Category: Soups & One Dish Meals

Soups, one dish meals, casseroles
Melting Pot, Instant Pot, Matzo Ball Soup

Melting Pot, Instant Pot, Matzo Ball Soup

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In the time of COVID-19 seems like we are all craving comfort food.  I find myself yearning for dishes like soups, stews, foods from my childhood, and all things carb seems to be my mantra.  Apparently, I’m not the only one, bread baking has become a national pastime making it really difficult to find flour and yeast.

My cooking and baking reflect my Californian roots. A typical day “in the life of” will find us having an All-American breakfast of bacon and eggs, followed by a Carne Asada Burrito or lamb shawarma for lunch, and sushi or pho for dinner.  I’m lucky to live in such a diverse community-a melting pot.

Hmmm, ultimate comfort food.  Let the Soup Games begin

On an overcast, gray day last week, I had a hankering for a big steamy bowl of soup.  I had just wished friends a Happy Passover so I had matzo ball soup on the brain. I pulled out a fresh chicken from the Korean grocery store, a variety of vegetables I had picked up at the Farmer’s Market, and my Instant Pot.

Insta-Matzo Ball Soup-Pot

The recipe from Spruce Eats (another great site!) for Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup served as the basis for my soup.  I started with a small fresh whole chicken 2.5-3 pounds and lots of vegetables including onions, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic, and potatoes, feel free to use whatever vegetables you like.  Add the chicken, cut vegetables, and seasonings to your Instant Pot, turn the lid and close the vent. Set the timer to 25 minutes.  Voila, that’s it, easy-peasy.  Note, it will take a while to get to pressure, approximately 20-25 minutes in addition to the cooking time of 25 minutes.  Once it is done, let the pot natural release for 15 minutes.  You can also use cut-up chicken for the stock, I prefer a whole chicken.  Don’t limit yourself to Matzo Ball soup. This is killer chicken soup, throw in a handful of rice or pasta instead of matzo balls-delicious alternatives.

Put chicken in first and pile veggies on top. Fill pot with water.

Two Schools

Do you like your matzo ball soup with just broth and matzo balls?  When I was a student in LA, a LONG time ago, I loved going to Canter’s Deli on Fairfax. An iconic joint, a classic Jewish deli, with great sammies (Killer Reuben) and traditional matzo ball soup-just rich savory broth and a giant matzo ball.  After a long night of studying, a bowl of soup at Canter’s was always a treat.

BUT, if you like lots of STUFF in your soup (which I am a big fan), remove the chicken and veggies when the stock is done.  Let the chicken cool so you don’t burn your tootsies when shredding it.  Cut the reserve veggies into bite-sized pieces. Set the shredded chicken and cut veggies aside to add to the stock later. This transforms your soup into a substantial meal. A glass of wine, a slice of homemade bread to go along…now you’re talking.

While the Instant Pot is doing its thing, make your matzo balls.  I could lie and post a recipe for homemade matzo balls but I won’t…..I USE A BOX MIX and I’m not afraid to admit it.  A tweak I learned from a friend is to use one whole egg and two egg whites in place of two whole eggs-lighter, fluffier matzo balls. Use an ice cream scoop to portion your matzo balls.  To shape each ball and make the outside smooth, roll each one by hand.  Wet your hands so the matzo balls don’t stick to them while rolling.

Remove the chicken and vegetables when the stock is done.  Switch the Instant Pot to saute’, and bring it to a boil.  Add your matzo balls, bring it back to a boil then reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.  Add reserved shredded chicken and vegetables to warm.  Ladle out all that goodness into bowls and enjoy!

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Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup

Delicious and comforting, Matzo Ball Soup made in an Instant Pot!
Course Soup
Cuisine Jewish
Keyword Chicken, Instant Pot, matzo ball soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

Chicken Stock

  • 1 whole chicken about 3 pounds with bone and skin, sub 2.5 pounds of chicken thighs
  • 8 cups water
  • 4 ribs celery with leaves, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 1 onion, large, chopped or use a combination of leeks and onions
  • 4 carrots peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 potato, peeled and cut into quarters Yukon Gold
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 4 sprigs parsley
  • 1 bay leaf large, or 2 small leaves
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
  • Black pepper freshly ground, to taste or as desired

Matzo Balls

  • 3 large eggs divided 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil use chicken schmaltz or duck fat
  • 1 pkg matzo ball mix manischewitz matzo ball mix

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in Instant Pot, followed by the water, celery, onions, carrots, potato, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, kosher salt and pepper. Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to the sealing position.
  • Select the manual setting, high pressure, and set the timer for 25 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Carefully release the remaining pressure.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the matzo ball mixture as the chicken and vegetables are cooking.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the 1 egg and 2 egg whites until slightly beaten. Add eggs, vegetable oil or fat to matzo mix and stir to combine. Refrigerate mix for 15 minutes.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to portion out matzo balls. With moistened hands, further shape the matzo mixture into small balls. You should have about 10-12 matzo balls. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
  • Carefully remove the chicken and vegetables to a large bowl and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids (garlic pieces, leaves, etc.) keep carrots, potatoes and onions.
  • Pour the broth back into the Instant Pot; set it on sauté and bring to a boil.
  • Drop the matzo balls into the boiling broth, add additional veggies at this point. Turn the sauté function to the low setting. Cover the pot and simmer the matzo balls for 20 minutes.
  • As the matzo balls cook, dice the reserved cooked vegetables. Remove the chicken from the bones and discard the skin and bones. You don't need all of the chicken for the soup. You could reserve breast meat for chicken salad or a pasta dish.
  • Shred the chicken. Return the chopped vegetables and chicken to the broth with the matzo balls and heat through.
  • Ladle soup into bowls. Include two to three matzo balls to each serving.
  • Remove leftover matzo balls from the soup and refrigerate them in a separate container.

Notes

When planning this soup, make sure you factor in enough time for the buildup and release of pressure. It will take about 25 to 30 minutes for the soup to reach pressure.  
Chicken fat, or schmaltz, is a popular fat for matzo balls, but vegetable oil or duck fat are fine alternatives.  A way to get rendered chicken fat is to make the broth and then refrigerate it until the fat solidifies on top. Skim fat to use for matzo balls.
Everybody Have Jjigae Tonight (Kimchi Jjiggae-Korean Kimchi Tofu Soup)

Everybody Have Jjigae Tonight (Kimchi Jjiggae-Korean Kimchi Tofu Soup)

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Y’all know I love soup, right?  I have about a dozen recipes for different soups on 3jamigos and now I am adding one more, Kimchi Jjigae or Kimchi Tofu Soup.  It is easy to make, super delicious and something a little different.  It’s a hearty soup with lots of yummy stuff. Along with kimchi, the soup has beef, or pork, tofu, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, basically, anything your little heart desires.  Jamie and I collaborated on this recipe (she made it, I ate it).  It is a mash-up of various recipes we found online.  If you like Korean food and would like to try making it at home, there are some really good blogs and Instagrammers you can check out, Korean Bapsang, and My Korean Kitchen.  Instagrammer @Christy_l_kitchen’s video for kimchi tofu soup served as ground zero for Jamie’s delicious soup.

First, let’s run through the ingredients for Kimchi Jjigae.  If you live in the Bay Area, it will be easy to find the ingredients for this tasty pot.  Actually, any major metropolitan area probably has an Asian market and there are online sources. (Or call me, happy to take anyone Asian food shopping)  Once you have assembled the ingredients, putting the soup together is a SNAP.

Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start…

Kimchi, or fermented cabbage, is essential to the soup.  It is the cornerstone of the soup providing umami, texture, and spice. Asian stores and larger supermarkets often carry Kimchi in their cold boxes.  My favorite brands are Ocinet and Im Soon Ja.  Use the one you like.

Tofu-made from soybean comes in various densities from super soft to extra firm.  Normally, SoonDubu Jjigae uses a very soft “silken” tofu. PERFECTLY acceptable to use firmer tofu if you like.  Tofu in tubes by Pulmone is a great choice. Kithcn has a nice primer on tofu that helps sort out the different varieties.

For protein, we used pork belly but again you can substitute beef or seafood such as shrimp or clams. Mushrooms are amazing and if you pull out the protein, the perfect vegetarian version.  Jamie added King Mushrooms (pictured) and Enoki Mushrooms (teeny tiny mushrooms), very tasty.

Gochugaru, Korean red pepper adds sweet, spicy, fruity, smoky-irreplaceable, look for it at Korean markets or online.  I like to use Gochujang (spicy sweet chili paste) along with the powder.

The soup can be made with water but if you want depth of flavor, use stock.  Traditionally an anchovy stock is used but we improvised by using a Japanese Shiro Dashi (fish-based stock) concentrate which I love.  In a pinch use chicken broth or a mushroom broth.  The recipe calls for 1 cup of liquid, I LOVE soup so I usually increase the amount of liquid 1.5-2 cups.  If you do too, taste for seasoning, you may want to increase the chili powder.

There you have it, all the ingredients for a pot of yumminess.

The hard part is over!  It’s downhill from here.  Saute’ your onions and pork, add kimchi and seasonings, stock, shrooms, and then the tofu. Top with green onions, Badda bing Badda boom, done.  Just a couple of minutes of work and dinner is served!  Koreans have a special little pot to cook Tofu Soup in, it retains heat, when you bring it to the table the soup is still bubbling furiously. Drop a raw egg in and let it cook in the piping hot broth.  We don’t have a special pot so we dropped the egg on top before taking the saucepan off the stove.

Variations on a Jjigae theme.  Did I mention we threw in mandu for good measure?  Because who doesn’t love dumplings!  To increase the veggie content without adding more kimchi, add sliced fresh cabbage or more mushrooms.

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Korean Tofu Soup Kimchi Jjigae

Korean comfort food, Soondubu Jjigae or Tofu Soup. Tofu, pork, beef or seafood and Kimchi are the building blocks for this delicious, easy to make soup.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Asian
Keyword kimchij jigae, tofu soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced pork belly or beef can sub seafood, shrimp or clams.
  • 1/2-3/4 cup thinly sliced kimchi
  • 2-3 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced or enoki mushrooms, 1 small pkg
  • 1-2 T red chili pepper flakes gochugaru add more for a spicier stew
  • 1 T Gochujang (chili paste)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil use a little more if using more gochugaru
  • 10 ounces soondubu extra soft/silken tofu, 1/2 carton of tofu
  • 1 cup anchovy broth can use water, dashi or chicken broth
  • 1/2-1 T soy sauce
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons juice from kimchi
  • pinch black pepper, dash of salt
  • 2 scallions divide white and green parts, finely chopped, add white part to yellow onion mix saute', reserve green part for garnish
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tsp oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion, scallions (white part) and pork or . Stir-fry until the meat is almost cooked, 3 - 4 minutes.
  • Add the kimchi, chili paste, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil to pot. Stir to combine and saute for 1-2 minutes.
  • Pour in broth, juice from the kimchi and pepper flakes. Bring it to a boil, add mushrooms and continue to boil for 3 - 4 minutes.
  • Add the soft tofu in big chunks. Stir in salt to taste (I rarely add salt), start with 1/4 teaspoon, and black pepper.
  • Cook for 4 -5 minutes. Add chopped scallions just before removing the pot from the heat.
  • If desired, crack an egg into the soup to serve while it’s still boiling hot.
  • Serve with rice.

Notes

Shiro dashi concentrate is seasoned, reduce salt and/or soy sauce if used.
Kindness of Strangers: Three Amigos Soup (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

Kindness of Strangers: Three Amigos Soup (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

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Last week I headed up to the City to run some errands, check on my mom’s house and visit her at the assisted-living home.  We moved mom to a care facility after a couple of health emergencies and declining cognitive ability, sadly she could no longer live independently.

I arrived at her place around lunchtime and it was such a beautiful day, I decided to take her to Los Trinos, a little hole-in-the-wall down the block that serves delicious El Salvadorean food.  Using the walker to steady herself, we slowly made our way to Los Trinos.  The most difficult part of the walk is the Mission Street crossing.  She made it across like a real trooper.

A Hole in the Wall but Not in My Soul

Los Trinos, a tiny unassuming place with about 10 tables, serves the surrounding neighborhood.  It’s down-home cooking-Pupusas, Tacos, Churrasco, Sopa de Res, all made in a tiny family-run kitchen.  We settled on Carne Asada Tacos, pupusas filled with cheese and chicken, and a bowl of their Sopa de Res (beef and vegetable soup).  The soup is the epitome of comfort food, filled with carrots, chayote, zucchini, corn on the cob, and chunks of beef, it nourishes the body and the soul.  Beef shank is part of the leg, the meat is tough, sinewy, and lean (it does a lot of work after all) but with long slow cooking, morphs into tender and flavorful morsels and develops into a tasty stock.  Oxtails would be a good (but pricey) substitute for both flavor and texture.

On the way back, mom’s legs gave out and she collapsed crossing the street (Mission is a big fast street). I frantically tried to pick her up while grabbing her walker.  Immediately 3 guys came running to help us, literally carrying mom to the corner out of harm’s way. Luckily there is a bus stop there with seats. I told her I would run and grab a wheelchair.  One of the guys immediately said he would stay with her until I got back. I was so grateful to them. With all the craziness going on right now its acts of kindness and decency that restore your faith in people. They probably won’t see this but I wanted to thank the three of them who without hesitation jumped in to help us.

I got mom back and settled her in, told her she almost gave me a heart attack, she laughed.  She Was OK

In appreciation of the three guys who helped us, I have named my version of Caldo or Sopa de Res, Three Amigos Soup. It is soul food.  Comfort food made with love and made to be shared with family and friends.  My mom, notorious for not being a great cook (she left the cooking to my dad), somehow could fill a pot with water and like magic turn it into the most delicious soups.  Her beef and veggie soup, one of my favorites, starts like Three Amigos soup with beef shanks but veers Asian with the addition of ginger and shiitake mushrooms.

Inspired by the three gentlemen who helped me it felt right to make a pot of soup.  I made the soup in a pressure cooker and it takes half the amount of time.  If you have a 6-quart pressure cooker like me, half the recipe.  If you have the big Kahuna of Instant Pots, you can make the full recipe.

Confession time, I cheat by adding a heaping tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Base, totally optional.  Or start with beef broth or stock instead of water for a richer flavor.

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Three Amigos Soup (Caldo de Res)

Food for the soul, this beef and vegetable soup is nourishing, comforting, and just plain delicious. Filled with a variety of vegetables, including, carrots, potatoes, chayote and onions it makes a wonderful meal in a bowl.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Beef and Vegetable Soup, Beef shank, Caldo de Res, Carrots, chayote, comfort food, food for the soul, onions, potatoes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Instant Pot 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

The Stock

  • 10 cups water divided, for a richer stock, use beef stock instead of water or 1:1 water:stock
  • 2 pounds bone-in beef shank Substitute 2-2.5 pounds of oxtails, or a mix of both, chuck roast cut into 2-3 inch chunks would also work
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1-2 Tbsp Better than Bouillon Beef Base optional, not necessary if using beef stock

The Veggies

  • 1 white or yellow onion Diced
  • 2 potatoes cut into eighths (Idaho, Russet or Yukon Gold)
  • 2-3 medium ears of corn shucked and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 zucchini cut into thick chunks
  • 4 carrots sliced into thick coins
  • 1/2 head cabbage cut into eighths, leave the center stalk to keep cabbage together
  • 2 fresh tomatoes, cut in wedges optional but recommended, adds sweetness

Garnishes

  • 1 cup chopped cilantro for serving
  • 4 limes cut into wedges for serving
  • diced jalapenos, optional for serving

Mom's Beef and Vegetable soup

    Omit bay leaves, chayote, lime and jalapeños

    • 4-6 dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Cleaned and soaked in warm water for 10-15 minutes. reserve soaking liquid to use as stock for soup
    • 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
    • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger Smashed Or cut into slices, in place of bay leaves
    • 1/4 Cup Rice wine or Shaoxing Wine Add with beef
    • 1-2 Fuzzy melons or piece of winter melon (1.5 pounds) Daikon or Korean radish would also work In place of zucchini and chayote,
    • 1 Tbsp Light soy sauce Just before serving, stir into soup
    • 1-2 Green onions sliced, to add when serving

    Instructions

    • In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add 10 cups of water, beef shanks, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat Is tender.
    • Skim off and discard any white or brown foam floating at the top of the pot as well as the bay leaves and garlic cloves. Transfer the cooked bone-in beef shank to a medium bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
    • Add the onions, potatoes, corn, zucchini, carrots, cabbage and remaining 2 cups of water to the pot.
    • Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
    • While the vegetables are cooking, remove the bones and any tough sinewy parts from the beef shank and discard. Cut the tender meat into small bite-sized chunks. When the vegetables are fully cooked, add the meat.
    • Stir everything together and taste. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
    • Ladle soup into large bowls, each bowl should have bit of everything. Garnish each bowl with cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice and diced jalapeño peppers or a few dashes of Tobasco hot sauce (optional).

    Instant Pot Version

    • Place beef, shiitake, garlic, salt and 1/2 of diced onions in pot. Fill pot to 10 cup line.
    • Seal pot and set to cook at high pressure for 35-40 minutes. NPR for 10 minutes
    • While soup is cooking, prep vegetables. Remove meat from stock and add vegetables to Instant Pot, you might have to leave some out, it’s a lot of veggies. Seal and set cooktime for 15 minutes.
    • Quick release, season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup and goodies into large bowls. Garnish with cilantro and green onions and serve. Enjoy!
    Bi Bim Bap It! Homecoming in Seoul

    Bi Bim Bap It! Homecoming in Seoul

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    Off to see Jorge in Korea!

    Do you have a bucket list of things to do when traveling, if so, what’s yours? I’d love to know.  Here’s ours when we travel:

    FIRST DAY- a tour of the city on bikes.  It’s a great way to get an overview of the city you are visiting and get a bit of exercise (guilt-free eating for the day, yay!)  It does have it’s heartbeat quickening moments when you ride in traffic and every big city in the world has traffic.  But we have biked in Rome, London, Boston, DC, Paris, and Seoul without mishap, just a couple of choice words from drivers.  But hey, I get that here too.

    SPORTS:  We have watched rowing on the Thames, soccer in Italy, and now baseball in Korea and Japan.  BOSS, so much fun and gives you a taste of the folks that live there.

    EATS:  Street food, hole-in-the-walls, local joints, my kinda food.  Ok, occasionally, a meal that breaks the bank.

    I push the envelope sometimes with my search for local food.  I have waited in line for 90 minutes for Egg Tarts in Macau, meandered down small alleys looking for Won Ton Soup in Hong Kong or Okonomiyaki in Osaka.  Unfortunately, the combination of spotty maps and my non-existent sense of direction means a lot of wandering around and spewing expletives at my phone when looking for those food gems. Good thing my family loves me, or at least I think they do.

    HOME COOKING:  Do you get tired of eating in restaurants?  Miss your kitchen? Take a cooking class!  We have made pasta and gelato in Florence and now homemade kimchi, seafood pancake-pajeon and Bi Bim Bap in Seoul.

    Early morning at a local street market

    Our cooking class with Joungy began with a visit to the market to buy ingredients, a Korean Veggie primer!

    I was mesmerized watching this gentleman grind chili peppers into Gochugaro powder.

    We made Seafood Pancakes or Pajeon, fresh kimchi, and my favorite bowl meal, Bi Bim Bap.  Bi Bim Bap starts with a pile of fluffy, warm rice and topped with julienned carrots, cucumbers, squash, spinach, mushrooms, yesterday’s banchan, seasoned beef or chicken.  You get the picture, you can use anything you desire for toppings.  For Joungy’s class, we had a wonderful array of veggies, carrots, cucumbers, daikon, shiitake mushrooms, shredded beef and a chiffonade of Perilla leaves.  Delicious!

    The secret to her Bi Bim Bap is the extra attention given to the sauce.  Her Gochujang paste included corn syrup, a bit of soy sauce, and chopped garlic, stir-fried briefly. This brought the sauce to a new level.

    Season each component, stir-fry, and place on top of the rice in neat little separate piles-kid-friendly, lol.  Top your masterpiece with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and a dollop of sauce.  It’s colorful, delicious, easy to prepare, flexible…what more could you ask for?  If you can’t find Perilla leaves, garnish with chopped green onions are good too.

    A great primer for Bi Bim Bap can be found at My Korean Kitchen which has instructions to season the blanched bean sprouts and spinach.

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    Bi Bim Bap (Korean Mixed Rice)

    Korean Rice Bowl, Easy to Make and Delicious!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Asian
    Keyword Bi Bim Bap, Korean, Rice Bowl
    Prep Time 20 days
    Cook Time 45 days
    Servings 1 serving

    Ingredients

    Bi Bim Bap Rice (proportions for 1 bowl)

    • 50 gm thinly sliced beef
    • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
    • 1/2 t brown sugar
    • 1 t corn syrup
    • 1/2 t salt
    • 1 T soy sauce
    • 1/2 t sesame oil
    • 2 fresh shiitake mushroomes, thinly sliced
    • 1/2 carrot, julienned
    • 1/4 c daikon, julienned or bean sprouts
    • 1/8 t pepper powder Gochugaru
    • 1 handful spinach leaves or sub 1/4 cup thinly sliced zuchinni or Persian cucumber
    • 5 perilla leaves aka sesame leaves can sub shiso leaves, julienned
    • vegetable oil for frying, 1/2 T for each vegetable
    • 2 cups Cooked white rice I use a rice cooker, its your call how to cook the rice!

    Ingredients for Sauce for servings

    • 5 T Gochujang chili paste
    • 2 T Corn syrup light
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 T brown sugar
    • 1/2 T vegetable oil

    Instructions

    For Sauce

    • In a nonstick skillet, add oil and chopped garlic. Turn heat onto medium high. Saute until garlic is brown color, don't burn!
    • Add remaining ingredients for sauce and stir over medium low heat for approximately 5 minutes. Set aside.

    For Vegetables and Rice

    • Cooked medium grain white rice
    • In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, corn syrup, pepper powder and chopped garlic. Add beef and stir to combine.
    • Stir fry each vegetable-mushroom, carrot, daikon, separately until tender crisp. Season with salt to taste. Place each vegetable on a platter, keep separate. Stir fry mushrooms in 1/2 T sesame oil, remaining vegetables can be saute in 1/2 T vegetable oil or a blend of sesame oil and vegetable oil
    • If using bean sprouts or spinach, blanch in hot water until tender crisp about 1 minute
    • Stir fry beef until cooked through.

    Building Your Bowl

    • Divide hot rice between 3-4 bowls
    • Place vegetables in bundles around the bowl in a radial pattern. Place beef in the center.
    • Garnish with sesame seeds and perilla leaves and approximately 1 T sauce for each bowl. Place extra sauce in a bowl and serve along side bowls.
    • Optional (mandatory for me): Fry an egg for each serving, sunnyside up, and place on top of beef

    Notes

    Bi Bim Bap and creative expression.  The only absolutes for Bi Bim Bap is the rice and the sauce.  You could sub brown rice in place of white rice, but you need rice. The recipe from Joungy's class goes the extra mile by sautéing the red pepper paste with garlic and seasonings.  You could use Gochujang straight out of the jar, but the cooked sauce is really tasty.
    Use whatever vegetables your little heart desires.  Great way to use extra Banchan you boxed from K-bbq the night before.  Why not? 

    So good!  Bowled over by Bi Bim Bap!
    Bowled Over, Udon Want to Miss My Newest Obsession (Udon)

    Bowled Over, Udon Want to Miss My Newest Obsession (Udon)

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    Hang on to your hats, imagine Times Square, with all its neon signs and flashing lights dedicated solely to FOOD.  Yep, that’s the only way I can describe the Dotonbori area of Osaka.  Swarms of people, whose sole purpose is to find all things delicious to eat.  A giant 3-D crab, or shrimp or potsticker over the door of a dining establishment making it easy to figure out their specialty.  The delicious aromas swirling around, changing with every step as they walk by tempura houses, ramen joints, crab feasts and yakitori vendors.

    Welcome to Crazy Town for food

    Yep, we bit.  Drawn by the people, hypnotized by the lights, we ate our way down the street.  We tasted Takoyaki, octopus cakes, (not really cakes, I just couldn’t bring myself to call them balls).  Think Ebelskiver with octopus bits.  We munched on skewers of yakitori, sampled matcha and black sesame soft serve and found taiyakis, fish-shaped cakes filled with red beans.

    Udon want to miss the noodles

    Our last stop was the perfect cap for the evening.  Walking back to our hotel we found a local shop in Namba with a trio of old cooks serving up delicious udon noodles.  We decided what toppings we wanted on our noodles, slipped our yens (=TWO DOLLARS A BOWL) into the machine, and handed the tickets to the chef.  Minutes later 3 hot steaming bowls of udon were placed in front of us.

    Unlike ramen, the noodles are much thicker with a definite chew.  The broth is flavorful but clear and light, fish-based, different than the rich, heavy broth that you find with ramen.  Toppings are simple-fried tofu (abura-age), a raw egg that cooks in the steaming hot broth, a single tempura shrimp, or a clump of shredded seasoned beef and a sprinkling of green onion.  We slurped our noodles and tipped the bowls to spoon out the last drops of broth.  You’d think we hadn’t eaten all day.  Ha!

     

    Oyako-Udon combo set

    Thus My Obsession with Udon Began…

    As soon as I got home plus 12 hours of catch-up sleep, I pulled out my copy of Japanese Soul Cooking by Tadashi Ono.  A gem of a book on homey Japanese comfort food.  I flipped to the udon section and then I was off to the market to look for ingredients.  I had purchased a delicious Dashi base in Tsujiki Market in Tokyo, perfect for my udon.  To make your own Dashi here is a great primer from Just One Cookbook. OR, Kikkoman makes a soup base Hon Tsuyu that makes a pretty good dashi broth base.

    Working down my list, next the udon noodles. Udon comes fresh, frozen, and (if you can’t find fresh or frozen udon) dried.  Sigh, just not the same.  I also found abura-age or fried tofu skin which is used to make Kitsune Udon. The fried tofu skins are flattened and seasoned with soy sauce and placed on top of the udon.  Really delicious, and substantial enough for a satisfying vegetarian bowl of udon. It can be difficult to find abura-age though and in that case, Inari-age, seasoned deep-fried tofu pouches used to make Sushi Rice balls, is a convenient and easy substitute.  No need to season, just plop them on top of the cooked noodles.  Confused about tofu? Serious Eats’s Tofu primer is your ticket.  The carnivore in me though, bought some thinly sliced beef (sukiyaki beef is perfect) to make Niku Udon, yummo.

    Making udon is very approachable.  It’s perfectly acceptable to start with a broth made from Dashi bags and pre-made noodles.

    Udon Ingredients

    Travel to Eat

    People travel to buy clothes and souvenirs, I buy food, Dashi, Furikake’, Soba Boro cookies…yep, travel driven by food.

    Studying up, here’s the scoop, on udon.

    I used Dashi packets to make the Tsuyu.  This is your base,  add soy sauce and mirin to flavor the Tsuyu.

    Optimally, use Sanukiya noodles, most likely found in the frozen section of your favorite Asian market.  The noodles are a bit firmer and hold up well.  The pre-cooked noodles only take a couple of minutes to separate and heat in hot water, presto-dunzo.  There are Korean versions of Udon noodles too, and they are very good.

    Toppings for udon can be as simple as an egg, gently poached for the raw egg-squeamish, Abura-age, tempura, fishcake, or really ANYTHING you feel like putting on your noodles!

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    Kitsune Udon

    Simple, satisfying, soulful, best describes a bowl of Udon, thick, slurpable, noodles, in a clear broth.
    Course noodles, one bowl meal, One dish meals
    Cuisine Asian
    Keyword Kitsune, Udon
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes

    Ingredients

    Abura-age (Tofu)

    • 1 package Abura-age or 4 Abura-age

    For Simmering Abura-age:

    • 3/4 cup dashi soup stock
    • 2 Tbsp. sugar
    • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
    • 1 Tbsp. mirin

    For Soup:

    • 5 cup dashi soup stock
    • 3 Tbsp. mirin
    • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
    • Salt adjusting the amount of salt to your preference

    Noods and Garnishes

    • 4 packages pre-boiled udon noodles
    • Optional: 4 slices kamaboko fish cake for topping
    • green onions, sliced

    Instructions

    • Heat dashi, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in a medium pan and bring to a boil. Adjust the flavor with salt as you like.
    • Simmer aburaage in the soup on low heat until the liquid is almost gone. Set aside.
    • Boil water in a large pan and heat udon noodles as indicated in the package.
    • Drain the udon and divide into four bowls.
    • Pour the hot soup over udon noodles.
    • Top with seasoned aburaage and kamaboko slices.
    • Garnish with green onions

    OR buy the more readily available Inari age or seasoned tofu pouches and just plop those straight into your bowl. Inari age is the fried tofu pouches used to make Inari Sushi

      Or the carnivore delight…

      udon
      Print Pin

      Niku Udon

      Udon Noodles topped with stir fried seasoned beef and onions.
      Course Soup
      Cuisine Asian
      Keyword japanese, Noodle, soup, Udon
      Prep Time 20 minutes
      Cook Time 15 minutes
      Servings 4 servings
      Author Adapted from Japanese Soul Food

      Ingredients

      Niku Ingredients

      • 1/4 cup sake
      • 1/4 cup sugar
      • 1/4 cup soy sauce
      • 1 pound sukiyaki beef or thinly sliced flank steak, ribeye
      • 1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced optional

      Soup

      • 6 cups udon tsuyu*
      • 4 bricks fresh or frozen udon noodles can substitute dried Sanuki Udon
      • 1-2 green onion thinly sliced
      • Shichimi togarashi

      Udon Tsuyu

      • 6 cups dashi
      • 1/2 cup mirin
      • 1/2 cup Usukuchi soy sauce light soy sauce
      • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

      Instructions

      Tsuyu

      • Prepare broth and keep warm.

      Beef

      • Combine sake, sugar and soy sauce in a bowl and stir well. Add beef and mix together, coating meat well. Marinade beef for 10 minutes.
      • Preheat dry non-stick skillet or well seasoned wok/iron skillet. If including onion, saute onion slices just until soft before adding the beef. Add beef and marinade to skillet. Spread beef in skillet to cook evenly. Cook over high heat until beef has lost its pinkness and most of liquid has evaporated, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

      Udon Noodles

      • Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add each packet of noodles. gently spread noodles out. When water comes back to a boil, the noodles are done. Drain well and divide among bowls.
      • Pour hot broth over noodles. Divide beef among bowls, garnish with green onions and shichimi togarashi. Serve immediately.
      Quick Pho Ga
      Two Pho-One Deal (Pho Ga Noodle Soup & Chicken Noodle Salad)

      Two Pho-One Deal (Pho Ga Noodle Soup & Chicken Noodle Salad)

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      Last week I posted a teaser on Instagram and FB of a really quick version of Pho Ga, Vietnamese chicken rice noodle soup. “In less than an hour, you will be sitting down to a steaming hot, delicious bowl of noodles. Recipe post tonight!”

      Sorry, stuff happens and I am a procrastinator by nature.  Tonight is NOW, finally (my humble opinion, worth the wait).

      I found the recipe for the quick and easy Pho in the Los Angeles Times.  I LOVE that paper.  When I lived in LA I religiously read the Wednesday Food Section (sometimes the front page but never the sports page-my dislike for the Dodgers never waned).  Some of my favorite recipes and stalwarts in my repertoire are from the LA Times.  I’m adding not only this Pho Ga Soup but a little gem that was tagged onto the end, a delicious chicken noodle salad, Phở Gà Trộn, made from the same ingredients, soooo good.  I almost like it more than the Pho Ga.  You can find the recipe and notes for Pho Ga Tron HERE.  Both recipes are from Andrea Nguyen, Asian cookbook author extraordinaire.

      Back to the Pho Ga.  Aside from going out to your favorite hole in the wall for pho, making pho at home is a weekend project. Making it after a long commute, on a weekday, ridiculous!  But a couple of shortcuts and whaddya know…nothing better than a delicious bowl of noodles after a horrendous commute.

      Shhhh…The secret is to start with pre-made broth.  If you have homemade-grrrrreat, if not, low sodium canned or boxed broth works well. Toasted coriander seeds, green onions, and ginger are added to the broth along with chicken, cilantro stems and salt. While the broth simmers for about 20 minutes, prep your noodles and garnishes.  Boom, you have just doctored stock into a perfectly respectable, delicious, chicken soup for pho.  For garnishes, I usually have cilantro, mint, green onions or Thai basil and limes on the table.  Don’t forget to put out the Siracha and Hoisin Sauce!

      Quick Pho Ga
      Print Pin

      Quick Chicken Pho (phở gà nhanh)

      Course Main Course, Soup
      Cuisine Asian
      Keyword Pho Ga
      Prep Time 10 minutes
      Cook Time 25 minutes
      Total Time 35 minutes

      Ingredients

      • 3⁄4 inch piece ginger
      • 2 medium-large green onions
      • 1 bunch cilantro sprigs
      • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons coriander seeds
      • 1 whole clove
      • 3 1⁄2 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
      • 2 cups water
      • 2 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh reserve one for noodle salad
      • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
      • 5 ounces dried narrow flat rice noodles such as banh pho, rice stick or pad Thai noodles
      • 2 to 3 teaspoons fish sauce
      • 1⁄2 teaspoon organic sugar or 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
      • Pepper optional
      • 1/4 thinly sliced red onion optional for broth
      • 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms optional for broth

      Garnishes

      • sliced green onions
      • chopped cilantro
      • Thai basil leaves leave on stem
      • fresh mint leave on stem
      • bean sprouts
      • lime wedges

      Instructions

      • Peel then slice the ginger into 4 or 5 coins. Smack with the flat side of a knife or meat mallet and set aside. Thinly slice the green parts of the green onion to yield 2 to 3 tablespoons, and set aside to use as a garnish. Cut the leftover sections into 2- to 3-inch lengths, bruise, then add to the ginger.
      • Coarsely chop the leafy tops of the cilantro to yield 2 tablespoons; set aside to use as a garnish. Set the remaining cilantro sprigs aside.
      • In a 3- to 4-quart pot, toast the coriander seeds and clove over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ginger and bruised green onion sections. Stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
      • Remove the pot from heat for about 15 seconds to briefly cool, then pour in the broth. Add the water, cilantro sprigs, chicken, and salt. (optional, add mushrooms and red onions) Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately then lower the heat to gently simmer for 20-25 minutes.
      • While the broth simmers, soak the rice noodles in hot water until pliable and opaque. Drain, rinse, and set aside.  Test your noodles, they should be soft and pliable but still have a slight bite.
      • After 10-12 minutes of simmering, the chicken should be firm and cooked through (press on it and it should slightly yield). Transfer the chicken to a bowl, flush with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain. Set the chicken aside until cool enough to handle, then shred into bite-size pieces. You will only need 1 chicken breast for the soup.  Reserve second one for noodle salad. If you don't plan on making the salad, use only 1 piece of chicken. 
      • When the broth is done simmering, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium pot.  Discard the solids. You should have about 4 cups broth. Season with fish sauce and sugar, if needed, to create a strong savory-sweet note. If using red onion you may not need sugar.
      • Bring the strained broth to a boil over high heat. Put the noodles in a noodle strainer or mesh sieve and dunk in the hot broth to heat and soften, 5 to 60 seconds. Lift the noodles from the pot and divide between the 2 bowls.
      • Reduce the heat to keep the broth hot while you arrange the chicken on top of the noodles and garnish with the chopped green onion, cilantro, and a sprinkling of pepper. Taste for seasoning. Return the broth to a boil and ladle into the bowls.
      • Extra broth can be refrigerated or frozen. You will need 1/2 cup of broth for the noodle salad.

      Notes

      Each serving: Calories 457; Protein 33 grams; Carbohydrates 70 grams; Fiber 2 grams; Fat 6 grams; Saturated fat 1 gram; Cholesterol 72 mg; Sugar 2 grams; Sodium 1,363 mg

       

       

       

       

       

      Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
      Tryin’ to Squash A Cold! (Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup)

      Tryin’ to Squash A Cold! (Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup)

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      How does that old adage go? Feed a cold, starve a fever?  The thought crossed my mind as I was miserably lying in bed, achy, congested, and generally feeling like crap.  Thank goodness for laptops and search engines…I found a Scientific America article that addressed this very proverb and whaddya know, going all Mythbuster, Scientific America, not only debunked it, but concluded it really should be “Feed a cold, FEED a fever”.  Yeah baby, I love science.

      What is the perfect antidote when it is cold, when you are sick, when you crave comfort, but you are too tired to fuss?  SOUP.  Am I right?  Yep, bowl therapy to the rescue.  It didn’t take long to find a soup that fit the bill.  From the blog Creative Bites, Pressure Cooker Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.  Lucky for me I had bought a butternut squash at the market and had all of the ingredients handy.  “Kold karma” pointed me to this quick (thanks to my Instant Pot) and easy, delicious soup.

      Here’s the HARD part.  The PREP.  Yeah, no getting around peeling that butternut squash and dicing ALL THOSE vegetables.  Well,  I suppose you could buy pre-cut squash, diced onions and minced garlic, but that’s your call. It’s part of cooking therapy for me.

      Butternut Squash soup Prep

      NOW, the EASY part.  Prep was 90% of the game.  You’re now sitting pretty on 3rd base ready to score, just a mere minutes from homebowl. Get it?  I love the apples and red bell pepper, they add a nice sweetness.   Saute the veggies in your Instant Pot.  It’s important when you add the stock, really stir the bottom of pot to release all those bits of saute goodness.   The pot is very sensitive to bits stuck on the bottom and will turn off as a safety precaution if the bottom isn’t clean.  Add the stock, seal the pot, and then set the timer for 5 MINUTES.  Yep, five minutes and quick release at the end.  With the time it takes to come to pressure, you’re still only looking at 15 minutes of cooking time.  Not bad.

      I used an immersion blender in the pot to puree the soup.  There are a lot of comments online about how it doesn’t work as well as a blender.  BUTTERNUTS.  Not creamy enough?  Throw the immersion stick back in and blend some more.  I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of creaminess (though I don’t think I am) to do this, as oppose to pouring HOT soup, in batches, into my blender.  I’m saving my blender for smoothies and Margaritas.

      Butternut Squash Soup in Mugs

      Go ahead and play around with this soup recipe. It’s very forgiving.  Got thyme?  Substitute for sage.  Got time?  Skip the Instant Pot, roast the vegetables instead.  See the prepped veggies above? Throw it all in a roasting pan, give it a good swig of olive oil, toss, salt and pepper and roast at 425 for about an hour).  The vegetables caramelize in the oven and add a sweetness to the soup that’s “souper” yummy.  Creative bites calls for goat cheese or cream cheese.  I like cream cheese because it adds a whole lot of mouth feel and just a slight tanginess.  You could probably use sour cream, creme fraiche or even just a touch of heavy whipping cream instead.  This would lighten the soup but you might lose that creaminess.

      FINISH WITH TOPPING MADNESS.  Once your soup is done, garnish with ANYTHING your little heart desires.  Toasted nuts or pepitas, bacon, sliced apples, or more BACON, croutons.  Did I mention bacon?  I was sent a mix of nuts as a soup topping by my Food52 Holiday Gift Swap buddy- it was perfect.

      Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
      Print Pin

      Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Instant Pot

      Course Soup
      Cuisine American
      Keyword butternut squash
      Prep Time 15 minutes
      Cook Time 15 minutes
      Total Time 30 minutes

      Ingredients

      • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
      • 1 large yellow onion diced
      • 1 red bell pepper chopped
      • 2 tsp. diced garlic
      • 1 tsp. fresh ground ginger
      • 2 lb. butternut squash peeled and cubed 1 medium squash
      • 1 medium apple peeled cored and chopped
      • 1 tsp. sage Substitute thyme or curry powder
      • 1/8 tsp. chili powder
      • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
      • 3 c. chicken stock I used additional cup to thin down the soup a bit
      • 3 oz. cream cheese Sub goat cheese
      • 1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
      • Salted Pepitas for garnish Or anything you like, like BACON BITS, spicy nuts, chives, sliced apple, sautéed wild mushrooms...
      • 1 Tbsp Brown sugar, optional To add roasted squash’s sweetness

      Instructions

      • Turn on the Saute function on Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, onions and bell pepper. Saute on high for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the cubed squash, apple, sage, chili powder, sea salt and chicken stock.
      • Place the lid on your Instant Pot and move the knob to seal. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and do a quick release of the pressure.
      • Using an immersion blender in the Instant Pot, puree the mixture. Add the cream cheese and Parmesan, stir to melt and continue to puree until very smooth.
      • Garnish and serve.
      Egga-licious Down Home Cooking (Steamed Egg with Shiitake Mushrooms)

      Egga-licious Down Home Cooking (Steamed Egg with Shiitake Mushrooms)

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      There are dishes that with the first bite I am instantly transported back to the dinner table of my childhood.  My dad clanging pots and pans, putting the finishing touches on our meal.  Me or my brother setting the table and my mom cleaning up in my dad’s “kitchen wake” (big job, trust me).  A typical meal would be corn soup, stir-fried greens with oyster sauce and ginger, soy sauce chicken from our favorite Chinese deli, and a steamed dish.  The steamed dish might be minced pork patty with salted duck eggs or steamed eggs with clams.  These are the dishes of my childhood, my soul food.

      Asian Soul Food

      So, this past month, Food 52 featured Fuscia Dunlop’s Every Grain of Rice in their cookbook club.  Listed is a recipe for steamed eggs. Bam, I’m 10 years old again watching my dad cook, hoping he will give me a morsel to “taste-test”.  I flipped to the page with the recipe and hmmm, honestly, her egg dish didn’t look that great. (In her defense I tried a couple of the other recipes in the book and they are delicious). It looked a bit overcooked and bubbly on the top. My dad’s steamed eggs were silky smooth and soft, kind of like silken tofu or Japanese Chawan Mushi.  Both are savory custards with tidbits of shrimp, bbq pork, or clams, indescribably delicious.

      Guess what, I have never made this simple, homey, delightful dish and I’m not sure why.  I love it.  My kids love it.  My niece Marisa REALLY loves it. Hello, what was I waiting for?  I reached out to my bro for tips on how to make dad’s steamed eggs, he’s smart, he makes it all the time.

      There is some wiggle room to the ratio of egg to liquid in this dish.  Four eggs to one and a quarter to one-half cups of water.  I replaced the water with low sodium chicken stock to amp up the flavor.  The TRICK to mind-boggling silky, smooth custard is to steam the eggs over very low heat.  Low and slow so you don’t get bubbles or overcooked eggs.

      Add-Ins

      Following Fuscia’s recipe, I added shiitake mushrooms and opted for diced Chinese sausage (lop cheung) instead of ground pork.  The mushrooms add a nice earthiness and the sweet & salty sausage provides both flavor and texture.  My dad liked dried shrimp or bbq pork.  Ham or ground chicken or pork would work well.  I mixed the ‘shrooms and sausage into the egg mixture before pouring it into the bowl.  Next time I will scatter them on the bottom of the steaming bowl and pour the eggs over so they don’t float to the top as much. But really, NBD it will still be delicious.

      steamed egg

      Remember LOW AND SLOW, the key to a silky, smooth, damn that’s delish, egg custard. WORD.

      Asian Style Steamed eggs

      The dish is done when the center is just set and does not jiggle too much.  Garnish with green onions (mandatory) and cilantro (optional).  Heat the peanut or vegetable oil until you see wisps of smoke, then immediately pour it over the green onions.  This brings out the flavor of the aromatics and gives the eggs a nice sheen.  Drizzle with soy sauce and/or oyster sauce on top. Ready, set, EAT.

      Get out the bowls of rice and then follow my kids’ lead. Stir the eggs into your rice so it’s all smooshed together and goopy, grab a spoon and start shoveling.

      Microwave Magic

      Now you can make steamed eggs in the microwave!  I recently bought Cook Anyday microwave cookware and whaddya know, the microwave works well for dishes that are steamed!!!

      Put your ingredients all in one bowl, zap it, bring it to the table, off chance you don’t eat it all….toss the bowl in the fridge.  Truly one-bowl cooking! I cooked at 300 watts or 50%  power (I have a teeny 600w microwave) for 8 minutes, or until the custard is barely set in the middle, and jiggles gently if shaken. If it’s too runny, add time at 50% power in 30-second increments. Let rest with the lid on for 1-2 minutes to let the egg gently finish steaming.

      Print Pin

      Chinese Steamed Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms

      A silky smooth, soft savory custard flavored with mushrooms.  Perfect with a bowl of rice. this is Asian soul food.
      Course Main Course
      Cuisine Asian
      Keyword Steamed eggs
      Prep Time 10 minutes
      Cook Time 25 minutes
      Total Time 35 minutes
      Servings 6 servings

      Ingredients

      • 4 eggs whisked
      • 1.5 cups boiled water substitute all or part with chicken stock. Liquid should be lukewarm
      • 2 dried shiitake mushrooms soften in warm water and diced
      • 1 lop cheung (Chinese sausage) diced, substitutions include ham, little clams, fresh or dried shrimp
      • 2 tsp rice wine
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 1 pinch of each white pepper and sugar

      Optional (for garnish)

      • 2 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
      • 1 green onion finely chopped
      • cilantro for garnish
      • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
      • 2 drops toasted sesame oil optional
      • 2 tsp oyster sauce optional

      Instructions

      • Heat water in a wok or large saute pan with a steamer insert. 
        Combine eggs, water or stock, salt, rice wine, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Add mushrooms and Chinese sausage to egg mixture.  
        Pour mixture into a shallow heatproof bowl or pyrex pie plate.  Place in steamer and cover.  Steam over low heat for 20-25 minutes. The eggs should look set and not jiggle in the middle but not look dry.
        Heat peanut oil in a small saucepan until wisps of smoke form.  Garnish eggs with green onions and pour hot oil over the green onions and egg.
        Drizzle with soy sauce and/or oyster sauce over top.
        Serve immediately with rice. 

      MIcrowave Cook It!

      • Put your ingredients all in one bowl, zap it, bring it to the table, off chance you don't eat it all....toss the covered bowl in the fridge.  Truly one-bowl cooking! I cooked at 300 watts or 50%  power (I have a teeny 600w microwave) for 8 minutes, or until the custard is barely set in the middle, and jiggles gently if shaken. If it’s too runny, add time at 50% power in 30-second increments. Let rest with the lid on for 1-2 minutes to let the egg gently finish steaming.
      Oyako Donburi Hmmm, Maybe the Chicken and the Egg Came Together?

      Oyako Donburi Hmmm, Maybe the Chicken and the Egg Came Together?

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      I am soooo excited! We are adding a new category to 3Jamigos!  The kids have flown the coop and are making their own way, Jeff in the City close by (yippee), Jorge in Korea teaching (so far away) and Jams currently working and freezing her tush off in Minneapolis (half of so far away).  Luckily we have FaceTime, phones, texting and when that just won’t do, flights.  Just an airplane ride away.

      A California-Texas kinda gal, winter in Minneapolis is a new experience for Jamie.  Down jackets, scarves and gloves are now a part of her wardrobe vernacular, as is staying indoors. The winter weather has her looking for activities inside to keep her busy.  For Christmas, we gave her knitting needles, yarn and starter lessons from Wes on how to knit.  Big hit, knitting up a storm haha.

      Jamie has always loved to bake and cook.  She’s a natural, and with this weather, she has been doing alot more cooking and baking.

      A recent call went like this:

      Mui (her nickname):  Mom, can you send me your Oyako Donburi recipe?  Is it easy to make?

      Me: Sure.  Yep, it’s pretty easy.  One pan, a couple of eggs, chicken, and onions.

      Mui: That sounds good, I love rice bowls and I can bring the leftovers to work.

      LIGHTBULB MOMENT:  Hey, why don’t we both make Oyako Donburi and then post about it?  You have done spots before on 3Jamigos. We’ll alternate picking recipes to make and blog about!

      THUS a new 3jamigos category was born, M&M which stands for Mom and Mui.  Mui means little sister.  We have been calling Jamie Mui since Day One.

      Oyako Donburi is the perfect dish to launch M&M.  Chicken, sliced shiitake mushrooms, onions are cooked in a savory-sweet sauce of soy sauce, sake, dashi.  Lightly beaten eggs are then poured on top of the chicken and sauce and simmered until just cooked through, then the chicken and egg mixture is placed on top of hot rice.  Watch your kids, hubby, neighbors, everybody gobble it up.  So delicious, classic Japanese soul food.

      So without further adieu, our inaugural M&M post by Jamie on making Oyako Donburi in cold & snowy Minneapolis.

      HELLOOOO WORLD/readers of 3jamigos.com. It’s ME. J A M I E. Ya know, that crazy girl who moved to Minneapolis to live in -30 DEGREE WEATHER. Nope, that wasn’t a typo. It really was NEGATIVE 30 on my drive into work last week.  GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL PEOPLE. (I know that doesn’t really make sense, but global warming is causing polar vortexes normally over THE NORTH POLE to break apart and dip down to lower parts of the globe).  It’s so cold that you can’t stand outside with exposed skin for more than 5 minutes without getting frostbite. FROSTBITE. Schools were closed. The roads were empty. But I still had to go to work. Once I got over that, it really wasn’t bad. They are GREAT about paving and salting the roads, so it was actually a breeze getting to and from work.

      BUT enough about me. Let’s talk about the fact that my mom and I decided to start a mother-daughter blog where we cook the same dish separately and talk about it, AND THE FIRST DISH WE PICKED JUST HAPPENED TO TRANSLATE TO “Parent (chicken) and child (egg).” Damn, we are GOOD, people. You couldn’t even make this stuff up. I mean, I guess you could. It would make a great lifetime/hallmark movie. Ok. Enough interruptions. Let’s get down to the food.

      Okayo Donburi. The ultimate comfort food.  It’s a mix of chicken and eggs (parent and child) with a sweet/salty/chickeny sauce and sautéed onions.  Pour it over some rice, and all the stresses of your day melt away. The best part? It is SO easy to make.

      Chop up some onions, slice some mushrooms, toss it into the pan with some chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar, and top it off with some eggs and chicken.  E A S Y and so foolproof even my mom could make it and she suuuuckkss at cooking (if you couldn’t tell). I like to add in extra mushrooms and chicken. Sometimes extra onions. Pretty much extra everything. It is that good.  Mom used to make it all the time when I was little, and it was one of my favorite dishes then too.  So far, I’ve made it 3 times since winter started. That’s how good it is.

      So now, for lack of a better conclusion, stop reading this post and go make it. Go!

      Print Pin

      Oyako Donburi

      Course Main Course
      Cuisine Asian
      Keyword Oyako Donburi
      Prep Time 15 minutes
      Cook Time 15 minutes
      Total Time 30 minutes
      Servings 4 servings

      Ingredients

      • 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
      • 4-5 eggs lightly beaten
      • 1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced, red onion can be used
      • 1 green onion sliced on the diagonal
      • 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked to soften, sliced
      • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

      Sauce Mixture

      • 1 cup dashi (fish based stock) can substitute low sodium chicken broth
      • 5 T soy sauce
      • 2 1/2 T sugar can cut to 2 T
      • 21/2 T mirin substitute sake to decrease sweetness
      • cilantro garnish if desired

      Instructions

      • In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs and set aside.
        Oyako Prep
      • Heat saute' pan, add vegetable oil then onions and mushrooms, fry for 1-2 minutes until onions are soft. Add sauce mixture, heat through. 
      • Add chicken and lower flame to medium-low. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turning the chicken over. Cook until chicken loses pinkness
      • Add eggs evenly over top of chicken. Cover and cook over low heat until eggs are just cooked should not be dry. 
      • Garnish with green onions or cilantro and nori strips
      • Divide into portions and serve over rice.  If desired, individual portions can be made.  Quarter ingredients and use a small omelet pan to make.