Asian Cooking and More...

Dinner Rolls/ Buns

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:22:00 +0000

I just made these for the first time and they smell wonderful and turned out perfectly. This is a "no fail" recipe for some of the best tasting rolls I've ever baked. I intended to make a couple of batches, with egg wash and butter, but I forgot to do the egg wash, still, it came out perfect. In baking, I believe that practice makes it more perfect. Next time, I promise to show you better picture. Meanwhile, why not try this recipe for yourself and let me know, or better yet show me how it turned out for you.

Dinner Rolls/ Buns Recipe

Courtesy of: Foodnetwork

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup warm homogenized milk (250 ml)
1/4 cup sugar (60 ml)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (60 ml)
1/2 tablespoon salt (7 ml)
3 cups all-purpose flour (750 ml)
1 egg
1 envelope (1/4-ounces) active dry yeast
flour, for bench flour

Assembly
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk (15 )
( I made 1 batch with egg wash and the other with butter)

Directions

Dough

In a small bowl, combine sugar with ½ cup warm milk and mix well. Add the yeast and stir. Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes, until it foams.

In another bowl, combine the egg and remaining ½ cup warm milk and melted butter

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour and salt by hand. Add the yeast mixture and the egg mixture. With the stand mixer, start mixing the dough on low speed. Increase speed as flour is incorporated. Continue to mix until dough comes together. Increase machine speed, knead dough until it comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Put the dough into a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave overnight in the fridge or alternatively let proof until doubled in a warm spot for 45 minutes.

Assembly

Punch down dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Tear off pieces of the dough and form sixteen 1 ½-inch balls. Roll them onto a surface to make smooth. Place in a buttered 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan. Let rest, covered, in a warm spot, until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk to make an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, generously coat the top of the buns with the egg wash. Bake the dinner buns for about 13 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown. Serve warm and pull apart at the table.

Yield: 16 servings

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies ( The Best )

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Mon, 24 May 2010 04:57:00 +0000

These are the best Oatmeal Cookies I have ever tried so far. I have baked them several times and they are always a hit. I brought these goodies on one of our weekend getaway to the Caribbean and OMG! my friends and family keep on asking for more cookies. They said they are absolutely delicious. This is really my go-to cookie recipe because it is super easy to make and it always comes out Oatmeal-a-licious! Ok, here's the deal, I honestly do not know who to credit for this recipe because it is one of those things where I wrote it in an Index Card and no reference where I copied it. But who ever is the original owner of this recipe... I thank you for sharing.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

¾ cup butter ( at room temperature)

1 cup sugar

1 egg ( room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

pinch of nutmeg

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup raisins

Cooking Directions:

Creme butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Start mixing with big spoon by hand the dry and wet ingredients.
Add rolled oats 1 cup at a time. Add the raisins.
Press balls about half inch on a prepared baking pan.
Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack.
Share and Enjoy!

Note: You should have a very thick and sticky mixture. If it is too sticky or wet, add little more flour. Make a small balls and place on a baking sheet. After cookie balls are on the baking sheet, with your wet hand, press the ball upto half and inch.

Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:58:00 +0000

This post is long overdue. I have been meaning to blog about my recent dinner party but my other hobby which is Card Making took all my attention for the past weeks. I have this Paper Craft blog on the works and also Classes in my place so my foodblog has been put aside for the moment.

I made this Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs for the recent dinner party I hosted. Both my guest and my husband really enjoyed it. This recipe tastes as good as it looks. Fall off the bone tender and succulent. I got the recipe from the Kitchen of One Perfect Bite. Although I did not follow her Barbecue Sauce recipe and used the store bought barbecue sauce instead, this dish still turned out awesome. I highly recommend everyone to try it. Next time, I will make the Barbecue Sauce from scratch.

Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs Recipe
Adapted from : the Kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
For Dry Rub
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
For Barbecue Sauce
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cups Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
1/4 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 (12-oz.) bottle non-alcoholic amber ale
For Baby Back Ribs
2 slabs baby back ribs, silver skin and under flap removed
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Cooking Directions:
1) To make dry rub: Combine salt, granulated onion, granulated garlic, paprika and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
2) To make barbecue sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients, in the order listed, in a large pot with a heavy bottom. Whisk until smooth. Place pot over low heat and cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes, until thickened. Set aside. If not using immediately, cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
3) To make the ribs: Rub top surface of ribs with liquid smoke. Sprinkle top surface of each rack with 1 teaspoon dry rub. Turn and sprinkle bottom surface of each rack with 1 teaspoon dry rub. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 250° F. Remove covering from racks. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking pan or cookie sheet. Cover pan with foil and bake in preheated oven for 3-1/2 hours. While ribs are cooking, remove sauce from refrigerator and warm. Remove ribs from oven. Let rest for 10 minutes, remove foil and drain accumulated liquid. Spread both sides of ribs with barbecue sauce, return to oven and bake, uncovered for an additional 30 minutes. Serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Garlic Herb Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Sat, 15 May 2010 15:07:00 +0000

Sorry, I have been not blogging lately. I admit, I have been occupied with my other hobby whick is Paper Crafts. But here is a super easy Pork Chop recipe. You will be able to pull out an amazing dinner in no time. I prepared this for a dinner of 4 and they loved it. Since there were only 3 ingredients, this was not difficult at all. I didn;t even need taking a trip to the store. A very simple recipe yet very flavorful and tasty. Everybody enjoyed this dish.

Garlic Herb Pork Chops Recipe

Source: McCormick

Ingredients:

4 bone-in pork chops, 1/2-inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)

4 teaspoons McCormick® Garlic Herb Seasoning
2 tablespoons oil

Cooking Directions:

1. Coat pork chops evenly on both sides with Seasoning Blend.
2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add pork chops; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until desired doneness, turning once.

3. Serve and enjoy ! Please share!

Chocolate Flan Cake (Chocoflan)

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Sat, 08 May 2010 19:12:00 +0000

I have always wanted to make this Chocoflan Recipe since the day I saw Marcela make this on one of her episodes of Mexican Made Easy at Food Network. And then a friend of mine posted this on her new foodblog. Again, I got excited to make it and I even bought all the ingredients needed. But my husband is allergic to dairy so I am just waiting for a big party or potluck so that I can finally try this awesome recipe. I need someone to help me eat this "look so delish cake". I am glad that my friend was kind enough to share this Chocolate Flan Recipe on my blog. So there, give it a try and let me know how it turns out.

Chocolate Flan Cake Recipe
Courtesy of Juana Adams of fil-amcookingandmore
Serves 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 (18 ounce) box of chocolate devil's food cake mix
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs

For the flan:

1 (11 ounce) jar cajeta caramel topping (has richer flavor) or smucker caramel topping
1 (14 ounce) can sweetend condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup fresh milk
1 ( 8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
5 eggs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Spray a large 12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick coating. (This is very important).
3. Soften the cajeta in the jar in the microwave ( no more than 30 sec) and pour into prepared pan.
4. Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
5. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan over the cajeta.
6. To make the flan: Pour condensed, evaporated and fresh milk into the blender with the cream cheese, vanila and eggs. Mix well.
7. Pour the flan mixture very slowly over the cake batter. (The flan mixture will sink to the bottom of the pan).
8. Spray aluminum foil with non-stick spray. Cover the pan TIGHTLY with the foil. (Very important)
9. Set the Bundt pan into a large pan and set on the oven rack and slide inches.
10. Carefully pour hot water into the larger pan to a depth of 2 inches. ( The Bundt pan will be sitting in 2 inches of water).
11. Bake cake for 2 hrs(test); do not uncover during this time.
12. After 2 hrs, remove cake from water and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Peel off the aluminum foil.
13. Invert cake onto a large plate with rim.
14. The cajeta will drip down the sides of the cake.
15. Cool completely then refrigerate. Refrigerate leftovers.

Beer Butt Chicken Barbecue

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:09:00 +0000

This is my father-in-law's version of the famous Beer Butt Chicken. This barbecue dish is a bit unorthodox but once you have tried this Beer Butt Chicken (some calls it Beer Can Chicken or Drunken Chicken) you will never go back. Don't be intimidated with the name of this dish, it is really simple to make. Just take a chicken, slather with butter or olive oil and meat seasoning, open a can of beer, drink a few glugs then insert the opened can into the cavity of the chicken and off to the grill it goes. The idea is to use the beer can as a tripod where you stand the chicken. And the beer will help the chicken stay moist while it cooks. The result is an awesome chicken that's moist, and so tender it will fall off the bone! So what are you waiting for, open a beer and grab a whole chicken and let's start cooking!

Beer Butt Chicken Barbecue Recipe

Ingredients:

1 (3½ to 4 lbs) whole chicken

1 cup butter or olive oil
1 (12 oz) can beer (cut off top with a can opener)
2 tablespoons garlic salt or 4 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper or to taste
Fresh or dried herbs of your choice
Coarse salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

Preheat barbecue grill (spray grill cooking spray). Drink (or pour out) ¼ of the beer from the can.
Get the chicken ready for cookin'. Trim some of the fat, get rid of the giblets . Rub liberally inside and out the chicken with your favorite meat rub. I prefer olive oil, basil, lots of fresh press garlic, paprika, salt and pinch of cayenne.
Using a can opener, open up and top off the bear can and drop in the crushed garlic.
Oil up the can and slide the top of the beer can deep inside the chicken cavity (the head end). If the opening is especially wide, a carrot or slice of potato can be slid in beside the can to seal off the cavity. Push until the can is almost fully inside the bird. The bottom of the can and the two legs bent slightly downward form a tripod which keeps the chicken upright on the grill.

Cover barbecue with lid, open any vents, and cook over low to medium heat for approximately 2 to 3 hours (depending on your heat source) or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165°F (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife). Check the chicken every 20 minutes or so and brush on more of the butter/seasoning mixture or olive oil as needed. If the chicken is browning too fast, cover the chicken with aluminum foil.
When the chicken is done, remove from the grill and let the chicken cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven).
Serve and Enjoy !

Chicken Afritada (Filipino Chicken Stew)

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:53:00 +0000

Afritada is an authentic Filipino recipe which can be made in two different versions - Chicken Afritada or Pork Afritada. This Filipino dish is prepared with an interesting blend of ingredients, from soy sauce, tomato sauce and some vegetables. It is a Chicken stew that we undoubtedly adapted from Spanish cuisine. The Spanish have a similar version of this dish called Pollo Guisado. Here is my version of Chicken Afritada - a very easy to make dish , very tasty and economical.

Chicken Afritada Recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs of chicken, cut into pieces

2 pieces of potatoes,peeled and halved

2 pieces of carrots, peeled and cut into wedges

3 large pieces of fresh tomato ( you can use tomato sauce)

1 medium onions, diced

1 head garlic, minced

1 green and red bell pepper, sliced into strips

2 cups of chicken broth

2 tablespoon of tomato paste

2 tablespoon of fish sauce

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

3 tablespoon of cooking oil

½ cup of frozen green peas

salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

Heat pan, add 2 tablespoon of cooking oil and brown the chicken. Set aside.

In another pan, heat up 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Sauté the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until tomatoes has caramelized and mushy. Add the tomato paste and fish sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the bell pepper, carrots and potatoes. Stir fry for 1 minute before adding the browned chicken.

Add the chicken broth and season with soy sauce. Continue to simmer on low heat until meat and veggies are fork tender. Add the frozen peas. Cook for 1 more minute. Adjust the seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with white steam rice. Enjoy!

Chicken Thigh Glazed with Chimichurri Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:27:00 +0000

Chicken Thigh Glazed with Chimichurri Sauce is a quick and easy chicken dish that is perfect for weeknight meal. You can serve this with some Spanish rice or Fried Plantains and you are good to go! A Chimichurri is a popular sauce used in many Latin American cuisine. It is used for marinating or seasoning steak, chicken and chorizo sausages. Chimichurri Sauce/ Marinade is a mixture of chopped parsley and other seasonings, including shallots, garlic, herbs, oil and vinegar.

Chicken Thigh Glazed with Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

5 whole Skinless, Bone-in, Chicken Thighs
1 Tablespoon Goya Adobo
4 Tablespoons Chimichuri Sauce (see Note Below)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Chicken Stock (Beer or White Wine)

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven at 350°F.
Clean and wash the chicken thighs thoroughly. Dry with paper towels.
Season the chicken with the Goya Adobo seasoning.
Heat a skillet with olive oil at medium-high heat, lightly brush chicken with chimichurri sauce and brown chicken in the skillet in batches, about 5 minutes. Transfer browned chicken to a glass baking dish.
When done browning the chicken, de-glazed the skillet with your choice of broth, beer or white wine. Be sure to scrape up all the yummy brown bits.
Pour broth with yummy browned bits over the chicken.
Generously brush the chicken with the remaining chimichurri mixture.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until juices run clean, basting periodically.
Serve with steams rice or rice and beans. Some fried plantains will complete your dish.
Enjoy and share!

Chimichurri Marinade/ Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup parsley, 1 cup cilantro – finely chopped
2 shallots, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon of oregano
¾ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil

Directions:

Place chopped parsley and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add all seasonings to taste. Add vinegar, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until the marinade emulsifies.
Use the sauce to marinate meat before grilling. (Marinate at least one hour; can marinate up to 8 hours or overnight.)
Remove meat from the marinade and grill.
If you like, reserve some marinade and puree it for use as a sauce.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:56:00 +0000

Everybody has their own favorite version of Banana Bread Recipe. That includes me. But I always love to try new recipes. I made this Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread for the first time and oh boy, it is heaven. This recipe is seriously scrumptious with the cream cheese in it. Besides, everybody knows that anything with cream cheese has to be good. I honestly do not know who to credit with this recipe, because it was a print out filed in my wish list file, and didn't have any credits attached.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup butter or margarine softened
8 oz cream cheese softened
3 ripe mashed bananas
1¼ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
2 ¼ cupall purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoon brown sugar
cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter/margarine and the cream cheese together. Gradually add the white sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one egg at a time, beating well after each egg. Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla. Slowly add the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until the batter is just moist. (careful not to mix too long after you've added the flour.) Fold in your choice of chopped nuts.
Pour the batter into two greased/floured 8x4" loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes on middle rack, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Once baked, let loafs rest in pans for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out of pan onto a cooling rack.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:42:00 +0000

I call this Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken a quick fix. This is very easy to make and has unique and great flavors. I made it one night when I did not have much time to make dinner and all I had in the fridge was a chicken breast. I looked into my "wish list recipe box" and saw this Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken by Rasa Malaysia. The picture looked inviting so I gave it a try. It was another successful experiment for me. My husband and I enjoyed it very much and most likely will make it again. Try it for yourself and let me know how it turns out.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Recipe

Adapted from : Rasa Malaysia

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast/thigh, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, tender inner white bulbs only, minced
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 chilies, seeded and minced
1 scallion for garnishing ( I used parsley, I have no scallion available)

Cooking Directions:

In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sugar. Add the chicken meat to coat.
In a small skillet, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of the water and cook over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Transfer to a bowl.
Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the lemongrass, shallot, and chilies and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the chicken and caramel and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer to a bowl and top with the scallion. Serve with steamed white rice.

Lemon-Coconut Bars

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:13:00 +0000

These Lemon-Coconut Bars are a perfect treat during Summertime. The marriage of the two main ingredients, coconut and lemon are a match made in heaven. As my husband claims, these Lemon- Coconut Bars are the best dessert bars he ever had! He is my No.1 food critique. He said that in this recipe, the coconut is the key, it provides an out of this world flavor and a bit of chewiness to the butter cookie crust. The filling is as beautifully bright as a Spring day and it is a perfect blend of sweet and tart. A recipe like this is worth sharing, so go ahead and share this to your friends and network.

Lemon-Coconut Bars Recipe
Source: Bon Appétit

Ingredients:

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted, cooled
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Filling
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar ( I substitute with flaked coconut )

Cooking Directions:

For crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving overhang. Butter foil. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add coconut and butter; process until mixture resembles fine meal and begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball. Press dough evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust until golden at edges, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare filling:

Combine 3/4 cup sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon peel, flour, baking powder, and salt in processor. Blend filling until smooth.
Remove crust from oven. Pour filling evenly over hot crust. Return to oven and bake until filling begins to brown at edges and is just set and springy to touch in center, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool lemon bars completely.
Using foil as aid, transfer lemon bars to work surface. Flatten foil edges. Cut into 16 bars. Sift powdered sugar over. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight in single layer in refrigerator.)

Gallo Pinto ( Costa Rican Rice & Beans )

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:36:00 +0000

Gallo Pinto is considered the national dish of Costa Rica. Gallo Pinto is served all throughout Latin America, though each country names it differently. Cubans call it "Congris" and in some parts of Nicaragua it is called " arroz y frijoles"- meaning "rice with black beans". I had a chance to taste this Authentic Costa Rican dish when we stayed on a very quaint B&B in El, Valle - one of the highlands of Panama. The owner of the B&B place is a Costa Rican and he served this delicious and hearty breakfast. He said Gallo Pinto means " spotted rooster" , I was expecting a meat but I was amazed to learned that it was actually "meat-free". It is a very tasty rice dish with beans, herbs and spices. I highly recommend this for you to try, it is super easy to prepare. For Asians like me, the cooking technique is like cooking fried rice. Only, the spices are different.

Gallo Pinto ( Costa Rican Rice & Beans ) Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice
½ vegetable or chicken broth or knorr cubes
1 cup of black beans
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 dried ancho chilie peppers ( remove seeds or substitute with bell peppers)
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic ( minced)
1/3 cup cilantro ( finely chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Direction:

The Beans

Soak beans for 8 hours. Refrigerate.
After soaking, change the water and add 6 cups of water and bring to simmer for around 90 minutes. Check water once in a while. Check beans for doneness. You can do this step on pressure cooker or crock pot.
Reserve beans with some of the water.

The Rice

Cook rice with the dissolve broth cubes. ( I used 1 part ratio for rice and cooked in a rice cooker)
Refrigerate the cooked rice overnight.

Gallo Pinto

Heat pan with vegetable oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onion turns translucent.
Add garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander and bell peppers. Sauté for another minute. Add more vegetable oil if necessary.
Add the cooked rice and stir fry for 1 minute, breaking up any chunks.
Once all the rice change color, add the cooked beans, starting with 1 cup. Make sure the ratio of beans will not over power the rice. Add 2-3 tablespoon of the bean water. Combine the rice and beans evenly and cook until mixture is heated through.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.
For breakfast, serve this with scramble egg, fried plantains and chorizo.
Enjoy and share!

Chicken Marinated in Wine

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:48:00 +0000

This Roast Chicken Recipe with red wine marinade is good on anything from chicken or turkey breast to chicken thighs. I got this recipe from a Spanish Recipe magazine. It was a challenge for me because I had to find English translations for the ingredients and cooking directions. Well, I made that easy for you now because I am posting the English version. This recipe came out so good, it was super moist and flavorful and very easy to prepare. I will be posting the roasted potato side dish soon. Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turned out.

Chicken Marinated in Wine Recipe

Ingredients:

1 (3-4 lbs) whole chicken
1-½ cup of red wine
1 cup of thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon of thyme
2 tablespoon of olive oil
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Cooking Directions:

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 4 hours or up to 24 hours; turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place the chicken on a buttered baking dish. Reserve marinade.
Bake chicken for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the juices runs clear.
Bring the reserve marinade sauce to boil. Let it simmer under low fire for 10 minutes or until reduced to half.
Strain reduced sauce and return to pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Add remaining butter to the reduced sauce and stir continuously until butter is melted. Reserve.
Once chicken is cooked ( should registed 160°F). Remove chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
Serve with the reserved marinade sauce and roasted potato on the side.
Enjoy and share!

Basic Crepes Batter Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:40:00 +0000

These sublime crepes are guaranteed to please everyone! From this basic Crepe Recipe, you can create variations depending on what filling you would like that day. There is a lot to choose from, Chocolate or fruit jam , strawberry or banana or simply just ice-cream. The possibilities are limitless. You can stuff anything you want, depending how you want it , savory or sweet. Today, we focus on the Crepes Batter. The Crepes Batter Recipe is super easy--just a couple of seconds on the blender then few minutes of cook time! My husband and I love to have them during breakfast. It is fast and easy and it is the best Crepes we have ever had!

Crepes Batter Recipe

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1¼ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoon of melted butter
butter, for coating pan

Cooking Directions:

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking.
Heat 2 teaspoon of butter in a small non-stick pan. Pour batter and swirl around to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove when cooked. Cover with paper towel.
To serve, sprinkle each crepe with sugar or spread jelly or any filling of your choice, fold or roll up.
Enjoy and Share!

Note:

For Savory Variation : Add ¼ chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatotes to the batter mixture.
For Sweet Variation : Add 2-½ tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoon of liqueur of your choice to the batter mixture.

Pico De Gallo Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:08:00 +0000

This Pico de Gallo Recipe is a colorful and aromatic Mexican condiment. It is served with tacos, fajitas, nachos and tortillas. It can be served as a simple salad as well. It is made with salad vegetables,chili pepper and for fresh flavor- a lime juice is used. The onion and tomatoes are used as base flavor for this recipe but you can always adjust the ingredients for more flavor or according to your taste. This recipe is best eaten the same day and I can't keep it in the house because it get's eaten so quickly. It's a good way to get your loved ones eat their veggies! It is a quick and easy recipe. I will make this again, and again and again.

Pico De Gallo Recipe

Ingredients:

4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 piece of mango, cut into cubes (optional)
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 or 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon limejuice ( add more according to your taste)
Salt to taste

Cooking Directions:

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and chill in the fridge for an hour.
Serve and enjoy!

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:51:00 +0000

Thumbprint Cookies is the easiest cookie recipe I have ever made. You have the luxury of having variations in fillings. From Peanut Butter to Jam to Chocolate. This recipe can be adapted to suit any theme, flavor preference, season or occasion. These Jam Thumbprint Cookies I made are soft and buttery, flecked with ground pecans, and filled with strawberry preserves. It is very delicious, easy to bake and can be festive. I strongly recommend this for easy "go to" cookie recipe.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
(Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine)

Ingredients:

14-1/4 oz. (3 cups plus 2 Tbs.) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. table salt
3/4 lb. (1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
6 oz. (1-1/2 cups) pecans, toasted and finely ground in a food processor
3 oz. (1 cup) confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 to 3/4 cup red raspberry preserves with seeds ( I used strawberry preserves)

Cooking Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt to blend.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and pecans on medium speed until very soft and light, about 3 min.
Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until thoroughly combined, about 1 min. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly blend in the flour until totally incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Using your hands, roll the dough into 1- to 1-1/4-inch balls and set them about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press your thumb into the middle of each dough ball to create a well for the preserves.
Stir the preserves to loosen and then spoon about 1/2 tsp. into the middle of each dough ball.
Bake until the cookies are golden brown, about 20 min.
Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 1 min. before transferring them to a rack to cool.

Note: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for three to four days.

Semi-Homemade Tahô ( Taho/Tahu)

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:20:00 +0000

Tahô ( Soybean Custard) is a common breakfast in the Philippines. Tahô is made of fresh soft/silken tofu, pearl sago ( Tapioca Pearl ) and brown sugar syrup (arnibal ).This is usually sold by the Magtatahô (taho vendor) in the morning. The Tahô vendor carries two large aluminum buckets hanging from each end of yoke. It is hard not to notice the vendors calling out "Tahoooooô!" while they are passing by your street. In other Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, this food is called Tahu.

For those that are living abroad where there is no Magtatahô vendor -- Here's an easy Semi-Homemade Tahô Recipe for you. I really do not know who to credit on this one because I have seen so many Filipino Taho posting in Youtube.

Semi-Homemade Tahô Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pkg (12 0z) Silken/Soft Tofu
1 bag of Tapioca Pearl
1 cup brown sugar ( I used palm sugar )
1 cup water

Cooking Directions:

Cook Tapioca Pearls as per package directions. Set aside.
For the sugar syrup ( arnibal), the ratio is 1 part water and 1 part sugar. Bring water to boil. Add sugar and mix well. Let it simmer for 1 minute. Set aside.
Transfer the Silken tofu on a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute.
In a glass, combine Silken tofu, cooked tapioca pearl and sugar syrup. Voila! Instant Homemade Tahô.
Enjoy and Share!

Ensaymada ( Ensaïmada)

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:23:00 +0000

Ensaymada is a Filipino sweet bread derived from Spanish origins. The Spanish version of this is called Ensaïmades. In the Philippines, this pastry bread is made with butter and shaped into like a pinwheel or snail-like coil ,topped with butter cream, sugar and grated cheese. The procedure sounds intimidating but it is very easy. Nowadays, it is not even necessary to make the unique shape anymore. It has been re-invented for easy cooking. But, since it was my first time to make this, I tried my best to replicate the original look of this soft and buttery bread. If you have already tried making pandesal.This recipe should not be hard because the process is quite similar. Give it a try and see for yourself. Please check video below for step by step instructions.

Ensaymada Recipe
Adapted from Panlasang Pinoy (Just did some tweaking)

Ingredients:

5 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup butter, melted
¾ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3 pieces raw eggs
1 envelope (¼ oz ) active dry yeast
1 cup warm homogenized milk

Cooking Directions:

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoon of sugar with 1 cup warm milk (110°F-115°F) and mix well. Add the yeast and stir. Let mixture stand for about 10 minutes or until it foams.
In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients starting from the flour, ½ cup of sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Add the eggs and ½ cup melted butter to the yeast mixture and pour to the dry ingredients. Using your hand, mix the dry and wet mixture together. Make sure that it is well incorporated. Continue mixing until dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes., adding more flour if necessary,until the dough is smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it proof in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
Punch down dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide dough into four pieces. Roll each piece into a log or cylindrical form. Cut individual serving pieces ( about 80 grams each). Flatten each piece using a rolling pin.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the ¼ cup melted butter with the remaining sugar. Paint the sugar and butter mixture onto the center area of flattened dough. Sprinkle some cheese over the painted area and seal. This is done by folding opposite directions and rolling it until a long cylindrical shape is formed ( about 14 inches long) .
Form the spiral Ensaymada shape by crossing the two opposite ends of the dough. It is like making pretzel.
Place in a baking tray with wax paper and cover with cheese cloth. Let rest for 45 minutes. This is the 2nd proofing.
Pre-heat oven at 350°F.
In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg and a little amount of water or milk. Using a pastry brush, generously coat the top of the ensaymada with the egg wash. Bake the ensaymada for about 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove baked Ensaymada from oven. Brush the top with the remaining butter and sugar mixture and sprinkle with cheese on top.
Serve hot. Enjoy and do not forget to Share!

Filipino Pork Barbecue ( Pinoy BBQ)

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:56:00 +0000

Filipino Pork Barbecue is a favorite appetizer (pulutan ) and street food in the Philippines. This authentic Filipino recipe is a very popular and a requested dish during parties or potlucks. This is a very delicious and easy to prepare dish. There are many variations of this Pinoy recipe but this is basically made with pork, marinated in a sweet and sour sauce, skewered and grilled. Give it a try and do not forget to share with others.

Filipino Pork Barbecue Recipe

Ingredients:

2 pounds of pork cut into cubes ( I prefer combination of pork butt and pork belly)
1 small onions, minced
1 cup soy sauce
1 whole garlic, peeled and smashed
¼ cup of calamansi juice or lemon juice
½ cup of 7Up or Sprite soda/pop
1 cup of Banana Sauce (Ketchup)
5 tablespoon of dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of sesame oil

bamboo skewers- soaked overnight

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except pork and cooking oil. Mix thoroughly.
Add the pork cubes, make sure that it is well coated. Marinade for a minimum of an hour, preferably overnight on the fridge.
Pre-heat grill. Skewer the marinated pork.
Bring the marinade mixture to boil. Let it simmer until it is reduced to half. Transfer into a bowl and add oil. Mix well. This would be used as a glazed for the barbecue.
Grill pork barbecue for about 5 minutes each side. Brush both sides with the prepared barbecue glaze.
Serve hot with Green Papaya Pickle ( Atsara ) or your favorite Dipping Sauce.
Share and Enjoy!

Note:

Easy Dipping sauce would be a mixture of crushed garlic,minced onions, red chili pepper and sugar cane vinegar. Pinch of sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
Use charcoal grill for best authentic taste.

Garlic Chili Prawns/ Shrimps

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:50:00 +0000

I saw this Filipino recipe featured on TV one day. I did not wrote down the recipe but as far as I remember, the main ingredients were fresh red chili and garlic. To continue my Lenten food recipe theme, I decided to make my own spin into this recipe. I coated the cleaned fresh prawns with chili powder since I did not have a fresh chili on hand. (I left the shrimp head on simply for presentation purposes.) Then I stir fried it with lots of garlic, onions and red bell pepper. It turned out really good. You can remove the head and add toothpicks and serve as party food or enjoy with steamed rice as a main entree. This spicy shrimp recipe will be a sure hit with your friends and family. It is very fast and easy.

Garlic Chili Prawns/ Shrimps

Ingredients:

2 lbs of jumbo size fresh shrimp/ prawns (thaw if frozen)
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (I used this instead of chili paste)
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 teaspoon of dried chili flakes ( use fresh if you have)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, cubes
2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

1. Wash prawns/shrimp thoroughly. Remove shells and deveined, leave tails and heads.
2. Coat the shrimp with spices, chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried chili flakes,salt and pepper.
3. Heat pan or wok with cooking oil. Stir fry garlic, add onions and bell pepper.
4. Add red curry paste, stir fry for 1 minute.
5. Add the shrimps and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the oyster sauce. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp is cooked or turned pink.
6. Serve hot over steamed rice if serving as main entree. If serving as a party food, remove head and poke with toothpick and garnish with lemon wedges or lime. Enjoy !

Shrimp Tempura

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:06:00 +0000

This Lenten season, when millions of Catholics and members of other denominations abstain from meat, shrimp is a perfect menu choice either for dining in or eating out. Shrimp always tastes great especially if it is fresh. It's affordable, easy to prepare and there is lot's of variety in shrimp recipes you can choose from. Shrimp Tempura is an easy "go to" recipe during Lent season.This famous Japanese deep fried dish is very simple, fast and easy. The secret to perfect tempura? A deep pot, plenty of oil, high cooking temperature and good batter. I made this Semi-homemade Shrimp Tempura using ready made Tempura Batter Mix and it turned out really good. It was cooked to golden perfection. This can be a great appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce; or a great filling meal when it is served with steamed rice.

Shrimp Tempura ( Semi-Homemade)

Ingredients:

2 lbs large shrimp or prawns, shelled and deveined
store bought tempura batter mix ( I used Krusteaz Tempura Batter Mix)
vegetable oil or peanut oil for deep frying

Cooking Directions:

Clean and prepare seafood. Dry thoroughly.
Pour 2 inches ( minimum ) vegetable oil into deep frying pan,wok or electric fryer. Pre-heat to 375°F.
Prepare tempura batter mix as per package directions.
Dip shrimp or prawns into batter. Drain off excess batter. Gently drop the shrimp in the preheated oil.
Deep fry for 2-4 minutes,until brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot and Enjoy!

Note: This recipe can be used for vegetable tempura. Follow similar directions except the cooking time. Vegetable tempura should be deep fried 1-2 minutes.

Pumpkin Roll

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:42:00 +0000

This pumpkin roll recipe consists of sweet and moist pumpkin-flavored sponge roll wrapped around a silky rich cream cheese filling. It is rolled up like a pinwheel. It makes a great dessert, especially for holidays. Serve and impress your guests anytime of the year with this pinwheel cake. It is so easy to make if you follow the step by step directions. I made this amazing Pumpkin Roll cake from my leftover pumpkin puree. It was my first time to make sponge roll cake and I was quite nervous but it turned out pretty good. This recipe might sound difficult but it was really so easy to make. Give it a try.

Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Adapted from Realmomkitchen

Ingredients :

1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Cooking Directions:

Mix together all ingredients.
Cover a 10×15 inch cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper, wider and longer than the cookie sheet.
Pour batter onto parchment paper and spread evenly, making sure to get into the corners of the cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes (less if the edges start to get really dark – it should look like cake and feel spongy to the touch).
Next, turn onto a towel that has been generously covered with powdered sugar. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and remove the parchment paper.
Roll the cake up, jelly roll style, in the towel starting with the short end. Allow to cool for ten minutes. (This helps the cake to keep the roll form. If you did this when it was cooled the cake would crack and not keep the nice form)
While cake cools mix filling ingredients.

Filling Recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz of cream cheese, softened (reduced fat work fine)
2 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp butter, softened

Cooking Directions:

Mix filling ingredients with a mixer until smooth.
Unroll cake from towel and spread with filling
Re-roll with out the towel, wrap in foil and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.
Cut into slices and serve. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffins - The Best !!

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:44:00 +0000

I had some leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving and was looking for a way to use it. I stumbled on a muffin recipe with great reviews by Tasty Kitchen. I checked the ingredients needed and made a little tweaking by substituting the vegetable oil with butter and adding nutmeg. I am not a big fan of pumpkin desserts but these pumpkin muffins were delicious. And I was quite surprised I really loved them. They have nice pumpkin spice flavor, perfectly moist and tasty. My husband said it is the best tasting pumpkin muffins he ever had. Give it a try, it is really easy and fast.

Ingredients:

1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 cup Pumpkin Puree (from A 15oz Can)
⅓ cups Vegetable Oil
2 whole Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1-¼ cup Granulated Sugar
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
½ teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar (for The Topping)
½ teaspoons Cinnamon (for Topping)

Cooking Directions:

Place muffin liners inside the muffin cups. I used the silicon muffin cups so no need to put muffin liners.
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. (Here’s the deal with pumpkin-pie spice: they sell it at most grocery stores right now. But I’m not a fan of a one-purpose type of spice, so I put in 1/8 of a teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice. So if you don’t have pumpkin-pie spice, you can just do what I did.)
Whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Then whisk in the flour mixture until just combined.
In another bowl, stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about 3/4 full), then sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from the pan to the rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Shaking Beef ( Bo Luc Lac )

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:26:00 +0000

Shaking Beef ( Bo Luc Lac ) is a traditional Vietnamese dish. This recipe makes a great appetizer and, when paired with white steamed rice, can be a satisfying entree as well. I had my first taste of this dish at Red Door Pan Asia restaurant in Vancouver. I knew then that I would order it again next time I dined at a Vietnamese restaurant. The second time I had this was at The Slanted Door restaurant in San Francisco. Again, I got that amazing flavor that captivated me the very first time I tasted it. The tender cubes of flash seared filet mignon or beef tenderloin, sautéed with red onions and a soy vinaigrette, and then served with black pepper lime juice dipping sauce. It is fantastic! I could not resist giving it a try. Lucky me, I found the original recipe of Vietnamese Shaking Beef posted by Charles Phan, The Slanted Door restaurant owner. I did a little tweaking on the recipe to cater to the ingredients I had available at the time. Result: Absolutely delicious! I encourage you to give it a try. It is very simple, and easy to make. But the flavor, hmmm amazing!

Original Recipe by Charles Phan, The Slanted Door
Resource: San Francisco Gourmet

Ingredients :

The Meat

2 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1-½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon fresh black pepper
2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, canola oil or corn oil
1-½ lbs filet mignon, cut into 1” cubes

The Vinaigrette

¼ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup rice wine
4 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce

The Dipping Sauce

Juice of 1 lime

½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper

The Stir-Fry

4 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, such as canola or corn oil
3 stalks green onion, cut into 1” pieces
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon butter
2 bunches watercress, for garnish

Cooking Directions:

Prepare marinade by combining garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a large non-metal bowl. Add filet mignon, combine and marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for two hours.
Prepare vinaigrette by combining rice vinegar, sugar, rice wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and fish sauce. Set aside.
Heat a wok over high heat. Divide beef, green onions and red onions in half, as you will cook in two batches.
Add 2 tablespoon of oil to the wok. When the oil starts to smoke, add first portion of the beef in an even layer. Let it sit until a forms a brown crust, about 2 minutes. With a spatula, flip the beef over to brown the other side, about 1 minute.
Add first portion of the green onions and red onions and cook for 1 more minute. Pour half of vinaigrette down the side of the wok, and then shake pan to release the beef and toss with the vinaigrette. Add 1 teaspoon of butter and continue to shake pan until butter melts. Remove the meat and onions from the wok. Keep warm.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 with second portion of meat, green onions and red onions. Place the watercress in the middle of the serving plate and spoon hot beef and onions on top.
Prepare dipping sauce by putting salt and pepper in small ramekin and squeezing lime juice over it. Serve alongside the beef. Serves 4. Share and Enjoy !

Asparagus Bacon Maki

noreply@blogger.com (JinkyK) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:44:00 +0000

One night I was wondering what I could make for dinner. I asked my husband and he said, just make something light as we were both not that hungry. So I looked at what ingredients I had available inside the fridge. I had a fresh asparagus, chicken wings and bacon. I asked myself, what can I make with these 3 ingredients? I decided to make Asparagus Bacon Maki which is a popular modern Japanese dish. This Asian dish is made from fresh green asparagus rolled in bacon. It is very fast and easy, but delicious. Give this a try and please let me know how it goes.

Ingredients:

1 lb of fresh asparagus ( 12-15 pieces)
1 lb of bacon
salt and pepper

Cooking Directions:

On a medium sauce pan. Bring 3-4 cups of salted water to boil. Prepare shock bath (ice and cold water).
Clean asparagus by snapping off about an inch of the bottom part, trim the ends.
Blanch asparagus on the boiling water for 30 seconds up to 1 minute and drop to the prepared ice bath. Drain the asparagus and pat dry with paper towel.
Take 3-4 pieces of the asparagus and wrap a 2-3 slices of bacon.
Heat pan under medium high heat. Pan fry the asparagus bacon wrap until bacon is cooked enough.
Serve with other appetizer of your choice. Share and Enjoy !