avocado & white grapefruit salad

This is my favorite side dish for warm spring and early summer days. It’s refreshing, light and tasty!

It goes well with BBQ or grilled main dishes.

Make sure you use a white grapefruit.

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 avocado, halved, pitted and sliced

1 large white grapefruit, peel and white pith cut away, segments cut from between membranes

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. wasabi

Directions:

Mix the soy sauce and wasabi in a medium bowl. Add the avocado and cilantro in the bowl and gently coat with the sauce.
Transfer avocado with grapefruit to a plate.

spicy Karage ( Japanese style fried chicken )

Great as an appetizer or a picnic! You can make non-spicy for your family.

serves 3-4

Ingredients: 

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut in bite sizes

mixture

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 egg

1/2 tsp. sugar 

1/2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. chicken powder bouillon

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. corn starch

1 Tbs. Sriracha or tabasco

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions: 

Whisk the mixture and transfer to a ziploc bag. Place the cut chicken into the bag and rub the mixture well. Seal it and let it sit for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot about 350F. 
Fry the chicken in the hot oil until lightly golden about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken with chop sticks or tongs a couple of times and adjust the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature.

Remove chicken from oil and place on paper towels to drip dry a few minutes.
Serve garnished with sliced lemon.

walnut Miso dip

Quick appetizer for  a party! Miso provides a lot of flavor and goes well with crunchy walnuts.

serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup walnuts

2 Tbs. miso paste

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

2 celery stalks

2 large carrots

2 persian cucumbers

Directions:

Cut the vegetables into 3 inch-long sticks.

Toast the walnuts in a skillet over medium high. heat about 2 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then roughly chop.

Mix the dip ingredients, walnuts, miso and mayonnaise together.  

Miso

- fermented soya bean paste - 

*removes nicotine and alcohol from the body

*protects the liver

*prevents various cancers

*reduce high blood pressure

Critical ingredient in Japanese cooking. It's available at local supermarkets and it can be kept refrigerated for a long time.

Asian steak salad

This is a very quick & easy dish for lunch or a busy weeknight. I normally serve with toasted sourdough bread on the side.

serves 2

Ingredients:

1 lb. skirt steak

4 small tomatoes cut in halves

1/4 white onion, thinly sliced

2 handful mixed leaves

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 Tbs. pine nuts

2 Tbs. olive oil for cooking

Dressing mix

1 Tbs. white vinegar 

2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. Mirin ( If you don't have Mirin, mix 2 Tbs. water & 1/2 Tbs. sugar )


Directions:

Season the steak with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet at medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant then take it out and set aside.
Grill the steak in the same skillet for 3 to 4 minutes per side until medium. Turn off the heat and remove the steak to cutting board and let stand 5 minutes then slice.
Without cleaning the skillet, pour dressing mix into hot skillet and mix well.
In a bowl, toss tomatoes, onion and mixed leaves and transfer to each plate.
Place sliced steak on top of mixed leaves, cover with the cooked garlic.  Pour the dressing and garnish with the pine nuts.