Asian foods                Return to cookbook

            YAKA SOBA 

          Note this is one of those old recipes where you add the amounts to your taste or to the amount you want to make.

 Pork diced (I generlly use the boneless part of country ribs but any kind of pork roast, shoulder, chops ect. will do)  
Leeks or onions                                     Carrots
Bean sprouts Fresh or canned                Bamboo shoots Cabbage sliced
Soy sauce Broth or water, I use consume instead of broth.                     
Corn starch Spaghetti pasta

            Dice pork into bite size pieces and fry the defatted pork pieces until done.   And transfer to a large kettle.  Add water to skillet to remove all meat drippings and add to a kettle while frying the vegs.

         Stir fry the following vegetables, remembering that time in the kettle and re-heating will cook them more and they should be crisp. 

Carrots cut in match sticks                        Bamboo shoots - julienne if necessary
Celery - diagonal slices                             Leeks ( 0r 0nions) - diagonal sliced

(These four can go in the skillet if they are put in the same order, as the carrots take the most time, and the others in descending order.)    Add these to the kettle.

    Then Stir fry:

    Fresh bean sprouts.  If not available use canned that have been drained and had soy sauce added to the sprouts in the can and let soak for a few minutes. 

    Stir fry finely shredded cabbage and add to the kettle.

     Put in another pot soy sauce, broth or water and thicken with corn starch. (You will want enough to make a sauce for the amount of meat  and vegetables you have. And the amount of corn starch  would depend how thick you like the sauce.) Add to kettle.

 Boil spaghetti.  Drain.  Fry a little at a time until brown and slightly crisp. 

 Heat kettle remembering not to over cook your vegs.

 Serve vegetables on the spaghetti noodles.

           HAWAIIAN CHICKEN

     BBQ 2 chickens till almost done.  Baste with a sauce made of apricot preserves and 1 cup Russian salad dressing with honey. If you cannot find Russian dressing with honey use regular Russian dressing and add honey to taste.

            STIR-FRIED CASHEW CHICKEN

 2 whole chicken breasts, split, boned, skinned and cut into serving size pieces.
2 T peanut or salad oil                        1 pkg. (6 oz) frozen pea pods
1 cup diagonally cut carrots                1/2 cup green onions cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup soy sauce                               1/4 cup sherry
1 T cornstarch                                    1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 cup cashews                                hot cooked rice noodles

     In wok or large skillet, stir fry chicken in hot oil over high heat on all sides until golden brown.  Add pea pods, carrots and green onions.  Cook, stirring until meat is tender and vegetables are slightly crisp.  Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch and garlic powder smoothly.  Pour into skillet and cook stirring until thickened and bubbly.  Toss cashews into mixture.  Serve immediately on hot rice noodles.

 STIR FRIED CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS

1 whole chicken breast, about 1 lb.              1 lb. asparagus
1 T cornstarch                                             1 t chicken bouillon granules
3/4 cup water                                              3 T soy sauce
5 T cooking oil                                            1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms
6 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces            1/2 cup sliced canned water chestnuts
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes                hot cooked rice

     Cut and measure all ingredients before starting to cook.  Remove skin and bones from chicken breast.  Cut chicken into 2 by 1/8 inch strips.  Cut asparagus on the bias in 2 by 1/4 inch slices.  Blend together cornstarch, chicken bouillon granules, 3/4 cup water and soy sauce.  Set aside.  Heat 3 T oil in heavy 12 inch skillet over high heat.  Add chicken.  Stir and fry until chicken is opaque, about 2 minutes.  Remove chicken from skillet.  Add 1 T oil to the skillet.  Add asparagus, stirring to coat with oil.  Add 1/4 water.  Cover and cook 3 minutes.  Adds remaining 1 T oil.  Add mushrooms, onions and water chestnuts.  Stir and fry until asparagus is tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.  Add cherry tomatoes.

            SWEET AND SOUR MEAT BALLS

    Mix 1 lb. ground beef, 1 egg, 1 T cornstarch, 1t salt, 2 T onion, chopped and a few grains pepper; form in 18 balls or more.  Brown them is a small amount of oil, drain.

     To 1 T oil add 1 cup pineapple juice and cook over low heat for a few minutes.  Add mixture to 3 T cornstarch, 1 T soy sauce, 3 T vinegar, 6 T water and 1/2 cup sugar.  Cook until juice thickens, stirring constantly.

      The above may be prepared in advance.

     Add meat balls, 4 slices pineapple, cut into pieces and three large green peppers each cut into 12 to 15 strips lengthwise.  Heat thoroughly.  Serve hot.  Serves 6 to 8.

 MANDARIN PORK SLICES

2 lb. boneless pork loin   cut into 1/2 inch slices               
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup orange marmalade                   
1/2 t ginger

    Combine marmalade, soy sauce, garlic and ginger.  Pour mixture over pork slices.  Cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight.  Drain pork slices reserving 1/2 cup marinade.  Place pork slices in a single layer in a baking dish, about 13x9 inches.  Pour 1/2 cup marinade over pork slices.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Turn pork slices and continue baking 30 minutes.

     SWEET AND SOUR PORK OR SPARERIBS

     Make sweet-sour sauce in advance.  Mix 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup vinegar, 2/3 cup water and 3 T cornstarch. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly.

     Place in kettle, 2 lb. uncooked pork or spareribs, cut in pieces about 1 inch thick and 2 inches long.  Add 1 cup cold water and boil 20 minutes or until tender, pour off water, if there is any left.  Cool.

     While meat is cooling, sauté 1/4 cup onions, 1 cup green pepper and 1 cup pineapple in 2 T oil.  Remove from pan.  Now, add to the cool pork, a mixture of 2 T soy sauce and 2 T cornstarch.  Heat oil for deep fat frying, 390 degrees, and fry the meat until crisp and brown.  Remove and drain.  Combine meat with hot sweet-sour sauce and sautéed vegetables.  (more sugar may be added to suit taste.)  Serves 4 to 6.

             SWEET AND SOUR BRUSSELS SPROUTS

3 pints Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
1 cup chopped red apple
1/4 cup butter
2 T each: brown sugar, vinegar
1/4 t salt
pepper to taste

     Cook Brussels sprouts in 2 quarts boiling, salted water for 6 to 8 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain; rinse under cold water.  Heat butter in large skillet.  Stir in sugar, vinegar and 2 T water; heat to boiling.  Stir in sprouts and apples.  Cook and store until heated through.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Serve hot.

             SWEET AND SOUR CABBAGE

     Shred 1 head of red cabbage, removing the core and bad sections.  Melt 3 T butter in a sauce pan with 3 T chopped onions.  Add rinsed cabbage and cook for 10 minutes.  Add 2 apples sliced then 1 t salt and 1/4 cup water.  Cook until done, adding more water if necessary.  When done add 4 T brown sugar and 4 T vinegar.  Cook 5 minutes longer.

      STIR-FRY SESAME CARROTS

 2 T instant minced onions                    3 T butter or margarine
4 cups thinly sliced carrots                    2 T sesame seeds
1/2 t ea.: ground ginger and salt            1/8 t ground pepper
1 t molasses or sugar, optional

            Soak instant onions in 2 T water for 10 minutes to dehydrate.  Melt butter in large skillet.  Add onion, carrots, and seasonings, except molasses.  Cook and stir on moderate to high heat until carrots are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.  Stir in molasses, if you wish.  Serve at once.

           SZECHWAN GREEN BEANS

 6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled                        2 quarter size slices fresh ginger, peeled
2 scallions trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths           1 T vegetable oil
1 t hot red pepper flakes                                          1 T soy sauce
1 T rice wine vinegar                                                1 lb. green beans, tipped and tailed

    Place garlic, ginger and scallions in the work bowl of a food processor.  Process until finely chopped.  Remove to a 14x11x2 inch dish.  Add oil and pepper flakes.  Microwave, uncovered, at 100 % for 3 minutes.

     Remove.  Stir in remaining ingredients. Microwave at 100 %, uncovered, up to 15 minutes, stirring 4 to 5 times.  Remove, stir and serve hot or cold.  Makes 4 cups or serves 8 as a side dish.