Category: Condiment

Ultimate Guide to Making Chili Oil for Delicious Dumplings

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Chili oil is a condiment that can be used so many different ways, but it is indispensable when it comes to dumplings.

You can buy chili oils, but they just don’t taste the same. And the ones that you find in the store in the little flask with the plastic tops are just awful. They have no flavor whatsoever.

Chili oil is not difficult to make, and once you make it, you stick it in the refrigerator and you can use it for weeks or even a month. 

Want to try your new oil on some amazing pan fried dumplings, Quick Guide to Perfect Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Why is this so good?

Its all about allowing it to steep for the hour and then adding the ground chilies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Vegetable Oil, I like Avocado oil.

2 Tbsp Sichuan Peppercorns 

1 Stick Cinnamon 

1 tsp Black Peppercorns 

1/8 tsp Cloves

5 Star Anise, whole

2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

2 Garlic cloves, peeled and mashed

1 2 inch piece Ginger Root, peeled, cut in half and mashed. 

2 Bay Leaf

1/2 cup Chili Flakes

Preparation:

Heat oil until 285F in saucepan, add garlic, ginger root and all whole spices , turn off heat and steep for 1 hour. 

Strain the oil of the aromatics and reheat the oil to 285F. Pour the chili flakes into the hot oil, stir and allow to cool. Transfer to jar and let rest for a day before using. 

Flavorful Ginger and Scallion Oil Recipe

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This is an amazing oil. Ginger and scallion oil is very common in Asia, but there are so many different recipes. I’ve tried quite a few, but I really like this one, and I’ve yet to find anything it doesn’t improve. It’s delicate and subtle, but still packed with flavor. 

It’s cooked versus the raw versions, but I like it as it concentrates the flavors. It tends to be a slight salty sauce, so you don’t need heavy salt in anything it goes with. 

Great with poached chicken breast and a dollop in noodles is incredible. Additionally it’s a great dipping sauce. Especially with dumplings. 

Here’s another way to use your new oil, Quick Guide to Perfect Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons Ginger Root, peeled and minced. 
1-2 Tablespoon Garlic, peeled and minced.
6-7 Scallions/Green Onions, minced. 
1 cup Canola, Sunflower or Avocado Oil.
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp MSG, optional 

Preparation:

I find dropping everything into a mini food processor is easier. I then add everything into a Pyrex measuring cup. Heat the oil to 350-375F and gently pour it over everything and allow it to cool. I use a 4 cup measuring Pyrex as it tends to bubble up a bit. 

It can be used immediately or even better, allow to cool and store in the fridge in a lidded glass jar. 

I find a couple of days allows the flavors to blend. When I want to use it, I just take a spoon full and incorporate it into steaming hot rice, noodles or as a dipping sauce. 

Flavorful Ginger and Scallion Oil Recipe

This is an amazing oil. Ginger and scallion oil is very common in Asia, but there are so many different recipes. I’ve tried quite a few, but I really like this one, and I’ve yet to find anything it doesn’t improve. It’s delicate and subtle, but still packed with flavor. 
It’s cooked versus the raw versions, but I like it as it concentrates the flavors. It tends to be a slight salty sauce, so you don’t need heavy salt in anything it goes with. 
Great with poached chicken breast and a dollop in noodles is incredible. Additionally it’s a great dipping sauce. Especially with dumplings. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings: 1 cup
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 Tablespoons Ginger Root peeled and minced.
  • 1-2 Tablespoon Garlic peeled and minced.
  • 6-7 Scallions/Green Onions minced.
  • 1 cup Canola Sunflower or Avocado Oil.
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 tsp MSG optional

Equipment

  • Pan
  • 4 cup Pyrex Cup

Method
 

  1. I find dropping everything into a mini food processor is easier. I then add everything into a Pyrex measuring cup. Heat the oil to 350-375F and gently pour it over everything and allow it to cool. I use a 4 cup measuring Pyrex as it tends to bubble up a bit.
  2. It can be used immediately or even better, allow to cool and store in the fridge in a lidded glass jar.
  3. I find a couple of days allows the flavors to blend. When I want to use it, I just take a spoon full and incorporate it into steaming hot rice, noodles or as a dipping sauce.

Notes

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Easy One-Pot Spicy Cajun Fish Recipe

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This fish and rice is a fantastic one pot meal. It’s not difficult  to throw together and can feed a fairly large group. It’s packed with flavor, and has a nice soft spicy flavor. 

A few things to remember. You need a thicker filleted fish and a fish that has some fat. Cod is perfect, as are hake and monkfish. Halibut could work, but tuna would be a bit too dry. 

If you’re not in the mood for fish, try this seriously good Cajun gumbo Smoky Gumbo Recipe: Perfect Your Roux

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Cod, cut into fairly large pieces. Dusted with Old Bay Seasoning or a Cajun spice mix (Tony Chacheres is perfect) on both sides. 

4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

3 cloves Garlic, sliced

1 Large Onion, chopped 

1 Red Pepper, chopped

1 Stalk Celery, chopped

 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Thyme

Pinch of Cloves

3 Bay Leaves

2 cups Medium Grain Rice

4 cups Vegetable Broth 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 375F/190C

Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a heavy Dutch oven (Le Cruset is perfect), that has a cover and can be put into the oven. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper and celery and salt and pepper and sauté until lightly browned. 

While sautéing the vegetables, heat up a sauté pan with the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil and lightly sear your cod. Just 1 minutes per side and then set aside. 

Add the rest of your ingredients to the Dutch oven, except the fish, rice and vegetable broth and sauté for 3-4 minutes. 

Add the rice and sauté for 1 minutes, coating well. Add the broth and bring up to a simmer. Gently place the fish into the broth and put on the cover and into the oven for 35 minutes. 

Remove from oven and allow to rest covered for 5-10 minutes and serve with hot sauce.

Easy One-Pot Spicy Cajun Cod Recipe

This is a fantastic one pot meal. It’s not difficult  to throw together and can feed a fairly large group. It’s packed with flavor, and has a nice soft spicy flavor. A few things to remember. You need a thicker filleted fish and a fish that has some fat. Cod is perfect, as are hake and monkfish. Halibut could work, but tuna would be a bit too dry. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs Cod cut into fairly large pieces. Dusted with Old Bay Seasoning or a Cajun spice mix (Tony Chacheres is perfect) on both sides.
  • 4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 3 cloves Garlic sliced
  • 1 Large Onion chopped
  • 1 Red Pepper chopped
  • 1 Stalk Celery chopped
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Thyme
  • Pinch of Cloves
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 2 cups Medium Grain Rice
  • 4 cups Vegetable Broth
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Heavy Ben Proof Pot with Lid

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375F/190C
  2. Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a heavy Dutch oven (Le Cruset is perfect), that has a cover and can be put into the oven. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper and celery and salt and pepper and sauté until lightly browned.
  3. While sautéing the vegetables, heat up a sauté pan with the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil and lightly sear your cod. Just 1 minutes per side and then set aside.
  4. Add the rest of your ingredients to the Dutch oven, except the fish, rice and vegetable broth and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add the rice and sauté for 1 minutes, coating well. Add the broth and bring up to a simmer. Gently place the fish into the broth and put on the cover and into the oven for 35 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and allow to rest covered for 5-10 minutes and serve with hot sauce.

Notes

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Delicious Cuban-Style Mojo Marinade Recipe

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This Mojo marinade was a revelation to me. I got the recipe from a friend in Puerto Rico, but she said it was originally from Cuba. I decided to make a batch to marinade some meat for the grill and it was incredible.

Here are a few hints:

  • Try to use the freshest ingredients and grind the black pepper and cumin as needed. Cumin has a nasty habit of turning bitter when it has been ground for a long time.
  • Put your meat into a large plastic bag that seals and then lay it into an oven proof dish to avoid spills. Trust me on this one. Cleaning up leaked mojo is no fun.
  • Turn over the plastic bag occasionally, so the marinade stays evenly distributed.
  • If you want to use this to marinade seafood or fish, reduce your marinading time to one or two hours max. Otherwise you will end up with mushy cerviche.

Ingredients:

Juice from 4 lemons
Juice from 4 limes
Juice from one Orange
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
5 cloves of garlic mashed
1 Tbsp freshly ground Cumin Seed
1Tbsp fresh ground Black Pepper
2 tsp Sea Salt
4 Tbsp fresh Cilantro

Preparation:

Blend all together in food processor and pour over chicken, beef or pork. Marinade in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours minimum or up to 24 hours. Longer is better.

Remove from the bag and shake off the excess marinade and lay onto a hot grill and grill, turning occasionally until done. Serve with fried plantains, rice and black beans.

Essential Ingredients for Authentic Chinese and Thai Cooking

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As I often feature Chinese and Thai dishes on The Pasadena Chef, many readers have asked what ingredients they should keep on hand to prepare authentic Asian meals at home. A well-stocked pantry is the foundation of creating flavorful Chinese and Thai cuisine.

So after being asked multiple times, I’ve decided to post an essential shopping list, so you can properly stock up your pantry. When you feel the urge to make some stunning and healthy Chinese food, you should be able to go into the kitchen and pull something together relatively quickly.

As these ingredients will last quite a long time, an initial stock up will produce many fine meals. You will find that most benefit from being stored in the refrigerator. Additionally, buy the best brand you can find. I find that Lee Kum Kee or Pearl River brand is always good for Chinese staples.

Looking for a classic Chinese dish to try out you new ingredients, Kung Pao Chicken- Authentic Sichuan Recipe

Looking for a classic Thai street food dish, try Thai Chicken with Basil/ Gai Pad Prik Grapao- Top Thai Dish

The Must Have Ingredients:

Light Soy Sauce- Lee Kum Kee, Pearl River Bridge.
Dark Soy Sauce-Lee Kum Kee, Pearl River Bridge.
Fish Sauce-Red Boat, Three Crabs or Squid
Golden Mountain Sauce
Oyster Sauce- Lee Kum Kee Premium
Hoisin Sauce – Lee Kum Kee
Toasted Sesame Oil – Kadoya
Chinkiang Vinegar
Rice Vinegar
Shaoxing Rice Wine
Hot Bean Paste
Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp
Lao Gan Ma Chili Oil with Black Bean
Chili Paste
Fermented Black Beans
Szechuan Peppercorns
Tien Tsin Chilies, dried.

Note: If you can’t find the certain brands I mentioned above, here’s a good brand to substitute, Kikkoman. They are readily available in a lot of supermarkets and overall their products are good.

With these basic pantry ingredients, you can make many stunning Chinese and Thai dishes, including recipes from the spicy Sichuan and Hunan regions. Sauces for dumplings and many wonderful noodle dishes.

For the fresh and pantry items, I always have the following on hand:

Garlic
Fresh Ginger Root
White Onions
Green Onions/Scallions
Red Peppers, not the spicy ones.
Tofu
Peanuts
Cashews
Cornstarch
Vegetable Broth
Peanut, Canola or Sunflower Oil

Authentic Thai Dipping Sauce Recipe

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This versatile dipping sauce called Nam Pla Prik or sometimes Prik Nam Pla is perfect with any Thai meal and great on Thai style omelettes, rice and noodles dishes, spring rolls and Gai Yang (Thai BBQ Chicken).

This sauce is traditionally served with Gai Yang (Thai grilled chicken), one of Thailand’s most popular street foods. You can find my recipe for authentic Thai grilled chicken here. Authentic Thai Street Food: Marinated Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. Fish Sauce, here is where you will really see the difference in using a top Thai fish sauce.

2 cloves finely sliced Garlic

1 tsp. of white or palm Sugar

5 finely chopped Thai Chilies

1/2 Lime, sliced

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Allow to rest for a day to let the flavors mingle. This will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.