Bitter or sweet, it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it? It was an accident. The gourds (aka bitter melons) were lying on the counter for longer than intended. Blame it on inertia or lack of inspiration, the lush green beauties sat there placidly peering back at me every morning as I poured my morning […]
stir-fry
Colorful Pea Shoot Stir-Fry
Spring: a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be ~ unknown Change. A single syllable that has catalysed so much in ways big and small, globally and personally. With everything that is published on popular media these days, it is easy to forget how beautiful change can be. As we are now midway […]
Char’s Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Soups are a great way to introduce a lot of vegetables to kids. Stir-fries, too, because they contain so many different shapes and colors. ~ Emeril Lagasse A couple of days ago, we had a lovely Thai Chicken Curry at a teensy weensy cafe that’s been around for at least 25 years, served by the same […]
Kale and Sweet Potatoes
Winter sports takes on a new meaning. Just how much longer is the cold and wet spell going to last? Skiing has been good with all the snow but enough with the rain already, yes? Looking for that silver lining, we are all hoping that the rains and storms we have seen will bring an end […]
Fried Tang Hoon 炒粉丝 (glass noodles)
Updated from original post on May 26, 2016 Tang hoon, also called vermicelli, glass noodles, 冬粉 (dong fen, meaning winter noodles), is a light version of bee hoon, typically made from some kind of starch. Most commonly found are ones made of mung bean starch, often referred to as ‘mung bean thread’. Compared to bee hoon, which is made […]
Ginger Beef and Broccoli
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. […]
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 […]
“Dragon’s Eye” Cabbage and Eggplant
Let your imagination soar with this unique visual treat. Never give up and good luck will find you. ~ Falkor, ‘The Neverending Story’ My love for fantasy began early. As a child, one of my favourite movies was ‘The Neverending Story’. It was a fantasy within a fantasy. My favourite character was Falkor, the luckdragon. […]
Okra and Tofu
We have a love-hate relationship with okra. Lip-smackingly good when deep fried in southern style (Hush Puppies and Fried Okra, anyone?), comfortably filling in rich gumbo, tantalizingly spicy in bhindi masala. Yet the thought of inevitable slimy fingers can be a deterrent. Then like smoky, late afternoon rays filtering through loose, leafy canopies, I chanced […]
Fried Taiwan noodles
It is a cool evening, heralding the beginning of fall with the leaves rewarding with sights of yellow and orange and red everywhere we turn. Cool weather needs foods that bring comfort. In this all-in-one dinner recipe that was made with available ingredients in the fridge, ginger is added for its warming effect. For the […]