Five recipe ideas with an Asian accent

Chile sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and other Asian-inspired ingredients add zip to your menu items. Check out these salads, sides and appetizers.

Black & White Barley Thai Salad

Yield: 7 cups

6 cups water
8 oz. Indian Harvest Tuxedo Barley™
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup bamboo shoots
1 can (14.4 oz.) baby corn (candle corn), halved
1½ cups blanched chilled broccoli florets
½ cup paper-thin slices of red onion
½ cup Thai chili sauce

Bring water to a boil; add Indian Harvest Tuxedo Barley™. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Drain the liquid (which will have heavy starch). Rinse the barley; lay it out on a sheet tray and reserve chilled.

In a bowl, toss the cooked Tuxedo Barley with remaining ingredients. Reserve chilled until service.

PHOTO: INDIAN HARVEST/ROB YURETICH

Fire Pot Tonno Tuna

Yield: 8 servings

1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Chinese chile sauce
¼ cup water chestnuts, chopped
¼ cup celery, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped
2 Tbsp. scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
1 12-oz. can Genova Tonno® Solid Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil, drained

In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and chile sauce until well-blended. Add water chestnuts, celery, ginger, scallions and cilantro. Blend well.

Gently flake and fold in Genova Tonno® Tuna; mix well until all ingredients are blended. Salt and pepper to taste.  Chill until ready to serve.

PHOTO: CHICKEN OF THE SEA

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Har Gau (Prawn Dumplings)

From: Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Huanying global program for Chinese travelers. Yield: 3 pieces.

.71 oz. tiger prawn meat
.18 oz. pork fat
.18 oz. carrot
.18 oz. cabbage mustard
1.06 oz. wheat flour
.35 oz. corn flour
.17 fl. oz. pork fat
.18 oz. salt
.18 oz. chicken powder
.17 fl. oz. sesame oil
.11 oz. pepper powder
.17 fl. oz. peanut oil
.51 fl. oz. boiled water

Dice the prawn and pork lard. Dice carrot and cut mustard cabbage into long thin strips. Blanch the mustard cabbage and carrots. Combine all the prepared ingredients and season to taste. Combine wheat and corn flour. Add boiled water. Mix well. Knead dough with your palm, add pork fat and continue kneading. Divide into smaller portions of 2 cm length. Flatten portioned dough into round discs with a rolling pin. Place prawn filling in center of the dough, fold dough into two and work edges to stick both halves together. Thinly slice carrot and place under the dumplings before steaming to prevent sticking. Steam for 5 minutes on high temperature.

PHOTO: HILTON HOTELS & RESORTS

Egg Tarts

From: Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Huanying global program for Chinese travelers. Yield: 2 pieces.  

2 eggs
1.76 oz. pork fat
.88 oz. butter
3.53 oz. bread flour
.35 oz. cake flour
.68 fl. oz. water
.18 oz. sugar

For dough: Combine pork fat, butter, sugar and bread flour. Mix well. Set the dough aside.

For filling: Combine cake flour, egg and water. Mix well then set aside. Set both mixtures in the refrigerator to chill.

For tarts: Combine the dough. Flatten until it is 5 mm thick. Cut dough with a round mold. Add eggwash to mold with dough and bake in the oven at 300° for 15 minutes.

PHOTO: HILTON HOTELS & RESORTS

Asian Bitter Onions

Yield: 12 servings, ½ cup each

2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
3 lb. sweet onions, thickly sliced
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1½ cups rice wine vinegar
½ cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey or molasses
2 Tbsp. bitters, orange
1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
3 whole star anise
½ tsp. red pepper flakes

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onions and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until onions start to soften and take on color. Add garlic and continue to sauté 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, soy sauce, honey, bitters, mustard seeds, anise and pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Strain out onions, reserving cooking liquids. Remove anise pods and discard.

Add strained cooking liquids back to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce liquids by half until thick and syrupy (about 1 cup). Remove from heat. In bowl, toss onions with reduced cooking liquids to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.)

Serve Asian Bitter onions as an accompaniment to grilled beef or game, roasted meats or poultry. Can also be an accompaniment for cooked grains or roasted vegetables.

PHOTO: NATIONAL ONION ASSOCIATION