Lite Coconut Milk

I didn’t know that lite coconut milk existed until recently and I think it’s great! One of reasons why I don’t cook or try more dishes that include coconut milk  is because of its fat content. The brand of this one is Clover and it was found in HMart. Luckily, I looked at the nutrition facts because this one actually didn’t list it as “lite” even though it only has 4 grams of fat and 40 calories per serving. Compared to regular coconut milk, you’d be consuming 20 grams of fat and 200 calories. Trader Joe’s now also offers lite coconut milk so head there if that’s more convenient.  I’ve made curry with this and it tastes great, and probably tasted even better to me just knowing that it’s healthier.

 

Quick Char Siu Pork

This is my quick and easy version of char siu, “home edition!”  This won’t be like your typical roasted pork from the Chinese supermarkets – but more of a pork “simmer.”  It does however have the same great char siu taste!  It also tastes healthier, less fatty, and it doesn’t take a long time to make – woohoo to a fast, yummy dinner.

Click “more” for the recipe.

 

Hamachi Tar…tare?

Haha I really like the word “tartare.”  I think when I present this dish as a hamachi tartare, I sound like I know what I’m doing…but yet at the same time you have absolutely no idea what this actually tastes like.  All it really means is: “a preparation of finely chopped raw meat or fish optionally with seasonings and sauces.”  Talk about a vague definition.  The seasoning and sauces are optional?  Without seasoning and sauce, isn’t raw mean and fish just carpaccio and sashimi?  Haha just a great word overall.

Click “more” for my recipe!

 

P-p-p-p-p-ponzu!

I bought my first bottle of ponzu sauce a few months ago.  Since I wasn’t really sure if I’d use it much, I went cheap and picked one up at Daiso for $1.50.  That store has some seriously great stuff (think of it as a dollar store…where everything’s from Japan…and they’re actually not limited to a dollar.)   Not sure how prevalent they are at random markets, but I have seen them everytime at my local Asian market.  If there’s a close Chinatown – that should be an easy place to pick one up as well

Click “more” for info and practical applications.

 

TURBACONDUCKEN – A Picture Adventure!

WOW.  It has been quite a long time since I updated this blog.  I guess it makes sense with the crazy amount of stuff going on with me right now, but I’m glad to say I get a huge breather now – and a lot of free time!   Just because I haven’t updated, doesn’t mean I haven’t been experimenting with food just as much!  I have a huge back-log of recipes and pictures to upload.

I’ll start with the TURBACONDUCKEN.  Made this in early December.  After a famous link about it started circulating on the internet, I couldn’t wait to give it a go.  This post is going to be primarily pictures – cuz I took a crazy bunch of them.  To all the vegetarians out there, probably don’t want to check this post out.   But for all others, this was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type of meal.

Click “more” to start the adventure!

 

Chicken & Chinese Sausage Rice

The great thing about the rice-cooker is that it doesn’t just cook rice, porridge, brown rice, sushi rice, etc. – it functions as the most simple steamer ever!  While I tend to pan-fry or bake with much more frequency, there is the rare occassion I want to throw something in the rice-cooker and have it ready without me having to look over it.  Here’s one of the recipes I’ve adapted from something my mom used to make.

Click “more” for the recipe.

 

No Pudge! Brownies

Who doesn’t love brownies? The problem with them however, is that they are full of fat! Here’s where this great find at Trader Joe’s comes in. If you have a sweet tooth and are trying to be “healthy”, this one’s for you! All you need to do is add some vanilla yogurt and bake for 35 minutes. If you want a cakier brownie (as shown), add half a container of vanilla yogurt and 1 egg white. Voila! Oh, and this also comes in regular fudge flavor but they both taste the same to me.

 

Reduction Seduction!

You read that right! There’s nothing more enticing than a well-presented AND tasty dish and this is one of the easiest ways to get just that.  Reducing balsamic vinegar is pretty common: you hear it on cooking shows, you see it in restaurants, or maybe you use it yourself all the time.  However, for a few of you (and me until a month ago), I’m sure you’ve never actually tried using it.  It’s time for that to change!

Click “more” for the recipe.

 

Pan Seared Scallops with Roasted Red Pepper

Whooo! A first attempt at cooking scallops! I never attempted scallops before, thinking that it would be very time consuming and difficult. To my surprise, it was actually fast, easy, and delicious. I tried both small and large scallops and I’d recommend getting the large scallops because the small ones are easy to overcook. This will definitely make a elegant dinner for two

Click “more” for the recipe.

 

Mango Pork

It didn’t feel right having my last post as a “failed attempt,” so I figured I would go ahead and post something else I made recently.  I finally decide to cross into some dangerous lands – by making a dish that people would have no qualms ordering at a restaurant (Thai?) but couldn’t possibly imagine making in their own kitchen.  Well guess what?  Start making!  Because I just brought a little Thai flavor into my own kitchen and enjoyed quite a nice meal.

Click “more” for the recipe.