Spicy Sweet Potato Leaves

How many of us have ever heard that sweet potato leaves are edible? In South East Asia, this is our regular kind of vegetable. Yes, they are edible, yummy and taste just like kangkung (water spinach).

In Toronto, sweet potato leaves can be easily found in Chinese grocery stores but they are not cheap. They cost around 3 dollars per pound. Last summer, my husband and I planted sweet potatoes in our backyard so we could indulge as much as we like. The leaves grow just like vines!. They can be stir fried, cooked with pumpkin in a curry sauce and so much more. I like to stir fry the leaves just like my mother does back home. I sauté them with preserved soy beans, dried shrimps and hot sauce....all packed with Indonesian flavour!

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 5

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs sweet potato leaves
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked for 10 minutes
• 2 tbsp preserved soy beans (tauco)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose sambal
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1/4 cup water

 METHOD: 

1. Strip the sweet potato leaves with its stem from tough, woody branches. Rinse well
2. In a wok, heat up the cooking oil until smoking. Add in sliced onions and garlic and stir until golden brown
3. Mix in dried shrimps, preserved soy beans and all purpose sambal. Stir for another minute
4. Add in the sweet potato leaves and cook for several minutes until they are half wilted
5. Mix in water, taste. If not salty enough, you can add in dashes of fish sauce according to your taste. Keep stirring the ingredients for another 5 minutes
6. Dish out and serve warm with steamed rice

Jamaican Style Rice N' Peas

A lot of nutrition research and articles find that North Americans, in general, do not consume enough beans or legumes in their diet. Beans or legumes are known to be a good source of protein and dietary fibre. Unfortunately, they can also be perceived as boring, bland and flavourless. 

Besides adding beans in my soup and salad, I sometimes like to serve them with rice as a side dish. Jamaican Style Rice N' Peas is one of the examples. The rice is fluffy, light and flavoured with thyme and coconut milk. This is an excellent side to our Jamaican Inspired Jerk Chicken.

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 5

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups parboiled rice
• 1 can (540 mL) red kidney beans
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 bay leaf

 METHOD: 

1. In a non-stick pot, heat up 2 tbsp cooking oil and dry garlic until light brown 
2. Add in parboiled rice, stir for 2 minutes under medium heat for a nice toasted colour 
3. Drain red kidney beans and rinse with water. Add into the pot and stir for a minute
4. Add in the remaining of ingredients, stir. Cover and let it boil
5. Lower the heat and cook for another 20 minutes, covered
6. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 5 minutes
7. Fluff the rice with a  fork and serve hot

Pork and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are a light summer appetizer that is easy to make. These are non vegetarian but I sometimes make a vegetarian option by substituting the pork with four kinds of mushrooms - shitake, oyster, cremini and white button. My first encounter with lettuce wraps was when my sister took me to P.F. Chang's where they presented it beautifully with three kinds of dipping sauces. This is a variation of the original and I have no dipping sauces just hoisin sauce added to the mixture. Perfect for the summer, this appetizer is bursting with flavour and colour with a nice variation in texture provided by celery and water chestnuts. Enjoy!

water chestnut

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb (454 g) lean ground pork
• 2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup each yellow and red or orange bell pepper
• 3 stalks of celery sliced
• 1 cups of sliced water chestnuts
• 3 green onions sliced
• 1 inch piece of ginger chopped fine
• 1/4 tsp each chili flakes, salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce (available at most local supermarkets or in Chinese stores)
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 2 heads of Boston lettuce
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil

METHOD :

1. Combine hoisin sauce and cornstarch with 3/4 cup of water and set aside
2. Add pork to a pan, break up large pieces and heat through till cooked and no longer pink. 
3. Remove pork and drain all fat and wipe the pan clean
4. Sauté onions, ginger and garlic till transparent, add mushrooms and cook. Add celery, peppers and water chestnuts until vegetables are cooked but still crisp
5. Add pork to the vegetables, season and mix well
6. Add hoisin and corn starch mixture and cook until the starch thickens 
7. Serve with lettuce