Samosas

For the past few weeks, I have been experimenting with cooking meatless dishes to try a healthier diet, but also as a personal challenge. If you have been following my recipes for a while, then you know that I rarely cook with the giant pieces of meat often used in Western cooking. However, meat is also essential in providing texture and flavoring for many of the dishes in my recipes. I’ve often joked that I’ll eat anything that has a face or a mom. And we Asians don’t waste any parts of the meat. From the feet and head to the eyeballs and intestines, we eat it all.

I have to admit, cooking without meat has been a lot more challenging for me than I thought it would be. It was almost like learning how to cook all over again. But I have also realized that by using herbs and spices to bring out the vegetable’s natural flavor you can get amazing results. Too often in vegetarian cooking, we try to make vegetables taste like meat. So what started out as a challenge has actually become a really fun experience as I play with spices and vegetables. These samosas are proof that you really don’t need to be on a vegetarian diet to enjoy vegetarian cooking!

Ingredients: (Makes 12-16 samosas)

For the dough:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. ghee or melted butter

1 tsp. Ajwain seeds or dried thyme

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 cup water

For the filling:

¾ cup mashed potatoes

¾ cup mashed sweet potatoes

½ cup frozen peas

2½ Tbsp. minced shallots

2 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

¼ tsp. ground coriander seed

¹⁄₈ tsp. ground cumin seed

¹⁄₈ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. garam masala

¹⁄₈ tsp. ground mustard seed

¹⁄₈ tsp. white pepper

dash of black pepper

1¼ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup cilantro

Around 2 to 3 cups vegetable or canola oil for frying

Directions:

Boil potatoes and sweet potatoes until soft, mash them together. I’m using Japanese sweet potatoes in the mix, which is why the mixture is white. But regular orange sweet potatoes work just fine.

Mince shallots, garlic and ginger into a fine paste.

On medium high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Cook the shallots for one minute until soft and translucent. Toss in garlic and ginger paste. (photo 2) Cook for 30 seconds and mix in all of the spices, salt and pepper and the mashed potato mix. Cook until all combined. Mix in peas and cilantro, remove from heat and set it aside while you prepare the dough.

Note: If the potato mixture gets too dry while cooking, add a few tablespoons of water to loosen it up.

To make the dough, mix the flour, salt, turmeric powder and Ajwain seed together. Ajwain seeds are an Indian spice which is actually related to bishop’s weed. You can get them in the Asian grocery store or online. You may also substitute it with dried thyme, which tastes very similar. Add in ghee (clarified butter), which may be substituted with unsalted melted butter. Mix in water and kneed until the dough is smooth. This is a fairly stiff dough. Cover the dough up and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Cut dough into eight pieces or six if you wish to make bigger samosas.

Roll the dough out individually into an oval shape.

Cut the dough in half.

Brush the top (flat edge) with a little water and take corners and fold them into triangles on top of each other.  

Now you have a cone to fill in the fillings.

Bush around the edges with some water and seal it tightly. This will make a pyramid shape that is able to sit by itself.

Deep fry the samosas in a large skillet on medium low heat. Fry them slowly as this is how you get the classic samosa texture. Cook for about 5 minutes.



Let them cool down for five minutes before serving. These are perfect as an appetizer or a side dish!

Sponsored by The Free Press

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Hot Oil Noodles

Rice and noodles are the staple components in Chinese cooking. As we say in Chinese, “grain in the south, wheat in the north,” because the weather in southern Chinese provinces is conducive for growing rice and the climate up north is more suitable for growing wheat. Hot oil noodles originated in Xanxi Province and have been a common dish in the region for the past 3,000 years. Because of the cold climate, resources are limited in the winter, so it makes sense that this simple noodle dish would become such a local favorite in that part of the world. This week I’d like to share with you my own recipe for the hand-pulled hot oil noodles. (Serves 2-3 people)

Rice and noodles are the staple components in Chinese cooking. As we say in Chinese, “grain in the south, wheat in the north,” because the weather in southern Chinese provinces is conducive for growing rice and the climate up north is more suitable for growing wheat. Hot oil noodles originated in Xanxi Province and have been a common dish in the region for the past 3,000 years. Because of the cold climate, resources are limited in the winter, so it makes sense that this simple noodle dish would become such a local favorite in that part of the world. This week I’d like to share with you my own recipe for the hand-pulled hot oil noodles. (Serves 2-3 people) - See more at: http://www.freepressonline.com/Content/Columnists/The-Way-Rice-Should-Be/Article/The-Way-Rice-Should-Be-Hot-Oil-Noodles/50/747/44417#sthash.C3luG3j8.dpuf

Ingredients:

For the noodles:

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. salt

2/3 cup cold water

For the hot oil:

3 scallions

2 cloves garlic

2 dried peppers

2 Tbsp. ginger

1 star anise

¼ tsp. Szechuan peppercorns

2 cups vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

6 Tbsp. mixed dried pepper powder and pepper flakes

For the toppings:

¼ cup peanuts

¼ tsp. white pepper

¼ tsp. coarse sea salt

2 cloves garlic

2 scallions

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. sesame seeds

For the sauce:

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

¾ tsp. sugar

Directions:

Ingredients:

For the noodles:

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. salt

2/3 cup cold water

For the hot oil:

3 scallions

2 cloves garlic

2 dried peppers

2 Tbsp. ginger

1 star anise

¼ tsp. Szechuan peppercorns

2 cups vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

6 Tbsp. mixed dried pepper powder and pepper flakes

For the toppings:

¼ cup peanuts

¼ tsp. white pepper

¼ tsp. coarse sea salt

2 cloves garlic

2 scallions

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. sesame seeds

For the sauce:

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

¾ tsp. sugar

Directions:

Start by making the noodles. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and kneed for three to four minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover it up and let it rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the hot oil.

In a heat-proof bowl, mix up 6 Tbsp. dried pepper powder and pepper flakes. I’m using a mixture of Korean dried pepper flakes, regular dried pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. Also mix in 1 Tbsp. of sesame seeds. Set it aside.

Roughly chop up the scallion, ginger and garlic. 

In a saucepan, place the scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise, dried peppers and Szechwan peppercorns along with 2 cups vegetable oil. On high heat, bring it up to a boil and immediately pour it over the dried pepper flakes and sesame seed mixture. Cover the bowl to allow all of the flavors to infuse while it cools down.

Once the oil has cooled down you will have the most beautiful red hot oil loaded with flavors. Keep it in a glass jar in the refrigerator with all of the garlic, scallions and spices. This will keep in the refrigerator for a long time and you can use this as a condiment over dumplings, rice, noodles and even sandwiches.

Now to shape the noodles. Cut the dough into eight pieces and shape them into an oval shape. Drizzle some vegetable oil on top, cover them up and let them rest for 10 minutes.

After the dough has rested, roll the noodles out flat individually, and make a dent in the center with your rolling pin.

Use the dent as a guide and slowly pull the dough on both ends. As the dough stretches, the center dent will start to tear apart. This is why it is called “hand-pulled hot oil noodles.”

To prepare the toppings, crush up the peanuts with white pepper and salt. (photo 11) I’ve also added some dried pepper flakes to give it extra heat, but that’s optional. In a separate bowl mix up soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sugar for the sauce. Set the crushed peanuts and sauce aside.

To cook the noodles, you will only need to cook them for one minute in a pot of boiling water. While you cook the noodles, bring the hot oil back on the stove to heat up again. To prevent the spices from burning, I recommend straining them out first.

Once the noodles have been cooked, place them into a serving bowl, top the noodles with 1 to 2 Tbsp. of the soy sauce mixture we made earlier and sprinkle the crushed peanuts and some minced garlic, ginger, scallions, pepper flakes and sesame seeds on top.

Once the hot oil has come to a boil, remove from heat and pour 3 to 4 Tbsp. hot oil directly over the noodles in the serving bowl.

Serve while it’s hot and enjoy!

 

Sponsored by The Free Press

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

THE MASS ISLAMIC REFUGEE MIGRATION

by Marshall Frank

Iraq and Syrian refugees are swarming into Europe, and eventually into North America by the millions. It’s good to be humanitarian, but not when it comes to setting the stage for the future dissolution of established cultures. If the growing Islamic settlements in France, England and Sweden are any examples, the people herding into the European stage have no interest in assimilating. According to a Washington Post article in November, 2015, we will see over 3 million displaced middle-east refugees migrating to western nations before the end of 2016. And the forthcoming generations, who knows?



According to Secretary of State John Kerry, the United States will be receiving 85,000 refugees in 2016, and another 100,000 in 2017. It is almost impossible to vet these people who have no valid papers or references, as emphasized by FBI Director, James Comey. Further verification of refugees in Iraq and Syrian war zones would be impossible. The bottom line is that many who intend on doing harm to America could easily be imbedded within the populations, a virtual Trojan Horse scenario. And for certain, if it’s that inviting, it will surely happen. Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson recently told a committee on Capitol Hill, “I do agree that the refugee flow coming out of Syria and Iraq represents a potential opportunity for terrorist organizations.”



It would seem that by inviting all these migrants, European and American nations are basically committing cultural suicide. These trends give cause to reflect on the Muslim Brotherhood’s written decree of 1991, that the long range goal of Jihad is conquest of the west, and to destroy western civilization – From Within. I didn’t write that, they did. See link below re: Explanatory Memorandum of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was vetted and admitted into a federal court trial in 2007.



Why is not anyone asking the big question: Why Europe? Why America?



Saudi Arabia is awash with money, land and resources. The refugees also share the Arab culture and language. Why do we not partner with our so-called Arab ally in alleviating the suffering of middle-east refugees by giving them refuge in lands compatible with their way of life? The United States provides foreign aid by the billions to other middle east countries, including (2013) Yemen $1.3 billion, Lebanon $626 million, Jordan $1.4 billion, Egypt $550 million, and so on, which has been going on for decades. When is it their turn to step up to the proverbial plate and help provide accommodations for their fellow brethren? It is time some of the other Arab-based nations do their share in alleviating the crisis.



But that’s not happening. Why do they get away with it? Because they can. And, because we are stupid.



The concerns should not be limited only to terrorism, although we are seeing spikes of murderous terror raising their ugly heads in recent months. I’m sure there will be much more, because the killers are blending among us. The concerns should also be about preserving our cultures, and our political systems of democracy and civil rights. For, the more we accept the radical Islamic mentality within our borders, and the borders of Europe, the more we will see power capitulate to those who would conquer, and one day, our entire political arena will be dominated and controlled by insurgents…many of whom will be elected into office to manage our cities, towns and states. It’s only a matter of time.



Fanatical Islamic extremists are taking over the streets of Brussels, one of the most liberal and moderate communities in the western world. They are controlling cities in Sweden, such as Malmo. There are hundreds of Islamic no-go zones in France which the authorities avoid. England has capitulated to allow Muslims their Sharia Zones. Greece and Germany are overrun with millions of Islamic refugees.



The National Organization of Women (NOW) better wake up. There are far worse dangers looming for the female gender down the road, than issues like birth control.



When the recent terror attacks killed 35 and injured hundreds more in Europe, the face of America – The President of the United States – appeared to care less, as he missed not a step of his journey, joining joyful waves at a Cuban baseball game and dancing the tango in Argentina, face beaming, while Americans and Europeans suffered from radical Islamic attacks. In a recent speech following Brussels, he said:



“We must reject any attempt to stigmatize Muslim-Americans, and their enormous contributions to our country and our way of life.”



Just what we wanted to hear.



Sometimes I wonder if this mass migration to the free world, is not part of the long range plan. After all, there were alternatives.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Taiwanese Salt and Pepper Ribs

By now you probably already know how seriously we Taiwanese take our street foods. One of the most popular street food vendors is the fried food stand. But they are not the same kind of fried food stand you get at fairs around here. At a typical Taiwanese fried food stand, there will usually be around 10 to 15 different par-cooked dishes laid out — from chicken, pork, seafood, tempura and tofu to all kinds of veggies. Customers will grab a basket and mix and match to fill it up. Then we can choose to top it with different spices, seasonings and herbs. Two of the most popular items are the basil popcorn chicken and the salt-and-pepper pork ribs. If you know about Chinese food, then you know that anything that starts with “salt and pepper” is going to be good. Salt and Pepper Ribs are not only a street-food favorite, but they’re also a very common dish served in bento boxes in most takeouts in Taiwan. This week I’d like to share with you my recipe for this classic street food from my hometown.

You will need:

Ingredients: (Serves 2 people)

For the marinade:

1 lb. country-style ribs

1½ Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. cooking wine

2 Tbsp. cold water

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. corn starch

½ tsp. sesame oil

¼ tsp. Chinese five spice

¼ tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. white pepper

For breading:

½ cup sweet potato starch

1 egg

For toppings:

4 cloves garlic

2 hot peppers

3 scallions

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. white pepper

1/8 tsp. red pepper powder (or cayenne pepper)

1/8 tsp. salt

1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

Direction:

Roughly cut ribs into 1- to 2-inch chunks.

Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl and toss in the ribs. Marinade in the refrigerator for an hour.  

 Meanwhile, cut up the garlic, pepper and scallions for the toppings.

Once the ribs have been marinated, crack in one large egg and ¼ cup sweet potato starch. Mix until all is combined.

On a separate plate toss the ribs in the remaining ¼ cup sweet potato starch.

In a large skillet or deep pot, heat up 2 cups vegetable oil to 350 F. Fry the ribs for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t remove the pan from the heat yet. The ribs will need to be fried again in a little bit.

In a separate large skillet, stir-fry the garlic, pepper and scallions along with 1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil for one minute. Stir in the black pepper, white pepper, red pepper and salt. Cook for 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, place the ribs back in the frying oil on high heat and fry for 30 seconds. This will make the ribs extra crispy on the outside. Immediately transfer the ribs into the topping skillet, toss everything together and remove from the heat.

Serve while it’s warm, on its own or with rice.

Sponsored by The Free Press

reade more... Résuméabuiyad