Category: Asian Dishes
Instant Pot Easy Jook (Rice Soup) Soul Food Breakfast

Instant Pot Easy Jook (Rice Soup) Soul Food Breakfast

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Last weekend Jamie played her version of NYT’s 36 Hours. We picked her up at the airport (SFO NOT SJC, grrrr) at 1:00 am Friday night (ok Saturday morning, delays) and dropped her off Sunday at 11:00 AM.  Her first words upon seeing her bleary-eyed parents? DID YOU BRING MY SUSHI WITH YOU?  I AM STARVING!  Lucky we like her.

Happy Hour Any Hour

With Jamie coming home, the call went out for a happy hour, which, due to schedules, morphed into a Saturday morning breakfast happy hour.  Any time of day is Happy Hour when it involves friends, food, and fun.  It just means tweaking the menu that’s all. We decided on a bowl of fresh strawberries and summer peaches, Belgium Waffles, candied bacon, Jule’s Granola and yogurt.  Jamie chimed in with “I want Jook (rice soup) too”  Rice Soup is soul food, comfort food, each bite reminds one of being home.  With its addition and the various toppings like shredded chicken, assorted sweet and salty pickles, and slivers of green onions to go along, our breakfast menu was complete.

A small stumbling block to this plan, who was going to make Jook (Rice Soup) in the morning? Ugh, the last thing I wanted to do was get up early after a late-night airport pickup.  Then it hit me, hello…you have an INSTANT POT, Deb.  A quick Google search yielded plenty of recipes so I decided on a mash-up of my Dad’s Jook and a couple of Instant Pot recipes I found online.  Yay, I’ll get forty winks and have rice soup ready for breakfast.

Jook in an Instant Pot is so stupid easy it’s a crime.  Saute a couple of slices of ginger in the Instant Pot add the washed rice, give it a few good stirs, add skinned chicken drumsticks, fill the pot with water and seasonings, seal it and set the timer for 20 minutes. That’s it.  Jook Time.  If you have chicken stock, use it for an extra rich and flavorful soup.

I have a confession, if I don’t have homemade stock or even low-sodium commercial chicken broth, I’ll add a tablespoon of a chicken stock base such as Better Than Boullion, or Chicken Powder by LKK or Knorr (a Chinese kitchen staple) just to kick it up a notch.  It’s not necessary but it will add some depth of flavor.  The soup will look thin when you first take off the lid.  Stir it a couple of times to combine the rice and stock, hit the saute’ function, and bring it to a boil. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the Jook is the consistency you want.

*Notes from a Thanksgiving Table

My favorite post-Thanksgiving meals aka “What to do with your leftovers”.

Turkey Rice Soup (Congee or Jook)

DON’T THROW AWAY THE BONES AND CARCASS. 

Get out your stockpot (or any really, really big pot).  Throw the carcass, wings, drumsticks (sans stuffing) in and fill with water. Add a smashed chunk of ginger (2-inch piece) 1/2 cup of rice wine, a bunch of scallions, a large pinch of salt and bring it to a boil.  Once it boils, reduce heat to a nice energetic simmer.  Cover and fuggetaboutit for a couple of hours.  You will end up with liquid gold to make any delicious soup you want.  For a non-Asian bent, omit ginger and scallions and throw in carrots, celery, yellow onions instead.  But honestly, it doesn’t matter, you could make jook with either stock.

I do make the stock separately so that I can strain the stock and remove all those little nasty bone fragments and seasoning vegetables.  They have all done their job and can now exit stage left.

The stock will keep in the fridge for about a week or longer in the freezer.

Now go back to the top or to the bottom for the recipe on how to make jook….you’ll thank me, so so good.

Hello….Turkey Sammies a la Dagwood style which means all your Thanksgiving leftovers in between two slices of bread.  Yep, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and a couple of slices of cheese from the appetizer plate.  Don’t forget the leftover greens from the salad no one ate because WHO eats salad on Thanksgiving-puulease.  Oh man-so good.

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Instant Pot Chicken Congee Recipe (Jook)

Jook or congee, the ultimate comfort food, when its cold outside, when you have a cold, anytime.
Course Soup
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Calories 140kcal

Ingredients

For the Soup:

  • 1 cup long grain Jasmine rice honestly you can use any kind of rice, long, medium or short grain
  • 1.5 Tsp vegetable oil
  • 3 Slices thinly sliced fresh ginger size of quarters
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3-4 skinless chicken drumsticks or thighs or 2 whole chicken legs, can also add pork such as pork butt 2-3 2 inch pieces
  • 8 to 10 cups water, fill to the 10-cup mark on your IP or use stock and water 1:1
  • 1/8 cup rice wine
  • 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon (optional) Skip if you are starting with stock

At the Finish Line

  • 2 tsp sesame oil toasted, Asian sesame oil
  • 1/3-1/2 cup scallions-sliced on the bias garnish
  • 1/8 Cup finely shredded fresh ginger garnish
  • Salt and pepper to taste preferably white pepper

Instructions

  • Wash rice. Add the rice to a bowl, and add enough water to cover the rice. Swirl the rice around. Drain and repeat a few times until the water is clear. Let drain and dry.
  • Turn on Instant Pot with Saute function.  When hot, add 1 -1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil and ginger.  Saute for 30 seconds, add rice and 1 teaspoon salt.  Stir to coat rice with oil approximately 1 minute.
  • Add chicken pieces, bouillon, and rice wine to the pot . **If you are in a rush or feeling lazy, skip sauteing the rice and ginger.  Just throw them into the pot, fill with enough water until it reaches the 10 cup mark in the Instant Pot.
  • Turn off saute, close the lid and make sure the knob is on "Sealing". Choose the "Porridge" button and set the time to 20 minutes.
  • While congee is cooking, shred ginger and slice scallions and place in small bowls for serving.
  • When the time is up on the timer, turn the Instant Pot off. Wait 15 minutes natural release before turning the knob from 'Sealing' to 'Venting'. Rice soup tends to splatter a lot, do not do a quick release.
  • Remove the chicken from the pot, when it is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the bones. If the jook seems thin, turn saute' function on (without the lid on) and cook until desired consistency.  If it is too thick, add water or broth.
  • Add the chicken back into the congee or put it in a bowl and let folks add at the table. Taste, add salt if necessary.
  • Ladle into bowls and top with desired amount of ginger, white pepper, sesame oil and scallions. Let folks add their own.

Toppings and Fixins'

  • My Dad's Jook calls for potatoes, I love them in my soup. Any kind of potato will work, peeled and quartered for large potatoes. Add at the same time as the chicken when making the soup.
  • For meatballs, follow instructions under Dad's Jook. This can be added at the end after pressure cooking.  Remove lid and press saute function.  When the rice soup comes to a boil, add meatballs and cook until done 2-3 minutes.
  • Additional toppings include cilantro leaves, fried garlic slivers, shredded fresh ginger, salted peanuts, shredded lettuce (iceberg works well)...the list goes on. Anything you eat with rice can be added.  NO Rules!
Pickled Obsession (Pork and Kimchi)

Pickled Obsession (Pork and Kimchi)

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My last trip to the Hankook Korean Supermarket, I took the plunge. Yep, finally bit the bullet and bought a BIG jar of Kimchi.  No more little pint size containers for me.  I didn’t go completely crazy and get the gallon size, although I thought about it for a fleeting moment since it was on sale, lol.  I refrained and prudently bought a quart size jar.

The question running through your brain right now, which Kimchi did she buy? Am I right?  Lucky for you I did the exhaustive, backbreaking, mentally draining research-so you don’t have to.  I stood in the Kimchi section of HMart for an hour, watching which Kimchi customers were buying and then I repeated this at Hankook Market (much to Hubster’s chagrin).  I also “interrogated” my friends and forced them to reveal their favorite Kimchi.  Okay, I just texted them and they replied, consensus was Ocinet or Tobagi brands were good.  So there I was in Hankook Market, upgrading to the quart size jar of Kimchi by Ocinet. 

With a large jar of kimchi to consume, I searched for quick and easy Kimchi dishes to try.  I scored big time when I found a Pork Belly Kimchi recipe on the blog, Spice the Plate.  The kitchen gods were smiling on me, I had sliced pork belly, kimchi and Gochujang in the fridge, didn’t even need to make a grocery run.  This dish literally comes together in minutes. While the rice is cooking, you have plenty of time to prep, cook and plate the Pork and Kimchi.

Pork and Kimchi ingredients

The pork is marinaded in Gochujang, soy sauce and a touch of sugar.  While the pork marinades, thinly slice a yellow onion, grab some kimchi and slice the bigger pieces into strips.  A couple of minutes of stir-frying, garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions to make it pretty, voila’ dinner is served.  This pork and kimchi dish hits the spot, spicy with a touch of sweetness from the Gochujang, heat and crunch from the kimchi, and a bit of nuttiness from the sesame oil. This is “party in my mouth” food.  Delicious and soooo easy.

Stir-fried pork and kimchi

I managed to pop a taste in my mouth before heading out for a meeting, pretty yummy.  I foolishly thought I’ll have some when I get home.  When I got home, the bowl was empty and my kid, a sheepish grin plastered on his face, gave me the two thumbs up. Consolation I guess.

Good thing I bought a big jar of Kimchi.  To help you pick your own bottle of pickled goodness, Serious Eats also reviewed Kimchi which you can find here.

Update:

I love this simple, homey dish and it has become part of my regular rotation.  Starting with ingredients like kimchi, Japanese curry blocks or Thai Curry pastes are such a boon to homecooks.  A flavorful meal in minutes!

Added cellophane or bean thread noodles to this dish to give it even a little more “oomph” without adding more pork.  Bean thread noodles are made of mung bean and once cooked are transparent, and are absolute flavor magnets.

A Deep Dive On This Thread

Cellophane Noodles are found in just about every Asian cuisine, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai…you get the picture. The confusion begins with labeling. Bean thread noodles, glass noodles, and vermicelli refer to noodles made of mung bean or sweet potato. BUT the term vermicelli noodles are also used for thin rice noodles.    Both come dry and look very similar.

On the left is bean thread noodles made of mung bean.  Hydrate them in water and they turn transparent.  On the right, once hydrated rice noodles or vermicelli are opaque white.  If you have had pho or Pad Thai, the noodles are made of rice.   Hawaiian Long Rice (don’t get me started), or Korean Japchae, the noodles are made of mung bean.  I could be wrong, but most Cantonese dishes use glass noodles not rice noodles.

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Stir-Fry Pork and Kimchi

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword stir-fry pork and kimchi
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound kimchi larger pieces cut into strips
  • 1/2 pound pork belly sliced (or pork shoulder or butt would work also)
  • 1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • Toasted white sesame seeds

Marinade for the pork:

  • 1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper paste Gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce Kikkoman is fine
  • ½ teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  • Marinate the pork with Korean hot pepper paste, soy sauce and sugar for about 10 minutes.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat, stir-fry the onion for about 3 minutes until soft and browned.
  • Add the pork and cook for 3-4 minutes until pork loses pinkness.
  • Add in the kimchi and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
  • Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds and green onions.
  • Serve with rice

Notes

I had some tteobokki (rice cakes)so I threw those in too. Yummy
Asian Bolognese “Zha Jiang Mian”

Asian Bolognese “Zha Jiang Mian”

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When I lived in Los Angeles my favorite place to eat was a tiny dumpling shop in Chinatown.  Before entering I would stop and watch the woman in the window folding dumplings, it was mesmerizing.  She would roll the dough into a long rope, deftly cut it into pieces and then with a small rolling pin, flatten each piece into a thin round disc.  A spoonful of filling plopped in the center of the wrapper, a couple of turns, and a perfectly pleated potsticker was born.

Bean Sauce
Hoisin-sweet sauce, Sweet Bean flour is a bit more pronounced in flavor, Bean Sauce is salty with a fermented flavor-umami central. If you don’t have an Asian market near you, I have posted product links in the 3Jamigos Shop for Hoisin Sauce and Bean Sauce-but it would be WAY cheaper at an Asian market!

As delicious as the dumplings were, I actually went for the noodles. Their Zha Jiang Mian was “drop the mic” delicious. The literal translation is fried bean sauce noodles.  Stir fry ground pork or chicken with shiitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger, sweet bean paste, and ground bean sauce-throw in some water and simmer.   Toss with the warm noodles and top with slivers of green onions, crisp carrots, and refreshing cucumbers, it is really yummy.

If a celestial chef decided to create the perfect bowl of noodles-this would be in the running.

Beijing Meat Sauce Noodles

My quest to make my own perfect bowl of noodles started with the recipe on the blog “The Woks of Life” (mom, dad & 2 sisters blogging from different parts of the world, check it out). The recipe calls for ground bean sauce and either sweet flour sauce or Hoisin. I like Zha Jiang Mian with a touch of sweetness so I used Sweet Bean Paste and Hoisin with the Bean Sauce.  Stir fry the pork, seasonings, and mushrooms and add  water to create the sauce. Reduce the sauce until it has thickened and has a nice sheen.  Pour over noodles, add your veggies, dunzo. A little bowl of goodness ready to eat. Sadly, the little shop is gone and it’s a long drive to LA just for noodles anyways.  It’s a good thing I can  make my own Zha Jiang Mian.

Zha Jiang Mian

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Zha Jiang Mian 2 Ways

Zha Jiang Mian Korean style and Chinese Style, both delicious!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Zha Jiang Mian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 oz. ground pork
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon oil plus 1 tablespoon
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
  • 3 slices ginger minced finely
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons sweet bean sauce I used 2 T Hoisin/1 T Sweet Ben Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons ground bean paste Reduce to 2 T
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 8 oz. fresh noodles flour-based noodle. Fresh or dry. I've used udon and a combination of spinach and plain

Additional Chinese Ingredients

  • 4-6 fresh shiitake mushrooms* finely chopped
  • 1 cup julienned carrots
  • 1 cup julienned cucumbers
  • ½ cup julienned scallions garnish

Additional Korean Ingredients

  • 3 fresh shiitake mushrooms diced
  • 1 medium Yukon Gold Potato* 1/2 inch dice for Korean version
  • 1 small zucchini 1/2 inch dice for Korean version
  • 1/2 cup carrots 1/2 inch dice for Korean version
  • 1/2 small yellow onion diced
  • 1/4 head cabbage shredded, optional
  • 1/2 cup green onions chopped
  • 1/2 cup cucumbers diced

Instructions

  • Marinade the pork with the following for 15 minutes: ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon oil, ⅛ teaspoon white pepper.
  • Heat a tablespoon oil in your wok over medium heat, add the marinated ground pork to the wok. Cook for a minute to brown it, and then add the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms* Stir fry everything together for another 2-3 minutes.
  • **Add the Hoisin, sweet bean sauce, bean paste, dark soy sauce, and water, stirring everything together well. Lower the heat and cover the wok. Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  • Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions.
  • Top noodles with the sauce and garnish with the julienned carrots, cucumbers, and scallions.

Korean Style*

  • Stir fry pork, ginger, and garlic for 30 seconds add diced vegetables.  Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Continue with recipe**
  •  If you like, add shredded cabbage in the last couple of minutes of cooking.  
  • Place a mound of noodles in your bowl, top with sauce and garnish with cucumber and green onions.  Plop yourself down in front of the telly and enjoy!
BudaeJjigae
Gettin’ Jjigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

Gettin’ Jjigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

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Ok.  Are you looking at the pic above and thinking WHAAAT?  Hot dogs? Spam? Kimchi? VanCamps BAKED Beans? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It’s like Mom pulling things out of the fridge and the pantry to make dinner… in the 1960s.  But stay with me, these are actually the building blocks for Anthony Bourdain’s version of Budae Jjigae or Army Stew.  A crazy concoction created during the Korean War when food was scarce and the US Army PX was ground zero for processed foods like SPAM and hot dogs-cheap, available protein.  Combined with familiar Korean ingredients, a not so healthy but totally delicious, comforting stew was born.

budae jjigae ingredients

Anthony Bourdain’s mischevious side was in overdrive when he decided to make this dish for Anderson Cooper. He thoroughly enjoyed watching Anderson squirm as he popped open the can of SPAM, container of kimchi, hot dogs, rice cakes, plopped them in a pan and added a generous dollop of Gochujang or Korean pepper paste on top.  Anchovy stock is poured over this bed of deliciousness and set to simmer for 30 minutes. A pack of INSTANT RAMEN is added at the very end. Ten minutes later Bourdain was doing a happy dance while slurping his noodles. So was an amazed Anderson.  Catch the episode here, watch it, smile and remember his wicked sense of humor, his intellect and his ability to never take himself too seriously. Then go make your family a pot of Budae Jjigae to fill your tummy, warm your soul and comfort your heart.

budae jjigae

This dish is like that bad boy you were always crazy about in high school, knew you should stay away from but just couldn’t.  My favorite line in the clip is when he says to Anderson, “it seems so wrong but taste so right, like true love”. Budae Jjigae is right up my alley, processed meats, fermented vegetables, ground meats and instant ramen noodles, yum.  I grew up on baloney sandwiches on white bread, Fizzies as the fruit in my lunch, Spaghetti out of a can, thanks to Chef Boyardee, and Friday night Swanson’s TV dinners.  In college, I survived on instant ramen and Banquet frozen fried chicken.  Those were the days.

Just before serving, place a slice of American cheese right on top so it melts and oozes all over your ramen.  That literally takes it over the top.  Thank you, David Chang, for that addition.

Tips for your Budae Jjigae

Use Korean instant ramen, my favorite brand, Shin Ramen.  If you don’t make Budae Jjigae, at least try the instant noodles. Use the seasoning packet and up your ramen game with an egg cracked into your bowl of noodles (the soup will cook it) and topped with a Kraft single (uh-huh you all know what I am talking about, real cheese food).  You end up with a pretty fine bowl of totally unhealthy but ridiculously yummy noodles.  To appease your conscious add some veggies, corn, peas, kimchi or shredded lettuce.

If you can find it, use Vienna Sausages (those old enough know EXACTLY what I am talking about, mini hot dogs in a flip top can) in place of hot dogs.

Rice cakes (tokbokki) come either tubular or disc shape, either will work.  You can find them at Korean markets, along with kimchi, Gochujang and pepper flakes.

In place of anchovy stock you can use Japanese dashi or broth.

Have plenty of beer on hand to wash it all down and to toast the life of Mr. Bourdain.

BudaeJjigae
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Gettin’ JJigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

Ingredients

  • 1 dried shiitake mushroom
  • 4 large dried anchovies heads and guts removed, wrapped in cheesecloth
  • One 3 × 5-inch sheet dried edible kelp or konmbu Use Japanese dashi in place of anchovy stock
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 12 ounces SPAM cut into ½-inch- thick slices
  • 1½ cups Napa cabbage kimchi tongbaechu drain
  • 8 ounces sliced Korean rice cakes
  • 1 white onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 scallions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
  • 3 hot dogs thinly sliced
  • 6-8 ounces ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean fermented chili paste
  • 3 tablespoons medium/fine gochugaru ground Korean red pepper he uses a dash only I used about a teaspoon, he did not come close to 3 T in the video...trust me start small
  • 3 tablespoons cheongju Korean rice wineor Chinese rice wine of Sake
  • 3 tablespoons canned baked beans
  • 1 package ramen noodles preferably the Korean brand Shin, seasoning packet discarded

Instructions

  • To make the anchovy broth, combine the mushroom, anchovies, kelp, 4 cups water, and the salt in a medium, heavy-bottom pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain and discard the solids, and set the broth aside.
  • Place the SPAM, kimchi, rice cakes, onion, scallions, garlic, hot dogs, and pork in small separate piles in a large shallow pot.
  • Add the soy sauce, gochujang, gochugaru, and cheongju to the pot, then slowly pour in the reserved anchovy kelp broth. Add the baked beans and 1½ cups water. Bring the contents to a steady simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
  • Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the ramen noodles. Ladle the broth over the noodles to help them break apart. Continue to cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through but still chewy.
Grilled Pork #2 Belly up to the Table for Some Delicious Pork and Conversation

Grilled Pork #2 Belly up to the Table for Some Delicious Pork and Conversation

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The kids were all home for a couple of days, which is a miracle in itself, so we threw a party! Really, it was to celebrate the twins’ graduation from college (boy that went fast) and the end of tuition days. I polled the kids to see what they wanted for eats, after all, that’s the Asian mom way of saying I love you…” what would you like to eat?” and the response was “anything, Mom”. Ugh, no help.
Maybe I needed a theme? Comfort foods? Where they have been and where they are going? Hmm, that had potential. So I went with it.

Where they have been: Where they are going

Houston, Texas for Jamie….Queso!!! You need munchies at a party so Queso and tortilla chips would be perfect. Besides, she is moving to Minneapolis and cheese is HUGE there too right? Anyone care for some cheese curds?
Nashville, Tennessee for Jordan, hmmm…bbq! To combine it with where Jordan is going, Korea, I decided on Grilled Pork Belly and Khal Bi (marinated Beef cross-cut ribs). I just killed two birds with one stone! I’m a genius, lol.

Spicy Grilled Pork Belly

Black Rice and Marinated Pork Belly waiting for the grill to fire up.

The food was casual, friendly, and easy, mostly family favorites.  I pulled out my Somen Salad recipe, perfect for a crowd and the warm weather.  We fired up the grill for the Khal bi (marinated beef ribs) and Spicy Grilled Pork Belly.  Jorge put out the tortilla chips with the Queso Dip, salsa, and Wes’s famous tuna dip.  Bowls of fresh berries from the Farmer’s Market rounded out the menu.  For the grand finale, Jamie made a DELICIOUS banana cake (nooo, forgot to take a photo of it) filled with a chocolate ganache and covered with Cream Cheese Frosting.

We all gathered around the table to eat, gab, laugh and enjoy each other’s company. Isn’t that what it is all about?

The Spicy Grilled Pork Belly was a hit.  The pork is cut into thick slices similar to thick-cut bacon and marinated in chili sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce. I adapted the recipe from the blog Barefoot in the Kitchen and it is SUPER SIMPLE and delicious!  We served it with purple rice, Gochuchang (Korean chili paste) and lettuce to be wrapped like a taco.

Purple Rice, Purple Rice

The purple rice is novel and fun and requires nothing extra except for 2 tablespoons of black rice mixed with your regular rice.  As it cooks the rice turns a really cool shade of purple. Your friends will think exotic and fancy, take the credit with a smile.  Regular short grain rice would work and for carb haters, cauliflower rice is a great sub. The pork would also make a screamin’ slider.  Top sliders with Siracha mayo and an Asian slaw of cabbage, onions, and pickled ginger. YUM.

SpicyGrilled Pork Belly

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Spicy Grilled Pork Belly

Grilled Pork belly, sweet, salty, spicy and delicious!
Course Main Course, Meat, pork
Cuisine Asian, Fusion
Keyword bbq, gochujang, Pork Belly
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork belly thick sliced (you can find it at most Asian markets)

Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce pref Sempio 707
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 large garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili paste use either Siracha with garlic or Gochuchang chili pepper paste
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 -1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

The Finish

  • 1 head of red lettuce or butter lettuce
  • Chili pepper paste Gochuchang
  • Toasted Sesame seeds
  • Green onions
  • Rice

Instructions

  • Remove the skin from the pork belly and slice the meat into 1/8" - 1/4" wide strips. If you don't have access to already cut pork belly.
  • Stir together the soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, chili paste, sugar, sesame oil, pepper and salt in a mixing bowl.
  • Place the meat in the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Marinate for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the grill to HIGH. Grill the strips of pork belly for 2 minutes, flip and grill another 2-3 minutes.
  • When the pork has cooked through, remove from the grill and place it on a paper towel lined tray.
  • Sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds to garnish
  • Serve with rice, lettuce and pepper paste for wraps or in a roll as a sandwich or tortilla as a taco with an Asian slaw and siracha mayo.
Instant Pot Pho Ga
Fast, Flavorful, Pho-tastic(Instant Pot Pho Ga, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup )

Fast, Flavorful, Pho-tastic(Instant Pot Pho Ga, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup )

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I can’t think of anything more comforting than a steaming bowl of noodle soup.   If marooned on an island, what would you eat and what 3 books would you want to have with you.  My response would be immediate, a no-brainer, noodle soup.  The caveat being noodle soup would include Pho, Ramen, Udon, Won Ton Noodle Soup, Guksu, Laksa….  and one of my 3 books would be Andrea Nguyen’s The Pho Cookbook.

I have always wanted to try my hand at making Pho. But the stock for this popular Vietnamese Noodle Soup is a labor of love.  Hours of simmering on the stove coaxing the flavors out of chicken, beef, and aromatics like ginger, onions, and cilantro. Intimidating to say the least.  Andrea’s recipe for Pho Ga (Chicken Pho) made in a pressure cooker was the “kick in the pants” I needed.  Pho in less than an hour?  I immediately headed to the store for ingredients. Slurp City here I come. Thanks to Andrea Nguyen and Instant Pot, I was about to make Pho in a fraction of the time.  Ms. Nguyen has written quite a few cookbooks on the cuisine of Vietnam and I snapped up her ode to soup noodles after an interview on KQED.

Instant Pot Pho Ga

This makes homemade Pho eminently doable. One pot cooking, woohoo.  Increase the cooking time if you have an Instant Pot.  It works at a slightly lower pressure (11.5psi) than a conventional pressure cooker.   Remove the cilantro and ginger after the cooking process as both herbs continue to flavor the stock and may overpower the flavor of the broth. Modify the natural pressure release by letting your Instant Pot sit for 5 minutes before venting and opening. Once you remove the chicken, place it in a cold water bath.  This keeps the chicken tender and moist. If you like your chicken a bit more done, leave it in the pot for about 15 minutes before removing. The chicken can be shredded or sliced whatever your preference.

With your broth done, your noodles softened.  It is now Topping Time!  Toppings, toppings, toppings galore. You can be traditional and top your pho with basil, mint, and bean sprouts or you can keep going and add ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING YOU WANT.  I didn’t have bean sprouts so I used shredded carrots and cabbage. Thinly sliced red onions add a nice bite.  Delicious.  Mushrooms, let those fungus fly..into your bowl.  Condiments include Siracha for spice, Hoisin for a bit of sweetness and a squeeze of lime.  S cubed-sweet, salty, spicy and so good!

Now you and I can make our own bowls of deliciousness.

Instant Pot Pho Ga

Instant Pot Pho Ga
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Fast, Flavorful, Pho-tastic (Instant Pot Pho Ga)

A faster and simpler way to make a tasty bowl of Pho!
Course comfort food, noodles, one bowl meal, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese
Keyword Chicken, Pho, Pho Ga, rice noodles, soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

Ingredients

BROTH

  • 1 whole chicken 4 lbs.
  • 1 rounded tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled, halved, and sliced 1/2 in. thick
  • 1 3- in. piece ginger peeled and thickly sliced
  • 1 small Fuji apple peeled, cored, and cut into thumbnail-size chunks
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro sprigs
  • 2 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp About. organic sugar* or 2 tsp. maple syrup if needed to round out flavor

Noods and Bowls

  • 10 ounce dried narrow flat rice noodles*
  • About half of cooked chicken from the broth
  • 1/2 small red onion halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced and soaked in water 10 minutes
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion green parts only
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • white or black pepper

Garnishes & Condiments

  • Vietnamese Herb Garnish Plate
  • Vietnamese Ginger Dipping Sauce
  • Siracha Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, lime wedges

Instructions

  • Make broth: Rinse chicken and set aside to drain. Put coriander seeds and cloves in a dry 6- to 8-qt. pressure cooker. Over medium heat, toast until fragrant, shaking, several minutes. Add onion and ginger and cook, stirring, until browned on edges, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add 4 cups water, then the chicken, breast side up. Add apple, cilantro, salt, and another 4 cups water. Lock the lid in place.
  • Following your cooker's instructions, bring to low pressure (8 psi) over high heat. Lower heat to maintain pressure. Cook 15 minutes, or a few minutes longer if your cooker's low setting is less than 8 psi. If your cooker has only a high-pressure (15 psi) setting, cook 12 minutes. The Instant Pot setting is approximately 12 psi so I increased the time to 14 minutes. If you like your chicken falling off the bone leave the chicken in the Instant Pot for 20 minutes before pressure release. I waited 5 minutes and then did a quick release. The chicken was tender much like white cut chicken.
  • Transfer the chicken to a bowl; if parts fall off in transit, don’t worry. Add cold water to cover the chicken and soak for 10 minutes to cool and prevent drying. Pour off the water, partially cover, and set the chicken aside to cool.
  • Skim some fat from the broth before straining it through a muslin-lined mesh strainer positioned over a medium pot. Discard the solids. You should have about 8 cups. Taste and season the broth with the fish sauce, extra salt, and perhaps a bit of sugar.
  • Use a knife to remove the breast halves and legs from the chicken. Set aside half of the chicken for another use. Reserve the remaining chicken for pho bowl assembly.

Prep and assemble the bowls

  • About 30 minutes before serving, ready the ingredients for the bowls. Soak the noodles in hot tap water until pliable and opaque. Drain, rinse, and drain well.
  • Step 7
  • Cut or tear the chicken breast and leg into pieces about 1⁄4 inch thick. Place the onion, green onion, and cilantro in separate bowls and line them up with the noodles, chicken, and pepper for a pho assembly line.
  • Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat as you are assembling the bowls. At the same time, fill a pot with water and bring to a rolling boil for the noodles.
  • For each bowl, use a noodle strainer or mesh sieve to dunk a portion of the noodles in the boiling water. When the noodles are soft, 5 to 60 seconds, pull the strainer from the water, shaking it to drain excess water back into the pot. Empty the noodles into a bowl.
  • Top with chicken, then garnish with onion, green onion, cilantro, and pepper and any toppings you want.
  • Check the broth flavor once more, raise the heat, and bring it to a boil. Ladle about 2 cups broth into each bowl. Enjoy immediately.
Corn Soup (玉米湯) Chinese Soul Food

Corn Soup (玉米湯) Chinese Soul Food

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Though I was only gone for 4 days, I’m glad I am back. Even paradise doesn’t compare to home.  As much as I like trying new restaurants and not having to do dishes, I love getting in the kitchen and cooking.  My go-to “I’m home!!” meal?  SOUP. The ultimate comfort food that tells me I’m back where I belong.

Our plane touched down in the evening so a long-simmered pot of soup was not in the cards. I needed something quick, easy and yummy. I looked in the pantry and fridge to see what I could rustle up and what do you know, perched front and center on the shelf, a can of Del Monte Creamed Corn.  A sign, obviously.

Does It Sound Corny?

What? I thought you were making soup Deb? I am, trust me. Chinese Style Corn Soup starts with a can of creamed corn. It’s the secret weapon to a quick and delicious soup.  My kids love it, hands down one of their favorite soups.  It’s sweet and savory, made with corn, seasoned ground pork, (you could use chicken or turkey) and egg.  Best way to enjoy it?  Ladle the soup over rice, stir to combine, and eat it piping hot with a big ole’ spoon-this is soul food, bowl food.

I learned how to make corn soup from my mom and if you have read my blog, you know my Mom did not cook much.  It was my Dad’s domain, but she makes a mean corn soup.  If you peruse the menu of any legit (lol) Chinese restaurant, you will find Corn Soup. THAT’S HOW YUMMY IT IS.

Chinese Corn Soup

Max Flavor, Min Effort

My mom started with just a pot of water.  I cheat and start with chicken stock, homemade or a commercially available low salt chicken stock, this adds another level of cheating, I mean flavor.  Quick soups generally start with minced or thin strips of pork, chicken or beef. This extracts the maximum amount of flavor in a minimum amount of time. The meat is marinated for a couple of minutes in soy sauce, rice wine, salt, and sugar then sautéed briefly before adding the water or stock. Cook over medium heat to keep the soup at a nice rolling boil (not crazy boil) for 15-20 minutes. Add the creamed corn, cook for another few minutes and voila’ ALMOST DONE (gotcha).

The last step, whisk a barely beaten egg into the soup. This adds flavor and body to the soup. It’s very similar to egg drop soup. It’s important to remember never boil the soup after adding the egg. You want the eggs to have wispy strand look. I actually turn the heat off when whisking in the egg. Whisk the soup continuously so the egg doesn’t sit and clump or curdle. NO BUENO.

If you like a thicker soup consider adding cornstarch to both the soup and the eggs before adding it to the soup.  A trick from Serious Eats-For tender shards of egg, blend 1 teaspoon of cornstarch into the eggs before adding them to the soup. I am old school, I just add the barely beaten egg to the soup, the yolk thickens it and the whites turn into wispy tendrils in the soup-just like my mom’s.

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Soul Food: Chinese Corn Soup

An easy delicious soup that starts with canned corn!
Course soul food, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword Cantonese cooking, Corn, soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 14.5 ounce can of creamed style corn Del Monte is my go-to
  • 1/2 cup ground pork or thinly sliced pork

Marinade for Pork

  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1-1/2 tsp rice wine
  • dash of white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt and sugar

To finish the Soup

  • 3-4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth or half and half water & broth
  • 1-2 eggs
  • 1 green onion sliced on the diagonal
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine marinade ingredients with pork in a small bowl, set aside, let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
  • Heat 1 T oil in a 3-4 quart saucepan. When oil is hot, add ginger and cook for 1 minute to flavor the oil.
  • Add pork to pot and sauté until it is no longer pink.
  • Add water and/or stock and bring to a boil, immediately lower heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  • Add creamed corn. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • As the soup simmers, break eggs into a small bowl. Lightly beat, no need for the eggs to be completely blended.
  • Turn heat off or set to very low and add eggs to soup in a steady stream, all the while stirring the soup with a fork or chopsticks in one direction. If the flame is too high the egg will curdle!
  • Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Garnish with green onions.

Options:

  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ¼ - ½ cup corn kernels ( I use frozen) add with canned creamed corn
  • Substitute ground chicken or turkey for pork

For a thicker soup:

  • Mix ½ tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water or stock. Add this slurry to the soup, heat until soup thickens. Turn heat down and add egg. I find if you use 2 eggs in this soup this will create enough body in the soup such that cornstarch is not necessary.
Huli Today Gone To Maui (Instant Pot Huli Huli Chicken)

Huli Today Gone To Maui (Instant Pot Huli Huli Chicken)

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So excited, going to Maui next week! Just a quick jaunt for a friend’s big birthday (I won’t divulge which big B-day). I have not been to Maui in a very long time. I was about to graduate from pharmacy school the last time I visited, a lifetime ago.  Needless to say, there was a lot of plate-lunch and MacDonald’s Saimin on that trip. Won’t be doing that this time. Nope.  Well, maybe for nostalgia’s sake…maybe just one 2-scoop plate lunch.

With Hawaii on the brain, I was looking for a quick easy meal one night after a long, frustrating, commute home from work. (2 hours to drive 25 miles,  auugh). Wes had pulled out some chicken thighs and it was up to me to figure out what to do with them. Too cold and too late to barbecue, I was stymied when, “Look! On the Counter! It’s a Coffeemaker! It’s a toaster-oven!

No, it’s an INSTANT POT!”
A quick perusal online and what should pop-up? Huli Huli Chicken. I don’t think Hawaiian was one of my Google words but I’m going with it. Normally Huli Huli Chicken is grilled, but that calls for marinating the chicken for a couple of hours and then firing up the grill. We would be eating at midnight.  I opted for the Instant Pot recipe.

STUPID EASY

That’s all I can say. Soy sauce, pineapple juice, catsup, fresh grated ginger and garlic, brown sugar, and broth. Throw it into the pot, submerge the chicken thighs in all that deliciousness and set it for 10 minutes. Then, let the pot do its thang and use natural release for 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken and pop it under the broiler to crisp up the outside. While the chicken is getting a Hawaiian tan ok, char, in the oven, add a cornstarch slurry to the sauce in the IP to thicken, DONE. Dinner is served.  You could spice up the marinade by adding a touch of Siracha Sauce or lemon juice for a bit of tartness.  Your call.

The Instant Pot version is an adaptation.  Huli Huli chicken is a barbecue recipe.  Skip the broth and use the remaining ingredients to marinade the chicken for a minimum of several hours. Then throw the chicken on the grill. Reserve some marinade to make the sauce and use the rest to brush on the chicken while grilling. Which you could definitely do….if you had time.  Instead, by cooking the chicken in the sauce a la Instant Pot you have dinner on the table in a fraction of the time!  HOW cool is that?

A glass of wine, a side of rice, and a salad, and my commute fading from memory.  My mood definitely took an upswing.  I took my first bite of chicken, pineapple-ly sweet, balanced with the saltiness of the soy, and finished with a garlicky-ginger bite.  Jumped up and did a short hula-hip check on the hubs.  Ono-licious.

Instant Pot Huli Huli Chicken
Serve on a bed of rice, perfect for a weekday meal.
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Huli Huli Chicken

Huli Huli Chicken an island favorite tweaked for a quick and easy meal. Instead of grilling chicken marinaded in a pineapple-soy marinade, the chicken and marinade components go in the Instant Pot.
Course chicken, dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Asian-American, Hawaiian
Keyword Carnitas in an Instant Pot, Huli Huli Chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot

Ingredients

Da Main Ingredient

  • 6 bone in chicken thighs ..you can use boneless, skinless thighs approximately 2 pounds

Instant Pot Marinade

  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • ½ cup Shoyu or ponzu sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup chicken broth or dry sherry
  • 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root
  • 1½ teaspoons minced garlic

Thickener

  • Cornstarch Slurry 1T cornstarch + 2 T cold water

Garnish

  • 4-5 stalks green onions sliced at an angle for garnish
  • Roasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • In your IP Pot, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, ginger and garlic
  • Add chicken to the pot.
  • Close and seal your pot. Set your pot to Poultry, Pressure Cook or Manual for 11 minutes and allow a 10 minute NPR
  • Remove and place your chicken on a jelly roll pan lined with foil.
  • Set your pot to sauté, when the sauce begins to boil add the cornstarch slurry a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Baste the thickened sauce over the chicken
  • Set your oven to broil.
  • Broil the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes or until some of the sauce caramelizes.
  • You could also put them on the grill...baste often
  • Transfer chicken to a serving dish and garnish with green onion
Japchae-Oppa! Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles, Op Op

Japchae-Oppa! Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles, Op Op

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I decided to throw a surprise birthday party for the hubby. Since it was an impromptu event, I kept it simple. Just a handful of friends on a Friday night to help him celebrate another year.  The menu included his favorites, cheesecake, apple pie, and sushi from our favorite place. Badabing, easy peasy-done.  Then I started to worry, what if folks don’t eat fish?  Then I thought, what if I don’t have enough food?  A cardinal sin…so I added a few more of his favorites, Korean short ribs, Galbi, Ceasar Salad, and Japchae, a delicious Korean noodle dish.

The Skinny on the Noods

Japchae is Wes’s favorite noodle dish.  It starts with sweet potato noodles also called glass noodles (당면 Dangmyeon) for their transparency.  The noodles have a bit more elasticity and bite than wheat pasta and absorb seasonings well.  Season the noodles with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sugar, which gives the noodles that characteristic delicious garlicky, sweet-salty flavor.

The beauty of this dish is its flexibility.  Serve Japchae as a simple side dish, banchan, or as a main dish made with protein and vegetables.  Vary the kinds of vegetables and protein, but always include shiitake mushrooms, yellow or red onions, and secret sauce (ok, not really a secret just the Korean quadfecta of soy, garlic, sugar, and sesame).

Beyond that, go CRAZY!

Add wood ears-fungi for crunch, carrots, spinach, zucchini, or watercress for veggies and chicken or beef for protein. Other additions include slices of fishcake and strips of scrambled egg.  Knock yourself out.

Wes’s birthday version included chicken, carrot, zucchini, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach.  Yummo.

The key to this dish is advanced prep work.  Julienne vegetables, cut chicken into bite-sized strips, and make the sauce.  Soak the noodles, shiitake mushrooms, and black fungus in water. The noodles should be soaked in room temp water for an hour or two, so start your prep early.  You could make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the protein and marinating sliced shiitake mushrooms or pressed tofu.

Korean Jap Chae

My go-to recipe for Japchae is from a favorite cookbook called Hawaii’s Aloha Recipes published by The Japanese Women’s Society of Honolulu.  My copy is food-stained, pages tattered, filled with handwritten notes.  In short, well worn and well-used.  It’s my favorite cookbook for down-home Hawaiian/Asian cooking. Wirebound with few photos, but filled with treasured family recipes and stories-books like this one were created by folks to raise money for their church, temple, or community.  A reflection of who we are and the foods we have eaten for generations.

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Aggie's Japchae, Oppa Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles Op Op

Classic Korean Noodle Dish, Japchae a family favorite
Course noodles, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Keyword japchae

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of glass noodles sweet potato noodles
  • 1/2 pound flank steak or chicken cut into strips
  • 1 cup carrots julienned
  • 1 cup string beans French cut or zucchini strips
  • 1/2 cup yellow onions sliced
  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms soak in hot water until soft. Squeeze excess water, remove stem and julienned
  • 1/2 bunch watercress or spinach
  • 1/2 cup black fungus soaked and cut into strips
  • green onions

Seasoning for noodles:

  • 4 T soy sauce
  • 2 T sesame oil
  • 1.5 T granulated sugar
  • 1 T roasted sesame seeds
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Marinade for protein

  • 1/2 tsp fresh garlic minced
  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 3/4 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp prepared sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Soak noodles in room temp water for 1-2 hours until soft then drain. Alternatively boil for 7 minutes, drain and cool. Cut into 3-4 inch lengths. Set aside.
  • Cut beef or chicken or pork into strips. MIx seasonings and combine with protein. Set this aside too.
  • In a frying pan or wok, heat 1-2 T oil, add shredded carrots and fry just until tender. Don't overcook. Sprinkle with a little salt. Remove to plate.
  • Follow same procedure with zucchini or string beans. Add to plate with carrots.
  • In same wok, add 1 T oil and 1 tsp sesame oil, heat and add yellow onions, sir fry for approximately 1-2 minutes. Add chicken (beef), fry until half done, add mushrooms and wood ears and spinach, fry until meat is completely cooked.
  • Add noodles and sauce to wok, add carrots and zucchini to pan. Mix to combine.
  • Garnish with green onions and eggs.

Optional:

  • Fry 1 well beaten egg in an oil pan. Tilt pan to spread egg mixture into a thin sheet. Turn once. Remove and cool. Cut egg into thin strips.
  • Dish can be served warm or room temperature.