InnoVAsian Chinese Food Your Way

 Chines take out is downright delicious Yet it  can be overly greasy and over priced. However you can have better quality and a lower price thanks to InnovAsion Chinese Food. This is like having the best Chinese restaurant right in your kitchen.

My local WalMart has some so I thought I would try them. The price is attractive Their lo min and chicken and broccoli were under five dollars - around $4.68. Mongolian beef was $6.78

Their dishes are really delicious and unlike the stuff you bring in not greasy.It was as if it had been freshly made. The low meaning was chock full of veggies like celery and carrots. The chicken and broccoli has gernous pieces of chicken along with more than enough broccoli florets.The sauce is sweet and spicy but without any oiliness. The spacing for both dishes is perfection

I am definitely trying their beef and broccoli along with their other chicken dishes like sesame chicken and the honey version. It's exciting to see that they also have Indian classics like butter chicken and Tikka masala. which I', also trying.They even have a teriyaki dish that will be on my dinner table soon enough.

InnovAsion Foods is like have a five sttar Asian restaurant in your kitchen.Try any of their dishes for a delciious ,fresh tasting meal. They;re perfect for your dinner and your budget.

An Exotic Holiday

 Christmas doesn't have to have traditional ham or turkey . If you want try something different. It could be a dish reflecting your heritage or from a cuisine you adore.Skip the turkey leg with gravy and explore what's out there.

This cold weather deserves a kick of spice. Asian and Mexican food can provide much needed heat. Indian food is loaded with delicious spices that make any ingredient sing.One dish that makes for a fun party meal is butter chicken or makhani. This is a relatively  easy dish to make., It's firstst creating the marinade and using Kashmiri red chili powder or smoky paprika. Garam masala along with ginger paste is used too. Greek yogurt is added to this and the chicken is marinated in it for twelve hours in the fridge. Tomato puree or tomato paste is mixed with cashews and water. It's then cooking the  butter sauce, redolent with cinnamon cloves and cardamoms.. Garlic paste and green chiles are also added.It's then cooking and straining until the sauce is free of any hard bits. The chicken can be grilled baked or air fried  and then added to the sauce. You could also make chicken Tikka masala, similar in some ways but spicier than the butter chicken. You could also buy a tasty array of samosas, veggie filled puffs at any super market like Lidl for a fun appetizer platter .

Mexico has its' own traditional Christmas dishes that anyone can make. Think  a holiday plate filled with carne asada. This can be made in a slow cooker, allowing you to create other dishes like salad or frying up cinnamon churros for dessert.it requires flank steak that's first sauteed in olive oil before it's transferred to a slow cooker.Onion and garlic are cooked up in the leftover olive oil until the two veggies are crispy. Add a mix of orange and lime juice along with vinegar, soy sauce and seasonings. This is brought to a boil and then added to the meat.It's slow cooked for four hours  until the meat is butter tender.Mole is a chocolate rich sauce with a savory and picky punch. It can be served on any meat for an elegant sauce.it's a powerful marriage of cocoa powder, tomato sauce.Onion, garlic and chili powder give this rich sauce its' kick. It's perfect with beef or chicken  but you could do a  turkey breast mole. Serve with rice or cornmeal to absorb the sauce. Mexico has so many perfect Christmas desserts. Churros is one , fried dough sticks coated with cinnamon sugar and then dipped in a dark chocolate sauce. There are also marranitos , gingerbread cookies baked in the shape of pigs - how cute- and capirotada, Mexican bread pudding . THis last is baked with cinnamon and cloves along with piloncillo - Mexican brown sugar. Cheese is added for a salty - sweet mix.

Christmas is an exciting time. Make non traditional dishes that kick up the level. They can be spicy and savory or spicy and sweet.It's up to you. HAve a good time in creating them

The Leftover Issue

What to do with those scores of leftovers? Not surprisingly Wednesday's New York Times Food section came out with its' leftover issues. After all, it guided home chefs through the prepping and cooking their Thanksgiving meal. It should be no different the day after. There are some innovative dishes to try with what's left of your holiday  bounty.

If you're tired of tetrazzini or turkey sandwiches you may want to read  Samin Nosrat's contribution to the Food section.Chef Nosrat not only cooks but writes a popular blog. She spices up the usually bland meat with a dazzling array of spices and ideas. Turkey is an excellent canvas because it easily absorbs other flavors which only accentuate its mild gaminess.If you're looking for a light leftover then think the Vietnamese chicken noodle soup pho ga .It' a clear broth zested up with star anise, ginger, and fish sauce.It does require turkey broth but if you don't have it  then sub in chicken broth.There's also brown sugar and fish sauce.If you don't have or can't find the last mix up soy sauce with hoisin and use that.The soup also has yellow onion too for flavor and texture. The onions and ginger can either be charred over an open flame or broiled on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pho ga is a fun soup because eaters can customize it from a platter of add-ins such as mung beans, cilantro, Thai basil, limes, and jalapenos. It can be fragrantly herbal or zingy with fire. It's also a comforting noodle soup thanks to also having rice vermicelli added, perfect on a cold November night.

Chef Nosrat also gives us turkey mole verde and turkey tikka marsala. The first is a nod to Mexican cooking and is a great way of combining light and dark meat.It's not the typical mole recipe that requires cocoa  but a green one made up of  tomatillos, chard  romaine leaves, jalapeno,cilantro, and oregano. Again it does require turkey stock but chicken can do nicely here.It also has an interesting paste made from pumpkin and sesame.It can be served with steamed white rice or corn tortillas.For an entirely different spin Chef Nosrat gives us turkey tikka masala.It's marinating four cups of the bird in a bright  and spicy bath of garam masala, coriander ,cumin, paprika and turmeric blended with crushed garlic and plain yogurt.The masala  calls for ghee or clarified butter but you can also use a neutral tasting oil such as vegetable or olive.This is made separately with tomatoes and serrano peppers as the marinated turkey is broiled  until it blackens in spots. This  usually takes five to six minutes..Before combining the meat and masala, the masala has to be pureed for a smoother texture, The turkey is then added to this and simmered for five to ten minutes, with an occasional stir until it's done. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice.

Don't  let that turkey languish in the fridge.Use it in fun and spicy recipes that will accentuate its' gamey , sweet mildness. It is the perfect canvas for all sorts of flavors and techniques.