This is a recipe for a traditional glutinous rice known as sticky rice which is an staple in the Chinese cuisine which sausage, chicken or pork can be added.

Have you ever had glutinous rice? In spite of the name “glutinous” it does not contain gluten at all, like all the other varieties of rice. Glutinous rice is grinded to make mochi flour which is a very popular ingredient in many Asian desserts and even savory ones.

I grew up with glutinous rice and its derivatives…I love all the “chewy” food that you can make with it. Recently I shared the “pearl meatballs” recipe which the meatball (any of your choice) is coated with a layer of glutinous rice. Today, I am sharing with you another savory dish, somewhat like fried rice and risotto…not as dry as fried rice and not as creamy as risotto. Instead of the Chinese sausage, you can substitute for chicken or pork. The secret is the amount of water added while cooking the rice…if added too much you will end up with“glue” like mess…not pretty. So in order to prevent, I like to soak the glutinous rice overnight after rinse it thoroughly and cook under steam. When done right, each rice grain is intact, semi translucent, and chewy…oh…so good! Therefor if you like chewy texture you are for a great treat.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup glutinous rice
• 3 to 4 dry shiitake mushroom
• 4 Chinese sausages cut into small slices (or marinated chicken or pork with soy sauce and garlic)
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 2 stalks scallion or green onion, chopped
• 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cooking wine
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper (preferably white pepper)
• Cilantro for garnish

Method:

One day before cooking the rice, wash the glutinous rice until the water runs clear. Soak in water overnight at room temperature.

On the day, drain all the water from the rice in the colander.

Soak the mushrooms in warm-hot water for approximately ½ hour until softened. Squeeze the water from the mushrooms and cut into small cubes. Save the soaking water from the mushroom.

In a small bowl add the soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, salt, pepper and sesame oil. Mix well until all the sugar is incorporated into the sauce.

In a wok, under medium heat fry the sausage. Once the sausage are golden both sides, remove from the pan and set aside.

On the same pan, with the remaining fat from the sausage, sauté the scallion and the green onion until fragrant. Next, add the mushroom and continue to stir-fry for a minute, make sure to stir continuously to not burn.

Add the rice and the sausage. Stir well until all the ingredients are very well incorporated. Add the mixture of sauce and continue to stir. Sprinkle with the mushroom water and continue to stir under medium heat.

After a couple of minutes, transfer into a steam bowl. Cook under steam until the rice is semi translucent. If necessary sprinkle with more of the mushroom water or plain water.

Garnish with cilantro and/or scallion and serve hot/warm.

Leftover rice can be warmed under steam, water-bath or microwave.

Did you know that glutinous rice is also known as sticky rice? The reason that glutinous rice is sticky is because this kind of rice contains very little amount of amylose and high levels of amylopectin, which is responsible for its stickiness.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

This is simple salad recipe using mainly blanched celery and tossed with San-J organic soy sauce.

This is a very simple and easy recipe using mainly blanched celery, yes blanched celery…this way the celery still crunchy and yet somehow delicate.

I accepted the invitation to try more San-J sauces, they were sent to me without charge, and I did not receive any compensation for this post and all the content and opinion in this post are solely mine. I decided to use the gluten free organic tamari soy sauce in this recipe, and I love it, especially because this is a reduced sodium version of soy sauce. You can look for more San-J sauces here and pick your favorite one.

In Asian cuisine, salad is not very common, most of the so called vegetable “cold dishes” are either blanched or somehow pickled. Therefore I used similar method to make this celery salad. I hope you get to try, because the texture of this blanched celery is very different from the fresh cut ones. The addition of soy sauce and sesame oil gives this salad an Asian twist.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 celery stalks, cut into strips
• San-J Tamari organic soy sauce to taste
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• Chili oil, to taste
• Cilantro, chopped

Method:

Boil water in a medium pot. Add the celery and blanch for approximately 1 minute.

In the meantime prepare a bowl with cold water and ice cube.

Drain the water from the celery and immediately place the celery into the ice bowl of water.

Once the celery strips are ice cold drain well and place them in a bowl.

Add on the celery strips San-J soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil. Toss gently until all the celery strips are coated with the sauce.

Finally toss in the chopped cilantro. Serve cold.

If you enjoy this simple recipe of celery salad you might want to check on Spinach Salad with Ponzu Sauce.

Did you know that celery is an excellent source of vitamin K in spite of its low-calorie content?
Moreover, celery contains sodium, therefore the slightly savory flavor.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

This is an Asian inspired recipe for zucchini noddles by simply tossing the noddles with the already made ginger onion sauce. Great as a side dish.

This is a simple and healthy way to serve zucchini…and really taste delicious! Just add the Ginger Green Onion Sauce that I posted a while, which you can find the recipe here and it is ready…Again, this is so easy and simple that I am embarrassed to post it, but hey…I am doing it anyway!

Ingredients:

• Zucchini (as many as you want)
• Ginger green onion sauce to taste

Method:

In a medium pot place water and a pinch of salt and bring to boil.

Wash and trim both end of the zucchini. Using a mandolin slice zucchini lengthwise into long, and thin strands.

Separate the zucchini noodles. Add to the boiling water and cook the zucchini for about 1 minute.

Quickly transfer the zucchini strands to a colander. Place the zucchini noodles into a dish and add the ginger green onion sauce. Mix gently and serve hot or warm.

Enjoy using zucchini as noodle? Please check on this recipe, low carb Zucchini Pasta.

What is the difference between pasta and noodle? It seems that the term pasta is widely used for Italian-style noodles, while “noodle” includes a more general meaning for Asian products. The word “pasta” come from Italian pasta, which means paste or dough, and the word “noodle” comes from German “nudel”, which means pasta.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

This is such a fun and interesting recipe…the portabella mushroom is filled with a mix of ground turkey and bulgur, very simple and great with a side of salad.

Before you continue reading my post, I need to apologize for not posting anything that is like “Halloween”…somehow I did not come out with anything interesting using Halloween theme…I have been out of creativity lately…yes, you can add some “eyes” and “nose” on this stuffed Portabella mushroom…

Anyway, this is another way that I found very tasty to use Portabella mushrooms…by stuffing it with ground turkey. It is simple and delicious! I love this by simply serving with a small side salad.

I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup bulgur
• 1 green onion chopped finely
• Dash of ground all-spice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh parsley finely chopped to taste
• 4 large Portabella mushrooms

Method:

Soak the bulgur in water for approximately ½ hour. Drain well by squeezing the water out. Set aside.

In a medium bowl add the drained bulgur and all the remaining ingredients, except for the Portabella mushrooms. Mix well and set aside.

Wash and pat dry the mushrooms. Remove the stem and some of the gills. Place the mushrooms on the oiled oven tray covered with aluminum foil or silicon mat.

Preheat oven at 350F.

Fill each mushroom with the turkey mix. Brush the top with some olive oil and bake in a preheated oven for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until the turkey is cooked thoroughly.

Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot or warm.

If you enjoy this simple recipe you might want to check on Sunny Portabella Mushroom recipe.

Okay I did not bake or cook any Halloween theme as I mention above, but last night we went to Descanso Gardens for the ‘Rise of the Jack-O-Lanterns”…it was a phenomenal the experience of seeing thousands of carved pumpkins lighted…below I am sharing with you a little sample of what we saw.

Did you know that Portabella mushroom are the mature form of baby cremini mushrooms? Mushrooms in general are arich sources of copper, selenium and vitamin B. Moreover, mushrooms support immune system and there are studies linking the anti-inflammatory benefits of mushrooms in deactivating cancer –like cells.

Thank yous for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

This is such a simple recipe for pan fried tofu.  Once it is pan fried just dip the tofu in your favorite sauce or make a stir fry with it.

Being raised in an Asian family I grew up eating a lot of tofu, all kind of shape, texture and flavors…you name it I am pretty sure I had it. Here is a very simple, way too simple of a recipe…

Okay…I must admit that this is one of another recipe that it should not be called a recipe…there is really nothing to measure or weight…

You can use this tofu as it is, and eat by simply dipping into your favorite sauce or use in any stir-fry dish…it is delicious and adds an extra texture to it. Once you pan fry the tofu, it will not fall apart.

Ingredients:

• 1 block of firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Method:

Drain the tofu from its original container and rinse gently.

Cut the tofu into small squares.

Press dry the tofu by placing it in between paper towels.

In a frying pan add the vegetable oil under medium heat and gently place the tofu in the pan. Fry until golden brown and turn it until both sides are golden brown.

Serve warm by dipping into any of your favorite sauce or use in stir-fry dishes.

I made a quick sauce by using light soy sauce and a dash of Sriracha sauce.

If you enjoy cooking with tofu, you might want to check on these simple and easy recipes…Chicken Corn and Tofu Soup or simply salad with Baked Tofu.

Did you know what tofu had been used in China for thousands of years and it is a product made by curdling soymilk? Tofu is high in protein, iron and calcium. Soy product contains phytoestrogen, which has similar structure to estrogen, female hormone, and mimics the action of estrogen produced by the body. Therefore women who have or have had estrogen –sensitive breast tumors should restrict their soy intake.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

This is a very simple and easy recipe with red quinoa and vegetables topped with saute shrimp. The combination of nutty quinoa and shrimp is just amazing.

This is a very simple recipe packed with protein…delicious nutty quinoa loaded with veggies, topped with a gingery, lemony shrimp. It is gluten free and very healthy!

I used frozen ginger and frozen lemon…I just find it very easy to store and use. Just grate the frozen ginger or lemon (whole) using a microplane grater/zester on the shrimp…it is clean and totally trouble free. No need to use any chopping board…

Oh! Apparently there is no difference between the red and the white quinoa in terms of nutritional values…but you might need to cook the red one a little longer than the white one and it seems a little more crunchy than the white one. So be my guest and use whatever color of quinoa you wish…white, red or black.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup red quinoa
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon, skip is using chicken broth
• 1 cup water or substitute with chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen vegetables of your choice

• ½ lb shrimp, shell removed and deveined
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon (frozen lemon)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cilantro to taste, chopped

Method:

Rinse the quinoa and set aside. In a small bowl place the shrimp, ginger, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Mix gently and place in the refrigerator while preparing the quinoa.

Boil the frozen vegetable according to the instruction in the package, make sure to not overcook it. Drain well and set aside.

Place the water with chicken bouillon in a medium pan with butter (skip the chicken bouillon if using chicken broth). Add the quinoa and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and cook until all the water is absorbed, it takes approximately 15 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the cooked quinoa and mix.

In a fry pan, medium to high heat add the olive oil wait until smoking Add the shrimps in a single layer and cook until all the edges turn pink. Flip each shrimp, making sure that they turn pink. Once cooked toss the chopped cilantro and remove the pan from the heat.

Place the quinoa with vegetables in a bowl and top with the shrimp…serve hot…enjoy!

If you enjoy this simple recipe using quinoa, you might want to check Steel Cut Oatmeal with Quinoa (for breakfast), Citrus Kale Salad with Quinoa (for lunch) and Meatloaf with Quinoa (for dinner).

Did you know that quinoa has a higher content in fat as compared to the other cereal grasses? These fats are monounsaturated fat and small amounts of omega-3 fatty acid, which are heart friendly fats.
Moreover, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids needed in your diet and is high in fiber as well.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!