Asian Fare

I believe that traditional Asian meals can be a very healthy way to eat. Because of this (and my own Asian heritage), I like to incorporate Asian dishes into my daily menus.

I grew up in a German/Irish household (that relied heavily on meat & potato dishes), so I've never been exposed to genuine Asian cooking. All of my Asian cooking has been learned from cookbooks and the occasional TV cooking show.

As a result, my Asian dishes are fairly limited, but they are fairly healthy. Here are some examples:

Fried rice: I use a non-stick pan so I need very little oil. I use a mix of leftover brown and white rice. I skip the egg, and I use frozen peas & carrots for simplicity. Sometimes I dice in some onion if I have the time. I'll also add cubed tofu. Generally I try to use light soy sauce, but occasionally I add a splash of the regular kind. The extra saltiness adds to the flavor, I think.

Miso soup: I use a homemade mushroom broth, white miso and sometimes add a few bits of seaweed. I slice up mushrooms if I have them in the fridge, and will also occasionally add a spoon of brown rice. On rare occasions I'll toss in other veggies, too, like grated carrot or some spring onions.

Sushi rolls: My kind aren't actually sushi, because I don't season the rice. I use white sticky rice and roasted nori. My filling is almost always avocado, although sometimes I use cucumber or grated carrot, too. I sometimes sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the rice. I guess they're more rice balls than sushi rolls.

Stir-fry: I suppose this is an Asian dish, though I tend to think it's very Americanized now. Again, I use a non-stick pan so I can avoid too much oil. I basically toss in whatever veggies are convenient--usually frozen broccoli and cauliflower, chopped carrots and chopped onion. I typically add cubed tofu, too. I season with a dash of soy sauce. Often I serve this over brown rice, but I've eaten it plain, too.

I make a few other things on rare occasions, like fresh spring rolls, Pad Thai or soba noodles. For the most part, however, this is the extent of my Asian cooking. I'd love to eat more Asian foods, however.

Anyone have suggestions for quick and healthy Asian dishes?