Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Recipe: Asian Style Seafood Hotpot
Ingredients:
Wild-caught 6 to 8 large shrimp
Wild-caught king salmon: 0.5 lb, cut into about 2-inch long and 2-inch weight chunks
Wild scallops: ½ lb (cut in half)
Organic edamame (fresh or frozen): 1 cup
Organic silken tofu: 1 container, cut into 1-inch squares
Organic napa cabbage: 2-3 cups, cut into 1- to 2-inch-wide stripes
Organic yellow or white onions: ½-inch, diced
Organic scallion: 2 stalks, cut to 2-inch-long
Organic fresh cilantro: 1 cup, chopped into small pieces
Organic fresh clamshell mushrooms: 1 cup
Organic minced fresh garlic: 1 tbsp
Organic grated fresh ginger: 2 tsp
Organic, gluten-free tamari source: 1 tbsp
Organic mirin rice cooking wine: 1 tbsp
Avocado oil: 1 tbsp
Organic potato or cornstarch
Organic chicken stock: 1 cup
Seasonings: white pepper, sea salt
Optional: red chili powder – 1 to 2 tsp
Cooking Directions:
In a clay pot or Dutch oven, heat avocado oil briefly at low to medium. Add onions and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent.
Into the pot, add napa cabbage, ginger, garlic, tamari sauce, chicken stock, red chili powder, and other seasonings. Stir evenly and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes until napa cabbage is softened. Stir occasionally, monitor the liquid in the pot, and add chicken stock as needed.
Add mirin wine, edamame, and seafood ingredients, including scallops, salmon, and shrimp. Bring up to a boil and cook at medium-to-low heat for about 3 minutes.
Add tofu, cilantro, and scallion, and cook for another one or two minutes. Taste and add more seasonings as desired.
Mix the starch in a small amount of chicken stock or water to make a slurry. Stir until starch completely dissolves. Pour the slurry into the pot and stir evenly and briefly. This will reduce the excess liquid in the pot and also give the tofu a smoother texture.
Serve over rice and add chili sauce or chili oil if desired.
Recipe Modifications:
The primary sources of protein in this recipe include tofu, edamame, and three seafood items, including wild-caught salmon, scallops, and shrimp. Any types of seafood are pretty costly these days, which could be an issue for those on a budget. Here are some ideas to lower the cost but still make the dish protein-rich and nutrient-dense:
Swap salmon, scallops, and shrimp with other animal protein types, such as organic chicken or turkey meatballs.
Make it a vegan or vegetarian dish! Many protein-rich plant-based foods can be considered as ingredients. Edamame is more like an Asian version of legumes. To go completely plant-based, one can add more amount of it, as well as tofu. Diced tempeh can be another option.
Culinary Medicine Benefits:
International consensus guidelines on the management of type-2 diabetes currently endorse carbohydrate restriction as a dietary strategy. Various studies provide strong evidence that diets higher in glycemic loads substantially increase the risk of type-2 diabetes among healthy populations of men and women. With the rising prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, the need to develop effective therapeutic options for affected individuals continues to increase.[1]
This is an excellent recipe for people who have insulin resistance, prediabetes, or type-2 diabetes. The dish is rich in protein and low in glycemic load. A variety of animal protein and plant protein ingredients are selected, including king salmon, scallops, shrimp, edamame, and tofu. The primary ingredients containing carbohydrates include napa cabbage, edamame, and mushrooms, all of which have a glycemic index below 50, in the low glycemic category.[2]
Foods with high glycemic indexes increase a meal’s glycemic load, which can cause a roller-coaster pattern of blood sugar instability, creating a challenge for glucose regulation. This kind of dietary pattern can either increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes or further impair the established type-2 diabetes condition. The ingredients selected in this recipe all have low glycemic indexes. They are high in protein but low in carbohydrates, making them a dish with a very low glycemic load. Therefore, it’s an excellent recipe for people at an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes or those with an established type-2 diabetes diagnosis.
Jenny Noland, MS, CNS, CNGS, CKNS, LDN, MBA
Functional Nutritionist in Eugene, Oregon
Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist
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Personalized Nutrition Therapy for Metabolic Dysfunction and Cancer Care
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References:
Livesey G, Taylor R, Livesey HF, et al. Dietary glycemic index and load and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and updated meta‐analyses of prospective cohort studies. Nutrients. 2019;11(6). doi:10.3390/nu11061280
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Glycemic Indexes of Foods. https://www.nhrmc.org/~/media/testupload/files/low-gylcemic-meal-planning.pdf?la=en