Category: Asian Dishes
Golden Fried Rice-Sinfully Delicious (黄金炒饭)

Golden Fried Rice-Sinfully Delicious (黄金炒饭)

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I LOVE fried rice. Posted on 3Jamigos are my favorites,  my Dad’s Fried Rice and Kimchi Fried Rice.  Until now, I was very content with these two recipes until…..I came across a video from Lucas Sin, chef/owner of Junzi’s Kitchen in New York/New Haven for Golden Fried Rice.  Golden Fried Rice? Say what?

The key to this dish and why it is called Golden Fried Rice is uncooked egg yolks are mixed into the rice BEFORE cooking.  The egg yolk surrounds each grain of rice, like a protective rain slicker. When the rice is cooked the grains stay separate, and take on this wonderful satiny loose texture and light golden hue.  It’s nuanced but mind-blowing, and that’s coming from a fried rice freak.

Young Guns Breaking the Mold

I follow more than a couple of Asian-American chefs, cookbook authors, and bloggers on the scene now. I’m so impressed with not just their cooking but their ability to utilize social media and non-traditional avenues to highlight Asian cuisine.  They have found ways to navigate and adapt to the pandemic.  I’ve posted about many of these kids and their work.

The new guard includes Lucas Sin, Deuki Hong, Eric Kim, Brandon Jiu, Cynthia Chen McTiernan, Joy Cho… The old guard, who paved the way, include Roy Choi, David Chang, Eddie Huang, and Joanne Chang.  They are not just making great food but highlighting social and environmental issues that impact all of us. 

It has been a difficult time compounded by the anti-Asian sentiment in this country, it’s good to see Asian Americans use their platforms to support the community and bring to light many of the issues that folks of color, not just Asian American faces.  I’m proud to be Asian-American. #veryasian

Going for the Gold-en

I don’t even need to do a rundown of the recipe if you watch this video! But I will.

Mise En Place is the name of the game.

Get all your ingredients prepped before you get near your stove.  This holds true for any stir-fried dish.  Make sure you have all your ingredients cut, and prepped, and your seasonings on hand.  Stir-frying is that point of time where Scotty takes us into warp speed.  So you better be ready to go.

Rules of the Game

After Mise En Place.  Use a large, flat-bottomed pan to stir-fry.  Face it, most of us don’t have stoves that generate enough BTUs to do real wok cooking,  a flat-bottom maximizes the surface area in contact with your flame.

The very basic dish is rice, egg, and the flavor trinity of ginger, onions, and garlic. Oh, and of course, salt and peppa.

Add-itionally

Most people aren’t purists, at least not all of the time. Let’s talk adds.  Anything goes with fried rice, any veggie, any protein, any condiment..it’s all good, which tells you just how perfect fried rice is.  I am no exception, my favorite additions to fried rice are Lop Cheung (Chinese sausage), bbq pork, and shiitake mushrooms.  All adds should be at least partially cooked before adding to the rice.  Because you will add your options right before you plate the dish. Your fried rice is just about done and boom, hit it with diced veggies and protein, give it a minute or so of frying to heat everything through, and you’re done.  That is unless you are adding sauce (catsup (my fav), hot sauce, XO Sauce, Buffalo Wing Sauce per Lucas) which you would add NOW.

Fried Rice is Soul Food, make a bowl, and enjoy.

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5 from 1 vote

Golden Fried Rice

Fried rice taken to a new level with the addition of egg yolks to the rice before it is cooked.
Course One dish meals, Rice
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword eggs, Golden Fried Rice, Lucas Sin
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chilled cooked short-grain white rice can use long grain, preferably day-old rice
  • 4 large eggs yolks and whites separated
  • 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil divided, plus more for drizzling

Asian Trinity Plus

  • ½ small yellow or white onion finely chopped
  • 1 inch piece ginger peeled, finely chopped almost minced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 4 scallions white and pale green parts separated, finely chopped, dark green parts thinly sliced,

Flavor Adds

  • 1 tsp Kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar to taste
  • 1/8 tsp tumeric if you want to enhance the golden color of the rice, this is the trick
  • white pepper to taste

The Options: Sky's the Limit

  • 1 cup Bbq pork, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage, shrimp, peas, any diced vegetables-squash. Last night's roast chicken, diced. Any of these should be diced and at least partially cooked. This is your chance to clean out the fridge! Add right before the rice is done and stir fry any adds for a minute to heat and combine distribute evenly in the rice. To preserve the texture of the rice, your additions should not be too wet, which is also why you should use pre-partially cooked items..

Instructions

  • Separate egg yolks from whites, placing yolks in a medium bowl and whites in a small bowl. Add rice to bowl with yolks and mix to break up any clumps and coat each grain with yolks (take your time with this as any clumps will cook together); set aside.
  • Stir 2 Tbsp oil into egg whites and season lightly with salt. Heat a dry large nonstick skillet over high. Add egg white mixture and cook, pushing around constantly with chopsticks or a heatproof rubber spatula, until gently set, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out skillet if needed.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in skillet over medium-high. Add ginger, stirring, until very fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add yellow onion, season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 1 minute (remove from heat if onion starts to go past golden brown). Add reserved rice mixture, sprinkle with sugar, and season with salt. Toss to combine, then cook, undisturbed, until rice is beginning to warm and crisp underneath, about 1 minute.
  • Push some of the rice to the side to clear a few inches in skillet. Drizzle a bit of oil into the clearing. Add scallion white and pale green parts and garlic and cook, stirring, until just softened and fragrant, about 45 seconds. Toss into rice mixture and cook, tossing occasionally, until warmed through and rice is crisp and chewy, about 3 minutes. Return cooked egg whites to pan and cook, tossing and breaking up with spatula until distributed.
  • Now is when you would add extras...veggies, protein, and then condiments. Stir fry additional minute to combine and heat through.
  • Special Shout Out to my favorite: catsup or ketchup, add it now. Start with at least 2-3 tablespoons and then add to taste. Fry to heat and incorporate catsup throughout the rice.
  • Divide among plates and top with scallion greens.

Notes

Note in the video, Lucas mentions a 2:1 ratio of salt to sugar.  I started with even amounts or a smidge more salt, taste, and season to your preference.
This fried rice does not use soy sauce at all.  Most likely due to the color impact of adding soy sauce.  I grew up with fried rice that was coffee with a bit of milk color. My Dad used soy sauce in his rice, a trick he probably picked up from Chinatown chefs.  A simple variation of fried rice starts with butter or rendered chicken fat with dark and light soy to color and flavor the rice...so, so yummy.
Creamy Cashew Udon with Crispy Mushrooms

Creamy Cashew Udon with Crispy Mushrooms

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I’m not a vegetarian but we are making a concerted effort to eat less meat and more veggies.  Good for us and good for the planet.  It’s much easier now with so many cookbook authors, bloggers, and chefs being much more veggie-forward.

The first new year recipe I tried was Cauliflower Steaks with a Smoky Tomato Rub from Cook the Vineyard.  Delicious, off to a good start!  I also received Hetty McKinnon’s To Asia with Love during the holidays.  A nod to her Chinese roots, she has penned a beautiful cookbook that relies on vegetables.  But before I even cracked open the book I found this recipe from her, Creamy Cashew Udon with Crispy Mushrooms, in Bon Appetit.  It’s so good.

The recipe can be broken down into 3 parts.  The creamy cashew sauce, the umami-filled chili crisp, soy, vinegar sauce, and the noodles.

Cashew Sauce

Who knew? Blending cashews with water, garlic makes an amazing, creamy, rich sauce that is the perfect stand-in for heavy cream.

It is super versatile, add herbs and spices for a sauce over roasted vegetables like carrots and broccoli. Or add some tahini for a sesame flavored sauce. Yummy.  I know, cashews can be pretty darn expensive.  I buy mine at Costco or local Indian markets which helps save some buckaroos,

The base sauce is cashews, water, garlic, salt, and a bit of oil.  It’s genius.  The cashews are hydrated first, in hot water, before tossing them in a blender or food processor with other ingredients and whirred into a sauce that provides flavor and a wonderfully creamy, decadent sauce.  Shazam.

Chili Oil

The chili sauce comes together quickly and provides that burst of flavor that brings it all together.  Use your favorite Chili Crisp Oil.  I use either the OG of Chili Crisp Oils, Lao Gan Ma, or Momofuku Chili Crisp.  Hetty McKinnon has a homemade chili crisp oil in her book.  It’s on my bucket list of things to try.

The Noods

Udon noodles are Japanese wheat noodles that are thick and springy.  Often overshadowed by its flashy cousin ramen. It is served in soup, hot or cold, and stir-fried.  My fav is in soup with shreds of beef, Niku Udon, with Aburaage, fried tofu, or simply with an egg.  Here is my Udon primer.  It works really well in this dish, the creamy sauce coats the thick, sticky udon nicely. The noodles have a nice bite that compliments the mushrooms.  BUT, you could use different noodles, keep in mind you’ll want a thicker noodle, one that can stand up to the sauce (so not thin vermicelli noodles).  For a gluten-free option, a wide rice noodle would work well.

Not gonna lie, always going to love meat, but folks like Hetty McKinnon are making it much easier to make our meals much more veggie-centric.  This pasta dish is going in the regular rotation!

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Creamy Cashew Udon with Crispy Mushrooms

From Hetty McKinnon an absolutely delicious pasta dish that uses cashews to create a creamy, decadent sauce, it’s vegetarian, it’s vegan, it’s yummy!
Course Main Course, one bowl meal, pasta
Cuisine Asian-American, vegan, vegetarian
Keyword Angel hair pasta, cashew, Creamy cashew sauce, mushrooms, Udon
Prep Time 1 hour 42 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

CASHEW CREAM

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 garlic clove coarsely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Chili Oil

  • 2 Tbsp. Chinkiang or Chinese Black Vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. chili crisp or chili oil
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 scallion thinly sliced

The Shrooms

  • 2-3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. oyster shiitake, crimini, or button mushrooms, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt plus more serving
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Noodles and Garnish

  • 28 oz. fresh or frozen udon noodles Substitute wide rice noodles for gluten-free option.
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

Cashew Cream

  • Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add cashews and let sit until tender, 30–60 minutes.
  • Drain cashews and transfer to a blender (preferably high-speed) or food processor. Add garlic, oil, salt, and ½ cup water and purée until smooth.

Umami Sauce

  • Stir vinegar, chili crisp, soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallion in a small bowl to combine; set soy-vinegar sauce aside.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms, tossing every minute or so but leaving mostly undisturbed, until mostly golden and crisp, 5–8 minutes, oyster and shiitakes will cook quicker, while crimini and button mushrooms will take a bit longer. Add garlic and kosher salt, cook, stirring often, add additional tablespoon of olive oil if the mushrooms look dry.

Noodles

  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. You can use udon or any wide, thick noodle. For gluten-free option use rice noodles. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
  • Remove half of the mushrooms from the pan. Add noodles and cashew cream to pan with remianing mushrooms cook, stirring and adding reserved cooking liquid a little at a time, until cream is loose and coats noodles. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Divide noodles among bowls, garnish with reserved mushrooms generously drizzle each with reserved soy-vinegar sauce. Top with remaining scallions. Serve.

Notes

You could make this gluten free too!  Use a wheat free soy sauce, like a Tamari Sauce and a rice noodle for the udon. 
Blend the cashew sauce well, preferably use a blender or food processor.  Don’t be timid, you want a nice smooth sauce.

 
Old School Almond Cookies

Old School Almond Cookies

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Growing up in Chinatown the standard plate of cookies found on our table was not Chocolate Chip Cookies, but Almond Cookies.  Found in every Chinese Bakery, these were my favorite cookie, well except for the almond in the center, which I ate around, kids, what do you do.

Phoenix Bakery

Last Roadtrip

One of my favorite Almond Cookies comes from Phoenix Bakery in Los Angeles Chinatown.  It’s been there a long time, three generations of the Chan family (hopefully there is a fourth generation) cranking out cookies and cakes.  Theirs is the quintessential Almond Cookie, crumbly not crisp, nutty, dense but not tough, and distinctly almond-flavored. Growing up, every family trip to Los Angeles included the prerequisite stop at Phoenix Bakery for those pink boxes filled with almond cookies and sweet, sticky butterfly cookies. Right before COVID hit, I drove down to LA for my favorite auntie’s birthday and of course, I stopped at Phoenix Bakery.

An Homage

Every Christmas my brother-in-law’s mother baked boxes and boxes (pink cake boxes of course) of cookies.  We were one of the lucky recipients.  My favorite, her almond cookie. With that first bite, I was transported back to the Chinatown of my childhood.

As a testament to how much I like Almond Cookies, I have multiple almond cookies on 3Jamigos.  The first time I wrote about Mrs. F’s Almond Cookies, I actually included the Almond Cookie recipe from B’s Patisserie in San Francisco.  It’s a luscious almond cookie, buttery, crispy, filled with almond flavor, delicious in its own right, but texturally different from the classic Chinatown Almond Cookie.

Finally, Mrs. F’s Almond Cookies

Why didn’t I make Mrs. F’s cookies from the get-go? Embarrassingly, I had misplaced her recipe.  After an all-out hunt, I finally found it (or did I ask my brother-in-law?).  Well, bottom line, I have it now my little duckies.

After the first batch, I tinkered with the recipe just a little.  The cookies texturally were spot on.   Here is the secret, the texture comes from using lard or shortening.  Yep, no butter in these bad boys.  Hmmm…butter-flavored shortening?  Why not.  This was my inaugural use of butter-flavored Crisco in place of regular shortening.  Judging by the response to these cookies, it worked!  If you have an aversion to butter-flavored shortening, use regular shortening.  If and when I try lard I will report back.  I have no problems using lard, it’s more of an access issue.  I prefer leaf lard which is less processed than the stuff in supermarkets.

Shortening is easy to work with and inherently a little softer than butter. I keep my shortening in the fridge. Beat the dough until light and fluffy 2-3 minutes before adding dry ingredients.

Let’s Go Nutty

The other tweak MORE almond flavor.  I upped the amount of almond extract cause in my book, you can never have too much almond flavor. JK, but I did think the cookies benefitted from a smidge more.

Year of the Tiger

Don’t think cookie season is over!  Chinese New Year is right around the corner and these would be purr-fect in an assortment of goodies to ring in the Year of the Tiger!

Part of the Holiday Cookie Parade
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Almond Cookies -like the ones in Chinatown!

This recipe was generously shared with me by my brother-in-law's family. Made with lard or shortening, these are the quintessential Chinese Almond Cookies found in Chinatown bakeries and restaurants. Crumbly, almond-forward, delicious
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Chinatown Almond Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 5 cups sifted flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Shortening, either reg or butter-flavored 40T (35 T will do)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1.5 tsp almond extract Use up to 2 tsp
  • 1/4 tsp potassium carbonate liquid or 1/4 t baking soda

Finishing Touches

  • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
  • almond halves or sesame seeds garnish

Instructions

  • Combine flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.
  • Cream shortening and sugar till fluffy. Add egg and blend thoroughly. Add almond extract and k+Co3 and blend well.
  • Gradually add flour and stir until well combined. Form round balls (size of small walnut, I use a 1 tablespoon+ ice cream scoop to portion out the dough. At this point, if the dough seems a little soft, chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.
  • Using a flat bottom glass, dip in a little bit of flour and press dough flat on a cookie sheet to about 1/2 inch thickness. Leave about 1.5 inches between cookies. Brush each cookie with egg wash. Place almond or sesame seeds centered on top.
  • Bake 350 degrees 15 minutes or until slightly golden in color.

Notes

The recipe is easily halved.  A large beaten egg is approximately 3.25 tablespoons, use half for the dough and half for the egg wash.  You have some play with the amount of egg in the dough. I have used a whole large egg in a half recipe and it turns out fine, the cookie is just a bit more fragile. I'd use a small egg in a half recipe.
I like the butter-flavored Crisco in the cookie. Gives a bit more flavor without sacrificing the texture of the cookie.
 
 
Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp With Cabbage Slaw & Gochujang Mayo-Shrimply the Best

Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp With Cabbage Slaw & Gochujang Mayo-Shrimply the Best

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I came home from work the other day and ANNOYINGLY, with a couple of kids home and the hubster, no one had even thought about dinner.  I mean really, I’m bringing home the “bacon”, the least someone could do is start dinner. But then I remembered we had some raw shrimp left from our hotpot celebration and a head of red cabbage, time for Joy Cho’s recipe for Pan-fried Crispy Shrimp with a Red Cabbage Slaw and Gochujang Mayo.  I have been itching to try it for a while. It sounded very doable (even after working the whole day) and looked stunning.  If it’s anywhere close to as delicious as her Gochujang Pasta, we’d have another winner.

Shred cabbage thinner than this!

Make the spicy mayo first, which is just Kewpie Mayo, Gochujang, Gochugaro, honey, and sesame, so simple, so good. The slaw comes next which means slicing the cabbage and making a quick vinegar dressing. Use a mandolin to shred the cabbage if you have one.  If not, slice as thin as possible.  I took a shortcut (hey, I worked ALL day peeps) and grabbed a bag of Trader Joe’s 10-minute Farro.  My Anson Mills Farro would have to wait for another day. We cooked the farro in dashi which added a nice briny punch that complements the shrimp. Boom, umami boost.

On to the shrimp, a coat of cornstarch before frying gives it a nice crunchy finish.  Hit the shrimp with a generous amount of S & P or Momofuku Savory Salt before frying.

Finish dish with green onions and roasted black or white sesame seeds.  I placed the mayo in a squirt bottle so I could liberally squeeze it all over the top, looks good amirite?  Voila’ a stunning dinner in minutes!

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5 from 1 vote

Pan-fried Crispy Shrimp with a Red Cabbage Slaw and Gochujang Mayo

A Pan-fried Crispy Shrimp with a Red Cabbage Slaw and Gochujang Mayo from Joy Cho. Delicious, easy to prepare, absolutley stunning dish!
Course Main Course, one bowl meal
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword farro, gochujang, red cabbage, shrimp, spicy mayo
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

Da Grain

  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt plus more
  • 1 cup semi-pearled farro or wheat berries, rinsed I used TJ's 10 min farroand cooked it in dashi,substitute any grain you like, brown rice, bulgur or even cauliflower rice

Da Mayo Sauce

  • 1/3 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
  • 4 tsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) Gochujang comes in varying levels of heat, mild, med, hot-picked the one you like
  • 1/2 tsp honey or more to taste
  • 1 tsp. or more gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder)
  • 1/2 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp mirin
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil or more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Da Slaw

  • 1/2 small head red cabbage 1 1⁄2 lb. about 4 generous cups
  • 3 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Mirin
  • 2 tsp honey
  • S&P to taste

Da Shrimp

  • 1 lb. large shrimp peeled, deveined, tails removed
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 scallions sliced on the diagonal
  • Toasted sesame seeds for serving

Instructions

Grains

  • Cook 1 cup semi-pearled farro or wheat berries, rinsed, in a medium pot of boiling salted water, maintaining a simmer and stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy, 20–35 minutes, depending on grain. Drain well and set aside. (Alternatively, skip the cooking and use 2 cups leftover cooked grains.)
  • I cheated, I used 10 min farro from TJ's . Feel free to sub any grain of choice, brown rice or cauliflower rice would be yummy. To enhance the farro I used my favorite dashi mix to flavor the cooking water.

Gochujang Mayo

  • Mix mayonnaise, 4 tsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste), 1⁄2 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. gochugaru, 1⁄2 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, 1⁄2 tsp. mirin, 1⁄2 tsp. pure or toasted sesame oil, 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt, and several cranks of freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl to combine.
    Taste and add more gochujang and gochugaru for a spicier sauce or more honey and sesame oil for a milder version.

Cabbage Slaw

  • Whisk remaining 3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. mirin, 2 tsp. honey, and a few pinches of salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth.
  • Thinly slice 1⁄2 small head of red cabbage (about 1 1⁄2 lb)(about 4 heaping cups.) Add to bowl with dressing and massage cabbage with your hands until softened and evenly coated, about 30 seconds. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside.

Da Shrimp

  • Spread 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, out onto a small rimmed baking sheet or large plate. Season liberally with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Return shrimp to a single layer.
  • Sprinkle cup cornstarch evenly over shrimp. Using your hands, press cornstarch into each shrimp so that they’re evenly and fully coated.
  • Heat 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high. Once oil is hot, reduce heat to medium-high and, using tongs, carefully arrange shrimp in a single layer in pan (you may need to work in batches and add more oil). Cook, adjusting heat if needed and turning once, until barely golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer shrimp to a wire rack.

Bringing It to the Table

  • Thinly slice 2 scallions; set aside for serving.
  • Divide farro among shallow bowls, top with cabbage, leaving any juices from cabbage behind, then scatter shrimp over. Finish with gochujang mayo, toasted sesame seeds, and reserved scallions. Extra mayo can be served on the side.

Notes

Do ahead: Farro can be cooked and gochujang mayo and cabbage slaw can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill separately.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower Takoyaki Style-Ahead of the Game

Whole Roasted Cauliflower Takoyaki Style-Ahead of the Game

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So, you drew the short straw, didn’t you?  Yep, the proverbial boring Thanksgiving dish.  Vegetables, sheesh.  Auntie has drawn dessert, ugh, means lime green jello mold with pineapple.  Which is not dessert actually but it’s ok, she’s your Aunt.

Could be worse, you could have drawn salad.  Really, who goes for salad first on Thanksgiving?  Sure I take the customary 2 lettuce leaves and a crouton to make my plate look balanced.  It’s all for show I don’t actually eat it.  At least we can salvage the veggie dilemma.

I am here to make you the belle of the ball, a prince among paupers.  Along the way, we are demystifying the twenty-dollar whole roasted cauliflower.  Yeah, fess up, you have paid that much and didn’t even blink an eye when you did.

You will never order whole roasted cauliflower again.

Well, at the least, you won’t pay twenty bucks for it.

You don’t have to core it this much, I was a bit overzealous

Start with a nice looking head of cauliflower,  Wash it, trim off the outer leaves, (here is my hack) core the center stem with a melon baller if you have one. If not use a paring knife.  Coring shortens cooking time.

Slather the cauliflower top and bottom with olive oil.  I use a squirt bottle, a brush would work also.  Season with salt and pepper, again, top and bottom.  Place on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet.

That’s it.  Your work is done.  Your oven does the rest of the heavy-lifting. Roast for about 45-50 minutes.  Pierce it with a knife, if it goes through fairly easy, it’s done.  Out comes a beautiful toasty, crispy edged, soft- centered, delicious, cauliflower canvas, ready to be painted.

You can top your cauliflower with just about anything.  I have served it with roasted tomatoes, or brushed with a garlic and herb butter, it’s your cauliflower, go crazy.

My latest razzle dazzle topping was inspired by a recipe I found in a little book called Emily the Cookbook. Emily is a pizza joint in Brooklyn that is on my bucket list of places to try.  They serve a roasted broccoli dish that is based on the toppings for Takoyaki, a popular Japanese seafood-filled round pancake.  So simple, yet so good.  In fact, it’s so simple I’m using pics to show you how to make it.

All you need is Okonomi Sauce (preferred) or Tonkatsu Sauce (think Worchestershire/Steak Sauce but better), Kewpie Mayonnaise (Japanese mayo), Bonita Flakes (fish flakes) and green onions.

Squirt a bunch of the mayo (it even comes in a squirt bottle-how easy is that?) all over the top.

Then squirt a bunch of Okonomi Sauce on top.

Finish with a flurry of bonita flakes, green onions and some sesame seeds if you like. Want to keep it vegetarian? Instead of bonita flakes,  TJ’s has a fish-free furikake.

That’s it.  Easy and Monster tasty!

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Takoyaki Style Sauce

Easy and delicious way to serve cauliflower. Whole roasted with a umami bomb sauce.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Vegetable
Cuisine Fusion
Keyword Cauliflower, takoyaki sauce, Whole roasted cauliflower
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower 1.5-2 pounds
  • 3-4 tbsp good quality olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Takoyaki Sauce

  • Kewpie Mayonnaise
  • Okonomi Sauce
  • Bonita Flakes or Furikake
  • Green Onions for garnish
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish
  • Lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  • Wash and trim cauliflower. Remove leaves and cut stem even with the bottom of the cauliflower. Using a melon baller or paring knife, core cauliflower stem. Take care not to cut too much, you want to leave the stalks connected to the stem.
  • Brush or squirt olive oil all over the top and bottom of the cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper and a little garlic salt (optional). I have used Momofuku Savory Salt for a bit more punch. The sauce will give it alot of flavor though.
  • Roast for about 45-50 minutes.  Pierce it with a knife, if it goes through fairly easy, it's done.

Takoyaki Sauce

  • Can I call this a recipe? Basically squirt copious amounts of Kewpie mayo and Okonomi Sauce in zig zag lines all over the cauliflower. Sprinkle Bonita Flakes or Furikake all over and hit it with green onions and tossed sesame seeds let.
  • Done. Bring it to the table in all it's whole roasted glory!

Notes

From the Japanese cookbook, Just One Cookbook. Kewpie imposter recipe!
For 1 cup of American mayonnaise (like Best Foods), add 2 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 Tbsp sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. For 1 Tbsp of American mayonnaise, add 1/2 tsp rice vinegar and 1/8 tsp sugar.
Meat & Tofu Patties Wanja-Jeon

Meat & Tofu Patties Wanja-Jeon

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From a historical perspective, who was the OG that took a hunka meat and decided to grind it up?

It was GENIUS

I mean, think of all the foods you love that start with ground meat?  Top of the list, duh, BURGERS.  Followed by Italian SAUSAGES, Spaghetti and MEATBALLS,  Sloppy Joes, ragú, chili, and meatloaf…  In Asian cuisine you have,  Steamed Pork Patty, Japanese Soboro, potstickers, momos…toppings for rice bowls, quick soups, dumplings…I could grind on but you get the meat of it.

Dinners were always delicious at my Auntie Lil and Uncle Stan’s house.  A blend of Korean and Hawaiian dishes that made my mouth water.  My favorite dish was Auntie Lil’s Beef and Tofu Patties, her version of Wanja-jeon, 완자전.  Kind of like bite-sized flattened meatballs she called mini-burgers.   Add tofu and carrots to make the jeon moist and tender. Then season with sesame, onions, garlic, and soy sauce and finally dip in flour and egg then fry to a light golden color. Freakin’ delicious.

Ultimately, consumed at a torrid pace by…me.  Unfortunately, I never asked her for the recipe so to re-create Auntie Lil’s Wanj-jeon, I turned to a couple of my favorite Korean food sites, Korean Bapsang and Maanchi.

Where’s the Beef…Patty

Wanja-jeon can be made with beef or a combination of beef and pork. I might try some ground chicken in place of the pork, but for now let’s stick to the OG version, BEEF. I did try 50:50 beef: pork and didn’t feel there was a big difference. Finely dice or mince the carrots, onions, garlic, and scallions.  Drain and press the excess water from the tofu (very important, no soggy patties for us) and smoosh it up.  Add soy sauce and sesame seeds and oil. Lightly mix the ingredients together.

Set aside two bowls, fill one with the flour and the other for the eggs.  Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl and set them aside. Use a two-tablespoon ice cream scoop to make balls and lightly flatten each.  Dip each patty into the flour and place it on a pan or platter.  When you have floured all of the patties, it’s fry time. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add the oil.  Place your bowl of beaten eggs near the pan.  When the pan is hot, dip each patty into the egg mixture and carefully place it in the pan.

Fry over medium-low heat, the patties should be a light golden brown and firm to touch.

Serve Wanja-jeon warm or room temperature.  I like to serve the patties with a dipping sauce that has a little sweetness and kick.  Enjoy!

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Wanjajeon (Pan-fried Beef and Tofu Patties)

Korean Beef and Tofu Patties, known as Wanja-jeon are delicious two bite morsels that are delicious as an appetizer, and perfect for Bento box lunches. Kids love them!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Asian
Keyword beef and tofu patties, Korean Snack, wanjajeon
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

The Patty

  • ½ pound ground beef or mixture of pork and beef
  • 4 ounces of tofu squeeze out excess water and smoosh
  • 3 tablespoons chopped onion, yellow or white ~1/4 of an onion
  • 1-2 garlic cloves (1 tsp) minced
  • 1 green onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped carrot minced or finely chopped
  • 1 large egg slightly beatened

The Patty Seasonings

  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon soy sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil

The Dredge & Fry

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp roasted white sesame seeds, crushed optional

Dipping Sauce

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2-1 tsp Gochugaru or crushed chili flakes
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp green onions, finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Patties

  • Combine ground beef, pressed tofu, onion, garlic, green onion, carrot, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, soy sauce, ground black pepper, sesame oil, sesame seeds if using, and 1 egg in a bowl.
  • Mix well by hand until the mixture gets a little sticky.
  • Divide the mixture into ~16 equal pieces. A 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop makes easy work of this. Shape each into a ball between your palms, then flatten into 2-inch patty about ¼ inch thick.
  • Dip each patty into flour, coat well but shake off the excess. Set each aside on a platter. Dredge all the patties at once and place on a platter or tray.

Fry Time

  • In a bowl beat 2 eggs, add a pinch of salt.
  • Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add some oil and tilt the pan to spread it around.
  • Working in batches, dip each patty in the beaten egg, making sure to coat all of the patty, and place in the hot pan, one by one.
  • Cook for about 1-2 minute until the bottom part turns light golden brown. Flip it over and cook for a few more minutes until the bottom part turns a little crunchy and light golden brown.
  • Patties should be firm to touch when done. I cook the patties in two batches in a 12-inch pan. Clean the pan between batches. Serve the patties warm or at room temperature. Leftover patties are perfect in bento boxes.

Dipping Sauce

  • Combine all ingredients, stir well.
  • This is an all-purpose dipping sauce that can be used with dumplings, meat patties, Korean pancakes and jeon.
Stir-Fried Pork Belly and Bean Sprouts

Stir-Fried Pork Belly and Bean Sprouts

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I created 3jamigos to chronicle our family’s food adventures, recipes, and stories, with my kids in mind.  Back in my college days, I often called home to ask my dad how to make homestyle Cantonese dishes I grew up eating.  Dishes like fuzzy melon soup, congee, and steamed pork patty, were the connection to my family, a sure-fire remedy to my homesickness.  Things have come full circle, I’m now on the receiving end of the “how do you make…?”.  When I come across a dish that is simple and delicious, and I think the kids would like this, I make a mental note to put it on 3jamigos.

Soul Food

The OG meal to cure homesickness! Corn Soup, stir-fried anything green, Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Eggs and Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage, and Mushrooms.

Soul food and comfort food for my family starts with Cantonese food (Roots, baby) but extends to other Asian cuisines.  You are just as likely to find Bulgogi, Japchae, and Teriyaki on our dinner table.  My latest find, is a cookbook that speaks to the melting pot we are, A Common Table by Cynthia McTernan.  Absolutely one of my favorites. It’s beautifully written, gorgeously photographed and contains delicious user-friendly recipes.

Along with Tofu Soup, this quick and easy, Stir-Fried Pork Belly with Bean Sprouts has become a family favorite.   Adapted from Korean Bapsang, it is a quick meal on a busy weeknight.  A couple of minutes of prepping and cooking is all it takes.  Before you know it you’ll be sitting down to a bowl of steaming hot rice topped with a generous scoop of yummy pork and sprouts…yep, bowl food is soul food.

Check It Out Now-Sprout Soul Sistah

Slivers of pork belly stir-fried with bean sprouts, onions, and scallions.  Seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce, it’s delicious and simple to make.  Frying the pork in sesame oil and adding fresh Thai chili pepper slices to the dish, my contribution.  Use thinly sliced pork butt or shoulder instead of pork belly if you like. Thinly sliced beef is also an option.  IN A PINCH, use regular thick-sliced bacon.  This would add that characteristic smoky flavor of bacon, which would be okay in my book 😉.

Sprouts

The only thing you need to know about the bean sprouts for this recipe…don’t overcook them!  Keep them crunchy!  That’s it, folks.  Make sure you pick sprouts that are white and shiny, with a nice yellow tip.  I also threw in a thinly sliced, de-seeded Serrano or Thai pepper, for a little spice.

Enjoy!

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Stir-fried pork belly and bean sprouts-Samgyupsal sukju bokkeum

A quick and easy stir fry of pork belly and bean sprouts.
Course Meat, One dish meals, Vegetable
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Keyword Pork Belly
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces thinly sliced/shaved pork belly or other thinly sliced pork or beef
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 10 ounces bean sprouts
  • 1/4 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 -3 plump garlic cloves
  • 2-3 scallions or 2 ounces garlic chives cut into 1 inch segments, if they are large, cut in half lengthwise first
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or oyster sauce Use 1 T of each
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 fresh red chili pepper, deseeded and sliced thinly

Instructions

  • If you are using pork belly, cut each slice into 1 inch segments, for other meats thinly sliced into bite sized pieces
  • Give the bean sprouts a quick rinse, and drain. Thinly slice the onion, and cut the scallions (or garlic chives) into 2-inch pieces.
  • Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the sesame oil to the pan and then the pork, stir-fry quickly until no longer pink.
  • Add the onion and stir fry briefly 30 seconds. Add bean sprouts chili pepper (if using) and scallions, continue to stir fry until the bean sprouts have wilted slightly but are still crunchy.
  • Add the soy sauce and/or oyster sauce, garlic, sugar and pepper to taste. Stir-fry quickly. Season with salt to taste if necessary. Serve with a big bowl of rice (although this would go well with noods too). Enjoy!

Notes

You can find a variety of extra thin cut meats in your local Korean/Asian markets.
If you want to thinly slice the meat yourself, freeze the meat until it's firm, but still sliceable. With a sharp knife, slice the meat as thin as you can.
Jumping on the Banh Mi Banhwagon

Jumping on the Banh Mi Banhwagon

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I appreciate our backyard now more than ever as it has served as an escape during the quarantine.  While it’s not very big and there aren’t any bells and whistles,  we do have an umbrella, a table, and a grill.  The essentials.  The hubs strung lights for those warm summer evenings, and this has really added to the evening ambiance, it’s a nice escape.  It’s amazing how just a mere 5 feet beyond my backdoor makes a world of difference.  This refuge has made COVID quarantine a little easier to handle and I feel very fortunate.

Let’s Start At the Very Beginning

Banh Mi go time.  We start by grilling some Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken, the recipe can be found here.  Chicken marinated in lemongrass, fish sauce, shallots, garlic, and ginger, an explosion of flavors, delicious on its own and perfect for Banh Mi.

Classics

The marinade is a mash-up of recipes found in Mai Pham’s The Best of Vietnamese & Thai Cooking, and Nicole Routhier’s Foods of Vietnam.  Nicole Routhier’s classic book was probably one of the first books published on Vietnamese cooking way back in the early ’90s, it’s a classic.

All the fixins’ for Banh Mi

 

The Bread:  Light and crispy on the outside, soft and airy on the inside defines the French rolls used for Banh Mi .  A crunchy exterior is imperative.  A crusty baguette might be your best option or a 12″ hero sammie roll.  Bake it in the oven for a couple of minutes to get the outside nice and crisp.  Or if you are like me, you will drive to the Vietnamese Grocery store to buy the rolls.

Mayonnaise:  Best Foods of course or for a sweeter mayo, Japanese Kewpie mayo. Slather both sides of the roll.  Not a mayo fan?  Use BUTTER, which is the OG spread for these sammies.

Hot Sauce:  Don’t have Jalapenos? Want additional heat? Squirt some Siracha on your roll.

Maggi Sauce:  According to Andrea Nguyen, this is a must-have on a Bahn Mi.  Sprinkle on both sides of the roll.  In a pinch, you could use soy sauce.

Grilled Chicken:  Sliced and layered on bread.  You could use pork (traditional), meatballs, ham, char siu, whatever protein you like.  It’s your sammie.

Pickled Daikon (radish) and Carrots:  I love the pickled veggies! Sweet, tart, and refreshing. I adapted a quick pickle recipe from NYT and Melissa Clark.  The classic ratio of carrots to daikon is 2:1, adjust to your liking.  The recipe is below.

Cucumbers:  Sliced, added crunch and so refreshing, crazy for cucumbers.

Herbs:  Pile on the aromatics, basil, mint, cilantro,  sliced jalapenos, thinly sliced red onions.

The veggies and herbs really take this sandwich to another level.  My first Banh Mi was a revelation, been eating them ever since.  Enjoy!

Options:  If you gotta have it, choose a mild Pate, chicken, or pork and spreadable.  A recommended pate’ is by Flower, Pork Liver Pate in a can from Canada.

From Munchies:  Andrea Nguyen making her version of Banh Mi

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Pickled Daikon and Carrots

Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword Pickled Carrots and Radish

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup shredded daikon radish
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • In a bowl, toss together the carrots, daikon, vinegar, sugar and salt and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Notes

Melissa Clark's original recipe calls for 3/4 cup carrots, 1/2 cup daikon (radish) and 3/4 cup thinly sliced cucumbers.  I increased the carrots and daikon to pickle and used fresh-cut cucumbers on the Banh Mi.  Your choice.
Hawaiian Butter Mochi (Mo Buttah’ Mo Bettah’)

Hawaiian Butter Mochi (Mo Buttah’ Mo Bettah’)

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Right before the pandemic hit we capped off a year of traveling by going to Maui.  A celebration for the hubster’s birthday and his early retirement was our excuse to pack our bags and head out for some sun, fun, and food.  Little did we know it would be our last trip for quite a while.

Hawaiian Delights

I am a sucker for Hawaiian food.  A fusion of Native, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean and all of it tweaked so it taste great and is easy to eat while sitting on a beach!  Our bucket list of food included Spam Musubi, a hunk of rice topped with a fried slice of SPAM and wrapped in seaweed, Poke’ (seasoned raw fish in a bowl with rice), island style bbq, Huli, Huli Chicken. YUM.

Then there are the sweets, Malasadas (best damn donuts), Haupia (coconut jello) and my favorite, Butter Mochi. Hawaiian Butter Mochi is the island’s answer to Blondies or Brownies but better (I know, them is fighting words).  Buttery, gooey, sweet and so satisfying.  Like our Spam Musubi quest, we went out of our way to find all things mochi.

This isn’t my first mochi rodeo, I posted a Butter Mochi Muffin recipe a while back that peeps really like (so says Google analytics, lol).  Since then it has been off to the “rices” trying recipes with Koda Farms Sweet Rice (glutinous rice flour).  Mochi now merits its own category in my recipe index.  These muffins started it all, dense, chewy, with a touch of familiar cakiness, and the perfect amount of sugar. They are a great introduction to mochi-based desserts.  BONUS: Mochi is gluten-free!

Butter Mochi Muffins
The Muffins that started it all!

Mochi Mania-Island Style

Hawaiian Butter Mochi takes mochi back closer to its Japanese roots, lighter, springier, and less cakey.  The recipe calls for coconut milk and regular milk.  The regular milk and less mochi flour are the “denseness” buster and gives the mochi its characteristic texture.  Butter adds flavor.  It is usually baked in a pan and then cut into squares but I decided to bake them in muffin tins.  All for the edges folks.  Each person ends up with their own gooeylicious mini-cake highlighted by a crispy, buttery edge, and finished with toasty shredded coconut and a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel, soooooo yummy.

Inspired by Aloha Kitchen and the website Catherine Zhang, these Butter Mochi Mini-Cakes are onolicious.  I hope you will try them!

The two key ingredients you can find at most Asian stores, sweet rice flour and coconut milk. My go-to brands are Koda Farms Mochiko and Chaokoh or Arroy-D for coconut milk.

The batter will be very pourable due to the use of milk as part of the liquid and less mochi flour.

Don’t be afraid to fill the cups to 7/8.  The mini-cakes will puff up but will fall as they are cooling.  You will end up with a flat top or sometimes even a slight depression, it’s all good.

Enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Hawaiian Butter Mochi Muffins

This muffin is a mash-up of Hawaiian Butter Mochi and Butter Mochi Muffins! Gooier and less cake-like than my butter mochi muffins. Baked as muffins they have crispy edges and a soft center-onolicious!
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Asian, Fusion
Keyword butter mochi, hawaiian, Mochi, muffin
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Da Wet Stuff

  • 1/4 cup Unsalted butter 55gm
  • 3/4 cup Coconut milk 170gm
  • 1 cup Whole milk 240gm
  • 2 Eggs

Da Dry Stuff

  • 1 3/4 cup Glutinous rice flour 225gm
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar 200gm
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • Flaked or shredded coconut for garnish, preferably unsweetened but use what you like

Prep Yo Pan

  • Butter
  • Rice flour optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  • Generously grease 12-cup muffin tin with butter and dust with rice flour, if you don't have rice flour, skip it. The flour does help the batter rise in the pan and getting crispy edges.
  • In a large, microwave safe bowl combine the coconut milk and butter, heat in the microwave for 1 minute
  • Add the milk and 2 eggs, whisk until combined. I like whole milk but you can use 2% milk or alternative milk like oat milk.
  • In a medium sized bowl combine the glutinous rice flour, sugar and baking powder
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth
  • Pour the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups
  • Sprinkle with coconut and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown
  • Remove and cool. Muffins will keep for a couple of days on the counter. Pop them in a toaster oven to re-crisp edges. They also freeze pretty well.