Mint Walnut Pesto, served with Gnocchi

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup roasted slivered almond
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (or more) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 - 1 tbsp kosher salt

Directions:

• In a food processor, blend the first 6 ingredients to coarse puree.
• With food processor running, slowly and gradually pour in the olive oil. Continue blending until it forms smooth puree.
• Transfer to a bowl, season with salt.
• Serve mixed with gnocchis, or your preferred pasta.

Beef Larb (Thai Beef Salad with Herbs)

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The signs of fall have not been seen a lot in my part of the world. Here in sunny northern CA the afternoons are still warm, summer dresses are still making appearance everywhere, and our local farmers market are still keeping with their Saturday schedule. 

Instead of being outside enjoying the last of the summer, I am currently sick with this terrible cough (my chest hurts!). It is very annoying as I can't even finish one sentence without hacking like a mad old woman speaking in tongue. 

Sickness aside, the offspring still need to be fed. Beef larb is one of the dishes that I can whip up quickly, without sacrificing the quality or the flavors of the meal.

It has good balance of heat from the chili, tartness from the lime juice, pungent and saltiness from the fish oil, and nuttiness from the toasted rice powder. And the best part, no trip to the Asian store required.

Side note: 

1. Skirt steak can also be substituted with ground beef. Cook and brown ground beef in a skillet, cool down and mix with the rest of the ingredients.

2. Substitute beef with any meat, like chicken, pork, or turkey.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoon uncooked sticky rice (regular rice is ok if you can't find sticky rice)
• 1 lb skirt steak
• 1/2 red onion, slice thinly
• 1 cup packed cilantro
• 1 cup packed mint leaves
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• Juice from 1 large lime (3-4 tbsp)
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• To make the toasted rice powder: Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat, toss the rice into the skillet (no oil), stir constantly until the rice turns golden brown and smell fragrant (about 15 minutes). Cool down a little bit and grind using mortar and pestle until rice turns into coarse powder. Food processor works fine, too. Set aside.
• Spinkle salt and pepper on both side of the steak. Grill steak to your liking, let sit for 15 minutes and slice thinly. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
• Add onion, cilantro, mint leaves, fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, sugar, rice powder, salt and pepper into the bowl. Toss together to combine, making sure that the beef is well coated with spices and dressing. Dish it out onto a plate, serve with cooked sticky rice and enjoy!

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Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Sausage, and Arugula

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I am not even going to talk about how long has it been since my last post, it's just downright embarrassing. All I can say is I can't believe how fast time flies, or how much my life has changed in the past year or two. 

Little C is a freshman in high school (holy smoke!). He's loving it so far! 

Big C graduated high school last May, and after a short summer break, has started his life at US Naval Academy. It's been quite an adjustment for him, and also for us. Being away from home at (not) college has proven to be a bit challenging for him. Not having him at home makes everything just weird. 

But I believe eventually all of us will get used to the idea that he's a grown up now, and will have to do grown-up things. 

Me, on the other hand, find myself with more time in hand than I know what to do with. So back to my true nature, I cook. And I bake. And realized that maybe I need to start posting stuff on my blog again, and get myself busy, before I get bored and decided to move to Annapolis to get closer to big C (J is really against this idea! With good reasons).

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry orecchiette, cook according to package direction, rinse and drain, set aside
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 smoked sausage links, sliced 1/2"
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (unless they're small, then leave whole)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
• 3 cups arugula
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced sausage into the skillet and cook until brown, stir occasionally. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• In a different large skillet, warm the remaining 2 tbsp oil, add garlic and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant and almost brown. Add cherry tomatoes into the skillet, toss until well coated with garlic oil. Cook for about 3 minutes until the tomatoes start to wilt. Add pasta, sausage, and pasta water into the skillet, mix until combined. Next, add grated parmesan into the pasta, stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the skillet from he heat, gently fold in half of the arugula. Transfer pasta into individual plates, top with more arugula and sprinkle with more parmesan. Serve and enjoy.

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Southwest Style Pasta Salad

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Because if memory serves me right, everybody loves pasta salad. Especially now that the weather is warming up nicely in this good Northern CA. Did I hear someone say picnic?

And to be able to bring fresh, zesty, and healthy dish to the table that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, now that's just the icing on the cake!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces dry mini farfalle pasta, cooked al dente per package instructions
• 1 can sweet corn kernels, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can capellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place the first 8 ingredients in a large salad bowl.
• Whisk together oil, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until well incorporated. 
• Pour dressing over pasta and vegetables (you might not want to use all of the dressing), toss to combine, serve and enjoy!

Crispy Fried Tofu

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No, thank you. I don't like tofu you said?

Maybe it's because you never had tofu that's cooked right. 

Cooking tofu is not difficult, and if you follow the steps necessary, you might see them more often on your dining table. After all, it's delicious and it's a great protein that can be enjoyed by everybody.

1. Use the right kind of tofu for the recipe.  Depends greatly on what I'm cooking, most of the time I'm using firm to extra-firm tofu because they're easier to handle, hold their shape better, and don't crumble in your hand. You can also diced, sliced, and transform into whatever shape you want. Soft tofu is great for scrambles and stir-fries, while silken tofu is great for baking (try tofu pancakes!), creamy sauce, and whenever the recipe calls for it (a lot of Chinese and Japanese food use silken tofu).

2. Always, I mean always, press the moisture out of your tofu before cooking. When you buy a package of tofu, it is normally soaked in water. Not pressing the moisture out of them will add extra water to your food, that might result in soggy and watery food. You don't want that!

Line a plate with several layers of paper towel, place a block of tofu on top of the paper towels and put a few layers of ore paper towels on top of tofu. Place a plate on top of it, weigh it down with a can or other heavy object. Leave the tofu for a couple of hours, drain the excess water every 30 minutes.

3. Always season your tofu, as tofu sold here is naturally bland. The seasoning part can be done either before or after you paper towel drain the tofu, depending on what your cooking. In this recipe below, the tofu is marinated so it absorbs the flavor, then pressed to dry. Or you can also use seasoning rub, or dip into seasoned batter before frying. But nevertheless, add flavors to your tofu, because nobody likes bland food.

Good luck trying and let me know how yours turn out :)

Ingredients:

• 1 block of firm tofu
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying

Directions:

• Pour warm water in a large glass bowl, add salt and minced garlic into the water, mix until the salt is completely diluted. Add tofu into the brine, making sure that the block is completely submerged. Cover with plastic wrap, store in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight. 
• Take the tofu out of the salt water, rinse with cold water. Place tofu on a plate lined with paper towels, and put a few layers of paper towels on top of it. Place another plate on top, weigh it down with a can or a heavy bowl. Let the tofu sit for an hour or more, drain the excess water every half an hour. Pat dry and cut into about 16 squares, 1/2-inch in thickness. 
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 F. Meanwhile whisk the eggs in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, sesame seeds, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper until well combined.
• Dip tofu squares in egg, dust with seasoned flour, fry until golden brown and crispy. Transfer fried tofu to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease. Serve hot with sweet and sour dipping sauce, if preferred.

Sichuan DanDan Noodles

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If you like noodle soup and you like spicy food, you should definitely try this (and if you have never tried, why the hell haven't you?).

Dandan noodles/Dandanmien/Tantanmen hails from Sichuan province in China, known for their cuisine's bold flavors and spiciness. With its sweet pungent aroma, mouth-numbing and piquant flavors, all in delicious savory broth, the soups is literally an assault on your senses.

But a good assault. Because you will be addicted to this.

Because you will wake up the next morning and feel sad because you don't have any leftover.

Because you realize that your regular noodle soup just won't do anymore.

Ingredients:

For Sichuan Chili Oil (Hong You) aka happiness in a jar:

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1-inch fresh ginger, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 stalks green onion, sliced
• 4 star anise pods
• 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons Sichuan peppers (preferably red and green mix), crushed
• 4 tablespoons red chili flakes

For the noodle soup:

• 1/2 pound pork, coarsely minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine/rice wine
•  2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4-5 tablespoons Pixian Doubanjiang/spicy broad bean paste (it looks like this)
• 4 tablespoons sesame paste
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Asian dried noodles
• Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

To make Sichuan Chili Oil (Hong You):

• Combine all of the ingredients in a sauce pot. Cook over medium heat and fry the ingredients until garlics and green onions are browned, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the oil turns darker color. Remove from the stove and set aside.
• Transfer oil to an airtight jar. Store in the cool part of the kitchen until ready to use.

* The leftover chili oil stores very well and can be used for other dishes such as this one.

To make the noodle soup:

• In a large bowl, mix pork, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and rice wine until well combined. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pot. Add pork and cook until brown. Stir in Douban and sesame paste, cook for about 1 minute. Add chicken stock into the pot, bring to simmer. Taste the soup, season with salt and white pepper if necessary.
• In a separate pot, boil water and cook dry noodles per package instruction. Drain the noodles and divide into 4 individual bowls. Ladle the broth over the noodles, sprinkle with a lot of cilantro. Drizzle generous amount of chili oil before serving.

Quick and Easy Italian Wedding Soup

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Mr. Wikipedia says that the term "wedding soup" is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase "minestra maritata ("married soup")," which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. 
But mistranslation aside, Italian wedding soup is one of my favorite dishes. Not only that the soup is full of healthy ingredients, it is easy to make and it's darn tasty.

There are many many versions of this soup, but 2 things don't change; meatballs and greens. In this version, I use turkey meatballs but feel free to use any kind of meat.
Same goes with the greens. Spinach, escarole, kale, swiss chard, any kind of green vegetable will work beautifully.
Since I honestly hate making meatballs, I always try to double or triple the batch and keep the unused meatballs in the freezer. They come in handy whenever I need them.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cup chicken stock
• 12 ounces baby spinach, washed 
• 1 cup dry pasta
• 1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and pepper
• Grated parmesan for sprinkling

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
• In a large bowl, mix turkey, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper until well combined. Roll meat mixture into 1-inch balls, place them on a lined baking sheet (you should have about 30-35 meatballs), bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
• In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until soft. Add chicken stock into the pot, bring to boil. Add beans and dry pasta into the boiling stock, cook for 5-6 minutes until the pasta is almost tender. Add meatballs, season the soup with salt and pepper, simmer for 1 minute. 
• Stir-in the spinach, cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into individual bowls, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

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When my kids are craving for some fried chicken and they want it within 30 minutes, Kara-age is the way to go.

Unlike other types of fried chicken, Karaage doesn't take all day to make. Just a quick marinate, coat with potato starch, then deep fry to produce flavorful crispy fried chicken everybody will enjoy.

Drizzle with liberal amount of lemon juice before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless chicken thigh, preferably with skin, cut into 2-inch pieces.
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1-inch fresh ginger, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sake
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup potato starch
• Oil for frying
• Lemon juice

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine garlic, ginger, soys sauce, sake, salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces into the marinade, mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Heat the oil in the frying pan to 350 F. Dust the chicken in potato starch, fry in the hot oil until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately while they're hot.

Oyster Po'Boy Sliders with Sweet & Tangy Broccoli Slaw

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August came, and it made me realize that the end of summer is near. 

We vacationed, the boys did all their summer activities, 2 more weeks to go and they will be back to school. They're not happy about it, and surprisingly I'm not all too thrilled about it either.

Spending time with the boys have been wonderful, and the less time I spend being a chauffeur means more time for me to be a little creative in the kitchen (although I'm not always doing a good job taking pictures of the end results).

Out of some new dishes we made, oyster Po'Boy is definitely a crowd pleaser. It's such a simple dish with simple preparation, but yet they pack so much flavor, they're ah-mazing!

The cornmeal breading on the oysters make the crunchy layer outside but still soft and delicious inside. Also the broccoli slaw complements the oysters very well with its sweet and tangy flavors. Make sure to make plenty of them as they will go fast!

Ingredients:

For the oysters:

• 12 medium-sized oysters, shucked and drained
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying
• 12 slider buns, split

For the broccoli slaw:

• 2 cups shredded broccoli stalks
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon stone ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and pepper

For chili-lime aioli:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

• To make chili-lime aioli (can be made one day ahead): In a food processor, puree garlic and salt. Add egg yolks and continue processing. Drizzle canola oil little by little in slow and steady stream, while the machine is still running, until aioli is formed. Turn off the food processor, add lime juice and chili powder, mix thoroughly and transfer to an airtight container. Store in refrigerator  before using.
• To make the breaded oysters: In mixing bowl mix buttermilk, egg, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper together until well blended. Add oysters into the bowl, making sure that they're submerged in liquid. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 
• Mix cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a frying skillet to 350 F degree. Drain the oysters from the marinade, roll each one of them in the breading mixture. Fry the oysters in batches, careful not to overcrowd, about 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
• To make broccoli slaw: In a large bowl whisk oil, mustard, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper until well combined. Add broccoli and carrots, toss together.
• Scoop a heaping tablespoon of broccoli slaw and place it on the lower part of the bun. Place one fried oyster on top of the slaw. Spread a dollop of chili-lime aioli on the top of the oyster and cover with the top part of the bun. Enjoy!

Banana Blossom and Chicken Stir-Fry

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Banana blossom aka banana heart aka banana flower, is not an ingredient you would normally find in your local grocery store. But if you live near an Asian grocery store, you might see some fresh ones in the produce section. A widely popular ingredient in Southeast Asian and Indian cuisine, banana blossom's mild flavor works wonderfully in salad, stir-fry, or curry.

The knowledge to prepare banana blossom for the dish is somehow crucial. Make sure you follow every step, so you don't end up with discolored blossom that leaves unpleasant bitter taste in your mouth.
If you do it right, this is the delicious dish that might make more than one appearance at your dining table.

Ingredients:

• 1 banana blossom
• 4 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste (if not available, substitute with 1 tablespoon fish sauce)
• 2 red Jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, bruised
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix cold water and white vinegar, and set aside. Peel the tough purple outer layers of banana blossom until you reach the pinkish-creamy color part of the blossom. Split the blossom in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise as thinly as possible. Transfer banana blossom slices immediately to the bowl with vinegar water. Soak the blossom for 1 hour, up to 2 hours. This process will prevent the blossom from turning brown, and also will get rid of the bitterness. Drain  and rinse with cold water before cooking.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, shrimp paste, Jalapeños, and lemongrass into the skillet and cook for a few minutes. Add ground chicken to the skillet, breaking up the chunks with the wooden spatula while stirring. Continue cooking until the chicken is crumbly and no longer pink.
• Add banana blossom and chicken stock into the chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the blossom is tender and the stock is absorbed. 
• Serve warm with steamed rice, if desired.

Rosemary Lime Roasted Chicken Thighs

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Really??

My last blog entry was in March. How lazy am I?

But summer is almost here. My rowdy teenagers have two more weeks of school, then the school break is here. I'm telling you, I'm psyched about it.

Finally I would have time to sit down and relax a little bit, get inspired to try some new recipes I've been meaning to do in the past few months, read books, and maybe some beach time here and there. Doesn't that sound wonderful?

The first half of 2015 passed by so quickly. Everybody has been busy doing something (except Stuey the crazy Dale, he spends half of his day napping and the other half begging for food), dinnertime is the only time our family can sit down and be together, then they're off to do homework or whatever else. Most days, I have one hour to cook dinner, if I'm lucky.
So needless to say, dish like this roasted chicken thighs is a lifesaver. It's quick, it's super easy, and it's definitely tasty.

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 green onion, sliced, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

• In a bowl whisk together olive oil, mustard, garlic, lime juice, rosemary, salt and pepper until well combined. Transfer marinade to a large sealable freezer bag. Add chicken thighs to the bag, seal and shake to coat. Place freezer bag in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• Preheat the broiler. Take out the chicken and lay them on broiler pan, skin side up. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, then broil the chicken until the skin turns golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. 
• Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F. Continue roasting until the thermometer temperature reaches 165 F. Transfer chicken to a serving platter, garnish with sliced green onion.

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Buns)

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This recipe should have been here a few years ago. Seriously. 

Because since we tried them the first time (at Fogo de Chao in LV) a few years back, these cheesy rolls have been our choice of bread to accompany many of our dinners at home.

They're crunchy on the outside but slightly chewy in the center, and relatively easy to make.

The only tricky part for most people is finding the right kind of flour for this. 

If you live in the area where there's a sizable Brazilian population, you should be able to find sour tapioca flour (povilho azedo) in a Brazilian/Latin America market (I got mine from Bossa Nova Brazil in El Cerrito, by the way).

If that's not an option, you should be able to purchase one online from Amazon.com.

Regular tapioca flour can also be used for a substitute. Although in my opinion, it's not the same since it lacks that slightly sour and fermented flavor. So don't change if you don't have to.

And did I mention that in addition to being delicious, they are also gluten-free?

Ingredients:

• 500 grams sour tapioca flour (povilho azedo)
• 10 grams salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 150 grams grated firm cheese (parmesan works well for this)
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oil and salt, mix thoroughly. Add cheese, eggs and milk into the mixture, and blend until well combined.
• Line a cookie sheet with non-stick liner or parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop a round portion of the dough and roll into a ball (about 1.5 inches in diameter) using the palm of your hands. Place the balls on the lined cookie sheet with an inch space in between them.
• Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, continue baking until the balls turn slightly golden and crispy on the outside, about 15-20 more minutes. Serve warm.

Dublin Coddle

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Being sick stinks. 

But that's what I have been experiencing this past week, together with my oldest offspring. In fact, big C got it worse than me. His flu was so bad he had to stay at home and missed his rowing practices the entire week. 

The house was beyond messy, but I didn't care. Our meals consisted of whatever quick and easy I could manage to whip up. Mostly stir-fry stuff. 

But finally today, we said we want something different. No more stir-fry, let's have something soupy and comforting, but still easy to make.

Then Dublin coddle came to mind.

This slow-cooked Irish stew filled with bacon, sausages and potatoes is not only easy to make, but also tastes great. This is the kind of dish that makes you warm and fuzzy inside. 

Because the dish only calls for a few ingredients, make sure you only use the good quality sausages and bacon you can find. The better the ingredients, the better your stew will be. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 5 thick-cut/slab bacon (or rashers), cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 5 links pork sausages
• 10 unpeeled gold potatoes, washed and halved
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 small cabbage , cut into 8 sections (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the sausages on both sides, transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add bacon and onion into the saucepan. Cook until the onion has softened, about 5-10 minutes. Return sausages into the pot, add potatoes and pour the stock into the pot. Add cabbage into the pot as well, if you're using. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low,. Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender.
• Ladle soup into individual bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot with good crusty bread.

Mapo Tofu

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Mapo tofu, to me, is comfort food.

This spicy dish with fermented bean base, combined with mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns, can be found in most Chinese restaurants across the country. But seriously, what not to like?

There are 3 important ingredients for cooking authentic Mapo tofu: doubanjiang which is chili bean paste (one of the most important ingredients in Sichuan cooking), and dou-chi, also known as fermented black beans, and lastly Sichuan peppercorns. Omit any of these ingredients, and your tofu will not be the same, I'll tell ya!

Poaching the tofu prior to cooking will help to make your tofu more tender. Simply soak tofu in hot salted water for about 3 minutes, drain and slice/cube.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (1 block) soft tofu, poached and cut into 1" cubes
• 1/2 pound ground pork or beef
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons doubanjiang
• 1 tablespoon dou-chi
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup green peas (optional)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn (fry whole peppercorns in a pan, cool down and ground using food processor)
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 4 tablespoons water
• Salt (if needed)
• 3 stalks green onion, chopped

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil over medium-high heat. Cook ground meat until done, transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add sesame oil into the skillet. Fry garlic, ginger, doubanjian, dou-chi in the skillet until fragrant. Place tofu cubes, green peas and ground meat into the skillet, mix gently so the tofu don't turn mushy. 
• Pour chicken broth into the skillet. Add soy sauce and ground peppercorn, and let the liquid to boil. Mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stir into the tofu mixture. Simmer and let the liquid thickens, about 2-3 minutes. At this point, taste the dish to see if additional salt is needed.
• Transfer dish to a serving plate. Garnish with chopped green onion and serve hot with steamed rice.

Minangkabau Beef Rendang

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Ask an Indonesian, any Indonesian you meet, to name one dish that best represent their country, and most of them will say rendang.

Authentic Indonesian rendang (there's only Indonesian rendang. Everything else is just a cheap knock-off that doesn't come even close in flavor or appearance) hails from Minangkabau highland in West Sumatra. It takes a long time to cook it and lots of practice to perfect it, but in the end you will be rewarded with delicious spicy aromatic dish that will make all other curry turn green with envy. 

Serve with steamed rice.

Ingredients:

• 10 shallots
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 inch fresh galangal
• 12 fresh cayenne peppers
• 5 Thai bird chilies, more if you want it hotter
• 1 teaspoon toasted cumin
• 1 teaspoon toasted coriander
• 1 teaspoon toasted white peppercorn
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 asam kandis (garnicia xanthochymus), substitute with kokum (available from Indian spice shop), or if you're not able to find any, use 2 tablespoon of tamarind pulp
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 lemongrass, white part only, bruised
• 2 turmeric leaves (might omit if not available, but will change the flavor significantly. Strongly recommended)
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 2 pounds beef chuck or shank, cubed (about 2 x 2)
• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut cream
• 1 can coconut milk
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Place shallots, garlics, ginger, galangal, peppers, cumin, coriander, and peppercorn in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, add the spice paste into the hot oil and cook until fragrant, stir constantly. Add coconut cream and coconut milk into the saucepan, mix thoroughly. 
• Add beef chunks, lemongrass, lime leaves, star anise, cinnamon, asam kandis, turmeric leaves, palm sugar and salt into the mixture. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan partially so the steam can escape. Cook for 3-4 hours, stir occasionally, until the meat is very tender.
• Remove the lid and turn up the heat. Stir and continue cooking until the moisture is almost gone, the sauce dries up and turns oily, and the meat is caramelized.
• Serve with hot steamed rice. Rendang keeps very well, in fact it will taste better the next day. Just reheat before serving.

Potato Bacon Cheddar Scallion Pierogi

Click here to print the recipe

I always love Pierogi, but never felt inspired to whip up a batch and make them myself. 

Until today.

And I'm wondering what took me so long to finally do it. 

Because I could have been in Pierogi heaven sooner. Way way sooner.

Because nothing's more comforting that sitting in front of the TV while it's raining outside, with a plate full of these delicious potato pockets drizzled with sour cream.

Because they're that good!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Salt

For the filling:

• 1 pound Yukon potatoes
• 6 strips of Bacon
• 1 cup grated aged Cheddar
• 1/2 cup chopped scallion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Other:

• Pot of salted water for boiling
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter for frying
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallion for garnish
• Sour cream for dipping

Directions:

• To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl combine flour and salt, add sour cream, egg and salted butter and mix together. Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes, until the dough is elastic and pulls away from the bowl. Wrap with plastic and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight. 
• Boil the potatoes in the pot until tender. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skin and mash until smooth. Cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble and add to the bowl of mashed potatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix thoroughly until well combined. Allow the filling to cool completely, then roll the filling into 1-inch balls.
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter (about 5-inch in diameter), cut the dough into circles. Place a ball of filling in the center of each dough circle. Using your finger or pastry brush, wet the outer half of the circle, fold the dough in half and preset the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the dumpling in small batches until they float to the top. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and let dry. 
• In a meanwhile, melt a stick of butter in a large frying skillet. Fry the dumpling until brown and crispy on each side. Serve with sour cream and chopped scallion while they're still warm.

Makes about 20 Pierogi

Gulai Ayam Padang (Padang Style Chicken Curry)

Click here to print the recipe

Padang style chicken curry, is reminiscence of my younger years, thanks to a Padang food stall in my campus that I frequented more often than I'd like to admit.

Give me a plate full of this, and somehow I'm transported back to that humble place, having lunch, books on the table next to me, and friends all around me arguing about mundane things.

I miss those moments. And I miss those people.

But memories aside, this spicy and aromatic curry has been and will always be my favorite. The spices make it uniquely Indonesian, combined with the fiery chilies to give it a personality that's undeniably of Padang cuisine.

Serve with hot steamed rice and sprinkle with some fried shallot, if desired.

Ingredients:

• 10 shallots
• 6 garlic cloves
• 10 red thai bird chiles
• 6 candlenuts
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 inch fresh turmeric
• 1 whole chicken, preferably organic and cage-free since they are smaller and less meaty, cut into 8 sections
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 lemongrass, white parts only, bruised
• 1 dried turmeric leaf, tied in knot
• 1 inch fresh galangal, bruised
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
• 2 cans coconut milk
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they turn into paste. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add paste into the hot oil, along with lime leaves, lemongrass, turmeric leaf, and galangal. Cook until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and tamarind pulp into the skillet, stir to combine. Bring the coconut milk to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add chicken pieces into the skillet, season with sugar and salt. Cook until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F), and the sauce thickens. Serve hot over rice.

Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Click here to print the recipe

Traditional meatballs have never been a big hit in my household. 

Don't ask me why, I don't know.

But put some exotic flair to it, they will be gone in 10 minutes, followed by disappointed grunts because we have none left.

And I have to agree, traditional meatballs just can't hold a candle to these balls of deliciousness. 

It's not by any mean difficult dish to make, but it requires a little bit of time to prepare this dish. The beautiful thing about it, that you can double or triple the batch, freeze the raw meatballs, thaw and cook them whenever you have the hankering for some. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, finely minced
• 8 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
• Oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 can (28 ounces) pureed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

• In a large bowl,  combine meat, onion, half of the garlic, 1 tablespoon of oregano, mint, cinnamon, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture, and roll into a ball. Repeat the process with the remaining meat. You should get about 24 meatballs. 
• Roll each meatball in flour, place them single layer on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, make sure you have enough oil to cover about 1/2 of the height of the meatballs. Fry meatballs in batches, until browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to remove excess grease.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter, add the remaining garlic and chili flakes, sauté until fragrant. Add tomato puree, chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon of oregano. Season sauce with salt and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced. 
• Add meatballs into the sauce, continue cooking for about 5-10 minutes, until the meatballs are coated in sauce. Serve with basmati rice, and garnish with chopped parsley. Tzatziki sauce and Greek salad also make great companion for this dish.

Spicy Corn and Pepper Soup

Click here to print the recipe

Meals for meatless Mondays don't have to be bland.

Simple corn soup, for instance, can be taken up a notch by adding some spiciness and smokiness into it. The result is this warming, comforting, and delicious one-of-a-kind soup that will be your family's newest favorite dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 ears fresh corn
• 3 fresh red Jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup cream
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Husk and remove silk. Brush corn and red peppers with some olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the corn and peppers are tender and slightly charred on top. Remove from the oven and cool down.
• With a sharp knife, slice the kernels off the cobs, set aside. Cut red peppers into small dices.
• Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until tender and translucent. Add corn, pepper, and smoked paprika, stir to mix. Gradually add chicken stock into the pot, bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add cream, salt and pepper,  and mix well. Turn off the heat.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle chopped cilantro on top. Serve with bread, if desired.

Serves 4-6

Slow Cooked Sausages with Sauerkraut and Potatoes

Click here to print the recipe

I was being lazy yesterday.

It was a hot late summer day and the thought of spending a lot of time in the kitchen made me cringe a little.

But I did have a bag of organic raw sauerkraut I picked up last Sunday, a few potatoes and some Kielbasa. Rinse-rinse, chop-chop, all went into a slow cooker. 

8 hours later, I was rewarded with simple, hearty, and delicious dinner to enjoy with my family. So simple, I will need to do this more often.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups raw sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
• 2 pounds red new potatoes, rinsed and halved
• 2 pounds Kielbasa (or Bratwurst if you prefer), sliced
• 1/2 cup pale lager
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

• Place onion, sauerkraut, potatoes, sausage, beer, chicken stock, caraway seeds, bay leaves, peppercorn and salt in a slow cooker. Mix all of the ingredients to combine.
• Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or 4-5 hours on high, until the potatoes are tender.
• Sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm with bread and mustard.