...where i had my first mojito. too sweet!!! even for me. i had to ask the server to fetch more and more lime wedges. i think i'll try these at home (white rum, lime juice, copious ice chips, mint sprigs).
the entrees we had were big on production, supersized, but sad to say, not tasty. daughter's steak, with a mountain of mashed unpeeled red potatoes, was too over seasoned. poor dear tried, but she didn't like it. #2 son happily worked on his four cheese pasta and kept stealing from his big sister's thinly sliced onion rings...
husband's entree of cajun spiced shrimp over tri color pasta was disappointingly overpowered by basil pesto. i ordered a caesar's salad; the dressing was obviously made on site, appropriately tangy with parmesan, garlic and anchovies but. a mountain of it? for one person?
these two appetizers were what i liked the best:
i was intrigued by the nori wrapped ahi tuna appetizer, having seen it on the internet menu the night before, but when it came time to order it i couldn't locate it in the telephone book size menu ...good thing server was well-versed and knew exactly what i meant. it was...different, strange, a newfangled fusion dish perhaps? deep fried sashimi basically but with a refreshingly spicy ginger dip.
#2 son enjoyed the spicy chicken taquitos, slivers of chicken breast encased in chili sauce then deepfried, drizzled with sour cream and guacamole, on a bed of lettuce with scoops of tomato salsa, more guacamole and sour cream.
heehee, am no critic, i really love to eat! but. sometimes the fun is just in being able to bundle up the children and get up and go out. anyone who has kids understands what i mean...no spillage, no tantrums, a nice relaxing meal. (#1 son the teenager could not be budged out of the house! hmph.)
Saturday, February 26, 2005
a day out
we received a Christmas gift certificate from husband's supervisor at work to the cavernous, noisy, crowded --it was midweek lunch even!-- (though it must be because of the winter break for the local kids) tsiskeyk factory (quesocake?--so sorry, i don't want this to appear in any searches). #2 son said it looked like the casino buffet at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT...and he's right. this one's located in a vertical mall at the Cambridgeside Galleria, Cambridge.
"peking noodles"
another fond memory, mine this time. my ate (older sista) used to treat me to lunch at "sing ya toppings" in SM North edsa, Quezon City, decades ago when she was a single new lawyer, and i was a poor social worker descending from the mountains of Bataan to replenish supplies and spirit...even after we got married and had our babies and i'd come home from Boston for a visit she'd still drive me there and take me for a nice haircut...and always this.
i've since found a grand spicy authentic version at mary chung's in cambridge, ma. (massachusettes avenue, bordering central square).
easy to make and child friendly if you don't add the chili oil.
1 lb. of fresh white flour noodles (Twin Marquis brand), available in the chiller section of most asian groceries (substitute spaghettini)
1 lb. of ground lean beef or veal
1 tbsp. of minced garlic
1 tbsp. of thinly sliced ginger (so kids can pick them out if they don't like it)
2 tbsp. of light soy sauce
2 tbsp. of hoisin sauce
3 cups of hot chicken stock
1 tsp. of sesame oil
1/2 tsp. of chili oil (optional)
1 cup of bean sprouts, blanched
1 cup of julienned English cucumber
1/4 cup of julienned scallions
2 tsps. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp. of water
boil and cook noodles according to directions (3-4 minutes) retaining some chewiness.
in a large bowl mix soy sauce, hoisin, and broth and stir until well-blended.
heat peanut oil, stir fry garlic and ginger until fragrant. add ground meat and brown. stir in hoisin mixture and let simmer for about 15 minutes until slightly reduced. thicken with cornstarch solution. (sprinkle with chili oil if using.)
to serve, ladle over noodles and top with cucumber, bean sprouts, and scallions.
i've since found a grand spicy authentic version at mary chung's in cambridge, ma. (massachusettes avenue, bordering central square).
easy to make and child friendly if you don't add the chili oil.
1 lb. of fresh white flour noodles (Twin Marquis brand), available in the chiller section of most asian groceries (substitute spaghettini)
1 lb. of ground lean beef or veal
1 tbsp. of minced garlic
1 tbsp. of thinly sliced ginger (so kids can pick them out if they don't like it)
2 tbsp. of light soy sauce
2 tbsp. of hoisin sauce
3 cups of hot chicken stock
1 tsp. of sesame oil
1/2 tsp. of chili oil (optional)
1 cup of bean sprouts, blanched
1 cup of julienned English cucumber
1/4 cup of julienned scallions
2 tsps. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp. of water
boil and cook noodles according to directions (3-4 minutes) retaining some chewiness.
in a large bowl mix soy sauce, hoisin, and broth and stir until well-blended.
heat peanut oil, stir fry garlic and ginger until fragrant. add ground meat and brown. stir in hoisin mixture and let simmer for about 15 minutes until slightly reduced. thicken with cornstarch solution. (sprinkle with chili oil if using.)
to serve, ladle over noodles and top with cucumber, bean sprouts, and scallions.
Friday, February 25, 2005
a boy's fond food memory from Hong Kong
pork skin and fishball in curry sauce
husband has been craving this since i can't remember when. he orders it from almost every dimsum cart we encounter, and we've seen it sold on the sidewalks of Chinatowns all over.
apparently when he was very young he roamed around Kowloon and took the ferry at will, alone or with his group of buddies. (told him not to tell the kittens this nugget of boyhood recollections). and he enjoyed the street snacks.
so husband decided to try to duplicate this food memory here at home.
it involves some sneaky shopping--the dried pork skin is hard to find and packaged looking like a flat sheet of dried up bubble packing material, and it's labeled as "fish maw." i'm afraid to ask why. the sheets are then soaked in water all day.
then he had to open up this jar of curry sauce.
he boiled the rehydrated pork skin with the sauce, water, chopped onions, thickly sliced daikon radish, and fish balls. he said that next time he would add the radish at the last minute so it wouldn't disintegrate into the liquid.
yes, there will be a next time. it was delectable. #2 son, a great fan of fish balls and spicy XO flavored ramen noodles, couldn't get enough. it felt sinful to eat the chewy pork skin but it was good over hot rice. straight up for husband.
husband has been craving this since i can't remember when. he orders it from almost every dimsum cart we encounter, and we've seen it sold on the sidewalks of Chinatowns all over.
apparently when he was very young he roamed around Kowloon and took the ferry at will, alone or with his group of buddies. (told him not to tell the kittens this nugget of boyhood recollections). and he enjoyed the street snacks.
so husband decided to try to duplicate this food memory here at home.
it involves some sneaky shopping--the dried pork skin is hard to find and packaged looking like a flat sheet of dried up bubble packing material, and it's labeled as "fish maw." i'm afraid to ask why. the sheets are then soaked in water all day.
then he had to open up this jar of curry sauce.
he boiled the rehydrated pork skin with the sauce, water, chopped onions, thickly sliced daikon radish, and fish balls. he said that next time he would add the radish at the last minute so it wouldn't disintegrate into the liquid.
yes, there will be a next time. it was delectable. #2 son, a great fan of fish balls and spicy XO flavored ramen noodles, couldn't get enough. it felt sinful to eat the chewy pork skin but it was good over hot rice. straight up for husband.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
the backyardigans
not food related (they eat healthy though).
this winter we have been stuck at home a lot, and trying not to watch too much tv is a bit of a challenge. but #2 son and i discovered this great new kids' show...
the backyardigans: great music,with choreography!, funny stories, believable (!) cuddly cute but not saccharin sick characters who eat healthy snacks... today my son was grinning beatifically the whole time because the episode was about vikings. i have to find dvd's or "tivo" it or whatever it is. i want more! (shown on the east coast daily 11 a.m. on nick jr.)
(l-r) tyrone, tasha, pablo(our favorite), uniqua, and austin.
this winter we have been stuck at home a lot, and trying not to watch too much tv is a bit of a challenge. but #2 son and i discovered this great new kids' show...
the backyardigans: great music,with choreography!, funny stories, believable (!) cuddly cute but not saccharin sick characters who eat healthy snacks... today my son was grinning beatifically the whole time because the episode was about vikings. i have to find dvd's or "tivo" it or whatever it is. i want more! (shown on the east coast daily 11 a.m. on nick jr.)
(l-r) tyrone, tasha, pablo(our favorite), uniqua, and austin.
steamed golden syrup spongecake
from Gourmet magazine's "all about london" issue, march 2005.
there's a scene from the animated version of Raymond Briggs' "father christmas": this irascible santa is home from his grueling night, and he is setting a steamed pudding, wrapped up with cloth, on the stove top . i've been intrigued by it since, and did try a christmas one heavy with nuts and fruits and brandy. it was really delicious but quite rich and strong flavored. when i saw this recipe yesterday i just had to try it. like today. braving the snow and ice and cold trudging down the lane...ooops. wrong scene. i hunted down the lyle's golden syrup in the international foods section and made this for today's dessert (sssh. husband's experimenting with his fishball/pork skin curry saute...we'll see how it turns out.)
the recipe is here.
there's a scene from the animated version of Raymond Briggs' "father christmas": this irascible santa is home from his grueling night, and he is setting a steamed pudding, wrapped up with cloth, on the stove top . i've been intrigued by it since, and did try a christmas one heavy with nuts and fruits and brandy. it was really delicious but quite rich and strong flavored. when i saw this recipe yesterday i just had to try it. like today. braving the snow and ice and cold trudging down the lane...ooops. wrong scene. i hunted down the lyle's golden syrup in the international foods section and made this for today's dessert (sssh. husband's experimenting with his fishball/pork skin curry saute...we'll see how it turns out.)
the recipe is here.
after an hour and a half of steaming, let "pudding" stand for 5 minutes...
...then invert into a serving plate. looks a bit like..."friar tuck's" head. the bald spot is from a stuck patch of Lyle's golden pudding. next time i'm adding more syrup to the bottom of the dish so that it will cascade down the sides of the cake.
slice into wedges and drizzle heavy cream on top.
it was heavenly: creamy, not too sweet and greatly complemented by the golden syrup.
chef celia of english patis has a scrumptious chocolate version.
deep -fried oysters
we had a jam bottle full of left over dashi-based dipping sauce from the fried tofu.
i thought we'd try it with deep-fried oysters, one of our favorite appetizers. dry carefully the drained shucked oysters in paper-lined racks. i put another towel on top as the excess liquid dripped away. i dipped them the same way, first in beaten egg and then in panko bread crumbs, and then fried them in very hot oil for a very quick 1 minute.
serve hot, with lemon or lime wedges.
Monday, February 21, 2005
the quest continues
lolo A. went to friday mass at baclaran church faithfully until the day he fell ill from leukemia and was taken from us. he was not a devout catholic but he had made a pledge to his mother on her deathbed. he was a man of rituals and habits in every other way though...and one of the most endearing was the egg pie he would pick up for lola, sometimes just a slice, once in a while a whole box. for one so eccentric and dreamy, often absent minded, she worried how he would make it back home without falling asleep on the jeep; one time his wallet was stolen and he walked home, all the way to kamuning...but there was always the egg pie.
he must have had a standing account at that bakeshop. my lola never ate the pie (she was already watching her sugar intake). but lucky the grandchild who found it in the fridge. more often than not...me.
i've been trying to make this pie to duplicate this precious taste memory, and this is very close but...still not quite it. this one is very similar in taste and texture to "don taht," the mini custards served in dimsum houses...lolo's egg pie was firmer, yellower, with a distinctive brown top.
he must have had a standing account at that bakeshop. my lola never ate the pie (she was already watching her sugar intake). but lucky the grandchild who found it in the fridge. more often than not...me.
i've been trying to make this pie to duplicate this precious taste memory, and this is very close but...still not quite it. this one is very similar in taste and texture to "don taht," the mini custards served in dimsum houses...lolo's egg pie was firmer, yellower, with a distinctive brown top.
"old fashioned english custard tart" recipe from Delia Smith's "How to Cook." (the brown specks, freshly grated nutmeg). my favorite taste testers pronounced it good...back to the drawing board for me.
here's
the recipe...
Sunday, February 20, 2005
brownies with a buzz...
no not the illicit kind!
espresso brownies, from Mrs. Fields once again. these are fudgy and rich with chocolate and instant espresso powder. husband asked me to make them for "black history month" luncheon at work. (it was supposed to be a flan, but didn't have all the ingredients and not enough eggs in the fridge...)
preheat oven to 325F. grease an 8-in square baking pan.
whisk together 2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. baking soda. set aside.
in a large bowl blend 1 cup packed dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. add 1 cup softened butter and mix well.
melt 2 oz. baking unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler. meanwhile in a small bowl dissolve 1 tbsp. instant espresso powder in 1 tbsp. of boiling hot water.
add chocolate and coffee to the sugar-butter mixture. beat until smooth. add 2 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. add 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract and 1 tsp. almond extract. scrape down sides of bowl. add flour mixture and 1 cup chocolate chips, blend just until combined. do not overbeat.
pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until toothpick/tester comes out clean. cool in pan 15 minutes. invert on to a rack.
make the glaze: melt together 3 ozs. of semi sweet chocolate and 1/3 cup butter in a double boiler over simmering water. stir until smooth. spread glaze over brownies and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sliced almonds. cool completely before cutting into squares.
this is guaranteed to make your heart race...
espresso brownies, from Mrs. Fields once again. these are fudgy and rich with chocolate and instant espresso powder. husband asked me to make them for "black history month" luncheon at work. (it was supposed to be a flan, but didn't have all the ingredients and not enough eggs in the fridge...)
preheat oven to 325F. grease an 8-in square baking pan.
whisk together 2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. baking soda. set aside.
in a large bowl blend 1 cup packed dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. add 1 cup softened butter and mix well.
melt 2 oz. baking unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler. meanwhile in a small bowl dissolve 1 tbsp. instant espresso powder in 1 tbsp. of boiling hot water.
add chocolate and coffee to the sugar-butter mixture. beat until smooth. add 2 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. add 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract and 1 tsp. almond extract. scrape down sides of bowl. add flour mixture and 1 cup chocolate chips, blend just until combined. do not overbeat.
pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until toothpick/tester comes out clean. cool in pan 15 minutes. invert on to a rack.
make the glaze: melt together 3 ozs. of semi sweet chocolate and 1/3 cup butter in a double boiler over simmering water. stir until smooth. spread glaze over brownies and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sliced almonds. cool completely before cutting into squares.
this is guaranteed to make your heart race...
Saturday, February 19, 2005
"agedashi tofu"
i haven't made this in years. santos' post on deep fried tofu with a miso-vinegar dip tripped up the memory which made me dig up my old notebook from singledom. i used to just dip the firm drained tofu in flour, but santos dipped hers in egg and panko before dip frying. i made the children's favorite dipping sauce from instant soup and sauce base: 1/2 cup "kikkoman hon tsuyu," 1 cup water, 2 tbsps. mirin, 2 tbsps. Japanese soy warmed up to a simmer and then thickened with 2 tsps. potato starch dissolved in 1 tbsp. water.
draining firm tofu: set over a rack that's covered with a paper towel, weigh down with a plate.
cut tofu blocks horizontally, dip in beaten egg and in panko bread crumbs. deep fry in hot (350F) oil for about 3-4 minutes or until golden.
drain in paper towel-lined plate.
serve with minced scallions and grated daikon radish.
an easy tasty lunch item for our first day of winter break....thank you santos!
draining firm tofu: set over a rack that's covered with a paper towel, weigh down with a plate.
cut tofu blocks horizontally, dip in beaten egg and in panko bread crumbs. deep fry in hot (350F) oil for about 3-4 minutes or until golden.
drain in paper towel-lined plate.
serve with minced scallions and grated daikon radish.
an easy tasty lunch item for our first day of winter break....thank you santos!
Thursday, February 17, 2005
karen's asado
i'm back. whew. what a relief. #2 son has recovered: he never did act sick but a mother's intuition being as sharp as it is, i took him to the pediatrician on saturday feeling that something wasn't right. he was recovering from a bad cold, then he looked so different on saturday, with a worrying cough...yup. it was pneumonia. but if you looked at him, he was his same old giggly wiggly self, with his appetite intact and ravenous. so with vigilance and seemingly endless watching of the clock for treatments and medicine doses, he's all better. whew.
then our phone line went dead.
we live in a really old house (109?) so i surmise all the wires are almost as ancient too. after pleading and cajoling (mine) and finally (husband's) threatening the phone company (with his booming baritone voice)...they've replaced the whole "box". i confess. it was excruciating.
*sigh* this is THE superpower country of the new world?? hmmm.
meanwhile, this mommy kept preoccupied and busy, cleaning, washing and cooking...
something yummy! tummy satisfying, malinamnam, masarap, etc. atbp. when i first espied this recipe by the pilgrim's pots and pans i had a gut feeling it was delicious. and. i. was. right. thanks karen! anything that all my children will eat is a bravura masterpiece. it tastes so pinoy too, that indefinable "ULAM" that i crave to eat with lots of hot rice. i'm so grateful.
then our phone line went dead.
we live in a really old house (109?) so i surmise all the wires are almost as ancient too. after pleading and cajoling (mine) and finally (husband's) threatening the phone company (with his booming baritone voice)...they've replaced the whole "box". i confess. it was excruciating.
*sigh* this is THE superpower country of the new world?? hmmm.
meanwhile, this mommy kept preoccupied and busy, cleaning, washing and cooking...
something yummy! tummy satisfying, malinamnam, masarap, etc. atbp. when i first espied this recipe by the pilgrim's pots and pans i had a gut feeling it was delicious. and. i. was. right. thanks karen! anything that all my children will eat is a bravura masterpiece. it tastes so pinoy too, that indefinable "ULAM" that i crave to eat with lots of hot rice. i'm so grateful.
Monday, February 14, 2005
wasn't satisfied with the previously posted gingerbread with milk chocolate so i made my baby valentines something else. they've been clamoring for these since they saw the picture from the glammy mommy Mrs. Fields' "cookie book." these are "jessica's marshmallow clouds"--a marshmallow filling enrobed with chocolate chip studded chocolate cookie dough. sweets for my sweets.
preheat oven to 400F. have butter and eggs at room temperature. freeze 8 ozs. of mini marshmallows.
mix cookie dough: whisk well 3 cups of all purpose flour, 2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa, and 1/2 tsp. baking soda.
cream 1 cup of salted butter with 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of lightly packed light brown sugar. scrape down sides of bowl and add 2 eggs one at a time and 2 tsps. of vanilla extract, scraping down sides of bowl and beater often.
mix in flour mixture and 2 cups of Ghirardelli double chocolate chips.
working with a cup of frozen marshmallows at a time, keeping the rest frozen, form a ball of cookie dough. make an indentation and put in 4-5 marshmallows. encase in cookie dough, forming balls about 2-3 inches in diameter and set on ungreased cookie sheets, well apart. bake around 10 minutes, depending on your oven. watch closely! so that the chocolate chips don't get scorched. cool in sheets on racks, 10 minutes, then gently lift into racks and cool completely.
my kids love to dunk them in... a frosty glass of MILK.
preheat oven to 400F. have butter and eggs at room temperature. freeze 8 ozs. of mini marshmallows.
mix cookie dough: whisk well 3 cups of all purpose flour, 2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa, and 1/2 tsp. baking soda.
cream 1 cup of salted butter with 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of lightly packed light brown sugar. scrape down sides of bowl and add 2 eggs one at a time and 2 tsps. of vanilla extract, scraping down sides of bowl and beater often.
mix in flour mixture and 2 cups of Ghirardelli double chocolate chips.
working with a cup of frozen marshmallows at a time, keeping the rest frozen, form a ball of cookie dough. make an indentation and put in 4-5 marshmallows. encase in cookie dough, forming balls about 2-3 inches in diameter and set on ungreased cookie sheets, well apart. bake around 10 minutes, depending on your oven. watch closely! so that the chocolate chips don't get scorched. cool in sheets on racks, 10 minutes, then gently lift into racks and cool completely.
my kids love to dunk them in... a frosty glass of MILK.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
gingerbread with milk chocolate?!
i was so intrigued by this recipe. i needed to keep my brain and hands preoccupied while being a mom nurse this weekend. tomorrow being VD, i just had to make something for my wittle valentines. knowing they love gingerbread and milk chocolate...well. my curiosity just got the better of me.
this is from "a year in chocolate" from the guru alice medrich, filed under "winter" and "new year."
preheat oven to 350F. line 9-in square pan with parchment paper and grease lightly with butter.
whisk together 1& 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. baking soda.
set aside.
mix 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar, 1/4 cup light unsulfured molasses, and 1/4 cup honey. beat in 1 egg and 1/2 cup very finely minced fresh peeled ginger.
pour into above mixture, 6 tbsps. unsalted butter melted w/ 1/2 cup water.
stir in dry ingredients and 4 ounces chopped milk chocolate. bake for 30 minutes or until cake is set and tester comes out clean (aside fr melted chocolate).
my valentines, husband and children, loved the complex and unusual flavor. it packed a lot of spicy heat and chocolatey punch. (ummm, i didn't like it much because i'm not a gingerbread fan. but they thought it was luscious. oh well.)
this is from "a year in chocolate" from the guru alice medrich, filed under "winter" and "new year."
preheat oven to 350F. line 9-in square pan with parchment paper and grease lightly with butter.
whisk together 1& 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. baking soda.
set aside.
mix 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar, 1/4 cup light unsulfured molasses, and 1/4 cup honey. beat in 1 egg and 1/2 cup very finely minced fresh peeled ginger.
pour into above mixture, 6 tbsps. unsalted butter melted w/ 1/2 cup water.
stir in dry ingredients and 4 ounces chopped milk chocolate. bake for 30 minutes or until cake is set and tester comes out clean (aside fr melted chocolate).
my valentines, husband and children, loved the complex and unusual flavor. it packed a lot of spicy heat and chocolatey punch. (ummm, i didn't like it much because i'm not a gingerbread fan. but they thought it was luscious. oh well.)
a new way to "halabos"
this, from corinne trang's "authentic vietnamese cuisine," is my favorite way to steam-blanch shellfish for the way it enhances and highlights the sweetness of the shrimp and crab. just add whacked and smacked stalks of lemongrass and scallions, and a smashed knob of ginger to the water (just enough to go up the top of the shellfish when it's at a mad boil), and steam for about 15 minutes.
a dungeness crab, from the west coast
favorite dips: calamansi or lime with fish sauce and scallions, coconut or red wine vinegar with sliced shallot, or wasabi and Japanese soy sauce.
Friday, February 11, 2005
i got tagged!
we've had a rain into snow kind of storm and that meant that our derelict phone wires acted out and...no blogging for moi. cleaned the fish tank and mr. blue's bowl, and sorted laundry, did a few more loads. wow! it's good for the house that there's no internet.
today when i went out to warm up the car i couldn't even open the basement door and had to use my full heavy body to pry it open . we're encased in ice. off to the old car...ditto! couldn't open the doors. sigh. that meant scraping and shoveling out.
please don't show me any boracay pictures. it makes me weep.
i am hovering over my little guy who's got a mild fever and an asthma flare-up from a bad cold. anxiety is mean to me, i get all hyper and then i pass out cold from severe sleepiness. but i gotta do what i gotta do, nebulizer treatments all day for him and missing school and his best buddy. i've promised him some chocolate chip cookies.
didn't know what being tagged meant until bokbok did it to me!
i guess it's obvious now that i'm a soundtrack-for-life kind of person, as bokbok detected on her music radar.
(amended 24 feb--not on bok's tag but noticed it's on other people's, and i thought
about what i'd put in so here they are...)
random 10:
1. secret o' life--JT
2. rocket love--stevie wonder
3. it's so obvious that i love you--sergio mendes and brasil '77
4. i'm just warmin' up--eloise laws
5. of all the things--dennis lambert
6. if this world were mine--marvin gaye and tammi terrell
7. so in love with you--bobbi humphrey
8. weak in the knees-tom browne
9. i need you tonight-INXS
10. cross my heart-everything but the girl
What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
whot music files? heehee.
the cd you last bought?
The Best of David Sanborn, after christmas sale. naturally.
What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
al jarreau and shakatak, "day by day."
Write down five songs that you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
1. i don't know why i'm so happy i'm sad, michael franks.
2. joey, natalie cole.
3. we're in love, patti austin.
4. you light up my life, carole king. (that is so NOT debbie boone's song okay!)
5. sweet thing, rufus featuring chaka khan.
i guess i like sweet and upbeat songs.
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
do they have to be bloggers only? hmm.
non bloggers.
1. my Kuya (older brother) who is the music guru of our times.
2. husby who likes music almost as much as i do.
3. a friend who is mad at me now but she knows all the above songs.
bloggers.
1. chef celiaK tho i'm pretty sure she's already been tagged, but is another bopping-to-the-beat girl like me.
2. thess, got tagged already..hmm. tita ting-a-ling. she has el bimbo on her blog.
3. JMom so i'll get to know her even better!
sweet things
today when i went out to warm up the car i couldn't even open the basement door and had to use my full heavy body to pry it open . we're encased in ice. off to the old car...ditto! couldn't open the doors. sigh. that meant scraping and shoveling out.
please don't show me any boracay pictures. it makes me weep.
i am hovering over my little guy who's got a mild fever and an asthma flare-up from a bad cold. anxiety is mean to me, i get all hyper and then i pass out cold from severe sleepiness. but i gotta do what i gotta do, nebulizer treatments all day for him and missing school and his best buddy. i've promised him some chocolate chip cookies.
didn't know what being tagged meant until bokbok did it to me!
i guess it's obvious now that i'm a soundtrack-for-life kind of person, as bokbok detected on her music radar.
(amended 24 feb--not on bok's tag but noticed it's on other people's, and i thought
about what i'd put in so here they are...)
random 10:
1. secret o' life--JT
2. rocket love--stevie wonder
3. it's so obvious that i love you--sergio mendes and brasil '77
4. i'm just warmin' up--eloise laws
5. of all the things--dennis lambert
6. if this world were mine--marvin gaye and tammi terrell
7. so in love with you--bobbi humphrey
8. weak in the knees-tom browne
9. i need you tonight-INXS
10. cross my heart-everything but the girl
What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
whot music files? heehee.
the cd you last bought?
The Best of David Sanborn, after christmas sale. naturally.
What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
al jarreau and shakatak, "day by day."
Write down five songs that you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
1. i don't know why i'm so happy i'm sad, michael franks.
2. joey, natalie cole.
3. we're in love, patti austin.
4. you light up my life, carole king. (that is so NOT debbie boone's song okay!)
5. sweet thing, rufus featuring chaka khan.
i guess i like sweet and upbeat songs.
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
do they have to be bloggers only? hmm.
non bloggers.
1. my Kuya (older brother) who is the music guru of our times.
2. husby who likes music almost as much as i do.
3. a friend who is mad at me now but she knows all the above songs.
bloggers.
1. chef celiaK tho i'm pretty sure she's already been tagged, but is another bopping-to-the-beat girl like me.
2. thess, got tagged already..hmm. tita ting-a-ling. she has el bimbo on her blog.
3. JMom so i'll get to know her even better!
sweet things
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
so despite my best intentions the celebratory Chinese new year dinner turned out to be from all over the map. the appetizer, negi maki, is Japanese, the lobster is Bostonian, the fat choy thankfully Chinese, the vegetables too...but the dessert is probably of French pedigree and the wine from California (Beringer pink sparkling wine). hopping all over the globe is fun. right?
orange almond cake
a treat to welcome in the year of the (hardworking yet boastful) rooster, sweetly.
i found this recipe umpteen years ago from the Boston Globe. my 1 and only daughter came up to me and said "thank you mom." it's her favorite. it is very quickly disappearing: she's pre-ordered it for breakfast too.
preheat oven to 350F. line a 9-in round pan with parchment or wax paper and grease lightly with butter. cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. crumble or grate in 7 ozs. of almond paste (odense, e.g.) and blend well. add 2 tbsps. of Grand Marnier or Cointreau (orange liqueur) and grated zest of an orange (or 1 tsp. lemon extract) and add 5 eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. add 1/2 cup of cake flour and 1 tsp. of baking powder and mix just until dry ingredients disappear into the batter. pour into prepared pan and bake about 55 minutes (cake tester comes out clean but top should still be slightly soft,springy to the touch). cool for 15 minutes in pan then invert into plate. peel off wax paper and serve as is, or with pureed strawberries.
i found this recipe umpteen years ago from the Boston Globe. my 1 and only daughter came up to me and said "thank you mom." it's her favorite. it is very quickly disappearing: she's pre-ordered it for breakfast too.
preheat oven to 350F. line a 9-in round pan with parchment or wax paper and grease lightly with butter. cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. crumble or grate in 7 ozs. of almond paste (odense, e.g.) and blend well. add 2 tbsps. of Grand Marnier or Cointreau (orange liqueur) and grated zest of an orange (or 1 tsp. lemon extract) and add 5 eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. add 1/2 cup of cake flour and 1 tsp. of baking powder and mix just until dry ingredients disappear into the batter. pour into prepared pan and bake about 55 minutes (cake tester comes out clean but top should still be slightly soft,springy to the touch). cool for 15 minutes in pan then invert into plate. peel off wax paper and serve as is, or with pureed strawberries.
fat choy
this day is marked by "superstition" (cue stevie wonder)...in the sense that the putting on or adherence to symbols will augur well for the new year. one of the most important dishes if not the ONE lucky symbolic dish is the "jai" or "buddha's delight" which traditionally consists of all vegetarian or dried seafood components. it is believed that no animal must be slaughtered on new year's day. but. we had steamed live lobsters. oh well...it's already day after new year's in China.
so i've detoured from tradition and added a few things to make our jai tasty.
among the traditional ingredients which i used:
dried black mushrooms, cloud ears, lily buds, bean thread sheets, cellophane noodles, dried oysters, fried tofu, oyster sauce, fresh napa cabbage, ginger, and rose fermented bean curd. the dried items are rehydrated, liquids reserved from the black mushrooms and oysters to add to the stir fry.
nontraditional, i-am-a-rebel! kind of things to add: leftover steamed chicken leg and it's juices from previous night's dinner. boiled fresh peanuts instead of the gingko nuts (my MIL does this too. so there!)
most important ingredient: black moss, a type of seaweed, that hairy scary thing on the bottom left corner of the photo, whose name "fat choy" is also good fortune. in Cantonese it is the second half of the greeting "gung hey(congratulations) fat choy." eating it is sure to sweep in prosperity and wealth for the rebirth that comes with the new year.
"buddha's delight" ingredients
jai
it is deliciously exotic. just use prime-quality dried oysters; it heightens and complements the gingery wine-y fermented bean curd and all the other ingredients...and now having this recipe means i don't have to have it just once a year.
so i've detoured from tradition and added a few things to make our jai tasty.
among the traditional ingredients which i used:
dried black mushrooms, cloud ears, lily buds, bean thread sheets, cellophane noodles, dried oysters, fried tofu, oyster sauce, fresh napa cabbage, ginger, and rose fermented bean curd. the dried items are rehydrated, liquids reserved from the black mushrooms and oysters to add to the stir fry.
nontraditional, i-am-a-rebel! kind of things to add: leftover steamed chicken leg and it's juices from previous night's dinner. boiled fresh peanuts instead of the gingko nuts (my MIL does this too. so there!)
most important ingredient: black moss, a type of seaweed, that hairy scary thing on the bottom left corner of the photo, whose name "fat choy" is also good fortune. in Cantonese it is the second half of the greeting "gung hey(congratulations) fat choy." eating it is sure to sweep in prosperity and wealth for the rebirth that comes with the new year.
"buddha's delight" ingredients
jai
it is deliciously exotic. just use prime-quality dried oysters; it heightens and complements the gingery wine-y fermented bean curd and all the other ingredients...and now having this recipe means i don't have to have it just once a year.
negi maki (beef and scallion rolls)
#1 son cannot and will not eat lobsters so i made him this, and the other two kittens had them as appetizers as well. it is a Japanese dish that symbolizes strength and eternity anyway, in keeping with the food + symbols theme...quite easy to make too.
cut 8 to 10 scallion stalks into 3 inch pieces. bundle together about 8 pieces of scallions and wrap thinly sliced sirloin (sold in packs at Asian grocers, sometimes labeled as "beef for sukiyaki"). secure with a wooden toothpick, or string.
prepare sauce:
mix well 2 tbsps. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. sake, 1 tbsp. bottled dashi.
brown beef rolls in vegetable oil over medium high heat, shaking and rolling constantly to brown deeply all over. reduce heat and add sauce ingredients. cook another 3 minutes. remove beef rolls from pan. let cool slightly.
cook pan juices over medium high heat until reduced. return beef to skillet. add 1 tbsp. mirin and shake pan constantly until glazed. to serve, remove toothpicks and cut into rounds and skewer. or like i did, serve as is and have kids make jokes about eating toothpicks...wiseguys!
cut 8 to 10 scallion stalks into 3 inch pieces. bundle together about 8 pieces of scallions and wrap thinly sliced sirloin (sold in packs at Asian grocers, sometimes labeled as "beef for sukiyaki"). secure with a wooden toothpick, or string.
prepare sauce:
mix well 2 tbsps. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. sake, 1 tbsp. bottled dashi.
brown beef rolls in vegetable oil over medium high heat, shaking and rolling constantly to brown deeply all over. reduce heat and add sauce ingredients. cook another 3 minutes. remove beef rolls from pan. let cool slightly.
cook pan juices over medium high heat until reduced. return beef to skillet. add 1 tbsp. mirin and shake pan constantly until glazed. to serve, remove toothpicks and cut into rounds and skewer. or like i did, serve as is and have kids make jokes about eating toothpicks...wiseguys!
yes, we eat vegetables...
it may not seem like it...but we do.
it's just that my 3 little kittens like their vegetables plain and unadorned. you know, steamed broccoli, microwaved frozen corn, watercress in soup...
but they do eat it, which is more than an old mother can ask for.
chef celiak's recipe of stir fried spinach was so timely because i'd just bought a bag of the freshest snow pea shoots i've ever been lucky enough to procure, but which brought me quite a lot of trepidation in bringing home because. i've. messed. it. up. too. often.
daw miu
plain, simple, unadorned (a quick stir fry in hot vegetable oil with a little splash of water and garlic, a few drops of light soy)...kittens liked it. yehey!
it's just that my 3 little kittens like their vegetables plain and unadorned. you know, steamed broccoli, microwaved frozen corn, watercress in soup...
but they do eat it, which is more than an old mother can ask for.
chef celiak's recipe of stir fried spinach was so timely because i'd just bought a bag of the freshest snow pea shoots i've ever been lucky enough to procure, but which brought me quite a lot of trepidation in bringing home because. i've. messed. it. up. too. often.
daw miu
plain, simple, unadorned (a quick stir fry in hot vegetable oil with a little splash of water and garlic, a few drops of light soy)...kittens liked it. yehey!
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
taro cake for the new year
i looked forward to this gift from mother-in-law, who used to make it regularly for new year's and whenever her favorite daughter visited . one of husband's nieces who also loves this taro cake, contemplated videotaping her grandma while she cooked this.
i got a cookbook. i've been eyeing this recipe--it seemed too complicated to try, but there's nothing like a lingering taste memory and a hunger pang to get me motivated.
it is a long and involved process but the end product is luscious, unusual, filling...according to the book it is eaten for breakfast and snack all thru the week where the lunar new year falls.
1 piece of "lop yok" Chinese bacon, steamed for a half hour until soft. save the juices.
1/4 cup dried scallops, soaked for 2 hours, drained, liquid reserved.
1/4 cup dried shrimps, soaked for a half hour, drained, liquid reserved.
8 dried black mushrooms, soaked for about an hour, drained, liquid reserved.
2 large taro, "gabi" about 2 lbs.
2 cups of rice flour (not glutinous)
remove the rind from the Chinese bacon. remove the hard muscle from the scallops. cut off stems from black mushrooms and discard. chop the scallops, mushrooms and bacon finely.
boil and peel taro root, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, for about 15 minutes or until fork tender and lavender. scoop cubes out of water, reserving liquid.
stir fry in hot vegetable oil, the chinese bacon and its reserved steaming juices, until it renders a bit of fat. add the chopped scallops, mushrooms, & shrimp. add the cooked taro cubes. pour the taro mixture into heat proof deep straight-sided bowl, such as a souffle dish.
mix 2 cups of rice flour with the reserved liquid from the mushrooms, scallops, and shrimps, and enough reserved water from boiling the taro, to make a thin pudding consistency.
pour over the taro and bacon-mushroom-scallop-shrimp mixture to cover completely.
i first had it as a teenager, at the eponymous restaurant on mott street, new york city chinatown, where it was served with a flourish by 2 waiters: one with a saber to shave off the slices of skin, another to serve soup made with the carcass and stir fried duck meat dish.
ever since, i have been trying to replicate the appetizer "duck taco" at home. my kids are absolutely besotted with it. the "authentic" recipe calls for a sweet pasty rub to paint all over the duck (usually a combination of maltose, sugar, hoisin and soy sauce)and a prolonged period of air drying. i found that it more often than not resulted in blackened as opposed to crispy sweet skin.
so back and forth i went to the drawing board. then i saw nigella's recipe last week in the new york times dining edition.
the nigella way to roast duck
it just might be the end of the search.
preheat oven to 325F. salt duck all over, inside and out. set duck on upright roaster and roast for 3 hours.
raise heat to 400F and roast 30 minutes more. skin gets really crispy. (save the rendered fat to pan fry potatoes for a heavenly yet sinful treat.)
steam a package of frozen moo shu shells in a bamboo steamer for about 12 minutes. carve skin and meat in thin slices off the duck and serve with slivers of scallions and julienned cucumbers.
slather hoisin sauce (koon chun or lee kum kee brands) over moo shu shell and arrange duck and cucumbers and scallions. fold up bottom and sides and bite.
it is a fun way to share a meal with family and friends.
i got a cookbook. i've been eyeing this recipe--it seemed too complicated to try, but there's nothing like a lingering taste memory and a hunger pang to get me motivated.
it is a long and involved process but the end product is luscious, unusual, filling...according to the book it is eaten for breakfast and snack all thru the week where the lunar new year falls.
1 piece of "lop yok" Chinese bacon, steamed for a half hour until soft. save the juices.
1/4 cup dried scallops, soaked for 2 hours, drained, liquid reserved.
1/4 cup dried shrimps, soaked for a half hour, drained, liquid reserved.
8 dried black mushrooms, soaked for about an hour, drained, liquid reserved.
2 large taro, "gabi" about 2 lbs.
2 cups of rice flour (not glutinous)
remove the rind from the Chinese bacon. remove the hard muscle from the scallops. cut off stems from black mushrooms and discard. chop the scallops, mushrooms and bacon finely.
boil and peel taro root, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, for about 15 minutes or until fork tender and lavender. scoop cubes out of water, reserving liquid.
stir fry in hot vegetable oil, the chinese bacon and its reserved steaming juices, until it renders a bit of fat. add the chopped scallops, mushrooms, & shrimp. add the cooked taro cubes. pour the taro mixture into heat proof deep straight-sided bowl, such as a souffle dish.
mix 2 cups of rice flour with the reserved liquid from the mushrooms, scallops, and shrimps, and enough reserved water from boiling the taro, to make a thin pudding consistency.
pour over the taro and bacon-mushroom-scallop-shrimp mixture to cover completely.
eggplant in garlic sauce
i will try to cook Chinese food this week, so my children can appreciate more the richness of their heritage.
egg plant in garlic sauce is a Mandarin dish,however, and my in-laws are not apt to serve this for a family dinner. this is just a another favorite of mine from the fore-mentioned Peking Duck restaurant on Mott Street in New York City's Chinatown.
"yu hsiang" translated means "fish flavor sauce" meaning the sauce that is cooked for fish. my favorite way to yu hsiang is with eggplant first and scallops second.
when dry, cloud ears are very brittle. they need soaking in cold water for about a half hour. flavorless, yet they lend a crunchy silky texture to saucy dishes.
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 inch knob of ginger, sliced thinly
1/4 cup of ground pork
3 medium Asian egg plant, cut in to 3 inch lengths then each piece quartered
1/4 cup soaked, trimmed and rinsed cloud ears
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsps. red rice vinegar
2 tbsps. rice wine
2 tbsps. light soy sauce
2 tbsps. Szechuan chili sauce
1 stalk of scallion, julienned
vegetable oil
sprinkle salt over eggplant strips and let stand for at least half an hour.
drain and wipe with clean towels.
heat a large wok and add 3 tbsps. of vegetable oil and fry eggplant in 2 batches, just until it softens and become light green.
drain in paper-lined plates. remove excess oil and leave about 1 tbsp. in wok. heat to nearly smoking.
mix sauce ingredients: sugar, rice wine, soy sauce, and chili sauce, in a measuring cup. set aside.
stir fry garlic, ginger, and pork until fragrant. return the eggplant to the wok. stir the sauce and cloud ears and pour into the wok and mix well. bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to simmer for about 5-8 minutes or until eggplant is tender. stir in scallions and serve immediately. serve with a huge bowl of steaming hot jasmine rice and a glass of water nearby...
husband pronounced it restaurant quality *blush*.
i will next try this chili-garlic sauce with scallops and shrimps.
from Grace Young's "The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen."
this week, through the power of the mighty tikoy post of chef celia to ring in the new year of the rooster 4072 i will be ever so bold (being a Filipino with only a minute quantity of Chinese blood) and post some traditional New Year's dishes for the kids. Chinese-American husband is clueless regarding the recipes and meanings so i had to get a book and do my own research. mother-in-law does not cook for the big family dinners anymore, which is sad as she is a wonderful home chef but also understandable as she nears 80.
Chinese New Year is celebrated by husband's family for the whole month; they try to visit each other and bring lucky money in fancy red envelopes, oranges or mini orange plants, and sweets. we also get together in his parents' home in Boston and share a meal with the whole clan...they might play mah-jong even. my kids are giddy with excitement: they get to fatten up their piggy banks with all the "hung bao" they are sure to get from their elders. wonder if i will snag a few?
egg plant in garlic sauce is a Mandarin dish,however, and my in-laws are not apt to serve this for a family dinner. this is just a another favorite of mine from the fore-mentioned Peking Duck restaurant on Mott Street in New York City's Chinatown.
"yu hsiang" translated means "fish flavor sauce" meaning the sauce that is cooked for fish. my favorite way to yu hsiang is with eggplant first and scallops second.
when dry, cloud ears are very brittle. they need soaking in cold water for about a half hour. flavorless, yet they lend a crunchy silky texture to saucy dishes.
2 inch knob of ginger, sliced thinly
1/4 cup of ground pork
3 medium Asian egg plant, cut in to 3 inch lengths then each piece quartered
1/4 cup soaked, trimmed and rinsed cloud ears
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsps. red rice vinegar
2 tbsps. rice wine
2 tbsps. light soy sauce
2 tbsps. Szechuan chili sauce
1 stalk of scallion, julienned
vegetable oil
sprinkle salt over eggplant strips and let stand for at least half an hour.
drain and wipe with clean towels.
heat a large wok and add 3 tbsps. of vegetable oil and fry eggplant in 2 batches, just until it softens and become light green.
drain in paper-lined plates. remove excess oil and leave about 1 tbsp. in wok. heat to nearly smoking.
mix sauce ingredients: sugar, rice wine, soy sauce, and chili sauce, in a measuring cup. set aside.
stir fry garlic, ginger, and pork until fragrant. return the eggplant to the wok. stir the sauce and cloud ears and pour into the wok and mix well. bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to simmer for about 5-8 minutes or until eggplant is tender. stir in scallions and serve immediately. serve with a huge bowl of steaming hot jasmine rice and a glass of water nearby...
husband pronounced it restaurant quality *blush*.
i will next try this chili-garlic sauce with scallops and shrimps.
from Grace Young's "The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen."
this week, through the power of the mighty tikoy post of chef celia to ring in the new year of the rooster 4072 i will be ever so bold (being a Filipino with only a minute quantity of Chinese blood) and post some traditional New Year's dishes for the kids. Chinese-American husband is clueless regarding the recipes and meanings so i had to get a book and do my own research. mother-in-law does not cook for the big family dinners anymore, which is sad as she is a wonderful home chef but also understandable as she nears 80.
Chinese New Year is celebrated by husband's family for the whole month; they try to visit each other and bring lucky money in fancy red envelopes, oranges or mini orange plants, and sweets. we also get together in his parents' home in Boston and share a meal with the whole clan...they might play mah-jong even. my kids are giddy with excitement: they get to fatten up their piggy banks with all the "hung bao" they are sure to get from their elders. wonder if i will snag a few?
Sunday, February 06, 2005
do try this at home!
i first had it as a teenager, at the eponymous restaurant on mott street, new york city chinatown, where it was served with a flourish by 2 waiters: one with a saber to shave off the slices of skin, another to serve soup made with the carcass and stir fried duck meat dish.
ever since, i have been trying to replicate the appetizer "duck taco" at home. my kids are absolutely besotted with it. the "authentic" recipe calls for a sweet pasty rub to paint all over the duck (usually a combination of maltose, sugar, hoisin and soy sauce)and a prolonged period of air drying. i found that it more often than not resulted in blackened as opposed to crispy sweet skin.
so back and forth i went to the drawing board. then i saw nigella's recipe last week in the new york times dining edition.
the nigella way to roast duck
it just might be the end of the search.
preheat oven to 325F. salt duck all over, inside and out. set duck on upright roaster and roast for 3 hours.
raise heat to 400F and roast 30 minutes more. skin gets really crispy. (save the rendered fat to pan fry potatoes for a heavenly yet sinful treat.)
steam a package of frozen moo shu shells in a bamboo steamer for about 12 minutes. carve skin and meat in thin slices off the duck and serve with slivers of scallions and julienned cucumbers.
slather hoisin sauce (koon chun or lee kum kee brands) over moo shu shell and arrange duck and cucumbers and scallions. fold up bottom and sides and bite.
it is a fun way to share a meal with family and friends.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
i remember only having two kinds of seafood sinigang(sour soup) as a child in Manila: shrimp or milkfish (bangus). sometimes shrimp is too strong a flavor for me, and for the longest time i couldn't eat it without breaking out in hives. i'm not too fond of milkfish as it tends to be too "dry"--bland. here in the Northeast we've had to be more creative and use what fish is available: bluefish, trout, salmon.
catch of the day...striped sea bass: very flavorful and meaty and wonderful. it is also excellent broiled or fried.
..and great in sinigang (tamarind-sour soup)
boil water (or jasmine rice washing, the water you rinse out of your rice before cooking) with onions and tomatoes. add peeled gabi and when just about done, stir in sinigang mix (mama sita or white king or knorr) or tamarind puree, according to your sour index... add 1 long hot pepper and the fish (i sliced it into four-no fillets, fish head intact). let it poach for about 3 minutes, watching closely or it will break up. add washed fresh spinach and a splash of fish sauce. turn off the heat when the spinach is wilted but still bright green.
serve hot...
catch of the day...striped sea bass: very flavorful and meaty and wonderful. it is also excellent broiled or fried.
..and great in sinigang (tamarind-sour soup)
boil water (or jasmine rice washing, the water you rinse out of your rice before cooking) with onions and tomatoes. add peeled gabi and when just about done, stir in sinigang mix (mama sita or white king or knorr) or tamarind puree, according to your sour index... add 1 long hot pepper and the fish (i sliced it into four-no fillets, fish head intact). let it poach for about 3 minutes, watching closely or it will break up. add washed fresh spinach and a splash of fish sauce. turn off the heat when the spinach is wilted but still bright green.
serve hot...
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
taho, dow-foo-fuh, soft bean curd with sugar syrup and tapioca pearls
sassy's recent post on the taho vendor (magtataho) touched off a wave of nostalgia for the favorite sweet treat of our youth, when our elders warned us of the dangers of buying from itinerant hawkers, but which we sneakily enjoyed nonetheless...it felt good to disobey.
here it is one of the offerings in the good dimsum places in Boston's Chinatown, a bit different with the absence of the pearls and the light sugar syrup (sometimes steeped with ginger or lemongrass). i usually am so full after a dimsum brunch that i have been taking the "dow foo fuh" for granted, though husband usually lets the kids and i indulge in a take home treat for later.
here's the idea that's been brewing in my head for years, finally come to fruition as a mild palliative to homesickness...not the real thing but close enough? my teenage #1son has vivid memories of it (he had taho as a four year old) and he pronounced this "GOOD, mom."
silken tofu
sago
boil a pot of water (about 8 to 1 ratio, water to pearls). add the tapioca pearls and boil for about 25 minutes for the large size, stirring occasionally. put a lid on and turn off the burner, and let it stand at least 15 minutes. it should be completely translucent.
"arnibal"
put the palm sugar cubes (substitute dark brown sugar, but the palm sugar has a smokey molasses-y flavor that i prefer) in a pot with water and turn on the heat to medium. let it come to a boil and stir until dissolved. let the water reduce into a thin syrup.
set the block of silken tofu on to a platter and shave off serving size pieces gently into a bowl. drizzle the "arnibal" syrup and tumble the sago pearls on top.
taHO!
please note: i've been corrected by my "in-house Cantonese expert"... it's "dow foo(tofu) fuh (flour)" (rhymes with duh) so when you flag down the dimsum ladies you'll say it right.
i hope.
here it is one of the offerings in the good dimsum places in Boston's Chinatown, a bit different with the absence of the pearls and the light sugar syrup (sometimes steeped with ginger or lemongrass). i usually am so full after a dimsum brunch that i have been taking the "dow foo fuh" for granted, though husband usually lets the kids and i indulge in a take home treat for later.
here's the idea that's been brewing in my head for years, finally come to fruition as a mild palliative to homesickness...not the real thing but close enough? my teenage #1son has vivid memories of it (he had taho as a four year old) and he pronounced this "GOOD, mom."
silken tofu
sago
boil a pot of water (about 8 to 1 ratio, water to pearls). add the tapioca pearls and boil for about 25 minutes for the large size, stirring occasionally. put a lid on and turn off the burner, and let it stand at least 15 minutes. it should be completely translucent.
"arnibal"
put the palm sugar cubes (substitute dark brown sugar, but the palm sugar has a smokey molasses-y flavor that i prefer) in a pot with water and turn on the heat to medium. let it come to a boil and stir until dissolved. let the water reduce into a thin syrup.
set the block of silken tofu on to a platter and shave off serving size pieces gently into a bowl. drizzle the "arnibal" syrup and tumble the sago pearls on top.
taHO!
please note: i've been corrected by my "in-house Cantonese expert"... it's "dow foo(tofu) fuh (flour)" (rhymes with duh) so when you flag down the dimsum ladies you'll say it right.
i hope.
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spiky bright red Malayan fruit, with soft juicy flesh and a stone pit.