Category Archives: Cooking

Cooking

Japanese baking

Okay, extending this post.

The fluffy cheesecake has been making (jiggly) waves across social media thanks to BuzzFeed Tasty. 

For my first iteration, I took justonecookbook’s recipe and halved it for a 6″ pan. It came out less fluffy and more tart than I expected. My friend then offered me a tried and true recipe to use for next time. Will be updated after next trial.

Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

  • Prepare 6-in cake pan, lined with parchment paper on bottom and at least 4” on sides.
  • Over double boiler, melt 150g (5.3 oz) cream cheese, 2 tbsp butter, 100 ml (.42 cups) heavy cream
  • Whisk in 3 egg yolks slowly.
  • Sift in 4.5 tbsp cake flour (approx. 4 tbsp all-purpose flour, .5 tbsp cornstarch)
  • Zest in half lemon, add 2 tbsp lemon juice.
  • Refrigerate.
  • Whip 3 egg whites, cold, until opaque and bubbly (2 minutes). Slowly add 100g (~1/2 cup) sugar, then beat at high speed until soft peaks form.
  • Fold meringue into batter gently in thirds.
  • In water bath, bake at 320 F for 70-75 minutes, then 300 F for 10 minutes, until top is golden brown.
  • Dust with confectioner’s sugar, serve with strawberries.

 

With the leftover cream and borrowed cake pan and mixer, I couldn’t help whipping up (literally) another Japanese style pastry. They love their fluffy things. Recipe from washoku.guide.

Except it didn’t turn out that fluffy. Boo.

Matcha Sponge Cake

  • Line 6” springform pan with parchment paper.
  • In clean bowl, whip 2 egg whites while gradually adding 80g (~3/8 cup) sugar. Whip meringue to stiff peaks.
  • Mix in 2 egg yolks.
  • Sift in 66g cake flour (~1/2 cup AP flour, 1 tbsp cornstarch) plus 6g (~1 tbsp) matcha. Then fold in.
  • Melt 20g (1.5 tbsp) butter into 33ml (2tbsp + 1 tsp) milk. Slowly stir into batter.
  • Pour batter into mold. Eliminate bubbles, smooth surface.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes at 170 C (340 F)
  • Cool on rack, then refrigerate for a day.
  • Slice horizontally and fill with (matcha) whipped cream. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Matcha Whipped Cream

  • Freeze metal bowl and metal whisk for 10-15 minutes.
  • Add 1/2 cup heavy cream over 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp matcha. Whip to stiff peaks.

 

Castella (Japanese honey cake)

I may import the recipe here to better categorize it.

Cooking

Goan Fish Curry

I’m quickly learning that making curry is not as intimidating as it first seemed. Now that I’ve built a reasonable spice cabinet, it’s a matter of dicing onion, mincing garlic, grating ginger, and adding the right brown/yellow/red powders and/or seeds.

This time, a fish curry, which is actually probably the first time I’ve cooked fish in a year.

Started from bbcgoodfood.com but adjusted to taste. Which is audacious for me to say because I don’t actually know what the component spices taste like haha.

Goan Fish Curry

  • Saute 1 onion.
  • Add 1 green chili sliced, 4 cloves garlic minced, 1” ginger grated, 3” stick cinnamon, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 pods cardamom, (1 bay leaf). Fry 2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Stir in 1 can coconut milk, 1 (15 oz) can tomatoes chopped, 1/4 can water as needed. 1/2 tsp salt, some pepper, 1 tsp sugar if needed. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add 1 lb white fish (haddock, tilapia, cobbler), cut into chunks. Optionally add veggies. Cook until done, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Add 1/2 lime of juice. Sprinkle with fresh coriander.
  • Serve on rice or naan, with yogurt.
Cooking

Zucchini Bread

It’s like banana bread, but with fewer bananas (0) and more squashes (1). This is what it looks like being made.

Recipe from simplyrecipes.com. Could probably do with <.75 stick butter though haha. Walnuts and dried cranberries are great additions.

Zucchini Bread

  • 1.5-2 cups zucchini (approx. one large squash), coarsely grate and drain.
  • 6 tbsp melted butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/8 tsp salt, 2/3 cup sugar. Add zucchini.
  • Add 1.5 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg.
  • Add optionally 1/2 cup nuts and/or dried berries.
  • 350 F, 50 minutes, until clean toothpick.

 

Cooking

Egg Breakfasts

I am becoming increasingly convinced that chicken eggs are a miracle food. They’re endlessly versatile! Especially considering the emerging nutrition research that suggests egg cholesterol isn’t so bad for you, I’m going to embark on a eggs-for-breakfast spree.

Imitating this video. I encourage you to go on a YouTube binge of Gordon Ramsay cooking scrambled eggs with various celebrities, like Kimmel or Corden.

Scrambled Eggs

  • Crack 3 eggs and 1/2 tbsp knob butter into pot.
  • On med heat, start folding eggs with silicone spatula. When eggs start curdling quickly, take off eat and continue folding, then return to heat afterwards.
  • When almost done (but still runny), cool  with dollop creme fraiche (or milk…?).
  • Finish with finely chopped chives, salt, pepper.
  • Serve on robust toast, with tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon, tea.

update 6/23: this one took a while.

French Omelette

  • Whisk 2 eggs, 2 tbsp milk/water, salt, pepper.
  • In a 6”-8” nonstick skillet on med heat, melt 1 tsp butter. Pour in egg mixture.
  • Push curds towards center, tilting the pan to spread liquid eggs to the side. Repeat until almost no liquid egg left.
  • Add 1/2 cup fillings (cheese, cooked vegetables, etc) onto one side.
  • Fold other side onto fillings. Slide out onto plate. Serve immediately.

I’ve only eaten Eggs Benedict once or twice in restaurants, but in retrospect I realize I don’t even like Hollandaise sauce, and that was like 3/4 of the effort. lol. It’s sour and spicy clarified butter?!

Shoutouts to my roommate for reserving leftover egg yolks.

Eggs Benedict

Poached eggs served on toasted English muffins with Canadian bacon/soft bacon/ham topped with Hollandaise sauce.

Poached Egg

  • Gently boil water seasoned with salt and splash of vinegar. Swirl into brisk vortex.
  • Crack egg into ladle, then lower into water. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until egg white sets and envelops runny yolk
  • Extract with slotted spoon. Pat dry.

Hollandaise Sauce

  • Clarify 1 stick butter (melt, skim off froth, simmer 15-20 minutes on low, ladle clarified butter off water on bottom; or boil then strain to make ghee)
  • Whisk 3 egg yolks (plus 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar) until frothy.
  • Over water bath, add butter very slowly while whisking. Don’t let curdle.
  • Add 1/2 lemon of juice, 1/8 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp Kosher salt, pinch pepper.

 

Breakfast Frittata

See frittata post.

Shakshuka

See shakshuka post.

Inspired from this video on Eggslut in LA. 

Egg Sandwich

  • 2 eggs scrambled with (1 tsp) cold butter, fold in finely chopped chives and salt.
  • American cheese melted on top (but I used Muenster)
  • Sriracha mayo in 1:3 ratio
  • Sweet caramelized onions
  • Bacon
  • Toast brioche bun

A classic Taiwanese breakfast dish! Recipe from food52.com. Made 4/2.

Dan Bing (Taiwanese Egg Crepe)

  • For 3 crepes, Mix 1/2 cup bread flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 cup water. Rest for 10 minutes.
  • On nonstick pan, heat some oil, add a third of batter and swirl around. Cook until top is set. Flip.
  • For each crepe, beat 1 egg, 1/4 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp water, pinch salt, 1 chopped scallion. Spread over crepe.
  • Cook crepe until egg mostly set. Flip, cook for 10-20 seconds.
  • Roll, batter side out. Cut into sections. Serve hot.
  • Dipping sauce: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar, splash sesame oil, 1 clove garlic crushed.

 

The first time I made this I decided not to photograph it because I didn’t have fresh cilantro so it just looked like a yellow gob. Still tasted good.

Egg Bhurji

  • In oil/butter, Sweat 1/2 onion. Add 1/4” ginger minced, 1 tomato finely chopped, 1 green chili.
  • Add 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/8 tsp salt. (but everyone has different spice combinations)
  • Whisk 2 eggs. Scramble into masala on low heat until even.
  • Garnish with coriander.

The trick is to find the right bread. The more eggy the better.

French Toast

  • Combine 1 egg, 1 tbsp milk, 1/8 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
  • Dip 2 slices bread in egg mixture.
  • Fry bread on skillet in ~ ½ tbsp/slice butter until golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar.
Cooking

Massaman Curry

I learned about this Muslim-influenced Thai curry made with chicken potatoes, and peanuts. Thankfully I got the timing right so that the potatoes were soft but not mushy, the chicken cooked through but moist, the peanuts still crunchy, and the tomatoes just falling apart. Except I didn’t have plum tomatoes so I used my (ridiculously good) pearl tomatoes eighthed instead.

I’m growing fond making curry from scratch! I’ve got a big spice pantry to consume now anyway.

Recipe from foodandwine.com

Massaman Curry

  • Saute 1 onion diced.
  • Add 2 cloves garlic minced, 1/2″
    ginger     chopped, 1 tsp five-spice, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt.
  • 1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup coconut milk.
  • Add 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed, simmer for 12 minutes.
  • Add 1.5 lb chicken breasts, simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, 1/2 lb plum tomatoes, 3 tbsp cilantro, simmer for 2 minutes, until chicken is done.
  • Serve on rice.

Thai Cabbage Salad

  • 4 cups shredded napa cabbage, part red cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced to bite sizes
  • 1 small cucumber, seeded, half moon sliced
  • 1 cup edamame
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • Dress with 4 cloves garlic (plus 2 red bird’s eye chili peppers seeded) and 1/4 tsp kosher salt mashed to create paste. 2 tsp light brown sugar, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1 lime of juice (2 tbsp).
Cooking

Shakshuka

This week, I bought two dozen eggs at a time. Yes. This is a good brunch food, but I still ate a lunch afterwards.

Taken from the NYTimes.

Shakshuka

  • In skillet on med-low, cook down 1 onion and 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin.
  • Add 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin, and 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, pinch cayenne.
  • Add 28-oz can tomatoes and juices, Break up tomatoes. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Simmer.
  • Crack in 6 eggs. Season eggs, submerge in sauce
  • Cover and cook on low for 5-8 minutes, until eggs have set.
  • Optionally top with feta cheese, cilantro, add spinach, serve with pita.
Cooking

Sticky Rice

This is a dish passed on from my grandma to my mom to me. It’s a simple comfort food and the first decent dish that I learned how to make. As such, I have no idea how much of each ingredient I actually use, haha.

Taiwanese Sticky Rice

  • Reconstitute 4-5 dried shiitake mushroom, then slice. Soak ~2 tbsp small dried shrimp.
  • 1 pork tenderloin, sliced to small strips. Marinate briefly in soy sauce, cooking wine.
  • 4 cups sticky rice. Wash until water nearly clear, almost drain, add about 4.5 cups more water.
  • In wok with generous oil, saute mushrooms and shrimp. When fragrant, brown pork. Time saute so pork and rice finish at the same time.
  • Add half of rice, then ~2 tbsp dried shallots, some pepper. Pour in soy sauce until rice is quite dark. Stir.
  • Add rest of rice. Stir a little. Top with scallions.
Cooking

Poke

Poke is basically just a salad with rice and raw fish. Nothing to cook.

Poke (Hawaiian raw fish bowl)

  • Cook sushi rice (1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, for 3 cups rice. Mix when warm).
  • Add dash of sesame oil and soy sauce to sushi-grade tuna or salmon or other fish cut in cubes.
  • Serve on rice with seaweed salad, edamame, shredded daikon, avocado, tobiko (salted fish eggs), furikake, etc.

As a side dish, I cooked my spinach Japanese style, i.e. with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin.

Goma-ae (sesame spinach salad)

  • 1-lb bunch spinach, blanch for 1 minute in lightly salted water, stems down.
  • Cool under running water. Wring out. Cut to about an inch.
  • 1 tbsp Sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, .5 tsp mirin, sprinkle of sesame seeds
    • Or ground 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds instead of sesame oil.