(Healthier) Chicken and Smoked Andouille Gumbo

Click here to print the recipe

To celebrate the upcoming Mardi Gras, here I'm presenting you some chicken and smoked Andouille gumbo. 

Well, no. Not really.

We were just in the mood for some hearty stew to warm us up, considering it's been raining for a few days here, again. It just so happened that gumbo comes to mind. 

But here comes the dilemma. 

We love gumbo, but we don't love the amount of fat that normally goes with it. I mean, a cup of fat for a cup of flour, that seems like a lot.

Browning the flour, or dry-frying, provides a simple solution to the problem. Using only 2 tablespoons of oil, the dish still has nice dark copper color and more importantly, still retains all of the flavors we all love from our beloved gumbo.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 pound chicken meat, diced
• 1 pound smoked Andouille sausage, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon gumbo file
• 8 cups chicken stock
• Salt to taste
• 2 scallions, chopped for garnish

Directions:

• Place the flour in a skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the flour turns dark brown. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stir constantly, until the vegetables are cooked through and the onion become translucent. Add brown flour, bay leaves, thyme, creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper into the saucepan and mix thoroughly. Gradually add chicken stock into the pot, stir continuously to make sure that the soup is well blended. Bring the soup to boil, reduce the heat to low and cook covered for about 30 minutes
• Add chicken and sausage into the gumbo. Cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add gumbo file and mix well. Season with salt. Turn off the heat. Ladle gumbo into serving bowl, sprinkle with chopped green onion. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Serves 4

Stir-Fried Garlic Chives with Ground Pork and Tofu (Cang Ying Tou)

Click here to print the recipe

Somewhere between the frustration over a hacked email account and the annoyance over wet muddy days, spending a little time in the kitchen provides comfort to me.

And having a final product in front of me in 15 minutes elevates my mood to a much better place.

Cang Ying Tou, or flies heads in english got its name from the fermented black beans (Dousi) that's being used in the recipe. It's spicy, savory, slightly pungent, not mentioning delicious and easy to make. It's a perfect dish for us who want to veer away from the mainstream Chinese food.

If garlic chives are hard to find in your area, feel free to substitute with any green vegetables of your liking. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons fermented black beans (Dousi), rinsed and drained
• 2-3 Thai red chiles (more if you like it spicy), seeded and sliced thinly
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup sliced tofu (optional)
• 1 bunch garlic chives with buds still intact, remove the bottom parts, cut into small bits. You will end up with about 2 cups of chives
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

• Heat both oil in skillet/wok over high heat. Add garlic, black beans, and chili pepper, cook for a few seconds. Add pork, chives, and tofu (optional), cook until the pork and vegetables are cooked through, stirring often.
• Season with oyster and soy sauce. Mix to blend. Serve immediately with steamed rice.