Rice Paper Dumplings

These Rice Paper Dumplings are crispy on the outside, chewy and filled with flavourful goodies on the inside.

Author: Cooking with Ayeh

Prep Time: 15 mins, Cook Time: 5 mins, Total Time: 20 mins

Servings: 12 dumplings 

Ingredients

For 12 dumplings                           Single Serving (2 lg dumplings or 3 rolls)

• 20 rice paper sheets                  4 or 6 sheets
• 6.5 oz firm tofu                           1 oz
• 7 oz mushrooms                          1 oz
• 2 small carrots                             1/3 carrot
• ¼ small green cabbage                1/12 cabbage
• 2 spring onions (aka scallions)    2/3 of a scallion 
• 4 garlic cloves                              1 clove
• 2 tbsp soy sauce                           1/2 tbsp
• 1 tsp sesame oil                            1/4 tsp
• 1 tbsp olive oil                              1/4 tbsp
• Salt and pepper
• Ginger
• Oil for frying

Instructions

Prepare your filling by shredding the cabbage and carrots finely. Finely dice the garlic and mushrooms into small cubes.

Using your fingers, crumble the tofu into small pieces.

In a large pan sauté mushrooms for a few minutes in olive oil. Once browned add the carrots, cabbage,  garlic and tofu. When they’re half cooked and starting to soften, season and grate in some ginger

Add soy sauce along with a dash of sesame oil, stir through and take off the heat. Stir in chopped spring onions and set the mixture aside to cool down.

Make a dipping station with a tray of water, along with a wet chopping board or damp clean tea towel to wrap the rice paper dumplings on.

Dip a rice paper sheet in water for a few seconds and place on the damp surface. Add a spoonful of the filling mixture in the center of the sheet in a rectangular shape.

Starting at the bottom, fold over the rice paper sheet to cover the filling. Then fold the top of the sheet over the filling, then the same with the sides so you will be left with a square/rectangle shape pocket

Dip a second rice paper sheet in the water, place on the damp surface and place the pocket in the middle. Wrap the pocket the same way by folding from the bottom first and so on, to double-wrap the filling

Repeat this process until all the filling has finished

If not air frying, pan fry the dumplings in your preferred oil over a medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side until lightly golden.  If air frying, lightly brush with oil and air fry.

Serve with a dipping sauce.

Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric

By Alison Roman for New York Times Cooking

Spiced chickpeas are crisped in olive oil, then simmered in garlicky coconut milk for an insanely creamy, basically-good-for-you stew that evokes stews found in South India and parts of the Caribbean. While the chickpeas alone would be good as a side dish, they are further simmered with stock, bolstered with dark, leafy greens of your choosing and finished with a handful of fresh mint. When shopping, avoid low-fat coconut milk, coconut milk meant for drinking or cream of coconut: All are very different and would not be suitable here.

INGREDIENTS

• Yield: 4 to 6 servings
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric, plus more for serving
• 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup mint leaves, for serving
• Yogurt, for serving (optional)
• Toasted pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add 1½ teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they’ve started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
3. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to ensure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
5. Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.
6. Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.

Mexican Black Beans

 

Serves 4

From Food Lovin Family

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz can black beans
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 4 oz can diced green chiles (These can be omitted.)
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Pour oil in large skillet or saucepan. Warm over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté until softened, or 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds. Pour in black beans, diced chilis, cumin, salt and cilantro.
• Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Slow Cooker Pulled-Pork Carnitas

 Yield: 4 to 6 servings                    Original recipe from the Food Network

Ingredients

• For Step 1:
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Juice of 2 oranges
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Small pinch ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• For Step 2:
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• For Steps 3 & 4
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup lard (I used butter and it was fine)
• For Serving:
• Soft corn tortillas
• Cilantro leaves
• Sliced jalapenos
• Pickled red onions

Directions

1. Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, cloves, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large slow cooker and whisk to combine. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves and stir to combine.  Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours.
3. Transfer the pork to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, onion, and garlic. Shred the pork into bite-size pieces with 2 forks, leaving some larger chunks, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the lard in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shredded pork and press down into an even layer with a spatula. Cook, occasionally pressing with a spatula, until crisped and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of lard and shredded pork.
5. Serve with tortillas, cilantro, jalapenos, and pickled red onions.
   

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients

• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt

Directions

• Put the sliced onions in a medium heatproof, nonreactive bowl. 
• Put the vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, bay leaves, sugar, coriander and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. 
• Pour the mixture over the red onions and set aside until cooled to room temperature. 
• Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.