Oven Fried Sweet Potatoes.

Sweet potatoes have a lot of fiber, high potassium and vitamin A. Bake them to bring out the natural sweetness with pinch of cayenne for a fiery bite.

Ingredients:

• One sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin wedges or slices
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme leaves, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Mix the sweet potatoes with oil, cayenne, thyme, salt and pepper.
3. Place sweet potato wedges or sliced on a baking sheet in single layer evenly. Bake for 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender inside and slightly brown on the outside.

Note:

• You can also saute the sliced sweet potatoes on medium-low heat till golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside.

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce!

Teri-yaki (照り焼き) is a Japanese cooking process of grilling (yaki, 焼き) and glazing the meat with a soy based sauce to make it shiny and glistening (teri, 照り) .

The basic Japanese teriyaki sauce ratio is 2:1:1 -- 2 parts of soy sauce, 1 part of mirin and 1 part of sake -- when used in cooking process as a glaze or a flavoring sauce. When making it as a dipping sauce, use equal part (1-1-1) of soy sauce, mirin, sake; then add and adjust the sugar to your taste.

Remember, any sauce you are making, don't over-flavor it so it can stay general-purposed and useful in many preparations. You can always adjust and add more but you can not take out what is already in there.

The store-bought American version of teriyaki sauce is leaning toward the sweet end of the spectrum, if that is what you are familiar with. I suggest you use the basic proportions and adjust the sugar level. Don't over sweeten it. If you have one of those bottles, try adding more soy sauce and sake to it next time.

Ingredients:
Basic for cooking: 

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of mirin or replaced with 2 tablespoons of rice wine and 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tablespoons of sake or rice wine
• 2 to 3 teaspoons of brown sugar, adjust to your taste

Basic for dipping sauce:

• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of mirin or replaced with 2 tablespoons of rice wine and 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tablespoons of sake or rice wine
• 2 to 3 teaspoons of brown sugar, adjust to your taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch 
• 1 tablespoon water to mix with cornstarch

To punch it up:

• 1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger or 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp freshly minced garlic or 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Replace sugar with maple syrup or honey
• Optional, add a touch of pineapple juice or vinegar

Directions:

1. To cook with it: Mix up and add it to stew browned fish or meat or brush on skewed meat.
2. To make dipping sauce: Mix up and bring to boil. Turn heat low and simmer until it thickens.

Notes:

• If you don't have mirin, for each 1 tablespoon of mirin, replace it with 1 tablespoon of sake or cooking wine and 1/2 teaspoons of sugar.
• To make it even better, you can use maple syrup or honey to replace sugar.
• Store-bought sauces use refined sugar while using honey or brown sugar will make the sauce taste rounder, balanced with a molasses note.

Three Easy Savory Appetizers!

1. Teriyaki Shrimps or Scallops
    Ingredients: 

• 6 large prawn (size 15-20 in one pound) or 6 large sea scallops
• 4 slices of bacon strips
• 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce

    Directions:

1. Cover and marinade the shrimp or scallops for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the broiler to 450°F.
3. Cut each bacon strip into halves and wrap each shrimp or scallop with half strip. Stretch the thin bacon to cover the sides without overlapping so it can crisp up in the broiler. Use a toothpick to pin through and secure the bacon onto the shrimp. 
4. Brush a little teriyaki sauce on the surface and place the skewer about 6-inch beneath the broiler. Broil for 10 to 12 minutes until the bacon is fully cooked.

2. Nachos Chips

    Ingredients:

• Tortilla corn chips
• 1 cup cooked beans, drained or use canned beans
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded (Homemade recipe)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped cilanro
• 1/4 cup diced avocado
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• Salsa
• Pickled Jalapenos
• Juice of 2 limes

    Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. 
2. Arrange the chips in a single layer in a baking dish. Spoon the beans evenly over the chips and top with cheese, chicken and onions.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese bubbles and melts. Remove from the oven to cool.
4. Combine the lime juice, yogurt or sour cram, and cilantro. Spoon over the nachos. Top with avocado, red bell pepper, salsa and jalapenos. Serve immediately.

3. Bruschetta with Basil and Tomato 

    Ingredients:

• Baguette, cut on the diagonal bias into 1/2 inch slices
• One large beef-stock tomato, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese or creme fraiche, optional
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

    Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toast baguette slices on a baking sheet until light brown but soft in the center.
2. Mix tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place toasted bread on platter and slather with cheese generously. Then top with tomato mixtures and serve immediately.

Three Easy Appetizers Using Wonton Wraps!

1. Artichoke Dip in Wonton Chips

    Ingredients:

• Artichoke Dip
• Wonton wraps to make holders or baskets

    Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray. 
2. Lightly brush oil on each wonton wrap with a finger and press the wontons into each mini-muffin mold to make cups. Pressing the sides to open up the basket.
3. Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Let them cool to crisp up. 
4. You can make these cups one day ahead and cover to set aside at room temperature.
5. Fill in the artichoke dip, scramble eggs, smoked salmon and cream, fruits and yogurt, or any thing you like, from sweet to savory. 

2. Spiced Wonton Chips 

    Ingredients:

• 10 wonton wraps
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil and cooking spray
• 1/2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons black or white sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• pinch of salt

    Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut each wrap in half.
2. Mix the brown sugar, sesame seeds, salt, five-spice powder and cayenne together.  Brush the wonton wrappers with the vegetable oil or spray with cooking oil. 
3. Sprinkle the wonton wraps with the spice mixture on both sides.  
4. Place the wraps evenly on a baking sheet in single layer and coated with cooking spray.  Bake until golden, about 8-10 minutes.  Let cool until crisp.
5. Serve it with the artichoke dip or any bean dips.

3.  Sausage Wonton Cups 

    Ingredients (yielding 8 servings):

• One Italian sausage or any sausage, cooked and diced, or use ham, bacon
• 1 green onions, chopped
• 8 wonton wrappers
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup (1 ounces) shredded pepper Jack cheese

    Directions

1. In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until done; drain and dice up. Stir in green onions; set aside.
2. Press wonton wrappers into greased miniature muffin cups; lightly brush with oil. Bake at 350°F for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon of sausage mixture into each cup; top with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Bake 3-4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 
4. Top with sour cream or plain yogurt. Sprinkle with chopped green onions. Serve immediately. 

Notes:

• Wonton wraps are generally thinner than dumpling and pot sticker wraps. They crisp up better when baked. They are very versatile for making finger appetizers. 
• You can find wonton wraps in any Asian market. They come in two styles and either will do :
• Shanghai style wonton wraps are square, whiter as there is no egg in the dough.
• Hong-Kong style wonton wraps are round and yellowish as the dough contains egg.

Wonton Wrap, Hong Kong style (left) vs Shanghai style (right), and serving with smoked salmon

A Stewed Meat Sauce Dear to Heart!

Ru Lou Fan (Ragu Rice)

This is a very special recipe for a meat sauce that is dear to my heart and for people dear to me. It's a wildly popular indigenous local dish or condiment in Taiwan (called Lu Rou sauce). Think of it as a type of Ragu but with a different set of ingredients.

The sauce can turn anything plain into a heaven in mouth, no matter it's on steamed rice (Lu Rou rice), boiled noodle, vegetables, tofu, savory rice cakes, meat, seafood, even for sandwiches. It tastes even better the next day in terms of mouthfeel and flavor, when the collagen in the meat has completely broken down.

The key ingredient is "fried shallots" (what?) and to be authentic, this can not be substituted. (No, not even with fried onions, sorry.) If you can't find it, you can use fresh shallots, thinly slice them and deep fry, low and slow, until they turn golden brown (Homemade Fried Shallots).

The next important ingredients are dried shiitake mushrooms (what?) and dried shrimp (what?). If you really can't find these,  you could try fresh shiitake mushrooms but the flavor won't be as good and intense. Without the complex briny and fishy expression from dried shrimp, you can supplement with granulated seafood flavor powder or chicken broth powder, and replace water with chicken broth. However, the result won't be close. Natural flavors from real food are irreplaceable and unbeatable.

There are two key steps in the method. First is the browning process that employs caramelization and Maillard reaction to build up a good complex flavor foundation (more). Second is the low and slow, long cooking process that breaks down the collagen in the meat.

Remember this is not just a dish or entree, it is also used as a flavoring sauce so it is okay to err on the salty side. Use it on top of boiled leafy vegetables or blanched meat slices and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Left to right: Dried shiitake, Dried shrimp skin, Fried Shallots,
Soaked dry shiitake mushrooms (diced), Soaked Dried Shrimp (chopped), Sliced fresh shallots, 

Ingredients (yield 8 servings):

• 2 pounds of ground pork
• 1/2 pound of ground beef (80% lean)
• 1 cup fried shallots
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp, hydrated and minced (what?)
• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, hydrated and diced (what?)
• two large shallots, finely chopped or sliced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• dried shrimp skins 
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 4 cups of water, or less, including soaking water from dried shiitake and dried shrimp
• 1/2 cups of Shaoxing rice wine or regular rice wine
• 30g Chinese rock sugar (what?) or 2 tablespoons of Turbinado sugar or granulated brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of white pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, optional 
• 3 star anise or 1 teaspoon ground star anise powder, optional

Directions:

1. Add 1/2 cup water to dried shiitake mushrooms to hydrate them for 1 hour until they soften. Cut into dices.
2. Add 1/4 cup water to dried shrimps to hydrate them for at 10 min. Chop finely.
3. Slice fresh shallots if you use them. 
4. Put a heavy-bottom pot on medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add fresh shallots and cook 7-8 min until you see the edges start to turn golden brown.

Step #4	Step #5

5. Add chopped dried shiitake and dried shrimp. Cook them on medium-high for 5-10 min until they start to turn brown, but don't let them burn.
6. Add minced garlic and cook 1 min until fragrant. Don't let it burn as burnt garlic is bitter.
7. Add ground pork and beef and brown the meat. Break up the meat into small pieces. You do not have to keep turning the meat. Let it sit and cook for 5 min so it can be browned. Then flip the bottom up and let other part hit the hot bottom to brown. Break up the meat as you go through this browning process.

Step #6	Step #7

8. Add 1 cup of fried shallots. Add the five-spice powder and ground star anise powder, if you use them. Stir in to make sure it is coated with the hot oil, and let it cook 5 min. 
9. Add rice wine and keep stirring the meat, let it bubble and sizzle on medium high heat for 1-2 min. 

Step #8	Step #9 and #10

10. Then add soy sauce. If your heat is right, it should bubble and sizzle. Stir the soy sauce in with the meat. You want the soy sauce to coat the meat evenly and keep browning them together. Let it sit at the bottom for 4-5 min before turning, and toss up to brown everything evenly.

Step #11	Step #12

11. When you see the edges of the meat turn dark brown, should you add in the water and start the stewing process.
12. Add water to cover the meat and stew for 1 hour. The sauce will get better and better as you reheat and cook even further. Tastes better the next day.
13. Enjoy it on the rice and noodle and everything I've told you or not.

Notes:

• Simplified key ingredient list:
• ground pork
• fried shallots
• dried shiitake mushrooms
• dried shrimp
• soy sauce 
• sugar (just a tad but could do without)
• The browning process is important. Spend some time to do it well. 
• Rock sugar can be found in Asian market. You could also substitute it with Turbinado sugar.
• You can use 1-2 table of molasses to deepen the color and flavor.
• Use Tamari soy sauce if you want it gluten free.
• Serve with plain food will be the best way to let this sauce shine. Pair with pickled vegetable as a side dish to make it pop.
• You can also add bean curds, tofu, boiled eggs into the sauce to stew. They will pick up the wonderful flavor. 
• The white pepper powder has a herbal earthiness that is different form black pepper. If you don't have it, you can skip it but using black pepper isn't going to cut it. Instead, use chili pepper powder or cayenne.
• You can add some red chili pepper flakes or dried chili pepper for the heat.
• Top the sauce with white pepper and thinly chopped green onions when you serve.
• You can mix in chili sauce for the kick when you serve.
• You can use less water and make it dense and salty, freeze them and add water to thin it down when you re-heat it. 

Homemade Fried Shallots!

In Southeast Asia, they are used in sauces, soups, salads, meatballs, stews and as a garnish for their aroma, flavor and crunchy texture.

You can sprinkle them on burgers, casseroles, chickens, chops, fish, meat, baked potatoes, hot dogs, scrambled eggs, frittata or even a tuna tartare for extra complexity.

The trick is to start the frying process in cold oil and cook them slowly.

The shallots will keep, stored in an airtight container, for 1 day, but they're best the day they are made. Strain the oil you used to fry the shallots and use it in other recipes or to fry more shallots. The strained oil, called shallot oil, will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.

Ingredients:

• 1 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large shallots)
• 1 cups canola oil

Directions:

Option 1:

1. In a small saucepan, add oil, shallots and place the pan over medium heat. 
2. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 12-15 minutes (turn down the heat if they seem to be coloring too quickly), until they gradually become golden. 
3. They will continue to cook and darken out of the hot oil, so you should strain them when they are a few shades lighter than the perfect color or doneness.
4. Place a sieve over a bowl and drain the fried shallots. Transfer the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to further remove the excess oil. 
5. Put them in an airtight container to store for 1 day.

Option 2 (if you make more batches and have a deep-fry thermometer):

1. In a small saucepan, add oil, shallots and place pot over medium heat. 
2. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes (turn down heat if they seem to be coloring too quickly), until they gradually become golden. 
3. The oil should register around 275°F on a deep-fry thermometer. 
4. Drain the fried shallots when they turn golden. Transfer the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and remove the excess oil further.
5. To make them extra crunchy, increase the heat to high. When the oil registers 325°F on the deep-fry thermometer, add the once fried shallots and cook just 1-2 seconds until they are crispy and well-browned, watching carefully so the shallots don't burn. Remove shallots with the wire sieve to stop the cooking, and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. 
6. Use them within a day.

My Mapo Tofu!

This is my go-to dish when I don't know what to cook for dinner. I love having this with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of ground pork or beef (I use equal parts of pork and beef)
• 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth or water
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 scallions chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 box of soft tofu or medium firm tofu, drained and diced
• 2 tablespoons of Fermented broad bean paste (dou-ban-jiang) (I use the plain version, no heat. Check here if you need help.)
• 2 teaspoons of hot chili sauce, or 1 teaspoon chopped dried red chili pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine).
• 2-3 teaspoons sugar



Sichuan Pepper

• 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce (or replace by another tablespoon of soy sauce)
• 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper 
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Slurry: 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 1 1/2 tablespoon of water
• one tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Mince garlic, ginger and scallions. Drain and dice tofu block (Tofu Types).
2. Heat up a heavy bottom skillet with one tablespoon of oil and put the ground meat (pork and/or beef) to brown on medium-high heat. Cook about 7-10 minutes. 
3. Add minced ginger, garlic and half of scallions. Toast until they are aromatic. Cook about 5-7 minutes.
4. Turn the heat to medium and add fermented bean paste (Dou-ban-jiang) and chili sauce. Saute fro 5 minutes until it is almost dried up and almost begin to stick to pan. 
5. Add soy sauce. Cook another 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the cooking wine or mirin. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add oyster sauce and sugar. Stir to mix in. Add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth or water, Sichuan pepper and red chili flakes. Bring to a simmer.
8. Add tofu dices and gentle stir in to submerge the tofu in the liquid. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
9. Mix cornstarch and water to make slurry. Add it to the liquid to thicken the sauce. Bring to boil again and turn the heat off. Add the rest of chopped scallions, white pepper and sesame oil. Mix up.
10. Transfer to plate or deep dish. Garnish with chopped green part of scallions. Serve with steamed rice.

Note: 

• Even if you don't have all the items, you can still make it. 
• Simplified key ingredients:
• Ground pork or beef
• Tofu (duh...)
• Garlic (if you really don't have ginger or green onions on hand, you can skip those)
• Fermented bean paste
• Soy sauce
• Sugar
• When you have fewer ingredients, you have to work a tad harder to pump up the flavor base. (We're talking about 5-10 more minutes effort, not so bad.) I will tell you more about it later.
• Skip the hot chili sauce if you can't take heat or if you use the spicy version of the bean paste (La-dou-ban-jiang).

Easy Chicken Drumstick Stew.

You could use this recipe for chicken thighs or chicken quarter legs. It's an easy and low maintenance recipe with the minimum care. It serves well with steamed rice. You can also cook Chinese noodles or Udon noodles and season with the cooking sauce to go with the chicken.

However, it is important to set the timer and remove the chicken on time so your chicken won't be overcooked. Total cooking time should be around 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Three chicken drumsticks or thighs, or one quarter leg.
• 3 cups of water
• pinch of salt, pepper to season

Sauce option 1:

• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons of sugar
• Two teaspoon sesame oil

Sauce option 2:

• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 2 green onion, cut into sticks
• 2 red chili pepper, sliced
• 4 slices of ginger
• Two teaspoon soy sauce
• Two teaspoon sugar
• Two teaspoon sesame oil
• One tablespoon dried hot chili pepper (or one teaspoon red chili pepper flakes), optional depending on your preference for heat)

Sauce option 3:

• All items in sauce option 2
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground white pepper
• one teaspoon of Chinese fermented bean paste (dou-ban-jiang) or one teaspoon of oyster sauce (what?)

Directions:
Option 1 (Easy):

1. You could cut into the drumstick at the thickest part so the flavor can get into the flesh.
2. Rinse the chicken. If you have time, parboil the chicken in boiling water for 1 min to get rid of blood and scums. Rinse in cold water.
3. Put the chicken, onion slices, green onions, red chili pepper, ginger slices, all seasonings and water into pot. The water should cover the chicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to adjust. It should taste like a dipping sauce.
4. Bring to boil on high heat and turn to low heat, cover to simmer gently for 10 min. 
5. Turn the heat off but do not remove the cover. Let it sit in the pot for 10 min.
6. Serve with chopped green onions and/or sesame seeds. 

Option 2:

1. Rinse the chicken.
2. Heat up the pan or pot and add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Add the chicken skin side down. Cook 5-6 min to brown. Flip to the other side and add green onions, ginger, onions and red chili pepper to brown. Cook another 5 min. 
3. Add all seasonings and water. Make sure the water covers the chicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to adjust. It should taste like a dipping sauce. 
4. Bring to a boil on high and turn to low heat. 
5. Cover with lid and simmer 5 min and turn the heat off.
6. Let it sit for 5 min covered. 
7. Serve with chopped green onions  and/or sesame seeds. 

Notes:

• The procedure is a basic stewing process (a moist-heat cooking method).
• You can vary the sauce with this same process and enjoy chicken thighs/drumsticks/legs in many different flavors.
• You can replace ginger with garlics (about 3-4 cloves, preferably sliced). 
• Don't toss away the cooking liquid. Add bean curds, kombu (soaked to soften), tofu, boiled eggs to make stewed side dishes. Or use the liquid to make salad dressing.

Chicken Adobo With a Touch.

Chicken Adobo, which is originated from Spain and the name was given to an indigenous Philippine dish by Spanish colonists.

Ingredients:

• 12 chicken drumsticks or chicken thigh
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons of arrowroot or cornstarch
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of lime juice from 2 large limes
• 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• lime wedges
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to season

Directions:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 
2. Combine the chicken garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and broth until mixed well.
3. Heat up the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Put the chicken in the hot pan and cook 5 min to brown on all sides.
4. Add the vinegar, soy sauce mixture and the bay leaves in the pan with browned chicken and bring to a boil. Use a spoon to scrape the fond (brown bits) at the bottom of the pan. 
5. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 min. Turn the chicken half through.
6. Transfer the chicken to a plate. 
7. Mix the arrowroot (or cornstarch) with lime juice and add that into the pan with the liquid. Bring to a boil. cook 5 - 10 min to thicken the liquid.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Garnish the chicken with chopped parsley or cilantro.
10. Serve the chicken with the sauce on top, or on the side, together with the lime wedges. 

Note:

• Adobo means "marinade" in Spanish. There is also Portuguese version of it and thus is common in South American dishes.

Creamy Black Sesame Seed Hot Cereal! Three Ways!

It's a traditional Chinese hot cereal (or porridge) made of rice and roasted black sesame seeds, that can be spotted on a dim sum (點心) menu. If you need something warm in the morning other than coffee, this is a great choice especially if you use whole grains. Prepare it the night before and put in the refrigerator. Heat up in the microwave in the morning, dump it into the thermo and off you go.

Ingredients (yield one servings): 
Option 1:

• 1/4 to 1/3 cups of ground black sesame seeds
• 3/4 cups of water 
• 2 teaspoons of uncooked short grain white rice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey or sugar
• pinch of salt

Option 2:

• 1/4 to 1/3 cups of ground black sesame seeds
• 1/2 cups of water 
• 30 grams (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup, loosely unpacked) of steamed short grain white rice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey or sugar
• pinch of salt

Option 3:

• 25 grams of roasted black sesame seeds
• 3/4 cups of water 
• 8 grams of rice flour (about 1 plus teaspoons)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey or sugar
• pinch of salt

Directions:
I use option#1 but I list the proportions in option#2 and #3, depending on what you can find in your pantry or neighborhood markets.

Option 1:

1. Rinse the raw rice and place that with water in a small sauce pan. Cook it for 20 min. When it's done, let it sit for 30 - 60 min and it will thicken up further.
2. Combine ground black sesame seed meal and rice porridge. Transfer the mixture to blender or food processor. Pulse 10 second for three to four rounds. It should be pretty smooth.
3. Place the mixture and salt in a small sauce pan on medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir the honey or sugar in until dissolved. Let it cool for 10 min. You can also process this last stage cook in the microwave. Cook on high (1200W) for 1-2 minutes. Check the doneness. Repeat to cook at 30 second intervals if necessary.
4. Serve or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Option 2:

1. Mix the cooked rice with water and cook for 20 min. Let it sit for 20-30 min to cool down and thicken up.
2. Combine ground black sesame seed meal and rice porridge. Transfer the mixture to blender or food processor. Pulse 10 second for three to four rounds. It should be pretty smooth.
3. Place the mixture and salt in a small sauce pan on medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir the honey or sugar in until dissolved. Let it cool for 10 min. You can also process this last stage cook in the microwave. Cook on high (1200W) for 1-2 minutes. Check the doneness. Repeat to cook at 30 second intervals if necessary.
4. Serve or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Option 3:

1. If you use whole black sesame seeds, grind them in coffee grinder for the best result. Or add the water and pulse in a blender. You can use ground black sesame seed meal as above and make it even easier.
2. Mix the rice flour with black sesame seed water mixture evenly. 
3. Place the mixture and salt in a small sauce pan on medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir the honey or sugar in until dissolved. Let it cool for 10 min. You can also process this last stage cook in the microwave. Cook on high (1200W) for 2 minutes. Check the doneness. Repeat to cook at 1 minute intervals if necessary.
4. Serve or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Note:

• If you use whole white sesame seeds, toasted it at 325F for 10 min. Put in blender with water and pulse until smooth. Pass through fine mesh strainer to remove bigger pieces before mixing with rice. 
• As a variation for option#3, you can just mix up everything and cook in a small saucepan for 20 min. Add sugar and salt. That's it. 
• If you are a member of our one-knife-one-pot club, use the ground black sesame seed powder and you don't have to blend-pulse it. It tastes just as good with the rice porridge. 
• Use whole grains to replace refined rice. I use brown rice, steel cut oatmeal, and other whole grains to replace white rice, topped off with chia seeds, cooked quinoa, amaranth or millet. Will provide my recipe later. 
• To cook quinoa, use one part quinoa and 2 parts of water. Cook 20 minutes, let it sit for 10 minutes covered in steam. Then fluff with fork. 
• Grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, teff, bulgar, spelt, kamut or khorasan, sorghum have low GI, low or no glutton, higher level of protein and nutrients, and are more environment-friendly. In general they are easier to grow in tougher climate and soil conditions than rice or wheat, so they are better for you and your planet. I really have to tell you more about them later. 
• Instant package usually contains too much sugar and starchy thickening agent. As you can see here, it's not hard at all to make it at home.

Simple Tomato and Ham Soup!

This soup is what I made out of the chicken bones, removed from the chicken breast (my homemade chicken breast sandwich meat). I had some sandwich ham from last week so I threw that in.

When use the sandwich ham or the cooked chicken breast slices to pump up the protein, don't put in too early and overcook them. Add them lastly after everything else is fully cooked to your desired doneness.

There are many vegetables that can add natural savory flavors to your soups or dishes. (I will talk about that later.) Tomato is one of them. The dried Chinese yam and longan also help to bring more complexity to the result, with a touch of sweetness.

The soup is infused with all the natural flavors released from the ingredients that I add no other seasoning to my soup, but if you like it, season away with some salt.

Ingredients (yield 2 servings):

• 1 cup of cut or diced tomatoes
• three longan pulp or with pit (out of shell)
• 3 to 4 pieces of dried Chinese yam (huai shan, what?), rinsed and drained
• one scallion, cut to short sticks
• 1/4 cup enoki mushrooms, cut into shorter strips
• 3 cups of water
• 2 teaspoon of goji berries, rinsed
• 1 slice of ham.
• salt to season (optional)
• ground white pepper (optional)
• chopped scallions (or green onions) to garnish

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes, longan, dried Chinese yam, scallion sticks, enoki mushrooms and water in a soup pot. Bring to boil and cook at least for 30-40 minute. I cooked for 1 hour. 
2. Lastly, put in your ham or chicken to warm up before serving. 
3. Put the rinsed goji berries in. At this point you can turn the heat off and let it seep for 5 min.
4. Serve with chopped green onions and ground white pepper. 
5. Season with salt if desired. 

Garlic Detox Tofu Soup!

Ingredients (yielding one serving):

• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper sliced (about 1/2 bell pepper)
• 1/4 cup sliced shiitake mushroom from one mushroom
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced daikon turnip
• 1/3 cup diced tofu (about 1/8 of a block from the box, or 30 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to make slurry

Directions:

1. Thinly slice green bell pepper, daikon turnip and shiitake mushroom. Dice tofu.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon in 1 tablespoon of water. 
3. Place shiitake mushrooms, tofu, daikon, soy sauce, garlic and water in small soup pot and bring to a boil.
4. Cook for 10 min, and add the green bell pepper. Add the cornstarch mixture to thicken. Bring back to boil again, stir to mix evenly and turn the heat off. 
5. Serve with some ground white pepper. 
6. Season with more salt if desired.

Miso Detox Soup!

Ginger is great to warm you up and promote circulation.

Ingredients (yield one serving):

• 1 cup onion (about 30g), sliced
• 1 cup cabbabe leave (about 50g) cut up
• two shiitake mushrooms (about 40g) sliced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
• 1/2 tbsp miso (preferably white miso)
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• chopped scallions or green onions (optional)

Directions:

1. Put ginger, vegetables and water in a small soup pan. Bring to a boil and turn to low heat. Simmer 4~5 min until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add soy milk or almond milk, miso and keep stirring until all are mixed evenly. 
3. Turn the heat off. Serve with chopped green onions.

Note:

• Feel free to add tofu dices (about 1/4 cup).
• Feel free to add some wakame seaweed.

Basic Detox Soup!

This soup is high in potassium and fibers that can help reduce water retention and alleviate constipation problems.

Ingredients:

• equal part of the following vegetables:
• 1 cup of cut or diced daikon or white turnip
• 1 cup of cut or diced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup of cut or diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of cut or diced onions
• 1 cup of cut or diced cabbage
• 5 cups of water
• salt to season (optional)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a soup pot with water. Bring to boil and cook for 10-15 minute if you prefer the vegetables to remain crunchy, or cook for 30-40 min if you prefer them tender.
2. Use salt sparingly especially if you try to reduce water retention.

Chocolate Mochi!

Ingredients (yield 8-10 servings):

• 115g glutinous rice or sweet rice flour (about 1 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup water and 1/3 cup 
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder or cornstarch for dusting
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, cocoa powder and 1/3 cup of water in a saucepan. Heat up to dissolve sugar. 
2. Mix sweet rice flour with 1 cup of water until smooth. Cover and microwave 1 1/2 minute on high. Remove from oven and mix until. Cover and microwave another 1 minute on high. 
3. Remove cooked rice flour dough from oven. It should be cooked and translucent. If not, return to oven and cook another 30 seconds.
4. Add cocoa syrup mixture to cooked dough while it's still hot. Mix until they mix evenly and smooth. 
5. Spread out the dough into a greased pan. Let it cool and it will firm up. Dust top with cocoa powder and transfer to a cutting board. cut into 8 to 10 pieces.
6. Use plastic wrap to help kneading it into a round disc shape. 
7. Dust with more cocoa powder or cornstarch and serve. 

Note: 

• To make this as a wrapper like my other post (Adzuki Bean Paste and Strawberry Mochi), reduce the water to 3/4 cup to make the consistency firmer so it can hold up better around the fillings.
• The fillings can be ice cream, frozen Greek yogurt, diced soft fruits, lotus seed paste, sesame seed paste, chocolate ganache (or so-called chocolate paste), or other nut paste, you name it.
• If you use ice cream or frozen Greek yogurt as fillings, make sure to freeze it for 30 min before serving.

Homemade Chicken Breast for Sandwiches.

I like buying chicken or pork with bones because the bones are the flavor bombs. They are the reasons for broth and stock to be the flavor foundation for every savory dish. Foodies know the meat next to bones are the tastiest part of the whole.

I buy the bone-in skin-in chicken and cook them with bones and skin for the flavor. Then I remove the skin and separate the bones from the flesh. Collect those bones and make broth with vegetables. Here is how.

I placed a 8 3/4 inch chopstick along each side of the chicken in the picture. The left piece is around 18 ounces and the piece on the right is 15 ounces, just to give you an idea.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts about 17 to 18 ounces and 2 inch thick each piece with skin on and rib cage bones. (To save time, you can use boneless and skinless chicken breast but the cooking time needs to cut back 4-8 min.)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 quart of water to cook chicken
• Formula for brine (for 1 days):
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 quart (4 cups) of water

Directions:

1. If you choose to brine, use the formula above and brine in the refrigerator for at least one day, up to two days. Mix salt and sugar in water and submerge chicken breasts in it. Leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours. 
2. Take the chicken breasts out of refrigerator and drain the brine liquid. Rinse the chicken breasts. If you don't want to cook with the skin, you can remove it. 
3. Heat up 1 quart of water with 1 1/2 tablespoon sea salt, 2 teaspoons sugar and bring to a boil.
4. Put the chicken breasts in. For 1 quart of water, you can fit 2 pieces. Bring to a boil on high. Turn to low heat as soon as it starts to boil. Cover and simmer for 16 minutes and turn the heat off. If you have an electric stovetop, make sure to turn heat off early, around 14 to 15 min as it will take sometime for the stove to respond and to cool. I turn my electric stove off around 15 min. (If you find your chicken breasts on the grainy side, adjust the cooking time and turn the heat off earlier next time.)

5. Put the lid on and keep it covered. Let it sit there in the hot water for 10 min to 12 min. Check after 10 min with one chopstick or a fork. You need to be able to stick it through the cooked flesh with a little resistance. If you can't stick it pass the center, let it sit there covered for another 5 to 10 minutes and check with fork again.
6. Transfer the chicken breasts to the plate and let it cool completely before cutting. 
7. At this point, if I cook more, I'll freeze some pieces after removing the skin and bones for later use. This will effect the texture a little but saves me time.
8. Remove skin and bones. Toss away skin but keep the bones to cook in soups.
9. Slice chicken into slices for sandwiches or soups.

Note:

• Why do I make my own while it's so convenient to get it from the supermarket? I don't like what they add in there to prolong the shelf life, neither the amount of sugar they use in it. I like my chicken to taste like chicken with just enough salt.
• Chicken breasts can be really dry and grainy when overcooked. The solution is to brine them to keep them moist at the cost of some flavor. Use less salt (2 teaspoons) if you are to leave it for 2 days.
• I don't brine my chicken as I like full chicken flavor but I watch the cooking time closely to make sure it's not overcooked.
• You can choose to dry-brine (aka extended salting). Rub one to two teaspoons of salt all over chicken breast and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Rinse when you're ready to cook it.
• Cook time is about 7-8 min per inch of meat in simmering water plus 10 min leaving in hot water after the heat is turned off. 
• For a 16 ounce skinless boneless chicken breast, cook 8 minutes per inch and leave it in hot water covered for 10 minute.
• Always let cooked meat rest before cutting or the juice will run out and the meat will be dry.

Simple Two Ingredients Soup!

Well, to make a soup, you can make it as complicated as Pork and Daikon Soup, or you can make it quick and easy like this.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Pork Spareribs
• 1/2 pound of daikon or turnip, peel and cut into chunks. 
• 5 cups of water
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Cut the ribs into smaller pieces between the bones.
2. Wash them thoroughly. If you have time, blanch (what??) them in boiling water so the end result soup will be clear without too much scums.
3. In soup pot, add all ingredients including the blanched ribs and cook for 30 to 45 min, depending on how tender you like your daikon to be. 
4. Salt to season and serve.

Note:

1. Blanch means to cook an ingredient in boiling water for a short period of time and fish out to rinse in cold water. 

Options:

• Serve with sesame oil.
• Serve with white pepper.
• Serve with chopped scallion (green onion) or chives.
• Replace pork ribs of other pork portions, preferably with bones because the bones are more flavorsome than the meat. However, it's okay to use boneless lean pork, such as top loin or even tenderloin. 
• Replace daikon and cook ribs with tomatoes (cut into 8 wedges).
• Replace daikon with cauliflowers  (cut into big pieces) or cook both with ribs.
• Replace daikon with English cucumbers (peel and remove seeds, cut into thick slices) or cook both with ribs.
• Replace daikon with Chinese yam (peel and cut into chunks) or cook both with ribs.
• Add carrots (peel and cut into chunks) so it will be ribs, daikon and carrot soup.
• Add celery (cut into chunks) so it will be ribs, daikon and celery soup.
• Add 2 slices of ginger in the very beginning. Boil water with ginger and ribs for 15 min before adding the rest to cook 30 min more.
• Add one green onion, cut into long sticks. Add with the daikon (or replacement vegetable).
• Add 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine together when you add ribs.
• Add 1 to 2 table spoon of Goji berries, rinsed. Add them in the last 5 min of cooking process.
• and on and on...  

Secret Weapon:

• Add 1/4 teaspoon dashi (What?).

Pork and Daikon Soup.

The burdock root can be found in Asian grocery stores and is optional if you can't find it. It is a great source of fibers. 

Ingredients (yield 6 servings): 

• 1 lb of lean pork or spareribs
• 1lb of burdock root (or gobo), peel and cut into chunks.
• 1 lb of daikon (or turnip), peel and cut into chunks.
• ½ lb of carrot, peel and cut into slices.
• 3 slices of ginger root
• 2 tsp cooking wine
• ½ tsp salt 
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 8 cups of water

Directions:

1. Cut the lean pork to ¼ inch slices. Marinate with cooking 1 tsp of wine, salt and white pepper for 15 min. If you use the spareribs, cut into small pieces between the bones.
2. Bring up a pot of water to boil and blanch the pork for 1 min. Drain and set aside.
3. Boil 8 cups of water with ginger. Add pork, burdock, daikon, carrot and 1 tsp of cooking wine. Bring to boil and turn to low heat. Cover to simmer for 30 min. 
4. Add salt to season and cook for 10 more min.
5. Serve with cilantro if desired.

Note:

1. The carrot can be added later if you like it with a bit crunch.

2. Using spareribs will make the soup richer in flavor.

Simple One Ingredient Soup!

I don't count canned chicken soup as ingredient and it can be optional.

Simple Egg Drop Soup:

Ingredients (yield one serving):

• one large eggs
• 1 cup Canned Chicken Soup
• 1 cup water
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Directions:

1. Beat the egg to mix egg yolk and egg white.
2. Boil 1 cup chicken soup with 1 cup water on medium high.
3. When water is rolling boil, turn the heat to medium, and slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the boiling ware, in a steady stream to create egg ribbons. 
4. Season with salt and serve.

More Options:

• If you don't have canned chicken soup, use 2 cup water with one pack of Nissin Top Ramen seasoning pack to make soup base.
• To step up, some options,

• Cook with corns.
• Cook with diced carrots.
• Cook with tomato cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
• Cook with soft tofu cut into small cubes.
• Cook with 4 to 5 goji berries. 
• Serve with sesame oil.
• Serve with white pepper.
• Serve with chopped scallions (green onions) or chives. 

Secret Weapon:

• Add 1/4 teaspoon dashi (What?).

Ginkgo Barley Tonic Soup.

This soup is mildly sweet and is nourishing, soothing, relaxing while improving blood flow to brain.

(Questions about the ingredients? Check out Chinese herbs and Asian Ingredients .)


Ingredients (yield 6-8 servings):

• Fifteen Ginkgo nuts
• Pearl barley 40g
• Yu Zhu (Solomon's Seal Rhizome) 15g
• Lady Bell Root 15g
• Five dried shiitake mushrooms
• 20 cups of water

Directions:

1. Wash all ingredients. Soak pearl barley for 2 hours before cooking.
2. Boil 20 cups of water in a big pot.
3. Put all ingredients in boiling water and bring to boil.
4. Cook on medium high for 20 min and then turn heat to low. Cover and simmer 3 hours.
5. Serve.