quick asian bistro meal

One way I want to keep up on this blog is by posting more of my culinary creations. So I'll begin with some of our memorable meals from this past week.

We always have Trader Joe's Chicken Potstickers on hand, so I tried something new with them. We typically eat them as an appetizer or side, but I thought I'd do my own Wonton Soup. We served this with homemade pan-fried vegetable eggrolls with peanut satay and ginger-soy dipping sauces.

I love to eat lots of veggies, and we get tons of organic and local vegetables and fruit from James' work, Green Bean Delivery, each week, so there is always a lot to use up. This meal gives you two hefty servings of vegetables, without even seeming vegetable-y - a huge help in getting James to eat more veggies, since he is more of a newcomer to most of them.

Asian Dumpling Soup

servings: 4

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2-inch piece fresh ginger
5 scallions, chopped
3 c. chicken stock
1 c. beef stock
1 c. water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sherry wine
2 carrots, sliced
2 heads baby bok choy, torn into small shreds
16 potstickers
sesame oil
Sriracha hot chili sauce

• Heat olive oil in stock pot. Puree garlic and ginger in food processor. Fry in oil with scallions.
• Add chicken stock, beef stock, water, soy sauce, and sherry; bring to boil.
• Add carrots, cook 3 minutes. Add potstickers and baby bok choy. When the pot stickers float, you're done!
• Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil, and a squirt of Sriracha if you can handle the heat!

Pan-Fried Eggrolls

servings: 4

1 tbsp + 3 tbsp canola oil
1 scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 c. shredded cabbage
1/2 c. bean sprouts
1/4 c. shredded carrots
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce

4 eggroll wrappers

• Heat 1 tbsp of canola oil in a wok or skillet. Stir fry scallion, garlic, cabbage, bean sprouts, and carrots for 3 minutes. Add sugar and soy sauce and stir fry for 2 more minutes. 
• Place eggroll wrapper in a diamond shape. Dip your finger in water and outline the edges of the wrapper. Place 3 to 4 tbsp of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Fold the bottom point over the filling, then fold in left and right sides, and roll. Press seams to seal together. Repeat for remaining eggrolls. 
• Heat remaining 3 tbsp of canola oil in skillet. Once the oil is hot, place the eggrolls in and fry for 3 minutes on each side. Remove carefully and place on paper towels to drain.