3 Tb chili powder
3 Tb flour
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
3 cups chicken or veggie stock
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Stirring constantly, add enough of the stock to make a thin paste. Pour into pan and add rest of stock. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in tomato sauce. Makes about 4 cups.
glory to J's cousin Cyndi!
CONGEE (稀饭 xīfàn) - is basically rice cooked in water/chicken broth, eaten for breakfast! There are many variations to how this can be cooked & served - but here is the basic gist:
Combine in a saucepan, and bring to a boil:
1 cup white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped/shredded chicken (some people use tuna/fish)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp peanut oil
water as needed
Add:
1 inch of ginger, cut into long thin strips/threads
This year, we were given a turkey from a local friend! How kind & generous, we thought! Until she delivered the turkey in a white canvas bag...ALIVE!!! Poor little turkey was tied up and docile in his bag. He spent the night in the bathroom (since it was late) and was taken to the butcher the next morning. A Muslim butcher makes the turkey kosher (qing zhen 清真/halal) and able to be shared with Muslim friends. The turkey came back with innards still intact, and a very long neck. I was glad they (at least) took the head & feet. I had to prepare the turkey a bit more than normal, and it needed some work! I think he weighed about 6 kilos total. We baked him in our tiny oven, which was a tight fit - but it worked great!!
Before:
olive oil (enough to rub the entire turkey)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled & crushed
1-2 lemons, sliced & squeezed
celery
chicken broth/water
salt
thyme
sage
oregano
Preheat oven to 450°F. Clean your turkey WELL. Rub entire turkey with olive oil. Stuff cavity with assortment of onion, garlic, celery & lemon slices. Leave remaining things in the roasting pan. Tie drumsticks together if desired. Sprinkle with salt & seasonings. Fill pan with 1-2 cups of chicken broth. Cover with foil. Bake in oven for 2-3 hours @ 350°F on the bottom rack. Make sure the turkey comes to at least 170°F with a meat thermometer stuck in the fleshy part of the thigh. I chose to keep the turkey covered until the last 20 minutes, and flip the turkey over half way through the roasting. I like to think this kept the breasts more moist.
After the turkey is done, you can remove from the roasting pan, and allow to stand 30 minutes before you carve it. With all the juices you can make a delicious gravy!
After:
Turkey gravy:
Pour pan juices through a sieve into a different bowl. You can skim off (and discard) the fat if you prefer. You can use your original roasting pan to make the gravy in, straddling across 2 burners. Melt some butter and stir in flour to make a roux - cook over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add turkey stock juices, whisking well to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil - and stir well. Season your gravy with salt & pepper - or add cider vinegar to taste.
A fun sandwich you can make ahead of time for picnics or enjoy hot out of the oven.
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 T yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 T olive oil
2 tsp salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
Fillings (mix & match as you like)
1/2 pound meat (pepperoni, sliced turkey, etc)
1/4 pound grated cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
Optional stuff (must be sliced very thin)
tomatoes
onions, grilled?
bell peppers, grilled?
black/green olives
roasted garlic
fresh basil
spinach, cooked & drained
mushrooms, grilled
tomato sauce, very little tho
1 egg, beaten
sesame seeds/poppy seeds
Combine 1/4 cup warm water with yeast & sugar. Stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy. Stir in remaining water, olive oil and salt. Gradually add flour (1/2 cup at a time) until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour until you have a smooth dough that comes away from the bowl. Knead 10 minutes, cover 1 hour until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough down and cut in half. Roll each ball on a floured surface until rectangular in shape (8x10). Arrange desired fillings, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Roll like a jelly-roll, pinch the edges and tuck the ends under. Cut long diagonal slashes (1/2 inch deep) along the top every 2-3 inches. Brush the top of the loaf with egg, sprinkle with seeds. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly before cutting and serving, or eat cold!
I can't say enough good things about these delicious nuggets. They are perfect. Thanks to Shu dajie (big sister) for teaching us how to make this famous Chinese dish! You can obviously change the amounts, meat/veggies, and even substitute anything you may not care for. There are many kinds of Jiaozi in the world yet to be created! ....but plan on spending 3-4 hours with some friends!
Main Ingredients:
6 chicken* breasts, ground or chopped fine
green onions, 1 bunch
spinach, 1 med bunch
cilantro, 1 bunch
6-8 large white mushrooms
1 small eggplant, peeled
baby cabbage*, 1/2 bunch
garlic, to taste (1-2 cloves minced)
1-2 T fresh ginger, minced
Flavorings:
3/4 cup oil (1/2 cup vegetable, 1/4 cup sesame oil)
2 T salt
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 T Hua jiao fen* (spicy peppercorn powder)
1/5 tsp chicken bullion powder
Extra Items Needed:
200+ round Jiaozi wraps*
oil for frying
large wok with lid
basting brush
water
chopsticks
soy sauce for dipping
Preparation (1.5 hours)
Chop all your main ingredients finely (see pict above), and mix together in a large mixing bowl. Add flavorings, and continue to mix well. You can cut back on oil if you desire. This mixture should smell really great. Put a small dab of stuffing into the center of the wrap, and pinch the top together. There are many ways to close the wraps, so watch this funny video if you want to see some action and great demonstration., or you can watch us "in action" too. Lay your Jiaozi on a large board before you fly/steam.
Frying (1.5 hours)
Heat small amount of oil in the bottom of your wok until hot. Place Jiaozi (about 15) neatly in the wok, on one side. Fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Flip each Jiaozi, and splash with water from a basting brush 10-15 times. Cover immediately, and steam for 4+ minutes until done. The water keeps them from getting too dried out. Serve warm with soy sauce for dipping.
Steaming (1+ hours)
You will need a large steamer, with 1-2 levels of steaming layers. Steam Jiaozi for 12-15 minutes, depending on the type of meat you use.
Happy wrapping & devouring!
*if you use beef, lamb or pork - you will need to cook the Jiaozi longer to make sure the meat is cooked thru.
glory to Shu dajie, a wonderful woman & joyful friend
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 T salt (or more to taste)
2 chicken breasts, cubed
6-10 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 onion, chopped or sliced
2 tomatoes, diced small
2 large squash, sliced thin
1/2 cup+ boiling water
*Optional: 1 green pepper, chopped (remove seeds, unless you like the extra spicy kick)
Heat oil in a large wok until very hot. Add salt before adding diced chicken. Sautee chicken until cooked thru, then add garlic & onions. Cook on med-high heat 5 min. Add diced tomatoes and simmer until cooked down into a tomato sauce. Add water (and some salt) if you want more sauce. Taste the broth to get the right saltiness, before you finally add squash & green peppers to simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until tender. We sometimes let the chicken simmer longer to make it tender. This is easy to prepare quickly - and can be altered for spiciness, and stretched for visitors! We serve it over white rice.
glory to Zoram - who whipped this up with the random stuff in my fridge.
No Lantern Festival (元宵节 Yuánxiāo Jié) is complete without some sweet, stuffed dumplings made with "sticky" rice flour (汤圆 tāng yuán). Here is an easy recipe using very few ingredients. You can find all these items in any Asian market, OR you can just buy Yuanxiao there. If you enjoy cooking though - give this a try! 
There are so many versions of this treat - and can be filled with countless fillings. Sweet fillings = black sesame paste, tangerine peel, walnuts, black jasmine, white jasmine, peanuts+sugar, & fruity fillings. Savory fillings = meat, vegetables, fish, & red beans.,
Not really sure what to call this creation. I ordered a dish like this on the street months ago, and it tasted SO great. I have no idea how it was made - but this is my feeble attempt to re-create something of similar hue/flavor/combination! If you have a suggestion for a better name - please share!!
1/2 kilo beef (you can use other meats too), cubed
2-3 potatoes (washed, peeled & cut into small cubes)
veggie (2-3 carrots or cauliflower or none at all)
oil - 1/3+ cup
4-6 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1-2 T tomato paste
salt to taste (1/2 tsp?)
hot water
Optional: *onions, extra garlic
Heat oil in wok over high heat. Add meat and fry until cooked thru. Add salt & garlic to flavor. *You can add onions here if desired. Add teriyaki sauce and tomato paste and mix well. Add potatoes, veggies and stir well for 5 minutes. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, and simmer until potatoes are cooked thru. Serve over white/brown rice.
this is a staple food in Uyghur culture. Uyghur people usually eat Polo a few times each week. 
1/2 cup + vegetable oil
2-3 tsp salt
1 pound beef/lamb, cut into 3-4 chunks
5-8 carrots (orange & yellow), sliced into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
5-8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tomato, diced
3-4 T tomato paste (GF)
3 cups rice, rinsed
3 + cups hot water
Optional
more onion
raisins
dates, chopped
Prepare all your ingredients first. See picture to know how to cut carrots into thin slices. Then, in a large wok, heat oil on med-high heat. When oil is very hot, add 1 tsp salt, and then add the meat to brown. Cover with lid to prevent splattering. Brown on each side for 3-4 minutes. Add onions & garlic, and stir well. Remove meat (set aside) and add thin carrot slices to onions/garlic. Stir well until coated with oil. Cook for 3 minutes, and add tomato, stir well. Cover & stir every 5 minutes. While simmering, cut the meat into bite-sized chunks. After 10 minutes, add 3-4 T tomato paste, 1-2 tsp salt, and the cut-up meat. Simmer for 5 more minutes and add 2 cups of hot water (add optional items here). Stir and spread carrots/meat out in the wok so that the rice can cook in the middle. Add 3 cups rice, patting it down into the wok (not stirring) so that it soaks up the liquid. Add more water (1-2 cups) until rice is almost immersed. Cover and reduce the heat to med-low. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, checking to see if more water needs to be added. After 15 minutes, check the rice, and stir a bit if top remains uncooked. Add water if necessary. Stir rice and enjoy!!
glory to Bilqiz, my amazing teacher!
This recipe can be stretched to feed 4-6 people depending on how many veggies you add, and the desired spiciness of your curry. Have fun experimenting with your own flavors, veggies and spices. This is a regular meal in our home!
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive/vegetable oil
1 onion (diced)
5-10 large garlic cloves, diced
ginger (1 whole med-sized root), peeled & diced small
2-4 tomatoes, diced
curry powder (2-4T of your favorite kind) we like MDH!
2-3 chicken breasts, cubed (or you can use beef, lamb, etc)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2-4 potatoes, peeled & cubed
2-4 carrots, peeled & sliced
boiling water
cilantro
Optional
coconut milk, green onions, cauliflower
You will need one large wok for this dish. Prepare all the ingredients ahead of time, and it will go smoothly. This meal requires constant stirring for the first 30 minutes, and then can simmer for another 20-30. Heat the oil in the wok (med-high heat) - then add the onions, garlic & ginger. Stir & simmer for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent/browned. Add tomatoes & simmer 5 minutes. Add curry & salt & simmer. This will create the base for your curry dish. Add chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add potatoes and stir well until coated with curry sauce. Add carrots and stir well again. Add any other veggies of your choice. Simmer for about 5 minutes stirring constantly, and then add water and/or coconut milk until the potatoes are almost immersed in the wok. Simmer (med-low heat) for about 20-30 more minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning. You will know the curry is done if your potatoes are nice and tender. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Enjoy over white rice!
glory to Rinu & Esther, my Indian friends
8-10 large green apples
10-12 oz chopped pecans, almond and/or walnuts
1 ½ cups sweet wine (red)
1 T cinnamon
4 T sugar
Peel, core & coarsely chop apples. Add nuts, wine, cinnamon & sugar. If sweeter taste is desired, add more sugar. Stir and serve.
1 large chicken (cut down the middle, cut tail & head/neck off, cut off feet and wash well inside – then chop into good sized chunks)
½ cup cooking oil
2 T white sugar
3 tsp. salt
3 large potatoes (peeled, washed & quartered)
garlic cloves (10-15 large ones, smashed & chopped in half)
onion (about ½ an onion, cut into long thin slices)
ginger (about 5 long thin strips)
Chinese bark – not sure what name??
dried red chili peppers (13-20, depending on how spicy you want)
bay leaves – about 5-6
2 Chinese spices (wash & drain): Da Xiang – looks like a dried flower (about 10) & Hua Jiao (1½ T)
Cilantro - chopped
Utensils:
Large deep pan (wok) with lid
Spatula/Spoon with long handle
Large bowl/plate to serve
Directions:
Heat oil in the large, deep pan. Add sugar, and stir constantly. Watch the sugar very closely. It will seem to get solid, then turn red & orange. When the sugar begins to bubble almost yellow – add the chicken pieces, while stirring. Stir until coated evenly with the oil/sugar mixture. Add 3 tsp. salt. Fry while stirring for about 15 minutes. Add Chinese spices. Reduce heat to med/high, and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add diced potatoes, and continue to stir. Cook 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Add sliced onion, crushed garlic, and ginger strips. Immediately add 4-5 cups water (till chicken & potatoes are almost covered, depending on your skillet/pan/wok), and stir well. Add Chinese bark. Add 13-20 red chili’s, and 5-6 Bay leaves. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked thru, stirring occasionally. Top with freshly cut cilantro if you’d like.
Serve over wide egg noodles, or over white rice. Yum!!
glory to Adel, May 06
3 cups cooked garbanzos (soaked overnight with 2T salt, then pressure cooked for 25 min)
2 T tahini/sesame paste
¾-to-1 tsp salt
6 T lemon juice
Optional: (I like all three options!)
cumin or cayenne
parsley or cilantro
2 green onions
Blend in a food processor and enjoy with pita bread!
glory to Kristen McNabb/Ganim, with some extra options
3 breasts of chicken
Sweet & sour packet (powder)
Chicken bouillon
4-5 cups water
3-5 cloves of garlic
Onion (about ½)
Lemon grass
Serrano peppers
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Green bell peppers
Ginger root
*shrimp or pork – optional
In medium sized wok: bring to boiling, ½ can coconut milk, 2 tsp. sweet & sour powder, and one chicken bouillon cube – till it smells tasty. Add chicken breasts (cubed) and bring back to a boil. Cook thoroughly.
In large pot: begin boiling water – add garlic and onion, salt and lemon grass (cut into ½ inch slices)
When ready: combine in large pot – along with veggies, peppers and ginger root. Simmer and serve! Goes well with white rice!
glory to Master Wee Donchai (& Thailand)
we learned this when he visited in 2003
