Tag: appetizer

Stir Fried Chili Lemongrass Frogs

Stir Fried Chili Lemongrass Frogs

Eat as an appetizer or serve as a main course with steamed rice.

Steamed Dumplings in Chili Oil

Steamed Dumplings in Chili Oil

Steamed Dumplings in Chili Oil

In the continuation of stripping the lining of my insides, I made these simple pork and shrimp dumplings drowned in chili oil. These dumplings are so addictive, I recommend making a double batch and freezing them down, storing in a freezer bag so you can make these anytime. They only take 10 minutes to steam. These dumplings can also be boiled, only taking 5-6 minutes.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: appetizer, Chinese, main course, Pork, seafood, snack
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • steamer basket

Ingredients

Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

  • 1/2 lb shrimp peeled and deveined, finely chopped
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp garlic minced
  • 2 tsp ginger minced
  • 2 green onions finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp back pepper
  • wonton wrappers

Chili Oil Sauce

  • 2 tbsp chili oil
  • 1 tbsp black vinegar
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp sugar

Garnish

  • cilantro chopped
  • sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Combine all of the dumpling ingredients.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Mix thoroughly.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Add a tsp of the dumpling filling to the center of a square wonton wrapper.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Fold up the corners and give it a tight pinch. Use water to help seal.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • You should yield about 3 dozen dumplings.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Line a steamer basket with parchment paper. Place dumplings in the steamer in a single layer. Steam for 10 minutes.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • While the dumplings are steaming, mix together the chili oil sauce ingredients.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Cover the dumplings in the chili oil sauce. Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
Chinese Pork Belly Bun

Chinese Pork Belly Bun

Chinese Pork Belly Bun

Pork belly buns are one of my favorites. There are many different kinds from many Asian countries. This particular version is from the Xi’an province of China where the pork belly is served on more of a flatbread type of bun, instead of the typical steamed bun varieties that you may be used to seeing. They are traditionally topped with chopped bell peppers and cilantro with a little chili oil. I used shredded cabbage, shallots, and green onion in addition to the peppers and cilantro.
There are 2 routes you can go with braising the pork belly: skin-on or skinless. Both are great. Having the skin on does generate a little more grease to the pork, but that can be spooned out. Other then that, the rest of the braising process is pretty straight forward. Towards the end, your should have about 1 cup of the braising liquid left.
The flatbreads only have 3 ingredients: flour, yeast, and room temperature water. Mix them together, knead for a couple of minutes, and let rise for 25-30 minutes in a plastic wrap covered bowl. If your a glutton such as myself, you can portion out the dough into 8 equal pieces. But they are typically a little smaller then that, so 10 equal portions is good too. Roll them out into 1”4 thick discs. They take 3-4 minutes a side on a hot oiled griddle. Once they cool off, slice in half and top with the pork belly and the toppings of your liking.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: appetizer, Chinese, main course, Pork
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

Braised Pork Belly

  • 3 lb skin-on pork belly
  • 4 dried chili peppers
  • 3 whole clove
  • 1 whole nutmeg
  • 1 whole star anise
  • 2” cinnamon stick
  • 2 slices of ginger
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Flatbread

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 cup room temp water

Pork Belly Buns

  • bell peppers chopped
  • cabbage shredded
  • shallots thinly sliced
  • cilantro roughly chopped
  • green onions chopped
  • hot chili oil

Instructions

Braised Pork Belly

  • Cut up pork belly into 1” chunks. Place in a Dutch oven, covering with enough water until it is submerged. Bring to a boil. Rub the heat to medium low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Scoop off the scum that floats to the top.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Add in the chili peppers, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, star anise, green onions, and shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Add the soy sauces, sugar, salt, and cracked black pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Uncover. Simmer for another hour.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • You should have no more then 1 cup of braising liquid left.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork

Flatbreads

  • Mix together the dough ingredients. Flour your hands and knead the dough for a couple of minutes.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Cover in plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 25 minutes.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Lightly flour your surface. Portion the dough out into 8-10 dough balls.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Roll them out about a 1/4“ thick.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Heat up cooking oil over medium high heat on a griddle. Toss on the flatbreads.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
  • Cook for 3-4 minutes a side.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork

Pork Bun Assembly

  • Slice a flatbread in half. Scoop on a generous portion of the pork belly. Top off with chili oil, bell peppers, shredded cabbage, shallots, cilantro, and green onion.
    Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
Chinese, appetizer, main course, pork
Gochujang Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Gochujang Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Gochujang Marinated Grilled Shrimp

If you like spicy, this recipe is for you. Gochujang paste is great as a marinade for shrimp, as well as chicken, pork, and squid. When selecting shrimp, I chose to use 8-12 count. These are the ideal size for grilling and broiling, especially if you want to add a glaze to the shrimp.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Marinating Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Keyword: appetizer, East Asian, Korean, main course, seafood
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • metal skewers
  • charcoal
  • chimney starter
  • charcoal grill
  • brush

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 8/12 ct. shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp gochujang paste
  • 1 tbsp honey

Garnish

  • toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Mix all of the marinade ingredients together. Save half of the marinade for basting.
    Korean, main course, seafood
  • Add in the shrimp. Marinate for 30 minutes.
    Korean, main course, seafood
  • Skewer the shrimp. Let your charcoal turn grey in the chimney starter. Pour the charcoal into the grill and place on the grate. Place the skewers directly over the charcoal.
  • Grill the shrimp for 2 minutes a side.
  • Brush the shrimp with the other half of the marinade. Grill for another minute on each side.
  • Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.