Main Dishes

Spicy Tofu with Mushrooms

Makes 4 portions If you can’t find oyster mushrooms, you can use any mix of mushrooms that are available. For the cornstarch slurry, combine about 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. You may not use it all; add it slowly to avoid a gummy sauce. Ingredients 3/4 tsp Sichuan […]

Main Dishes

Spit-Roasted Duck with Orange-Ginger-Soy Glaze

Makes 6 servings Spit-roasting is one of the earliest cooking techniques. A duck on the spit emerges from the grill with a crackling crisp skin and meat that is less greasy than you might anticipate. Cutting the skin helps to render out the fat for lots of flavor without as […]

Soups and Stews

Squash Soup with Ginger Cream

Serves 6 to 8 Use whatever hard-skinned squash that you can find, like butternut, pumpkin, calabaza. For a vegan version, use olive oil instead of butter, omit the milk and whipped cream garnish. Add 1 cup of raw cashews in Step 2, which will make the blended soup creamy. Ingredients […]

Pantry, Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments

Tahini Soy Dressing

Makes about 2/3 cup This dressing is great on salads and as a dipping sauce, but it also tastes exceptionally good on a pasta salad as well. Ingredients 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 2 teaspoons minced ginger 1 shallot, minced 2 teaspoons brown sugar 2 […]

Main Dishes, One-Dish Meals

Take Out-Style Chicken and Broccoli

Makes 4 to 6 servings This dish may not be authentically Chinese, but it is a kid-friendly introduction to a common Chinese cooking method: stir-frying. Once you get the hang of the technique, you can experiment with new ingredients, like chiles, Szechuan peppercorns, and and bok choy. Ingredients 3 tablespoons […]

Main Dishes

Tandoori Chicken

Makes 6 to 8 portions We use two whole chickens for this recipe, but you can use any mix you like, such as all thighs, legs and wings, or breasts. Bone-in cuts will help keep the chicken tender through roasting. Ingredients 2 whole chickens (about 3 lb each), broken down […]

Chef's Blog

The Chinese Pantry

It’s a fact that Americans love eating Chinese food. There are over 40,000 Chinese restaurants in the U.S.; there are more Chinese restaurants than McDonald’s. You can probably name a favorite Chinese restaurant and a dish or two you love. It is also a fact that many cooks feel intimidated […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

The Flavors of Southeast Asian Curries

One of the most flavorful ways of cooking meat is in curries. In Asia, there are literally thousands of recipes, but the most common styles can be categorized as Thai, Malaysian, or Indian in origin. While it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact origin of each, the word “curry,” or kari […]

Chef's Notes Plus

The Perfect Cocktail for a Taste of Spring

As we ease on down that road toward spring, you might start dipping your toe back into outdoor living. It starts with two minutes of staring into the sunshine before you huddle back under the blanket, but before you know it, you’ll be reading your newspaper al fresco with a […]

Soups and Stews

Wonton Soup

Makes 8 servings Wontons Ingredients 3 oz ground pork 1/2 cup finely chopped Napa cabbage 2 tablespoons Chicken Broth 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion greens 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce 3/4 teaspoon sesame oil Pinch salt Pinch freshly ground white pepper 1 package wonton wrappers 1 […]