Won Ton Soup

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Ingredients

Won Tons
1lb Ground Pork (I did whole leg meat and ground it on the large die)
6 Baby Bok Choy (thin sliced pretty much shredded)
6 Fresh Shitaki Caps (cleaned and small diced > cook through with some sesame oil and salt > cool)
2 Green Onions (thin sliced)
1tsp Garlic Paste
1tsp Ginger Paste
1 quarter Yellow Onion (brunoise)
1tsp Chili Sesame Oil
1TBSP Dark Soy Sauce

1 packet Won Ton Wrapper
1 small dish of Water

Soup
1 quart Vegetable or Chicken Stock
1tsp Rice Wine Vinegar or Chinese Cooking Wine
2tsp Ginger Paste
6 Baby Bok Choy (halved and rough chopped)
2tsp Cilantro (chopped)
2tsp Green Onion (sliced)

Instructions

Won Tons
1) Mix all filling ingredients together in a bowl > Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors mix
2) Place 1 wrapper on your board > Dip your finger in the water dish and brush the water around the edges of your wrapper > Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle > Fold the wrapper in half by connecting opposite corners > Carefully press around the filling pushing all the air out > Firmly press down on the edges > Dab a little bit of water on the bottom right corner of your triangle > Holding the dumpling in the palm of your hand press gently up on the bottom of the filling then connect the bottom two corners and press firmly

Note: While folding keep finished Won Tons covered with a damp towel so the dough doesn’t dry out.

Storage: You can freeze them and they will keep for about 3 months or they will last about 1 day in the refrigerator

Cooking:
Fresh: You can simmer in your broth for about 5 minutes.
Frozen: Simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Soup:
1) Combine everything but the Cilantro, Bok Choy, and Green Onions in a pot and bring to a simmer
2) Add Won Tons and Bok Choy > simmer about 5 minutes
3) Serve and Garnish with Cilantro and Green Onions. I also poured in Chili Oil to make it spicer but that’s just me

Lamb Biryani

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Ingredients

500g Diced Lamb
250g Basmati Rice
100g Ghee or clarified butter
30g Onions fried
30g Ginger Paste
20g Garlic Paste
200g Yoghurt (plain full fat Greek Yogurt)
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Garam Masala
20g Cilantro, chopped
20g Mint, chopped
1/4g Saffron
50ml Whole Fat Cows Milk
2 bay leaves
2 Green Cardamom Pods
4 Cloves
15g salt
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
small piece cheese cloth or loose leaf tea strainer

Instructions

1) In the dish you’re going to cook in (I used a cast iron dutch oven) put 50g Ghee and fry onions over medium high heat til browned > Removed onions and place dish aside off heat

2) Marinate the lamb with fried onions, Garlic Paste, Ginger Paste, yoghurt, Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Ground Coriander, Ground cumin, salt, and half of the Cilantro and Mint. Marinate for at least 2 hours

2) After starting the lamb marinating wash the Basmati Rice in lukewarm water and soak for 30 minutes

3) Boil 3 liters of water with 5g of salt, bay leaves, Cardamom Pods, Cloves, and the remaining Coriander and Mint. When the water starts to boil, add the Basmati Rice. All of the spices should be tied into a sachel of cheese cloth or placed in a loose leaf tea strainer this way they aren’t floating around waiting for someone to bite into a clove.

4) Cook for 2 minutes, drain, and cool on a prepared cookie sheet or sheet pan lined with parchment. Lay the rice out flat to get even cooling

5) In your dish from earlier layer the lamb after it’s marinated along the bottom

6) Add 200ml of vegetable stock

7) Cover evenly with the rice and press down so it’s level

8) Take your Milk and bring to right before a boil, add in the Saffron and let bloom for 5 minutes.

9) Sprinkle the rice with Garam Masala

10) Pour rest of melted Ghee and 1 tbsp Lemon Juice over rice and the Milk

11) Cover tightly with tin foil and place lid on top. Cook on Medium High heat for about 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer (medium low) for another 30.

12) Mix together and serve with raita

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

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Ingredients:

6 oz Cauliflower chopped into the size you like (I did about 1″x1″ pieces)
2 cups Whole Milk (or Almond Milk)
2 slices Bacon (chopped small)
1 Portobello Mushroom (diced)
4 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tbsp Parsley (chopped)
2 oz Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp seasoning your choice (I did black pepper, old bay, chili flakes, and garlic powder)
Salt (optional: I feel like the cheese and bacon add enough saltiness to the dish but if you think it needs more add some at the end to taste)

Instructions:

1) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add cauliflower, boil until desired softness (I like a bit of crunch).
2) In a small pot cook bacon til crispy. Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon but leave the fat in the pan.
3) Add in your mushrooms (and any other veg you want to add in!), cook til almost desired firmness.
4) Add in milk and bring to a boil, turn down heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
5) Take off heat and whisk in seasoning and cheese slowly (if you add the cheese while on the heat it can become stringy and ball up instead of melting in). If it’s too thin for your liking just add more cheese 🙂 I like to throw a few slices of American Cheese in there but not everyone likes the idea of that kind of cheese.
6) Toss cauliflower and bacon in sauce, EAT!

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

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Recently got an Air Fryer and it makes the most delicious Chicken Wings. I’m spoiled off of restaurant wings now, never had any wings close to as moist or skin so crunchy as what comes out of my air fryer at home.

Ingredients:
2lbs Chicken Wings and Drums
2 Tablespoons Dry Seasoning of choice (I use Garlic Salt and Black Pepper)
1/2 cup Wing Sauce of Choice ( I use Franks Red Hot with Butter, Calabrian Chilies, and Chopped Celery Leaf)

Equipment:
Air Fryer

Instructions:
1) Pat wings and drums dry then toss with seasoning
2)Pre-heat Airfryer to 380f
3) Place wings and drums in basket and cook at 380f for 15minutes
4) Flip wings and drums then cook again for 8 minutes at 380f
5) Turn heat up to 400f and cook for 8 more minutes
6) Toss in the sauce of your choice and serve hot!

Sour Orange Chicken for tacos (and beans)

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Ingredients
1 Whole Chicken, quartered and back removed, gizzards minced
2 Sour Oranges (or 2 Oranges and 1 Lime)
3 Clove Garlic
1 Beer, light flavor like a pilsner
3 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
2 Tablespoon Mexican Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1 cup Salt
1 cup Dried Beans
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 can Chopped Tomatoes
1 Jalapeno, chopped
1 White Onion, chopped

Equipment:
Instant Pot

Instructions:
Lay quartered chicken in clean sink and sprinkle with salt all over let sit for 20 minutes
1) Set Instant Pot to Saute, sweat onion and gizzards
2) Add beans and stir to combine, add about 2 tablespoons of salt
3) Pour in beer, stock, tomatoes, and jalapeño then stir
4) Rub Chicken with Cayenne, Cumin, Oregano and squeeze citrus all over
5) Place the back down in the beans to help hold the meat over the liquid
6) Stack in chicken with the citrus halves between the layers til all is in.
7) My chicken was 5.68lbs and I set the Instant Pot to Poultry for 45 minutes. The Instant Pot instructions said about 8 minutes per pound but follow yours.
8) Release the pressure/steam, remove the chicken and let cool. When cool shred.
9) Pour out almost all of the cooking liquid then return to the Instant Pot on saute setting, mash up with a potato masher or fork or ladle whatever works. Let cook til it thickens.

Serve with tortillas and whatever you like on tacos.

 

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