Cheesy Dilly Rolls

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Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup milk, heated to 105-110 F
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 envelope active dry yeast (about 2.5 teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

Directions:

• In a hot skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter, add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Cool completely.
• Add sugar and yeast into warm milk, mix to combine. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, dill, sour cream, milk mixture, sautéed onion, cheddar, and 3 tablespoons of butter. Using your hand, mix all of the ingredients and keep kneading until it forms sticky dough. Transfer dough to a floured countertop, continue kneading until the dough turns smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with kitchen towel and let sit in warm place to rise, until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough, divide into 12* equal pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll each dough piece gently into a ball, place it on the line baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, space the balls at least 2-inches apart. Cover baking sheet with kitchen towel. Store in warm place and let rise until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake rolls until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Pull baking sheet out of the oven, and brush the top of the rolls with melted butter immediately. Transfer to wire rack and cool down slightly before serving.

Yield 12 rolls, or 24 small rolls

Guajillo Fish Tacos

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We love our fish tacos, but this time we opted to bake the fish instead of deep frying it. Guajillo marinated fish gives a different flavor tone to the tacos, but delicious nevertheless.

Ingredients for the fish:

• 4 dried Guajillo chiles, stemmed
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 or 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Juice from 1 lime, about 4 tablespoons
• Salt 
• 1 pound white fish fillet (I used pacific cod for this, but tilapia works beautifully too), rinsed and pat dry.

Ingredients for avocado sauce:

• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded stemmed
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 large ripe avocado
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• Salt

Other ingredients:

• 2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 cup broccoli sprouts (optional)
• 1 package corn tortillas, about 8 or 10
• Lime wedges
• Hot sauce and salsa, optional

Directions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the Guajillo chiles until slightly puffed and fragrant, about 10-15 seconds each side. Turn off the heat. Pour hot water into the skillet, just enough to cover the chiles, cover and let sit for about 30 minutes. Drain chiles and transfer into a blender, add the rest of marinating ingredients, and pulse into a thick puree. Season with salt.
• Sprinkle salt on fish fillets. Cover fish with chile paste on both sides, place in a container and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with oil. Place fish fillets on the baking sheet, cover with another piece of foil. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the fish becomes flaky and turns opaque. (Alternatively, you may choose to pan frying the fish on the hot skillet, if you don't want to wait 25 minutes).
• While the fish is baking, place all of the ingredients for avocado sauce in a blender. Pulse into smooth puree, transfer to a bowl. Season with salt.
• When the fish is done, cut into bite-size pieces. Place some fish pieces on warm tortilla, top with shredded cabbage and sprouts. Serve with avocado sauce, lime wedges, salsa, and hot sauce (optional)

Fennel Citrus Salad with Honey Mint Dressing

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Fennel and citrus salad with honey mint dressing.

To me, it's such a great respite from whatever not-so-healthy food I've been consuming lately.

Let's face the fact, I have not paid much attention to my diet. I let things slide from time to time, and indulged in greasy, or sweet goodness more than I care to admit.

And then there was yesterday. An event where little C graduated from Cub Scout and is moving on to Boy Scout, the Blue and Gold dinner.

Where the dinner menu included fried chicken and pulled pork sliders, some pasta and salad. And also the whole array of dessert on the table. I hit my new low. I was no longer holding on for dear life to a healthy wagon, I fell off of it and landed in a fatty puddle. 

My body just can't cope with it anymore. What the heck was I thinking?

The next day I became sluggish. I spent the majority of my day laying down on the coach, soaking in self-loathe. The house was a total mess, but I didn't care.

I dragged myself to get up and tried to do my best to (at least) look alive. I was really forcing myself to take a shower and get dressed.

But I managed to peered into my refrigerator and found 2 fennel bulbs. I also had 2 oranges. And some mint leaves. It took me 5 minutes to make the salad, and that was what I needed.

That. Was. Exactly. What. I. Needed. 

Life, invigorated!

Maybe I will make more of this and it will be my meals for the next 2 days.

Ingredients:

• 2 fennel bulbs, cut vertically in half, then slice thinly
• 2 navel oranges (or use any kind of sweet citrus you want), peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachio 

Directions:

• Whisk mint, ginger, honey, and lime in a bowl until well combined. 
• Arrange fennel and orange slices in a salad bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat.
• Divide salad into individual plates. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio before serving.

Serves 4 - 6

Sichuan Pork Wontons in Chili Oil Sauce (Hong You Chao Shou)

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I've been told that 'chao shou' in Shicuan dialect means 'folded arms', this refers to square wonton wrapper folded into 2 points, one crossed over the other.

Any way you fold the wontons, this xiao chi (little dish) packs a lot of flavors. Savory pork filled dumpling are boiled, then mixed with spicy tangy sauce.

Serve as appetizer or snack in small portions, about 4-5 wontons per plate. 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork (with about 20% fat. Do not use lean pork)
• 1 egg
• 1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced
• 8 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons chinese rice wine, or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
• Salt and white pepper
• 40 wonton wrappers (3 1/2-inch or 4-inch square)
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Sichuan chili oil (Hong You)
• 4 tablespoons chinese black rice vinegar (also called Chinkiang/Zenjiang vinegar)
• 2 scallions, chopped

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix pork, egg, ginger, half of minced garlic, rice wine, sesame oil, chicken bouillon, salt and pepper until well blended. Lay out one wonton wrapper on a plate, place one heaping teaspoon of pork filling in the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges with water, fold the wrapper diagonally so it forms a triangle. Take 2 opposite corner and overlap each other, using a little bit of water to help them adhere. Place wonton on a lightly floured cookie sheet, repeat the process with the remaining wrappers and pork filling. 
• In a mixing bowl, combine chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, and the remaining of minced garlic. Set aside.
• Bring salted water to boil in a large pot. Working in batch, boil wontons for about 5 minutes, or until the wontons are cooked through and start floating to the surface. Transfer wontons to a large strainer to drain. Add wontons to chili sauce and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with chopped onion and serve immediately.

Kimchi Fried Rice (Bokkeumbap) with Pork

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I'm always crazy about kimchi.

But then again, I'm always a sucker for food with pungent aroma (still working on Stilton and Roquefort, though). 

I might even be slightly addicted to kimchi, and I found out lately that kimchi fried rice has become one of my comfort food. Leftover rice from last night's dinner, one cup of ripe fermented kimchi, less than 15 minutes to cook, it can't get easier than than.

The addition of pork is not necessary if you choose to go all herbivore. This dish tastes wonderful even without the addition of meat. But on the flip side, add any kind of meat you wish to have, even seafood.

Serve with fried egg with runny yolk on top. 

Break the egg prior to eating so the yolk permeates the rice, thus enriching the flavor of the rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 scallions, white part only, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/3 pound ground pork
• 1 cup kimchi, squeeze out the moisture and slice thinly
• 3 cups rice (overnight cold rice is preferred)
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• Salt to taste
• Fried eggs with soft yolk 
• Shredded seaweed/nori 

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat sesame oil over high heat. Add garlic and chopped scallion, cook until tender. Add ground pork, stir-fry until cooked though. Add chili paste and kimchi into the skillet. Toss and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Add rice into the skillet, fry over high heat, toss to combine. Continue cooking, stirring only occasionally so the rice has time to brown on the bottom. We want crispy brown bits in the rice. Season with salt, toss and continue cooking for another minute or two. Turn off the heat.
• Divide rice into 4 individual plates. Top each with fried egg, and sprinkle shredded seaweed over the rice. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Leek and Arugula Quiche

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Sunday night dinner after playing hard all weekend can be therapeutic. Sunday night dinner with (meatless) leek and arugula quiche can be therapeutic and satisfying. 

Flaky pie crust filled with light, creamy, and savory filling never cease to amaze me.

Double the batch to make sure you have enough for next day's lunch (or breakfast!)

Ingredients:

• 1 9-inch pie crust
• 2 large leeks, white parts only, cut vertically in half, and slice into 1/2-inch strips, wash and drain
• 1 1/2 cup fresh baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3/4 cup grated mild cheddar
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Roll out pie crust on a floured surface and line 9-inch pie pan with the crust. Using a sharp knife, trim the excess crust from the edges of the pan. Brush the bottom and sides with egg white.
• Melt the butter in a skillet. Add leeks and cook until wilted and cooked through. Remove skillet from the heat and cool completely. Transfer leeks into the pie pan and spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. Cover leeks with arugula, and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and cream until creamy. Add nutmeg, oregano, basil, and grated cheddar, mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into the pie pan. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. Bake quiche in the oven for about 45 minutes or until brown on top and cooked through. The quiche will still be jiggly when you take it out of the oven. Cool down for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Chocolate on Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets (Gluten-Free)

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So finally, after about a week of raining, today the sun came up and shone brightly for a good part of the day. 

The ground is still wet and muddy, and the streets are still littered with fallen tree branches and dried leaves, but the smell of cool clean air is wonderful. It's so fresh and intoxicating, I just can't get enough of it.

This is the kind of day that sparks some creativity in me. A tub of organic raspberries stared at me in the kitchen, waiting to be transformed into something good and a bar of semi-sweet chocolate said, "Me too!"

At the same time, I was craving for something sweet and indulgent. A break from our savory soup days.

Come on mini pie pans, rolling pin, and pastry bag! Let's get busy and make delicious things happen!

Ingredients for the tart shell:

• 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour*
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons cold milk (if needed)

Ingredients for chocolate custard:

• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

• To make the shell: Pulse flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Scatter butter pieces in the bowl of food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about the size of  a pea. Add egg into the mixture, continue processing until the dough comes together. Add milk if necessary. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before using.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large disk with 1/8-inch in thickness. Use a large round cookie cutter, or a sharp knife to cut a circle about 1/2-1 inch larger than the diameter of your mini tartlet pan. Press the dough firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cut the excess dough from the top sides of the pan using a sharp knife. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and tartlet pans. Usually you can get about 20-24 mini tartlets from one batch. Using the tines of a fork, poke some holes on the bottom of the tartlets. Freeze the dough for about 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake tartlet shells in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely, remove shells from the pans. Set aside.
• To make the chocolate custard: In a medium saucepan, bring milk and vanilla into a boil. Turn off the heat and cool down slightly, about 10-15 minutes. 
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, salt, and corn starch until creamy. Gradually stir in warm milk into egg mixture and continue beating until well incorporated. Return milk and egg mixture into the saucepan. Cook mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens. Add chocolate pieces, continue whisking until the chocolate melted completely. Remove saucepan from the heat, add butter and mix to blend.
• Transfer custard to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure that the wrap sits directly on the surface of the custard. This will prevent 'the skin' to form. Chill in the refrigerator. 
• When ready to serve, fill each tartlet shell with chocolate custard. Arrange fresh raspberries over the custard and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.

* For non gluten-free version, simply substitute with regular all-purpose flour

Makes 20-24 mini tartlets

Chile Lime Shrimp and Grits

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup white stone-ground grits (not instant grits)
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup grated mild cheddar
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 24 medium shrimp, shelled with tails intact, deveined
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Lime wedges for garnish

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan boil the water over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and add grits. Whisk grits frequently and cook until grits are creamy, about 30 minutes. Add cheddar, parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt. Whisk to combine. Remove saucepan from the heat and cover.
• In a skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and cook until tender and fragrant. Add white wine and chicken stock, and until reduced in half, about 3 minutes. Toss shrimp into the skillet and cook until the shrimp are cooked through and no longer pink. Season with Ancho chile, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
• Divide grits into 4 individual bowls. Top with shrimp and a little bit of sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, garnish with lime wedge and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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It's been raining here in Northern California. Not really big rain, just some persistent drizzle that's been lasting for several days now. The temperature dropped a little and it feels more like California winter nowadays.

I don't mind it. Parched Bay Area needed the rain badly.

The kids went to school with their coat on this morning. It's such a stark contrast to their usual 't-shirt and shorts' school attire they had been wearing for months. The downside of having rainy days is, at least according to little C who's in 5th grade, that they've been having indoor recesses. He thinks that sitting in the lunch room and playing board game is utterly boring. He wants to play outside and hanging upside down from the monkey bar.

But the principal says no.

Big C is also not liking this cold wet weather very much. 

He's been doing competitive rowing since the beginning of January, and goes to practice 6 days a week. Being on the water in the rain just adds misery to an already gruesome exercise.

But I'm hoping that this rain will alleviate our drought situation, that we'll have plenty of water throughout the summer. And my water bill will stay low.

In the meantime, here is some chicken tortilla soup to help you warm up :)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded and cooked chicken meat (leftover rotisserie chicken works wonderful for this)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can (14-oz) canned diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14-oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips and deep fried until crispy
• 2 avocados, diced
• Lime wedges
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Sour cream
• Grated cheddar
• Hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and peppers into the pot. Cook and stir the vegetables for about 3 minutes, until tender. Add cumin and chile powder, stir to combine. Add shredded chicken, black beans and diced tomatoes into the pot and mix.
• Gently pour chicken stock into the pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer soup for about 30-40 minutes, uncovered
• Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the that and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
• Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top with crispy tortilla chips, chopped red onion, and avocado. Garnish with cilantro and a lime wedge. Serve with sour cream, cheddar and hot sauce.

Serves 4 as main dish

Purple Potato Balls

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Bola-bola ubi (sweet potato balls) is one of the popular mid-afternoon snacks in Jakarta. And surprisingly it's also very easy to make.

Last Monday, I was craving for these sweet balls and thinking about whipping up a batch when I realized that I didn't have sweet potatoes. But I had some purple potatoes that J acquired from Berkeley Bowl last weekend. 

So I figured I'd give it try. And the result did not disappoint me. And, oh, it's totally gluten free!

Ingredients:

• 500 grams cooked and mashed purple potato
• 6 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk (if necessary)
• Oil for frying

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, tapioca flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until well mixed. If the dough is a little too hard, add a little bit of milk.
• Take a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it into a small ball (about 1 1/2-inch in diameter). Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. You should be able to get 20-24 balls.
• Place oil in a frying skillet, enough to cover at least 1-inch from the bottom of the skillet. Heat oil over medium heat until it reaches about 350 F. Fry potato balls in batches, 6-7 at a time, until well cooked and turn golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil. 
• Place 1/3 cup of sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll potato balls in sugar until well covered. Transfer potato balls to serving plate and serve warm.