Asian short ribs is a tasty meat dish that is great for sharing. You may add some sesame seeds or sesame oil to add more flavor. It is best eaten with rice.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 kg beef short ribs, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons Japanese rice vinegar

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 lemongrass stalk, halved and crushed

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2/3 cups brown sugar

6 cups water

1/2 cup sliced spring onions

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon orange zest

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

Place the ribs in a heavy based saucepan over high heat. Add the soy sauce, ginger, rice vinegar, garlic, lemon grass, brown sugar, water, spring onions and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Bring it to a boil. After, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for an hour and a half. Stir in the orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest and hoisin sauce. Season it with salt and pepper to adjust the taste. Stir. Allow it to simmer until the meat is tender. Add more water if needed. Transfer the meat to a plate. Let the sauce simmer until the liquid is reduced in half. Return the meat to the pan and set the heat to high. Bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and place the ribs and sauce in a serving bowl.  Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of: naotakem

Beef morcon is a stuffed beef recipe which is perfect for the holiday season. It makes a great entrée paired with salad and red wine.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 lbs. beef round

4 pcs Chorizo Macau, sliced into strips

6 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water and sliced into strips

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1/2 cup oyster sauce

2 pieces star anise

2 tablespoons sesame oil

3 cups of water

Place the meat in a chopping board and pound it until it is flattened. Cut it into four pieces.

Get a slice of beef and place strips of chorizo and mushrooms. Roll the beef and tie it. Repeat this with the remaining ingredients.

Combine the soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, oyster sauce, water and star anise in a large saucepan. Place the beef in the pan. Cover and cook it for 30 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and the beef is browned and tender. Add more sesame oil if needed.

Transfer the rolls to a cutting board and slice it. Place the sliced rolls on a platter and serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of:  ~MVI~

Barbecue pulled chicken is similar to the classic pulled pork recipe, except that it uses a lot of tomato sauce. Eat it as is with a salad or as a sandwich filling.  I personally like it with tortillas as a wrap. Since I am a vegetable person, I decided to add some lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers too.

This dish calls for a slow cooker, but you can also cook it in the oven or in a regular pot. The cooking time may vary, so adjust it accordingly. Adding more sauce to the chicken to prevent it from drying up is another option; use up the excess by serving it on the side.
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. skinless chicken thigh fillets

1 large red onion, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, minced

8oz. can tomato sauce

4oz. can chopped green chili, drained

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

Jalapenos for serving

Combine the tomato sauce, chili, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ground chipotle and salt in a medium sized bowl. Mix until well combined. Place the chicken, half of the onion and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker and pour in the tomato sauce mixture. Cover and cook it for 5 hours or until the chicken is very tender and pulls apart easily. Place the cooked chicken fillets on a chopping board and shred them using a fork. Return it to the crock pot and stir to coat it with sauce. Transfer it to a plate and top it with jalapenos and sliced onions. Serve warm with sour cream.

Photo Courtesy Of:  justthismoment

A tagine is a dish that is named after the clay earthenware pot where it is cooked in. Moroccan tagine calls for slow braising of meat and a variety of ingredients that include fruits, nuts and spices.

Beef and pear tagine is a delicious Moroccan recipe that is worth the hours you need to prepare it. The combination of fruit and spices definitely make the meat favorable to the palette.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cup water

2 firm pears, cored and cut into thick wedges

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2kg chuck steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 brown onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4 tablespoons Moroccan Spice Blend (Ras-el-Hanout)

20g butter

1/4 cup dates

4 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

Combine the water, lemon juice, honey, pears allspice and cinnamon in a medium sized saucepan over high heat. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the pears are tender. Remove from heat and let it cool. Drain and reserve the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 180C. After, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the steak in batches for 3-5 minutes or until they are browned. Add more oil if needed. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate and set aside.

Sauté the onions in the saucepan and cook them for 3-5 minutes over medium heat until they are soft and translucent. Add the ginger, garlic and the Moroccan spice blend. Cook them for 1-2 minutes or until they become fragrant. Return the steak to the pan and pour in 1 1/2 cups of reserved pear liquid. Set the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Transfer the cooked beef and pears to an ovenproof dish and bake it covered for an hour and a half.

While waiting for the beef and pears to be cooked, melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Cook the pears in butter for 3-5 minutes per side or until they are golden brown. Take the tagine from the oven and add the pairs. Gently stir. Return the dish to the oven and cook it uncovered for another 20-30 minutes or until the steak is very tender. Remove from oven and let it stand for 2-3 minutes. Top it with dates and sprinkle with almonds before serving.

Photo Courtesy Of:   tomcensani

Saffron chicken is a delicious main dish that is best eaten with rice or couscous. It also goes well with vegetables, vermicelli or pita bread. All the spices infuse together to give the chicken an aromatic Moroccan flavor. Make sure that the meat is so soft that it almost melts in your mouth. Feel free to adjust the seasonings according to your taste -add more pepper to make it spicier if desired.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

2 large sweet onions, chopped medium

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 sticks of cinnamon

1 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Cut the chicken into serving pieces and remove the skin. Reserve it for other dishes. Next, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the turmeric and, ground ginger. Cook it for one minute or until it starts to sizzle and become fragrant. Place the chicken in the pot and fry it along with the onions, ginger and spices for 5 minutes or until it is light brown. Turn at least once. After, add the fresh cilantro, butter, cinnamon sticks, saffron threads, salt, black pepper and white pepper. Mix well. Make sure that the chicken is coated in the spice paste and butter mix. Cover the pot and cook the chicken for one hour or until it is very soft and the meat easily falls of the bone. Allow the liquid to evaporate, so that the chicken cooks in its own oil. Reduce the heat if needed so as to not burn the chicken. Stir occasionally. Adjust the taste by adding salt and pepper as needed. Discard the cinnamon sticks. Serve warm.

Photo Courtesy Of:   scaredy_kat