the Soycialist

Tag: #low-calorie

lifestyle

  • Sesame Spinach Salad 麻酱菠菜墩

    Sesame Spinach Salad 麻酱菠菜墩

    TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 180 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS: Not Spicy

    This is a quick, wholesome side dish that combines the vibrant freshness of spinach with a rich, nutty sesame dressing. Ready in just a few minutes, it’s light yet satisfying, making it perfect for busy weekdays or as a healthy addition to a larger meal.

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Spinach 菠菜1 bunch
    Sesame Paste 芝麻酱2 tbsp
    Garlic 蒜2 cloves
    Light Soy Sauce 生抽1 tbsp
    Vinegar 香醋1 tbsp
    Sugar 糖1/2 tbsp
    Sesame Oil 香油1/2 tbsp
    Salt 盐To taste
    Water 温水2-3 tbsp
    1. For an even richer flavor, use a sesame–peanut blended paste instead of plain sesame paste.
    1. 芝麻酱建议选择芝麻与花生混合的那种，会更香一些。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Rinse the spinach thoroughly. 将菠菜洗净。

    2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the spinach for 1 minute, then remove. 水烧开后放入菠菜焯水 1 分钟，捞出。

    3. Immediately plunge the spinach into cold water to cool. 立即放入凉水中过凉。

    4. Squeeze out excess water and cut into sections. 攥干水分后切段。

    5. For a nicer presentation, press the spinach into a small container (such as a glass) and invert it onto a plate. 为了摆盘美观，可将菠菜压入一个小容器（如玻璃杯）后倒扣在碗中。

    6. For the dressing: mix 2 tablespoons sesame paste with 2–3 tablespoons water until smooth (adjust water to your preferred consistency). Add 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon aged vinegar, ½ tablespoon sugar, a pinch of salt, and ½ tablespoon sesame oil (optional). Finally, stir in some minced garlic. 调料汁：取 2 勺芝麻酱，加入 2–3 勺饮用水搅匀，水量可根据个人喜好调节酱汁浓稀；再加入 1 勺生抽、1 勺陈醋、半勺白糖、一点盐、半勺香油（可省略），最后加蒜末搅拌均匀。

    7. Pour the prepared dressing over the spinach and sprinkle with white sesame seeds or crushed peanuts before serving. 将调好的芝麻酱汁淋在菠菜上，最后撒些白芝麻或花生碎即可上桌。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • Removing excess moisture makes the spinach crisper; a large bunch will shrink down to about a fistful. 攥干水分能让菠菜更爽脆，一大把菠菜最后大约只剩一小拳头大小
    • I only used half of the sesame dressing for this dish. Store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator — it’s also delicious as a dip for other boiled vegetables. 这道菜最后调好的麻酱料汁我只用了一半，剩下的可以放入冰箱冷藏，蘸其他水煮蔬菜也非常好吃。
  • Pan-Seared Scallop Rice with Scallion Oil 香煎扇贝葱油饭

    Pan-Seared Scallop Rice with Scallion Oil 香煎扇贝葱油饭

    TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 250 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS: Not Spicy

    A fragrant and satisfying one-pan meal that highlights the sweetness of fresh scallops. The rice base is enriched with mushrooms, broccoli, and a savory scallion-infused soy sauce that adds depth and umami. As the scallops steam on top, their juices soak into the rice, making every bite rich and flavorful， perfect for a comforting dinner.

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Scallops 扇贝1 pound
    Broccoli 西兰花 1 small crown
    Mushrooms 口蘑1/2 box
    Scallions 葱3
    Light Soysauce 生抽2 tbsp
    Dark Soysauce 老抽1 tbsp
    Oyster Sauce 蚝油1 tbsp
    Sugar 糖1 tbsp
    Water 水2 tbsp
    Salt 盐1 tsp
    Black Pepper 黑胡椒1 tsp
    Cooked Rice 熟米饭 2 bowls (~300 g)
    1. Rinse the scallops (from Whole Foods), pat dry with kitchen paper, slice horizontally into thick slices, and marinate with sea salt and black pepper for 10 minutes.
    2. Slice the mushrooms and trim broccoli to use only the florets. Both mushrooms and broccoli serve as side vegetables—the amount can be adjusted to taste, or replaced with other vegetables.
    3. Cut scallions into sections, separating the white and green parts. Reserve a small portion of the green part and finely chop it for garnish.
    4. Prepare the sauce: mix 2 tbsp water, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 tbsp sugar until well combined.
    1. Whole Foods 买的扇贝冲洗后用厨房纸擦干，对半横切成厚片，用海盐和黑胡椒腌制10分钟。
    2. 口蘑切片，西兰花只取花朵部分。口蘑和西兰花只是配菜，份量可根据个人口味调整，也可以换成其他蔬菜。
    3. 葱切段，葱白和葱绿分开，留一点葱绿切成葱花备用。
    4. 调料汁：2勺水、2勺生抽、1勺老抽、1勺蚝油、1勺糖，搅拌均匀。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Heat a generous amount of oil in the pan. Fry the scallion whites until slightly browned, then add the scallion greens and fry until golden. Remove and set aside. 锅中多加些油，油热后下葱白炸至变色，再加入葱绿炸至焦黄，捞出备用。

    2.Lower the heat, pour the prepared sauce into the pan, let it boil for 30 seconds, then transfer to a bowl. 转小火，将调好的料汁倒入锅中，沸腾半分钟后盛出。

    3. Without washing the pan, stir-fry the mushroom slices until just tender. 不用洗锅，放入口蘑片翻炒至断生。

    4. Add the rice, broccoli, and half of the scallion oil sauce. Mix well and spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. 再加入米饭、西兰花和一半葱油汁，拌匀后铺在锅底。

    5. Arrange the marinated scallop slices flat on top of the rice, and brush with the remaining sauce. 在米饭上平铺腌好的扇贝片，刷上另一半料汁。

    6. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes until both the scallops and rice are cooked through. 盖上锅盖，中小火焖6–8分钟，使扇贝和米饭熟透。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • In the first step, make sure to pat the scallions completely dry. Any water in hot oil will cause splattering and can be dangerous. 第一步时一定要把葱段擦干水分，否则遇到热油会四溅，十分危险。
    • Before laying the scallops on top, you can lightly pan-fry the rice first. This way, the bottom layer will form a crispy crust when cooked, adding extra flavor and texture. 在铺上扇贝之前，可以先把米饭稍微煎一下，这样出锅时底部会有香脆的锅巴，非常好吃。
  • Spicy & Sour Shredded Potatoes 酸辣土豆丝

    Spicy & Sour Shredded Potatoes 酸辣土豆丝

    TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 250 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS:

    A classic home-style dish rooted in Sichuan cuisine and beloved across China. Known for its tangy, spicy, and crisp taste, it features potatoes as the main ingredient, complemented by chili peppers, vinegar, and other seasonings. Its history can be traced back to the Ming dynasty, after potatoes were first introduced to China. The finished dish is bright in color, refreshing in texture, and perfectly balanced in sourness and heat — and it can also serve as a light, low-fat option.

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Potatoes 土豆500 g
    Scallions 葱15 g
    Garlic 蒜3 – 5 cloves (20 g)
    Green Chili Pepper 青椒2 (65 g)
    Red Chili Pepper 红辣椒1 (40 g)
    Dried Red Chili 干辣椒2
    Sichuan Peppercorn 花椒2 g
    Light Soysauce 生抽2 tbsp
    Dark Soysauce 老抽3 g
    Sugar 糖3 g (1 teaspoon)
    Salt 盐3 g (1 teaspoon)
    Chicken Bouillon Powder 鸡精3 g (1 teaspoon)
    White Vinegar 白醋10 g (1 tbsp)
    Aged Vinegar 陈醋20 g (2 tbsp)
    1. Slice two green peppers (thin-skinned, stems and seeds removed) lengthwise into thin strips; cut the red chili in the same way. You can also add a few dried chili segments to combine both smoky heat and fresh chili flavor.
    2. Slice the garlic and set aside together with the red chili strips.
    3. Prepare scallion whites cut into thin strips or segments. If available, substitute with cilantro stems for extra aroma.
    4. White vinegar is clear or milky in color with a sharp acidity, while aged vinegar (Chen Cu) is dark brown with a mellow sourness and distinctive aroma. If needed, white vinegar and aged vinegar can be used interchangeably — having one is enough. That said, both types are usually available in Asian supermarkets.
    5. Chicken bouillon powder is a common Chinese seasoning and can also be easily found in Asian supermarkets.
    1. 将两个去蒂去籽的薄皮青椒剖开后斜切成丝；红辣椒同样切丝。可根据个人口味加入一些干辣椒段，这样既能带来干辣的香气，也有鲜辣的味道。
    2. 大蒜切片，与红辣椒丝放在一起备用。
    3. 可准备一些葱白切丝或切段，有条件的话可以换成香菜梗，味道更好。
    4. 白醋呈透明或乳白色，酸味较为刺激；陈醋则色泽深褐，酸味醇厚并带有独特香气。如果条件有限，白醋和陈醋可互相替代，任选其一即可。不过在大多数亚洲超市里，这两种醋都能买到。
    5. 鸡精是常见的中式调味料，在亚洲超市也很容易找到。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin shreds. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear . 土豆去皮切丝，用清水冲洗至水变清澈。

    2. Mix the potato shreds with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and let soak for 10 minutes . 加入 1 勺白醋抓匀，浸泡 10 分钟。

    3. Heat oil in a wok and add Sichuan peppercorns, frying until aromatic. Do not use too many, as they can turn bitter; remove and discard once fragrant and dark purple. 锅中倒油，加入花椒粒炸香。花椒不可过量，否则发苦；炸糊也会发苦，见其出香味、呈深紫色时立即捞出丢弃。

    4. At this point the oil will be very hot. Turn off the heat, let it cool slightly, then add the garlic slices and red chili strips to release their aroma with the residual heat. Still off the heat, add 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce and a dash of dark soy sauce for color. 此时油温很高，关火，待稍降后放入蒜片和红辣椒丝，用余温爆香。保持关火，加入 2 勺生抽和少许老抽调色。

    5. Turn the heat back to high and stir-fry until the sauce starts to bubble. Add the potato shreds, stir-fry on high for about 1 minute until slightly softened, then add the green pepper strips. 再开大火翻炒，待锅中酱料冒泡时下入土豆丝，大火翻炒约 1 分钟，炒至稍微软化后加入青椒丝。

    6. Keeping the heat on high, season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add scallion strips or cilantro stems and stir to combine. 保持大火，调入 1 茶匙盐、1 茶匙鸡精、1 茶匙白糖，再倒入葱丝或香菜梗翻炒均匀。

    7. Finally, drizzle 2 tablespoons of aged vinegar or white vinegar around the wok, toss quickly, and serve hot. 最后沿锅边淋入 2 勺陈醋或白醋，快速翻匀即可出锅。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • At step 1, rinsing potato shreds with cold water is to remove excess starch so the potatoes stay crisp and don’t stick together when stir-fried. 第一步中用清水冲土豆丝能洗去多余淀粉，炒时不粘连，更加爽脆
    • At step 2, the vinegar keeps potato shreds crunchy when cooked. 第二步中用醋浸泡也是因为醋能让土豆丝更脆
    • At step 6, the sugar is to enhance flavor and balance the vinegar’s acidity. 第六步中，糖是为了提鲜并中和醋酸味。
  • Baby Squid with Scallion Oil 葱油小管

    Baby Squid with Scallion Oil 葱油小管

    TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes

    YIELD: 2 servings

    CALORIES: 235 kcal per serving

    SPICINESS: Not Spicy

    A classic home-style dish from Fujian cuisine, known for its simplicity and speed. The dish retains the natural sweetness and springy texture of the baby squid, with the aroma of scallion oil infused throughout. Light and refreshing, it’s perfect for busy days when you want to get dinner on the table quickly. Baby squid is high in protein, and with the main seasoning being steamed fish soy sauce, this makes for a very healthy side dish.

    INGREDIENTS 备菜

    Item 配菜Amount 用量
    Squid Tubes & Tentacles 小管鱿鱼1 pound
    Scallions 葱20 g
    Garlic 蒜3 – 5 cloves
    Ginger 姜3 – 5 slices
    Shallot 红葱头1/2 (opt.)
    Red Chili 红辣椒1 (opt.)
    Thai Chili 小米辣1 (opt.)
    Sichuan Peppercorn 花椒10 g (opt.)
    Cooking Wine 料酒15 g
    Seasoned Soysauce (Seafood) 蒸鱼豉油10 ml
    1. I usually buy the squid from Whole Foods, using an even mix of squid tubes and tentacles.
    2. Cut the white part of the scallions into segments and slice the green part into thin strips (check this video and watch from 0:48 to learn slicing scallions into thin strips).
    3. Slice the ginger, mince the garlic and shallot, cut the red chili into thin strips, and finely chop the Thai chili. The chilies are optional and can be adjusted to taste.
    4. Shallots and Sichuan peppercorns are also optional – I personally enjoy the numbing aroma of Sichuan peppercorn, and fried shallots add extra fragrance to the scallion oil. That said, the only truly essential aromatics are scallions, ginger, and garlic.
    5. Cooking wine and seasoned soy sauce for seafood are common Chinese condiments, easily found in Asian supermarkets. Be sure to buy Shaoxing cooking wine, not Japanese cooking sake (or Mirin) – they are two different products. Shaoxing cooking wine has an amber to brown hue, while Japanese cooking sake is usually clear or pale yellow.
    1. 鱿鱼我一般是从 Whole Foods 购买，鱿鱼管和触须各占一半。
    2. 葱白切段，葱绿切细丝。可以参考这个视频学习如何切葱丝。
    3. 姜切片；蒜和红葱头切末；红辣椒切丝，小米辣切碎。辣椒可根据个人口味添加或省略。
    4. 红葱头和花椒同样是可选的。我个人喜欢花椒的麻香味，红葱头炸过后能让葱油更香。不过严格来说，必不可少的调料只有葱、姜、蒜。
    5. 料酒和蒸鱼豉油是常见的中式调味料，可以轻易在亚超找到。

    INSTRUCTIONS 做法

    1. Gently rub the squid with salt to remove surface mucus, then rinse thoroughly under cold water. In a pot of cold water, add ginger slices, scallion segments, and a splash of cooking wine. Once the water comes to a boil, add the squid and blanch for about 2 minutes, until it curls slightly and turns opaque white. Remove immediately. 鱿鱼轻轻用盐搓洗去除表面粘液，再用清水冲净。冷水锅中放入姜片、葱段和少许料酒，水沸后下入鱿鱼，烫煮约 2 分钟，见其微微卷曲、色泽转白时立刻捞出。

    2. Heat oil in a wok, add Sichuan peppercorns, and fry until aromatic and darkened. Remove and discard (optional). 锅中倒油，下花椒炸至香味溢出、颜色变黑后捞出（此步骤可跳过）。

    3.In the same oil, fry shallots until golden and crispy, then remove and set aside (optional). 用同一锅油炸红葱头，至干酥后捞出备用（可选）。

    4. Slice the blanched squid and arrange on a serving plate. Top with minced garlic, crispy fried shallots, scallion shreds, and red chili strips. 将焯好的鱿鱼切片摆盘，铺上蒜末、炸红葱头酥、葱丝和红辣椒丝。

    5.Heat the oil from step 3 until smoking hot, then pour it over the squid and scallions. 将第三步锅中的热油继续加热至冒烟，趁热淋在鱿鱼和葱丝上。

    6. Drizzle a ring of seasoned soy sauce for seafood around the plate and serve immediately. 沿盘边淋上一圈蒸鱼豉油，即可上桌。

    Voila! Bon appétit!

    Tips:

    • Scallions, ginger, and cooking wine are added to the water to help eliminate any fishy smell. 水中加入葱、姜和料酒，都是为了去除腥味。
    • If you skip the Sichuan peppercorns and shallots, you can simply pour hot oil directly over the scallions and squid.如果不加花椒和红葱头，可以直接将热油淋在葱丝和鱿鱼上。