(Please scroll down for recipe in English)
O calatorie care se intinde pe aproape 24 de ore, cu asteptari intre si in doua avioane, apoi alta calatorie la fel inapoi este foarte obositoare si plina de intamplari, cum este de asteptat. Cel mai urat moment a prilejuit si cel mai comic moment. Ajunsi in aeroport in Bucuresti am descoperit ca Parisul s-a decis sa imi mai pastreze hainele, sa prinda "aroma" pariziana. Foarte neplacut sa te trezesti decat cu hainele de pe tine. In timp ce asteptam sa reclamam bagajul lipsa, am imprumutat telefonul lui tata socru si a inceput sa sune in linistea ramasa printre cei vreo zece oameni din aeroport: "pam pam americanooo" :)) Printre cele mai placute insa, in cele 8 ore interminabile in avion la intoarcerea acasa as putea spune ca a fost gasirea unui show al lui Jamie Oliver. Si binenteles ca era inteles: reteta a ajuns pe blog.
De obicei pregatesc broccoli aburit cu sare, piper si putin unt topit, dar dupa ce am facut prima data broccoli in stil asiatic, l-am reluat de trei ori intr-o luna.
Ingrediente:
2 capatani medii de broccoli
1 ardei mic rosu iute tocat sau 1/4 lingurita ardei iute uscat pisat
1 catel de usturoi dat pe razatoarea mica
4 linguri ulei de masline extra virgin
1 lingurita ulei de susan
2 lingurite sos de soia
zeama de la 1/2 lamaie verde
Curatati si taiati bucati broccoli, cu cotoare cu tot (cotoarele sunt cele mai dulci). Puneti-l intr-o cratita cu capac si adaugati apa cat sa acopere fundul cratitei (1-2 cm). Puneti pe foc mic-mediu cratita acoperita si tineti 10-15 minute, pana cand furculita intra usor in broccoli. Nu lasati prea mult, nu vreti sa i se schimbe culoarea sau sa se inmoaie prea tare.
Intre timp, pregatiti dressingul: intr-un castron mare amestecati restul ingredientelor si bateti-le cu telul putin sa se incorporeze.
Cand broccoli este gata, scurgeti apa si adaugati peste dressing. Mestecati bine si serviti imediat.
Pofta buna!
Ingredients:
2 medium heads of broccoli
1 small red chili, chopped or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove of garlic, grated
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
Juice from ½ lime
Clean and cut the broccoli in pieces, stems too. Place the broccoli in a pot with a fitting lid and add water to the pot so it reaches about 1 inch. Place on medium heat (lid on) for 10-15 minutes until a fork enters easily in the broccoli. Don’t over boil.
Meanwhile, make the dressing: in a large bowl add the rest of the ingredients and whisk to incorporate.
When the broccoli is ready, strain and add over the dressing. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
(Please scroll down for English version)
Calirea rapida este o metoda de gatit chinezeasca. De obicei se face intr-un wok, o tigaie in forma sferica, care permite o suprafata incinsa mai mare. Gatirea in wok se face la temperatura foarte mare, care trebuie pastrata pe toata durata coacerii. Daca nu aveti wok, puteti folosi o tigaie obisnuita, dar aveti in vedere ca trebuie sa fie deajuns de mare sa incapa in ea toate legumele, si trebuie sa si amestecati.
Aceasta reteta este foarte rapida, mi-a trebuit mai mult timp cu pregatirea ingredientelor, totul trebuie sa fie taiat si tocat, gata de pus in tigaie inainte de a incepe.
Nu as putea spune ca este o reteta autentica chinezeasca dar se apropie foarte mult. Eu am folosit ce legume am avut prin frigider, si se pot substitui cu ce va place: ciuperci, broccoli, fasole verde.
De asemenea, eu am servit cu orez jasmine (iasomie), dar un orez alb obisnuit este bun, sau daca sunteti la dieta, sariti orezul.
Sa va spun ce fac eu cu ghimbirul cand cumpar si nu il folosesc pe tot in decurs de 1-2 saptamani: il curat de coaja si il tai bucati mai mici. Il pun intr-o punga cu fermoar in congelator, si il folosesc in ceaiul de dimineata, rad putin ghimbir congelat, ii da o aroma foarte buna.
Sa trecem la treaba:
Ingrediente:
1 lingura de usturoi tocat marunt
1 lingura ghimbir proaspat tocat marunt sau dat pe razatoare
3-4 linguri ulei (eu am amestecat ulei de susan si ulei de floarea soarelui, nu e bun uleiul de masline pentru ca se va arde)
1 piept de pui fara os si fara piele, taiat in cubulete de 2 cm
1 cana varza tocata
1 ardei gras rosu taiat in bucati de 2 cm
1/2 cana teci de mazare (congelate sau proaspete)
3-4 fire ceapa verde, taiate bucati de aprox 2 cm
3-4 linguri sos de soia
seminte de susan pentru decor (optional)
1 cana orez fiert (optional)
sare si piper, dupa gust (sosul de soia este deja sarat)
Se presara bucatile de pui cu putina sare si piper.
Se incinge uleiul in wok, la foc mare, pana cand incepe sa fumege putin (nu sa se arda). Se adauga ghimbirul si usturoiul, si se lasa 30 de secunde, mestecandu-se mereu.
Se adauga puiul si se mesteca in continuu, fie cu lingura, fie scuturand tigaia, pana cand puiul este alb pe toate partile.
Se adauga legumele si se mesteca in continuu, pentru 10-15 minute, depinde cat este focul de mare (focul meu nu a avut putere sa tina wok-ul foarte incins pe toata durata gatirii).
Se presara sosul de soia si se opreste focul. Se verifica de sare si piper.
Pentru servit, se aseaza puiul si legumele pe pat de orez, se presara o lingura de sos de soia si seminte de susan daca folositi.
Pofta buna!
Stir-frying is a Chinese cooking method, which is usually made in a wok. A wok is a hemisphere shape pan, which allows a bigger cooking surface. Stir-frying is made at a high temperature, kept at all cooking time. If you don’t have a wok, you can use a regular pan, big enough to keep all the ingredients and to have room for stirring.
This recipe is very fast, it needs more preparation than cooking time. Everything has to be ready to go in the pan before start cooking.
I couldn’t say is an authentic Chinese recipe, but its close enough. I used whatever vegetables I had in the fridge, and you can substitute with whatever you like: broccoli, mushrooms, and green beans.
I also served it with jasmine rice, but you can use any kind of rice you like. Or, if you’re on a diet, skip the rice.
Let me tell you what I do with the fresh ginger, when I don’t use it in a week or two: I clean it, cut in smaller pieces and place it in a zipper bag in the freezer. I grate some frozen ginger in my morning tea; it gives it a special flavor.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped or grated fresh ginger
3-4 tbsp oil (I mixed sunflower oil with sesame oil, I wouldn’t use olive oil for stir-frying, it has a low smoking point)
1 chicken boneless skinless chicken breast cut in 1 inch cubes
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 red bell pepper cut in 1 inch squares
½ cup peapods, frozen or fresh
3-4 green onions cut in 1 inch pieces
3-4 tbsp soy sauce
Sesame seeds for decoration (optional)
1 cup boiled rice (optional)
Salt and pepper after taste (the soy sauce is salty)
Sprinkle little salt and pepper on the chicken pieces.
Heat the oil in the wok, on high heat, until it starts smoking a little. Add the ginger and the garlic, and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chicken, and stir continuously, either with a spoon or shaking the wok, until is getting white on all sides.
Add the vegetables and keep stirring, for 10-15 minutes, depends on how high is the heat (my stove didn’t have enough strength to keep it very hot all the time).
Drizzle some soy sauce and remove from heat. Check for salt and pepper.
For serving, place the stir fry on top of rice, drizzle one tablespoon of soy sauce on top, and sprinkle sesame seeds, if using.
Enjoy!
(Please scroll down for English version)
Saptamana trecuta, dupa cateva ore "obositoare" :) petrecute la mall cu prietena mea, am mers sa mancam la un restaurant japonez. Am incercat vreo 2 feluri de sushi, legume prajite, dar cel mai mult ne-a placut aceasta salata de castraveti, pe care incerc sa o reproduc azi. Si cred ca am reusit cu succes. Simpla si racoroasa!
Ingrediente:
1 castravete mare feliat foarte subtire
2 linguri seminte de susan
1 ceapa verde feliata foarte subtire (optional)
Semintele de susan se pun intr-un strat subtire intr-o tigaie fara ulei, si se pun pe foc mediu aproximativ 5 minute, pana cand se rumenesc putin. Se scutura din cand in cand tigaia sa se amestece.
Se aseaza pe farfurie feliile de castravete, ceapa si deasupra semintele de susa.
Pentru dres salata, am amestecat sare (1/3 lingurita) cu ulei de masline (1 lingura) si otet de orez (2-3 linguri).
Last week, after few hours spent at the mall, I and my friend ate at this Japanese restaurant. We tried 2 kinds of sushi, some tempura fried vegetables, but we loved this cucumber salad, which I'm trying to recreate here. And I think successfully did. Simple and refreshing!
Ingredients:
1 large English cucumber, very thinly sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 green onion, very thinly sliced (optional)
To toast the sesame seeds, place them in a thin layer in a pan, over medium heat, without oil for about 5 minutes, until they get lightly brown. Shake the pan to even toasting.
Place on a plate the cucumber slices, onion and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
For dressing, mix 1/3 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar.
Enjoy!
(Please scroll down for English version)
Dupa cum cei care ma urmaresc poate au observat, imi place in mod deosebit bucataria mediteraneana, dar imi place sa incerc de toate si de peste tot. Bucataria asiatica nu am incercat-o foarte mult, decat in cateva mancaruri calite rapid (stir-fry). Aceasta salata este o combinatie a cateva retete de salate gasite pe internet. Voiam sa folosesc niste teci de mazare proaspete, care imi plac foarte mult.
Desi sincer nu eram sigura ce o sa imi iesa, salata a iesit foarte buna, si este destul de versatila, adica se pot substitui ingredientele. Se poate folosi si salata verde, sau broccoli. Ingredientul cheie este susanul. Ii schimba total gustul. Gustati-o inainte sa adaugati semintele de susan si dupa, veti vedea diferenta. Si se pastreaza foarte bine la frigider, cred ca a fost chiar mai buna a doua zi, cand toate legumele s-au marinat in dressing.
Ingrediente:
Pentru salata:
2 cani varza rosie tocata
1/2 cana ardei gras feliat foarte subtire
1 morcov dat pe razatoare
2 cepe verzi, feliate subtire pe diagonala
1 cana teci de mazare proaspete
1 lingura patrunjel tocat
2 linguri seminte de susan
Se pune apa la fiert intr-o cratita mai mica, si cand fierbe se pun tecile de mazare pentru 3-4 minute. Se scot, se pun in baie de gheata sa se opreasca fierberea. Se scurg si se feliaza pe diagonala.
Semintele de susan se pun intr-un strat subtire intr-o tigaie, fara ulei, pe foc mic. Se lasa 4-5 minute, scuturandu-se din cand in cand tigaia, sa se amestece. Nu se lasa prea mult, sa nu se arda.
Se amesteca cu restul ingredientelor, si deasupra se toarna dressingul.
Pentru dressing:
1 lingurita de ghimbir proaspat dat pe razatoare
2 linguri sos de soia
2 linguri otet de orez (sau otet alb de vin)
1 lingurita miere
1 lingurita mustar Dijon
1/4 cana ulei de masline (se poate folosi ulei de susan, dar eu nu am avut)
Se amesteca toate ingredientele, cu exceptia uleiului, si se bat cu telul sa se amestece bine, apoi se toarna uleiul in fir subtire, pana cand este si uleiul incorporat.
As my followers may notice, I love Mediterranean cuisine, but I like to try recipes from around the world. I tried Asian cuisine only in some stir-fry’s. The today salad is a combination of few recipes that I found online, in which I wanted to use some fresh peapods.
Honestly, I wasn't sure about the final result, but it turned out really good. Is a versatile salad, in which you can substitute the ingredients. Some lettuce or fresh broccoli may be used. The key ingredient is sesame seeds. The sesame seeds change the taste, feel free to taste it, before and after you add it, you'll see. It keeps very well in the fridge, it was even better the next day, after the vegetables marinated in the dressing.
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup red or green pepper, sliced very thin
1 shredded carrot
2 green onions, sliced diagonally
1 cup fresh peapods
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Put 4 cups of water to boil in a small pot. When the water is boiling, blanch the peapods only 3-4 minutes. Remove and place in water bath to stop cooking. Drain and slice diagonally.
To toast the sesame seeds, place them in a pan in a thin layer, with no oil. Toast on low heat for 4-5 minutes, shaking the pan for evenly cooking.
Mix all the ingredients, and pour the dressing on top.
For the dressing:
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil (sesame oil can be used, I didn't have any)
Mix all the ingredients, except the oil, until well mixed. Add the oil, little at a time. Pour the dressing over the salad.
Enjoy!
