tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985Tue, 21 Jul 2026 23:10:22 +0000RecipesDiningVietnameseLA CountyAmericanVegetarianLil' SisRecipes: VietnameseChineseDesserts and SweetsPoultryGardensSoups Stews and CurriesNoodles and PastaTravels: Outside SoCalAppetizers and Side DishesSeafoodBeefDining: By Cuisine - ChinesePorkRandom Musings About Family (and Sometimes Me)Drinks and ShakesJapaneseSeries: OregonDining: By Cuisine - VietnameseFusionDining: FamilyBarbecue Grill and RotisserieRandom MusingsFreebiesItalianBakingDining: Outside SoCalSnacksOrange CountyIndexesGuides and How TosDining: By City - AlhambraFun FoodKoreanDining: By City - Los AngelesSandwiches and BurgersSaladsDining: By City - San GabrielMexicanTravels: AbroadVideosFrenchExplore SoCalPeek in My KitchenDips Dressing Sauces and SpreadablesRice and Rice DishesThaiCraftingFrozen Yogurt Gelato Ice Cream and Shaved IceDining: By Cuisine - KoreanSeries: NorCalWeekend Wokking15 Seconds of FameGiftsSeries: EuropeDining: By City - Monterey ParkDining: By City - WestminsterDining: OregonSeries: A Month of Mostly PhotosAfternoon TeaDining: NorCalSooo SoCalDumplingsSeries: WestDim sumBakeriesIndonesianTaiwaneseHong KongeseMalaysianAsk Wandering ChopsticksBreakfast or BrunchBritishRecipes: Picture IndexesBooksDining: By City - Garden GroveRecipes: Best of ...SpanishCoupons and DiscountsFondue Hot Pot and Shabu ShabuGiveawaysIcelandicSeries: How to Start a Food BlogCambodian/KhmerDining: AbroadGreekIndianSeries: Project 365VenisonPeruvianPickles and Other Pickled FoodsCubanLambPizzaSan Bernardino CountySan Diego CountySeries: VietnamCorners of My HomeMediterranean Middle EasternSwedishWedding BanquetReaders Cook Wandering Chopsticks' RecipesSeries: AsiaSingaporeanFilipinoNorwegianPersianSeries: NortheastBrazilianDining: Behind the ScenesDining: Best of...Film and Miscellaneous ArtsIrishJewishAustralianBlog My BlogCanadianDining: Picture IndexesMacaneseMongolianPicnicsPortugueseSalvadoreanSwissAbout and FAQsArgentinianArmenianAustrianBasqueBelgianBurmeseGermanGoatHorseInsectsLaotianLodgingsMoroccanRussianUkrainianUzbekYakAlbanianAzeriBisonBolivianBuffaloCosta RicanCzechDanishDutchEstonianEthiopianFinnishGuamanianGuatemalanHmongHungarianJamaicanKenyanLebaneseNepaleseNicaraguanPakistaniPolishRabbitSeries: SouthSouth AfricanTibetanTurkish...hesitating over food before deciding what to eat. Vietnamese recipes with pictures, restaurants, travels, gardens, crafts, and snippets of life in general.http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)Blogger1723125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-1114789836664231850Tue, 15 Mar 2016 06:18:00 +00002016-03-15T22:39:48.859-07:00BeefBritishRecipesSnacks In honor of National Pi Day and the imminent opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood, I couldn't pass up the chance to make proper Harry Potter-inspired Pumpkin Pasties with Ground Beef, Onions, and Sage. I made Pumpkin Fillo Pasties last fall for my Harry Potter-inspired Birthday Party using fresh diced pumpkin, but since pumpkin is no longer in season, http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2016/03/pumpkin-pasties-with-ground-beef-onions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-7519587706451366417Sat, 04 Jul 2015 22:08:00 +00002015-10-13T03:16:36.398-07:00Appetizers and Side DishesBeefDumplingsRecipesRecipes: VietnameseVietnamese You guys! Why did this not occur to me sooner? A couple of years ago, I had the bright idea of making Pho Burgers, by grinding the spices I used for making Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) and adding them to ground beef. You'd figure that after making Pho Burgers with Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup Spices and Banh Mi Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup-Spiced Sandwiches), it would have http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/07/pho-mplings-vietnamese-beef-noodle-soup.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-1676595966665725327Tue, 05 May 2015 06:36:00 +00002015-07-17T19:46:05.112-07:00ItalianNoodles and PastaRecipesSeafood I'm not sure what sparked my craving for shrimp scampi, but I couldn't get the buttery, lemony shrimp pasta dish out of my mind. I've been trying to eat healthier though, so figured I could experiment with some zucchini noodles. Now, if you have a Zoodle Slicer or a Veggetti or whatever, this would go a lot faster, but I found julienning the zucchini worked just fine. It was actually quite http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/05/italian-shrimp-scampi-low-carb-zucchini.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-3100281702100107881Sat, 28 Mar 2015 06:50:00 +00002015-10-12T19:31:34.692-07:00ChineseRecipesSeafood A few days after making Chinese Kung Pao Chicken, I got a craving again for the spicy, slightly sour taste of the dish. And while kung pao chicken is my preference, it takes a little longer to cook than shrimp. Plus, I had frozen shrimp on hand so any recipe that avoids having to leave the house wins hands down. But since it was late at night when I originally made the recipe, the photos http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/03/chinese-kung-pao-shrimp.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-5414093585824494339Thu, 19 Feb 2015 07:01:00 +00002015-12-14T09:33:45.529-08:00AmericanFusionRecipesSoups Stews and CurriesThaiVegetarian Tony of SinoSoul gave me two pumpkins from his garden and I knew just what to do with them. (Actually, they're much closer-looking on the outside to butternut squash, but redder on the inside like pumpkins. And since I already titled the pictures and this post as pumpkin, so they will remain!) I couldn't wait for colder temperatures so that I could indulge in some creamy soups. Not that I http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/02/thai-style-pumpkin-carrot-coconut-curry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-1375802005149450268Wed, 18 Feb 2015 07:00:00 +00002015-12-14T09:59:21.203-08:00AmericanRecipesSandwiches and BurgersVegetarian While I love the basic Grilled Cheese Sandwich, especially with a bowl of Cream of Tomato Soup, sometimes it's nice to kick things up a notch. Like a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Hatch Green Chilies. Perhaps served with Thai-Style Pumpkin Carrot Coconut Curry Soup? Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Hatch Green Chilies For one sandwich, you'll need: 2 slices of bread of your choice A thick http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/02/grilled-cheese-sandwich-with-hatch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-9000180782853262000Sat, 24 Jan 2015 07:32:00 +00002016-03-10T12:45:29.971-08:00AmericanDiningDining: By City - Monterey ParkFusionJapaneseLA CountyLil' SisPoultry While eating at Hot Pot, Hot Pot! - Monterey Park, I noticed a crowd of people waiting in front of The Open Door, a Japanese fusion izakaya located in the same corner of Atlantic Boulevard and Garvey Avenue. I made a mental note to check it out, but wasn't in any hurry because there was a no photo policy and well, no photos means no point in going, right? Then in August 2013, The Open Door http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/01/tokyo-fried-chicken-co-monterey-park.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-4632001315167237425Thu, 08 Jan 2015 07:48:00 +00002015-05-28T03:35:38.122-07:00ChinesePorkRecipes After eating the deep-fried honey garlic pork ribs at King Hua Restaurant - Alhambra, I wanted to try recreating it at home. Lightly batter and fry if you wish, but I decided to just deep fry until the pork got crispy instead. The ribs were then tossed with honey, vinegar, and soy sauce. I was out of garlic and dusted the ribs with sesame seeds instead. The key is to adjust the honey and http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/01/chinese-deep-fried-pork-ribs-with-honey.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-3591388858889386524Wed, 07 Jan 2015 07:49:00 +00002016-01-01T16:05:19.362-08:00Appetizers and Side DishesJapanesePorkRecipes After making Vegetarian Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Tofu and Eggs), it was obvious that I needed to make a proper version with pork belly. Oh did I like this version so much better! The unctuousness of the pork belly was absorbed by the tofu and perfectly complemented the bitter melon. I cheated and simply added sliced pork belly to my vegetarian goya http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/01/goya-champuru-okinawan-bitter-melon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-1000441479519437269Tue, 06 Jan 2015 07:58:00 +00002015-05-10T11:45:32.313-07:00RecipesSeafoodSingaporean I already had my menu set to make Chinese Deep-Fried Chicken Wings with Spicy Salt and Vegetarian Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Tofu and Eggs) before my dad left town. But, when I went to the grocery store and saw crab on sale for $4.99 a pound, I had to include the addition of Singaporean Chilli Crabs. In preparation for my trip later this year, I bookmarked a bunch of http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/01/singaporean-chilli-crabs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-5211479705995877633Mon, 05 Jan 2015 07:39:00 +00002018-07-29T14:34:41.570-07:00Appetizers and Side DishesChineseHong KongeseLil' SisPoultryRecipes With how frequently I've dined at Hong Kong cafes through the years, and how often I order Chinese Deep-Fried Chicken Wings with Spicy Salt (*Hint. Almost every time.), I don't know why it took me so long to get around to making them at home. If you like my Chinese Deep-Fried Pork Chops with Spicy Salt recipe, this is even easier. I simply salted the wings, then lightly coated them in just http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/01/chinese-deep-fried-chicken-wings-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-307995734373540450Sun, 04 Jan 2015 07:42:00 +00002016-01-01T16:05:37.839-08:00Appetizers and Side DishesJapaneseRecipesVegetarian Ever since my Canh O/Kho Qua Nhoi Thit (Vietnamese Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup) recipe, when I found out that some Vietnamese eat bitter melon at the start of the year to signify that the "kho qua" (hardship over in Vietnamese), I've thought it was a quirky little tradition. And while my family calls bitter melon "o qua" so we don't dwell on bitterness, I figured this recipe http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/01/vegetarian-goya-champuru-okinawan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-7813471345117493978Fri, 02 Jan 2015 07:43:00 +00002015-03-10T01:20:05.684-07:00AmericanDrinks and ShakesRecipesVegetarian Ever since I read "Dandelion Wine" by Ray Bradbury long ago, I've been intrigued by the novelty of making wine out of dandelions. Would it taste like summer? Like liquid sunshine? I had forgotten about it until I dined at Creekside Grille - Wilson Creek Winery - Temecula. While reading about the beginnings of the winery, the brochure mentioned that Rosie Wilson, the family matriarch, used to http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2015/01/homemade-dandelion-wine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-18806702261444576Wed, 03 Dec 2014 07:13:00 +00002015-01-20T09:53:10.133-08:00PorkRecipesRice and Rice DishesTaiwanese On days when I'm too lazy to cook much, but I want something comforting, I often turn to a quick rice bowl for dinner. I almost always have ground pork in the freezer for just such instances. Whenever I go to the Asian grocery store, I buy a pound of ground pork, and if I don't have any plans to cook with it immediately, just stick it in the freezer. Ground pork is a staple in my kitchen http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/12/taiwanese-minced-pork-rice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-840597032432525271Fri, 28 Nov 2014 07:49:00 +00002016-11-24T14:47:46.859-08:00AmericanBakingPoultryRecipes This year, with both siblings out of town, I only had eight guests so I decided to splurge and bought a freshly slaughtered turkey from Chinese American Live Poultry - Rosemead, where my family buys fresh chickens for Hainanese chicken rice. The shop ordered 350 turkeys this year, which came in the Monday before Thanksgiving. By the time I made it to the store on Tuesday afternoon, nearlyhttp://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/11/easiest-moist-turkey-crispy-skin-recipe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-2816681204291102226Fri, 24 Oct 2014 06:27:00 +00002014-11-08T11:03:37.361-08:00Series: NortheastTravels: Outside SoCal While on our loop around Salem, second-oldest nephew pointed out Wynotts Wands, makers of fine wands since 1692 (not really). After all, if Salem is capitalizing on its notoriety for witchcraft, stands to reason that someone would cash in on wizardry and Harry Potter. Butter beer anyone? Actually, it's Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer, neither it, nor Wynotts Wands, is affiliated with Harryhttp://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/10/wynotts-wands-salem-massachusetts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-5280969805234279825Thu, 23 Oct 2014 06:57:00 +00002014-11-03T10:17:57.632-08:00AmericanDesserts and SweetsDiningDining: Outside SoCalSeries: NortheastTravels: Outside SoCal After grabbing a quick breakfast at Red Line Cafe - Salem - Massachusetts, second-oldest nephew and his friend and I headed to the waterfront. After a spin around the House of the Seven Gables and the house in which Nathaniel Hawthorne was born, we headed across the street to Ye Olde Pepper Companie, which opened in 1806 and is America's oldest candy company. A chance to get some edible http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/10/ye-olde-pepper-companie-americas-oldest.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-5098971180232152626Wed, 22 Oct 2014 06:56:00 +00002014-10-28T09:09:36.927-07:00AmericanDiningDining: Outside SoCalSeries: NortheastTravels: Outside SoCal Why are you waking me up at 6 a.m.? I groaned to second-oldest nephew when he asked what time I wanted to get up. Still operating on West Coast time, he had plugged the meter for the car when I had promptly turned off my alarm and continued sleeping. By the time I finally got up, the breakfast restaurants that I had bookmarked had lines out the door. It's high season in Salem! Tons of peoplehttp://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/10/red-line-cafe-salem-massachusetts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-6129542793957228091Tue, 21 Oct 2014 06:52:00 +00002014-10-28T09:09:54.843-07:00AmericanSeries: NortheastTravels: Outside SoCal As second-oldest nephew and I walked back from Lobster Shanty - Salem - Massachusetts, we passed by the "Bewitched" statue of Elizabeth Montgomery. There had been a steady line of people all evening, waiting to take pictures with the TV witch, but at this bewitching hour, no one was around. A statue of a fictional witch in a town known for executing real-life "witches"? Tacky and insensitive http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/10/bewitched-statue-salem-massachusetts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-4713619246054090059Mon, 20 Oct 2014 06:41:00 +00002014-11-08T21:56:49.787-08:00AmericanDiningDining: Outside SoCalSeafoodSeries: NortheastTravels: Outside SoCal I had a bunch of miles that were expiring soon and with an open invitation from Gourmet Pigs to come out for a visit, decided to do just that for my birthday since I hadn't gone on a big trip in a while. Five days after I booked my flight, she received a media invite to Sacramento to tour a cattle ranch. Could I change my ticket? Not without incurring a hefty change fee. Plus, I wanted to http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-lobster-shanty-salem-massachusetts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-6613421146125668104Fri, 19 Sep 2014 06:56:00 +00002014-12-12T00:23:33.051-08:00LambNoodles and PastaRecipesSoups Stews and CurriesUzbekVenison My first encounter with Lagman (Uzbek Lamb Noodle Soup) was at the now defunct Uzbekistan - Los Angeles. At the time, I dismissed it as a basic beef stew with similar Chinese noodles. Seven years later, after having explored other Central Asian cuisines, I hope I've become less cavalier of other cuisines in general, but of Central Asian cuisines in particular. I try to place new cuisines http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/09/uzbek-lagman-lamb-noodle-soup.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-955174186061045729Wed, 17 Sep 2014 06:10:00 +00002021-12-29T22:28:48.200-08:00Noodles and PastaRecipesRecipes: VietnameseSeries: NorCalVegetarianVietnamese Shortly after getting back home, I was still thinking of the simple, but oh so good garlic noodles that I ate at Swamp - San Francisco. Years ago, when I first heard about Crustacean's garlic noodles, I quizzed my friend DP who had eaten there and asked her what she thought was in the dish. Garlic and butter were a given. The saltiness, could it be Maggi Seasoning Sauce, the not-so-secret http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/09/mi-xao-toi-bo-vietnamese-noodles-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-1410627061730525475Fri, 15 Aug 2014 06:58:00 +00002016-03-15T20:57:24.706-07:00DiningDining: By City - Los AngelesDining: By Cuisine - KoreanKoreanLA CountyPork I had driven past Hong Galbi BBQ House many times and mentally made a note to check it out some day. So, when Jin of Seeking Food uploaded some yummy-looking pictures of Korean pork ribs, I insisted we go for lunch next time she had a craving. This was not one of the ubiquitous all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurants dotting Koreatown. Not that there's anything wrong with that; as you http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/08/hong-galbi-bbq-house-los-angeles.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-6255490518231275200Fri, 08 Aug 2014 06:59:00 +00002016-01-31T19:16:29.529-08:00HmongPorkRecipesSoups Stews and Curries In my experiment to Make Bitter Melon Less Bitter, the last recipe I made was Hmong Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup with Ground Pork, Cilantro, and Scallions. Most of the steps were the same as Canh O/Kho Qua Nhoi Thit (Vietnamese Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup), except I used cilantro and scallions in place of the vermicelli noodles and tree ear fungus. I also added a few stalks of lemongrass to the http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/08/hmong-stuffed-bitter-melon-soup-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29502985.post-2334600208028194716Thu, 07 Aug 2014 06:56:00 +00002016-01-01T16:09:17.734-08:00Appetizers and Side DishesChinesePorkRecipes While experimenting with several ways to reduce the bitterness of bitter melon, reader Gabriel Ocasio suggested on my Wandering Chopsticks Facebook page to salt the bitter melon and then stir-fry it with black bean sauce. So that's what I did. Perhaps I've been going about this all wrong? Instead of making bitter melon the star of a dish, if I just treated it as any other squash and http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2014/08/chinese-bitter-melon-stir-fry-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Wandering Chopsticks)2