So long vegetarian is not the goal; or you might need to find new dining companions. I am not really sure how beef and broccoli became an American Chinese food staple. I know it is a safe bet to order it for a table of folks new to Chinese food or generally less adventurous diners. […]
gluten-free
Easy Gajar Halwa
“Festivals are the secret to youth; show me a person who doesn’t remember a festival that was all about sweets, treats and friendship and I will show you an unhappy person.” Here in the United States and most of the western countries, grown-ups and children are preparing to enjoy Halloween. Front lawns are adorned with lights and ghoulish decorations in a festive spirit. […]
Cold Tofu with Bonito Flakes
“If turkey vultures think it’s too warm to hunt, who am I to disagree?” Tofu ranks high on my list of pantry staples. There are always 2 or 3 packages in my cart on every grocery run. The best parts (my grammar teacher may remind me that the superlative of good describes a singular noun but hear me out) are how versatile it […]
Easy Water Spinach 空心菜 (Kangkung)
All things are difficult before they are easy. ~ Thomas Fuller Here is recipe that starts easy and stays easy. It will make a cook out of anyone. It’s that easy. Water spinach is more closely related to the sweet potato than to spinach as we know it in western countries. It is also called water morning glory, water […]
Chinese Green Bean Dessert Soup 绿豆汤
The wonder, The hunger, And the sound of distant thunder. ~ “Indian Summer”, Brooks & Dunn (released 2009) Warm, hazy, windless weather prevailed all last week following a few weeks of a cooling trend. This kind of tank-top-and-shorts weather right around Halloween means it’s Indian summer for us living in California. Soon after it will be time for […]
Honey Walnut Pine Nut Shrimp
“What’s more luscious than cheesecake, roses in bloom and freshly washed hair? Let me count…,” she said to Mr. Goat. ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ What is about mayonnaise that makes it taste sooo good? The satisfying ‘mouthfeel’ that food companies strive to imbue in their products, the same reason why crispy chicken, ice cream, chocolate, pecan pie and of course, […]
Taiwanese Ground Pork Rice 卤肉饭
If you’re going to eat pork, eat it till your mouth drips. ~ Yiddish proverb ~ TAIWAN STREET FOOD SERIES – Part 2 ~ The last time we married east and west over a bucket of Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken amidst the drama of English aristocracy. Today we continue bringing the tastes of Taiwan street food into our homes in California. […]
Pan-Fried Tofu with Egg
“Silky golden nuggets with a spicy surprise!” Don’t you just love it when a wrong turn ends up being right, when a mistake turns into an unexpected success, when a kitchen misadventure cooks up a new favorite? That’s what happened the other night – an attempt to save a blooper turned up a surprising appetizer that barely made it […]
Braised Pork Belly 扣肉
Spices and soy sauces turn this versatile meat into a tender and aromatic dish that melts in the mouth. There is some version of a pork belly recipe on just about every continent and in every cuisine. Maybe not in Arctic and Antarctica, unless pigs fly… and have thick fur. Until then, we have crispy pork belly, roasted pork […]
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Easy Claypot Chicken Rice
Browsing through my saved recipes recently, I came across Claypot Chicken Rice on Rasa Malaysia. It brought back memories of my family’s claypot poised over a charcoal stove, slowly cooking stews, broths and savoury dinners. Smoke from the charcoal infused the food with a woodsy, smoky flavour. The claypot kept heat and moisture in long after the food was cooked. The pot was […]