MA PO TOFU (麻婆豆腐)

So so, I had never had any success in cooking ma po tofu well.. I was told that they were fine.. but you know, people are nice. I always did it on my own imagination, I didn't know that I had to use two different sauces in two stages of cooking.. so here it is, as I learned from the great internet (this is a Malaysian style):

INGREDIENTS:

1 block silken tofu (19 oz box)
1/4 lb ground pork
3 tablespoons Sichuan spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons chili oil
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (roasted and ground to powder)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon fermented black beans (rinsed and pounded)
2 stalks of leeks or scallions (chopped into 1 or 2-inch length)
2 gloves garlic (chopped)
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Cut the tofu into small pieces, drain the water from the tofu and set aside. Heat up a wok and pour in the cooking oil and chili oil. Add the chopped garlic, ground pork, spicy bean paste and stir-fry until the pork is half-done. Then add in chili powder, soy sauce, fermented black beans and stir-fry until aromatic. Add in the tofu and water; stir gently to blend the tofu (don’t break them) well with the sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for about 3-5 mins or until the sauce thickens. Add in the roasted Sichuan peppercorn powder and chopped scallions. Gently stir and blend well. Dish out and serve hot.

Cá Kho Tộ – Vietnamese Claypot Fish

INGREDIENTS: (4 servings, as part of a larger meal)

• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 small-med. shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 lb. catfish, cut into 3/4 inch slices/steaks [with skin and bone attached] —boneless, skinless fillets will not work in this dish
• 4 Tbl. fish sauce
• 3 Tbl. raw sugar
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 3-4 scallions, cut into 2- inch segments [+ 1 Tbl. oil, for garnish]
• small piece (approx. 5 oz) of pork fat (fatback), cut into thin slices or bâtons
• 3 Tbl. Caramel Sauce (Nước Màu) – recipe below
  

STEPS:

• In a bowl, gently toss the fish with black pepper, shallots, fish sauce and sugar. Allow to marinate for 15 min. – up to 30 minutes.
• In a separate skillet set to med. heat, add the oil and cook the pork fat until it has rendered most of it’s fat.
• Next, add the garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Be sure not to brown or burn the garlic. Set aside.
• Set your claypot on the stove and gently begin heating it on med.-low.
• Add the pork fat, garlic and any pan drippings into the claypot.
• Add the marinated fish. Pour and gently mix the caramel sauce with the fish. Turn the heat to medium.
• As soon as the pot begins to bubble, turn down the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for about 30 minute. (Check the pot at the halfway point – if it looks dry, add one or two Tbl. of water and cover again).
• At this point, the fish should be tender but still hold its shape.
• Taste the sauce and add fish sauce or sugar, if needed.
• Before serving, quickly sauté the scallions with oil and add them to the claypot.

NƯỚC MÀU – VIETNAMESE CARAMEL SAUCE

makes approx. 1 cup

If you’re familiar with making caramel sauce for flan – this will be a cinch.

In a dry saucepan set on med. high heat, add 1 cup of plain, granulated sugar and 1/2 cup + 2 Tbl. of water. As the mixture begins to turn amber, stir with a wooden spoon until it turns to a dark mahogany. At this point, remove the pan from the heat and add another 1/2 cup of water to the pan. (The caramel will seize but will eventually liquefy). Heat the pan on high and cook for about 7-10 minutes until it is thick and smooth. Carefully add a couple teaspoons of lemon or lime juice and remove from heat. Give it a good stir and transfer it to a mason jar or other glass container. The sauce will resemble dark molasses and will keep indefinitely in your cupboard.

stuffed mushrooms to die for!

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms

* 1 lb. fresh mushrooms with caps
* 1/2 to 1 stick (4 to 8 Tbs.) of melted butter
* 1 cup bread crumbs
* fresh chopped parsley
* 1 Tbs. oil
* 1 crushed garlic clove
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 1 minced medium onion

Remove mushroom stems and chop. Place caps on buttered baking sheet and set aside. Sauté chopped stems, onions, and garlic in oil. Mix other dry ingredients. Add them to melted butter and wine in a sauce pan and stir together. Mold a small amount on the cap. Bake 20 minutes at 350 F.

Serve warm.

Aunt Alexis's Onion Dip

I go over to my Aunt Alexis's house all the time. Especially now that we live in the same state! She made this dip once and since then, I always ask her to make it when I come to visit. This is a quick dip that goes really well with vegetables, soda crackers, or french bread. Feel free to vary this recipe by adding crumbled bacon or garnishing with a sprinkle of parsley or cilantro.

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup white onion, chopped fine
1 cup Swiss cheese
1 tsp. garlic
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Set oven toe 350 F. Mix all ingredients together. Spread into a baking dish. Heat until golden brown and bubbly.

Annie's Irish Soda Buns

This recipe was given to me by my roomie at UMaine. I tried her mother's soda buns in honor of St. Patrick's day. These buns are delicious hot or cold though I prefer them warmed with hot chocolate or irish coffee.

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 sugar (optional)
1 egg
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup currants or raisins

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut pieces of the butter/margarine into the dry mix. Don't worry if it doesn't mix completely. Add wet ingredients. Stir in currants/raisins. Knead the dough briefly (I just mixed it with a spoon and that worked too). Cut the dough into eighths. Shape into buns. Use a butter knife to make a cross on the tops of the buns. Bake 20-25min. I set my oven to 350 F.

Get your mojo back, cuban style!

Mojo (Cuban Citrus-Garlic Marinade) Recipe

3 large heads garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups sour orange juice (or 3/4 cup fresh orange juice plus 3/4 cup fresh or bottled lime juice)
1 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 cup olive oil

Mash the garlic, salt, and pepper into a paste, using a mortar and pestle, or on a flat surface, using the side of a large chef's knife.

Place the garlic paste in a small mixing bowl and add the sour orange juice, minced onion, oregano and parsley. Stir all of the ingredients together thoroughly.

Set this mixture aside and allow the flavors to marry for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is hot (approximately 280 degrees F.). Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully (the oil may sputter) whisk in the garlic-orange juice mixture until the ingredients are well blended. .

Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the sauce to a rolling boil. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mojo cool to room temperature.

Pour the mojo into a clean glass jar with a lid. Use the mojo immediately or store it in the refrigerator; it will keep for several weeks.

Shake well before using.
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Ingredients

• 3 heads garlic
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
  
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns (whole)
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice, sour orange (or 1 cup orange juice & 1/2 cup lemon juice & 1/2 cup lime juice)
• 1 cup minced onion
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 cup Spanish olive oil

Directions

1. 1

   Mash garlic, salt and peppercorns, using a mortar and pestle or use food processor.

2. 2

   Stir in juice.

3. 3

   Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.

4. 4

   *If making it without the oil - stop at this point and this makes a perfect marinade for seasoning, chicken, fish, pork &/or beef.

5. 5

   Continue with preparing the mojo with oil - after you have stirred in juice add onion & oregano.

6. 6

   Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.

7. 7

   In a saucepan heat olive oil to medium hot & then remove from heat.

8. 8

   Whisk oil in garlic-juice mixture, until well blended.

9. 9

   Stores for at least a week in the refrigerator.

great on grilled chicken, steak, white fish, slow cooked pork, shrimp, eaten with cilantro rice. used as a marinade or sauce.
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Cuban Mojo sauce recipe
courtesy of Cocina Cubana Club (please join) / Pascual Perez and chef Sonia Martinez

The authentic mojo is made with juice from sour oranges. It still has that little orangy taste, but its very acid and tart. You can come close by mixing equal amounts of freshly squeezed orange juice with lime juice (*). If you live in areas with large concentration of Latinos you will probably find bottled Mojo (Goya brand makes one) or their produce department might have the slightly bumpy, thick skinned sour oranges. This recipe makes one cup.

1/3 cup olive oil
6 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
2/3 cup sour orange juice or lime juice
(or equal portions orange juice and lime juice)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly toasted. Don't let it brown or it will be acrid tasting, just about 30 seconds should do it.

Add the sour orange juice, cumin and salt and pepper. STAND BACK; the sauce may sputter. Bring to a rolling boil. Taste and correct seasoning, if needed

Cool before serving. Mojo is best when served within a couple of hours of making, but it will keep for several days, well capped in a jar or bottle, in the refrigerator.

Use with Cuban sandwiches, boiled yucca, grilled seafood and meats, fried green plantain chips, etc.

I have seen recipes for mojo using cilantro in it, but that is not traditional to Cuban Cuisine.

(*) I prefer to add more lime juice than orange, as I like it very tart.

Eggplant Southeast Asian Style

Sorry it took me a while to post this, I have been meaning to share.
If you are a Southeast Asian food lover, this should satisfy your taste buds.
I followed the recipe and it turned out really good.

Ingredients:
A:

3 teaspoons of chopped garlic
1 teaspoon of chopped ginger
1 tablespoon of preserved salted soya beans, pounded (which I just used miso paste and it did the magic)
1 teaspoon of chilli sause

B:

1 lb of eggplant
1 cup of oil for frying
3 tablespoons of lard or oil
4 dried Chinese mushrooms, thinly sliced
8 oz of minced pork
4 oz of chopped shelled shrimps

Seasoning:

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons tapioca flour dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method:

1. Remove stems from eggplants and cut them into thick slices and soak in salt water. Drain before frying.

2. Heat 1 cup of oil in an iron wok until very hot, fry eggplants till lightly browned. Remove to a medal colander to drain oil.

3. Heat 3 tablespoons lard or oil in wok, fry A over moderate heat, until garlic and ginger brown. Add mushrooms and stir for 1 minute. Put in pork and shrimps and stir fry for another minute before pouring in seasoning. Cook for 1 minute and add eggplants. Mixed well and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Serve.