Ants on a Tree

I've always loved the name of this dish although I have to say that it looks nothing like ants or trees for that matter. I'm going to have to assume that the person who named it was wither drunk or a poet with a good imagination.  It is basically hand minced or ground meat (usually pork), which is supposed to be the ants cooked with bean thread noodles, the tree branches perhaps?  And, it is all cooked together in a slightly spicy sauce. It's a wonderful dish for people who are gluten free who want a noodle that's not made of rice. The bean thread noodles are also a big hit with kids as they are translucent and somewhat slippery, making them good to slurp!  But, when my kids were little, I did tone down the heat a lot. Now they like things hotter than I do. I bought more ground chicken than I needed for the last dish I made this for our very next meal.

It's simple as many Asian dishes are and only requires a few sauce ingredients - Tamari, Rice Wine and Chili Bean Paste or Chili Garlic Sauce or both and Toasted Sesame Oil and a little Black Pepper. Chili Bean Paste has a slightly deeper flavor and I personally prefer the Chili Garlic Sauce but they are also really good together. The other aromatics are the Chinese trilogy - garlic, green onions and ginger.  It's got a bright spicy flavor that excites the palate.  You've got to try this one.....

Ants on a Tree

8 ounces of Bean Thread Noodles (they usually come in 2 oz packages)

3/4 pound minced or ground chicken (or pork)

1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced

1 1/2 chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

6 green onions, ends trimmed and cut into small pieces - white and green parts separated

3 Tablespoons Tamari

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

2 - 3 Tablespoons Chili Bean Paste and/or Chili Garlic Sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee brand)

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

3 cups boiling water

Fresh ground Black Pepper

Soak the noodles in hot tap water for about 20 - 30 minutes.  Put the ground chicken in a bowl and mix in 1 Tablespoon of the Tamari and the Rice Wine - mix until incorporated into the meat.  In another bowl mix together the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Tamari, the Sesame Oil and the Chili Bean Paste and/or the Chili Garlic Sauce.

Heat Oil in a large frying pan. Add in the white part of the green onion with the ginger and garlic. Cook until it just starts to brown.  Add in the ground chicken and cook until no longer pink, breaking the meat up into small pieces.  Add in the sauce and stir, then add the water and bean thread noodles. Cook until the water is mostly absorbed, add the green tops of the green onions and Black Pepper. Toss to mix in and serve on a large plate.

Five Element Analysis

Mung beans belong to the Water Element and the Tamari and Sesame Oil add even more so that element is covered. The chicken contributes the Wood Element and the Chili Sauce, Rice Wine and Black Pepper add the Fire Element.  The garlic, ginger and green onions contribute the Metal Element so only the Earth Element is missing.  So, be sure to serve this with another Earth vegetable, like cabbage to make a balanced meal. 

Gai Pad Gapow - Thai Ground Chicken with Holy Basil

My youngest son has returned from his internship in Singapore and one of the things he brought back is a taste for the kind of amazingly good Asian food he was able to buy at the Hawker stalls near his apartment in the Geylang district. His favorite was a little Thai kitchen that made excellent Gai Pai Gapow or Ground Chicken and Holy Basil. It is a common street food in Thailand and usually pretty hot from the Bird Chilis that they use.  I visited him last year and watched them make it and had a pretty good idea of what to do.  So, we experimented and got the flavors right the very first time!

It's a really simple dish and cooks in just a few minutes making it a delicious and nutritious fast food.  I bought chicken already ground and made sure it had dark meat in it as ground chicken breast is a bit dry. If you can't find ground chicken, you can buy chicken thighs and chop them up. Or, you can substitute ground pork or ground turkey instead.  Remember to buy a lot of holy basil. It may seem like too much, but you need it for the flavor and like all greens, shrinks down to very small pieces.  You can also use regular basil, but I don't think it is as good.  I used a Serrano Chili as it is my favorite as I can handle the heat level.  But feel free to buy the traditional Bird Chilis that are a little too hot for me. It is traditionally served with steamed white jasmine rice. It was so good that it is certainly going to become one of our staple dishes from now on!

Gai Pad Gapow – Thai Ground Chicken with Basil

¾ lb ground chicken or chicken things, minced fine (can also use ground pork or turkey)

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

1 Tablespoon Kecap Manis (or you can substitute Tamari and a bit of sugar to make it gluten free)

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, chopped

1 Serrano Chili, stem removed, deseeded and minced (or use 6 Thai Bird Chilis, cut up into tiny pieces)

A big handful of Thai Basil, leaves stripped from the stem

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Mix together the Fish Sauce, the Kecap Manis and White Pepper.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add in the shallot, garlic and Serrano Chili.  Cook until it just begins to brown.  Add in ground chicken and cook, separating the meat into little chunks.  Cook until the chicken is no longer pink.  Add in the sauce mixture and the Thai Basil and toss until basil is wilted.  Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element so that element is covered.  The fish sauce and soy sauce contribute the Water Element. The basil, garlic and shallot bring in the Metal Element and the pepper and Serrano Chili represent the Fire Element.  Only the Earth Element is missing so be sure to serve it with another earthy dish, perhaps something with coconut to make a balanced five element meal.

Chana Masala - Spicy Indian Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce

You will probably see that I’ve been on an Indian kick and will soon be moving into cooking from another ethnic culinary tradition. But I had to share with you this recipe first. I first made Chana Masala for my vegetarian stepson and at the time, he was not eating any onions and garlic so I used Asafetida instead.  That is a resin from India that has a mild oniony flavor, but when I made this same dish with onions and garlic, I didn’t look back. To me, they add so much depth to the flavor. I love the spiciness of this dish and I don’t usually go for spicy foods, but it is a very balanced heat and if you serve it with rice and a yogurt cucumber salad, the heat really enhances the flavor. I like it with a little more sauce than is traditional. It is often quite a dry dish when authentic.  But this version is a brightly tangy dish with chewy chickpeas and a smooth spicy sauce. I took the picture before I added the cilantro, but do add it if you like it as it adds lovely contrasting color and some good flavor too. Chana Masala is one of my favorite Indian dishes and it may become one of yours too!

Chana Masala – Spicy Indian Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce

 3 Tablespoons Ghee or Butter

1 large onion, chopped


1 large clove garlic, minced


1 inch chunk of fresh Ginger, peeled and grated or minced very fine

1 Serrano Chili, deseeded and minced


1 Tablespoon ground coriander


1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 teaspoon Turmeric


2 teaspoons ground Cumin

1 15-ounce can of whole Tomato Sauce 


2 (15 oz) cans Chickpeas, drained and rinsed


1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste


Juice of ½ of a large lemon or whole small lemon

Heat Ghee or Butter in a large skillet until melted. Add Coriander, Cumin, Cayenne and Turmeric - cook just for a minute or until you can smell the spice.  Add in the onion, ginger and garlic.  Cook until onion softens.  Add in the Serrano Chili, the Tomato Sauce and the Chickpeas. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and squeeze in lemon juice – stir and serve garnished with Cilantro leaves. 

Five Element Analysis 


Chickpeas are part of the bean family so they belong to the Water Element. The Metal Element is strongly represented by all of the spices and the garlic and onion. The Fire Element also has strong representation from the Tomato Sauce, Cayenne Pepper and the Serrano Chili. The Wood Element is represented by the lemon juice and the cilantro leaves.  Only the Earth Element is lacking so serve this dish with another Earthy food like an Indian Cucumber Salad to balance out the meal. 

Kitchari

Kitchiri is one of those comforting foods that I can't stop eating once I start. I forget to make it very often and it is so good for you.  In the Ayurvedic tradition, Kitchiri is a food that you eat to create rest from processed foods.  The mung beans in it are full of amino acids that are the precursors for protein and when combined with the rice cooked with it turns it into a full protein. Plus the spices used are supposed to be very good for your digestive system.  In any case, it is a wonderful dish that I make with  many vegetables in it to give it even more of a nutritional punch.  This is a very simple recipe that cooks much quicker than you think.  The total time of cooking was only 1/2 hour but it has the taste and feel of a long, slow cooked dish. I like to use browned onions and garlic for additional flavor, but other versions call for the use of Asafetida instead, a dried gum from India that smells quite bad when uncooked, but when added to foods and cooked tastes a bit like leeks. Kitchiri is traditionally garnished with extra shredded ginger and cilantro leaves and sometimes I garnish it with extra browned onions too.  It's really delicious, nourishing and nurturing too!

Kitchiri

1 cup yellow dried Mung Beans (dehulled)

2 cups Basmati Rice

1 Serrano Chili, stem removed, deseeded and cut into a fine mince

8 cups water

2 Tablespoons Ghee or Butter

1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled, grated or minced very fine

1/2 Tablespoon dried Turmeric

1/2 Tablespoon dried Coriander

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1 onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove minced

2 Roma tomatoes, stem piece removed and cut into small pieces

1 small zucchini, stem removed and cut into small chunks

1 yellow summer squash, stem removed and cut into small chunks

1 large carrot, stem removed, peeled and cut into small chunks

Salt and Pepper to taste

For Garnish:

1 bunch of cilantro, leaves removed from the stem

2 inches of ginger, peeled and grated

Quartered Lemons to squeeze on the juice

Wash and rinse the Mung Beans and put into a pot with the 8 cups of water. Add in Turmeric and Serrano Chili.  Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Skim off foam and cook for a total of about 15 minutes or until the Mung Beans are just starting to get soft.  Add in the rice and vegetables and cook for an additional 15 - 20 minutes.  Taste to see if rice is done. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat the Ghee (or butter) and add in the Coriander and Cumin Seeds.  Cook until they start to brown slightly. Add in the garlic and onions and cook until the onions get browned.  Add in tomatoes and cook until they break down into a sauce.  Add to the cooked Kitchiri and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with the cilantro leaves and ginger.

Five Element Analysis

Mung Beans are an Earthy food and the squash and carrots and cooked onions add even more.  Rice belongs to the Metal Element and the garlic and spices make sure that Metal is fully present.  The Water Element is represented in the amount used to cook the Mung Beans and Rice and the butter. The Fire Element is found in the Tomatoes and Serrano Chili and the Cilantro and Lemon add the Wood Element.  As you can see, this is a very balanced one dish meal!

Summer Guacamole with Corn

I love avocados and only regret that I don't have a big tree growing in my backyard like I used to in Southern California. While visiting my sister a few days ago, I ran across a roadside stand that was selling avocados for next to nothing, so of course I bought a lot! To me, avocados are one of nature's miracle foods. The oil in avocados is really good for your nervous system as it supports the health of the myelin sheath and avocados reduces cholesterol and help you digest the nutrients of other foods too! One of my favorite things is BLAT sandwiches as bacon and avocado are amazing together and I also like avocados on toast for breakfast with lots of salt and pepper.  But I have to admit that Guacamole is something that I just have to eat on a regular basis.  When my kids were young, they refused to try it as the green color put them off, but I volunteered at their school as one of the "Food Moms"and we taught the kids how to make Guacamole but we called it "Rainforest Chip Dip" instead. We had the kids make it with us and they all devoured it and begged for more.  From that point on, my sons were converted and we still call Guacamole by that name.  This version makes use of some leftover grilled corn that makes the dip slightly more substantial and the pop of the sweet corn kernels contrasts with the creaminess of the avocados really well.  What's different about this dip is the addition of little bit of mayonnaise that makes it even creamier.  We've tried it without, but we really like it better when it is included. Serve this dip with lots of good quality tortilla chips. If I have time, I fry them myself as nothing beats homemade tortilla chips.  But if I don't want to go to that trouble, I look for slightly thick ones (I got a good bag from Whole Foods) and then heat them in the oven for 3 - 5 minutes so that they crisp up and become perfect for dipping.  It's so good and so good for you that it's almost a meal!

Summer Guacamole

4 Avocados

1 Serrano Chili, stem removed, deseeded and minced finely

4 medium Tomatoes, chopped

1/2 White Onion, minced fine

1/2 cup cooked corn (cut off the cob)

Juice of 1 small Lime (can also use lemon) - about 2 Tablespoons - or more to taste

1/2 Teaspoon New Mexico Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Best Foods (Hellman's Mayonnaise)

1 teaspoon salt

Handful of washed Cilantro leaves

Slice avocados in half, remove seeds, scoop out the flesh and put into a bowl and mash.  Squeeze lime or lemon juice over to keep from browning.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix to blend.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Five Element Analysis

Avocados belong to the Water and Wood Elements and the lime juice adds even more Wood so that element is covered.  The Serrano Chili, Tomatoes and Chili Powder contribute the Fire Element.  The corn and the tortilla chips contribute the Earth Element and the Onions, Mayonnaise and Cilantro add the Metal Element.  The Water Element only has the salt to represent it so it needs a little enhancement to actually make this a balanced snack!

Thai Coconut Pudding in Kabocha Squash

I'm visiting my friend and she just harvested her first Kabocha squash.  We were gathering vegetables from her amazing garden and there were a lot of people coming over for dinner so I made a special Thai dessert that involves steaming the squash after being filled with a coconut pudding. It's really simple and quite spectacular looking when served.  Like most Asian desserts, it is not too sweet and really nourishing.  It's also surprisingly simple to make - the only trick is using enough eggs to make it a firm pudding so you can slice it.  I used Sucanat for the sweetener as I think it tastes more like traditional palm sugar so the pudding was a lovely caramel color, but if you want to make the pudding white, use regular sugar.  It's a fitting end to a Thai meal and delicious!

Thai Coconut Pudding in Kabocha Squash

1 Kabocha Squash

1 cup Coconut Milk (use the creamiest part from the top of the can if possible

3/4 cup sugar (I used Sucanat)

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Wash the outside of the Kabocha Squash thoroughly.  Using a sharp knife, cut one inch around the stem to cut a hole. Remove top and using a metal spoon, scoop out the seeds and scrape out the strings so that the walls of the squash are smooth.  Pour water up to at least 2 inches in the bottom of a steamer and bring it to a boil.  In a small saucepan, cook Coconut Milk and Sucanat (or sugar) until just boiling and turn off hear.

Whisk eggs in a ceramic or glass bowl that will fit into the steamer and add in a few Tablespoons of the Coconut mixture, beat in and then add in a few more.  Then add all the rest of the Coconut mixture.  Put the bowl into the steamer and steam for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Then take it out and stir again and pour into the Kabocha Squash that is on a plate that will fit into the steamer. Add more water if necessary. Place the plate with the Squash into the steamer.  Cover and steam for 45 minutes and be sure to check the water periodically and add more boiling water if necessary.  Check the pudding by inserting a toothpick or small knife into the center.  It is done if nothing sticks and the squash is tender.  Take out of the steamer and let cool until you serve. Cut into 8 sections to serve.

Five Element Analysis

Squash, being orange and sweet is representative of the Earth Element and the Sucanat sugar and Coconut Milk adds even more. The eggs bring in the Water Element and the vanilla brings just a hint of the Metal Element so this dessert is a perfect accompaniment to a meal that contains Wood and Fire Foods and something that adds a bit more Metal too.  

Broiled Salmon with a Mustard Glaze

My son Stephen makes really great Gravlax and next time he does, I promise to post his recipe.  But, he usually makes it at Christmas time, so you'll see it around then.  But today, I'm just back from Europe and he made me a wonderful Broiled Salmon with a Mustard Glaze that is the basis for his Gravlax Sauce.  And, it was divine.  It is a sweet and pungent sauce that is composed of two kinds of mustard, brown sugar and dill. To make it into a sauce for Gravlax, just add a bit of oil. But for this dish, you slather it on top of raw salmon and broil it. Once broiled, it bubbles and browns and infuses the salmon with a lovely flavor. This recipe makes a little extra to serve on the side and if you want more, it is easily doubled.  I hope you enjoy it!

Broiled Salmon with a Mustard Glaze

1 pound Salmon Filet

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

2 Tablespoons French's Yellow Mustard

4 or more Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Dill Weed

Heat oven to broil.  Mix together the two mustards and brown sugar - reserve 1/2 of the sauce for serving.  Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Add in Dill Weed.  Put Salmon in a baking pan skin side down.  Spoon glaze over the salmon to cover thoroughly. Broil for about 10 minutes or until salmon flakes.  If the glaze starts getting too browned, move the salmon down lower in the oven or turn down the heat.  If you don't feel  like watching it, you can also  bake first at 450 degrees until nearly done and then turn broiler on to brown the glaze slightly.  Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Five Element Analysis

All fish belong to the Water Element, although salmon, being red adds a bit of fire too. Mustard and Dill adds the Metal Element and the brown sugar contributes the Earth Element.  Serve this dish with some Wood Vegetables and/or pasta and some lovely Fiery berries for dessert and you have a perfectly balanced meal!