Miso corn hash

1 package roasted corn

1 package miso soup mix

1/2 cup bacon, chopped

1/2 cup miso ginger soup

4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Stir fry bacon to brown and then drain on a paper towel

Use grease left over in pan to stir fry mushrooms for about 2 minutes

Add corn, miso soup powder, soup, and bacon and stir fry until heated through, about 5 minutes. 

Delicious and great side dish! 

Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
400g can chopped tomatoes
400ml chicken stock
100g okra, cut into 2cm rounds
small handful sage, leaves chopped
crusty bread or microwave rice, to serve

• Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook in batches for about 5 mins to brown all over. 
• Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the onion, green pepper and celery to the pan, put on the lid and cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally until softened a little. 
• Stir in the garlic, spices, thyme and bay leaf and cook for 1 min until fragrant. 
• Return the chicken and any juices to the pan with the flour, stirring to coat everything. Pour in the tomatoes and stock, and bring to the boil, cook for 5 mins, then add the okra and half the sage. 
• Turn down to a simmer, put on the lid and cook for 10 mins. 
• Then season and serve, scattering the rest of the sage over.

Especially delicious if you sprinkle some Louisiana Hot Sauce on it.

Stir Fried Chinese chives

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 ounces a quick-cooking cut of any meat you like (boneless chicken breasts, boneless chicken thighs, pork loin or boneless country ribs, pork tenderloin, peeled and deveined shrimp, chuck steak, prepared squid), sliced thinly into bite-sized pieces (no need to slice shrimp)
• 1 pound flowering garlic chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (add only ½ tablespoon first and add the remainder later if it’s not salty enough — but remember that this is to be served with bland rice)
• ½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper

Instructions

• Set a wok or a 14-inch skillet on medium-high heat. When the wok is hot add the oil.
• Add the meat and light soy sauce; stir-fry until the meat is cooked, about 1-2 minutes.
• Crank up the heat to high; add the garlic chives and the fish sauce; stir-fry until the vegetable is tender but still bright green and crunchy, no more than a minute.
• Don’t let the dish cool in the wok; plate it immediately to prevent the residual heat from cooking the chives beyond the tender-crisp point. Serve with rice.

Curry eggplant with tomato

Ingredients

• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (preferably Greek), optional

Directions

• heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, eggplant, curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add 2 cups water (I prefer to use chicken broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until eggplant is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the vegetables from heat and stir in the basil.
•  Serve the vegetables over the rice with yogurt, if using.

Delicious, very flavorful, and not too spicy - add hot peppers if you want spicy curry.