Lemongrass & Coconut Cream Grilled Mussels

I hope everyone have had a great July 4th celebration. This July 4th marks the 7th anniversary of Rasa Malaysia. Yep, seven years ago on July 4th, 2006, I started Rasa Malaysia as a hobby. Never have I thought that this humble blog has flourished into something so big and meaningful…I have to thank you—my readers. Thanks for staying with me and your tremendous support all these years, and I hope to be serving you more easy and delectable recipes in many years to come. Thank you!

Anyway, everything has been going very well for me on Rasa Malaysia and I am so excited that I am one of the contributors to the launch of KithenAid’s new blog “Kitchenthusiasts.” My challenge was “Rock a Cookout” with KitchenAid Outdoor Grill. Summer is in full swing now and I’m sure everyone has many summer BBQ’s to attend to. To me, there is nothing more fun—and delicious—than having your friends and family together for a summer cookout with an outdoor grill.

While chicken, steak, and burgers are popular, I wanted to challenge myself to rock a cookout with fresh mussels. Mussels are briny and they are especially enticing—and aromatic— when grilled over fire. My recipe is quick and easy, and the total prep time and cook time are short so you can have more fun mingling with your friends and family instead of manning the grill all day long. I love pairing these Lemongrass and Coconut Cream Grilled Mussels with cold beer as they are absolutely delightful and addictive.

(Click Page 2 for the Lemongrass and Coconut Cream Grilled Mussels Recipe)

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Lemongrass Cilantro Chicken

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Lemongrass and Sriracha Grilled Shrimp

Lemongrass Grilled Shrimp pictures (1 of 5)

How’s your summer so far? I hope everyone has been busy firing out your grill, having endless pool parties, and more importantly, having a blast with your friends and family.

If you’re looking for new barbeque recipes and ideas, I wish to tempt you with my upcoming Asian-style BBQ recipes. Let’s start with this mouthwatering lemongrass grilled shrimp, spiced with Sriracha, and marinated with fish sauce, garlic, and jazzed up with a chili-calamansi (or lime) dipping sauce. Sounds so good already, right? But wait, my next two posts are Thai Chicken satay with peanut sauce and lobster roll!

This Vietnamese-style lemongrass grilled shrimp is extremely easy to make, but the taste is so amazing that you won’t believe they take less than 30 minutes to make. The highlight of the recipe is lemongrass—which imparts the distinct aroma and unique flavor to the grilled shrimp skewers. The fish sauce and garlic marinade further enhance the briny sweet taste of the fresh shrimp, and the spicy Sriracha lends that extra kick that everyone has grown to love.

Mr. Rasa Malaysia (who is unfortunately allergic to shrimp) kept saying “smell so good” as I eagerly removed the lemongrass grilled shrimp from my new grill. My friend gave me some fresh calamansi and I squeezed a little lit of the juice on the shrimp before serving….heavenly. You simply can’t go wrong with this lemongrass and Sriracha grilled shrimp recipe; I can say that very few grilled shrimp recipes tops this one.

(Click Page 2 for the Lemomgrass Grilled Shrimp Recipe)

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I am lucky that I live in Orange County because I can pretty much get all the ingredients I want at the many ethnic food stores here. Whenever I want to cook Chinese, there is 99 Ranch Market. When I am in the mood for Japanese food, I go to Mitsuwa or Marukai. And when I need ingredients for Malaysian,…

When a Michelin-trained private chef writes about food, you know it’s gotta be good and that’s exactly what Zen Chef at Zen Can Cook (previously known as Chefs Gone Wild) delivers–a food blog choked full of scrumptious dishes that rival the finest and best restaurants around. Zen is always wacky, hilarious, and I admire his cooking and wicked writing style (read…

I miss the breakfast breads in Vietnam during my travels, specifically Vietnamese-style baguettes (bánh mì). Here in the States, whenever I need my bánh mì fix, it’s a fifteen minutes drive to Little Saigon. Most of the time, there’s a line, so it takes even longer to get my fix. That’s why I decided to make it at home. Bánh…

During my childbirth confinement, I missed eating seafood so much, especially my favorite shrimp. So, there was no surprise that as soon as the confinement ended, I headed straight to my favorite seafood restaurant and had a feast of seafood meal. I have also resumed cooking, albeit in a small way as I am adjusting to motherhood and my new…

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Banh Mi with Lemongrass Pork

Banh Mi with Lemongrass Pork pictures (1 of 3)I miss the breakfast breads in Vietnam during my travels, specifically Vietnamese-style baguettes (bánh mì). Here in the States, whenever I need my bánh mì fix, it’s a fifteen minutes drive to Little Saigon. Most of the time, there’s a line, so it takes even longer to get my fix. That’s why I decided to make it at home.

Bánh mì, which is the Vietnamese term for “bread,” is actually the baguette that is used to make the popular Vietnamese sandwich. It’s found in places with a concentrated Vietnamese population, from France, Canada, United Kingdom to the United States. This popular Vietnamese-style sandwich can be easily found in most restaurants or Vietnamese-owned sandwich shops, and there are a variety of meat choices—from steamed, pan-fried, to grilled options (Thit Nuong, being my all time personal favorite).

This fresh Vietnamese baguette roll with golden crust is exceedingly crispy and crunchy. As for the Th?t Nu?ng (grilled meat), I used the intensely flavorful grilled lemongrass pork that was slightly on the fatty side so it turned out nice and tender with charred aromas. Spread the baguette with some mayo or butter and fresh cilantro, jalapeno slices and most importantly, the pickled carrots and daikon, you’re on your way to a very substantial meal. This is another great summer recipe to try as the aromas of the grilled lemongrass pork beckons from afar.

Out of all the bánh mì varieties, my personal favorite is Bánh Mì Thit Nuong with grilled lemongrass pork. What’s yours?

(Click Page 2 for the Banh Mi with Lemongrass Pork Recipe)

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I have yet traveled to Vietnam but I am a big fan of Vietnamese food, thanks to the Little Saigon in Orange County—the largest Vietnamese enclave outside of Vietnam and the place I shop, eat, and have cheap massages! Last weekend, my friend Chef Danhi invited me to join his Little Saigon tour. Towards to the end of the tour,…

I am a fan of Andrea Nguyen, the award-winning cookbook author/food writer and very talented cooking teacher. I first approached Andrea a few months ago to write a guest post on Rasa Malaysia. Despite her busy schedule–her new cookbook Asian Dumplings will be out in August–Andrea was kind enough to say yes to my invitation. Without a doubt, I feel…

I am lucky that I live in Orange County because I can pretty much get all the ingredients I want at the many ethnic food stores here. Whenever I want to cook Chinese, there is 99 Ranch Market. When I am in the mood for Japanese food, I go to Mitsuwa or Marukai. And when I need ingredients for Malaysian,…

I am a huge fan of Vietnamese spring rolls, or cha gio, roughly means “minced pork rolls” in Vietnamese language. I don’t like most Chinese spring rolls or egg rolls served in the United States. They are mostly bad, filled with vegetables flavored with MSG. Some of them even taste like they are infused with a dose of antibiotics. I…

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Lemongrass & Ginger Cookbook Giveaway

Leemei Tan got in touch with me and wanted to giveaway her cookbook Lemongrass & Ginger Cookbook: Vibrant Asian Recipes. There will be one (1) winner whom will receive one (1) copy of Lemongrass & Ginger Cookbook: Vibrant Asian Recipes by Leemei Tan. The retail value of Lemongrass & Ginger Cookbook: Vibrant Asian Recipes by Leemei Tan is US$24.95.

About Lemongrass & Ginger Cookbook: Vibrant Asian Recipes

Asian cooking is one of the fastest-growing cookery trends in the world – and from Chinese to Thai, Indian to Malaysian, the diverse tastes, textures and aromas of Asia can be sampled in this beautiful new cookbook.

Rich in aromatic spices, herbs, and flavorings, Asian food explodes deliciously in your mouth. Now, thanks to Leemei Tan, home cooks can easily master the art of preparing this delectable cuisine. She explains how to make perfect sushi, creamy curries, spicy stir-fries, and crisp tempura, and work with noodles, kaffir lime leaves, or wasabi.

From Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup and Japanese Pork Dumplings to Thai Green Papaya Salad and Indian Aubergine Curry, these imaginative recipes will inspire and delight, whether you have in mind a quick weekday meal or a feast for friends and family.

There are 7 chapters in the book that cover more than 100 recipes from all over Asia – Japan & Korea, China, Philippines & Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam and India & Sri Lanka.

There are 3 sections in the book that will come in handy. They are ‘Basic Recipes’, ‘Basic Techniques’ and ‘Glossary’.

‘Basic Recipes’ section tells you how to make stock, how to make perfect steamed rice, making spice pastes, and etc that are used in the recipes. ‘Basic Techniques’ section will guide you how to debone chicken, prepare fresh coconut, prawns and etc.‘Glossary’ section contains a list of ingredients with explanations that you may not be familiar with.

Lemongrass & Ginger can now be purchased at all major bookstores and online stores such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, etc. Take a sneak preview of the book here: http://www.mycookinghut.com/mycookbook/

About the Author

Leemei Tan is a freelance recipe writer, food stylist and photographer. Born in Malaysia, she is now based in London and travels extensively.

She has been authoring the ever popular and well-known food blog My Cooking Hut http://mycookinghut.com since 2007, with the aim of sharing recipes of her childhood and dishes that have inspired her throughout her years of travelling. Her blog has won her an award as one of the best female bloggers around the world.

Leemei started her years in the kitchen at a very tender age, learning all the important ingredients and different techniques in the kitchen. Food for her is important and part of her upbringing.

To enter to win, just enter your name and email address using the entry form below. Please don’t forget to click on the “Submit” button.

Eligibility

Worldwide

Closing Date

May 20, 2012, 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be randomly selected and contacted via email on May 21, 2012.

Number of Entries

You can enter every day using the entry form. One entry per day strictly enforced; comments left on Facebook do not count as entry to this giveaway.

Bonus Entries

Like Rasa Malaysia on Facebook. Submit 1 extra entry using the form below.Follow Rasa Malaysia on Twitter. Submit 1 extra entry using the form below.Share this giveaway on Facebook. Submit 1 extra entry using the form below.Retweet this giveaway on Twitter. Submit 1 extra entry using the form below.cforms contact form by delicious:days

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The New Entry Form

If you’re a regular on Rasa Malaysia, I’m sure you noticed that my comment system was down when the KitchenAid giveaway reached over 5,000 entries and you couldn’t enter a comment to win.

This new entry form will be able to handle many entries without breaking my site. All entries will be stored in my website database and you will have a fair chance of winning.

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Lemongrass Chicken Wings

I finally joined the Park Slope Co-op after two years of living in the neighborhood. And it’s been kind of life-changing. Not because I’m suddenly exposed to organic and seasonal food, since I’ve been buying both for years, but because I no longer have to trek out to Chinatown for ingredients like lemongrass, curry leaves, etc. And having so much lemongrass close by has made me use regularly in the kitchen again, such as for making Vietnamese chicken curry and Thai lemongrass and ginger iced tea.

Earlier this week I decided to make lemongrass chicken wings. As some of you might have guessed by now, I love wings and will try to find any excuse to make them, whether it’s for a summer cookout, mid-winter tiki party, Chinese-Caribbean party, or just reviving a homestyle Chinese dish that involves Coca-Cola.

The best way to extract full flavor from lemongrass, as I once learned from the ex-boyfriend of an old roommate who was a pastry chef, is to bruise the white ends of the lemongrass stalk with the blunt edge of your knife’s knife before slicing. This releases the lemongrass flavor much better than simply chopping. The marinade for these wings is plenty flavorful, with fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and shallots. To get some nice browning in the oven, I baste the wings with a honey and soy sauce mixture during the roasting.

Hope you enjoy the wings! And maybe, to have even easier access to lemongrass, I should try growing it in my own apartment.

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Lemongrass Chicken Wings

Serves 4

1 stalk lemongrass2 1/2 pounds chicken, tips removed2 cloves garlic, minced1 shallot, minced2 teaspoons minced ginger1/4 cup fish sauce2 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil2 tablespoons light brown sugar1 tablespoon honey1/2 tablespoon soy sauce1 handful peanuts, choppedChopped cilantro (optional)Remove the hard end and outer layer of the lemongrass stalk. Bruise the white ends of your stalks with the blunt edge of a large knife (it helps release the lemongrass “juices”), then thinly slice and mince. You should end up with about 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass. Discard the green tops.Marinate the chicken: In a small bowl, combine the lemongrass, garlic, shallot, ginger, fish sauce, lime juice, peanut oil, brown sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Place the chicken wings into a large resealable freezer bag and pour the marinade over the wings. Close the freezer bag and shake so that the chicken is well-coated with marinade. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight.Preheat the oven to 350°F. Stir together the honey and soy sauce and set aside. Line a large sheet tray with foil or parchment paper. Place the wings on the tray and roast for 30 minutes, basting the wings with the honey-soy mixture once about half-way through and once close to the end of the roasting time.Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the wings to a serving plate. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts and cilantro on top and serve.

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Other chicken wing recipes to try:

Coca-Cola Chicken Wings

Soy Sauce Chicken

Black Bean Chicken Wings

Chicken Lollipops

Honey Soy Chicken Wings

Kung Pao Chicken Wings

Tagged as: Appetizers, Chicken

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Lemongrass Shrimp

Lemongrass Shrimp pictures (1 of 4)

I am lucky that I live in Orange County because I can pretty much get all the ingredients I want at the many ethnic food stores here. Whenever I want to cook Chinese, there is 99 Ranch Market. When I am in the mood for Japanese food, I go to Mitsuwa or Marukai. And when I need ingredients for Malaysian, Thai, or Vietnamese, I head to Little Saigon.

Whenever I shop at Little Saigon, I tend to go hog wild on the spices and aromatics—lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, basil, fresh Thai chilies, etc. Things are cheaper, fresher at Little Saigon, so I always buy more than what I need. Case-in-point: I have 10 stalks of lemongrass in my fridge now because it was on sale! When life gives me lemongrass, I make lemongrass chicken or lemongrass shrimp, like what I have here.

This lemongrass shrimp is aromatic, mouthwatering, and extremely tasty with steamed rice, plus it’s super easy to cook (it took me only 15 minutes). My designer and developer R at Zedesino recently told me that he loves shrimp, so I wanted to dedicate this lemongrass shrimp recipe to him so he can make the dish. I also wanted to thank him for making the new design of Rasa Malaysia so gorgeous looking. He is awesome!

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Thai Fresh Lemongrass - 8 stalks

Lemongrass, or citronella root, is the reason Thai and Vietnamese dishes often have a compelling flavor that's not exactly lemon, but a subtle lemon perfume. It is sold by the stalk which resembles a green onion. Serving tips: Use the portion of the white base up to where the leaves begin to branch. If slightly dry, soak in warm water to rehydrate. Shred or finely slice and add to soups, curry dishes, and sauces for seafood.
Get a nice large quantity for generous use, 2 lbs is about 12 stalks. Will keep for weeks in the fridge, or cut into 4 inch pieces and freeze in a ziplock.
We are pleased to offer a special deal on select fresh produce essential for Thai cooking. We pack the produce carefully and ship every Mon/Tues/Wed via USPS Priority Mail (2 day delivery) to ensure freshness, and orders may not ship until Wed due to Mother Nature & harvest conditions. We also offer Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves separately in addition to Thai basil, green papaya, whole fresh tamarind and Thai eggplant.

Price:

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Thai Pavilion Lemongrass Stir-Fry, 7.05-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

Thai pavilion lemongrass stir fry, 7.05-ounce units (pack of 6) is a fragrant and flavorful lemongrass dish with its aromatic lemony flavor is blended with other essentials of authentic thai cuisine - fresh coconut milk, fresh garlic and fresh red chilies - into thai pavilion lemongrass stir-fry, which is intense and unforgettable. thai pavilion stir-fry rice noodles and sauce are all natural, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat entrees. they are exceptionally convenient, restaurant quality with fresh ingredients and strong flavor

Price: $21.60

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