"Wok Star Way" Archives - Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

If you need some last minute ideas what to cook for a festive occasion, I’ve put together a Roundup of Festive Dishes, the Wok Star Way. It’s what being a Wok Star is all about! Do things differently and out of tradition with your own twist!

Let’s start with a few appetizers that are sure to please…

This wok frittata or tortilla can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature. It’s so versatile, good as an appetizer, for breakfast when you have a lot of people or a perfect tapas or brunch dish.

Wok Tortilla

Rainbow Lettuce Wrap is always a BIG HIT and will WOW your guests. As the name says, it’s a “rainbow” of colors and beautiful presentation with flavors and textures that explode in every bite.

Rainbow Lettuce
Wrap

Next course, and going the Wok Star Way, an Asian 5 Spice Roast Pork joint so there’s enough for several meals. It’s so simple, helps save time and most important, it’s delicious!

5 Spice Pork

OR, you could go with Grilled Korean Style Kalbi Short Ribs, who doesn’t love beef ribs?

Kalbi, curry quinoa and stir fried baby bok choy

Grilled Kalbi

OR CHEAT and purchase a whole Roast Duck from Whole Foods, then reheat and crisp up!

Roast Duck

OR CHEAT again and purchase ready cooked Maple Leaf Farm duck, grilling it and stir fry some Brussels Sprouts. This combination immediately conjurs up a Festive Dinner.

Grilled Duck
Leg

Sides are EASY, there’s so much to choose from…

This Stuffed Squash a la Wok Star Style is festive, colorful and tasty. Use whatever colorful veggies you have, add quinoa, or rice and voila!

Stuffed
Squash

When we were growing up, we didn’t celebrate Christmas as much as Chinese New Year, so no festive dish sprang to mind. These vegetables were all holiday colors with crispy textures to complement any bird or surf and turf, a lovely Festive Side.

Festive
Vegetables

For the following day, if you have any leftover duck, throw some into a noodle soup. It is so quick and easy to put together. If you don’t have any Asian green vegetables, throw some romaine lettuce leaves in the soup last minute. A great Duck Noodle Soup using leftovers.

Duck Noodle
Soup

Now, for an Asian dessert that will round out your Christmas festivities…my mom’s Malaysian Banana Fritters with ice cream of your choice but I think vanilla complements instead of overpowers the fritters.

Malaysian Banana
Fritters

My Roundup of Festive Dishes has something for everyone! With the Wok Star Way, you’ll be introducing your family and friends to new flavors and spark some interesting conversations around the dining table.

If you’re lounging with family and friends, head over to my Youtube channel and catch me sharing my mom’s Malaysian Chicken Curry and Cucumber Pickles so you’re ready to try some exotic dishes next year.

ENJOY, see you in 2021.

If you’re craving ribs with Asian flavors and you want it fast, I’ve got the PERFECT ANSWER – Grilled Korean Kalbi Short Ribs, done Wok Star Way.

Kalbi, beech mushrooms, baby bok choy and grilled zoodles. — Sprinkle sesame seeds & Chili threads on Kalbi.
Served with beech mushrooms, baby bok choy and grilled zoodles.

My goal is always about the shortest way to achieve 3 things when cooking. Get authentic flavors by simplify long lists of ingredients and shorten the cooking process.

I got all excited when I found flanken beef short ribs at Costco recently. They cut the beef ribs across the ribs, the Asian way, so they are thinner, smaller to handle and cooks much faster. They also do this for pork ribs.

The traditional Kalbi recipe calls for Asian pears, but the Wok Star way is to improvise and substitute or do away with if not in season or difficult to find. I left out this ingredient all together. You won’t miss it, especially if you’ve never had it before.

Or you can just use any pear, it’s the sweetness you’re after. I personally don’t care for additional sugar of any kind because it masks the flavor of the actual ingredient, so you’re just tasting sugar.

I’ve prepared Kalbi two ways so far.

Here are guidelines for making Kalbi, as you know, I don’t use precise measurements for cooking!

While Kalbi is grilling, stir fry your vegetables, cook quinoa. Choose platter to serve. Lay your table.

Stir Fry Bok Choy in cast iron wok, Iwatani gas stove.

Allow 2 strips of Kalbi per person with extra strips for seconds.

Zing broiler on high. I think there’s only one setting, ON or OFF.

Place Kalbi on grilling rack on top rack, closest to broiler.

Flip Kalbi as soon as you smell yummy aromas on first side, don’t overcook.

Let Kalbi crisp up a little, again don’t overcook because it’ll dry out.

One last tip, I like to grill just the first strip for everyone and serve. While we eat the first round, I grill the second strip.

1) San-J Tamari, garlic and ginger marinade
In a glass bowl, submerge ribs in a mix of tamari, scallions, ginger and garlic overnight in the fridge as instructed by most recipes. Then I had to pat the ribs dry. Some recipes said to throw away the marinade? So wasteful and I didn’t find the flavor was worth the effort.

Tamari, Garlic and Ginger marinaded Beef Short Ribs overnight.

2) Dry spice rub
This is my preferred method for grilling meat. It does away with long marinade times, ribs are not wet making them tough when grilled and yields BETTER FLAVORS than the overnight marinade. I literally sprinkle dry spice rub on both sides of Kalbi and grill, that’s it.