cooking a handful of Chinese-inspired dishes at home, when it comes to dumplings, I leave it to the professionals. 


With New York's Chinatown only a subway ride away, Marc and I have enjoyed Chinese food, culture, and New Years' celebrations for years. I'll tell you a secret, too. Our favorite little hole-in-the-wall dumpling paradise can be found on Mosco Street. Blink and you'll miss it. Mosco is really more of an alley in Chinatown, but it's home to this little joint...



To find this dumpling shop yourself, simply locate Mosco Street in Chinatown and stroll down it. The street is so small, you can't miss this shop, which serves delicious street food. (See Mosco Street on Google Maps by clicking here. See our snack of fried dumplings and pork buns below...)



Dumplings really are a budget-friendly comfort food. So if you're looking for a change-up from pizza or fries, give dumplings a try this week because eating dumplings is a long-standing tradition for the Chinese New Year, and we've just entered the Year of the Dragon!

Yesterday marked the first day of the Lunar New Year and according to the Chinese zodiac, we said goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and hello to the mighty and powerful Dragon. 


Have you ever wondered why the Dragon leads the street parades during Chinese New Year celebrations? It's for a very good reason: The Chinese say the Dragon leaves wealth and prosperity in his path--a much better prospect than following the NYPD's horses, wouldn't you say? :)



----------------------------

To see a short montage of the Lunar New Year
opening ceremonies in New York's Chinatown,
click the arrow in the window below...




There are 12 animal signs in the Chinese zodiac. The year you were born dictates your sign, and the Year of the Dragon is considered the luckiest year in the Chinese zodiac.


Which animal sign you were born under? The signs are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat/Ram/Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig/Boar. 


A very detailed zodiac chart, showing which years fall under which signs, can be found at this link: http://www.holymtn.com/astrology/year.htm When you jump to the site, click on each animal to read its characteristics. The charts include compatibility predictions and warnings. (...and if you have a spouse, do take those with a grain of salt!)




Because eating dumplings is a tradition for the Lunar New Year, I decided to share a few simple tips with you today for getting the best out of your take-out or (frozen grocery store) dumpling snacking.

Tip #1 - For making frozen at home or reheating take-out dumplings, you don't need a bamboo steamer. I use an inexpensive ($9) stainless steel collapsible basket that can be placed in any pot. This is a great little kitchen gadget that I often use to steam veggies. I'm sure most of you have seen one of these baskets; but for anyone who hasn't, click here to learn more or purchase.


Tip #2 - Line your steamer with leaves of cabbage, spinach, or another leafy green. (The leaves you see in my photos are from baby bok choy.) They impart a lovely, subtle flavor as the dumpling steams. They also keep the dumpling bottoms from sticking and provide an attractive serving base. As you see in my photos, I transferred the leaves from the steamer to the plate for a prettier presentation.


Tip #3 - If you’re using straight soy sauce to dip your dumplings, let me assure you that there is a much tastier option. Many Chinese and Japanese dipping sauces blend soy sauce (or tamari*) with other ingredients to create a flavorful eating experience. The ingredients in this one are easily found in American grocery stores, so the next time you pick up a package of frozen dumplings or call for take-out, try my recipe and…


Eat with Dragon joy!  
~ Cleo 


*Tamari [tuh-MAH-ree] is similar to soy sauce but thicker and darker. It is more mellow than soy sauce and tends to have a smoother, more complex flavor.



Cleo Coyle, who married
a Dragon, is the author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries


Cleo Coyle’s
Dumpling
Dipping Sauce




Also delicious with egg rolls, 
fried shrimp, chicken nuggets, 
tempura, sushi, and sashimi 



To download this recipe in a PDF form that you can print, save, or share, click here!






INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup water

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari* - scroll up for more info)

2 Tablespoons lime or lemon juice (fresh is best!)

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 green onion (scallion)


Directions: Stir together first four ingredients. Be sure the sugar dissolves. Slice the green onion into the mixture. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

Optional extras for added flavor:  
A splash of sesame oil; a bit of ginger (freshly grated); a splash of your favorite drinking wine or Japanese sake (or, if you can find it, Chinese Shaoxing rice wine).

Basic ratio for smaller or larger batches:  1 part water + 1-½ part soy sauce + ½ part lime or lemon juice + ½ part sugar + 1 green onion (scallion) 





May this 
Year of the Dragon
bring you the four
blessings of the East:
wealth, virtue, harmony,
and long life!





~ Cleo Coyle, author of 
The Coffeehouse Mysteries




To get more of my recipes,
enter to win free coffee, or
learn about my books,
including my bestselling
Haunted Bookshop series,
visit my online coffeehouse:




The Coffeehouse Mysteries are national bestselling
culinary mysteries set in a landmark Greenwich Village 
coffeehouse, and each of the ten titles includes the 
added bonus of recipes. 

 


The Ghost and
Mrs. McClure


Book #1 of 

The Haunted Bookshop
Mysteries
, which Cleo writes
under the name Alice Kimberly
To learn more, click here.