Theme Night: Asian Style!

Inspired by mine and my husband's love for Kobe Japanese Steakhouse I decided to open my mind up to trying to create homemade Asian fare. I have since discovered that I make amazing beef with broccoli and sesame chicken! (I think egg roll, fortune cookies and wontons will be my next adventuresome attempt at Asian cuisine). After two hours in the kitchen this is what I turned out..(Please Note: I don't think it is supposed to take this long).

 Sesame Chicken:

These are your needed ingredients.

Reminder: Cooking is not baking..you can add a little extra and be short on ingredients..just go with what feels right. When it comes to the sauce I go by the smell as I let is simmer on the stove. If it smells too spicy I add more sugar, not spicy enough then you can add some more chili paste. 
  
For the batter/fried chicken pieces

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry or Chinese rice wine (Both are optional)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1-2 tbsps of sesame oil (Or just a dash)
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed

 Keep in mind you can get away without the sherry or the rice wine and also without the sesame seeds. The sherry will definitely enhance the flavor of the dish, but if you don't have it, you don't have it. And the sesame seeds are for garnish.

For the sesame sauce

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1  cup white sugar (Plus whatever extra you want to add for a sweeter sauce)
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chile paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water 

additional ingredients

• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Sift flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, vegetable oil, and a dash of sesame oil; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan until it is ready to fry (I usually gauge by sound)
4. Drop in the battered chicken pieces, a few at a time, and fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried chicken pieces onto a serving platter, and pour the hot sauce overtop. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to garnish. 

Beef with Broccoli:
 

• 3/4 pound flank or sirloin, sliced thinly across the grain
• 3/4 pound broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced or smushed through garlic smusher
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

For the beef marinade

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

This is another recipe where the sherry WILL enhance the flavor but you can do without if you need too! Also, a tip for those local to Killeen the O Mart can be your best friend when making these dishes.

1 Marinate the beef: Stir together the beef marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the beef slices and stir until coated. Let stand for 10 minutes
2 Prepare the sauce: Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3 Blanch the broccoli: Cook the broccoli in a small pot of boiling, salted water until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
4 Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and instantly evaporates upon contact. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the beef and immediately spread the beef out all over the surface of the wok or pan in a single layer (preferably not touching). Let the beef fry undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip the beef slices over, add the garlic to the pan and fry for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until no longer pin. (If you are using a smaller frying pan and your pieces are touching just continue to cook until all pieces are no longer pink) Pour in the sauce, add the blanched broccoli and bring to a boil. Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens, 30 seconds.

I paired this with Ramune sodas and Sake bombers and a side of Jasmine rice. Everyone seemed thoroughly pleased with the meal..it seemed to go well!! Hope it works out for anyone else who tries it!