Palate Cleanser: Shiso Sushi and Giveaway Reminder

Japanese  use the word shiso to refer to perilla. The green variety with ruffled edges (aojiso) is used in sashimi and salads and the purple kind (akashiso) is used to dye pickle plum (umeboshi). It belongs to the mint family and tastes of mint and fennel combined.  
I found some perilla/ beefsteak plant leaves with a purple underside and a deep green topside in the Asian store.   I love wrapping sushi rice in it ---so pretty but it is also fantastic over steamed rice when finely shredded and mixed with salt.  
My son loves shiso tempura ---it doesn't look stunning but the flavor is incomparable.  They dry out quicky so I grow it in my container garden. It is a great palate cleanser.  

Palate Cleanser: Shiso Sushi

fresh Japanese/ Korean shiso leaves

seasoned rice vinegar or sushi vinegar*

steamed rice
Season rice with sushi vinegar. You only need about 1 T sushi vinegar for  1-1/2 cup of steamed rice. Wrap in shiso leaves. Cover with plastic wrap since the leaves easily dry out.



*You can buy sushi vinegar but it's easy to make your own.  In the Just Bento Cookbook, Makiko recommends mixing 4 c rice vinegar with 7 oz sugar and 6 T sea salt to make 6 cups of sushi vinegar. This is will last a long time and can be used in salads, dips etc.  

Giveaway reminder:

Most of the recipes I used for the Hanami bento are from The Just Bento Cookbook so I am also doing a giveaway of this must have Japanese cookbook by Makiko Itoh. The sushi vinegar is from the same book. Please comment to enter the giveaway.  To have get 4 additional entries, please blog about the giveaway and let me know in the comments.  Random.org will be used to choose a winner and this will be announced on April 22, 2011. 

Firecracker Chicken with Picante Sauce

Snow days make me think of spicy Singaporean food.  Years back my dad and I ate at an outdoor market featuring international food.  We were mesmerized by the Singaporean chef who prepared the most amazing stir-fried noodles we ever tasted.  His other specialty was Firecracker Chicken.  Later on the chef decided to open Rasa Singapura, a hole-in-the-wall, family owned restaurant, where the food was truly exceptional.  As newly weds, hubby and I,  frequented the place and ordered their crispy chicken in spicy black bean sauce.  When the chef retired for health reasons and a son took over, the food and service suffered.   The son did not have the passion and talent of his father so the place folded up. I  truly miss their amazing food so for the Super Bowl here is my take on Rasa Singapura's Firecracker Chicken.

 

Firecracker Chicken with Picante Sauce
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 T hot sauce (I used Siracha Rooster brand)
1 T picante sauce (I used Pace Mild Picante Sauce)
5 T canola oil
2 t lime juice
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small bottle of Pace Picante Sauce

Cut chicken breast into 1 inch wide thin planks.   Combine siracha, canola oil, minced garlic, lime juice and 1 tablespoon picante sauce in a ziplock bag.  Marinade chicken in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.  Thread chicken through bamboo sticks (if the sticks are soaked overnight in water they will not burn during grilling). Grill chicken till they are cooked through and serve with more picante sauce  on the side.

Disclaimer: In this recipe I used Pace Picante Sauce I received from FoodBuzz Tastemakers

 

Winners of Dr. Kracker Giveaway and A Ouick and Easy Spicy Thai Chicken Wings

WINNERS:

My heartfelt thanks to all of my dear readers who commented or participated in the Dr. Kracker Giveaway. I enjoy sharing recipes and reading your blogs and just being part of our foodie community. Please drop by again sometime for another giveaway next month.

Congrats to Dr. Kracker Giveaway winners: #22 Kim and #32 LAgirl70094 .  To claim your prizes, contact momgateway@gmail.com with your postal address.

And a  special thank you to my friend, George Eckrich for this fantastic giveaway!

QUICK AND EASY SPICY THAI CHICKEN WINGS

Meanwhile, here is a quick and easy version of Spicy Thai Chicken Wings I tried yesterday.  Traditionally, you should use lots of finely chopped cilantro roots (not stems or leaves) and fresh garlic. If you only have fresh cilantro stems and leaves, you could use it. The flavor is not quite the same but it will work too ...the garlic-cilantro-fish sauce-pepper combination will smell so enticing....  When in a pinch, you can use coriander powder.   Coriander powder is derived from cilantro seeds and it gives a sparkle/brightness to the dish. 

12 chicken wings (flats and drumettes)
2 tsp fresh garlic or garlic powder
2 tsp finely chopped cilantro roots (or stems) or coriander powder
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp Siracha (or hot sauce)-depends on how hot you want it
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
rice flour or cornstarch for coating (Warning: Don't use sweet potato starch*)

Combine garlic, cilantro, oil, Siracha, sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce.  Pour over chicken wings.  Marinade for an hour or so. Dredge in rice flour or cornstarch and deep fry.

* I read a tip from a blog about using sweet potato starch. So when I first made this, I coated the wings with sweet potato starch  --- terrible, terrible mistake!  Alright, it was crunchy on the outside but the chicken was steamed on the inside --my son called it Frankenstein wings!!!! He says he loves chicken but does not like the texture or taste of soggy boiled/steamed wings when it's supposed to be crispy fried chicken.