Okay, I need to branch out!

[Mbart]

I would really like to start cooking some REAL ethnic foods, but I'm a big chicken! I'm very intimidated by Asian foods because of all of the spices and chopping - it sounds like so much work. Or Carribean, or South American or...it seems I always stick with the tried and true (read: boring). I'm also intimidated by seafood, you know, shrimp, scallops, crab, etc. I really don't know why.

Anyway, would anyone have any recipes that fit the ethnic category (beyond perhaps Mexican and Italian, been there, done that) that aren't so darn hard? Or else, will someone give me a verbal kick in the pants to get me to try it! By the way, I believe I own a wok, but have no idea where it is.

Thanks!
Mary

[lindrusso]

Mbart,

I don't know if you saw this thread, but I posted some Indian recipes for kima. Some are more difficult than others, but you might find something that interests you. Here's the link: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/007318.html

[lorilei]

Assuming that you eat meat, this is an easy (and very authentic) Asian stir-fry. The ingredients are easy to find and it makes a great, quick weeknight meal. You can substitute chicken for beef if you wish.

Beef and Pea Pods

1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak (3/4 inch thick)
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 slices fresh ginger root (crushed)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 1/2 cups frozen Chinese snow peas
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/3 pound mushrooms (sliced)
5 stalks Chinese cabbage - Bok Choy (chopped)
1 large onion (sliced)
1 1/2 cups sliced water chestnuts
1 cup bamboo shoots
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Chow mein noodles

Cut the meat into very thin slices. Mix the soy sauce, ginger root and garlic, and sprinkle over the meat. Toss and allow the meat to marinate for 1 hour. Run cold water over the frozen peas until they separate, then drain. Using a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the meat, turning once. Remove the meat and set aside, keeping warm. Add the rest of the oil to the pan, along with the mushrooms, cabbage, onion, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. Stir while cooking for 2 minutes. Add the peas, and half the chicken broth. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Mix the remaining broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, salt and sugar and pour into the skillet. Cook and stir constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir while boiling for 1 minute. Add the meat and heat thoroughly. Serve over chow mein noodles or with rice.

[JJ40]

Mary, have you tried any of the recipes from CL's "cooking class" series? So far this year they've covered French, Caribbean, Italian, and....hm, I've forgotten what else. The most recent issue (May) was Caribbean, I believe.

Julie http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[mightyh]

Here's a great easy fish recipe you might like. It's from the 30 minute section, so it goes very quickly and is really delicious. I think others have substituted halibut with good results...

I used lemon peel instead of lemon grass. The fish sauce and Thai chili paste are really the only unusual ingredients, but once you buy them, you'll find more and more recipes you can use them in.

Malaysian Lime-Coconut Swordfish

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: July 2000 PAGE: 160

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS:
1/3 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons thinly sliced peeled fresh lemon grass (about 1 stalk) or 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Thai chili paste (such as Dynasty)
2 shallots, peeled
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 (1-1/2-pound) swordfish steak (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preparation time: 12 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes

Lemon grass gives a characteristic citrus flavor and fragrance to many Asian
dishes. You'll find this herb with long, thin, gray-green leaves in the
produce section of many supermarkets. You can substitute grated lemon peel,
but cut the amount by half.

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 9 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until
coarsely chopped. Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray;
spread 1/2 cup shallot mixture evenly over fish. Broil 15 minutes or until
fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve the fish with the remaining
shallot mixture, and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges, if
desired. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 5 ounces fish and 2 tablespoons
sauce).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 255 (30% from fat); FAT 8.5g (sat 2.7g, mono 2.9g, poly 1.8g);
PROTEIN 36.8g; CARB 5.4g; FIBER 0.2g; CHOL 71mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 840mg; CALC
18mg

[Vanessa]

mbart Try www.gustoonline.com (http://www.gustoonline.com)
CL had recently recipes from Mexico and Caribbean. I think its a matter of trying different things. You might start by going to an ethnic restaurant and start trying things then you decide what you like and can recreate it at home. Caribbean food is different mostly because of marinades & seasonings. Actually using similar seasonings like in Italian food -garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt. Ingredients like cumin,sour orange, cilantro, beans and rice are common in the islands. You are probably more familiar with Mexican & Italian but there are wonderful dishes in each ethnic category.

[Gail]

Okay, oldsters. Bet you think I'm gonna post Cuban stuff, huh? Surprise-- I'm not. Not that I find the stuff particularly HARD or anything, rather I figured these two had pretty few moving parts.

The first is an oldie-but-goodie Indian recipe (thanks for the prod, Alysha) which has since been retired to the archives. It's very easy and pretty darned good. Reading it over kinda makes me nostalgic for those silly recipes I used to type up...
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20010301-1-001384.html

The second is also an oldie-but-goodie, this one from Vanessa. Made this as part of our Mother's Day meal, along with some chicken kebabs, veggie kebabs, black beans, rice, corn and Cuban bread pudding. Vanessa's recipe is easy and very, very tasty!
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20010301-1-001877.html

I would also encourage you to try CL's Churrasco with Chimchurri Sauce, printed, I think, back last fall. Honestly, I'm not sure if it's the same recipe in Gusto! (never compared the two) but it is a flavorful, excellent Argentine dish. (Okay, I made a few adjustments and used a different chimichurri... still, highly recommended.)