gingery asian pressed salad

an unusual and flavorful asian salad:

recipe from a cookbook called, Venturesome Vegetarian Cooking

Salad:

1/4 cup golden rasins

1/2 head small cabbage, thinly shredded

1 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced

4-5 radishes thinly sliced

1 med carrot

1/4 umeboshi vinegar

1 large apple

1/4 sunflower seeds

Dressing:

1/4 cup tahini

1 inch fresh ginger

1/4 cup mirin

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp apricot all fruit-jam

Place the rasins in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let stand for 20ish minutes until they're soft and plump. Drain. Set Aside.

Combine the cabbage, cucumber and radish slices in a large mixing bowl. Use a peeler to shave the carrot into the bowl. Add the vinegar to the vegetables. Use your hands to massage the vinegar into the vegetables, squeezing gently, about 3 min.

Fun part!!! Place a plate that fits into the bowl on top of the vegetables. Weigh down the plate with something heavy, such as a pitcher filled with water. Let stand 1 hour.

When the salad presses, make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Once salad pressed, remove the weight. Holding the plate down with one hand tip the bowl over the sink to drain out any liquid.

Transfer the pickled vegetables into a medium bowl, squeezing gently to remove any remaining liquid.

Slice the salad in half and core. Cut each piece into thin half moon slices, add to salad.

To serve, toss the salad with the dressing, garnish with raisins and sunflower seeds.

spicy chicken kabobs with cilantro rice

[from a cookbook called THAI]

Serves 4

Chicken Kabobs:

3 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped

4 tbsp honey

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

2 red bell peppers seeded and cut into 1 inch squares

Cilantro rice

2 tbsp oil

6 scallions chopped

generous 1 cup jasmine rice

2.5 c chicken stock

4 oz bok choy coarsely chopped

4 oz baby spinich leaves

LARGE handful of fresh cilantro

Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 min. Mix all Kabob ingredients, except chicken and peppers in a bowl. Add chicken cubes and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate for 2 hours in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 375*

Alternate chicken cubes and red peppers on the skewers. Heat a ridged (or not ridged) grill pan until hot and cook the skewers over high heat for 3-4 minutes, turning until they're browned all over. Transfer to a cookie sheet and cook in the preheated oven an additional 10-12 min or until cooked through.

Cilantro rice:

Heat oil in preheated wok/pot. Add the scallions and stir-fry over medium heat for 30 seconds or until softened. Add the rice and stirfry for 2-3 min. Add the stock and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10-12 min or until rice is tender, add more stock/water if necessary. Add bok choy, spinich and cilantro and cook, stirring for 1-2 min or until wilted.

Eat :)