Class Fun, Puptides, and a Recipe

 Asian-Style Chicken Meatballs and Spring Rolls

 Class Fun, Puptides, and a Recipe

by Victoria Challancin

I'm sure that by now for those of you who follow my blog, you have the idea that I love giving cooking classes--especially to the Mexican cooks I have been lucky enough to work with.  Most have never travelled out of the state they were born in; most only have experience with Mexican cuisine.  They are like sponges--curious about world flavors, new recipes, new techniques, new sensations.  Wednesday's class was perfect training ground for all of the above with the making of sushi (nori on the outside and inside-out), spring rolls, potstickers, scallion pancakes, Asian-style meatballs, salad, and a mango cheesecake flan.

Two types of American-style sushi:  California rolls with surimi, avocado, and cucumber with the rice on the outside and Philadelphia rolls with cream cheese and smoked salmon.

 Laura, using a silpat mat to roll sushi

 Magali having success rolling out her scallion pancake--and rerolling into a spiral and rolling it out again

Vero rolling out a pancake

 Paula Grande making a spring or egg roll, which she rightly called a "chimichanga"

 Paula Chica, who begins university next week with a scholarship in gastronomy, filling a spring roll

First efforts at rolling sushi

 We pleated the potstickers by hand, then used my new gadget to form them as well--just for fun!

 Potstickers, not pretty, but such fun to make and eat

For recipes I have used in the past:

Potstickers:  Chinese Pan-Fried Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Lumpia (Miniature Filipino Spring Rolls)

Mini Vegetarian Spring Rolls with Homemade "Duck" Sauce

Puptides

It is a known scientific fact that the mere sight of a friendly dog induces the body to produce "puptides," chemicals which help the body fight disease and create a general feeling of well-being.

Swami Beyondanada, humorist

 Angus, age 13 weeks, midst the wreckage of a milk bottle, an over-turned water bucket, my beloved Bird of Paradise plant (or what is left of it), and mango--on his legs.  Happy.  Leaving me with puptides.

 Border Collie agility 

Asian-Style Chicken Meatballs with Lime-Sesame Dipping Sauce

Cook's Notes:  I used ground chicken instead of the turkey the original recipe called for.  I also added a bit more honey in the sauce.  We also made them a bit smaller than the recipe suggests so we could serve them with toothpicks.

Recipe:  Asian-Style Chicken Meatballs with Lime-Sesame 

                                                   Dipping Sauce

                                      (Adapted slightly from the original recipe by Skinnytaste.com)

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon honey, to taste
1 scallion, chopped

Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey or chicken
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, water, sesame oil, green onion, and honey together in a bowl.  Whisk untel well-combined; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Coat a baking tray with cooking spray.

Combine the ground meat, egg, green onion, cilantro, ginger, garlic, panko, soy sauce, sesame oil, sea salt and pepper together in a large bowl.  Gently mix the ingredients until well-combined.

Shape 1/4 cup of mixture into a ball, then place on baking tray.  Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked completely.  Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

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