Cooking for Kids with Chef Leo K. Moncel
A Taste of Authentic East-Asian Cuisine Your Kids Will Love!
By Leo K. Moncel
Posted April 23rd, 2007
“Ee ta da ki mas!” That means “Chow down!” in Japanese. If you’re anything like me, you’d probably love to expose your kids to the exciting world of flavour that exist out there in the realm of international cooking. But, if your life is anywhere near as hectic as mine, between driving to soccer practice, swimming lessons, ballet and karate, there’s just no time to gamble on a dish your kids might turn up their noses at.
That’s why I’m offering a sampling of recipes that bring the exotic, tangy flavours of the Orient right into your kitchen with easy-to-prepare meals your kids are sure to love. Follow along with these simple recipes and in no time, your kids will be saying, “Ee ta da ki mas!” Chow down!
Hunan Orange Beef
This one is a rich, spicy stir-fry that originates from China’s Hunan province.
Ingredients
3/4 lb flank steak
4 green onions
2-3 stalks of celery
4 dehydrated chili peppers (optional)
1 whole orange zest
corn oil for frying
Sauce
2 tbsp beef broth
1 tbsp Chinese dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tbsp corn starch
Directions
1) Cut the orange zest into thin strips.
2) In a “wok”, heat the oil on high and drop in thin strips of flank steak.
3) After a couple minutes, take out the flank steak, lower the heat, and fry the veggies with the zest.
4) Re-add the flank steak and sauce, stir-fry for two minutes until sauce has thickened.
Flank steak can be difficult to find and prepare properly. For that reason, I usually substitute flank steak with all-beef hotdogs cut into wheels - they cook faster and your kids are guaranteed to love them. My kids can’t take the heat of the chilies or slight bitterness of the orange zest, so I usually omit those ingredients as well.
Chicken In Black Bean Garlic Sauce
A favourite in many parts of Southeast Asia, this is a version made by Chinese settlers in Malaysia where it’s known as Ayam Pongtay.
Ingredients
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
12 Chinese dehydrated mushrooms
1/2 can bamboo shoots
corn oil
Sauce
3 tbsp black bean sauce
1 large onion
6 large cloves garlic
Directions
1) Soak dehydrated mushrooms in hot water for an hour.
2) Put chopped onion and garlic in a blender with the bean sauce.
3) Simmer the sauce in a “wok” until thick.
4) Add chicken, then mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
5) Cover “wok” with a lid and let cook for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
I always substitute chicken thighs with frozen chicken nuggets, which keep longer and come already breaded. Your kids will thank you! Forget about the onions and garlic, my kids hate that stuff. And who wants to travel all the way to Chinatown for some foreign-tasting bean sauce? I find that a cup of chocolate chips is sweeter and much easier to find.
For sure, scrap the bamboo shoots and dehydrated mushrooms. They’re hard to find and kind of gross. Half a cup of mini-marshmallows tastes better anyways.
Thai Jumbo Prawns In a Chili-Tamarind Sauce With Lemongrass
Cut the hotdogs in wheels. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, marshmallows and sprinkles (optional). Serve.
These recipes have been excerpted from Leo K. Moncel’s latest cookbook, 101 Authentic East-Asian Recipes Your Kids Will Love!
He is the author of numerous cookbooks including 101 Quick-Fix Recipes Your Kids Will Love!, 101 Authentic Caribbean Recipes Your Kids Will Love!, 101 Authentic Ethiopian Recipes Your Kids Will Love! and 101 Vegan-Macrobiotic Recipes Your Kids Will Love!
He is also the joint author of a national study on childhood obesity and the host of the Food Network Canada’s syndicated hit, Cooking With Hotdogs And Marshmallows!