Woking On Sunshine September 27, 2008
Posted by sicatmeow in Fun Gadgets, Recipes.Tags: carrot, chicken, egg, onion, rice, sesami, sirachi, tamari
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I guess I been getting my asian on lately. Got a wok. Now, usually, I am mo patient in the kitchen and I enjoy the projects. But when seasoning my new wok, I thought I would chuck the fiery ass iron out the window onto someone’s cabesa. Lucky R came to my rescue and finished it up for me. Basically, when seasoning a wok, after the initial washing and drying, you wanna wipe a thin coat of veg oil and over a low flame, and heat the metal so it absorbs the oil. First of all, you got to do this 4 times before using. Second of all, if you want an even browning, you have to hold it over the flame to get the sides, I swear you have to be freakin brooke hogan to do that shiv. But you know what? It was worth it, sore arms and all cause shortly after the seasoning debackle, we made some very serious fried rice.
Fried Rice with Carrots, Snow Peas, Chicken and Egg
3 cups cooked white rice (I dare you to try it with brown rice)
handful of snow peas, knotty bits at the end chopped off
1 chicken breast, cubed
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup tamari sauce (or more if you are into salty)
1/8 cup sesame oil (or more if you are obsessed with that flavor like I am)
sirachi to taste
veg oil for frying
This serves two.
Have all your ingredients cut, ready and accessible cause this shiv is going to go fast like a girl gone wild.
Heat your wok. When the veg oil starts to smoke, throw in your onion and stir like a madman. After 30 seconds, throw in your chicken. It will start to turn white immediately. After 1 minute, add your carrots. One minute later, the snow peas, all the while stirring furiously. When the heat gets back up, toss in your rice. Add tamari, sesame sauce and sirachi. When everything seems to be tasting delicious, make a hole in the middle of the pan and drop your eggs directly onto the wok. Left them fry a bit by continuously giving them real estate on the pan. As the egg hardens, scrape and add to the rice and veg in the pan. Do this until the egg is fully cooked.
Serve immediately in a big ol’ bowl. Offer your guests extra sirachi just in case they like fire mouth.
The key is to have very high heat, so you cook quickly, sear the outside, mainstain crispy veg and make hot food. That’s why the wok is so dope. Hey China, thanks for the wok (you can keep the milk).
BIG TV means more Netflix: Stuffed Grape Leaves July 6, 2008
Posted by sicatmeow in Health, Projects, Recipes.Tags: chickpeas, lemon, middle-eastern, rice, vegitarian, yogurt
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Since R and I spent all our money last week on a new flat screen that we don’t need, we decided on a rainy afternoon to return home to watch a rented movie instead of go to a matinée. That’s good for me anyhow cause you know it means a cooking project at home.
Sahadis it is. Originally, I was going to do a homemade ravioli cause I discovered some dried wild mushrooms in the kitchen but I was too temped by the huge barrel of fresh grape leaves to ignore it. I got me a handful, some rice, a can of Goya garbanzos. On to the Met for some parsley and, of course, lemon.
As usual, I perused the world wide web to check out how others were doing it. Interestingly, most people put cinnamon and/or mint. Both these flavors have their place for me. This, however, is not it.
What turned out was 20 or so delish stuffed grape leaves which we then dragged through salted organic yogurt, drinking Rioja, and watching Jumper. (Keep the food and wine, def leave the movie behind.)
20-25 fresh grape leaves, (you can probably find them jarred if you aren’t spoiled like me who gets them fresh)
1 cup rice
1 can of garbanzos
3 lemons, zested and juiced
1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped
1 bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
tomato paste
salt and pepper
olive oil, lots
Steam the rice along with the olive oil, garlic, and the zest and juice of one lemon. While the rice is cooking, finely chop the onion and roughly chop the parsley. When the rice is done cooking, cool it by adding it to a wide mixing bowl. Add more olive oil (don’t be afraid), the zest and juice of a second lemon, the garbanzos, parsley, onion, salt, pepper and a TOUCH of tomato paste. I’m talking about half a teaspoon here. It should turn your rice into a light pink.
I learned how to roll a grape leaf by watching a video on line. Here is a video of someone’s mom rolling some leaves. Don’t get confused, totally different recipe, just the same method for rolling. And, I think it’s a cute video.
Garnish with the juice of the final lemon and serve with plain yogurt seasoned with salt and pepper. Goes great with beer and wine.
