Korean shrimp and daikon stirfry

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Daikon also known as the Japanese radish, is a root vegetable. Grown throughout East and South Asian countries, it’s nutritious, crunchy, refreshing and can take on different flavors depending on how it’s cooked. Daikon are less spicy than their commonly consumed cousin, the red radish.

It is a superstar vegetable with it being a low-calorie food filled with high water content and packed with vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin C, calcium, folate, and potassium. Besides containing fiber and enzymes that aid digestion, it is also known to heal wounds quickly.

This perfect blend of daikon, carrots and shrimp come together for an easy, quick weeknight meal filled with sweet, tangy, and fiery flavors.

Serving: 3 as a side

Time: 15 minutes including prep time

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups diced (small cubes) daikon
  • 1 lb deveined, cleaned uncooked shrimp, washed and seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 yellow onion diced fine
  • 2 scallions/ green onions chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup carrot, chopped into small rounds or cubes
  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari or soya sauce
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Method

  • In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil. When hot, add the onions and the whites of the scallions. Stir fry for a minute until onions are translucent.
  • Add the daikon and carrots to the pan, stir frying at high flame for 3 minutes making sure it doesn’t burn. Cook a minute or two longer, if you like your vegetables softer in texture.
  • Add in the soya sauce/ tamari, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and gochujang paste and stir fry for another minute.
  • Add in the shrimp and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes until the shrimp is cooked.
  • Remove from flame and garnish with the left over scallion greens.
  • Serve over a bed of freshly steamed rice.

Korean Ground Turkey

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Sweet, sour, spicy come together for a delicious flavor profile in this Korean Ground Turkey recipe. This dish has become a comfort food for the kids. Combine it with a bowl of steaming Jasmine rice, a side of broccoli, carrot sticks and edamame beans and viola, a perfectly healthy, flavorful meal at your fingertips.

This is a perfect weeknight dinner as it is ready under 15 minutes. This recipe is often made with beef but I substitute turkey or chicken for a lean option.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey or any lean ground meat
  • 1/4 cup soya sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp siracha sauce (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp dry red chili flakes
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine
  • 1 tbsp ginger, chopped fine
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp roasted white sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1/4 cup finely sliced green onions for garnish

Method

1. In a frying pan, heat the oil. When hot, add in the red chili flakes, ginger and garlic. Stir fry on medium heat for a minute

2. Add in the ground meat, frying it well, breaking the meat into crumbles over medium heat, until it is no longer pink

3. Add in the soya sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha, mixing it well, until it is well combined. Let it simmer for 2 minutes

4. Serve on a bed of hot rice, garnished with the sesame seeds and green onions. Add a side of vegetables like sweet pepper strips, cucumber slices, steamed edamame beans, broccoli, green beans or carrot sticks

Spicy Korean Tofu

Spicy Korean Tofu (Air-fryer/Ninja Foodi/Stove-top)

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This spicy, gochujang tofu recipe will have you craving for more. Not only is it flavorful, combine that with brown rice, steamed vegetables like broccoli or bok choy, and you have a healthy, vegan meal on your table in under 45 minutes.

Why Tofu? Tofu has a range of benefits – it’s a great add to an anti-inflammatory diet while providing a good amount of protein. But it can be bland. Adding some soya sauce and gochujang certainly ups the game! What’s gochujang? Gochujang is a fundamental ingredient in Korean cooking. It’s a thick and spicy-sweet dark red paste made from red chili peppers, and fermented soybeans. If you don’t have it handy, a little Thai chili paste or sriracha combined with a dash of soya sauce and sugar will serve as a substitute.

Servings: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 14 oz package firm Tofu (sliced into cubes)
  • 2 tbsp dark soya sauce or tamari
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp gochujang (or 1.5 tbsp sriracha, mixed with 1 tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tsp soya sauce and 1/2 tsp sugar)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 green onions (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
  • 1 tsp ginger (finely minced)
  • 2 tbsp Oil (plus spray if baking) – sesame, vegetable or olive oil
  • Optional: 1-2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

  1. Drain water from the package of tofu. Press down gently on the tofu to remove as much water as possible
  2. Slice the block of tofu into 1/2 inch planks and then into bite-sized cubes
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine1 tbsp of the soya sauce and the tablespoon of cornstarch. Add in the tofu cubes. Gently mix to combine.
  4. You can bake the tofu in the air-fryer or cook it on a stove top
    1. Air-fryer option: I used an air-fryer, a Ninja Foodi. Set the Foodi on air-crisp option to 400F. Heat the cooking basket for 3 minutes. Spray with oil to coat the bottom of dish and place tofu cubes in it. Spray the top of the tofu lightly. Air-fry the tofu for about 12 minutes until crispy.
    2. Stove-top option: Heat 2 tbsp of oil (sesame or olive or vegetable oil) in a pan, and when hot, add the tofu and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown
  5. While the tofu is baking in the air-fryer, or stove, mix the soya sauce, gochujang paste, brown sugar and water in a bowl until combined
  6. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and the whites of the chopped green onion
  7. Saute on medium heat for 2 minutes
  8. Add the sauce and cook for 2 minutes
  9. Add the cooked tofu to the sauce and stir gently. Cook for 2 minutes
  10. Remove from stove top
  11. Best served right away, garnished with the chopped green onions
  12. Tastes great served on a bed of rice and with a side of steamed broccoli or bok choy