Rice Noodles & Coconut-Matcha Broth with Delicata Squash, Baby Bok Choy & Cilantro

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Adapted from Blue Apron November  2020

 
Now, here is a dish that brings sunshine to your soul. This recipe is harnessing its complex flavor and gorgeous color of matcha powder to bring an extra-special touch to the rice noodles and vegetables. Matcha, a powder made from finely milled whole green tea leaves, has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies for nearly a millennium. In the broth, sweet coconut milk and palm sugar perfectly balance the matcha’s earthiness. Layered with herbaceous cilantro and other savory aromatics, like Thai Red Bird Chilies, this dish is a modern take on some of my favorite East Asian flavors.
 
Serves 2
 
Ingredients:
  • ½ pound wide rice noodles
  • 1¾ cups coconut milk
  • 3  cloves garlic
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 delicata squash
  • 1 Lime
  • ½ pound baby bok choy
  • 1 bunch Thai basil
  • One  1-Inch piece ginger
  • 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Matcha Powder
  • Thai Red Bird Chilies, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high.

Using a sturdy knife, cut off and discard both ends of the squash. Slice the squash crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds; cut out and discard the pulp and seeds.

Using a peeler, remove the rind of the lime, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter the lime. Peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Trim off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; roughly chop the leaves and stems. Pick the basil leaves off the stems; discard the stems.

In a small bowl, combine the matcha powder and 2 tablespoons of warm water.

Place the squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown and tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and top with the juice of 2 lime wedges.

Once the squash has roasted for about 10 minutes, add the noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Rinse and wipe out the pot.

While the squash continues to roast, in the pot used to cook the noodles, heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, bok choy and white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and the bok choy leaves have wilted.

To make the broth, add to the pot of vegetables, the coconut milk (shaking the can just before opening), matcha-water mixture, lime zest, palm sugar and the juice of the remaining lime wedges; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until well combined and heated through. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, rinse the cooked noodles under warm water to loosen them; drain thoroughly. Divide between 2 bowls. Top with the broth and roasted squash. Garnish with the green tops of the scallions, basil and chilies. Enjoy!  

Wine Pairing Notes:

Rancho la Viña Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014

Tea notes in this Pinot reinforce the noodles’ matcha tea broth. The squash’s earthy sweetness balances the medium body and acidity.

San Simeon Pinot Noir 2014
Matcha’s green herbal note and the noodles’ nuttiness marry well with the the strawberry and cinnamon aromas of this Pinot Noir.

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Coconut Poached Catfish with Baby Bok Choy

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This dish was inspired by the classic Thai dish, Tom kha gai. Tom Kha Gai is a coconut-milk-based chicken soup scented with galangal (or ginger), lemongrass, chilies, fish sauce, makrut lime leaves, lime juice, and cilantro. The combination of sweet, salty, and sour flavors balanced in a creamy broth felt ideal for pairing with a mild, firm white fish like catfish, halibut, or cod. Using just one pot, this dish couldn’t be easier to assemble, and its beautiful presentation makes it look like you spent a lot longer on dinner than you actually did. The poaching liquid does double duty by gently cooking the fish and wilting the bok choy. If bok choy is unavailable, another sturdy green, like kale or Napa cabbage, can be substituted. Serve with steamed jasmine rice to soak up some of the fragrant coconut milk broth.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) catfish fillets or other flaky white fish, like cod or halibut
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1 tablespoon lemongrass, thinly sliced (from about a 1 trimmed stalk)
1 fresh Thai or Serrano chile, thinly sliced
2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans coconut milk
1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon light brown sugar or to taste
7 ounces baby bok choy, ends trimmed and stalks separated Flaky salt (optional)

For Serving:
Fried ginger
Pickled chilies
Lime wedges
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro, both leaves and tender stems
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens

 

Directions:
On a clean cutting board, thoroughly pat both sides of fish dry. Season the fish with sprinkle with salt on both sides and set aside.

Pickle the chilies: In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons lime juice and chilies. Set aside until ready to serve.

To Make the fried ginger topping: Set a paper towel lined plate aside for the fried ginger. In a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil. Sauté the ginger in oil for 30 seconds to 1 minute until it appears golden brown. Err on the side of caution here, as there will be some residual carryover cooking, and the ginger will continue to darken in color (if the ginger burns, you will need to start over).

Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the ginger and oil mixture into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Evenly scatter the strained ginger from the sieve to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Reserve the ginger oil.

Using a clean paper towel or a kitchen towl, wipe the pan clean, removing any residual browned bits of crisped ginger. Add strained ginger oil back into the pan and set to medium-low heat. Add shallot, garlic, ginger, green curry paste, chile, and cook, stirring often until the shallots become translucent and the rest of the ingredients become aromatic, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.

Add coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar to the pan. Whisk together until combined and sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Carefully add the catfish fillets and turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook until the fish is just cooked through and opaque, about 6 to 8 minutes. When cooked, the fish will transform from translucent to opaque and gently flake when prodded with a fork. You can also use a thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should be between 140°F and 145°F. Using a slotted spoon or a fish spatula, gently remove the fish from the pan and divide among the serving bowls. Note: The thinner pieces will cook faster than thicker ones. The liquid should be just barely simmering, with small bubbles so make sure to adjust the heat as needed.

Add bok choy to the coconut milk broth and turn heat to medium-low. Cook bok choy until leaves are wilted and stems are tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Simmer the coconut milk for an additional 3 to 5 minutes on medium heat until it thickens and reduces slightly. The broth should not appear watery at all—it should coat the back of a spoon like a thick curry. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with more fish sauce, brown sugar, or lime juice as needed.

To serve, divide bok choy evenly alongside the fish and ladle coconut milk broth over each portion. Top with the fried ginger, pickled chilies, chopped cilantro, scallions and a good squeeze of lime, and serve with remaining wedges on the side. Garnish with flaky salt, if desired.

 

 

Chilean Sea Bass with Shiitake Mushroom Broth

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This dish is the kind that, with a little experience, many good home cooks could assemble from scratch, without consulting a recipe. The aromatic triumvirate of garlic, ginger and scallions is matched with soy sauce, rice vinegar and fish sauce. Shiitake mushrooms give substance and flavor, cornstarch thickens and sesame oil adds a taste of toasty richness.

You can spoon the sauce over the poached fish, but it will also work just as well with grilled, pan-seared or broiled fish, or on stir-fried strips of chicken breast, slivers of pork or beef, shrimp or scallops. Steamed rice could help soak up the sauce as well.

 

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 ⅓ pounds sea bass or gray sole fillets
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • ½ cup chopped scallions
  • 7 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Vietnamese fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, or snipped chives (Optional)

 

 

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 175 o F. Place chicken stock in a wok or skillet, and bring to a simmer. Cut fish into pieces about 3 inches square, place in stock, and simmer until just cooked, about 5 minutes. Use spatula to transfer to heatproof platter, cover loosely with foil, and place in oven. Drain and strain stock, and reserve. Wipe out pan with a clean paper towel.

 

Heat peanut oil in pan. Add garlic, ginger and scallions. Sauté briefly, and add mushrooms. Sauté until wilted. Add soy sauce, vinegar and fish sauce. Cook 30 seconds, then add reserved stock. Bring to a simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water, and add, stirring. Simmer until sauce has thickened. Add sesame oil.

 

To serve, transfer fish to a shallow bowl and spoon mushroom sauce over the fish. Gransih with a scattering of with cilantro or chives. Serve hot.

 

 

 

 

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All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you!