Steamed Kabocha Squash

I didn't know how to prepare a kabocha squash. I used this recipe several times, with success.
It's easy and quick. The time-consuming portion is cutting off the rind the cubing the squash.
Make sure you have a large cutting board or work surface, and a very sharp knife or cleaver to do this.

First time I cooked the kabocha, I cut it up, then steamed it. It's better to follow the process below, since steaming the cubed squash may be a bit messier, as it will soften more quickly.
Though the results are similar.


http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Steamed-Kabocha-Squash-236127

Steamed Kabocha Squash

Epicurious | October 2006

by Susanna Foo
Susanna Foo Restaurant

Yield: Makes 4 servings

1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) kabocha squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Bring 8-quart pot of water to boil. Add squash and boil, uncovered, 2 1/2 minutes. Using tongs, flip squash over, then boil 2 1/2 minutes more. Drain and let cool.

When squash is cool enough to handle, cut off top and bottom and remove skin with paring knife. Cut squash in half crosswise, scoop out seeds, and cut flesh into 1-inch chunks.

In medium bowl, stir together squash, olive oil, honey, ginger, and salt. Transfer to steamer set over boiling water and steam until tender, about 15 minutes. Spoon onto large plate and serve.

Cucumber Pickles

Another recipe for the cucumber salad accompaniment to the meat satay dish.

Cucumber Pickles

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 small cucumbers or 1 large hothouse cucumber or Japanese cucumber
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallot or purple onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh hot chili
1 tablespoon finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
A few fresh cilantro leaves

To prepare the pickle, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Just before serving time, peel the cucumbers, slice them crosswise, about 1/4 inch thick, and cut the slices in half.
Combine the cucumber slices with the vinegar dressing, shallot, and chilies and divide between 2 serving bowls.
Sprinkle each serving with peanuts and garnish with a few leaves of cilantro.

For the cucumber pickles, make the dressing and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Add the cucumbers, shallots, chili, and garnishes just before serving so everything will be crisp.

Cucumber Salad

Here is the recipe for the Thai cucumber salad I have used, to accompany the satay. It's best to combine the vegetables and dressing right before serving, or a few hours beforehand. Not overnight, or the vegetables may not stay crisp.

I tried another version, which included water, but I think the results of this one seem to taste better.


Cucumber Salad

Ajad plays many roles in Thai meals. It is served as a sauce for crepes, fish cakes, and shrimp toasts, as a salad in varieties of satay, and as an accompaniment to curries for clearing the palate after the rich, creamy curried coconut. It is easy and quick to prepare and its dressing can be kept refrigerated for a few weeks.

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar or distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups thinly sliced English cucumber
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion or shallot, for garnish
2 sprigs chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
1 tablespoon shredded fresh red chilies, prik chee fa, or jalapeno (optional)

Preparation:
In a small pot over medium heat, add the sugar, vinegar, and salt.
Stir and cook until the mixture turns into a thin syrup, about 5 minutes.
Let cool.

Stir in the sliced cucumber and onion..
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro and red chilies.

Watermelon Lemonade

I started making lemonade, using the bottled lemon juice from the store.
Since I had 2 big containers of lemon juice, expiring soon, I made lemonade quite often.
Then, I bought a watermelon. Tired of eating watermelon on it's own and drinking lemonade, I thought about making a flavored lemonade.
Then, this recipe popped up in my e-mail one day.

It's easy, refreshing, and a great way to get rid of lemon juice and watermelon, before they expire or rot. I don't like having 1/2 a watermelon taking up shelf space in my fridge, so this is perfect.



http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2546

Recipe:

Watermelon Lemonade

Rated by 11 people

Serves 16

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• 6 cups 1-inch cubes seedless watermelon (from about a 5-pound melon)
• 1 bottle (10-ounce) 365 Everyday Value® Organic Lemon Juice
• 6 cups water
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• Crushed ice
• Mint sprigs, for garnish

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Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! It’s truly the best of summer when you can have lemonade and watermelon at once. Be sure to taste the watermelon first. If it’s very sweet, reduce the sugar. Offer some refreshment to the planet and economy, too, by going organic and local when you can.

Ingredients

6 cups 1-inch cubes seedless watermelon (from about a 5-pound melon)
1 bottle (10-ounce) 365 Everyday Value® Organic Lemon Juice
6 cups water
3/4 cup cane sugar
Crushed ice
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Method

Working in batches as necessary, purée watermelon and lemon juice in blender until smooth; transfer to a large container. Add water and sugar; stir until dissolved. Pour over ice in tall glasses, garnish with mint and thin slices of watermelon, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 6oz/172g-wt.): 60 calories (0 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 15g total carbohydrate (0g dietary fiber, 13g sugar), 0g protein

Spicy Peanut Sauce

The first time I made this peanut sauce, I omitted one of the ingredients, the Red Curry Paste.
There is a recipe for the red curry paste, but it calls for about 12 ingredients, including shrimp paste and lemongrass. And, only 2 tablespoons of the paste is needed for the peanut sauce. There are other recipes, but they call for about a dozen, similar ingredients, or require even more preparation. This one includes some good alternative ingredients, such as the peanut butter, brown sugar, and lime juice.
I had doubled the recipe, to make sure there was enough sauce.

Also, there are prepared peanut dipping sauces sold at the Asian markets, but they don't seem to taste very good. We tried one of the jar versions, and it was pretty blah. Not to mention, it can be expensive, especially the ones found at stores like Safeway. It's pretty easy to make this.

The other day at an Asian market, we were finally able to locate a tin of red curry paste.
Last time we tried looking for it in the jarred sauce section of a market, but didn't find it. Instead, it was in the aisle with the dried pickles, salt, pepper, and other spices. So, if you want to add some spiciness to the sauce, you can use the prepared red curry paste from the market.


Spicy Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste
1/2 cup chunky-style peanut butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
2 tablespoons Tamarind Liquid or freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

To prepare the sauce, warm the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stirring occasionally, heat the milk until it reaches a gentle boil and tiny beads of oil glisten on the surface, about 5 minutes.
Add the curry paste and stir occasionally until it dissolves into the coconut milk and releases its fragrance, about 3 minutes.
Add the peanut butter, chicken stock, and sugar and cook gently until the sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and season with tamarind, fish sauce, and salt.
Taste and adjust for a pleasing balance of sweet, sour, and salty.
Cool to room temperature.

Thai cooks make their own coarsely ground unsalted peanut butter.
To make your own, dry-fry raw peanuts or toast them in the oven until browned, then pound and grind them to a coarse paste in a mortar with a pestle.

For the satay sauce, make the sauce up to the point where you add the tamarind, fish sauce, and salt.
Cover and refrigerate the cooled sauce for up to 1 day.
At serving time, warm it very gently, add the seasonings, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Meat Satays

This is a very easy recipe and the results are pretty good. First time we tried it, we used chicken breast, but that came out too dry. Next time, we used chicken thigh, since it stays moist and tastes better. Also, from a show with the chef who runs the BBQ University (http://www.bbqu.net/) , it isn't necessary to soak wooden skewers, since it doesn't make a difference, when compared with skewers which aren't soaked.

This can also be broiled, which we tried, but tastes best barbecued. When making this dish, I doubled the recipe and used about 2 pounds of chicken. Also, it's best to marinade this in a glass or metal bowl, versus plastic, as the spices will stain.
Another reason for the steel and or glass bowls is that they are non-reactive.

Using 2 skewers for each serving simplifies the cooking process. When we broiled it in the oven, the skewers needed to be set on top of a pan, so that the chicken does not cook in the marinade, otherwise, it will remain wet and not darken.


Meat Satays

Seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp / 10 ml ground tumeric
1 tsp / 5 ml ground coriander
1/2 tsp / 2 ml cumin
1 tbsp / 15 ml sugar
1 tbsp / 15 ml fish sauce
Salt, pinch
1/4 cup / 50 ml vegetable oil

Main Ingredients
1 1/4 lb / 600 g lean beef, chicken, lamb or pork, thinly sliced into strips

Garnish
Tomato and cucumber, peeled small shallot onions and lettuce leaves


Method
1. Soak a package of small bamboo skewers in water for 2 to 3 hours.
Prepare all ingredients and have at hand.

2. Combine the seasoning ingredients in a medium-size stainless steel or glass bowl and mix well.
Mix the meat with the seasoning and marinate at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat a grill or broiler. Thread the marinated meat onto the skewers.
Cook the satays over a hot fire or broil them in the oven 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until done.
Do not leave them unattended! Serve immediately on a garnished plate.
Ideally, satay should also be accompanied by peanut sauce and cucumber relish.

Steamed Fish Chinese Style

Instead of steaming fish on the stove, I wanted an easier way to do this.
I like this recipe, since I can steam the fish in the oven, without taking out a large pot or pan and steamer rack. Also, I can follow this recipe for smaller pieces, rather than a whole fish.
If I were steaming a whole fish, I would opt for the stove top method.

I've used this recipe several times, and for various types of fish.
It's best that the fish not be too thick, or it can throw off the cooking time.


http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1917,159169-253197,00.html
--------------------------
STEAMED FISH CHINESE STYLE
--------------------------

1/4 lb. fish fillets (1/2" or thicker)
3 slices fresh ginger (cut into match stick size pieces)
1/2 c. scallions
1 tsp. vegetable oil, salt & pepper (black or red)
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. water

Rinse fish, rub with vegetable oil, salt (optional) and
pepper (red pepper is okay use sparingly). Place 1/2 the
ginger pieces and 1/2 the scallions in the bottom of a
baking dish that will tightly hold the fish in one layer.
Add the fish. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients tightly
cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or
until fish flakes with a fork. Serves 4, with rice and a
side dish.

This is a good dish for company. If the timing isn't
perfect, it still tastes good. Avoid the temptation to
serve this with a soy sauce based side dish. Choose plain
vegetables or alternate seasonings.