Asian Grill Unleashes Great Flavors in Meats and Vegetables – Orange County Register

Marinated flank steak is grilled and served over a salad with tart green apples, a substitute for the green mango commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Thomas)

Ah, the charm of Asian-style grilled food, the primal scent of smoke blending with the aromas of caramel-flavored sauces and marinades. Sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors form an appealing, refreshing flavor jacket over grilled vegetables and meats. Fish and birds too.

Su-mei Yu, author of Asian Grill (William Morrow), writes that what makes grilled Asian cuisine so appealing is the balance of flavors used in marinades and seasonings. She explained that the unique flavors of Asian seasonings make it so delicious, adding that they are designed to perfectly match the main ingredients.

She advises readers to find the main flavor they like best (sweet, sour, salty, spicy-hot) and use that as a base and contrast it with other flavors.

In her book, she explains that each region of Asia has its own unique flavoring style. In Southeast Asia, garlic, lemongrass, salt, turmeric, white pepper, and ginger or galangal (a rhizome with a ginger-pepper-like flavor) are common ingredients. In China, sesame oil, soy sauce, cinnamon, five-spice powder and ginger play an important role. She says Koreans prefer sweet blends with sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and green onions. Japanese people prefer simpler, cleaner flavors and often use soy sauce, miso, mirin, and sugar.

Here are some examples of delicious Asian grills. Some are made with chicken, some with beef, and some with Asian eggplant.

Chicken and green onion yakitori

Grilling is a respected tradition in Japan. There is a more formal method of grilling called robatayaki and a more casual method of grilling called yakitori. The word yakitori comes from “yaki”, which means grilled, and “tori”, which means chicken.

Yield: 4-6 servings

material

About 10-12 bamboo skewers

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast or thighs

Separately use 2 bunches of thick green onions and 3 roughly chopped.View chef’s notes

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sake

1/2 cup mirin

3 tablespoons sugar

3 fresh ginger slices (1/4 inch thick)

3 cloves garlic (chopped)

Vegetable oil for oil supply network

Cook’s Note: Traditionally, chicken is skewered with alliums. Green onions are thicker than green onions and thinner than green onions. It is also sold in some markets in Japan. Common green onions are used here, adding some flavor contrast.

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1. Place bamboo skewers in the pot. Cover with cold water. Let it soak while you prepare the yakitori. Wash the chicken under cold running water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Cut crosswise into pieces 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and thick. Let’s set it aside.

2. Trim the root of the whole green onion and cut the white part into 2-inch pieces. Cut the green part into 4cm wide pieces and fold in half.

3. Dry skewers. Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with the green onions (both the white part and the folded green part). Use 4 pieces of chicken on each skewer. Arrange the skewers on a plate and wrap them loosely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 6 hours until ready to grill.

4. Preheat grill to high. Prepare the sauce: Place the soybeans, sake, mirin, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chopped green onion in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is glossy and syrupy and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl (sauce can be prepared up to 6 hours in advance and refrigerated, covered).

5. When you are ready to cook, place the griddle. Place skewers on the hot grill and cook, rotating with tongs, until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Brush each side liberally with sauce at least once during cooking, but not during the last 3 minutes.

Source: Adapted from “The Barbecue Bible” by Steven Raichlen (Workman, $18.95)

Chicken satay with peanut sauce

This satay is Nyonya style, a fusion of Malaysian, Indian and Chinese cuisine. Chicken is the star of this recipe, but you can also use pork loin instead. Serve the satay with peanut sauce for dipping.

Yield: 10-12 skewers

material

For marinade:

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 serrano chilies, chopped See cook’s notes

1 stalk of lemongrass, remove the hard outer layer and green part and chop finely

1 teaspoon ground turmeric (for chicken).View chef’s notes

3 shallots, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

1 tablespoon blanched almond flour

1 teaspoon red miso.View chef’s notes

1/2 cup coconut milk; see cook’s notes

For satay:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh

Soak 10 to 12 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes and dry with paper towels.

1/3 cup pineapple juice

vegetable cooking spray

For serving: peanut dipping sauce; recipe included

Cook’s Note: Be careful when handling fresh chili peppers. Wash your hands and work surface thoroughly when finished. Do not touch your face or eyes.

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1. Toast the coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, sliding the skillet back and forth over the burner to avoid burning, until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Grind in a spice grinder (or pound the seeds into a zip-top plastic bag with a mallet or the bottom of a pot) and set aside.

2. Add all marinade ingredients to a blender. Whirl until pureed. If you prepared it in advance, put it in a glass jar. Seal tightly and refrigerate overnight. When ready to use, place in a bowl.

3. Cut the chicken into thin slices diagonally across the grain. Add chicken to marinade. Mix well to fully coat and let stand for 30 minutes.

4. Start the grill and fill one side of the grill with charcoal, leaving the other half empty. While the grill is heating, thread 3 to 4 pieces of chicken onto each skewer, tying them together tightly to cover the 5-inch skewers. Add pineapple juice to the marinade and mix well. Let’s set it aside.

5. Generously spray the skewers with vegetable oil. Place the skewers with the meat pieces on the grill over medium-high heat, placing them close together. The uncovered part of the skewer should not rest above the coals. Grill, brushing lightly and frequently with marinade only for the first 5 minutes, turning frequently to avoid burning. Grill until crispy brown on the outside and white and tender on the inside, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to a platter. Enjoy with peanut dipping sauce.

Source: Adapted from “Asian Grilling” by Su-Mei Yu (William Morrow, $24.95)

haley’s peanut dip sauce

Yield: Approximately 2/3 cup

material

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water plus 1/3 cup water, divided use

1/2 teaspoon canola oil

2 medium cloves of garlic (chopped)

1/2 cup hoisin sauce; see cook’s notes

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons creamy peanut butter

Optional: Asian chili sauce (according to your preference)

direction

1. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add seafood, vinegar, 1/3 cup water, and peanut butter. Mix well and bring to a boil. If you want an optional spicy kick, add some Asian chili sauce to taste.

Source: Haley Nguyen, Long Beach City University Chef Instructor

Grilled Kang Asian Eggplant

Asian eggplants are irresistible when grilled to perfection. Unlike common earth eggplant varieties, Asian eggplants are long and slender. It is lightly seeded and holds its shape even when grilled. Grilled Asian eggplant begins by marinating cut Japanese (Asian) eggplant halves in a mixture of soybeans, Chinese oyster sauce, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Then bake until tender, but not mushy. Other vegetables, such as zucchini, can be prepared in the same way.

Yield: 8 servings

material

4 Asian (Japanese) eggplants

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, parsley, or basil (choose two).

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Asian sesame oil

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1. Cut the eggplant approximately in half lengthwise, leaving a small piece attached on one side. open book style. Use a small, sharp knife to make incisions on the inside (make shallow parallel cuts about 1 inch apart; do not cut into the skin). Let’s set it aside.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a shallow glass or ceramic pot large enough to hold the eggplant in a single layer. Place the eggplant cut side down in the marinade. Marinate for 1 hour.

3. Heat the grill. Grill the eggplant, turning frequently, until cooked through, about 5 minutes (depending on the side of the eggplant and the strength of the heat). To serve, cut off the “hinge” that holds the two halves together.

Source: Michael Kang, former chef and restaurateur