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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 2019)
RECIPES January 21, 2019 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 13 Chinese Chicken Salad offers A one-pan chili with maximum an enticing variety of tastes flavor starts with toasted rice By America’s Test Kitchen By America’s Test Kitchen ith its juicy oranges, tender chicken, and a crunchy topping, Chinese chicken salad offers an enticing variety of tastes and textures. But many versions seem to have lost their way, weighted down with gloppy sauces, lackluster chicken, sugary canned orange segments, and watery greens. We saw the potential to recast this salad in a healthier role by incorporating wholesome ingredients. To start, we traded canned oranges for fresh oranges rich in vita- min C and fiber. We cut out segments to top our salad and used the remaining juice as the basis for a bright vinaigrette, which we enlivened with three tablespoons of fresh ginger, a pop of Asian chile-garlic sauce, and just a touch of honey for sweetness. We used some of this flavorful liquid to simmer our chicken breasts, then we shredded the meat and ooking to make enough chili for one night’s dinner without hauling out a heavy pot, we turned to our trusty skillet. We would use it to make both the chili and the rice, cooking in stages, for a one-pan meal with maximum flavor and minimal fuss. W L SENSATIONAL SALAD. A serving of Chinese Chicken Salad is seen in Brookline, Massachusetts. The recipe appears in the cookbook Nutritious Delicious. (Carl Tremblay/America’s Test Kitchen via AP) returned it to the pan to salted, dry-roasted pea- soak up the rich, bright nuts. You can substitute flavors. For the salad’s one clove of minced garlic base, we replaced the usual and 1/4 teaspoon of lettuce with nutrient- cayenne pepper for the packed napa cabbage, red Asian chili-garlic sauce. bell peppers, cilantro, and America’s Test Kitchen provided scallions. For crunch, we this article to The Associated passed on sodium-laden Press. More recipes, cooking fried chow mein noodles tips, and ingredient and product and added a much reviews are available at <www. americastestkitchen.com>. healthier handful of un- We started by toasting and simmering the rice, flavoring it with lime zest and juice to brighten it up. We then transferred it to individual serving bowls, which we kept warm in a low oven. While the rice cooked, we prepared our ingredients for a quick but flavorful chili. We found that treating ground beef with salt and baking soda ensured that it would remain moist and tender, even with a short cooking time. Blooming ground cumin, minced garlic, and chipotle chile powder boosted their potency, which contributed complex CHIPOTLE CHILI. Chipotle Beef Chili Bowls with Lime-Cilantro Crema are seen in Brookline, Massachusetts. The recipe appears in the cookbook One-Pan Wonders. (Carl Tremblay/America’s Test Kitchen via AP) nonstick skillet with a flavor to the finished chili. We also whipped up a tight-fitting lid for this simple lime-cilantro crema recipe. Serve with pickled (made from sour cream, jalapenos, shredded cilantro, lime zest and cheese, and diced avocado. juice, and salt), so when our America’s Test Kitchen provided chili bowls were ready to this article to The Associated serve, we topped them with Press. More recipes, cooking the crema for an authentic tips, and ingredient and product finish. reviews are available at <www. You will need a 12” americastestkitchen.com>. Chinese Chicken Salad Servings: 6 Start to finish: 1 hour Chipotle Beef Chili Bowls with Lime-Cilantro Crema Servings: 4 Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes 3 oranges 1/3 cup rice vinegar 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon Asian chile-garlic sauce 1 tablespoon honey 3 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil 2 teaspoons expeller-pressed toasted sesame oil 1 pound organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat 1 small head napa cabbage, cored and sliced thin 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves 6 scallions, sliced thin 1/2 cup unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts, chopped 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro 2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 3 tablespoons juice (2 limes) Salt and pepper 1 pound, 90% lean ground beef 2 tablespoons plus 2 cups water 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup long-grain white rice 1 onion, chopped fine 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed 1 cup frozen corn, thawed Cut away peel and pith from oranges. Holding fruit over large bowl, use paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments; transfer segments to second bowl and set aside. Squeeze juice from membrane into first bowl (juice should measure six tablespoons). Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, chile-garlic sauce, and honey into orange juice in a large bowl; transfer 1/2 cup orange juice mixture to a 12” skillet. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle canola oil and sesame oil into remaining orange mixture in bowl. Set aside. Bring orange juice mixture in the skillet to a boil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meat registers 160º Fahrenheit, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to plate and allow to cool slightly. Using two forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Off heat, return shredded chicken and any accumulated juices into the skillet and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Add cabbage, bell peppers, cilantro, and scallions to vinaigrette in bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter and top with shredded chicken, orange segments, and peanuts. Serve. Nutrition information per serving: 326 calories (150 calories from fat); 17 g fat (2 g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 55 mg cholesterol; 383 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 14 g sugar; 23 g protein. DecideToDrive.org Adjust oven rack to middle position, place four individual serving bowls on rack, and heat oven to 200º Fahrenheit. Whisk sour cream, two tablespoons cilantro, one teaspoon lime zest, one tablespoon lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss beef with two tablespoons water, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pinch of pepper in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Allow to sit for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon oil in a 12” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until edges begin to turn translucent, about two minutes. Add remaining two cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Off heat, add remaining one teaspoon lime zest and remaining two tablespoons of lime juice and fluff gently with fork to incorporate. Divide cooked rice among warmed bowls, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Heat remaining one tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until just beginning to brown, five to seven minutes. Add beef mixture, breaking up meat with wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink, six to eight minutes. Stir in cumin, garlic, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Stir in tomato sauce, beans, corn, and one teaspoon salt and cook until slightly thickened, about three minutes. Spoon chili over rice in bowls, sprinkle with remaining two tablespoons cilantro, and serve with lime-cilantro crema. Nutrition information per serving: 565 calories (137 calories from fat); 15 g fat (6 g saturated, 1 g trans fats); 68 mg cholesterol; mg sodium; 77 g carbohydrate; 13 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 31 g protein.