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contents
foreword vi
introduction 1

soups

pickles & sauces

26

salads & dressings

little bites
share

44

62

86

vegetables, tofu & eggs

meat & seafood
noodles & rice

108

134

162

sweets & libations

184

ingredients 214
acknowledgments 2 2 2
about the author 2 2 3
measurement conversions 2 2 4
index 2 2 5

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contents v

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thai larb chicken lettuce

cups
Larb is an Asian salad
thats considered the
national dish of Laos. It
features a sour and spicy
warm stir-fried meat on
top of cold, crisp lettuce.
The dressing is made of fish
sauce, spicy fresh chiles,
and fresh lime juice. Fresh
mint leaves provide a
refreshing finish.
On the list of my favorite sounds would be the
crisp snap crunch of supercold lettuce as you peel
off the layers, one by one.
Use iceberg, Boston bibb,
or any kind of lettuce that
has cup-shaped leaves for
this recipe. Keep the lettuce
refrigerated until ready to
eat. Serves 4

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1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 /2 pound ground chicken breast
2 shallots, diced
1 /4 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
Minced fresh chiles, Jalapeo or Fresno (amount up
to you)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 /2 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated into cups
1 handful of cilantro and/or mint, cut into chiffonade

Heat a wok or large saut pan over high heat.

When hot, swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil and
add the chicken. Use your spatula to break up
the meat and spread out over the surface of the
pan. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
Push the ground chicken to one side of the pan
and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of oil.
To the oil, add the shallots, red onion, garlic,
and fresh chiles and saut the aromatics until
fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the fish sauce,
lime juice, and soy sauce.
Serve with lettuce cups and herbs.

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tofu-mushroom miso soup

Want to know the secret to
Asian eternal youth and
longevity? Soup for breakfast! The Chinese enjoy
hearty soups and porridges
in the morning; and in
Japan, a traditional breakfast includes miso soup.
This is my power breakfast: quick miso soup with
tofu, fresh vegetables, sliced
mushrooms, and an egg
stirred in. Serves 4

4 cups dashi (page 14) or vegetable stock (page 11)

6 ounces firm tofu, cubed
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 handful leafy vegetables, like baby bok choy, napa
cabbage, spinach, or kale, coarsely chopped
1 egg, whisked
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
4 tablespoons miso paste

In a saucepan, bring the dashi to a boil. Add

the tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables. While
stirring the dashi, slowly pour in the whisked
egg. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Ladle about cup of the hot dashi into a bowl
with the miso paste. Use a fork or whisk to
blend the miso paste. Pour all of the miso into
the pot and stir gently. Top with green onions
and serve immediately.

Pssst . . . its great for lunch

or dinner too! Just add in some
noodles, pasta, or cooked rice.

24

Steamy Kitchens

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Healthy Asian Favorites

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crispy rice patties

OK, these are a little tricky
to make, meaning you must
follow the directions. Dont
go off-script! But what a
fab way to use up any rice
left in the pot. You must
use same-day cooked rice
(not leftover rice that has
been refrigerated) so that
the patties stick together.
These patties are crispy,
crunchy, and puffy! A dab
of soy sauce is brushed on
top before the patties go on
the skillet.

Best. Snack. Ever.

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1 /4 cup cooked rice per patty

Cooking oil
Soy sauce

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax

paper. Fill a bowl with cool water.
Dip your hands in the water, shaking off the
excess (this prevents the rice from sticking to
your hands). Scoop up a small handful of rice
(about the size of a golf ball). Shape into a flat
patty. Place the patty on the prepared baking
sheet. Repeat with the remaining rice. Youll
need to dip your hands in the water for each
patty. Chill in the refrigerator for at least
1 hour or up to eight hours.
Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat. When
hot, swirl in the oil. Brush both sides of the rice
patty with soy sauce. Add as many rice patties
as will fit in the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes
per side, or until crispy. Serve immediately.

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S
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AMYKI
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HYAS
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AVORI
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To my late Gong Gong (Grandpa),

who taught me the joy of dim sum.

Text and photographs copyright 2013

by Jaden Hair
Photographs on pages viii, x, 39, and 150
copyright 2013 by Salvatore Brancifort
and Jennifer Soos
Foreword copyright 2013 by Ree Drummond
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by
Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the
Crown Publishing Group, a division
of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com
Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press
colophon are registered trademarks of
Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Catalogingin-Publication Data

Hair, Jaden.
The steamy kitchens healthy Asian
favorites / Jaden Hair ; photography by Jaden
Hair. First edition.
pages cm
1. Cooking, Asian. I. Title.
TX724.5.A1H325 2013
641.595dc23
2012029987
ISBN 978-1-60774-270-8
Printed in China
Design by Katy Brown
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition

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