Pork Rib Soup

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Mark Twain was onto something then. Bay area weather is unlike anything one would expect. Merely 2 weeks ago, temperatures were in the high 70s, daring some souls to meekly bring out t-shirts and flip flops, tempting the fickle clouds. This past week had all running […]

Celery with Chicken and Cashew nuts

A twist on the classic ‘Cashew Chicken’.  This dish features celery as the main ingredient, making for a healthier option. Season the chicken well, according to your personal taste. A dash of paprika or turmeric adds a more exotic flavor. Chili powder offers a spicy kick. The small amount of protein will go a long way […]

Winter Melon 冬瓜 Soup

winter melon soup

These pale-fleshed, spongy gourds are commonly eaten during winter. Low in calories, it has a mild and refreshing taste. A week ago, the Asian supermarket was selling 2-lb slices at incredibly reasonable prices, despite being an unusual crop for this time of year. I was recovering from a bout of ‘heatiness'(阳 yang); this ‘cooling'(阴 yin) […]

Chai Poh 菜脯卵 (Salted Radish) Omelette

I wasn’t in the mood to cook today. It was a good thing I have eggs on hand. And chai poh. Chai poh 菜脯 is salted radish, easily found in asian supermarkets. Very commonly found accompanying teochew porridge. Well, good thing I have some one hand too. Chai poh neng 菜脯卵, or salted radish omelette, […]

Steamed Tofu with Ground Turkey

We needed a quick dinner tonight, for today we are watching “Sunday in the Park with George” by Stephen Sondheim and we have 2 hours to get to the theatre. A peek into the fridge and I came up with this steamed tofu dish served over steaming rice. Steamed Tofu with Ground Turkey   Save […]

Roasted Broccoli and Mushrooms

Easy weekday dinner with minimal clean up! Can also be served as an easy appetizer. 1 lb broccoli, cut into small florets and stemmed 4 cremini mushrooms, sliced 1 tbsp garlic, minced 3 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp sea salt Grated cheddar cheese (or any hard, sharp cheese) Serves 4 Toss […]