Spicy Asian Guy Cooks Keto

SZECHUAN TOFU GROUND PORK STIR-FRY

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 20:37:50 +0000

Sichuan cuisine (romanized as Szechwan cuisine) is a style of Chinese cooking originating from Sichuan Province. It has bold flavors, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting with preparing dishes with garlic and chili peppers, and the unique flavor of cooking with Sichuan peppercorn. Other well recognized Szechuan dishes included: Kung Pao chicken or beef, Shredded pork in garlic sauce, Spicy deep-fried chicken, Twice-cooked pork, Hot & sour soup.

Sichuan cuisine often contains food preserved through pickling, salting and drying. Preserved dishes are generally served as spicy dishes with heavy application of chili oil. Other commonly used spices in Sichuan cuisine are garlic, chili peppers, ginger and star anise.

This Szechuan stir fry recipe is a perfect blend of savory, sweet and spicy. Chili peppers (which include red pepper flakes, or chili paste) are combined with garlic, ginger, soy sauce to create a complex, savory, spicy stir fry with a touch of sweetness from brown sugar. Szechuan peppercorns add the remaining spicy flavor ( I use a chili pepper flake/ chili paste mixture sauce that already has the peppercorns added or use black pepper or peppercorns).

With a little advanced prep time, you can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes! Prepare the marinade sauce in large quantities and keep on hand in the refrigerator and it will be ready anytime you want to cook a sensational stir-fry dish (Szechuan Style).

To make a basic Szechwan Sauce, use the following ingredients:

Soy Sauce: This will be the base of the sauce, I recommend low-sodium.
Sweetener: Maple syrup, brown sugar, or any keto preferred sweetener may be used.
Chili Garlic Sauce: Sriracha or prepared sauces (Asian markets carry numerous brands).
Rice Vinegar or Vinegar Wine: gives a flavor or acts as a natural acidic aroma and taste/ preservative.
Seasonings: Chinese five spice powder, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder and ground ginger.

On a vegetarian diet, prepare without the meat and add Shiitake mushrooms and additional veggies: (shredded red cabbage, carrots, asparagus, green beans, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, onions and Asian egg plant).

Add 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil and heat on high, add garlic and ginger.

Quickly brown garlic and ginger.

Add 2 more tablespoons of grapeseed oil and heat to high, add ground meat and stir-fry for one minute and then turn down heat to medium.

Stir-fry meat until the outside surface is slightly browned and meat is still pink. Do not overheat and dry out meat!

Crushed red pepper mixture.

Mix meat with pepper mixture until meat is evenly coated. If drying occurs, add water.

One block of firm or medium firm tofu.

Cut tofu into 1/2″ squares.

Fresh bamboo shoot

Slice one large bamboo shoot.

Add bamboo shoot and combine with meat. Continue to stir-fry for one minute.

Add tofu and spread evenly on top of ground pork. DO NOT STIR TOFU AFTER ADDING TO SKILLET, IN ORDER TO KEEP TOFU PIECES FROM BREAKING APART. Tofu will get firmed after braising and you can stir it once it is cooked.

Pour in marinade mixture, broth or water and cook until bringing to a simmer. Simmer, covered over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until tofu becomes tender and the sauce has reduced to half the original amount.

Cook until sauce thickens. Turn off heat and transfer to serving platter. Add green onion stalks sliced 1/2″ for garnish.

Serve immediately over keto riced cauliflower or Quinoa. (one half cup of cooked Quinoa) is around 17 grams of net carbs. If you can maintain ketosis while eating a higher range of carbs, Quinoa or brown rice would be fine.

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CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

admin — Fri, 07 May 2021 16:31:15 +0000

Chinese chicken salad is great for using leftover roasted chicken pieces, whole rotisserie chicken or boneless grilled chicken breast. Using your imagination, you can add many fresh ingredients (contemporary textured vegetables). Use Arugula, swiss chard, spinach besides the basic iceberg shredded lettuce. The sweet-tangy and savory lime dressing gives the salad a unique “freshness”. This healthy recipe is a quick on- the- go hearty meal on a KETO diet.

Asian Fusion flavored cuisine and Asian-style lettuce salads appeared in the 1950s to 1970s as a new trend. Healthy popular cookbooks added more garnishes on a basic green lettuce salad. Chinese chicken salads have basic dressings with Asian flavors of soy sauce, garlic and ginger, Chinese five-spice is a substitute for ground cinnamon, broiler fryer chicken marinated in wines, shredded lettuce, green onions, cabbage, cilantro, cashews or almonds and an exotic dressing. Today there are many versions of the salad, with added Mandarin orange slices, peanut- sauce and bean sprouts.

FOR A QUICK MARINADE RECIPE FOR CHICKEN, use (4) large boneless chicken breast. Whisk together (1 TBSP) rice wine vinegar, (1 TBSP) minced garlic, (1 TBSP) sesame oil, (1 TBSP) ground ginger, (1 tsp) ground pepper, (1 TBSP) soy sauce and (1TBSP) honey or brown sugar. Use a gallon size zip plastic bag and add 4 chicken breasts to mixture and marinate overnight. Use a cast iron fry pan and add 2 TBSP grapeseed oil. Heat pan to medium heat and grill each side of breast until caramelized. Cook until juices run clear (13-15 minutes each side). Let cool and refrigerate before shredding.

PLEASE SEE PREVIOUSLY POSTED CHICKEN RECIPES AS AN OPTION FOR (SHREDDED CHICKEN) TO BE ADDED TO SALAD

ROASTED CURRY GINGER CHICKEN

SOY SAUCE CHICKEN

Fresh Ingredients for salad

Fresh Arugula greens

Thinly sliced Napa cabbage

Mix Arugula and Napa cabbage greens

Thinly slice veggies to be added to salad… adding a “colorful-flavorful-texture” to the salad!

Prepared roasted chicken to be shredded for salad (see my previously posted chicken recipes). Make sure chicken is well cooked and refrigerated before shredding.

Remove skin and shred or dice chicken

Juice one large lime

Add fresh lime zest to juice

Add dry ingredients to liquid

Whisk juice liquid, add dry ingredients – slowly add oils and emulsify. Mix ingredients thoroughly, chill dressing before drizzling over salad

Add 2 TBSP grapeseed oil to pan and brown sliced almonds

Toast sliced almonds quickly…be careful not to burn almonds

Toasted almonds – cool before adding to top of salad

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KOREAN BARBEQUE FLAVORED POT ROAST

admin — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 23:16:11 +0000

I have taken the traditional Korean barbeque Asian flavor marinade and chosen a non-traditional cut of meat, a chuck roast, generally a tougher cut for this recipe. This flavorful marinade breaks down the tough connective tissues resulting in a flavorful seared tender beef covered with onions, mushrooms and ginger and a savory-sweet gravy melting in your mouth with each bite. On a Ketosis Diet, this easy recipe is great for beginners and delivers incredible results every time. Chuck roasts are inexpensive cuts of beef that cook at a low temperature for a few hours. Serve healthy vegetables on the side with the roast and you have a one-dish meal prepared.

There are so many regional varieties of BBQ around the world. Korean BBQ apart from the traditional American BBQ, has an Asian flavor of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and sometimes a distinct “sweet” taste of ground pear and honey. Korean BBQ is one cuisine that is quickly increasing in popularity across the United States. American BBQ styles include cuts of pork, ribs, brisket, or chicken and is dry rub or basted in BBQ sauces, slowly roasted then smoked. Korean BBQ will generally center on beef and pork that is marinated, sliced, grilled or pan seared. A well-known traditional Korean barbeque dish Bulgogi is served at many Korean restaurants.

Generally cooking a chuck roast or rump roast, 3-pound roast cooks 3-3.5 hours, cooking a 4-pound roast for 3.5-4 hours and a large 5-pound roast for 4.5-5 hours. Check the roast with a fork, if it is tough, the roast needs more time to cook. Always keep the top covered to ensure even cooking and a constant hot temperature. Select a roast that has marbling in it- this cut carries flavor and helps make the gravy flavorful and mouth-watering!

Add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, rice wine and brown sugar to large mixing bowl.

Whisk marinade mixture until brown sugar has dissolved.

Add sliced ginger and garlic to marinade and mix.

Add spicy chili sauce if desired to add a hint of spicy flavor. Mix marinade to combine all ingredients.

Clean two brown onions and thinly slice and add to marinade.

Marinate chuck roast.

Add sliced onions to marinade and cover chuck roast. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Chuck roast marinated for two days.

Add chuck roast to large dutch oven and brown all sides of roast. Add garlic pieces and sliced onions to pan and caramelize.

Remove onions and garlic pieces after caramelizing.

Add beef broth and additional water if needed to cover all of the meat. Add garlic – onion – ginger mixture on top of the meat.

Cover with a foil lid and seal well. Cook for 2-3 hours until tender.

Remove roast from pan and let rest for 30 minutes.

Take remaining juices and thicken to form a gravy to serve with meat.

Pour gravy over meat and heat in 250 degree oven 5-10 minutes. *Watch carefully that the meat doesn’t burn from the slight sugar in the gravy.

Serve pot roast with fresh veggies and quinoa…a great meal on a KETO Diet.

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PORK STIR-FRY WITH BABY BOK CHOY & SHIITAKI MUSHROOMS

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 00:13:11 +0000

This quick to prepare Bok Choy stir-fry recipe only takes 15 minutes and produces a wonderful vegan-friendly side dish. Add meat and additional aromatics to the dish and turn this one-dish meal into a quick entree in no time. Add this flavorful stir-fry veggie recipe to your Asian menu on a ketogenic diet.

In this recipe, I cook with “miniature” often called “Baby Bok Choy”. This miniature Chinese cabbage has tender stalks without the tough fibers of full-size Bok Choy and its bright green leaves have a sweet, clean flavor balanced by a hint of peppery, mustardy bitterness (taste is similar to Swiss Chard or Spinach. This vegetable is fast-cooking, versatile, and available year-round at most grocery stores and Asian markets.

Bok Choy can also be steamed, boiled, stir-fried or microwaved until just wilted, 2-3 minutes. In many of my recipes, I also chop this vegetable in place of other greens for salads. In many of my braised meat dishes, I braise Bok Choy leaves by adding to the flavorful liquid at the end of roasting meat– I sautee the chopped leaves in the simmering pan broth, sauce or gravy produced. This produces a “silky and tender” texture and adds a wonderful flavor to the leaves without burning them.

To add aromatics like minced garlic, ginger, or chili paste, add grape seed oil to the pan first and cook the aromatics, stirring constantly, until they are fragrant, about one minute (don’t overcook or burn them). Add the broth and Bok Choy. Drizzle the veggies with sesame oil.

Bok Choy belongs to the leafy vegetable Pak choi family of Chinese brassicas. Bok Choy is also called Chinese White Cabbage, Chinese Chard, Chinese Mustard Cabbage, Pak Choi. Bok Choy has white or green, thick, crunchy stems with light to dark green wide leaves. Size can vary from 4-12 inches tall. All parts, stems and leaves, are eaten.

Store Bok Choy in a refrigerator crisper bin (32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit). Store in a paper or perforated plastic bag. (TIP: for any green leafy veggie, I wrap a slightly moist paper towel around the whole vegetable to keep it crisp) Do not wash until you are ready to use. Use within 3-4 days.

Bok Choy is an excellent source of vitamin C, provides dietary fiber, iron, calcium and folate, a good source of beta carotene (your body turns this into vitamin A).

Add ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine or cooking sherry and brown sugar or alternative sweetener and wisk.

Pork tenderloin (1/2 pound) trim fat and slice thinly.

Add sliced pork to marinade and refrigerate overnight for best flavor and to tenderize the meat.

Baby Bok Choy

Separate Bok Choy stems and wash, pat dry before stir frying.

If using dried, dehydrated Shiitake mushrooms, soak overnight. Rinse several times and change water. If using fresh mushrooms, rinse and pat dry.

Remove mushroom stem and slice thinly for stir-fry.

Preheat wok (very hot), add grapeseed oil to cover entire surface of pan. Heat oil until you see slight smoking.

Add garlic and ginger and caramelize (2 minutes). Remove and add after stir-frying meat.

Stir-fry pork with a continuous stirring, scooping, tossing motion to ensure even cooking. Stir-fry pork until the outside surface is browned and the center is pink and not cooked through. Don’t overcook! Remove from Wok.

Heat wok and add grapeseed oil. Stir-fry Bok Choy stems (2 minutes until stems become tender). Add mushrooms and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Add previously stir-fried garlic and ginger and continue to stir-fry.

Reduce heat to medium heat. Add saved marinade liquid to pan and cook 3 minutes until sauce thickens. Return pork and juices to pan and cook for another minute. Serve immediately over Keto riced cauliflower or quinoa or brown rice.

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ROASTED CURRY GINGER CHICKEN

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 22:37:45 +0000

This flavor-packed roasted chicken uses a “wet” curry rub. When marinating, some of the liquid will evaporate and the spices will bind to the food. This recipe has curry powder, cumin, garlic powder, fresh ginger root and fresh garlic. There is a small amount of liquid in the recipe other than lemon juice, sesame oil and grape seed oil. The crispy chicken skin has a wonderful delicious, caramelized color and texture. By adding the marinade spice mixture under the chicken skin, juices form adding more flavor to the meat during roasting. The white breast meat is very tender and succulent.

A quick to prepare chicken recipe only takes 15 minutes and produces a wonderful aroma in the kitchen… a sweet – savory flavor to add to your recipe collection and on a ketogenic diet.

Curry powder works best when it is mixed with other flavorful spices and foods so that it is not the main flavor. Use curry powder with onions, garlic for a great flavor. Other spices often used with curry powder include ginger, coriander, cumin and crushed red pepper flakes.

Rub the mixture to cover whole chicken parts - marinate under the skin

split chicken in half, cut down middle back bone of whole chicken

add potatoes - if not on a keto diet - marinate

saute garlic cloves with 1 Tablespoon grape seed oil

browning chicken (bone side down)

add 1 cup of organic vegetable stock or chicken broth to pan and deglaze

Roast chicken in preheated 375 degree oven (convection cooked is best)

The crispy chicken skin has a wonderful delicious, caramelized color and texture

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STIR-FRIED CHINESE LONG BEANS & SHRIMP

admin — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 02:03:33 +0000

Chinese Long Beans (also known as “Chinese Green Beans”, “Yard-Long Beans”, “Chopstick Beans” “Snake Bean” or “Pea Bean”) are grown in subtropical/tropical climates and most widely grown in warmer parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Southern China. This bean is a staple vegetable in Asian cuisine. The crisp, tender pods are eaten both fresh and cooked. They are at their best when young and slender. They are sometimes cut into short sections for cooking uses. As a West Indian dish, they are often stir-fried with potatoes and shrimp. In Odisha, India, they are used to make a variety of dishes, especially a sour dish (judunga besara) cooking along with mustard sauce and lime. They are also used in Chinese cuisine and Kerala cuisine.

In Malaysian cuisine, they are often stir-fried with chilli and shrimp paste or used in cooked salads (kerabu). Another popular option is to chop them into short sections and fry them in an omelette. In the Philippines, they are widely eaten stir-fried with soy sauce, garlic, and hot pepper and in an all-vegetable dish called utan or are stewed in bagoong-based dishes such as pinakbet and dinengdeng.

Chinese Long Beans are crunchy, chewy and hearty. The simplicity of this recipe – combining stir frying and steaming in just a couple of steps. These Chinese beans can withstand intense spices and chilies. Quickly stir – fry these beans as a “veggie” dish or add shrimp, pork, beef or chicken in a chili and black bean sauce. Cook these beans up quickly at home for a perfect healthy side or a one dish weeknight meal in only 10 minutes! I enjoy cooking this flavorful stir-fry in a spicy sauce that can be poured over quinoa (healthy alternative to steam white rice).

WHAT ARE CHINESE LONG BEANS?

The asparagus bean is a legume cultivated for its edible green pods containing immature seeds, like the green bean.

Chinese Long Beans come in long bundles – typically they are 12” – 30” long, hence the nickname, “Yard Long Beans.” The best tasting Chinese Long Beans are young, 12” – 16” long. Purchase beans that have no black spots, flexible but not limp and do not look dry and thick.

Chinese Long Beans taste like the European-American style of green beans with a sharper flavor and a crunchier texture than American snap beans. These beans are incredibly healthy and available in most supermarkets, farmers’ markets and Asian markets. You can add heat with spicy chilies or keep it mild with a plain stir-fry marinade sauce or black bean sauce – both ways stir fried are delicious.

Have all your ingredients ready to go before you start stir – frying as cooking moves fast!

CHINESE LONG BEANS, SWEET RED ONION, SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

CUT LONG BEANS INTO 3″ SEGMENTS

WASH LONG BEANS

MARINATE SHRIMP

STIR – FRY SHRIMP

CLEAN WOK, ADD 2 TBSP. GRAPESEED OIL AND HEAT HIGH UNTIL OIL SMOKES, ADD SLICED RED ONION.

CARAMELIZE ONIONS

ADD CHINESE LONG BEANS TO CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND STIR-FRY

ADD SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND STIR-FRY WITH BEANS

RETURN SHRIMP AND JUICES TO WOK AND COOK WITH BEANS

STIR-FRY UNTIL SAUCE IS SLIGHTLY THICKENED, ADD CHICKEN STOCK OR WATER IF NEEDED FOR ADDITIONAL SAUCE

SERVE OVER KETO RICED CAULIFLOWER OR QUINOA

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CHINESE RIBLETS APPETIZER IN A SPICY GARLIC BLACK BEAN SAUCE

admin — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 17:05:49 +0000

My Chinese sparerib “riblets” recipe is a quick appetizer or side dish that is cooked in a wok or braising pan. This recipe is great on a KETO diet and easy to prepare. I have created this recipe by adding additional ingredients to the traditional marinade (sliced ginger, star anise pods, dry sherry, beef stock and (optional) crushed red pepper flakes (to taste) for a “kick”).

You may have ordered these similar Cantonese style ribs in a dim sum restaurant (full of MSG, salt, sugar, and oyster sauce).

Fermented black bean is known as black Dou-chi and is a famous seasoning in many Chinese and Szechuan stir-fry dishes. I use the prepared black bean with garlic sauce marinade (Lee Kum Kee brand) available at most local grocery stores (Asian or BBQ sauce aisle) or at your local Asian market.

What is a riblet(s)? Riblets are prepared by butchers cutting a full set of spare ribs in sections. This produces a set of short, flat ribs where the curved part of the rib is removed and gives them a more uniform look. Cutting in between the bone will separate them into small bite size pieces.

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THAI CURRIED CHICKEN BREAST WITH A CREAMY COCONUT SAUCE OVER SPAGHETTI SQUASH

admin — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 17:43:26 +0000

If you love Thai cooking as much as I do… prepare my quick KETO and gluten free recipe cooked in a braising pan. A flavorful, savory, creamy chicken and vegetable dish in one hour.

Thai curry refers to dishes in the Thai cuisine that are made with various types of curry paste. Most Thai curry dishes are made with curry, coconut milk, meat, seafood, vegetables and herbs. Curries in Thailand mainly differ from the curries in Indian cuisine in their use of ingredients (herbs, aromatic leaves over a mix of spices).

Spaghetti squash is a great alternative to white rice or pasta (high in carbohydrates) on a KETO diet…especially when a dish has a flavorful gravy or sauce.

Spaghetti squash can be cooked in a variety of ways, including baking, boiling, steaming or microwaving. Once cooked the meat of this fruit can be prepared in a way that its “strands” look like and are as long as traditional spaghetti noodles. It is wonderfully served with or without sauce as a substitute for pasta, and its seeds can be roasted, similar to pumpkin seeds.

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ASIAN FLAVORED GROUND CHICKEN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

admin — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 02:27:01 +0000

A quick one dish meal on a KETO DIET… I enjoy cooking colorful food, don’t you? I took a tomato based flavor and created an Asian flavored ground chicken stuffed bell pepper recipe – Spice up your life with this recipe. The spicy savory chili-black bean-ginger flavor brings excitement and flavor to a traditional dish. Bell peppers, these delicious vegetables are the perfect vessels for delicious fillings. All you need to do to create a terrific and tasty meal is hollow out a bell pepper and fill it with whatever you desire.

-Quinoa is a complete protein, while rice simply is not. Fueling up with protein is a good idea if you’re looking to lose weight. It can help with appetite control and weight management.

-Compared with rice, Quinoa can help keep you fuller for longer. One cup of Quinoa contains 5 g of fiber, a significant jump from white rice’s 0.6g. Fiber is an important nutrient because it can reduce your risk of developing heart disease. It also keeps your digestive system humming and can help you manage your weight.

-Quinoa is rich in magnesium. A 1-cup serving of Quinoa has 118 mg of magnesium, making it one of the best food sources of the mineral. By comparison, white rice has 19mg.

-You get a dose of healthy Carbs from Quinoa (not so with white rice).

-Quinoa can better enhance the nutrient profile of gluten-free diets. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and can be a great source of nutrition for those with gluten intolerance. It’s a better choice than white rice.

-Quinoa offers a big punch of Potassium compared with rice. One cup of Quinoa has 318 mg of potasium, while white rice has 55 mg.

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ASIAN STYLE BEEF SHORT RIBS

admin — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 05:55:35 +0000

Asian braised short ribs when slow cooked for hours, are tender, juicy and literally fall-off the-bone great! Make sure you get a meaty short rib with delicious marbled fat. This creates a lot of flavor in a small bite and is flavorful on a KETO Diet! There are two popular ways that they are cut, English style and Flanken. For a Chinese Asian-fusion twist to the above recipe, add ¼ cup fresh orange juice and ¼ cup hoisin sauce and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind.

Where All Short Ribs Come From

All short ribs are from a rib section that contains three to four ribs. Depending on where it is cut from, it can be three to five inches thick, and contains meat interspersed with a lot of muscle, fat, and tendon, which give it a lot of strong beefy flavor.

Flanken

In the flanken style of short ribs, this thin cut, which is about 1/2 inch thick, goes across the bones so that each slice contains a few pieces of bone. This is a popular way to cut the short ribs if you are going for a Korean barbecue kalbi-style result. This cut is mainly found at an Asian grocery store, you most likely have to ask your butcher to cut these to order.

English Cut

The English style of short rib cuts between the ribs to separate them, leaving a thick piece of meat sitting on top of one piece of bone. These ribs can be left as is in one long piece or cut into smaller, approximately 2-inch long pieces. Boneless short ribs can sometimes be found, which mean that the meat is cut off the bones of an English-cut short rib.

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