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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Two Recipes from the Cookin' Canuck

Ok, I'm making up for lost time and posting two great recipes I found on the Cookin' Canuck Blog by a fellow ex-pat Canadian who is now living in the U.S. She too was used to a wide array of multi-cultural tastes back home and now brings them to the table with some really good & easy recipes - that can be made with suburban grocery store ingredients. So if you get a craving for a little 'world party in your mouth' and you're living without the benefit of some good ethnic take-out, (do we really need another designer hamburger joint?), then these two dishes provide an excellent DIY solution. I intend to go back to her blog and check out her other recipes, like the caramel, apple ice cream sundae....thanks Dara!

~ Enjoy!

Braised Country Style Ribs Recipe in Ginger & Hoisin Sauce


Braised Country Style Ribs in Ginger Ale & Hoisin Sauce

My notes:
1: Make more sauce than is called for
2: I added spicy Chinese garlic/chili paste to heat things up.

2 lbs. country-style (boneless) pork ribs
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup good-quality ginger ale
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp arrowroot or cornstarch
2 tsp water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Season pork ribs with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the pork, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the pork to a plate and set aside.

Turn the heat to medium and remove all but 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add ginger ale, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, and soya sauce. Stir with a whisk until the hoisin sauce dissolves. Add the pork ribs to the pan and turn to coat. Cover the pan tightly with foil and cook in the oven until the meat is very tender, turning occasionally, about 2 hours.

Lower the oven heat to 200 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid, place in an oven-proof dish, and keep warm in the oven.

Skim fat off the surface of the liquid. Set the saucepan with the braising liquid over medium heat and boil until the sauce reduces by half. In a small bowl, stir together arrowroot or cornstarch and water. Whisk into the sacue and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

With two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces and stir into the sauce. Serve over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Make-ahead: Once the ribs are cooked, remove the foil and let cool completely. Cover the saucepan and store in the fridge for up to two days. When ready to use, uncover and skim off the fat. Reheat the ribs over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the ribs from the pan, keep warm, and follow the directions above for finishing the sauce.

Serves 4 to 6.

and....

Mum's Savory Beef & Potato Curry Recipe
Mum’s Chicken & Potato Curry

Yield: 4 servings

From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com

Ingredients

2 tsp canola oil
2 Gala apples, cut into 1/4-inch dice (I wasn't sure about the apples, but it was delicious)
3 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar (10 oz.) mild curry paste (I use Patak's) (I used Patak's Madras curry for some heat)
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup water
1 can (14 oz.) light coconut milk
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
4 tsp water
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Instructions

Heat canola oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add apples, green onions and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until apple begins to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Turn heat to medium-low and add Patak's curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Turn heat back to medium and add chicken thighs and 1/2 cup water. Cook, turning chicken frequently, for 10 minutes.
Add coconut milk and turn chicken to coat.
In a small bowl, stir together cumin, coriander and 4 teaspoons water to make a paste. Stir into the curry. Add cayenne pepper, if desired. Season with salt.
Add potatoes, cover pot with lid ajar, turn heat to low to medium-low and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and the gravy thickens.
Serve with basmati rice, naan, raita, mango chutney and diced cucumbers, tomatoes and bananas.