Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)

Ingredients
Beef Marinade

• 2.2lbs beef (shank, oxtail, boneless rib, chuck, blade roast or sirloin tip - see notes)
• 1 kiwi (smashed)
• 1 can of cola (355 ml, approximately 1 ½ cups)
• 2 inch ginger (cut roughly into strips)
• 2-3 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
• 1 onion (cut into slices)
• 2 teaspoons five spice powder
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce

Bo Kho Stew

• 2 inch fresh ginger (sliced thickly)
• 4 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
• 1-2 onions (sliced)
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 cinnamon stick (2 inch long)
• 3-4 star anise
• 3 bay leaves
• ¼ cup tomato paste (add an additional 2 tablespoons if you want a thicker stew)
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (adjust to taste)
• ¼ cup shaoxing cooking wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 large carrots
• 4 cups low sodium beef broth (32oz)

(Optional) If You are Transforming it to a Noodle Soup

• 1-3 cup beef broth (add more if you like a thinner soup for noodles)
• fish sauce (adjust to taste)

Garnishes

• ½ white onion (or any sweet onion, thinly sliced - don't skip this, it really adds a lot of flavor to the final dish)
• fresh basil
• lime wedges
• crispy deep fried shallots

Instructions
Marinate the Beef

1. Cut the beef into 1 ½ inch pieces and place it in large bowl
2. Roughly chop 2-3 garlic cloves and 1 onion and place it in the bowl
3. Cut a 2 inch piece of ginger and, cut them into thick matchsticks, and place them in the bowl
4. Add the 2 teaspoons five spice powder, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 can of cola in the bowl
5. Peel 1 kiwi and smash it with the fork, put the smashed kiwi in the bowl
6. Mix everything well and marinate it overnight in the fridge. If you're pressed for time, marinate it for at least 4 hours in room temperature.
7. It's important not to marinate it for more than 24 hours because kiwi is a very strong meat tenderizer, and it may tenderize the meat too much and make it mushy.

Stew

1. Once you are done marinating, remove the marinating beef from the fridge, drain and discard the liquid.
2. Discard the aromatics (the onions, garlic and ginger). Don't worry we use fresh arromatics for the stew.
3. Let the beef sit in room temperature for an hour, this will help with the browning of the beef since the beef won't be as cold.
4. While we are waiting for the beef, peel and slice 1-2 onions and set it a side
5. Peel and roughly chop 4 cloves garlic and set it a side
6. Cut out 2 inch ginger, and slice it and set it a side.
7. Peel and chop 2 large carrots into 2 inch chunks and set it aside
8. Peel the dried outer layer of 2 stalks lemongrass and cut off the dried tips at the top and discard it. Wash the lemongrass to remove any sand. Cut the lemongrass into 2-3 inch chunks and smash it with a rolling pin or the blunt back of your knife to release the oils.
9. Putting It Together
10. Place a large heavy bottom pot or a dutch oven over the stove on medium heat and add a bit of oil with 2-3 tablespoons butter
11. When the pot is hot, add the beef in one at a time, careful not too crowd it too much. Brown the beef in batches. (The beef browns better if you touch it less, it gives it a chance to form a crust)
12. Once all the beef has browned, add all the beef back in and add in the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, 1 cinnamon stick and 3-4 star anise and toast it with the meat for about 5 minutes
13. Add in ¼ cup tomato paste and mix everything well, cook for another 2-3 minutes
14. Add in ¼ cup shaoxing cooking wine, 4 cups low sodium beef broth and 3 bay leaves and gently scrape the bottom of the pan if there are brown bits stuck to the bottom (this is flavor).
15. Bring it to a boil. Once it has started boiling, reduce the heat to low and put a lid on it and let it simmer. Set a timer for 2 ½ hours. (If you are using oxtail or beef shank, you will need to cook it a lot longer, by approximately 1 hour more)
16. Once 2 ½ hours have passed, stir the stew and check the beef for tenderness. If it is still tough continue to cook it for another 30 minutes. If the stew needs more liquid, add more beef broth or water.
17. Once it is tender, add in the carrots and continue to cook it for another 30 minutes with the lid on until the carrots are soft
18. Add 3 tablespoons fish sauce and adjust it to your taste
19. Pick out the lemongrass, star anise, and bay leaves and discard them.
20. Ladle some stew into a bowl and serve with a Vietnamese baguette or with rice.

(Optional) Making It Into A Beef Noodle Soup

1. Once the stew is done, add in 1-3 cup beef broth (depending on how thin you want the soup)
2. Add fish sauce to taste
3. Serve with noodles and thinly sliced sweet onions. Garnish with lime wedges and thai basil.

Notes

1. If you use beef shank or oxtail, you will need to increase the cooking time, since they are tougher cuts of beef. Definitely worth it though.
2. If you use oxtail, you will get less meat if you use 1.5kg of oxtail since the majority of the weight will come from the bones. 
3. If you like your beef stew spicy, you can add 1-2 Thai chilies into the stew while the beef is braising.
4. It's important not to marinate it for more than 24 hours because kiwi is a very strong meat tenderizer, and it may tenderize the meat too much and make it mushy.

From: https://pupswithchopsticks.com/bo-kho-vietnamese-beef-stew/

Crispy Chickpeas With Beef

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ½ to 1pound ground beef or other meat
• 4 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 28-ounce can), drained (reserve 1 cup liquid)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ancho or chipotle chile, soaked, stemmed, seeded and minced; or 1 teaspoon good chile powder
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Minced cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Turn heat to high under a large, deep skillet, and add meat a little at a time, breaking it into small pieces as you do. Stir and break up meat a bit more, then add chickpeas. Keep heat high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until chickpeas begin to brown and pop, 5 to 10 minutes. Don't worry if mixture sticks a bit, but if it begins to scorch, lower heat slightly.
2. Add cumin, chili or chili powder and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add reserved cooking liquid, and stir, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper, then turn heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until mixture is no longer soupy but not dry.
3. Stir in olive oil, then taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish if you like, and serve immediately, with rice or pita bread.

From: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8024-crispy-chickpeas-with-beef (firewall)

Lentil Bolognese

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or use more oregano)
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (5.3-ounce) (150g) tube of tomato paste (see note 1)
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) dry red wine (optional, see note 2)
• 3 cups (720 mL) vegetable broth
• 1 cup (185g) red lentils, soaked (see step #1)
• ¼ cup (32g) walnuts (or pecans), crushed finely
• 1 (14.5-ounce/410g) can of crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand (see note 3)
• 12-16 ounces (340-454g) long, wide pasta (such as tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fettuccine; or tube pasta such as rigatoni or penne rigate; or gnocchi)(see note 4)
• 1 tablespoon high-quality balsamic vinegar (see note 5)
• Flat-leaf Italian parsley or fresh basil, chopped or slivered (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak the 1 cup of lentils in water for 30 minutes, or up to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, prep all the other ingredients (i.e., chop the onions and garlic, chop the walnuts, etc.)
2. Heat a 12-inch deep sauté pan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and once it’s shimmering, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally and cook the onions until a light brown fond starts form on the surface of the pan, about 5 minutes. Add a few spoons of water to deglaze the pan, and stir. Continue cooking the onions, adding more water every few minutes and stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the onions are softened and golden brown, 9-10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Stir frequently and cook for 60-90 seconds.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes to caramelize, stirring very frequently, until it’s darker red in color.
5. Optional: If using the red wine, pour the wine into the pan and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the smell of alcohol has burned off and the mixture is jammy.
6. Pour in the broth to deglaze the pan, stirring any browned bits on the bottom of the pot and stirring the broth into the tomato paste to combine. Add the lentils and walnuts, and stir to incorporate. Heat until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and sticking.
8. If using crushed tomatoes, you may need to add a little water or lower the heat as needed to prevent burning.
9. I prefer to cook for 20 minutes for a more developed flavor.
10. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente. Reserve a ladle or so of pasta water (may not need it). Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.
11. Taste the bolognese for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Finish with the balsamic vinegar (or sugar, see note 5), and stir to combine.
12. Add the hot cooked pasta to the bolognese and toss until well coated in the sauce, adding a bit of pasta water as needed to ensure the sauce coats the noodles. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil, if using.
13. Note: If you're not serving all of the bolognese at this time, transfer the amount of bolognese sauce you'd like to eat to the pasta pot. Add the hot cooked pasta, turn the heat to medium, and toss to coat. Store the leftover bolognese sauce separately in the fridge.

Notes

1. As mentioned in the post, this recipe is best with tomato paste from a tube, not canned tomato paste.
2. Dry red wines include malbec, chianti, tempranillo, sangiovese, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and syrah. See the "tips" section for recommended vegan-friendly brands.
3. For the best tomato flavor, use whole peeled tomatoes and crush them by hand. Crushed and whole peeled tomatoes are hard to find in 14.5 ounce cans, so I usually use half of a 28-ounce can.
4. Read the package ingredients to ensure the pasta is egg-free!
5. If you don’t have a high-quality balsamic vinegar, you can (a) omit or (b) substitute with 1-2 teaspoons of sugar (brown, coconut, or cane sugar; start with just 1 teaspoon, then taste, and add more as needed).

From: https://rainbowplantlife.com/10-ingredient-vegan-red-lentil-bolognese/#wprm-recipe-container-5570

Mango Avocado Salad

4 servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Salad

1. 2 mangoes chopped
2. 2 avocados chopped
3. 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped

Instructions

• In a large serving bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper until well combined and emulsified.
• Add the mango, avocado, onions and cilantro on top and toss to combine evenly. Serve immediately.

Based on: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/avocado-mango-salad/#wprm-recipe-container-54992

Hong Kong Char Siu pork/wonton noodle soup

Soup + char siu + wontons + egg noodles + baby bok choy

For Soup:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 6 cups of water
• Soup bone
• 3 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook altogether, simmer covered for 2 hours

Easy Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork, 叉烧)

Ingredients 

• 2 pork shoulder steaks (aka pork butt), about 350g/12oz, see note 1

For the marinade

• 4 tablespoon Char Siu sauce, see note 2
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 5 slices ginger
• 2 teaspoon honey

Instructions 

Marinate the meat

1. Put pork steaks in a resealable plastic bag. Add all the ingredients for the marinade.
2. Squeeze out air then seal the bag. Rub around for an even coating. Store in the fridge for at least 6 hours (ideally overnight).
3. Take the meat out of the bag right before roasting. Keep the marinade for later use.

Roasting

1. Preheat the oven at 425°F/220°C/Fan 200°C.
2. If using a baking tray with a wire rack that fits inside, fill the tray with hot water (lower than the rack) and put the steak on the rack. Place the tray in the middle of the oven. Alternatively, place a large tray with hot water at the bottom of the oven. Then place the steak on the middle rack of the oven.
3. Leave the meat to roast for 15 mins. Take out and flip it over. Brush some marinade then put back into the oven (Make sure there is always enough water in the tray).
4. Cook another 10 mins. While waiting, mix 2 teaspoons of honey with 2 teaspoons of the marinade.
5. Then increase the oven temperature to 460°F/240°C/Fan 220°C. Take out the meat. Brush with the honey mixture.
6. Put back into the oven for 5 mins. Then brush the other side with the honey mixture. Roast for a final 3 mins.
7. Leave the meat to rest for 5 mins then slice and serve it in your preferred way.

Notes

1. Pork choices. The ideal cut of pork should have a small amount of fat for a moist taste. Pork shoulder steak (aka pork butt) is a great choice. You may use other cuts, e.g. pork belly if you prefer.

Based on: https://redhousespice.com/wonton-noodle-soup/ and https://redhousespice.com/char-siu-chinese-bbq-pork/

Gochujang Chicken Burgers with Kimchi Bacon Jam

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons gochujang sauce (I use this one)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• avocado oil or olive oil for frying

Kimchi Bacon Jam:

• 6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cups kimchi, cut into small shreddy pieces (my personal preference for texture!)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Burger Extras:

• Buns
• Cheese (optional - I use gouda cheese)
• Cilantro or greens
• Mayo
• Cucumber slices

Instructions

1. Kimchi Bacon Jam: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon pieces. Fry until golden and crispy and fat has rendered. Drain off some of the oil (optional) and add the kimchi and brown sugar to the pan. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until caramelized and bubbly.
2. Chicken Burgers: Mix the chicken, panko, gochujang, garlic powder, and salt until well-combined. Form into 4-5 burger patties.
3. Make the Burgers: Transfer burgers to a large skillet. Add a swish of avocado oil and pan-fry until golden on the exterior and 165 degrees on the interior.
4. Assemble the Burgers: Toast your buns on the skillet; serve burgers on toasted buns with a layer of kimchi bacon jam, greens of choice, and mayo. So, s0 good.

From: https://pinchofyum.com/gochujang-chicken-burgers-with-kimchi-bacon-jam

Honey Mustard

Ingredients 

• ½ cup mayonnaise
  
• 2 tablespoons honey
  
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
  
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice

From: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/173697/yummy-honey-mustard-dipping-sauce/