Our Lunar New Year feasts have been more intimate the past two years, and this years’ celebration will be on the smaller side as well. While it’s been a challenge not seeing our extended family as regularly as we’re used to, Stephen and I have been taking the extra time at home to try out new recipes and cook with Alivia. Since we’re eating out less, we’ve also been able to splurge on quality ingredients for our cooking adventures like Canadian lobster.

What I love about cooking with lobster is the versatility and range of products available. From whole fresh lobsters, to frozen to processed, it’s easy to choose the option that works best for both the recipe and the amount of preparation time I have. Stephen’s a master at steamed whole lobster, Lobster Rolls, and more involved dishes like Lobster Pappardelle, and Ginger and Green Onion Lobster. This recipe for Lobster Tail Baos falls high on the delicious scale and medium on the difficulty scale. Using frozen lobster tails cuts down the preparation time and makes planning easier without having to worry about procuring fresh lobster. The tail meat is buttery, sweet and delicious!

The Canadian lobster fishery is an international leader in sustainability and is constantly assessing the health and stability of the Canadian lobster population. There is a limited number of licences issued and a limit on the number of traps as well. Lobsters below the minimum size are not harvested and some Licensed Fishing Areas also have maximum size limits to protect large lobsters who produce a higher amount of eggs.

For more information about Canadian Lobsters, tips and recipes, visit https://lobstercouncilcanada.ca.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Lobster Council of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Lobster Tail Baos

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serving Size: 4 baos

Ingredients

• 4 frozen baos
• 200g of frozen lobster tails (2-3)
• 3 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup of wakame salad
• 1/4 cup of cucumber slices
• 1 tbsp of roasted white and black sesame seeds

Instructions

1. De-shell the lobster tails and cut into 1 inch chunks. Mix together potato starch, cornstarch and salt, then toss and thoroughly coat lobster chunks in the mixture.
2. Steam the frozen baos as per package instructions and set aside, keeping them warm in the steamer.
3. Deep fry each piece of lobster for 2-3mins in 350°F oil until the internal temperature reaches 140°F, set aside.
4. Mix together the kewpie mayonnaise, ketchup and honey.
5. Assemble each bao with mayo sauce, chunks of lobster, wakame salad and cucumber slices. Drizzle more mayo sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

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Watermelon is one of my favourite fruits. While there are 1200 varieties of watermelon grown in 96 countries all over the world, the five main types are seedless, seeded, yellow, orange, and mini. The United States is the 7th largest producer of watermelons in the world and Canada imports over 300 million pounds each year, making the fruit available all year round. In addition to being a great source of hydration and nutrients, I really like how the entire watermelon is edible, including the rind!

My mom first made pickled watermelon rind for me when I was little, and I thought she was just experimenting, but it was actually a recipe from her childhood and a dish that I always wanted to make myself. This recipe for Asian Pickled Watermelon Rind is spicy, sour, salty and sweet. I love the extra prickliness from the Sichuan peppercorns and it’s an addictive side dish to congee, perfect sliced thin in a sandwich or as a crunchy snack. Cutting the rind is a bit of extra effort, but it’s worth it and a great way to reduce food waste.

How to Cut Watermelon to Save the Rind?

For more watermelon recipes, information and tips, check out https://www.watermelon.org/.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with The National Watermelon Promotion Board. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Asian Pickled Watermelon Rind

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

• 4 cups trimmed watermelon rind
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 star anise
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 4 dried red chilies
• 1 knob of ginger, sliced
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

Instructions

1. Trim watermelon rinds, cutting off the dark skin and any soft, pink flesh until only the hard crunchy rind remains. Cut rinds into 1inch by 1/4inch segments.
2. In a small pot, add the sugar, star anise, vinegar, chilies, ginger slices, salt, Sichuan peppercorns and bring brine to a boil. Stir. Once the sugar and salt has dissolved, turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Fill an airtight container with the trimmed watermelon rinds leaving space at the top. Once the brine is cooled to room temperature, pour over the rind until it covers the top completely. Spoon the Sichuan peppercorns, star anise and chili peppers on top.
4. The pickles will be ready after 12-24 hours and will keep refrigerated for at least two weeks or more.

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Growing up, getting Canadian Chinese takeout was a rarity. My mom cooked everything from scratch and if we were eating out, it was usually for dim sum, Sichuan or Japanese cuisine. When I started visiting malls in high school, I quickly fell in love with teriyaki noodles and of course egg rolls.

This recipe for Turkey Egg Rolls in a Bowl adapts the traditional appetizer into an equally delicious dish that is quick to assemble, maintains those nostalgic flavours and has a customizable level of crunch. We used turkey thighs because it was what we had in our freezer, but any cut of turkey would work, from ground to breast to sausage. The turkey was so fragrant stir-fried with the sesame oil and vegetables, perfectly topped with a drizzle of Kewpie mayonnaise and Sriracha hot sauce. We fried up some crispy wonton strips to add on top, which can be easily found at most grocery stores. The dish is incredibly versatile and can be served on rice, by itself or thrown into a wrap for a satisfying meal and a great recipe for meal prep.

For this recipe, I like to have my vegetables just cooked vs if I were making egg roll filling, I would prefer the vegetables more done. This way it keeps the texture of the ingredients varied and creates a much more satisfying bite.

For more inspiration and recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Turkey Egg Roll in a Bowl

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serving Size: 2-3

Ingredients

• 100g of turkey thigh
• 2 cups purple cabbage shredded
• 2 Tbsp canola oil for cooking
• 1-2 carrots, julienned
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp five spice powder
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 green onion chopped
• 1 tsp Kewpie mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Siracha hot sauce
• Optional: 1 Tbsp crispy wonton strips

Instructions

1. Cut turkey thigh into approximately one inch long thin strips.
2. Massage the shredded cabbage and rinse with cold water until it runs clear, this will help soften the cabbage.
3. Add canola oil to a wok on medium to high heat and wait for the oil to heat up, just to the point of smoking. Add the turkey to wok and stir fry until just cooked. The meat should be opaque. Then add carrots, cabbage, salt, sugar, white pepper, five spice powder, sesame oil, soy sauce and stir fry together until the vegetables are at a desired level of cooked.
4. Transfer to bowls and garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, Kewpie mayonnaise, hot sauce and optional crispy wonton strips.
5. Optional: Serve with a side of plum sauce.

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When I was in elementary school, pizza pockets were my go-to after school snack. We always had a box in the freezer and I burned my tongue often on the cheesy, saucy treat. When Alivia first started eating pizza, we would deconstruct her slice, toppings in a pile next to squares of cut up crust. She’s only recently started to enjoy pizza as a complete entity, which made me excited to share the magic of a pizza pocket with her.

Stephen and I decided to try making our own pizza pockets using turkey breast deli meat and turkey pepperettes. The result, was delicious and Alivia’s proclaimed turkey pepperettes as her new favourite snack. The recipe makes 8 and I had planned to eat 1 or 2 but somehow ended up devouring 5 of them hot from the air fryer. By using pre-cooked turkey products, the pizza pockets were super simple and quick to make. Alivia loved helping out, even though more of the turkey pepperettes ended up in her belly than inside the dough. We used a simple pizza dough recipe but any store bought rising dough would work as well. With the flavour of the pepperettes and tomato sauce, no additional salt was needed. This was such a great way to use turkey deli meat and the fillings customizable to individual palates. The pizza pockets would be great to freeze for meal prep and reheat wonderfully in an air fryer for an instant, satisfying warm lunch (or afternoon snack…or two).

For more inspiration and recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Turkey Pizza Pockets

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients

• ? 1 pizza dough crust
• ? 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• ? 1/2 cup turkey deli meat, chopped
• ? 2 turkey pepperettes, sliced
• ? 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• ? 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• ? 2 white mushrooms, sliced
• ? 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ? 1 tbsp olive oil
• ? 1 tsp dried oregano
• ? 1 tsp dried basil

Instructions

1. Cut pizza dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and roll out into a wide oval shape.
2. Spread a spoonful (approx 1 tbsp) of tomato sauce in the centre of the dough, top with chopped turkey deli meat, turkey pepperettes, red onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, shredded cheese.
3. Fold the dough over the filling in half and crimp the folded sides together using a fork. Be sure to fully close the edge to avoid leaks of sauce and melted cheese.
4. Brush the top of each pizza pocket with olive oil and sprinkle a mix of dried oregano and dried basil.
5. Cook the pizza pockets in an air fryer at 380°F for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown and dough is fully cooked.

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The holidays this year will be different from what we’re used to. Smaller, more intimate but no less festive. Our tree is up, my Christmas playlist has been on repeat since December 1st and we’ve already built two giant snowmen. While Stephen and I won’t be hosting any social gatherings this year, we are still taking time off work to recharge, hopefully relax and spend time away disconnected from work. For us, the definition of relaxing is playing video games or watching a movie once Alivia’s in bed with a bowl of snacks. And when it comes to snacks, nothing beats corn chips and a good cheese dip.

Two years ago, we attended a wedding in Virginia that served the best queso I’ve ever tasted. I ate more cheese that night than my entree and I’ve been dreaming of it ever since. We finally tried making our own version with this recipe for queso inspired Turkey Cheese Dip and it is the perfect movie snack. Also great as a holiday meal appetizer or afternoon grazing dish. The turkey kielbasa adds a nice smokiness to the dip and the turkey bacon a light crunch. This recipe also smelled amazing while it was simmering in our slow cooker.

This was our first time cooking with turkey kielbasa and I really enjoyed its flavour as well as how easy it was to cook with. We were able to add a lot of savoury, rich flavour with just one ingredient. The turkey bacon was also a nice light addition for texture

For more inspiration and recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Turkey Cheese Dip

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 5 strips of turkey bacon
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 125 grams turkey kielbasa, diced
• 16 ounces Velveeta cheese
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tsps smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the turkey bacon following the package instructions until crisp.
2. While turkey bacon is cooking, dice the onion and turkey sausage into small 1/2 cm cubes. Dice Velveeta cheese into 2 cm inch cubes.
3. In a pan, sauté the onions and turkey kielbasa together until onions are softened.
4. Add cooked onions, turkey kielbasa, Velveeta cheese, milk, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and ground cumin into a slow cooker and set to low for 2hrs or high for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste and chopped turkey bacon. Serve with unsalted corn chips.

Notes

Tips: Several of the ingredients in the recipe have salt already added, additional salt may not be needed.

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Somehow Stephen and I have made it this long without an air fryer. His parents have raved about theirs for months and even brought the appliance over to our house once to make dinner. When we were contacted to continue working with the Turkey Farmers of Canada in collaboration with CHEFMAN to test out their 3.5L Air Fryer, I was very excited to get on board.

The CHEFMAN Air Fryer has a dual knob on the front that sets temperature and time. The large basket has a 15-cup capacity and is dishwasher-safe. In addition to frying with 90% less oil, you can also roast, cook, and bake using it. I like how quick dishes are to make; there’s no need to wait for an oven to preheat, and the cleanup is easy. Stephen usually fries using his wok, but storing the oil takes up lots of room in our fridge and you need to watch it closely. With the air fryer, the results are crispy (crispier than baking!), there’s no need for constant attention, and there’s way less oil.

Brainstorming recipes we wanted to try in the air fryer, buns popped to the top of our list, especially sausage buns that we usually buy from our Asian grocery store. Alivia loves these buns and I loved the idea of making them healthier by using turkey dogs, and more fun by turning them into flower buns. We used a simple milk bun recipe that required a second rise, but any rising dough will work, including store-bought puff pastry or even pizza dough. The flavour of the turkey is perfect with the pillowy bun, and if you can find smoked turkey dogs, even better! We played around with making flowers using different numbers of “petals” from 3 to 6. The 3-petal flower buns were a perfect snack for Alivia and two fit in the air fryer basket at a time to cook. The buns came out of the basket crispy, airy, and gorgeously golden. This is an easy, fun recipe to make with just a handful of ingredients!

For more inspiration and recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Turkey Flower Buns

Prep Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Yield: 4

Ingredients

• -1 Tbsp canola oil
• 250g bread dough (premade)
• 4 Turkey Dogs
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds
• 1 tsp white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Cut 4x5-inch squares of parchment paper and lightly oil one side of each piece. Set aside, laid out.
2. Split the proofed dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough out to a rectangle the length of the turkey dog and about 2-4 inches wide. Place the turkey dog in the center of the rectangle, lengthwise and wrap the turkey dog fully with the dough.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough wrapped turkey dog into 6-7 equal discs. These are the petals of the flower.
4. On the parchment paper, form each flower bun by placing one disc of wrapped turkey dog in the centre and 5-6 petals around the centre.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for remaining dough and turkey dogs to form each flower bun.
6. Let the dough sit for 1 hour and proof for a second time as needed.
7. Once the dough is ready, make an egg wash by whisking the egg with 2 Tbsp of water. Brush the bun with the egg wash, top with green onion and sesame seeds.
8. Cook each bun in the CHEFMAN Air Fryer at 325 degrees F for 11 minutes total. After 5 minutes, remove the parchment paper from under the bun and cook for the remaining 6 minutes.

Notes

Tips: Any rising dough will work from store bought puff pastry to pizza dough. To second proof your dough, put the tray of buns into the oven and add a bowl of hot water. When removing the parchment paper, if the bottom of the bun is still sticking to it, let it cook for another minute.

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Stephen and I started exploring the freezer section of our local Asian grocery store for their pre-made dimsum options with mixed results. We decided to try making a few staple dishes ourselves, starting with siu mai. I’ve made wontons since I was a kid so how hard could it be? After lots of research, videos watched and a couple of practice rounds, I was really happy with the result of this Turkey siu mai recipe. The ground turkey paired wonderfully with the flavours of the shitake mushrooms. Once steamed, the siu mai were super juicy and tender even with a lean protein like turkey. With my failed attempts, when the wonton wrapper did not stay folded around the turkey filling, I had broth leaking everywhere.

For me, the trick to folding the Siu Mai was to use an angled spatula to handle the filling and to take my time with the pleats. Once they’re folded, the siu mai only takes 8 minutes to steam and they’re perfect for freezing uncooked. This makes them great for meal prep! Also, since they’re cooked by steaming, so there’s no additional oil. Super easy, convenient and delicious.

For more inspiration and recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Turkey Siu Mai

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serving Size: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1-2 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water overnight
• 1 tbsp of the white part of green onions, minced
• 1/2 lb extra lean ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 3/4 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
• 12-18 yellow wonton wrappers
• 1 tbsp of water
• 50g tobiko, capelin fish roe (optional)

Instructions

1. Dice the soaked shiitake mushrooms and mince the green onion whites into 1mm slices.
2. Combine the ground turkey, diced shiitake mushrooms, minced green onions, salt, sugar, light soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil and Shaoxing cooking wine into a large mixing bowl. Using a fork, thoroughly mix the filling until it becomes incorporated and a thick paste like consistency.
3. To fold, form a circle with the tip of your thumb and pointer or middle finger. Place the wonton wrapper over the middle of the circle, overhanging your fingers.
4. Using a spoon or angled spatula, place a disc of filling in the middle of the wrapper, over the hole made by your fingers, and push down gently. The wonton wrapper will naturally create folds around the filling. Add more filling to the centre of the wrapper and push down gently until the filling reaches the edges of the wonton wrapper. If you're using square wonton wrappers, you will have triangular pieces of wrapper sticking up once your siu mai is stuffed. Using water as glue, you can fold down those pieces on the outside to create a clean edge around each siu mai.
5. Place the folded siu mai into a steamer lined with parchment paper, keeping them separate from each other and the sides of the steamer.
6. Optional: garnish each siu mai with a pinch of tobiko.
7. Steam for 8-10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
8. Optional: serve with soy sauce for dipping, Chinese vinegar and chili oil.

Notes

Use an angled spatula to handle the filling easier.
While filling the siu mai, I use my pinky to brace the bottom of the siu mai being formed by closing that finger to my palm. Using your ring finger would also work.
To keep the wonton wrappers moist while folding cover them with a damp towel.
When steaming, make sure the siu mai are not touching each other or the walls of the steamer to prevent sticking.

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To learn more about other delicious food and beverage products from Virginia, all of the best quality, visit Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

The Basics

Gunther’s Gourmet is a company started by the Lampros brothers that offers a variety of marinades, salsas and dips. Ingredients are all natural avoiding preservatives and artificial colours. Their products are low sodium and low cholesterol with unique flavours like Chesapeake Bay Crab Salsa and Fiery Peri Peri Dark Cherry Salsa. The brothers are continuously experimenting with flavours to create exceptional products vs what’s in the market.

The company is named after younger brother, Chef Mike’s dog who passed in 2008. A portion of Gunther’s profits are donated to non kill animal shelters in memory of Gunther and following the company’s belief in giving back to their community. For more information and to purchase salsas, check out https://www.gunthersgourmet.com/

What I liked

We tried 3 types of salsa from Gunther’s Gourmet, Lime Mango Salsa, Spicy Chipotle Pepper & Smoked Corn Salsa and Chesapeake Bay Crab Salsa. Unboxing the jars, I could not wait to try the crab salsa. Such an interesting combination but also so natural when I thought about it, caesars! I liked the chunky texture of each salsa and how you could really see the ingredients, whole corn kernels, chunks of mango and shreds of real crab. 

The flavour of the salsas were closer to ones I’ve made at home versus store bought varieties and quite sweet. The smokey chipotle flavour really came through and the lime mango had a great balance of sweetness and acidity. With the Chesapeake Bay Crab Salsa, there was a distinct seafood taste, but just a hint and not overwhelming. It would be perfect paired with any kind of seafood. All of the salsas were truly light on salt and I didn’t feel any guilt loading up my sampling chip.

Inspired

Before tasting the salsas,I knew I wanted to make something to pair with the Chesapeake Bay Crab Salsa and a kind of fish pakora seems perfect. Once I tasted the Lime Mango though, my tastebuds were blown away. The sweet mango and sour lime would be perfect with anything deep fried. No need for a wedge of lime, just spoon on more salsa. The Crab Salsa was equally delicious and the mild seafood flavour mellowed out the saltier bites of fish. I can’t wait to serve a bowl of the Spicy Chipotle Pepper & Smoked Corn salsa on our next taco night.

Yum

Crispy Fish Bites with Salsa

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Gunther’s Gourmet Chesapeake Bay Crab Salsa
• 1/4 cup Gunther’s Gourmet Lime Mango Salsa
• 1 lb of basa fillets
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Cut basa into 1 inch chunks and season with salt, black pepper and Chinese cooking wine.
2. For the batter, combine potato starch, flour, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cilantro, water and baking soda in a large bowl.
3. In a wok (or crock pot), fill with oil until 2 inches deep and heat oil to 325°F.
4. Dip each piece of fish in the batter and slowly place in oil. Flip each piece periodically as it fries to ensure even browning. Fry for 3-5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F.
5. Serve with a bowl of Gunther’s Gourmet Chesapeake Bay Crab Salsa and Lime Mango Salsa.

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At the beginning of April, we ordered a whole turkey and converted it into more manageable portions for meals. We smoked the legs and plan to turn the breasts in a turkey pot pie, the bones into a soup (possibly ramen) and the thighs became delicious Turkey Karaage with a simple sweet and sour sauce. This has helped us reduce the number of grocery trips needed and we’ve also figured out a routine with a few local grocery delivery options. I like having turkey in our freezer as a lean protein option for dinner that takes on seasoning so well and is incredibly versatile.

Our usual sweet and sour recipe includes a couple of spices but the true key ingredients are ketchup and vinegar. So for this recipe we’ve kept it simple, but no less delicious, with pantry staples. The turkey karaage turned out so crispy, lightly battered, very flavourful and was a hit with Alivia as well. We chose to serve the turkey and sauce separate to ensure max crispiness but the two could easily be served mixed together as well.

For other delicious recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Sweet & Sour Turkey Karaage

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 3 slices of ginger
• 1/4 cup of ketchup
• 3/4 cup of white vinegar
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 lb of deboned turkey thighs
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• Canola oil of frying (~2 cups)

Instructions

1. In a small pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil on low heat and fry ginger until fragrant. Add ketchup to pot and cook until caramelized (around 1 min), stir constantly. Add vinegar and sugar to the pot and reduce until thickened.
2. While the sauce is reducing, cut the deboned turkey thigh into 1 inch cubes.
3. Combine egg, water, salt, pepper and flour to form a light batter.
4. In a wok (or dutch oven) filled with 2-3 inches of canola oil, heat oil to 350°F. Dip and coat each turkey piece in batter and gently place into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, around 5 minutes
5. Serve with sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Tips:
6. For more flavour, add a star anise to the sauce while simmering.
7. When adding ketchup to the oil, be careful that it might splatter.

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While January this year seemed to crawl, February flew by and we are already in March! Not just March, but March with double digit temperatures outside (in Toronto) and that is amazing. As the thermostat begins to rise, I start coming out of my winter hibernation, switching gears from stews and hotpot to salads and gazpacho. With the world’s current events, many people across the country, us included, are spending our days at home. This is a great, healthy recipe that is easy and quick to make from the comfort of your kitchen.

For this recipe of Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps I was inspired by one of my favourite cuisines, Korean BBQ. We’ve lightened up the dish by using lean ground turkey but kept it real saucy. The sweet, spicy sauce is the heart of this wrap with honey, gochujan (Korean red chili paste) and lots of garlic! Julienned carrots and cucumbers add crunch to the wrap and spring onions add a hint of spice.

The wrap is great to prep ahead of time and the ingredients can easily be packed separately for lunch. It can also be served taco bar style! Trying to keep a toddler busy while working from home has been a serious challenge. We’ve been getting Alivia to help us cook whenever possible. She loves to wash vegetables, tear lettuce (while snacking on them) and chop things with her wooded knife. This recipe has lots of toddler friendly prep!

To assemble the wrap as a main course, we started with a loonie sized ball of steamed white rice, added the vegetables, a tablespoon of cooked ground turkey and a teaspoon of sauce. As an appetizer, I would skip the rice and add more vegetables. Stephen and I have been using ground turkey more and more in Asian recipes and the protein just soaks up flavour, perfect for sauces and spices.

For other delicious recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wrap

2020-03-25 18:09:07

Serves 4

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

20 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

20 min

The Turkey

1. 1/2 pound of ground turkey
2. 1/4 tsp salt
3. 1/4 tsp white pepper
4. 1 tbsp canola oil

The Sauce

1. 1/4 cup of honey
2. 1/4 cup of brown sugar
3. 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
4. 3 tbsp ketchup
5. 2 tbsp soy sauce
6. 4 tbsp minced garlic
7. 1 tbsp sesame oil

The Wrap

1. 1 head of bibb lettuce
2. 1 carrot, julienned
3. 1 green onion, julienned
4. 1/2 cucumber, julienned
5. 2 cups of steamed white rice
6. 1/4 cup kimchi
7. 1 tsp black sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a pot on low heat, combine the honey, brown sugar, gochujang, ketchup, soy sauce, minced garlic and sesame oil. Stir until the sugar dissolves and set aside.
2. In a pan on high heat, add oil and stir fry the ground turkey until cooked through and brown (165 degrees F). Be sure to break apart the ground turkey as it cooks.
3. Wash lettuce, prep vegetables and cook rice as per instructions.
4. To assemble, use a leaf of lettuce as the wrap, fill with a loonie sized ball of rice, a few pieces of carrot, cucumber, kimchi (optional) and green onion. Add a tablespoon of cooked ground turkey and top with a generous teaspoon of sauce. Garnish with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

Tips

1. For the ground turkey, use a non-stick or well-seasoned pan as it is very lean and may stick.
2. Romaine lettuce is also a great wrapper!

xiaoEats | Toronto Food Blog http://xiaoeats.com/