David Ross

For years I never used chicken bouillon or a chicken paste, but now I do for the flavor. And surprisingly I see videos of many Chefs using it. I'm old school so still tell myself I'm cheating, but in the end it does add some flavor.

When I originally did my Chicken n'Dumplings for this cook-off I was making chicken stock the old fashioned way. Now I make it in the Instant Pot. I was slow to finally use the Instant Pot, nearly 6 months after I got it as a gift. I thought that making chicken stock in this new appliance was somehow cheating. It's not. It makes stock in half the time and the way I make it still plenty of fatty gelatin. I still make stock the traditional way, like for beef when I roast the bones, but this is my basic chicken stock recipe in the Instant Pot. 1 whole chicken water carrot, onion, celery, garlic peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, sage, sometimes cracked juniper berries a few dashes of Maggi seasoning, sometimes a few chicken bouillon cubes Everything goes in the instant pot and I add about 4" of water. 30 minutes under pressure. It has to cool way down, then gently pull the chicken from the pot. Remove the skin and bones, save the meat. Strain the seasonings and vegetables from the stock. Put the chicken meat in a container, pour in the stock and chill. Use the stock as needed. For chicken and dumplings I just heat the stock and chicken up and proceed. Keeping the chicken meat in the stock keeps it very moist. I have chicken and dumplings on the menu at home later this week.

During these times when people are cooking more and more at home, we are turning back to the comforting dishes of our past. Chicken and Dumplings is the perfect recipe right now to satisfy our hunger, literally, yet also to feed our souls during rough times. The ingredients are simple and not expensive, and it feeds a large family. What is your favorite chicken n'dumplings recipe?

This was one of our most popular Cook-Off's. If you have leftover corned beef, hash is a delicious recipe and goes a long way.

This is a new curry dish I just did this weekend. Ginger is just one of the many ingredients, but without ginger I think the flavor would be somewhat flat. As I do in almost any recipe where I include ginger I usually use about more than double the amount you might find in most recipes. Macau-Style Portuguese Chicken Curry- https://forums.egullet.org/topic/157319-eg-cook-off-80-the-aromatic-exotic-flavors-of-curry/?do=findComment&comment=2238245

My Grandfather also had a pencil sharpener attached to his work bench in the garage. I guess he must have used it to sharpen pencils when he was measuring wood to cut and make something. That zuchinni gadget is interesting.

My newest dish is a Macau-Style Portuguese Chicken Curry that was inspired by a story in Saveur about the flavors of Macau. I modified the recipe quite a bit, and this is now my favorite curries I make at home. Ingredients- For the Chicken and Marinade- 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on 2 tbsp. cornstarch 1 tbsp. chicken bouillon powder 2 tsp. Kosher salt 2 tsp. black pepper 2 tbsp. light soy sauce 2 tbsp. Shaoshing Chinese rice wine substitute sherry 6 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp. minced fresh ginger 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 3 tbsp. canola oil For the Curry Stew- 2 10.5oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup 2 13.5oz can unsweetened coconut milk 1 cup evaporated milk 2 tbsp. curry powder 1 tbsp. turmeric 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 cups daikon radish, peeled and cut into large chunks substitute potatoes or turnips 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped 3 cups chopped spinach 2 tbsp. sliced green onions for garnish 4 fresh lime wedges for garnish Instructions- Marinate and Brown the Chicken- In a large bowl, add the cornstarch, chicken bouillon, salt, pepper, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, garlic and ginger and stire to combine. Add the chicken thighs, and toss to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade. Save the marinade. Heat the canola oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Dust the chicken thighs with the flour and brown on each side, about 4 minutes. Now make the curry stew. Make the Curry and Braise the Stew- Heat the oven to 325. In a heavy dutch oven, add the cream of mushroom, coconut milk and evaporated milk. Stir in the curry powder, tumeric and red pepper flakes. Add the daikon, yellow onion and spinach. Stir in the reserved chicken marinade. Add the browned chicken thighs to the dutch oven. Cover the dutch oven and place in the oven. Let the curry slowly braise for two hours until the chicken is very tender and the curry is hot and bubbling. Serve the Macau-Style Portuguese Chicken Curry with steamed white rice and garnish with sliced green onions and fresh lime wedges.

And it works like one!

I still use some old gadgets that were my Mother's and even Grandmother and Great Aunt. Like a little wire whisk and an old flour sifter. Thing is got some bits of rust on it and looks like it was made in 1910 but it still works great.

Spending time at home this week and so I decided to go through the gadget drawer to keep myself busy. Found this odd orange tool that I've never used. I happen to have a penchant for buying gadgets at Asian markets, but then stow them away and never use them. I figure this must be a carrot cutter due to the orange color, and probably to cut carrot ribbons. Well either my technique is bad or the tool is bad, but it actually made something that surprised me and I think is more creative than a carrot ribbon. This is a carrot "flower" with a grape tomato bud.

Sounds both interesting and delicious I might have to try this.

Wow that would be interesting.

Let's discuss two beverages where ginger is the main flavor. Ginger beer and ginger ale. Have you ever made it at home? What are your favorite brands? What is the difference between ginger beer and ale? Ginger ale is probably my favorite soft drink. I don't drink any fizzy drink very often, but ginger ale is at the top of my list. Ginger beer has always seem way to peppery for me. What does everyone think. Any photos to show us?

I'll up the ginger. I've always used blackstrap molasses for recipes because I just love that deep flavor.

I used both dried ginger and fresh ginger in the Molasses Crinkle Cookies. I did think the addition of fresh ginger made a tiny difference in boosting the flavor, but not enough that I think was really noticeable. But I think without even dried ginger they would be a really flat tasting cookie. Ingredients- 3/4 cup Crisco shortening 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses 1 large egg 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1 ground ginger 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground allspice 1 tbsp. granulated sugar for dusting. cold water for sprinkling the tops of the cookies Instructions- Mix the shortening, brown sugar and molasses in the bowl of a mixer until combined. Add the egg and mix again. In another bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and allspice and stir to combine. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture and slowly beat to bring the cookie dough together. Heat the oven to 375. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll 1" balls of cookie dough, then roll around in the sugar. Place the balls of cookie dough on a Silpat baking sheet on a cookie rack, and place the cookie rack on a baking sheet. This allows some air to get underneath the cookies while baking. Gently press down on the cookie dough balls to flatten, then sprinkle with a few drops of cold water. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. You'll see the cookies just start to have crinkles on top. Bring the cookies out of the oven and sprinkle more sugar on top. Let the cookies cool and serve.

This is an example of a molasses cookie recipe from the 1950's. The recipe calls for 2 tsp. of ginger. I just finished baking my molasses cookies using a recipe from 1930 and I used 1 tsp. ground ginger and 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger. I'll post a photo later. I remember it was a real treat when Mother made warm gingerbread, but sadly I rarely make it today. Not that I don't love it, I just never think of gingerbread.

I'm working on a cookie recipe today that hails from 1930. The recipe calls for ground ginger, or some of the recipes back then just said "ginger." My guess is that in 1930 not many towns had fresh ginger available. So I'm going to add dried ginger to the cookie dough, but also grate in some fresh ginger. What are your thoughts on dried ginger and how is the flavor profile different from dried and fresh ginger in a recipe? Cookies and cakes for example?

Anyone have a favorite recipe and photo of a dish using ginger in Indian cuisine? Do you ever add ginger to Mexican or South American dishes?

Today I was working on an Instant Pot recipe and made some last minute decisions on what I was going to make. I bought a whole chicken but only needed the two breasts for another recipe, so then I thought what to do with the carcass and legs, thighs and wings. That's usually when I turn to the Instant Pot. Into the pot went the carcass and legs, thighs and wings. Then the bit of chicken stock I had on hand, water and some chicken bouillon cubes. I usually don't use them but keep it hand. Then chopped onions, garlic and large chunks of ginger I had from this cook-off. The seasonings were tumeric, ground coriander, curry powder, salt and black pepper. Pressure cooked for 25 minutes. I've strained the stock and pulled the chicken meat off the bones and discarded bones and skin. I plan on making a soup with the broth, chicken and some cubed potatoes. I'm thinking I'll stir in shredded ginger and fresh lemon juice in the end. Anyone have experience using ginger in Instant Pot recipes? I'm wondering if pressure changes or mutes the flavor of ginger?

That's one problem with a aluminum one I have. Fibers stick to the darn thing, so I use my little one that has a plastic base and fine metal grating bed. Nothing sticks to that one.

Another one of my Asian recipes uses ginger. It's a simple shrimp dish. In this photo I garnished it with Vietnamese Fried Garlic, one of my favorite ingredients that I use in all kinds of dishes and cuisines. The local Asian market also sells a similar product-fried garlic. It's basically dried ginger that's fried and it's crispy with a zingy burst of ginger flavor. Ingredients- 32 medium size shrimp, shells on 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp. canola oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp. minced ginger 1 tbsp. Shoshing Chinese rice wine 1 tbsp. soy sauce 6 tbsp. butter 1/3 cup chicken stock Salt and white pepper to taste 2 tbsp. fried garlic 1/3 cup finely chopped green onions Instructions- Peel the shells off the shrimp, leaving the tails. Cut a slit down the back of the shrimp and remove the thin black vein. This is the digestive tract of the shrimp and is bitter. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-hight heat and add the sesame oil and canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the fresh garlic and the ginger and stir-fry another 30 seconds, then add the Chinese rice wine to deglaze the skillet. Add the soy sauce, butter and chicken stock and continue to cook until the shrimp are done and the sauce is reduced, about 3 minutes. Season with a dash of salt and white pepper. Place the shrimp on a serving plate, then pour over the skillet sauce. Garnish with the fried garlic and green onions. Use fried ginger in place of the fried garlic

Yes that's it! Couldn't remember! I have two julienne blades, one thin and one wide. I'm glad you mentioned it for green papaya, as I used another tool which didn't work well.

Over the years some of the best kitchen gadgets I've acquired are little things I've found in local Asian markets. I think my family and friends ofter see these things and wonder why I would use something that was so cheap, (in price), and isn't fancy like the expensive French mandoline that I rarely use. Well, these gadgets work perfectly for the job and have lasted for years in spite of maybe only costing a few dollars each. For ginger I sometimes grate it on a rasp or grater. Last week I was wondering how I could julienne ginger more easily. I sliced it incredibly thin using this small scale "mandoline", then stacked the slices and cut them into julienne. It's pefect for soups and garnishes when I'm looking for more ginger flavor rather than minced or grated.

I usually add ginger to my Asian dishes even if the recipe may not call for it. And in some cases I add extra ginger. Sometimes I'll add ginger to the sauce, stir-fry and maybe some fresh ginger as a garnish. This is my recipe for Satay with a Thai Red Curry Peanut Dipping Sauce. I use ginger in the marinade for the Satay and also ginger in the dipping sauce. Ingredients- 1 lb. thinly sliced beef round or chuck 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, chopped (substitute 2 tbsp. frozon, pre-chopped lemongrass) 2 tbsp. canola oil 1 tbsp. fish sauce 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce 2 tsp. minced garlic 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger 1 tsp. tumeric 1 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes shish kebab skewers Cut the beef into slices 1/4" thick. You can freeze the beef for 3 minutes to harden it a bit, making slicing easier. Then cut the beef into 2" x 3" strips. If you're using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for one hour prior to grilling so they won't catch fire. Metal, non-stick skewers are a good alternative. Place the lemongrass, oil, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, tumeric and coriander in a blender and blend to combine, about 1 minute. Pour the marinade in a container and add the beef strips. Stir to coat the beef with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate to marinate, 4 hours. Prepare your outdoor grill. (Or heat a grill pan on the stovetop or the broiler in your oven. The key is to cook the Satay on high heat just a few minutes until it starts to char and is cooked through). Remove the beef from the marinade and thread onto the skewers. When the fire is hot, place the grate on the barbecue grill and place the skewers over the fire. Grill for 1-2 minutes, then turn and grill another 1-2 minutes until the meat starts to char and is cooked through. Transfer the Satay to a large serving platter and serve with Thai Red Curry Peanut Sauce Thai Red Curry Peanut Sauce- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup hot water 1 tbsp. Thai red curry paste 2 tbsp. brown sugar 2 tsp. Siracha hot sauce 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp. rice vinegar 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger 1 tsp. minced fresh garlic 1 tbsp. chopped green onions 2 tbsp. chopped dry-roasted peanuts Place the peanut butter and hot water in a blender and pulse to combine. Add in the Thai red curry paste, palm sugar, hot sauce (you can eliminate the hot sauce), soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, ginger and garlic and pulse to make a smooth, thick sauce. Place in a container, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Place the peanut dipping sauce in a serving bowl and garnish with the green onions and chopped peanuts.

We know there are all sorts of different ways to prepare ginger for a recipe, slicing, mincing, grating or cutting into thin julienne strips. Yesterday I was working on a Chinese salad recipe and used a new technique for cutting ginger. I'll have a photo later today, but what are your thoughts on how different techniques affect the flavor of ginger in your recipe?