Rice and Spring Peas

Attention everybody! It is the pea season! (at least it is in Canada) That means it is a great time prepare dishes with peas. I bought a bunch of green snap peas at the local farm market, these are delicious and fresh straight from the local farm. Green peas are great with rice, tasty and of course also lovely to look at. It is better to cook it fresh but you can go ahead and substitute it for the frozen ones.

I used a rice cooker, if you don’t have one you can still make it the old fashioned way. Follow exactly the amount of the ingredient as shown below, but instead of the rice cooker use a small saucepan cover it, bring it to boiling then turn it to low to medium-low depending on your stove. Cook for 13 to 15 minutes; don’t take the cover off at all. Check after 13 to 15 minutes, taste the rice. If it is still slightly hard leave it for 1-2 more minutes. When it is finished, following the remaining recipe.

Enjoy this simple and healthy recipe!

Serves 4

1 ½ cups uncooked rice

1 tbsp granulated chicken stock powder

or 1 chicken bullion cube

1 ¾ cups water

1 tbsp sake

1 tsp light or regular soy sauce (you make this recipe without soy sauce)

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peas, cooked (you only need to cook peas for one to two minutes after boiling)

salt

1.    Wash the rice well by swishing it around in a bowl of cold water, drain and repeat this until it clearer. It is ok if it is a bit cloudy. Drain and leave for 30 minutes before cooking.

2.    Mix the chicken stock powder with a bit of hot water then add more water to make 1 ¾ cups.

3.    Transfer the rice to a rice cooker or a saucepan, add chicken stock, sake and soy sauce.

4.    Once cooked, transfer to a bowl and lightly mix in the peas,  do it gently so as not to break up the rice or the peas. Season with a little salt and serve.

Conversion

Other day I was reviewing my blog, I noticed something. While most of the ingredients are Imperial or volume measurements I have included some weights and\or metric as well.  And sometimes I do both!  Sorry to my international readers for the confusion.

I grew up in Canada and I know the metric system too well and it has become part of my daily life. Then I went to study in Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and I quickly realized that the USA uses Imperial instead of metric. Can you imagine the panic I felt knowing that I have to study with a different system? I had to start over and learn Imperial, after awhile I got used to it.

When I finish with RIT, I thought I was finished with Imperial too. Life isn’t that simple, lots of recipes from chef’s school are in Imperial measurements or both.  If you have a problem converting try this link, which can change any weight to volume.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_volume_cooking.htm

I hope this will help make you more comfortable with my recipes and others where you need to convert. 

Chicken Lettuce Wrap

 I made this for my good friend Ann, she asked me to prepare a recipe that is similar to one she loves at her favourite restaurant P.F.Chang. It is also one of my favourite restaurants because they serve great Asian food.

I did some research and came up what I thought is close but not exactly the same. It still tastes good!

You use lettuce as the wrap, it is fun way to eat with a group. Through it can be messy, what is good food without a bit of mess. I used Boston lettuce in this wrap because it is shaped in a ball and has a nice curved shape. You can use any lettuce as long as it is big enough to wrap.

For the Chicken:

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced

For the Stir-Fry Sauce:

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the Stir-Fry:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

4 scallions; 2 minced, 2 cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and diced

3/4 cup diced water chestnuts

Small lettuce leaves, for serving

Soy sauce, chili paste, hoisin, and/or hot mustard for serving

Directions

Prepare the chicken: Whisk the egg white, cornstarch and rice wine in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Make the stir-fry sauce: Whisk water, the oyster, hoisin and soy sauces, the rice wine and sesame oil in a bowl, then whisk in the cornstarch until dissolved.

Make the stir-fry: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes (make sure it is cooked). Remove to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet; when almost smoking, stir in the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and minced scallions, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, chestnuts and scallion pieces and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and chicken and cook 1 minute.

Serve with two plates, one with chicken and the other lettuce. You can add any of the cooking sauce to the wrap to add taste.

Adapted recipe from the food network. 

Ginger Pork

This was my very first Japanese dinner I made after I read “Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking.” I have made some changes since then but the basic recipe is the same. I remember the first time I made this, it took me 2 to 3 hours to finish. I was so slow, my poor parents were starved waiting for me!  Now, it takes me only 15 to 30 minutes prepare the same recipe.

Ginger is one of my favourite ingredients to use; I love the smell of ginger as I break it. Ginger goes wonderfully with pork and any meat really.

The pork needs to be thinly sliced or flattened with a hammer. Either way works fine.

I cook this with bean sprouts, which can be prepared in two ways, either trim the ends off or leave them. Either way they taste good. I usually leave them. (Mostly because it takes way too long to trim)

Serves 4

3 ½ cups bean sprouts

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Finely sliced pork (shoulder or loin)

Vegetable oil

1 clove thinly sliced garlic

salt and pepper

1.     Wash the bean sprouts well then pat dry and let them sit wrapped in paper towel.

2.     Mix together the soy sauce, mirin and grated ginger, and set beside the stove

3.     Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat, dip the pork into the marinade briefly and add to the pan.

4.     Making sure it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick together or curl up. Turn over after couple of minutes and cook until both sides are browned. Don’t leave the pork for long, as it cooks quickly but make sure it’s cooked through

5.     In a separate frying pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the sliced garlic. When the aroma is released, add the bean sprouts and stir-fry. Season with salt and pepper.

6.     Put the bean sprouts into a serving dish and then lay the slices of pork on top. Pour any remaining juice from the frying pan over the pork

Chilled Asian Noodle with Sesame Pork

A super fast mid-week meal.

This is one of my favourite noodle recipes, I love that I can easily make it and still have enough for leftovers next day. This is a very healthy recipe that is why I can eat it over and over without feeling guilty.

This dish is good to eat during the hot summer because the noodle is served cold after being cooked but the pork will be hot! Yum!

The kinds of noodle I usually use are pre-cooked miki noodles, this is a thick egg noodle. You can get that at an Asian grocery, I got mine from Loblaws in Canada but many Publix in the US carries it too.

Soba noodles are also good; this is a buckwheat noodle, very healthy. This recipe is great with chicken and fish as well.

You can make sesame dressing and it is good for up to one week stored in the fridge.

Pork loin centre thin chop, boneless fast fry (this may be called different things depending on where you live but pick a thin boneless cut and it will be fine.)

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dry sherry

2 tsp sesame oil

pinch of salt

2/3 cup cucumber

1 cup spring onion

vegetable oil

a little potato or corn starch – for dusting

one package of pre-cooked miki noodles (you can also use ready-to-cook chinese egg noodle)

Sesame dressing

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tbsp superfine sugar (you can do this without sugar, if you do just add 1 extra tbsp of rice vinegar)

1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame paste (sometimes it is called tahini)

2 tbsp chicken stock

1.     Put each pork chop in a zipper bag then pound it with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Do it lightly because you can easily rip the pork apart.

2.     Marinate in the soy, dry sherry, sesame oil and little salt; set aside.

3.     Slice the cucumber diagonally and then cut each piece into thin strips, discarding the watery center. Slice the spring onions into thin julienne and then soak in water to take away any sharpness.

4.     Dressing: Mix together the soy, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame paste and chicken stock.

5.     Cook the noodles, following the instructions on the package. Running the noodle in icy water to cool and then drain

6.     Heat the oil in a pan. Dust the pork with potato starch and cook both sides carefully since the pork is thin and will cook quickly.

7.     Place the noodles into the bowls. Put the pork on top, garnish with cucumber and spring onions then pour over the sauce. 

Apple Bread

     It been awhile since I last posted to my blog, I am sorry for keep you waiting. I have been cooking at my parents’ house in Florida. I still have no kitchen here in Ontario, Canada after the BIG FLOOD.  So I used my sister’s kitchen to make my favourite bread.

This kind of bread is called Quick Bread, it doesn’t need yeast and you don’t need to knead. You simply mix the ingredients, though you do need to do a bit of work on the main ingredients such as peeling and shredding the apple.

This recipe is great for people who want to learn how to make bread. You can eat it for breakfast, snack, dessert and any other time you want an apple bread fix.

There are few ways to shred apple; you can hand shred it with a grater, or use a chopper.  Be careful if you use a food processor.  Too long and you have applesauce not shredded apple.

Have fun!

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 beaten egg

1 cup sugar (you can use less sugar, about half cup)

1 ½ cup shredded, peeled granny smith apple

¼ cup cooking oil (such as vegetable or canola oil)

1.     Pre heat oven to 350 F

2.     Grease the 8x4x2 inch loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder and clove. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

3.     In another medium bowl combine egg, sugar, apple and oil. Add apple mixture all at once to flour mixture.

4.     Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy not smooth so don’t over mix it) Spoon batter into prepared pan.

5.     Bake in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

6.     Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. (I said this but sometime I like to eat the bread while it is still warm)

7.     I like to wrap and store overnight before slicing because I find it tastes even better than when it is still warm. 

Warm mushroom and Onion with goat cheese salad

My parents asked me to make them salad for dinner recently.  I was glad to do that, however, they didn’t have many interesting ingredients for me to use.  So I decided to be creative, I hunted for vegetables in their fridge. I found lettuce, mushrooms, sweet onion and goat cheese. I thought it would work for a warm onion and mushroom salad. The results were fantastic!! It was easy to prepare, needing just a bit of cooking time for the onion and mushroom.  This would go well with spinach or arugula as well.

Serve 3 to 4

2 cups mushrooms

1 sweet onion such as Vidalia

Lettuce (any kind)

2 tbsp goat cheese

3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1.5 tbsp ponzu sauce

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1.    Thinly slice the onion and set aside.

2.    Take the stems off the mushrooms and thinly slice as well.

3.    Put oil in a large fry pan over the medium heat, when the oil is hot add onion and stir, then turn the heat to medium low.

4.    Stir onion often to keep it from becoming brown too fast. Meanwhile, wash lettuce and dry.

5.    Continue cooking onion until it becomes soft and slightly darker in colour -- about 10 minutes, add mushrooms and stir.

6.    The moment the mushroom become soft add rice vinegar and ponzu sauce. If you feel there isn’t enough sauce you can add more. Then turn the heat off.

7.    Break up the lettuce and put in the bowls then top with goat cheese however much you like. ( I usually put about 2 tbsp in the bowl and break up the goat cheese.)

Top with the onion and mushroom and serve immediately

Chocolatey Raspberry Crumb Bars

I love my chocolate with a bit of fruit, it is always the best. I like to make my own dessert sometime when I am in the mood. This recipe is very sweet and rich, however this one is my love-hate relationship because it is so good that I have trouble stopping myself eating it until it is all gone. It is handy to have someone with me to keep an eye on me. heehee. 

It is easy enough to make but you have to be careful with a few things such as the butter which has to be soft. If it isn’t soft then put it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Make sure the brown sugar is light not dark. 

Have fun!!

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt 

2 cups (12 ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate morsels, (divided)

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 13 x 9 inch baking pan
2. Beat butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in flour, sugar and salt until crumbly
3. With floured fingers, press 1 1/4 cups crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan; reserve remaining mixture
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown
5. Microwave 1 cup morsels and sweetened condensed milk in medium , uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute.
6. Stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15 seconds , stirring just until then morsels are melted
7. Spread over hot crust
8. Sprinkled the reserved crumb mixture over the chocolate layer. Drop teaspoonfuls of jam over the crumb mixture. Sprinkle with remaining morsels.
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack.
10. Cut into Bars

Lemon-cottage cheese pancakes with strawberries

 Good morning everybody! I had great breakfast because I made one of the best pancake recipes in the world! At least it is to me, I hope you will feel the same once you try this. I know putting cottage cheese in pancakes doesn’t sound so appealing, but trust me when it is mixed with lemon zest, it is out of this world! 

This recipe is great paired with strawberries but it can go with other fruit such as blueberries or raspberries if you prefer. Enjoy!

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbs sugar (white)

1 tbs baking powder

0.5 tsp salt

0.5 cup milk (1% or 2%)

1 cup cottage cheese (2%)

2 tsp lemon zest (thinly grated)

2 eggs

0.5 cup melted unsalted butter

a bit of vanilla
maple syrup

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl, then set aside.

2. Whisk milk, cottage cheese, lemon zest, eggs, butter and vanilla (and a bit of lemon juice if you want).

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry then mix. 

4. Add more milk if too thick. (I like it to be a bit thick)


5. Serve with Maple syrup if you like

This recipe would serve about 3 to 4 people.  Add a side of bacon or sausage and you’re good until dinner.