Archive for VEGETABLES

Chamorro Cucumber Salad

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Chamorro Cucumber Salad is a staple on most fiesta tables. With just a few ingredients, you can whip it up and have it on your dinner table in minutes.

I love serving this cucumber salad with fried chicken and red rice, but it’s delicious served alongside most meat dishes.

Give my recipe a try. I think you’ll like it.

Chamorro Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 large cucumbers
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar

Directions:

1. Slice the cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick. Place the cucumber slices into a plastic colander then place the colander into a large bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the cucumbers; stir to combine. Let the salted cucumber slices sit for about 15 minutes to allow excess water to drain out. After 15 minutes, pour out any water that drained into the bowl. Rinse the salt off the cucumbers; drain.

2. Place the rinsed and drained cucumbers into the large bowl. Add the onion, garlic, soy sauce and vinegar. Stir to combine.

3. Let the cucumbers sit for several minutes to allow the cucumbers to soak up all of the flavors. Serve with your favorite meat dish and enjoy!

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Posted in CHAMORRO DISHES, Chamorro Sides, SIDES, VEGETABLES

Bean Sprout & Cucumber Kimchi

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This is a very light and tasty side dish that can double as your salad.  I love it served alongside my Kimchi Soup as well as with Korean Ssambap (lettuce wraps filled with rice, seasoned beef or pork and ssamjang).

Hmmmm….Ssambap….I think I’m going to make some of that for dinner, now that I’ve made myself drool thinking about it!

Give my recipe a try…I think you’ll like it.  🙂

 

Click on the photos below to open up a larger version of the photo.

 

Bean Sprout & Cucumber Kimchi
 
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A delicious and healthy spicy salad made with bean sprouts, cucumbers, and Korean seasonings
Ingredients
  • 16 oz mung bean sprouts
  • 2 English cucumbers
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tablespoon Dashida Korean beef flavored seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 5 stalk green onions
  • 1 tablespoon Korean ssamjang hot bean paste
  • 1 tablespoon pepper flakes
Instructions
PREPARE THE CUCUMBERS
  1. Cut the cucumbers in thirds or quarters, depending on how long it is. Cut each piece in half then remove any seeds.
  2. Thinly slice the cucumbers then cut the slices into very thin strips.
  3. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt over the cucumber slices. Place the cucumbers in a strainer or colander, then place the colander over a bowl. Let the cucumbers sit for about 5 minutes, allowing the water in the cucumbers to drain into the bowl.
  4. After the cucumbers have drained, squeeze out any excess water then place into a large mixing bowl.
PREPARE THE BEAN SPROUTS
  1. Place the bean sprouts in a mixing bowl that is microwave-safe. Rinse the bean sprouts in cold water then drain.
  2. Mix the remaining teaspoon of salt plus ½ cup water with the bean sprouts. Microwave for 2-3 minutes. Drain and squeeze out any excess water from the bean sprouts.
MIX IT ALL TOGETHER
  1. Add the bean sprouts to the bowl of cucumbers. Add the green onions and garlic to the bowl.
  2. Add the sesame oil.
  3. Add the Dashida and sugar. Stir to combine.
  4. Mix in the Ssamjang and pepper flakes (omit this if you don't want it spicy).
  5. Stir to combine. Cover the mixture then refrigerate about 15 minutes before serving; this will allow the flavors to combine.
SERVE & ENJOY
  1. Serve alongside your favorite dish and ENJOY!
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Posted in ETHNIC, Korean, SIDES, VEGETABLES

Grilled Eggplant with Coconut Milk

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I just love eggplants — stir fried with beef or chicken, sautéed with onions and scrambled with eggs, eggplant parmesan, and a favorite — grilled eggplant with coconut milk, lemon juice, green onions and hot pepper.  DELICIOUS!

The Chamorro name for this dish is Padu’ Lalu’.  It’s what my dad (in his 80’s) calls it, but since I don’t hear it called by this name anymore, I’m assuming it’s an antigu name.  Nowadays, you hear this dish called Eggplant Fina’denne’, or it’s named by what it is–eggplant with coconut milk.  Whatever you call it, it’s delicious.  Add it to your fiesta table menu.   🙂

Grilled Eggplant with Coconut Milk (Padu’ Lalu’)

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Ingredients:
  • 6 eggplants (see note 1 below)
  • 1 can coconut milk or cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon powder (see note 2 below)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Hot pepper, to taste
  • 4 stalks green onions
Directions:

1.  Prepare the eggplants for grilling by pricking them all over with a fork.  This is so it won’t burst during the grilling process as the natural water in it heats up.

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2.  Grill the eggplants, turning them over frequently to ensure even cooking.  Grill until the skins are dark brown, even black and the eggplant is soft to when you touch it.

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3.  Soak the grilled eggplant in a bowl of water to cool it down.  Peel the skin off the eggplant.  Place the whole eggplants in a shallow dish (my mom actually cuts the eggplant into small, bite-sized pieces).

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 4.  In a small mixing bowl, mix together the coconut milk or cream, lemon powder, salt and hot pepper.  Mix until the lemon powder and salt dissolve.  Taste, then adjust the amount of lemon powder, salt and hot pepper to your liking.  Pour the mixture over the eggplant.  Sprinkle the green onions over the eggplant and coconut milk.  Stir gently to combine.  Serve and ENJOY!

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Note 1:  I like to use the long, skinny Japanese eggplants for this dish.  Buy eggplants that are still firm and not too fat, with very little to no blemishes on the skin.  You can use the large, oval eggplants common in grocery stores, only use 1 or 2 smaller ones.  You’ll need to grill or broil these longer as they are thicker and will take longer for the middle to cook through.

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Note 2:  If you don’t have lemon powder (on Guam, a favorite is Yours Brand lemon powder), you can use unsweetened Kool-Aid lemonade mix.

lemon powder

 

 

Grilled Eggplant with Coconut Milk, served with BBQ ribs, White Rice and Fina’denne’

 

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Posted in CHAMORRO DISHES, Chamorro Sides, SIDES, VEGETABLES tagged with ,
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