Spicy Sesame Chicken

We have been living among boxes for the last couple of weeks.  SHE and I just moved into a new home and only now is it becoming clear that someone actually lives in our new townhome.   However, there are still no couches in the living room, there are no pictures on the walls, and certainly neither one of our knick-knacks have populated ANY type of shelving unit.


But hey, we both lead busy and responsibility filled lives and cooking sometimes doesn’t make it off of our to-do list.  Sometimes she says she’s gonna make some lunch dishes for the week and then doesn’t and my track record for making breakfast shakes is spotty.  So one evening when I got home from work I found SHE had left some chicken defrosting.  I had NO earthly idea what she intended to do with it but all I knew was that I was hungry and I was alone.

I took the chicken and set about creating something.  The kitchen was almost completely unpacked but there were a few spice type items no where to be found.  I foraged around the kitchen to see what I could find.   How a complete finger of ginger made it through from our old to our new fridge is beyond me.  I took that as a sign and was glad for a sense of direction.  A-ha!  I had found a tub of garlic cloves.  What else?  Some Sriracha paste!  Now we’re talking.

I took the now defrosted bag of HEB chicken thigh meat (Seasoned for fajitas) and threw it in our non stick wok.  I figured the pressure of having the meat already cooking would make me think fast....this is what I came up with.


Ingredients:
    •    1 Bag of HEB Chicken thigh meat Seasoned for Fajitas    •    4 Fingers of Ginger
    •    1 handful of garlic cloves (about 8)
    •    2 tablespoons Sriracha Paste (as we say here in Laredo when we order in an asian restaurant , “la salsa del gallito”) in a jar of paste form not the squeeze bottle type.
    •    1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (or make your own with some water and Knorr Suiza)
    •    ½ cup toasted sesame oil
    •    ½ cup sesame seeds


Procedure:


    1.    Over medium high heat brown chicken thighs in large skillet, nonstick pan, or wok.
    2.    In separate small nonstick pan, toast sesame seeds over low to medium heat.  Toss often as they WILL burn quickly if you’re not careful.
    3.    Place ginger, garlic, sriracha paste, and chicken broth in food processor or blender and blend on high until everything is chopped.
    4.    When chicken is properly browned but not yet cooked through pour sauce mixture into pan over chicken.
    5.    Cook until done
    6.    Right before removing from heat pour sesame oil over chicken and mix until well incorporated
    7.    Garnish with toasted sesame seeds

Notes:


•    If you’d like a little additional heat, add some Hot Sauce.  The kind that goes well on chicken wings.  I prefer Frank’s Red Hot.  About ¼ cup should do.
•    Usually, try and use low sodium boxed chicken broth.  The Knorr is usually high in salt and the HEB Chicken Thighs seasoned for Fajitas is already salted as well.
•    Adding the oil at the end preserve the nutty flavor of the sesame oil.  I try and do this whenever I am cooking with a flavorful oil.  This way you use less oil and still get all the flavor.  You can use a little less if you’d like.
•    For a more consistent gravy like sauce, Use dried powdered garlic and ginger in the same amounts.


When SHE got home, I greeted HER with a nice spicy chicken dinner.  SHE loved it.  YESSSSS!

Dabbling in Asian Flavors

 
When SHE and I got married she said she wondered how I didn’t get bored with eating the same  salad every day with lunch.  There are only so many ways to put together lettuce, spinach, carrots, tomato and cucumbers.  Well, the obvious reason is its essential to get ones vegetable servings for the day.  The other reason is it helps when you change it up every once in a while by trying a different salad dressing.


Now let’s back up a few years.  Once upon a time I was taking some gourmet cooking classes with a well known local chef.  I learned everything from making a awesome osso buco, to grilling game, to some pretty nice salad dressings.  I kept most of the recipes he handed out and have them all filed.  Recently, I’ve been on an Asian Flavors kick and, to be honest, I feel comfortable enough in the kitchen to experiment with existing recipes and am adventurous enough to be willing to fail.  Fortunately, this was NOT a fail. ;)


One of the ways I wooed HER was to make a big meal one night and this home made salad dressing was on the menu.  So I took that basic recipe, feeling confident enough, and Asian’ed it up.  I served it over pan seared firm tofu and a spinach salad.


Asian Onion Cilantro Vinagrette


    •    1 cup fresh lime juice
    •    1 cup Rice Wine Vinegar (the kind that says, “for salad dressings” on the label)
    •    1 cup Toasted Sesame Oil
    •    1 egg yolk
    •    1 bunch Cilantro
    •    2 bunches of green onions
    •    1 large shallot


Instructions:

1. Roughly Chop (or rip with your hands--much more fun) Cilantro and onions and place in blender
2. Add Lime Juice, Vinegar, shallot, and egg yolk
3. Blend on "high" until vegetation is well chopped.
4. Drizzle in Sesame oil slowly until it is all incorporated and emulsified into dressing.

Tips:
    •    If it separates in the fridge, try adding another egg yolk.  Or a little mustard powder.
    •    You can adjust the ratio of onions to cilantro back and forth according to taste.


Now, I know some people don’t much care for the taste of cilantro.  Some people even suffer from a rare disorder that makes cilantro taste like soap to them.  So feel free to adjust those ratios of onion and cilantro back and forth.  I make it every time I get the chance.  Try it.