Chop Ahead

One of the beauties of Asian food is that you can whip up a really good meal in no time. Much of the work is just prep: chopping and cutting. After that, the recipes cook quickly.

Another good thing is that if you have a well-stocked pantry, your shopping list is next to nothing. Everyone as garlic, red pepper flakes and soy sauce, but if you add ginger root, green onions, rice vinegar and sesame oil, you expand your possibilities immensely.

Enjoy this meal with a side of steamed snow peas, coconut ice cream for dessert and cold beer or hot tea.

Asian Broiled Fish

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes * Vegetarian

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons minced green onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons minced ginger root

1 tablespoon dry Sherry

1 tablespoon sugar

2 (6-ounce) fish filets, such as cod or halibut

* Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, garlic, ginger, Sherry and sugar in small bowl. Brush sauce over fish then broil fish, basting every 1 to 2 minutes, until fish just begins to flake, about 5 to 6 minutes.

2 servings. Each serving: 123 calories; 768 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.12 grams fiber.

Braised Cabbage and Green Onions

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1/2 nappa cabbage, sliced very thin

4 green onions, sliced in half lengthwise, then into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

* Heat oil in wok or medium skillet over high heat. Add cabbage and green onions and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil then reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until vegetables are slightly softened but still crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

2 servings. Each serving: 164 calories; 243 mg sodium; 59 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 0.12 gram fiber.

MENU

Asian Broiled Fish

Braised Cabbage and Green Onions

Steamed Snow Peas

Coconut Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS

STAPLES

Garlic

Ginger root

Green onions

Peanut oil

Red pepper flakes

Rice vinegar

Sesame oil

Dry Sherry

Soy sauce

Sugar

Vegetable broth

SHOPPING LIST

Coconut ice cream

2 fish filets

Nappa cabbage

Snow peas

GAME PLAN

25 minutes before: Mince green onions, garlic and ginger root for fish. Cut up cabbage and green onions for cabbage recipe.

20 minutes before: Measure soy sauce, sesame oil, Sherry and sugar for fish; measure soy sauce, broth, vinegar, sugar and pepper flakes for cabbage.

10 minutes before: Steam snow peas. Prepare cabbage.

5 minutes before: Broil fish.