Community Kitchen

Spring is here at last! The gorgeous Cherry blossoms are everywhere as well as the many spring flowers bursting with colors. We are so lucky to be living in the west coast!

With barbecue season coming up, this is a easy chicken recipe. My son was going to come over for dinner on Thursday, so I was going to marinate the chicken overnight but he couldn’t make it till Saturday so I kept turning the chicken in the marinade for three nights and was it ever the tenderest, melt in the mouth chicken I ever cooked. Since then whenever I entertain or cooking for family , I marinate at least three days ahead and it comes out so delicious. Whenever a chicken recipe calls for overnight marinating, I always do ahead. I should try this with beef too.

Does anyone know how the Chinese restaurant make their meat so tender in their dishes? Haven’t found their secret yet.

YAKI TORI
2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1-1/2 inch squares
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tablespoons shoyu
1 tablespoon sherry or sake
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed

Blend all ingredients (except chicken).
soak in sauce overnight.
Charcoal, pan fry or skewer, if desire, with onion and green pepper and broil.

MOCHIKO FISH
1 to 2 pounds white fish
2 Tablespoon oil

Marinade:
4 Tablespoons mochiko
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons shoyu
1 egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon chopped green onion
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix marinade ingredients.
Marinate fish for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat about 2 Tablespoons oil in pan and fry fish on medium heat.

SHRIMP WITH
BLACK BEAN SAUCE
1 pound shrimp, peeled
1 Tablespoon oil
1 onion, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 green pepper, seeded and cubed
salt to season
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Green onion, chopped, or Chinese parsley for garnish (optional)

Sauce:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 Tablespoons rinsed and mashed salted black beans
1 Tablespoon sherry
1 Tablespoon shoyu
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch with 1 Tablespoon water
dash of sesame seed oil

In frying pan or wok, heat oil and stir fry onion and bell pepper with a sprinkle of salt, until vegetables are crisp tender. Remove. In the same pan, add a little oil as needed and saute garlic. Add shrimp; cook until pink. Remove shrimp and discard garlic.

In the same pan, add a little oil as needed, and saute minced garlic, ginger and black bean. Add sherry , shoyu, chicken broth and sugar. Bring to boil; stir in cornstarch mixture and and sesame oil. When sauce thickens, add reserved onion, pepper and shrimp. Heat through and serve. Garnish with green onion or Chinese parsley.
Yield– 4 servings.

TONKATSU
5 pork cutlets
oil for browning
salt pepper and garlic salt to season
1/2 cup flour for coating
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg beaten

Sauce:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 Tablespoon water
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Pound pork cutlets and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt.
Let set for 15 minutes.
Dredge pork cutlets in flour, dip in egg and roll in bread crumbs.
Heat and cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
Slice in one inch strips. Combine sauce and serve with cutlets.

Yield: 5 servings

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY