Japchae -- Korean Sweet Potato Noodle Dish (韓國粉絲）

This is my favorite Korean cold dish.   Based on the recipe a friend of mine gave me many years ago,  I made some changes according to my own tastes.  It doesn't taste exactly like the one served in the Korean restaurants, but my kids like it and my guests seem to like it too.  It is often made as a cold dish in my summer BBQ parties over the years.   The other day, my daughter called and asked me for its recipe.  So, I made it tonight and here it is.

Ingredients: 1. Sweet Potato Noodles- half a bag (There are all kinds of brands from Korea, China or Taiwan in Chinese markets.  Some noodles are thinner, some are thicker.  I like to buy thicker ones, see picture below for product package) 2. Two carrots, medium size 3. One medium onion 4. 8 dry mushrooms 5. 2 stalks of green scallion 6. Seasoning: soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt

Steps: 

1.  Cut off the stem from dried mushrooms, soften them in water for at least 30 minutes.  
2.  Shred carrots into strips (not too thin), cut onions, mushroom, and green scallion into strips.
3.  Add 3 TSB vegetable oil in a flat bottom cooking pan.  Stir-fry onion, carrots and mushroom until soft.  Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 TSB soy sauce and 2 TSB oyster sauce.  Add green scallion at last and turn off the heat. This dish is supposed to be a bit sweet, oyster sauce adds to the taste of sweetness.
4.  Boil water in a big pot.  Put the sweet potato noodles in, when the water is boiling.  Cook for about 7-8 minutes (Or, follow instruction on the package).  The cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the noodle.
5. The sweet potato noodles are a bit chewy, which is expected.  Use a strainer to drain water from the pot, and cool the noodle with cold running water.  Pour noodle into a big bowl, season with 1 TSB sesame oil, 1/2 TSB soy sauce and 1/2 TSB oyster sauce.  Mix the noodle with the vegetables from Step 3.  Sprinkle some roasted white sesames before serving.  

With the ingredients above, I made two plates of japchae as shown in the picture.  It is plenty for a dinner of 6.  If you want to make it for a big party, you can double or triple the quantity of the ingredients.  The noodle tends to harden if you put it in the refrigerator,  a reason not to make too much.  In the original recipe I got, it also added some beef strips (marinate and stir-fry separately) and spinach leaves (boil them and mix).   I like to keep it a vegetarian dish.  Since spinach doesn't really add more favor, it's not used here.  The roasted sesames are for decoration only, it is optional.

Peanuts with Dried Anchovy and Indonesian-style Peanuts with Silver Fish (花生小魚乾-小菜兩碟)

The lady who helps us take care of my aging and ailing mom showed us how to make an elaborate and delicious Indonesian dish, Peanuts with Dried Silver Fish (印尼花生小魚乾), last week. While trying our hands on a simplified version of that dish, we thought about a similar but popular side-dish that is often served in Shanghai-style restaurants, Peanuts with Dried Anchovy (花生小魚乾).  So we made both dishes over the weekend.  BTW, we left out the fermented soy bean cake （印尼黃豆餅）, an Indonesian delicacy, from the simplified version of the Indonesian dish.  Here are the recipes.

I. Shanghai-style Peanuts with Dried Anchovy (花生小魚乾)

1. Make 4 cups of roasted (or pan-fried) peanuts.  We will use 2 cups for this recipe and 2 cups for the next recipe (see Part A of this previous post).
2. Pan-fry ~2 oz of dried anchovy (丁香小魚乾), with 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil, over medium heat, till slightly golden (3-5 minutes). Set aside.  Note- Dried anchovy is available from any Chinese market (in refrigerated food sections, not in freezers).  Need to buy small-size anchovy (<1" in length).  Larger-size anchovy might taste bitter, because of the entrails inside.
3. Turn on medium heat, add 1-2 Tbsp of vegetable oil into a flat bottom cooking pan, add 3-4 cloves of garlic (minced), and 6-8 green chili pepper (sliced), stir till fragrant (1-2 minutes).  Note- Might consider to choose the right chili pepper based on the heat index.
4. Add pan-fried anchovies (from Step 2) into the pan.  Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of sugar. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
5. Turn off heat, add 2 cups of roasted peanuts into the pan (from Step 1), mix evenly.  Season with salt (add 1/4 tsp a time), and sugar (add 1/2 tsp a time).  Here is a picture of the finished product.
   

II. Indonesian-style Peanuts with Dried Silver Fish (印尼花生小魚乾)

1. Make 4 cups of roasted (or pan-fried) peanuts. We will use 2 cups for this recipe and 2 cups for the previous recipe (see Part A of this previous post).
2. Deep-fry ~2 oz of dried silver fish till golden, slightly brown (high heat, 400-deg-F, ~10-15 minutes).
3. Deep-fry 1-2 finely-sliced small potato (high heat, 400-deg-F, ~10-15 mins).  Note- Use a Julianne Slicer, to create potato slices that are about the same size as the silver fish.
4. [Make the Hot Sauce] Grind 3-4 cloves of shallots, 3-4 cloves of garlic, and 6-8 red chili pepper with a food processor.  Set aside.  Note- Might consider to choose the right chili pepper based on the heat index.
5. Soak a 3/4-1"-cube of tamarind paste in 3-4 Tbsp of warm water for 15-20 minutes.  Stir loose and press down with a spoon.  Strain out the juice, and set aside.  Note- Tamarind paste is available from any Chinese market.
6. Turn on low-to-medium heat, add 1-2 Tbsp of vegetable oil into a flat bottom cooking pan.  Add the hot sauce (from Step 4) into the pan, add the tamarind water (from Step 5).  Season with 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1 Tbsp of sugar.  Stir constantly, until the the mixture is thick (try to reduce the water content as much as possible, without burning the saauce, 2-3 minutes).  
7. Turn off heat, add deep-fried potato slices (from Step 3), and deep-fried silver fish (from Step 2), and 2 cups of roasted peanuts (from Step 1).  Stir evenly.  Season to taste with salt (add 1/4 tsp a time), and sugar (add 1/2 tsp a time).  Here is a picture of the finished product.
   

Guacamole and Quesadilla

Guacamole is an Avocado-based dipping sauce.  Quesadilla is an appetizer, commonly served in any Mexican eatery.  Both are very easy to make, quite adaptable to individual preferences and tastes.  

I. Guacamole 

1. Peel and remove the large core from 1 large (or 2 medium) ripe avocado.  Spoon the avocado meat out into a small mixing bowl. Dice and smash into paste form.
2. Add 1/4 onion (diced), 1/2 cup of tomato (diced, canned or fresh), 1-2 Tbsp of lemon juice, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1-2 Jalapeno (diced), [optional], 2-4 Tbsp of Scallions or Cilantro (minced, [optional]), into the mixing bowl.  
3. Mix evenly and serve with pita chips or on top of quesadilla (see picture below).

II. Quesadilla

1. Get a pack of uncooked medium-sized tortilla (fresh, not frozen).  Note- I got a large pack from Costco (from the Salsa and Cheese section).
2. Drizzle a small amount of veggie oil onto a non-stick pan.  Note- Enough oil to coat the pan with oil (1-2 tsp).
3. Turn on medium heat, and place 1 tortilla into the pan.  Add the following on top of the tortilla: (1) 2-4 Tbsp of of fully cooked and diced chicken or 1-2 slices of ham, (2) 2-4 Tbsp of bell pepper (diced), (3) 2-4 Tbsp of tomato (diced, canned or fresh), (4) 2-4 Tbsp of Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (grated, available from any market), (5) 1-2 Tbsp of scallions or cilantro (mined).  Leave 1/2" along the circumference of the tortilla open (without any fillings). 
4. Add one more tortilla on top of all the filling ingredients.  Cook and press the tortilla down with a non-scratch spatula, until the fillings are soft (3-4 minutes). 
5. When the surface of the bottom tortilla is golden with brown spots (flip up with a spatula and take a peek), flip the Quesadilla (flipping with the spatula in one hand supporting the bottom and 2-3 fingers from the other hand pressing on the top).  Drizzle another 2-3 tsp of veggie oil along the circumference of the pan, and cook until the bottom tortilla is golden (another 3-4 minutes).
6. Take the quesadilla onto a cutting board, cut into 4-6 pieces.  Garnish each piece with guacamole (and some hot sauce, for spicy taste), or sour cream, or diced tomato (and scallions or cilantro), and serve.  Here is a picture of the finished product (Upper: a quesadilla cut into 4 pieces, Bottom- a piece of quesadilla garnished with guacamole).
   

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Here is another one-pot meal that's easy and quick to make.  Serving this with a salad, such as the Kale Salad we posted earlier, makes a nice dinner for two.

1. In a large-size pot or a 4-to-5Qt dutch oven,  add the following into the pot: (1) 4 chicken thighs or 2-3 chicken breasts (coarsely diced), (2) 4 potatoes (peeled and diced), (3) 2-3 carrots (diced), (4) 1-2 cups of frozen peas, (5) 1 onion (diced), (6) 1/2 tsp of garlic powder or 2-3 cloves of garlic (mined), (7) 1/2 tsp of cumin (optional, to rid unpleasant chicken taste, if any), (8) [optional] 1 cup of Half and Half (or milk, or water, for thinner stew), (8) a 22-oz can of Cream of Chicken soup, or, 1.5 cups of chicken broth and 3 cups of water, bought to a gentle boil and thickened by KoKuMaRo Stew Cream (from a Chinese or Japanese market);  or, thickened by stirring in a homemade thickening cream (i.e., 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, 1/4 cup of corn starch, 1/4 cup of milk, with water gradually stirred in to make a thickened fluid).  Turn on high heat, mix the content in the pot evenly, bring to boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes with lid on (stir every 10 minutes to prevent the bottom from sticking to the pot). At the end, sprinkle 1/4- 1/2 tsp of black pepper (Season to taste with salt).  Note- I used frozen chicken thighs, frozen carrots, and frozen peas.  After peeling, potatoes need to be immersed in water to prevent from discoloring.  Alternatively, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil into the pot, saute' garlic, onion, and chicken, season with cumin (5-6 minutes), add cream of chicken soup (or KoKuMaRo Stew Cream), half and half (or milk, or water), potato, carrots, and peas, bring to boil, then let simmer for 25-30 minutes. 
2. While the pot is simmering, bake 8-12 frozen biscuits, following the instructions from the product package.  Alternatively, place frozen (or out-of-a-tube) bsicuit dough on top of the fully cooked chicken stew, and baked in the oven at 375-deg-F till the biscuit is golden brown (~15-20 minutes; must've cooked the stew in an oven-safe pot or dutch oven).  Note- I used Pilsbury Frozen Biscuits (375-deg-F, till golden brown, ~20 minutes from frozen, ~15 minutes if defrosted, in Oven or Toaster Oven).  Also I used a 5-Qt cast iron dutch oven.
3. Place the freshly-baked biscuits on top of the simmering chicken stew to fully cover the surface of the stew.  Bring the whole pot to the table and serve.  Here is a picture of the finished product (with the biscuits slightly over-baked).  
   

Spanish Rice, Arroz con Pollo (Rice and Chicken), and Rice Pilaf

Spanish Rice is a basic Mexican side dish.  Adding shredded chicken to it makes a one-pot meal, known as Arroz con Pollo (Rice and Chicken), that is easy and quick to make.  We aim to create a fluffy (not sticky) and relatively dry rice dish.

I.A Spanish Rice- The Rice Pilaf Method

1. Rinse 1.5 cups of long-grained rice (rinse till water is clear, rinse 5-6 times, to rid starch). Note- Use a strainer to strain water out. Basmati Rice, purchased from Costco, was used lately. 
2. In a non-stick flat bottom cooking pot, turn on medium heat, add 2-4 Tbsp of vegetable oil, add 1 onion (diced), 3-4 cloves of garlic (minced), 
3. Add the fully rinsed 1.5 cups of long-grained rice into the pot, stir constantly till rice is golden brown (~5 mins).  Add 1.5 cups of chicken broth.
4. Season with 1/4-1/2 tsp salt, 1/4-1/2 tsp of black pepper, 1-2 tsp turmeric powder, 1-2 tsp of paprika powder, and 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes. 
5. Bring the pot to boil, and let simmer for 20 -25 minutes with the lid on (till the rice is tender and fluffy).  Stir the rice every 5-10 minutes (to make sure the bottom is not turning crispy), and add 1/4 cup of water every 10 minutes (twice, at most).  Remove the lid, and stir the rice at medium heat, till the rice is fluffy. Note- For 1.5 cups of rice, we added 1.5 cups of chicken broth in Step 3, and now 1/2 cup (at most) of water. 
6. In a separate pan, saute' some vegetables, such as 1-2 carrots (diced), 1 cup frozen peas, 1 green and 1 red bell peppers (diced), for 1-2 minutes. Add the veggies into the rice pot, mix and stir thoroughly, and cook under medium heat for 2-3 minutes.  Season to taste by adding salt (1/4 tsp a time). Note- optionally, we could also sauté some shelled shrimp (~1 lb, marinated for 30 minutes with rice wine and 1/4 tsp of baking soda), and diced chicken breasts (~1 lb, marinated for 30 minutes with rice wine, corn starch, and soy sauce).
7. Garnish with minced Scallions (or Cilantro or parsley), and diced Fresh Tomato. Sprinkle black pepper on top, fluff and serve. 

I.B Spanish Rice- The Chinese Fried Rice Method  (see this previous post for the method there) 

1. Cook 1.5 cups of rice in a rice cooker (following the instructions of the rice cooker, use either long-grained or medium-grained rice), let the cooked rice cool and sit in fridge over night, 
2. (same as above)  In a non-stick flat bottom cooking pot, turn on medium heat, add 2-4 Tbsp of vegetable oil, add 1 onion (diced), 3-4 cloves of garlic (minced),
3. Add the rice from Step 1 into the cooking pot, stir and mix, 
4. (same as above) add seasoning. 
5. Stir till the rice is fully mixed with the seasoning. 
6. (same as above) Saute' veggies separately, then add into the rice pot.
7. (same as above- Garnish and serve.)

II. Arroz con Pollo (rice and Chicken)
Before cooking rice using the method in I.A or I.B above, boil 2 pieces of chicken leg & thigh in salted water for 30 mins (immerse chicken in water, add 1 tsp of salt).  Drain out water, let cool, remove skin and bones, shred the chicken coarsely by hand. Add the shredded chicken along with the saute'd vegetables in Step 6 above. Garnish and serve as Step 7 above.  Here is a picture of the finished product.

III. Rice Pilaf
Use the same method in I.A above, except for Step 4- season with salt, saffron (optional), Step 6- use pea and carrot (not bell peppers), and Step 7- garnish with scallions (mined), raisins, and slivered almond or pistachios.

Mango Mousse Cake and Tiramisu

We bought a mango mousse cake for grandma's birthday. She likes it a lot, so we make it for her often now. The tiramisu recipe below follows this online recipe closely, with slightly less sugar, a substitute for the mascarpone cheese, the use of Cool Whip, some alternative liquors, and a 2-day waiting period before serving.  The online recipe is picked because it uses a simple and straightforward method to make custard, as opposed to the more traditional French water-bath method.

I. Mango Mousse Cake

1. Preparing a 6" Springform Pan (mandatory), and Making the Base (optional)- First prepare a 6" springform pan (see Note below).  Mix 1/2 cup of Graham cracker crumbs with 1.5 Tbsp of Brown Sugar and 2 Tbsp of melted butter. Spread and press the mixture firmly down into the 6" springform pan (with a spoon).  Leave it in freezer for 15 mins.  Note- Line the bottom of the 6" springform pan with aluminum foil, if it is one with flat bottom (e.g., a Nordic Ware pan), as opposed to one with a recessed bottom (e.g., a Wilton pan).  Line the side with parchment paper, as high as the side of the pan (i.e., 2 & 3/4" or 3" high).  For a springform pan with recessed bottom, replace the bottom with a 6" bake circle wrapped in two layers of aluminum foil (a bake circle made of cardboard and wrapped in aluminum foil is leak proof and suitable for the use here).  Note- It seems that the only way to make parchment paper stick to the side of the pan is to grease the side with a bit of butter or shortening. 
2. Making the Mango Mousse Layer- (1) In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, add 1/4 cup of cold water, sprinkle 1 Tbsp of gelatin (i.e., 1 pack of unflavored Knox Gelatin) into the cup, then add 1/4 cup of water to immerse the gelatin; sprinkle 1 Tbsp of gelatin again,  and add 1/4 cup water on top (total- 2 Tbsp gelatin, 3/4 cup water).  Now let the mixture stand for 1 min.  Heat the measuring cup in microwave for 20 seconds, stir gently, heat in microwave for 20 seconds again, and stir for 2 minutes until the gelatin is fully dissolved.  (2) In a 4-cup measuring cup, pour in 2 cups of Mango Puree' (see Note below), then add the gelatin mixture into the cup, mix evenly.  (3) Now, pour ~3/4 cup of puree-gelatin mix back into the 1-cup measuring cup, so as to keep ~2 cups of puree' in the 4-cup measuring cup for making mango mousse.  (4) In a medium-size mixing bowl, pour in 2 cups of puree'-gelatin mix, and gently fold in 8 oz of Cool Whip (either Original or Lite), until evenly mixed.  (5) Pour the mixture into the 6" springform pan prepared in Step 1 (with or without the Graham cracker base). Take care to scoop off uneven parts of the top surface with a spoon, and leave ~1/2" open on top, for the next layer (pour surplus mousse into glass ramekins and place in fridge).  (6) Now leave the springform pan in freezer for 15 minutes maximum (take it out after 15 minutes and continue to the next step).  Note- Mango puree' can be purchased in any Indian Market. If using Cool Whip Free (the fat free version of Cool Whip),  instead of Cool Whip Original or Lite, add 1 Tbsp of gelatin at the beginning of this step, because Cool Whip Free is a lot thinner than Cool Whip Original.  Note- See picture above for the product image of Mango Pulps (available from Indian grocery stores), as a substitute for Mango Puree'. Use 2.5 cups of Mango Puree' for a thicker layer of Mango Jelly in next step (but pour ~1-1/4 cups out, vs ~3/4 cup out, in Sub-step (3) above, and leave ~1" open, vs ~1/2" open, on top in Sub-step (5) above)..
3. Making the Top Layer, Mango Jelly- Stir the 3/4 cup of mango-gelatin mix (or, 1-1/4 cups, that was set aside in Step 2) for a minute until the mix is smooth (part of the mixture might have jelled in the past 15 minutes), then pour the mixture into the springform pan. Let sit in freezer for 15 minutes maximum, and then refrigerate (not freeze) in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours.  When ready to serve, release the spring-lock mechanism of the springform pan, push the bottom of the cake upward carefully, to get the cake out of the springform pan. [Important! To Preserve the Form of the Cake!] Use a thin knife to circle along the top edge of the cake in-between the parchment paper and the side of the cake, then remove the parchment paper slowly and carefully.  Now, cut and serve (clean and reuse the bake circle, if possible).  Here is a picture of the finished product (without Graham Cracker base).
   

II. Tiramisu

1. Making the Egg Custard- In a small-sized pot (preferably a non-stick pot, e.g., a 3-Qt hard-anodized soup pot), whisk together 6 egg yolks (yolks only) and 1/3 cup of sugar until well blended (use 1/2 cup of sugar if you like it sweeter).  Place the pot over low heat, stir constantly, gradually whisk in 2/3 cups of milk, until the mixture thickens (but NOT boiling yet).  The mixture feels like nectar (or honey) by now. Take the pot OFF Heat right away, and whisk for another 10-15 seconds (i.e., to cook with residual heat, off heat). Allow the pot to cool. Cover the pot and let chill in fridge for 1 hour. Note- This is the most important, and most difficult, step (err on the undercooking side, overcooking causes the egg yolks to coagulate). Might be worthwhile to compare this method with the more traditional (and slightly more time consuming) double-boiler approach to make egg custard, as suggested in this excellent online recipe. 
2. Making the Cheese Custard- After an hour in the fridge, whisk 1-lb of mascarpone cheese into the yolk-milk mixture until smooth (need a strong whisk, a whisk with two layers of wires, for this task).  Note- Mascarpone cheese can be purchased from an Italian Market, e.g., Clario's Italian Market in Southern California.  As a substitute for macarpone, whisk 1 lb of Philadelphia Cream Cheese into the mixture until smooth, then gently fold in 6-8 Tbsp-full (2 spatula-full) of Cool Whip, from an 8-oz tub of Cool Whip, until evenly mixed.  Leave the rest of the Cool Whip for Step 6 below. 
3. In a measuring cup, mix 1/2 cup of strong black coffee with 1/4 cup of Rum.  Note- Use 2/3 cup of black coffee and 1/3 cup of Rum for stronger flavor.  Rum can be replaced by brandy, or coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua, orTia Maria.  Will try espresso powder dissolved in room temperature water next time.
4. Line up ladyfingers side by side at the bottom of a 7" x 11" glass baking dish (at least 1.5" deep), until the bottom of the dish is covered with ladyfingers. Drizzle about half of the coffee-rum mixture over the ladyfingers in the glass baking pan (using a large spoon).  Note- Will try soaking (i.e., dunking/dipping both sides of) ladyfingers in coffee-rum mixture next time, Ladyfingers can be purchased from an Italian Market, or use Italian Sponge Cake as substitute. 
5. Spread half of the mascarpone (or cream cheese) mixture prepared in Step 2 evenly over the ladyfingers.  Note- this is the cheese custard layer.
6. Spread half of the remaining Cool Whip (in the 8-oz product package) evenly on top of the cheese custard layer. Note- this is the whipped cream layer.
7. Repeat Step 4 to 6.  Cover the glass baking pan with plastic wrap, and let sit in the fridge for 2 days. Yes! Two Days!   
8. When ready to serve, sift cocoa powder on top.  Cut into 2" x 2" or any size of your choice, and serve.  Here is a picture of the finished product.
   

Stewed Tofu with Tomatoes (蕃茄豆腐)

Learning how to cook was driven by a very practical, and somewhat urgent, need to cook for my aging mom, in February, 2014.  As a beginner, this was one of the first dishes I tried.  Even though it's been made countless times in the past months, it's never written up as a recipe.  Now we've come to an end of 2015, a year not quite like other years in my ordinary life, it seems only right to close this year with an ordinary dish.  Have a Healthy and Happy 2016!

1. Tomato (2, or 4 Roma Tomatoes) rinsed and cut into bite size.
2. Tofu (1 box of Silken Tofu, 16-24 oz) sliced and diced into larger bite size.
3. Optionally, marinate ~1/4 lb of ground pork (with 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of rice cooking wine, and 1 Tbsp of corn starch).  Let sit for 20-30 minutes..
4. Heat 2-3 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a flat bottom cooking pan (at high heat).  (Optionally) Place the ground pork in the pan, flatten with a spatula (to break up the pork), then stir.  Continue to flatten and stir for 2-3 minutes.  
5. Add tomato pieces into the pan.  Add 2 Tbsp of soy sauce and stir for another minute.
6. Add the tofu pieces in.  Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and 2-3 Tbsp of Oyster Sauce (蠔油).  Stir the content in the pot gently until evenly mixed.  Season to taste with salt.
7. Cover and bring the pot to boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with minced stallions and serve.  Here is a picture of the finished product.