Initial Adventures with Asian Cooking

[WillyBrandt]

So I just bought my Joyce Chen Wok Set, Bamboo Steamer, big Chinese-Cook Cleaver Knife--and I cooked today.

Made Lemon Chicken by giving the chicken a good batter, stir frying it, and using a lemon juice/brown sugar glaze. I steamed the vegetables in the bamboo and they came out perfectly. It's so much better than the soggy mess you'll often get in Chinese take out places.

I don't really have a good Chinese cookbook, however, and that's a problem. I do have a Vietnamese one and my next goal is to cook some Pho soup.

Anyone else into Asian cooking, or looking to master it?

I'm thinking of trying an Indian dish, but I'm a little intimidated by it.

[vivalarev]

1. Im making dim sum tonite

[WillyBrandt]

2. Just a bunch of little dishes?

[vivalarev]

3. yeah like 3 different ones....

the ingrediants are expensive but its worth it...its also pretty lite fare and its hot as hell today.

[Kali]

4. easy and fast

its all prep work. Look on-line for recipes - but once you learn a few basic sauces/spices you can just experiment - cook whatever you like. Its good healthy eating too. lots of veggies. Meat, if you use it, more for flavor that the main portion (well unless you try to cook food like they serve to fat americans in all you can eat buffet places)

[AlCzervik]

5. I make thai food at least once a week

i'm hooked on pad thai and anything with spicy peanut sauce. I also have come to like rice noodles much more than any other kind.

[flamingyouth]

6. Wow, you're really coming along in your cooking pursuits

It's great to hear. The Joyce Chen wok is great; it's what I use. Check out Mai Pham's Vietnamese cookbooks (she's done several, and they are very good). Also, never overlook epicurious.com and foodtv.com for great recipes.

I have a slew of Asian recipes. My late husband and I used to make elaborate, eight-course Thai, Vietnamese and Burmese dinners that were sublime. Feel free to PM me for any recipes and/or ideas.

BTW - if you advance to spring rolls, get a Le Creuset stock pot, which holds the heat of the oil really well. And use a combination of peanut oil and canola. They'll cook very crispy and not be greasy.

How fun for you! Cooking is great, one of my favorite hobbies. :hi:

[Fenris]

7. We have a Le Creuset outlet in San Marcos.

;)

[flamingyouth]

8. I like presents!

:D

[Fenris]

9. I know.

Don't think I don't think about that.

[WillyBrandt]

10. Thanks! It beats my initial dish I mentioned on DU: Omlette with Tuna

And my edible but unpalatable baked steak. It actually started out that I--after seeing Super Size Me--didn't want to eat at McDonalds or get take out all the time.

So, what's left? Cooking for yourself. I only knew one or two dishes, but I'm realizing that I'm liking it a lot. Moreover, you can eat a lot of great dishes--especially with Asian food--that you just can't get at most restaurants.

And it's a pretty basic "human" skill--you gots to feed yourself!

[flamingyouth]

11. Cooking for one is kind of hard, I realize now

I cut the recipes in half, then often freeze the leftovers. I can't stand eating the same dish day in and day out.:hi:

[WillyBrandt]

12. I actually don't mind eating the same thing 3 days in a row...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. Indian is easy

Just get a good cookbook.

[DemoTex]

14. I cook Asian

Tonight I set up for Tuesday by making a coconut milk/cream. I drained the water from two coconuts, diced the coconut meat, roasted it, then pureed it in the food processor. To one cup of coconut meat I add one cup of chicken stock. Blend and strain.

On Tuesday I will use the coconut milk to make Gai Yank Khing (grilled chicken from North Thailand). That will involve a trip to the garden for fresh coriander root.

Other ingredients might include dashes of fresh pepper, sea salt, chopped garlic, turmeric, and turbanado sugar. All to taste, as they say.

Asian cooking is improvising.