Pad Thai, until recently, was something I never considered making at home. The seemingly long ingredient list, coupled with my fear of not being able to recreate the dish I’m used to, kept me from cooking it for a long time. However, when I was browsing through the cookbook my friend Andrew got me for my birthday and found a recipe for Pad Thai, I knew it was only a matter of time before I tackled it at home. Last weekend, I told Eric that we couldn’t put it off any longer. After a trip to the Asian market (along with a couple texts to our friends Katy and Juli) and a small amount of our Saturday afternoon, we had a delicious dinner that we didn’t need to go out for.

Pad Thai is actually quite simple to make. All the prep work is done while the noodles are soaking, and the cooking process moves pretty quickly once it starts. That’s why it’s so important with this recipe to have everything in place before you start cooking. As far as flavor goes, we were blown away. The noodles, which can sometimes be sticky, were perfectly tender. The salty, spicy sauce was light and flavorful and just coated the noodles. The soft eggs, crunchy peanuts and crisp green onions all add texture to the final product. I’ll come right out and say that I changed the authenticity of this dish by substituting chicken for shrimp. If you prefer the shrimp version, simply substitute 12 ounces of peeled and deveined shrimp in place of the chicken.

Pad Thai
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate*
2/3 cup hot water
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
8 ounces dried rice noodles about 1/8-inch wide
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chicken breasts, 12-16 ounces total
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
6 tablespoons chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
3 cups (6 ounces) bean sprouts
5 green onions, green parts only, sliced thin on a sharp bias
Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve tamarind concentrate in hot water. Stir in fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne and 2 tablespoons of oil and set aside. Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Soak until softened and pliable but not completely tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Whisk together eggs and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and cut into bite-size pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat for about 2 minutes, or until just beginning to smoke. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Off heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet and swirl to coat. Add garlic and shallot and return pan to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until light golden brown. Add eggs and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until scrambled, about 20 seconds. Add noodles and toss to combine. Pour the tamarind mixture over the noodles and increase heat to high. Cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. Add 1/4 cup of peanuts, bean sprouts, chicken and all but 1/4 cup of green onions to the noodles. Continue tossing until well combined and noodles are tender, 2-3 minutes. If noodles are not yet tender, add 2 tablespoons of water to skillet and continue cooking.

Transfer to serving dishes and sprinkle with remaining green onions and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

*Tamarind concentrate can be found in Asian grocery stores. If you are unable to find it, substitute 1/3 cup of lime juice and 1/3 cup of water in place of the tamarind concentrate and light brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar. Do not serve this version with lime wedges.

Adapted from: The New Best Recipe

In learning to like fish, I discovered that the crusted variety was my favorite. Panko is always a good way to go, and now I’ve got a new one to add to the mix – sesame seeds. They get toasted while the salmon cooks and add so much flavor and crunch. To complement the salmon, an Asian flavored sauce is served underneath it. The sauce is savory-sweet, with a little punch from the fresh ginger and garlic. While you might be tempted to pour the sauce over the top, serving it beneath the salmon ensures that the crust stays crisp. We served this dish with some type of thin Japanese noodles, but I think we’ll opt for rice the next time around. We also made oven roasted broccoli that went well with the fish and cooked in about the same amount of time. The salmon doesn’t take long to prepare, but it looks quite impressive when done. Now that my dislike of seafood is something of the past, I’m sure we’ll be making this one again soon.

Sesame Crusted Salmon
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 egg white
4 salmon fillets, about 8 ounces each
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup cooking oil

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, broth, sugar, ginger and garlic. In another small bowl, dissolve the 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in the water.

Whisk together the egg white and remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and brush the skinless side of the salmon with the mixture. Dip in sesame seeds and gently press to coat. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place the salmon in, sesame seed side down, and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and continue cooking an additional 3 minutes (for a 1-inch thick fillet) and remove from skillet.

Pour off any oil remaining in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the soy sauce mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the cornstarch-water mixture and continue cooking until sauce has thickened, about 1 additional minute. Serve the sauce alongside or underneath the salmon.

Barely adapted from Food & Wine

When Eric and I first met, I was an all white meat chicken kind of girl. Thankfully, I outgrew that phase and have since embraced something other than boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This is the first recipe I’ve made using chicken thighs, and I have to tell you: I’m sold. Eric has long loved them, so he’s pretty happy that I’ve reached the same conclusion. Thigh meat is so incredibly flavorful and tender. I’m not sure why I didn’t cook with it sooner, but I clearly should’ve listened to my friend Elly, who has mentioned several times her love of chicken thighs.

This recipe is a nicer version of standard takeout fare, but I promise you won’t be getting takeout anytime soon with this recipe in your arsenal. I know there’s probably nothing authentic about this dish, and I’m okay with that because it tastes fantastic. And while I certainly wouldn’t call it healthy, it’s definitely healthier than its takeout counterpart. Instead of being deep fried, the chicken is coated in a cornstarch mixture before being pan fried (similar to one I posted last year, but much tastier). The chicken gets crispy on the outside and stays tender and moist on the inside. Overall, the dish has a sweet-spicy flavor, with a punch of freshness from the ginger. If you like things spicier, you can always add extra Sriracha. We followed the recipe and paired this with rice and steamed broccoli, but I think it would also be fantastic with carrots or sugar snap peas mixed in.

Looking for more takeout fakeouts? Here are a few of my favorites:
Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Vegetable Fried Rice
Sesame Chicken

General Tso’s Chicken
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 large egg white
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Steamed broccoli and white rice, for serving

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, egg white, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and all but 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, chile-garlic sauce, sugar, remaining soy sauce and cornstarch. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over high heat and add the ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about a minute. Whisk the broth mixture, then add it to the pan. Cook about 3 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and glossy. Reduce heat to low to keep sauce warm.

In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken carefully, one piece at a time. Cook chicken, turning once or twice until very browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then add to sauce. Stir in green onions. Serve immediately with broccoli and rice.

Slightly adapted from Food and Wine, May 2011

Although Eric and I both immensely enjoy spending time in the kitchen, there are some nights that doing so just isn’t feasible. We recently had a night like that. Though we didn’t have any prior commitments, both of us were sick with nasty colds and didn’t have the energy to cook anything too involved. Having already eaten soup three times that week, I was looking for something that would be easy, tasty and spicy. This recipe turned out to be exactly what we needed. Having already made it a couple times before, I knew it would pack a lot of flavor in a short amount of time. Plus, I figured a dose of Siracha in our meal might help clear up our colds. Hey, it couldn’t hurt, right? :)

I love making stir-fry because it’s quick, delicious and filling. You can really use any combination of meat and vegetables, which makes it highly adaptable. I love this combination – moist chicken, crisp-tender pepper strips and crunchy cashews. The sauce is made from hoisin and white wine vinegar, with a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. I was a little wary the first time we made this because I thought for sure the sauce would need more ingredients, but it’s quite flavorful as is. The only change I made to the original recipe is to add Siracha to the sauce. I like the heat it adds, but you can certainly leave it out if you don’t want the dish to be spicy. This is an insanely quick meal, and it takes longer to prep the ingredients than it does to actually cook them. If you’re fast with a knife, you can have this meal on the table in next to no time, perfect for nights when you’re in a hurry or simply lack the energy to cook.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons water or chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Siracha (optional)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
Half a bell pepper, cut into strips
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
Rice, for serving

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water/chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Stir in hoisin, vinegar and Siracha and set aside.

Add oil to wok or large skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cashews and stir until garlic is golden and fragrant. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to wok. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, then add pepper strips and cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the green onions. Serve with rice and top with remaining green onions and additional cashews, if desired.

Serves 3

Adapted from Eclectic Recipes

Eric and I love making takeout type dishes at home. We’ve made this one twice now, and it’s easily become one of our favorites. The funny thing is, when we tried it for the first time a few months ago, I wasn’t sure how either of us would like the mushrooms. See, in the not so distant past, the only mushrooms we ate were stuffed and/or fried. We’ve been branching out, though, and this dish was one of the first ones we made using mushrooms.

I made a couple small changes to this recipe. First of all, there was no garlic in it! We put garlic in nearly everything, so naturally I added a couple cloves to this. Second, I’m not a huge fan of Chinese five-spice powder. I like it in some things, but I thought this dish would be fine without it (which it was). I was surprised that the recipe called for cilantro, since I’ve never used it in any type of Asian cuisine. However, it really works in this dish and adds plenty of freshness and flavor. The snow peas retain some of their crisp texture, and that balances out the tender mushrooms. There’s a little heat from the Siracha, but you can add more if you like things especially spicy. The best part about this dish is that it cooks in about seven minutes. Once everything is chopped and sliced, this meal comes together in no time.

Beef, Shiitake and Snow Pea Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
1 1-pound top sirloin steak, cut into 2-inch long, 1/4-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thickly sliced
8 ounces fresh snow peas
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
5 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons Siracha or other chili-garlic sauce

Directions:
Lightly season beef with salt and pepper. In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic and mushrooms. Stir constantly until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Add beef and continue cooking an additional minute, until the beef is browned on the outside but still pink in the center. Add snow peas, half of green onions and half of cilantro. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in hoisin and Siracha and continue cooking 1-2 minutes, until beans are crisp-tender and beef is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to bowls and top with remaining green onions and cilantro. Serve over rice, if desired.

Serves 4

Adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2010

I’ve never made fried rice, and I was unsure how this would turn out.  After all, hibachi restaurants have an entire cooking area on which to make their fried rice.  All I had was a skillet, and I was positive the rice wouldn’t get that crispy texture I love so much.  I’m so glad to say I was wrong; this rice had the perfect texture.  The carrots, peas and eggs each added additional flavors and textures to the rice, and the soy and oyster sauces gave it just the right amount of richness and saltiness.  It was the ultimate side dish to the Soy Ginger Glazed Chicken Eric made that night.

Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup frozen peas
2-3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups cooked Jasmine or other long-grain rice, chilled
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce

Directions:
-Heat a large skillet over high heat.  When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
-Add the onion and cook 1-2 minutes.
-Add the garlic, ginger and white part of the green onions.  Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
-Add the carrot and cook just until it is crisp-tender, about 1 minute.
-Add the frozen peas and cook until just warmed through.
-Empty contents into a large bowl and set aside.
-Return skillet to heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil.  Add the eggs and whisk constantly until the eggs are just set.
-Transfer eggs to bowl with vegetables.
-Return skillet to heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.  Add the rice and, using a wooden spoon, break up any clumps.
-Stir evenly to coat rice with the oil and then allow to sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes.
-Stir the rice again, breaking up any clumps.  Add soy and oyster sauces and stir until rice is thoroughly coated.
-Add the remaining green onions, and then add the eggs and vegetables back to the skillet and toss to combine.
-Adjust seasonings by adding more soy sauce, if needed.

Serves 4

Cook Like a Champion original

We used our indoor grill for this, so cooking times may vary depending on what type of grill you are using.

Soy Ginger Glazed Chicken
Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

Directions:
-In a small bowl, mix together marmalade, soy sauce and ginger.  Set aside.
-Prepare grill or preheat grill pan.
-Cook the chicken 5 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 5 minutes.
-Brush each side with glaze.  Cook 1-2 more minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through.
-Remove chicken from grill and immediately brush each side with remaining glaze.

Adapted from Everyday Food, June 2010 

Every now and then, I’ll be reposting some old recipes. There are some dishes in my blog that really don’t have descriptions or pictures giving them the credit they deserve. I’ll be highlighting recipes that Eric and I have made several times since I first posted them.

There was once a time that I thought it would be completely impossible for Eric and I to make any type of takeout food at home. Funny how things change! This dish is so delicious and can easily be made on a busy weeknight. The chicken is coated in an egg white batter, which gives it a crispy, but lower-on-the-guilt-scale coating and then pan-fried. The sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and heat, and the ginger gives it a very fresh flavor.

Lighter General Tso’s Chicken
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups long-grain brown rice
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 pound sugar snap peas
3-4 carrots, cut into sticks
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
-Cook rice according to package directions.
-While the rice is cooking, mix together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of cold water in a large bowl. Add the snap peas, carrots, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine and set aside.
-In another bowl, whisk together egg whites with remaining 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.
-In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Shake off excess egg white mixture from half of the chicken pieces and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is golden, about 6-8 minutes.
-Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining oil and chicken.
-Add snap pea mixture to skillet. Cover and allow to cook for 5 minutes, until carrots and snap peas are crisp-tender and sauce has thickened. Return chicken to skillet and toss to coat.
-Serve with rice.

Serves 4

Source: Adapted from Everyday Food, October 2008. Seen on Proceed with Caution.

We’ve had leftover chicken every time we’ve made this, as I didn’t want to overcrowd the pizza with chicken. I’m sure it would be great the next day over steamed rice (or it might just get eaten while you’re waiting on the pizza to bake).

Garlic Glazed Chicken Pizza
Ingredients:
pizza dough of choice
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or less, depending on taste)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
drizzle of olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons green onions

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 450°.
-Combine the garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, honey and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
-Saute chicken until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
-Add the garlic mixture to the pan and cook over medium-low heat until reduced to the consistency of syrup, about 10 minutes.
-Return chicken to skillet and coat with garlic glaze.
-Lightly brush pizza dough with olive oil. Top with chicken and cheeses. Sprinkle green onions over pizza and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Food o’del Mundo

This dish really had everything going for it. The sauce was so incredibly flavorful with just the right amount of kick. We added red, orange and yellow pepper strips, and I think they gave this dish a great texture and crispness. We served it with jasmine rice, which is somewhat stickier than plain white rice. We were also excited to use one of the spice blends my friend Joelen (from Joelen’s Culinary Adventures) sent to me from Chicago. We used the Argyle Street Asian Blend in place of the Chinese five-spice powder.

Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, divided
1 tsp. black pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into chunks
8 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
6 tablespoons honey
oil for frying

Directions:
-In a large Ziplock bag, combine flour, 1/4 c. sesame seeds, black pepper, red pepper and Chinese spice.
-Place chicken in bag and shake to coat.
-Heat oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
-Place chicken into skillet and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
-Remove chicken from skillet and empty excess oil from pan.
-Reduce heat to low and return chicken to skillet.
-Mix in teriyaki sauce, honey and 1/4 c. sesame seeds, and stir until sauce thickens.
-Serve over rice.
-You could also add sugar snap peas, onions, bell peppers or any other veggies you like.

Source: Amber’s Delectable Delights