Super Quick Sesame Beef and Asparagus

Super Quick Sesame Beef and Asparagus

So how quick is super quick? Well, with good organization, I had this on the table in about 20 minutes. I think good organization and time efficiency is really the key to these sorts of recipes. For example I always have two things going on simultaneously. While the water boils for blanching, chop the garlic and asparagus. While the asparagus blanches, slice the beef and grate the ginger. Always assemble all of the ingredients you will need on the counter next to the stove before you start cooking. You can even do that while waiting for the wok to heat. Pre-measuring the ingredients into small ramekins is also a huge help, especially for quick stir fried dishes because measuring as you go takes more time and the dish can easy overcook. Actively thinking of ways to optimize preparation and cooking time is a habit successful cooks all have and once you acquire that skill, I promise that much of your cooking stress will disappear.

In this particular recipe, unlike many sesame beef recipes, you will notice that I do not pre-marinate the beef. Instead, I prefer to use tender cuts of beef like prime rib, striploin or even tenderloin steak which are excellent for quick stir-frying without getting tough. With such strong flavors in recipes like these I sometimes think that the flavor of the beef gets lost when marinating, so, many times I prefer just to prepare the meat and sauces separately and then bring them together briefly at the end. This recipe definitely is a good example of this concept because the flavor of the beef is still quite distinct even in the presence of the bold flavor of the sauce.

Every busy family needs more of these sorts of recipes, so if you are looking for more like this, please click here to visit our Pinterest Quick and Easy Meals collection.

Super Quick Sesame Beef and Asparagus

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A super quick and delicious meal in minutes. When there's practically no time for cooking, this highly flavorful dinner is ready in less time that you can pick up take-out.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced steak
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger root
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce (reduced sodium version if available)
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice Powder
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp brown sugar 
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil ( more or less to taste)
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup beef stock (or water)
• 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus
• 3/4 cup sliced water chestnuts

Cooking Directions

1. Cut the asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces and blanch in boiling salted water for only 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Drain the asparagus and immediately plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking and preserve its color. (You can use broccoli or green beans here if you prefer but use the same cooking method for them too.)
3. After a minute, drain the ice water off of the asparagus and set it aside.
4. Heat a wok over very high heat. Add 2 tbsp of peanut or regular sesame oil and quickly stir fry the steak slices for only 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Remove the beef from the wok and set aside while you prepare the sauce.
6. To the wok, add the ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, 5 spice powder, rice wine vinegar, black pepper, brown sugar and toasted sesame oil. Bring to a boil for only a minute.
7. Dissolve the corn starch in the water and add to the simmering sauce in the wok, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.
8. Add the beef back to the sauce along with the blanched asparagus and water chestnuts.
9. Simmer only for another minute or so until the beef, water chestnuts and asparagus are heated through. Serve over steamed rice or your favorite Chinese noodles.
10. Sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds when serving. 

Super Quick Sesame Beef and Asparagus

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Here's a different take on your Sunday pot roast... and a really delicious one too. My kids and Kathryn, our spare teenager and frequent dinner guest, particularly liked the beef jus that we served with this roast. It's simply made from the leftover braising liquid that's simmered with Hoisin sauce and soy sauce for familiar Asian flavor that goes so well with the slow cooked beef. All three teenagers at the table devoured this meal in short order, even going back for seconds. We served it with simple stir fried baby bok choy and peppers and some sweet potato mash for a completely satisfying dinner.

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A beautiful, fall-apart tender, braised pot roast with Asian inspired flavors. Served with a delicious beef jus that's flavored with Hoisin and soy sauce at the end.

Prep time: Aproximately 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 to 4 hours
Total time: Aproximately 4 hours
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients

• 4 lb beef roast, cross rib or sirloin work well
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel seed
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
• 6 carrots, cut in sticks or coins

Cooking Directions

1. Season the roast with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in a cast iron pan with a little canola oil added to the pan. Transfer the roast to a covered roaster or heavy dutch oven.
2. Add the beef stock, orange juice, onion, garlic, five spice powder, salt, pepper, ginger and honey. Stir to blend the ingredients together.
3. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil before adding the lid. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is tender and almost falling apart.
4. In the last half hour or so of cooking time add the carrots to the roasting pan.
5. Remove the meat from the pan, cover with aluminum foil and hold in a 150 degree oven while you prepare the jus.
6. Pour the beef braising liquid from the roasting pan into a saucepan and skim any excess fat.
7. Simmer to reduce the volume by about 1/4, then add the soy sauce and Hoisin sauce. Simmer for just a few minutes more and serve with the carved beef roast.
8. Delicious served with simple steamed rice or sweet potato mash and stir fried Chinese vegetables. 

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Homemade Chicken Pho Recipe

We love Vietnamese noodle soup (pho).  We used to go out to eat it quite regularly, so I decided to save some money and come up with a pho recipe of my own.  This recipe is fantastic.  I usually make it after I roast a whole chicken (Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe).  My house smells amazing when I make the pho broth!  It's so easy to make, too.  This soup can be made from mostly pantry and fridge items, with only a few fresh ingredients needed for the garnish.  The spice combination is so fragrant, and we think this pho tastes better than some of the chicken pho we've had at restaurants.

Homemade Chicken Pho Recipe

For the soup:

8 cups water
All of the leftover chicken bones and skin from a roasted whole chicken
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp + 1 tsp white sugar
2 tsp salt
10 whole cloves
5 whole star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick

6 oz package of rice noodles
1 cooked chicken breast
Handful of cilantro

For the garnish:

Lime
Several fresh basil stalks
Crisp chili oil or Sriracha
Hoisin sauce

In a large pot over High heat, add the leftover chicken carcass, skin, and bones, the water, fish sauce, sugar, salt, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.  Bring it to a boil, then cover it and turn the heat down to Low.  Simmer it for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours.  When the time is up, let it cool, then strain the broth with a fine mesh strainer.   This recipe yeilds about 7 cups of pho broth.  3-1/2 cups of broth will make small bowls of pho for up to 4 people, or large bowls of pho for 2 people, and you can freeze the other half for later.

Before putting the soup together, soak the rice noodles in hot water for about 15 minutes.  I found the best way to do this is to put the noodles in a large pot, covered with cold water, then turn the heat up to High and set the timer for 15 minutes.  While the noodles are soaking, slice the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, chop a handful of cilantro leaves, halve and quarter a lime, and wash and dry the basil stalks.  Put the basil and lime slices on a plate for garnishing the soup.  Set out the crisp chili oil or Sriracha and hoisin sauce.  Reheat the broth to boiling.

When the 15 minutes are up for the rice noodles, I turn off the heat, drain the water from the noodles, then put equal amounts of noodles in the bowls, topped with a generous helping of sliced cooked chicken.  I next fill the bowls with hot pho broth (being sure to cover the noodles and chicken), add a small amount of cilantro leaves, and serve it with the basil, lime, chili oil or Sriracha, and hoisin sauce on the side.  Bean sprouts, jalapeno pepper slices, and sliced white onion are also common garnish for pho soup.  Enjoy!

Singapore Style Noodles

Singapore Style Noodles

One of my favorite take-out Chinese food meals is also one that we now make at home. You can add or modify the vegetables and meats to your own tastes. If you don't like shrimp don't add them. Substitute chopped broccoli for the green onions if you like; the recipe will be good no matter how you modify the ingredients which also goes for the chili pepper, add a little or a lot depending on your heat preference.

This delicious dish has quickly become a go-to quick meal at our house and one we all really enjoy.

Serves 6-8

• 1 pound rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and drained

Meats:

• 1/2 pound lightly sautéed shrimp
• 1/2 pound lightly sautéed boneless chicken breast slices
• 1/2 pound lightly sautéed pork tenderloin slices

Vegetables:

• 1 small red pepper, julienned
• 2 small green onions sliced
• 2 cups fresh bean spouts
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup thinly sliced Chinese or Napa cabbage
• 4 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

Start by lightly sautéing the shrimp, chicken and pork and set aside.

To a large wok add:

• 4 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 small onion, julienned
• 1 minced fresh chili pepper (more or less to taste)

Cook until the onions are softened then add:

• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup Hoisen sauce
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
• 2 tbsp yellow curry powder

Simmer until the volume is reduced by about 1/4 then add the meats and vegetables and cook for an additional minute before adding the cooked rice noodles and tossing everything together until the noodles are evenly coated.

Orange Hoisin Leftover Pork Sandwiches

Orange Hoisin Pork Sandwiches

This is the kind of meal we like to refer to as a "Leftover Rescue Recipe" but the truth is we purposely grilled extra pork chops one evening in order to plan dinner for the next day, which promised to be very busy with not much time for cooking. These outstanding hot sandwiches are simply made with thin slices of leftover pork chops, which get tossed in a quick cooking Orange Hoisin Sauce which also can be made in advance if you prefer; just another way that a little simple meal planning can ensure a terrific dinner even on the busiest of days.

Serves 4- 6

• 4 large grilled center loin pork chops, thinly sliced ( you can also use quickly stir fried pork tenderloin slices)

To prepare the sauce, sauté together 

• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp peanut oil

When the garlic has softened but not browned add:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp grated ginger root
• 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey

Stir and simmer until reduced and thickened to about the consistency of plum sauce. Toss the pork slices in the sauce over medium heat only enough to warm the pork and remove from the burner.

Serve on your favorite toasted sandwich rolls with 

sliced, roasted red pepper

Spicy Cucumber Salad Recipe (Vegan)

Richard introduced me to making a simple chopped cucumber salad with seasoned rice vinegar many, many years ago. We love it as a side dish with pizza. A little while ago I decided to add more flavors and texture to it and spice it up a bit by adding carrots and cilantro to the salad and hoisin sauce and chili paste to the dressing. This is now our favorite cucumber salad. The dressing is amazing! It's tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy all in one. The cilantro adds great flavor and the carrots add a great crunch. This is a great party appetizer, and goes wonderfully with pizza.

Spicy Cucumber Salad Recipe

1 medium to large cucumber
1 medium to large carrot
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (about half a bunch)
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp Sambal Oelek Ground Fresh Chili Paste
1 tsp Hoisin Sauce

Peel, de-seed, and chop the cucumber into bite-sized cubes. Peel and julienne the carrot into 1 inch matchstick-size pieces. Rough chop the chilantro leaves. Put the cucumber, carrot and cilantro into a mixing bowl. In a 1 cup measuring cup, add the seasoned rice vinegar, the Sambal Oelek and hoisin sauce. Use a small whisk to mix it all together. Pour it over the salad and mix gently with a spoon until all of the cucumbers and carrots have been mixed with the dressing. You can cover it with plastic wrap, refrigerate it and serve it later, or you can serve it right away. Serves 2 to 3 people as a side dish.

Super Simple Chili Hoisin Dipping Sauce Recipe

I make this sauce at pho (Vietamese noodle soup) restaurants to eat with my pho and Vietnamese sandwiches. Hoisin sauce and chili paste are usually always available at the table at these restaurants. It is the best dipping sauce! The perfect mixture of spicy and sweet. I bought hoisin sauce and chili paste in the Asian section of my grocery store so Richard and I could eat it at home with roasted chicken and panko-crusted fried cod when we're in the mood for an Asian flair to our meal.

Super Simple Chili Hoisin Dipping Sauce Recipe

Hoisin Sauce
Sambal Oelek Ground Fresh Chili Paste

In a small bowl, mix 1 part hoisin sauce with 1 part chili paste until thoroughly combined. Goes great with chicken, fish, Mu Shu chicken or pork, egg rolls, or anything you want to add a spicy/sweet Asian flavor to.

Sesame Ginger Marinade for Fish Recipe

I've been wanting a new way to cook cod these days, and decided to come up with an Asian marinade for it. My goal was to use ingredients I readily have in my fridge and pantry, and for a marinade that was a little sweet so Sam would like it. After a few tries, I came up with a great combination of flavors (savory, sweet, and tangy) that work great with fish and that my family loves.

Sesame Ginger Marinade for Fish Recipe

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp light agave nectar
1 tsp rice vinegar (not rice wine vinegar)
1/2 tsp ground ginger spice
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk them together. Lay your fish in a single layer in a pan and pour the marinade over it. Turn the fish over so the marinade covers both sides. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before you grill the fish. This recipe makes a little over 1/4 cup of marinade.

Egg-free Fried Rice Recipe

Richard and I love fried rice, but we can't order it at Chinese restaurants because of Sam's egg-white sensitivity. I decided to make my own egg-free version using ingredients I readily have in my fridge and pantry. The sesame oil and soy sauce flavor the rice beautifully, and the ham makes it extra tasty. This is a great side dish!

Egg-Free Fried Rice Recipe

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped sugar snap peas (a handful or so of whole snap peas)
1/2 cup diced carrot (1 - 2 carrots)
1/2 cup diced ham lunchmeat (5 or 6 slices stacked)
Olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
Pepper to taste

First, cook the brown rice. In a medium pot add the rice and the water. Turn the heat up to High. When the mixture comes to a boil, put a lid on it, lower the heat to Low, and simmer it for 45 minutes. When the rice is done, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the cooked rice and gently mix it in.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the peas, carrots and ham. Wash and dry the snap peas. Cut the ends off of each pea, then cut each pea into 4 or 5 pieces. Wash, dry and peel the carrot(s). Dice the carrot(s) into small pieces. Combine the peas and carrots into one bowl. Stack the ham slices and dice the ham into small pieces like the carrots. Keep the ham separate from the peas and carrots. Refrigerate the peas and carrots and ham until the rice is done and you're ready to make the fried rice.

To make the fried rice, spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Heat the skillet to Med. High and add the peas and carrots. Drizzle them with a little bit of olive oil and saute them for a few minutes. When they start to brown, add the ham and saute the ham with the peas and carrots for a couple of minutes. Next, drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the vegetables and ham, then add the cooked brown rice and use a spatula to combine everything together. Pepper to taste. Fry the rice mixture in the pan for a few minutes, moving it with your spatula constantly, then turn the heat to Low until you're ready to serve it. Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish.

Sesame Chow Mein Noodles Recipe (Vegan)

We love the vegetarian chow mein noodles we get at dim sum restaurants. I decided to make my own version of chow mein noodles at home without using soy sauce or green onions (since I'm sensitive to them), but instead using sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds to flavor the noodles. These chow mein noodles go great with grilled or fried fish.

Sesame Chow Mein Noodles Recipe

1/2 of a 6 oz. package Sun Luck brand Chuka Soba Chow Mein Noodles
1 tbsp Sun Luck Pure Sesame Oil
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Salt and pepper

Start a medium pot of water to boil over High heat. Add the chow mein noodles and a dash of salt and let them boil for 3 minutes. On another burner, start a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to Medium heat. When the noodles are done boiling, drain the noodles and add them to the skillet. Add the sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt and pepper to taste, and stir fry the noodles for 3 minutes. Serves 2 adults (and one small child) as a side dish.