rice vinegar

August 3, 2021 Asian

Chicken Chashu

This chicken chashu is perfectly savory and sweet! Rolled chicken thighs are braised in a flavorful broth until tender and juicy. This restaurant-quality dish is simple to make and exploding with delicious flavor!

What Makes This Chicken Chashu So Good

It’s bursting with tons of flavor! Chicken thighs are braised in a flavorful broth until perfectly tender. One bite of this chicken chashu will leave your taste buds singing!
It’s a restaurant-quality dish that’s surprisingly simple to make in the comfort of your own home. Simply roll the chicken thighs, quickly brown them in a skillet, then leave to cook in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and sake or dry white wine. This delicious dish comes together in just 30 minutes!
It’s that perfect balance between savory and sweet! Savory soy sauce and tangy mirin are beautifully balanced by a bit of sugar. We even add some fresh ginger in there for a flavorful spice!

Key Ingredients for Chicken Chashu

Boneless Chicken Thighs – For this dish, you’ll need boneless skin-on chicken thighs. Without the bone, we are able to roll these chicken thighs and easily slice into them once cooked. However, the skin is necessary in achieving a golden brown and crispy exterior!

Soy Sauce – This dark liquid condiment gives this chicken chashu most of its delicious flavor! You have the option to use low-sodium soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce in this recipe. If gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce, such as tamari, instead.

Mirin – Mirin is similar to rice vinegar, though has a bit more sweetness. The acidity from the mirin is vital to balancing out the flavors of this Asian-inspired dish. If you don’t have mirin, you can use rice vinegar or sherry vinegar instead.

Sake or Dry White Wine – To keep this dish more traditional, opt for sake. However, if you can’t get your hands on sake, dry white wine works as well! As far as cooking wines go, I recommend a sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, or anything with “crisp” in the description. Though if you’d like to make this recipe alcohol-free, you can substitute it with additional mirin or water.

Chef’s Tips

Use cooking twine to secure the rolled chicken thighs! Cooking twine is heat safe, unbleached, and doesn’t contain any dyes. This kitchen item is the only string that is 100% safe to cook with and use in this recipe.
Leave the chicken to cool in the braising liquid for at least 10 minutes before serving. The longer you leave it in there, the more flavor this dish will have! Give the chicken as much time as possible to soak up all of that incredible flavor.
Enjoy this chicken chasu either on its own or over a bowl of homemade ramen! Chashu is traditionally served with ramen and makes for a delicious addition to this warming soup. Simply remove the twine from around the chicken, then thinly slice before adding to your bowl.

chicken chashu sliced on a plate with chopped scallions

More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

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Print Recipe

Chicken Chashu

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: asian-inspired, chicken brine, restaurant-style

Servings: servings

Calories: 512kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Cooking twine
Large skillet
Large pot

Ingredients

1 pound boneless chicken thighs
2 cups water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup mirin
½ cup sake or dry white wine
½ cup sugar
2-inch knob ginger optional
1 shallot peeled and sliced in half

Instructions

Roll the chicken thighs with the skin-side facing out into tight rolls, then tie with cooking twine.
Add chicken thighs to a large skillet over medium heat and lightly brown for about 2-3 minutes per side.
Add the water, soy sauce, mirin, sake or white wine, sugar, ginger, and shallot to a large pot over medium-high heat. Gently boil until the sugar has dissolved.
Add chicken thighs into the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes. Allow chicken to cool slightly in the cooking liquid before serving.

Notes

Make it Paleo: Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and coconut sugar in place of the regular sugar to make this recipe paleo.
Make it Sugar-Free: Use granular Swerve or your favorite sugar-free substitute in place of the sugar in this recipe.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 4 using specific ingredients listed above. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

April 8, 2021 Asian

Beef Pad Thai

This quick and easy take on beef pad Thai gives you juicy beef sirloin, slippery pad Thai noodles, and an incredibly flavorful sauce tied together in a delicious, complete meal in less than 30 minutes.

What Makes This Beef Pad Thai So Good

First things first, this easy beef pad Thai is based on westernized, Americanized pad Thai, so it’s not what you’d find if you were to eat authentic pad Thai in Thailand. For a truly authentic pad Thai recipe, I recommend checking out Hot Thai Kitchen or RecipeTin Eats.
My favorite thing about cooking at home, from scratch, is that you are in 100% control over what goes into your meal and how strong (or mild) your flavors are. This beef pad Thai is no different! Feel free to play with the ingredients and quantities to perfect your pad Thai.
It’s super easy to make, and comes together quick. All you need is 30 minutes to create a full meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Skip the drive-through and opt for this instead!

Key Ingredients for Beef Pad Thai

Pad Thai Noodles – These medium-ish flat noodles are an important component to pad Thai. If you’ve never had them before, don’t expect an Italian style pasta. Since these are rice flour noodles, they’re cooked differently than wheat flour noodles. They have a different texture once they’re cooked, too. On their own, their flavor is pretty neutral, but they absorb the sauce in the dish so every bite of noodles contains the perfect amount of pad Thai sauce.

Sirloin – Sirloin steak is a juicy, flavorful, lean cut of meat that’s perfect for recipes like this one where you’ll be pan-frying your meat. The cook time will vary a little depending on how thick you slice your sirloin, but only by a minute or two. When you’re slicing it, be sure to slice across the grain.

Chef’s Tips

No coconut sugar on hand? You can use 3 packed tablespoons of light brown sugar instead.
Obviously this recipe is for beef pad Thai, but you can use any protein you’d like if you’re not into beef. Chicken, shrimp, tofu, and pork would all be fantastic options!
Traditional pad Thai sauce uses tamarind pulp or paste to give it its tang, but we weren’t able to find any tamarind paste locally. Instead, we substituted lime juice and rice vinegar. It’s not quite the same flavor, admittedly, but it’s delicious.

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.

Our recipes are not necessarily low fat or low calorie, and we aren’t afraid of fat or carbs! Some of our recipes will be “skinny,” low carb, keto, paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free, Whole30, or vegan, and they will be labeled when they qualify for any of these diets. All our recipes are easy and family friendly!

Overhead photo of beef pad thai on a plate

Other Asian-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Beef Pad Thai

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian, Thai

Keyword: noodles, stir fry, takeout

Servings: servings

Calories: 545kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Small bowls (2)
Large skillet

Ingredients

For the Pad Thai Sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3 tablespoons coconut sugar

For the Pad Thai

8 ounces pad thai noodles
2 tablespoons avocado oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 red chili sliced
1 1-inch piece ginger grated
4 scallions sliced, white & green parts divided
1 pound sirloin thinly sliced
1 egg
2 cups bean sprouts
salt & pepper to taste
peanuts without shells, for garnish

Instructions

In small bowl, mix together ingredients for sauce. Set aside.
Cook noodles according to instructions on package. Drain and set aside.
Heat avocado oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, red chili, ginger, and white parts of scallions to pan. Sauté one minute, or until fragrant.
Add sirloin to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.
Once sirloin is cooked, push everything to edges of pan to create well in center. Break egg into well and scramble, then mix everything together.
Add noodles to pan, followed by pad Thai sauce. Cook until noodles absorb sauce, approximately 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once noodles absorb majority of pad Thai sauce, stir in bean sprouts. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
Portion beef pad Thai onto plates. Garnish with peanuts and green parts of scallions. Serve hot.

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 4. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

March 25, 2021 Appetizer

Chicken Gyoza

Based on traditional Japanese gyoza, these chicken gyoza are stuffed with a deliciously flavorful filling then lightly pan-fried in avocado oil for a delicate crisp. Serve with gyoza sauce for an easy snack, appetizer, or meal!

What Makes This Chicken Gyoza So Good

They’re perfect for snacks, appetizers, party foods, or you can even make a double batch and enjoy them as a meal on their own! Fill them with anything you like, too – finely diced mushrooms and cabbage would be great options.
They’re great for freezer meals! Prep a big batch of chicken gyoza, then instead of cooking them immediately, place them in the freezer on a sheet pan until they’re frozen. Then you can transfer them to a sealable freezer bag or other airtight container for storage. They’ll keep in the freezer up to 1 month. No need to thaw them when you’re ready to cook – though you may need to cook them a little longer.

Chicken Gyoza

Key Ingredients for Chicken Gyoza

Gyoza Wrappers – Gyoza wrappers are similar to dumpling wrappers, but much thinner. If you aren’t able to find gyoza wrappers specifically, we have had luck making this recipe with wonton wrappers instead. Just cut them into circles first (since they come in squares) so you still get that classic half-moon shape.

Ground Chicken – Gyoza typically has a pork filling, so you can absolutely swap the ground chicken in this recipe out for ground pork if you prefer. We used chicken in this variation just to achieve a different flavor. You could also use ground lamb, ground beef, or ground shrimp for your filling instead.

Chef’s Tips

The gyoza wrappers get sticky when they’re wet, so always handle them with dry hands!
While we pan-fry both sides of our gyoza for a crispier result, traditional gyoza are only pan-fried on one side! For the other side, you’d add water to the pan, cover with a lid, and let the steam cook the top half until the water evaporates.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Chicken gyoza on a white plate with gyoza sauce

Other Asian-Inspired Recipes

Print Recipe

Chicken Gyoza

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: dipping sauce, dumplings, pan fried

Servings: servings (approximately 30 gyoza total, 5 per serving)

Calories: 292kcal

Equipment

Small bowl
Large bowl
Spoon or silicone spatula
Tablespoon or cookie scoop with release handle
Large skillet

Ingredients

For the Gyoza Sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger grated
1 clove garlic minced
1 scallion chopped
½ teaspoon sesame oil

For the Filling

1 pound ground chicken
2 cloves garlic minced
1 1-inch knob ginger grated
1 tablespoon finely diced scallions
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Miscellaneous

1 12-ounce package gyoza wrappers about 30 wrappers
⅓ cup water
avocado oil for frying

Instructions

For the Gyoza Sauce

In small bowl, mix all ingredients together. Set aside until needed.

For the Filling

Add all ingredients to large bowl.
Mix until thoroughly combined.

For the Gyoza

Set out individual gyoza wrappers on work surface. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into center of each wrapper.
Lightly brush edge of gyoza wrappers with water. Fold top edge of wrapper over filling to meet bottom edge of wrapper, creating a half-moon shape. Pinch edges tightly to seal.
In large skillet, heat avocado oil over medium heat. Add gyoza to skillet in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Cook until golden brown, then flip gyoza and repeat for other side.
Remove from pan and serve with gyoza sauce.

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 30 gyoza, for 6 servings total. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving of 5 gyoza, with sauce. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

February 16, 2021 Instant Pot

Instant Pot Sushi Rice

Instant Pot sushi rice is the easiest way to get consistently fluffy, flavorful rice anytime you’re in the mood for homemade sushi rolls or bowls. It’s a little sweet, a little sour, and a lotta delicious.

White sushi rice in a small silver bowl, taken from the side

What Makes This Instant Pot Sushi Rice Recipe So Good

Using the Instant Pot is a total game-changer, especially when it comes to rice. It’s so much faster than a stove-top method, and it gives you consistently perfect rice every time.
It’s fluffy, sticky, and a little firm – everything you want in sushi rice.
Flavored with a light rice-vinegar-mixture, it has just enough flavor to compliment any of your other sushi ingredients without overpowering.

Key Ingredients for Instant Pot Sushi Rice

Sushi Rice – Japanese-style short-grain white rice is the ideal sushi rice because it’s a little sticky and plumps up beautifully. Jasmine or basmati rice are similar, but not quite the same, so stick to anything short-grain or specifically labelled “sushi rice”.

Rice Vinegar – Don’t sleep on this! Rice vinegar gives the sushi rice that slightly sour, tangy flavor that we all know and love. If you leave this out, your rice will taste pretty bland. Use an unseasoned rice vinegar, which doesn’t contain added salt or sugar, since we’re adding our own in this recipe.

Instant Pot Sushi Rice

Chef’s Tips

Don’t skip the pre-cook rinse to remove any dirt and starches on the outside of the rice. Be sure to rinse until the water runs completely clear. Don’t over-rinse, though, as oversaturating the rice may change the texture.
The sugar and salt need to fully dissolve in the oil & vinegar mixture. If you need to, you can heat the mixture a little to make sure everything incorporates fully.
If you can, avoid using metal bowls or utensils when you’re mixing the liquids or letting the rice cool before serving. Some metals can react with the vinegar, giving your rice a funky taste. Metal bowls also heat up very quickly, so if you’re letting your rice cool in a metal bowl, you may be inadvertently warming it longer, which can change the consistency of your rice. Metal spoons can damage the rice, too.
Don’t stir the liquid into the rice, as the stirring motion can damage the rice and make it mushy. Instead, just gently fold the liquid in until it’s well incorporated.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Overhead photo of white sushi rice in a small silver bowl

More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love

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Instant Pot Sushi Rice

Instant Pot sushi rice is the easiest way to get consistently fluffy, flavorful rice anytime you're in the mood for homemade sushi rolls or bowls. It's a little sweet, a little sour, and a lotta delicious.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Basics, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: easy recipe, pressure cooker, sticky rice

Servings: servings

Calories: 216kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Instant Pot
Small glass bowl
Wooden mixing spoon
Damp towel

Ingredients

1 cup Japanese sushi rice
1 ¼ cups water
3 tablespoons rice vinegar unseasoned
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon avocado oil

Instructions

Rinse rice for approximately 3 minutes, until water runs clear. Add rinsed rice and 1 ¼ cups water to Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
Place lid on Instant Pot and set valve to Sealing position. Cook on Manual High pressure for 10 minutes, then Natural Release for 10 minutes. Remove lid. Fluff rice with fork.
In small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, salt, white sugar, and oil. Gently fold liquid mixture into rice. Let rice come to room temperature before using. Keep rice covered with damp towel if not using immediately.

Notes

We used a 6-quart Instant Pot for this recipe.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

March 3, 2020 Appetizer

Simple Asian Cucumber Salad

This easy cucumber salad is slightly sweet, tangy, and super crunchy. Fresh and healthy, it’s the perfect side dish for picnics and with your favorite Asian-inspired meals.

Why This Salad is So Good

This cucumber salad is light, fresh, and oh-so-crunchy with crisp cucumbers, tart rice vinegar, and rich toasted sesame seeds with just a taste of sweetness.
This incredibly simple recipe only takes a few ingredients to make and is an inexpensive side dish or meal.

How To Make This Recipe

Wash the cucumbers and slice very thin using a mandolin or a sharp knife.
Sprinkle with salt and mix well with a spoon. Place in a colander and set in the sink to drain for about 30 minutes.
Whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and syrup in a medium bowl to make the dressing.
Gently squeeze the sliced cucumbers dry in a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel and add to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to combine.
Season with additional salt to taste. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Instructions for simple Asian cucumber salad

Top Tips for Making Asian Cucumber Salad

Draining the cucumbers is important to get rid of the excess water. A good amount comes out while they are sitting in the colander, but make sure they are extra dry by squeezing them prior to adding them to the dressing.
If you don’t have pre-toasted sesame seeds, it’s easy to toast your own. This part is optional, but toasted sesame seeds really enhance the flavor, so we definitely recommend using them!
This Asian cucumber salad is best fresh, but you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days after making.

How To Toast Sesame Seeds

To toast your sesame seeds, simply add them to a small saucepan over medium heat. Toss frequently using spatula until brown, about 5 minutes.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Simple Asian cucumber salad in a white bowl surrounded by bottles of sake and sesame seeds

Our Most Popular Recipes

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Simple Asian Cucumber Salad

This easy Asian salad is slightly sweet, tangy, and super crunchy.

Prep Time35 mins

Cook Time0 mins

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Japanese

Keyword: easy cucumber salad, vegetables, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 185kcal

Cost: $5

Equipment

Mandolin or sharp knife
Colander or strainer

Ingredients

2 English cucumbers medium
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt plus extra
2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted

Instructions

Wash cucumbers. Slice very thin using a mandolin or knife. Sprinkle with salt and mix well.
Place in colander or strainer. Set in the sink to drain for 30 minutes.
Whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, and syrup in a medium bowl to create dressing.
Gently squeeze sliced cucumbers dry with paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Add to bowl with dressing and toss to combine.
Season with additional salt to taste and garnish with sesame seeds.

Nutrition