AAPI COOKING CLASS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TARGET ASIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL
vegetarian kimbap
Author: Caroline Phelps
INGREDIENTS -
Kimbap Rice3 cups cooked Japanese rice, room temperature
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
INGREDIENTS - Kimbap Filling
3 teaspoons sesame oil
2 large eggs, whisked
Danmuji (yellow pickled radish or takuan), sliced lengthwise into sticks
1/2 English cucumber cut lengthwise, seeds scooped out with a small spoon
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin sticks
3 1/2 cups baby spinach
Additional ingredient
Sesame oil, for brushing
DIRECTIONS – next page
vegetarian kimbap continued…
DIRECTIONS
1. To make the kimbap rice, place the rice in a bowl and add the sesame oil and salt. Mix using a rice paddle until the rice is evenly coated. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside.
2. In a medium pan, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and turn the heat to medium. Add the whisked eggs and tilt the pan to spread the mixture evenly. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the omelette if fully cooked.
3. Carefully transfer the omelette to a cutting board and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Slice into sticks and place them on a large plate. Arrange the takuan (pickled daikon) next to the omelette sticks.
4. Using the same pan for the omelette, add the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add the carrot and cucumber sticks and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat off and transfer the vegetables to the plate, next to the daikon and omelette.
5. Bring a small pot of salted water to boil and add the spinach. Boil for 1 minute and drain. Rinse the spinach under cold water and gently squeeze out the excess water. Take your time squeezing out the water, squeeze as much out as you can. Transfer the spinach to a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Season with salt and set aside.
6. Place a bamboo mat on a flat surface and add a sheet of nori seaweed on top, shiny face down.
7. Fill a small bowl with water and place it next to the bamboo mat.
8. Add a little sesame oil to a small bowl and place it next to the bamboo mat, with a brush.
9. Put about 3/4 cup of rice on the seaweed and spread it evenly across, parallel from you, leaving about 1/3 of the seaweed – the side furthest from you- empty.
10. Add the fillings to the center of the rice – I recommend calculating and separating the fillings equally so you have the same amount for 3-4 kimbap rolls – and start rolling.
11. Grab the bottom edges of the mat with your thumbs while holding on to the filling with your other fingers. Roll it into a tight cylinder, tucking the fillings in firmly and slightly lift the edge of the bamboo mat.
12. Roll it forward while using a little pressure but not so much that the filling spills out.
13. Dip your index finger in water and lightly wet the part of the seaweed that’s empty.
14. Keep rolling and let go of the mat when you get to the other end.
15. Lightly brush the seaweed with some sesame oil and slice kimbap into bite size pieces. Serve immediately (kimbap tastes best fresh).
chicken biryani
Author: Swasthi
INGREDIENTS – marinade for chicken biryani
1 lb. chicken (skinless bon-in or boneless, large pieces such as thighs drumsticks, legs, or mix of all)
3 tbsp plain yogurt
1 ¼ tbsp ginger garlic paste (1 inch ginger and 4 garlic cloves crushed)
½ to ¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric
½ to 1 tsp red chili powder (or paprika)
½ to 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
WHOLE SPICES (skip if you don’t have any)
1 bay leaf
4 green cardamoms
6 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
1 star anise
¾ tsp shahi jeera
1 stand mace
OTHER INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN BIRYANI
2 cups basmati rice (aged rice ony)
2 tbsp ghee or oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
¼ to ½ cup mint leaves, finely chopped (about 15 leaves)
1 green chili (slit or chopped)
¼ cup plain yogurt (Indian curd)
¼ to ½ tsp red chili powder (option for heat)
1 tsp garam masala
3 cups water
¾ tsp salt
2 tbsp fried onions (optional)
1 pinch saffron (optional), soaked in 2 tbsp hot milk
chicken biryani
DIRECTIONS
continued…
1. To a bowl, add yogurt, ginger garlic paste, salt, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice, and red chili powder
2. Mix well and taste the marinade. Add more salt and spice if needed.
3. Make slits on the chicken pieces. Add it to the marinade and mix well. Cover and set aside for 1 hour to overnight.
4. Rinse basmati rice thrice and soak for 30 minutes. Drain to a colander.
CHICKEN BIRYANI
1. Heat ghee or oil in a pot or pressure cooker.
2. Add whole spices – bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, shahi jerra, and mace. Skip them if you don’t have.
3. When the spices begin to sizzle, add onions, and fry them evenly stirring often until uniformly light brown, but not burnt.
4. Add chicken and sauté until pale for 5 minutes on medium hear.
5. Cover and cook on a low flame until the chicken is soft cooked or tender. Sauté to evaporate any excess moisture in the pot.
6. Taste test and add more salt if needed. Add yogurt (curd), half of the chopped mint leaves, slit green chili, red chili powder, 1 green chili, ¼ cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp garam masala.
LAYERING
1. Mix everything well and layer chicken evenly at the bottom.
2. Spread drained rice in a layer over the chicken.
3. To a separate pot, pour water. If cooking in a pot, use more water.
4. Add salt and mix. Taste the water. It must be slightly salty. Bring this to a rolling boil.
5. Pour 2 cups of this water across the sides of the cooker or pot. Gently pour the rest on top of the rice.
6. Level the rice if needed. Sprinkle the rest of the mint leaves. Optionally add fried onions & saffron soaked milk if using.
Pot Method – If cooking in a pot, cover and cook on a medium flame until the rice in the chicken biryani is cooked completely but not mushy or undercooked. If the rice is still undercooked or hard & there is no water at the bottom, pour ¼ to ½ cup more boiling water deending on the kind of rice used and cook further. When done it has to be fully cooked, yet remain grainy not mushy.
Cookier Method – Set the flame to medium high. Cover and place the whistle. Cook until you hear 1 whistle. Move the cooker away from the burner to stop cooking further. Rest until the pressure drops aturally. Fluff up the chicken biryani with a fork. Serve from top to the bottom layer. Each serving gets biryani rice from topo and chicken from the bottom layer.
Enjoy chicken biryani with raita and sliced veggies, papad, and shorba.
SHOPPING LIST
VEGETARIAN KIMBAP
Sticky Rice
Sesame Oil
Salt
Eggs
Danmuji- Yellow pickled radish or takuan
English cucumber
Carrot
Baby spinach
Seaweed sheets
CHICKEN BIRYANI
Chicken
Plain Greek Yogurt
Ginger
Garlic – crushed
Salt
Turmeric
Red chili powder
Garam masala
Lemon Juice
Bay leaf
Green cardamom- optional
Whole cloves
Cinnamon stick
Star anise
Caraway seeds – optional or cumin
Mace spice - optional
Basmati rice
Ghee or oil
Onion
Mint leaves
Green chili pepper- fresh
Red chili powder
Saffron (optional)
