Category: Recipes

Recipes I’ve tried and sometimes modified that I think you should try!
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.
Summer Garden Pasta, Tomatoes Everywhere, Except My Garden

Summer Garden Pasta, Tomatoes Everywhere, Except My Garden

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We apparently do not have the veggie garden green thumb.  We planted tomatoes and squash, then fertilized, watered, and even talked to the plants but (“big sigh”) have little to show for it.

The Tomato Tease

Just when I resigned myself to the fact that I am not a tomato whisperer, like a big tease, Ina Garten’s recipe for Summer Garden Pasta popped up on my screen.  It’s the perfect recipe, if your tomato plants yielded tomatoes, damn it.  I consoled myself by buying a basketful of beautiful cherry tomatoes at the Farmers Market.

Ina Garten’s Garden Pasta dish reminds me of a favorite recipe from Silver Palate (totally dating myself), Linguine with Tomato and Basil.  Back in the Day, Silver Palate, a tiny Upper Westside deli in Manhattan, published a whimsical cookbook that took all of us fledgling young cooks by storm. No pics, just cute drawings with how-to-entertain tips and recipe wisdom as side notes.  It was a huge hit, it was our Joy of Cooking.  My favorites included Decadent Chocolate Cake, Sour Cream Apple Pie, and their classic Chicken Marbella.

The Linguine with Tomato Basil is an uncooked sauce of tomatoes, with lots of garlic, basil, and a “hunka” Brie.  Add the hot pasta to the sauce and the cheese gets gooey and the tomatoes and garlic mellow.  Rich, delicious, and extremely decadent.

Ina’s version is as delicious, just not quite the caloric overload as the Silver Palate recipe (save it for a special occasion).  The dish is simple and so easy, it’s one I tell my kids to make.

This is How We Do It

Cut cherry tomatoes in half and toss them into a good-sized bowl. Add garlic, some chili flakes, salt, pepper, and finish with a nice olive oil (EVOO, lol).  Cover and let it sit and marinade for 4 hours. The tomatoes soften, the basil and garlic infuse the oil…it’s like they do a happy dance in the bowl and tango their way into a great sauce.

When it is time to eat, cook your Angel Hair Pasta and immediately toss it with the sauce.  Mix, finish with a generous amount of Parmesan Cheese (use the amount you want), garnish with basil leaves, and SERVE.  How easy is that? So, so yummy.

Grilled chicken goes well with the pasta.

Put this on your summer bucket list.  Go get some cherry tomatoes at your local farmers market if you didn’t grow any, it will be worth it.

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5 from 1 vote

Summer Garden Pasta

A delicious uncooked tomato sauce that takes advantage of summer tomatoes.
Course noodles, One dish meals, pasta
Cuisine American
Keyword Angel hair pasta, basil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, Uncooked Tomato Sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4 pints cherry tomatoes
  • Good olive oil extra virgin
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic 6 cloves
  • 18 large basil leaves julienned, plus extra for serving
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound dried angel hair pasta or a linguine fini
  • 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving

Instructions

  • Cut tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Add ½ cup olive oil, minced garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for approximately 4 hours.
  • Just before you’re ready to serve, bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and 2 tablespoons salt of Diamond Kosher salt or 1 generous tablespoon of regular salt. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package.
  • Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Add cheese and some extra fresh basil leaves and toss well. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you want a protein to go along, serve with grilled shrimp or grilled chicken.
Best Damn Waffle, No More WAFFLING Around

Best Damn Waffle, No More WAFFLING Around

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National Waffle Day was YESTERDAY  a couple of days ago and yep, I missed it.  But it did guilt me into pulling out my waffle maker, trying yet another waffle recipe, and finishing my waffle post.  In my defense, I did some tinkering on a Black Sesame Waffle recipe from Cooking Therapy (a very nice Asian-inspired blog 🧇🧇🧇🧇 rating ) and they turned out pretty darn tasty.  So, in honor of National Waffle Day I give you…

Black Sesame Waffles 🧇🧇🧇🧇

My current obsession is black sesame seeds. I have been adding them to mochi recipes, garnish, salad dressings, and just about anything that needs a pop of color and flavor.  Joy Cho’s Sour Cream Gem Cakes  topped Black Sesame Icing is a favorite.  I bought a bag of black sesame seed powder, when I opened the bag the aroma of black sesame came wafting out of the bag…hmmm, it smelled delicious.  Couldn’t wait to try it in a recipe.

The Black Sesame Waffles did not disappoint.  The recipe is a snap and makes 4 square Belgian waffles.  Yep, sitting down to breakfast in 20 minutes.

Melt butter, combine with egg and milk.  Stir in dry ingredients-give it a quick stir and presto, yummy waffles.  The batter with AP flour was thick enough to be spooned with an ice cream scooper into the waffle iron.  The waffles were crispy on the outside, substantial on the inside and delicious.  Serve with fresh berries and maple syrup or sweetened condensed milk.

I tinkered with the recipe to lighten the waffle without giving up the crispy exterior.  First, switch the all-purpose flour (KA) to a lower protein flour.  I used White Lily Flour which has a lower protein count and is made of soft wheat.  It’s the biscuit flour of the South.  Second, separate the egg yolk from the white. The yolk is added with the butter and milk while the white is whipped to soft peaks before folding it into the batter.

King Arthur AP flour in these bad boys

The White Lily Flour batter and egg white had a thinner consistency.  It yields a lighter waffle with a nice crispy exterior.  The black sesame gives the waffles a subtle nutty flavor and a buckwheat hue.  Add this waffle recipe to your “gotta make this for breakfast” bucket list. But don’t stop here, more delicious waffles to follow!

Let’s Do The Time Waffle Now

April 2021

The waffle quest continues.  Our trusty waffle makers (yes, multiple) finally bit the dust.  Both were classic machines that produced waffles you would find at your favorite diner.  One made heart shape segments and the other was classic round.

So we bit the bullet and bought a fancy-schmancy machine (we LOVE waffles).  I do like it, but (you knew that was coming)…it makes Belgian Waffles, deeper pockets, thicker waffles.  You need lots more batter to fill it.  They’re tasty but it’s just not the same as that crispy, light waffle you get with the classic round waffle maker.

Waffle Love

AND, when you spend that much on a waffle iron you justify it by EATING WAFFLES FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER.  So here are the waffle recipes I have tried so far…

Mochi Waffles from A Common Table– these were so good!  I added a touch more milk to the batter and was rewarded with a crisp on the outside, a little chewy inside, delicious waffle.  I’d make it again in a heartbeat. Rating 🧇🧇🧇🧇

Raised Waffles from Marion Cunningham’s iconic Breakfast Book via Saveur Magazine.  Throw together a yeast batter the night before, add eggs and baking soda in the morning, voila’ light, crispy, moist waffles! These were super light (best described as ethereal), with a bit of tanginess from the yeast.  I liked them, but the hubster deemed them too airy.  Fantastic in a classic round waffle maker. Rating 🧇🧇🧇+

Aurora’s Pancakes from the Friends Cookbook tweaked for waffles.  Sadly, even tweaking this recipe, the waffles were sub-par.  Save this recipe for pancake day, it makes Ah-mazing pancakes!  It works a little better in the classic round waffle maker, just not in a Belgian Waffle maker.  Rating 🧇 but 🥞🥞🥞🥞 for pancakes!

Finally, the King Arthur Buttermilk Waffle recipe wins the day.  The perfect balance of crispness and tenderness.  Delicious.  Using pastry flour and almond flour creates a light, crisp, tender waffle- I’m awarding it 🧇🧇🧇🧇🧇.  Make these now.  Sammy approved, goes well with fried chicken.

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Black Sesame Waffles

An easy waffle recipe made with black sesame seeds for a hint of nuttiness
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American, Asian-American
Keyword Black Sesame Seed, Black Sesame Waffles
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup black sesame seeds If using black sesame powder, use 3 tablespoons
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 large egg separated, reserve egg white in a small mixing bowl
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup+ 1 Tbsp White Lily Flour (98gm) See notes for AP flour.
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

  • Toast the black sesame seeds for 20-30 seconds. Add black sesame seeds to a food processor or spice grinder. Pulse until it has broken down into a fine powder. Set aside. It is also available pre-ground as sesame powder. Use 3 tablespoons of powder.
  • Separate egg yolk and egg white.
  • Add the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, salt, egg yolk, and whole milk to a large bowl. Mix until well incorporated.
  • Add the black sesame seeds, flour, and baking powder to the mixture and mix until well incorporated.
  • Beat egg white until soft peaks form. Stir a quarter of the white into the batter then fold in the rest. The batter will be loose and very pourable.
  • Preheat waffle maker. The batter will make 4 Belgian waffles with a bit leftover.
  • Add about 1/3-1/2 cup of the batter to each square of the waffle iron, because the batter is loose it will fill the square. Cook for 3-5 minutes until brown and crispy. Once there is no more steam coming from the waffle iron, the waffle should be done. The waffles will be darker than normal due to the black sesame. Follow directions for your waffle maker.
  • Serve with butter, maple syrup, and fresh berries.

Notes

 Cooking Therapy Recipe
3/4 cup all-purpose flour.  Add entire egg to wet ingredients.  The batter will be much thicker than the recipe with pastry flour so you can make smaller organic shaped waffles.  Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of batter in each square.  
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Classic Buttermilk Waffles (King Arthur)

Waffles! Crisp and golden, perfect with maple syrup and butter or berries and whipped cream or fried chicken. Made with pastry flour it will be extra crispy, and light as air inside. Made with all-purpose flour the waffle is a little denser — still light, but chewier on the inside. The optional almond flour adds a nice nutty flavor.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword buttermilk waffle, king arthur baking, waffle
Prep Time 10 minutes
per waffle 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Equipment

  • Waffle Iron

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups buttermilk 397g
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled 113g
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 215 gms White Lily AP flour which falls in between AP and pastry flour in terms of protein content and is made from soft wheat. or use ~2 cups of 227g King Arthur Pastry Flour Blend or 1 3/4 cups (206g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar Sweet waffle use 2 T (25mg) for savory recipe, omit sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt table salt use 3/4 tsp
  • 1/4 cup almond flour 24gm optional; for flavor. Use up to 48 gm
  • *Leave out the sugar if you want savory waffles such as the type you'd use as a base for creamed chipped beef or fried chicken

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
  • Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring just until nearly smooth; a few small lumps may remain.
  • Spray your waffle iron with a non-stick cooking spray before preheating it. Cook waffles according to the manufacturer's directions. For an 8" round waffle iron, use about 1/3 cup batter; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the iron stops steaming.

Notes

Waffles are best when eaten as soon as they're made, but you can place them on a rack to cool, wrap tightly to store in the refrigerator, then reheat for 6 minutes in a 350°F oven.
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.
Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake-Chip off the Cho Block

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake-Chip off the Cho Block

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Rounding out Joy Cho month also known as Cakenado, I made her Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake.  It all started with her Mochi Banana Bread, which I adore and have made more than once.  Following on its heel (yes, I know, cakes don’t have heels) I came across this recipe on a Food Network post.  I don’t normally follow Food Network, maybe it was just good karma that it popped up, fortunate since it is delicious, easy to make, and has CHOCOLATE.

Stuck on Sticky Rice Flour

Like the Mochi Banana Bread, it is a combination of all-purpose flour and mochiko or sweet rice flour (sticky rice) that sets this snack cake apart.  You get that wonderful bouncy texture from the sweet rice flour and the tender cake with a nice crumb from the all-purpose flour.  Based on her mom’s chocolate chip bundt cake and tweaked with her signature addition of sweet rice flour, this really is a decadent, delicious, simple cake.  Studded with chocolate chips, this cake will keep chocolate fans happy.  Add nuts if you like and serve it with a BIG SCOOP of VANILLA ICE CREAM.  Doesn’t that sound good?

Looking for something a little different, ran out of Mochiko?  Try her Blueberry Balsamic Glaze Cornbread Cake.  Another amazing snacking cake. Cause you never know when you will have a snack attack!

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Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (105 grams) sweet rice flour such as Mochiko
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon, (150 grams) full-fat sour cream at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons milk at room temperature

Instructions

  • Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees
  • Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the sides (to make it easier to remove the cake after baking) and grease the parchment.
  • Combine the all-purpose flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
  • Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and cream the mixture until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until combined. Scrape the bowl once more, then beat in the vanilla.
  • Sift half of the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and beat just until combined. Beat in the sour cream and milk, then sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and beat just until the batter is smooth.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a small offset spatula.
  • Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top. Bake the cake, rotating the pan halfway through, for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently loosen the edges with a small offset spatula and carefully transfer the cake to a cooling rack.
  • Cut into squares and enjoy!
Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwave Magic

Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwave Magic

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I am the happy owner of Anyday Cookware, a set of bowls designed for the microwave.  A podcast junkie, I am hooked on “All Things Chang”.  That is Dave Chang, chef, restauranteur, face, and creator of the Momofuku Empire.  He has waxed poetically about microwave cooking and I figure if it is good enough for him…why not?

What I really wanted to do was adapt well-loved dishes to the microwave.  Lucky me, dishes that I normally steam,  microwave beautifully.  Bonus, not only is the cooking time shortened, but the process is simplified.  No messing with steamer racks, or a large wok or pan to steam in.  You cook in the same bowl you use to prep the dish. How cool is that?  If you hate washing dishes like me, this is a HUGE.

I started with Steamed Eggs with Chinese Sausage and Mushrooms and was rewarded with a silky smooth custard in minutes.  A parade of down-home Chinese steamed dishes followed, Steamed Pork Patty, Steamed Chicken, Lop Cheung, and Mushrooms, and now, Steamed Black Bean Spareribs.

I adapted a recipe from the site Made with Lau.  Inspired to archive his chef father’s cooking, Randy Lau created Made with Lau featuring videos of his chef-father cooking classic Chinese dishes, in particular Cantonese dishes.

The Lowedown on Lau

His are the dishes of my childhood. The videos are easy to follow and more importantly, the recipes work.  His father speaks in Cantonese, so I get to brush up on my Chinese skills, while learning how to make a great dish, win-win!  My family is from the same region in China and listening to him feels like being home with my grandparents, aunties, and uncles.  Randy does a yeoman’s job translating his Dad’s cooking wisdom and his recipes into English.

The Wrap

After each cooking session, the family gathers around the table to enjoy the fruits of Daddy Lau’s labor.  They give the background and history of the dish and additional cooking tips.  It is the perfect way to round out each segment.  Made with Lau is a gem and I hope you check out their site.

The Dish

Black Bean Spareribs is a family favorite which until now, we only have when we are out for Dim Sum.  The spareribs are steamed with chilis, fermented black beans, which have lots of umami, and seasonings.   As soon as Made with Lau posted the video recipe I jumped at the chance to try it.  My biggest deviation was cooking it in the microwave instead of steaming.  Worked like a charm.

Use pork spareribs cut into bite-size pieces or you can cheat and use boneless pieces of pork.  Both are equally tasty.  Chinese markets carry ribs cut into 1-inch segments so if you are close to an Asian market go for it…don’t cut them yourself.  It’s a lot of trouble and invariably you will have shards of bone in the cut ribs-no fun. For boneless, use pork belly or pork butt for this dish.  It shouldn’t be too lean, the fat contributes both flavor and tenderness to the dish.

Fermented black beans can be found in Chinese grocery stores.  Salted and fermented black soybeans are pungent and full of umami.  A little goes a long way but it does keep well in the fridge.  There is a black bean sauce in a jar that might be a suitable sub, you would need to adjust for salt and some of the seasonings.  I haven’t tried it yet.

This is Cantonese soul food.  Serve with steaming bowls of rice and a green veggie dish like stir-fried pea sprouts.

 

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Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwaved

Cantonese dish generally served at teahouse for Dim Sum. Microwaved instead of steamed! Fast, easy and delicious.
Course dim sum, Main Course, Muffins
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Black beans spareribs, Cantonese cooking, dim sum, steamed pork with black beans
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spare ribs (baby back ribs) cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces or sub 1 lb. pork belly or pork butt cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for rinsing ribs

Bowl 1

  • 0.50 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp water or low sodium chicken stock Add if using microwave to cook

Bowl 2

  • 1 tsp dried mandarin orange peel optional, small thumbnail sized piece
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ginger minced

Bowl-3

  • 1 tbsp fermented dried black beans rinsed and dried, smooshed
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for pork
  • 0.50 tsp vegetable oil

Garnish

  • red chili pepper, deseeded and deveined a few slices, optional
  • 2 green onions sliced

Instructions

  • Place our fermented black beans in a bowl, and rinse them under running water for 15-20 seconds. Gently massage the beans as you do this. Drain the water, and set the bowl aside to let the beans rehydrate for a couple of minutes then smoosh them with the back of a spoon. Set aside
    Soak orange peel in warm water, set aside for 10-15 min. Once soft, dice.
  • Slice red chili pepper and green onions. Set aside
  • Rinse and dry ribs and place in bowl. Add cornstarch to the ribs, and massage the ribs around to evenly mix the cornstarch around the surface of each rib.
  • Rinse the ribs in running water for 1 to 2 minutes, massaging the ribs as you go. Pour out all of the water, and press and squeeze the ribs against a colander to get rid of excess water.
  • Wrap the ribs in a thick paper towel, pressing and patting to absorb moisture.
  • Place ribs in a large microwavable bowl. Make marinade.
  • Combine salt, sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine in a small bowl. Mince garlic, ginger, orange peel, and add to a second bowl.
  • Add soy mixture and ginger-garlic mixture to bowl of ribs. Mix and massage the bowl of ribs well. Approximately 45-60 seconds to blend.
  • Add black beans to the bowl of ribs, mix well.
  • Add sesame oil and cornstarch. Mix the ribs to evenly coat each rib with cornstarch. Spread out evenly in bowl. Sprinkle chilis on top and drizzle with remaining 1/2 tbsp of oil. Cover with lid, open the vent on lid if it has one, or leave lid slightly ajar on bowl.
  • Microwave on full strength for 5 minutes. Remove, careful it's hot and stir mixture. If it seems dry or the sauce is too thick add 1-2 tablespoons of water or stock. Scatter green onions on top. Place lid back on and microwave for anouther4-5 minutes.
  • Remove from microwave and allow to stand for 30-60 seconds. Serve with lots of rice.

Notes

Heat wok on stove, placing a steamer rack in the center of the wok. Add enough boiled water so that it just barely covers the entire steamer rack.  Transfer the ribs into the plate you'll be steaming with, being careful not to let any ribs be covered by one another. Add the chili pepper slices, and pour vegetable oil on the ribs.
Cover the wok, set the stove to its highest heat setting, and steam the spare ribs for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, turn the heat off, uncover the wok, garnish with the green onions and serve.
Cornbread Cake with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze-More Joy!

Cornbread Cake with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze-More Joy!

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Continuing on my “All Things Joy” thread.  Joy Cho, creator of Sour Cream Gem Cakes posted yet another winning snack cake (in Eater this time), a stunning Cornbread Cake with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze.  I literally ran to my kitchen to try it.  Like her Mochi Banana Bread, this is simple, easy to make, and delicious.  Instead of sweet rice flour, cornmeal is added to all-purpose flour along with sour cream and butter to create a moist, tender, rich cake.

Think of it as a sweet, light, fine crumb version of cornbread with a killer glaze. The eye-catching blue-purple topping plays off the yellow cornmeal perfectly, it’s a showstopper. With plump, ripe blueberries at the farmer’s market now, this is a no-brainer recipe to try. In all honesty, I am already thinking of substituting mochi flour for some of the all-purpose flour to add that zingy texture to this cake too.  Mochi madness persists.

The cake is simple to make.  Combine the dry ingredients, in this case, all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to the wet ingredients which include butter, sour cream, honey, and eggs.  Alternate the dry ingredients and milk adding in two steps.  The batter may look a little curdled but it’s fine.  Pour into an 8×8 baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes.  Shoot for a thermometer reading in the range of 195-200 or a clean toothpick stuck in the center for doneness.

True Grit

Stone ground cornmeal tends to be grittier than conventional supermarket cornmeal.  Bob’s Red Mill leaves the germ and bran as well as some of the hull in their cornmeal.  I’m not a fan of gritty cornbread so I used Bob’s Red Mill Corn Flour which resulted in a cake-like fine crumb texture.  If you like a loose crumb and a little bit of grit cornbread, use the fine-grind stone ground cornmeal.  If you are a glutton for grit, use the medium grind…but don’t come crying to me.  Conventional supermarket cornmeal  (like Albers) does not have the hull or germ so it will not be very gritty, perfect for my kinda cornbread.

Icing on the Cake

Make the glaze while the cake is cooling.  Mash blueberries and let it sit and macerate for a couple of minutes and then add powdered sugar.  The recipe calls for one cup of sugar, I used an extra 2 tablespoons to thicken it up.  The color is delightful and plays off the cornmeal cake.  I also added some crushed freeze-dried blueberries to amp up the flavor and color, totally optional. Trader Joe’s has an array of freeze-dried fruits including blueberries.

Yet another simple and delicious cake from Joy Cho. Its berry, berry good.

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Cornbread Cake with Blueberry-Balsamic Glaze

A delicious, beautiful snack Cake by Joy Cho. Cornbread Cake with Blueberry-Balsamic Glaze.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American, Asian-American
Keyword blueberry, blueberry balsamic glaze cornbread cake, corn flour, cornbreadcake, cornmeal, joy cho
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • ¾ cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal (55 grams) if using stone ground corn like Bob's Red MIll, use corn flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (80 grams) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

For the glaze:

  • ¼ cup fresh blueberries
  • ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar or substitute vanilla
  • 1 cup (120 grams)powdered sugar, spooned into the measuring cup, and leveled off, plus more as needed I needed an additional 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch square cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving a two-inch overhang on the sides (to make it easier to remove the cake after baking), and grease the parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the sugar and honey and cream the mixture until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.
  • Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat just until combined. Carefully beat in the milk and sour cream, then beat in the rest of the dry ingredients just until the batter is smooth.
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edges to loosen. Using the parchment sling to assist, transfer the cake to a cooling rack.
  • Make the glaze: Thoroughly mash the blueberries in a medium bowl with the back of a large spoon. Let the berries macerate for a minute or two. Add balsamic vinegar, powdered sugar, and a few pinches of salt to the bowl and whisk until smooth. The consistency of the glaze should be pourable but not overly runny — if needed, add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
  • Set out a rimmed baking sheet. When the cake is completely cool, set the cooling rack (with the cake on it) over the parchment or baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the cake, spreading it to the edges and letting it run down the sides. Allow the glaze to set completely before slicing and serving.
Mochi Banana Bread,The Cho-sen One

Mochi Banana Bread,The Cho-sen One

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I think of myself as a pie person but lately, I have found myself baking cakes.  Not fancy multi-layer show-stopper cakes, simple one layer, easy to make, snacking cakes.  That grab-and-go type treat, unfussy, portable, the bar cookie of cakes.

Brooklynite pastry chef, Joy Cho, first caught my attention with her amazing Sour Cream Gem Cakes.  Made with sweet rice flour and AP flour, the cakes are tender, moist with a bit of springiness. The rice flour gives it that zing that sets them apart from traditional cakes.

The Joy of Snacking Cakes

Her Mochi Banana Bread and Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Snack Cake are a rift on her Gem Cakes.  Baked in an 8×8 pan and cut into squares, they’re the low maintenance but no less yummy cousins to Gem Cakes.

The combination of all-purpose flour and sweet rice flour once again makes them springy yet still tender and moist.  The butter and sour cream add flavor and richness.  The banana cake calls for just ONE banana.  Who doesn’t have one over-ripe banana sitting forlornly on the kitchen counter?  No more waiting for more bananas to ripen to make banana bread.   The toppings add more texture and flavor. Besides nuts and coconut, try chocolate chips or toffee bits.  Doesn’t that sound tasty?

So Berry Good

Strawberries are in season so I tweaked the Mochi Banana Bread to make Mochi Strawberry Pistachio Cake Bars.  Delicious, but I still like the banana version best.  Substitute the same volume of macerated strawberries for the banana.  Sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios.  To intensify the strawberry flavor, crush freeze-dried strawberries and add 1 tablespoon to the batter or sprinkle it on top of the finished cake.

Chip Off the Old Block

The Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake also has sweet rice flour and all-purpose flour giving it that trademark springy texture.   Studded with chocolate chips it definitely satisfies any chocolate cravings.  Find it here.

These cakes are in the one bowl realm of simplicity.  Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl, wet ingredients in a large bowl, add dry to wet, stir until just combined then STOP.  BadaBing-BadaBoom, done.  Pour batter into a prepared pan, sprinkle goodies on top, bake, cool, cut.  DONE.  Eatin’ cake in less than an hour.  Yep, easy-peasy.

One of these days when I am in Brooklyn I will try her desserts, on my NYC bucket list.  Until then, I hope she continues to share her creations and recipes.

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5 from 1 vote

Mochi Banana Bread

Delicious snack cake made with AP flour and Sweet Rice Flour and one banana, the perfect little treat. The Mochi flour gives the cake a hint of springiness. Delicious.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword banana cake, Dessert, joy cho, Mochi, mochi banana bread, sweet rice, sweet rice flour
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Da Dry Stuff

  • 2/3 cup glutinous rice flour, like Mochiko (Koda Farms) 90 grams
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 40 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Da Wet Stuff

  • 1 medium to large banana ripe (about 110 grams peeled)
  • 1/2 cup-scant granulated sugar 90 grams
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar 55 grams
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 113 grams or 1 stick
  • 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature 60 grams
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Da Toppings

  • Chopped toasted walnuts and/or toasted coconut for topping (optional)
  • Chocolate Sprinkles

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, line the pan with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
  • In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork; some small chunks are fine. Add both sugars and whisk until combined.
  • Add the butter, sour cream, egg, and vanilla to the banana mixture and whisk until completely smooth.
  • Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients, then whisk just until no flour lumps remain. Try not to overmix.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle top with chopped nuts and/or shredded coconut, or any topping you’d like. Toffee chips or chocolate chips come to mind, but that's just me 🙂
  • Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before cutting into squares. This will keep for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

Notes

Use these to hold your parchment in place, everyone has metal clips lying around. Keeps parchment from getting in batter by clipping to top rim of baking pan.