Styling and photography by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

Without a doubt, Asian food is my favorite cuisine. I always choose it over other types of food. I might lose some credit for saying this, but most days I would choose these little takeout boxes over a fancy dinner at an upscale restaurant. I love to cook Asian food as well. A good stir-fry is just the perfect meal!

So when I thought about Chanukah recipes and Chanukah parties, I decided that the best idea would be homemade versions of the food I love to buy. These recipes are all crowd-pleasers, a perfect way to enhance your party.

Enjoy!

Miriam

Tip: Many Asian groceries, as well as some stores such as Wegman’s, sell vegetarian oyster sauce with a hechsher. This sauce is intense in flavor but a magical ingredient that will elevate any stir-fry or Asian dish. Try adding just a spoonful — it’s very strong.

Teriyaki Chicken Egg Rolls

These egg rolls are bursting with flavor and are an absolute crowd-pleaser! Perfect for your Chanukah party or any time of the year.

YIELDS ABOUT 30 EGG ROLLS

• 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, divided
• salt, for sprinkling
• 2 lb (910 g) dark ground chicken
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 16 oz (450 g) shredded green cabbage
• 10 oz (280 g) shredded carrot
• ¼ cup sesame teriyaki sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 cube frozen garlic
• 1 cube frozen ginger
• about 30 egg roll wrappers
• oil, for frying
• sesame teriyaki sauce, for serving (optional)

Heat half the sesame oil over high heat in a large, deep frying pan or wok.

Sprinkle salt generously over the ground chicken and add it to the pan. Sear, without breaking up the chicken, for about 2 minutes per side, until it starts to get some color.

Reduce the heat to medium. Break the chicken up into small pieces and remove from the pan; set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the onion and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add the cabbage and carrot. Stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–10 minutes, until it starts to get some color.

Add the teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Add the reserved chicken back in as well. Stir to combine. Cook for about 5 more minutes until chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool.

To assemble egg rolls: Place about 3 spoonfuls of filling in the center of an egg roll wrapper, on the diagonal. Fold the two sides inward and then roll from the bottom, as tightly as you can, until you reach the top point. Use a bit of water to seal the top as you finish rolling. Repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers and filling.

Heat about an inch of oil in a deep frying pan or pot over medium-high heat. Add the egg rolls and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until golden and crispy. Work in batches to prevent overcrowding.

Serve with sesame teriyaki sauce for dipping, if desired.

Variation: To make baked egg rolls, place the egg rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spray both sides very well with oil. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy.

Plan Ahead: Egg rolls can be prepared ahead and frozen. Reheat in a single layer, uncovered, until warmed through.

Asian Garlic Poppers 

We all love a good sesame chicken, but sometimes it can get boring. And when you’re ready for a new popper that’s absolutely bursting with flavor and a delicious change from the typical, try this Asian garlic popper sauce. Trust me, it’ll blow your mind!

Batter

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup seltzer or water
• oil, for frying

Chicken

• 2½–3 lb (1.13–1.36 kg) chicken cutlets, preferably dark, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 10 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 cubes frozen ginger
• ⅔ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• ½ cup honey
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and baking powder until combined.

Add eggs and seltzer. Whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken with flour and salt until sticky. Add the batter to the bowl and toss until all the chicken pieces are fully coated.

Heat 1½–2 inches oil in a deep frying pan.

Add the chicken to the hot oil and fry for about 5–8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through, golden and crispy. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Place the cooked chicken on paper towels to drain, then set aside.

Prepare the sauce: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, scallions, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant; about 5–8 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, except the cornstarch slurry, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Just before serving, add the chicken to the sauce and toss to coat.

Plan Ahead: The chicken and sauce can each be prepared a day or two ahead of time. Rewarm the chicken in a single layer, uncovered, until warmed through and crispy. Toss with the sauce immediately before serving.

Tip: If you like it spicy, add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce, to your desired level of heat.

Steak and Green Bean Stir-Fry

Bursting with flavor, crunchy green beans, and tender beef — what more could you want in a stir-fry?

SERVES 4-6

• 1 lb (450 g) fresh green beans, trimmed
• 2 lb (910 g) pepper steak
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• oil, for frying
• sesame seeds, for garnish

Sauce

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1–2 tsp sriracha
• 6 cubes frozen garlic
• 3 cubes frozen ginger

Prepare the green beans: Place the green beans in a pot of well-salted boiling water. Boil for 2–3 minutes, then drain and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Prepare sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Toss pepper steak with cornstarch and salt.

Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan or wok. Fry the meat for 2–3 minutes per side, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

When done, add all the meat back into the pan along with the sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, until the meat is softened.

Increase the heat to high and add the green beans. Stir-fry for another minute or two.

Garnish with sesame seeds just before serving.

Plan Ahead: This dish is best enjoyed fresh. If need be, you can prepare it 1–2 days ahead of time and rewarm, loosely covered, until heated through. Note that the green beans will likely lose their crunch while being reheated.

Variation: You can replace the fresh green beans with frozen ones and simply defrost instead of blanching. Stir-fry with the meat for an additional few minutes, until cooked through. The green beans won’t be crunchy, but the taste will be great.

Beef Yaki Udon 

If you’re one of the many, many people who’ve made and loved the udon noodle side dish from my cookbook, More Real-Life Kosher Cooking, you likely aren’t surprised to hear that I love udon noodles and will always order them when they’re on the menu. Yaki udon is Japan’s answer to lo mein — meat, vegetables, and udon noodles stir-fried together in a delicious sauce!

SERVES 6

• oil, for frying
• salt and pepper, for sprinkling
• 1 (approx. 2-lb/910-g) shoulder London broil, very thinly sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 5 cubes frozen garlic
• 3 cubes frozen ginger
• 16 oz (450 g) frozen broccoli florets, defrosted
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 15-oz (425-g) can whole baby corn, cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) pieces
• 1 1-lb (450-g) pkg udon noodles, cooked according to pkg directions

Sauce

• ⅔ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup sesame teriyaki sauce
• ¼ cup rice vinegar

Prepare sauce: Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan or wok. Sprinkle salt and pepper over steak slices and add them to the pan. Sear on high for 1–2 minutes per side. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Add the onion, scallions, salt, garlic, and ginger. Continue to cook, stirring often, for 2–3 minutes, until softened slightly.

Add the broccoli, followed by the carrot, then the zucchini, and finally the baby corn, stir-frying for about a minute after each addition.

Add the prepared sauce and cooked noodles. Continue to cook for another minute, stirring to bring everything together.

Plan Ahead: This dish is best enjoyed the day it’s made. The noodles can be prepared 2–3 days ahead of time. If necessary, you can make this 1–2 days ahead of time and reheat, loosely covered, until warmed through.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 868)