Japanese-style One-pot Supper

RECIPE

Prep and Cook Time: about 20 minutes. Notes: Look for dried bean-thread noodles, mirin (sweet sake or rice wine), and Sriracha (Southeast Asian hot chile sauce) in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Yield
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
3 ounces dried bean-thread noodles (saifun or cellophane noodles; see Notes)
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup mirin (see Notes) or cream sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
3 to 5 thin slices peeled fresh ginger
12 ounces boned, skinned, chicken thigh meat, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-in. chunks
1 small red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and cut into thin slices
4 ounces sugar snap or snow peas
4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-in. cubes
3 green onions (green and white parts), cut into 1-in. lengths
Sriracha (see Notes)

Preparation
1. In a small bowl, soak bean-thread noodles in boiling water until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and cut into 6- to 10-in. lengths.

2. In a 5- to 6-qt. pot or a 12-in. frying pan (with sides at least 2 in. high), bring broth, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes.

3. Arrange noodles, chicken, bell pepper, peas, mushrooms, tofu, and green onions in separate piles in the pot. Cover and simmer, without stirring, until chicken chunks are no longer pink in the center (cut one to test), about 5 minutes. Set pot on the table so people can serve themselves, with Sriracha on the side.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:363 (15% from fat)
Protein:28g
Fat:5.9g (sat 1.3)
Carbohydrate:42g
Fiber:2.5g
Sodium:1827mg
Cholesterol:71mg

Japanese cooking@home
by cooking lover

Turkey Pot Stickers

RECIPE

Dim sum, a popular dining tradition in China's Canton province, consists of many small dishes, including bite-sized dumplings like these. You can assemble these ahead and cook them just before serving. If you can't find gyoza skins, you can substitute won ton wrappers.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 3 pot stickers and about 2 teaspoons dipping sauce)

Ingredients
Dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Dumplings:
1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced carrot
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 cups chopped skinned cooked turkey
24 (4-inch) gyoza skins
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup water, divided

Preparation
To prepare dipping sauce, combine first 5 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk.

To prepare dumplings, place mushrooms, onions, carrot, ginger, and vinegar in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping sides. Combine mushroom mixture and egg whites in a large bowl; add turkey, stirring until combined.

Working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to keep from drying), spoon about 1 tablespoon turkey mixture into center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Place dumpling on a baking sheet (cover loosely with a towel to keep from drying). Repeat procedure with remaining skins and turkey mixture.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange half of dumplings in pan; cover and cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn dumplings; add 1/4 cup water. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Wipe pan dry with a paper towel. Repeat procedure with remaining vegetable oil, dumplings, and water. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Nutritional Information
Calories:144 (16% from fat)
Fat:2.5g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.5g,poly 1g)
Protein:12.7g
Carbohydrate:16.5g
Fiber:0.9g
Cholesterol:30mg
Iron:1.6mg
Sodium:332mg
Calcium:25mg

Japanese cooking@home
by cooking lover