Tag: Asian Twist

OneWholesomeMeal brings you recipes from the Far East. From Japanese food to Thai food to Chinese delicacies, she has them all. Experimenting with flavors and bringing together her experience with Indian cooking, she whips up some tasty dishes with an Asian twist.

Thai Stir Fried Noodles by OneWholesomeMeal
Stir Fried Noodles

 

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal

Soba Noodles in Hot Peanut Sauce

Soba Noodles
Soba Noodles With Peanut Sauce

Some days you have all the time to linger over a meal and serve it piping hot, right off the stove. And for the other not so leisurely ones, you have soba noodles!

Traditionally served cold, these are so easy to put together and perfect pick me up for dinner on a sultry summer evening. Though today these noodles are popular in Japan, I read that they actually originated in China. Let me know if you have heard anything different. It always interests me to find a little bit more about the food we eat. What about you?

Coming back to the recipe, I have also shared a detailed recipe for the peanut sauce that adds the extra zing to this dish. One thing to keep in mind is to not overcook the noodles. I recommend checking intermittently to avoid this. Saving the best tip for last, team it up with a glass of sake and these are totally unbeatable. I got you at sake, didn’t I? Well! What else could one ask for when the temperatures are soaring! Try this recipe and you can thank me later.

If you want a colder version of the soba noodles, try the soba noodles salad recipe.

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Soba Noodles in Hot Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

  • Soba noodles (green or black. I prefer green but either is great)- 150gm
  • Carrot (peeled and cut into thin strips)-1
  • Purple cabbage (cut into thin strips)-1 cup or you could add regular cabbage or lettuce for the crunch
  • Peanut butter (normal or reduced fat)-2 tablespoons
  • Low sodium light soy sauce- 1 tablespoon
  • Honey- 2 tablespoons
  • Rice wine vinegar (not to be confused with rice wine or mirin)-1.5 tablespoons
  • Sesame oil- 2 tablespoons
  • Chili-garlic sauce (or Sriracha sauce)- 1 tablespoon or to taste (make sure not to add too much of it as it is quite salty and combined with soy sauce might make the dish quite high on salt
  • Garlic (minced)- 1 clove
  • Ginger (chopped)- 1 tablespoon
  • Spring Onions (chopped fine)- ½ cup
  • Toasted sesame seeds- 3 tablespoons
  • Hard boiled egg (optional)-1

Instructions

  1. Boil the soba noodles as per packet instructions, drain and place under running tap water to stop the cooking process. The noodles do not take very long (5 -7 minutes at most) to cook so check intermittently making sure not to overcook
  2. Mix all the ingredients for sauce (number 4 -11) in a small bowl and keep aside
  3. Once the noodles have cooled down add the chopped vegetables (except spring onions) and mix with the prepared sauce
  4. Garnish with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve with a side of hard-boiled eggs. You could also add roasted peanuts for an added crunch
  5. This is a complete meal in itself but you could also add cooked and diced tandoori-chicken to the noodles or even pan-fried tofu (see here for an easy tofu recipe-https://onewholesomemeal.com/2017/07/08/tangy-spiced-tofu-bites/) for an added protein punch

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 120
Nutrition- Protein/Fiber/ Vitamin B-1/Magnesium/Zinc/Potassium/Iron
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Gut/ Heart/Bone health/Metabolism
This is “My 8pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/soba-noodles-in-hot-peanut-sauce/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Peanut Butter Chicken With Flavoured Rice

Peanut Butter Chicken
Peanut Butter Chicken

When the heart wants Indian but the tastebuds want a wee bit more what do you do? You make peanut butter chicken, douse it with Chinese chilli oil, serve it on a bed of lemon rice and you are set.

Try to make it with unsweetened peanut butter. This is a great source of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Tip for the health-conscious  – increase the portion size of the chicken and go easy on the rice. It is really all about portion control and of course some physical activity on a daily basis. Eat real, stay real, stay healthy 🙂

Scroll down to read my recipe for peanut butter chicken.

For more recipes with an Asian Twist click here.

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Peanutbutter Chicken

Ingredients

  • Boneless chicken (breast)-300gm, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • Medium sized onion- 1
  • Medium sized tomato- 1
  • Chicken stock- ¾ cup
  • Smooth peanut butter- ¾ cup
  • Chili oil- 1 tablespoon or to taste (can be substituted with 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika)
  • Salt- ½ teaspoon
  • Pepper-½ teaspoon
  • Vegetable oil- 2 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet, add onion and stir until translucent. Add the chicken pieces; cook until chicken starts to turn white. Add chilli oil, followed by salt and pepper. Keep the heat on medium through the whole process and continue stirring. The entire process should take 5-7 minutes
  2. Add tomatoes and chicken stock and let it simmer on low heat until the chicken is tender
  3. Stir in peanut butter, stirring continuously until mixed thoroughly and the sauce starts to thicken. If the sauce is too thick, you could add some more chicken broth or hot water or if its not thickening, add some more peanut butter
  4. Serve hot with a side of lemon rice

Notes

Calories per portion- 250
Nutrition- Protein punch/Good fat/ Vitamins B-3, B-6, E/Magnesium
It does wonders for your- Skin/Hair/ Bones/Heart/Sleep/Muscles
This is “My 1pm/8pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/peanut-butter-chicken/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Tangy Spiced Tofu Bites: Hot Or Cold, Your Choice

Spiced Tofu Bites
Tangy Spiced Tofu Bites

Speak of tofu and the carnivores in the family start to wrinkle their noses.

My first five attempts at a tofu dish were rejected. Finally, when I experimented with a combination of lemon, tofu, and Indians spices, I knew I had struck gold with these tangy spiced tofu bites. The fact they take such little effort to prepare was definitely an added bonus. I love how versatile tofu is. There are endless possibilities, especially with the firmer variety. I will keep coming back to this one for sure.

Are You Tofu Ready?

Tofus can be confusing. There are different consistencies and when you go grocery shopping, it may get difficult to make the right choice. What is the right type of tofu? Well, it depends on the dish you want to make. Here are a few pointers to help you pick up the right consistency tofu.

  1. Silken tofu is the softest version of the tofu. This is usually blended and used in salad dressings, sauces, and desserts. Unless the recipe specifies it, you will mostly not use this variety.
  2. Next is the regular tofu. This comes in different consistencies – regular, firm, extra-firm, and super-firm.
  3. Regular tofu is most commonly used in Asian dishes. It is great in noodles and stew as this type of tofu easily absorbs flavors.
  4. Most supermarkets sell you the firm tofu. This is usually packaged with a liquid. Before using this tofu in any dish, you have to drain off this liquid. Ensure your tofu is dry before you cook. It can be used in noodles and stews as well as pan-fried. Therefore, this is the most versatile tofu.
  5. The extra-firm tofu is largely used in pan-fried and deep-fried dishes. It does not absorb flavors like the previous tofu and hence is not recommended to be used on noodles or stews.
  6. Lastly, we have the super-firm tofu which acts as a great meat substitute.

To know which tofu is the best for your dish, visit tofupedia.

How To Spice The Tofu Bites?

Many supermarkets sell seasoned tofu and smoked tofu, but I did not get those. I wanted to use Indian spices to make these spiced tofu bites. The spice mix includes coriander powder, amchoor, gram masala, red chili powder, and garlic powder.

Scroll down to read the full detailed recipe. For another Tofu recipe with Indian spices, try the Spinach and Tofu Stir Fry With Panchforan. Let me know which one you liked more.

Spiced Tofu Bites

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Tangy Spiced Tofu Bites

Ingredients

  • Tofu (the extra firm variety)- 250 gms
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice- 4 tablespoons
  • Coriander powder-1 teaspoon
  • Amchoor (raw mango powder)-1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Garam masala powder (or Cajun spice)-1.5 teaspoons
  • Red chili powder (optional)-1/2 teaspoon
  • Garlic powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil for shallow frying- 2 tablespoons
  • Smoked Paprika (optional) for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cut the tofu into small rectangular or square pieces
  2. Mix all the powdered spices in one bowl and place the freshly squeezed lemon juice into another
  3. Place a flat non-stick pan on medium-high heat and smear it with half a teaspoon oil
  4. Dip the tofu squares one by one in lemon juice followed by the spice powder mixture making sure they are coated evenly
  5. Pan fry on medium heat till spices change color and fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes on each side
  6. Serve hot as a snack or cold with salad

Notes

Calories (for 4 squares)- 125
Nutrition- Protein/Magnesium/Copper/Zinc/Vitamin B1
It does wonders for your- Memory/Nerves/Energy level/Gut/Quality of Sleep
This is “My 1 pm/3 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/tangy-spiced-tofu-bites/

[kkstarratings]