Tag Archives: food

Chicken, egg

Soy Sauce Chicken & Tamago Yaki Bento

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Actually I cooked half soy sauce chicken. It’s quite simple and can be done by rice cooker.

  1. Put the half chicken (approx. 300-400g) in a big bowl. Sprinkle a little oil and light soy sauce. Massage the chicken to let the oil and soy sauce evenly spread. Let it marinate for 30 mins.
  2. Brush oil to the bottom of rice cooker. Put in 3 or 4 ginger slices, 1 or 2 stalk of green onion. Chicken on ginger and green onion.
  3. Pour in 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup light soy sauce, 2 tsp dark soy sauce, and 2 tsp sugar.
  4. Cover the lid, press cooking button. When it’s done, flip the chicken over. Cover the lid and press button again.
  5. When it’s done again, don’t open the lid immediately. Let it be tightly closed for another 10 mins. After that, it’s ready to serve.

For tamago yaki:

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Add in 1 tsp milk and 1 pinch salt. Blend well.

Heat a pan (I used the normal round shape pan not the square type). Brush a little oil. Pour 1/3 egg in. Gently stir with chopsticks. Push all the egg to one side of the pan. Pour in a little more egg. When it starts to solidify, Roll the egg from the previous egg side to the other. Repeat the step till finish all the egg.

Cool down and cut into slices.

To make my husband eat more vegetables, I added in some broccoli, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes.

He loved it and finished them all.

Chicken, mushroom

Teriyaki Chicken with Pan-Seared Portobello Mushroom

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Teriyaki Chicken:

1. Prepare a whole boneless chicken leg. Sprinkle a little salt and black pepper.

2. Use the back of knife to hit chicken a bit.

3. Heat a pan on stove. When the pan is hot, put the chicken inside with skin side down. Flip over when the skin turns golden brown. Fry the other side till brown, too.

4. If there is much oil after sear, you can pour the oil out.

5. Add in 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tablespoon honey. Let the chicken be coated with sauce.

6. Pour in hot water just enough to cover the chicken. Cover the lid and simmer for a while.

7. Remove the lid. Turn to high heat to reduce the sauce.

Portobello Mushroom:

Remove the Portobello mushroom’s stem first and wash clean.

1. Heat a pan. Cut in a small cube of butter.

2. When butter melts, add the mushroom in with cap side down. Sear for 3 mins. If your mushroom is really really big, probably you will need 5 mins. Keep the heat low, don’t burn the mushroom.

3. Add 1 drop of soy sauce onto the stem hole of each mushroom.

4. Flip the mushroom over, sear the other side for 3 mins with the lid on.

5. A lot of juice will come out. Use a spatula, and press the mushroom gently to squeeze the juice out.

6. Flip over and squeeze the other side. Keep cooking till the juice evaporates.

 

Fish, salmon

Lemon Butter Sauce Salmon

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It’s actually very simple to make.

  1. Cut salmon fillet into smaller strips.
  2. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat a pan. Cut in 2 Tbsp butter.
  4. When butter melts, place salmon in with skin side down. Fry for 2-3 mins.
  5. Flip over and fry the other side for 2-3 mins.
  6. Squeeze in a little fresh lemon juice. Add in 2 tbsp water and simmer for 2 mins.
  7. Add in 3 tbsp milk or 2 tbsp cream, simmer for another 1 more min.
  8. Dish the salmon out. Keep heating the sauce till reduced.

Salmon in the plate and sauce over it.

The sauce also goes well with pasta. So I made it with spaghetti for my husband’s bento.

Sided with oven roasted vegetables, which is in my previous blog.

https://foodrecipe33.com/2019/07/10/oven-roasted-vegetables/

mushroom, Potato, Vegetables

Oven Roasted Vegetables

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I roasted potato, cauliflower, carrot by oven before. I always wanted to try roasting different kinds of vegetables at one time. And I did it today.

  1. Preheat oven to  200 Degree C.
  2. Prepare vegetables. I chose potato, carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, onion, baby corn, mushroom and cherry tomatoes.
  3. Wash them and cut. For potato, carrot, cauliflower and broccoli, they may need longer time to be cooked. So they must be in smaller size. While onion, baby corn, mushroom and cherry tomatoes. They should be in larger size.
  4. Cover the baking try with aluminum foil. Place vegetables over it. Drizzle olive oil. Sprinkle salt and black pepper. I also spread some dried herbs. And add 2 cloves of garlic. Gently toss a bit.

Into the oven and bake for 10 mins.

Flip them over. and Lower heat to 180 Degree C. Bake for another 10-15 mins.

Very nice. You can have various kinds of vegetables at one time.

And I put them in my husband’s bento box. One thing I love about bento is that he can’t be picky about the food. If I prepare vegetable for him. He has to finish it.

Beef, Uncategorized

Red Wine Oxtail Stew

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I actually wrote a blog about red wine oxtail stew. But somehow it disappeared. Today, I cooked it again. So I rewrote it.

  1. Prepare oxtail. I used about 600g, 4 pieces. Place them in a big bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Dust them with flour. Just let them be coated with a thin flour layer is enough.
  2. Heat a pan. Add in oil. Fry oxtail with patience till each side turns beautifully golden brown. Transfer them into a deep pot.
  3. Prepare vegetables. I used 2 carrots (chopped into small chunks), 1 onion (diced), 1/4 head of cabbage (chopped into medium slices), and 3 chopped cloves of garlic.
  4. Use the same pan (the one used to fry oxtail) to fry vegetables. Fry for, let’s say 2 mins, or till they become slightly soft. Add in 2 tbsp flour, later while slow cooking, it will thicken the soup. Stir fry evenly.
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Add in 2 tbsp tomato paste. Stir evenly and pour into 1/2 cup wine. Boil a bit to let the alcohol evaporate.
  7. Transfer everything into the deep pot. Add in 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise. Turn to high heat to boil it. Then turn to low heat and slow cook for 3 hours. Try to have a taste to see if it needs seasoning again before serving.

I also prepare mashed potato to be served with stew. Prepare 2 medium potatoes, wash, peel and chop them. Boil till fully cooked. Mash them with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Also add in 1 tbsp butter. Mix them well.

Butter potato paste as the base, place oxtail stew over it.

https://flic.kr/p/2gu659F

I also saved some to make my hubby’s bento.

He really loved the hot buttery mashed potato and the oxtail stew. He kept saying “tai had chi le” means “very delicious”. 🙂

Beef, Soup

Ox Tail & White Radish Soup

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It’s a dish that I have wanted to try for a long time. It’s a time-consuming soup, which requires 5 hours. But I guarantee you its cooking method is simple and the soup is very nice.

  1. Prepare the ox tail. Wash them in water to rinse off the blood.
  2. Put all the ox tail into a deep pot. Add in enough water covers the tail.
  3. Turn to high heat. Bring it to boil. Take all the oxtail out. Wash in water again. To remove all the dirt.
  4. Place all the oxtail into the pot again. This time, add in much more water, cos we need to cook it for hours.
  5. High heat first, skim the soup to remove all the dirt. Turn to low heat and simmer for 2 hours.
  6. After 2 hours, skim the soup again to remove the fat.
  7. Lid on and simmer for another 1 hour.
  8. Prepare white radish and cut into chunks. Put all the radish into the soup. Simmer for another 1 hour. Radish will absorb the flavor.
  9. Season with salt and black pepper.

https://flic.kr/p/2g86vGv

After 4 hours cooking, the meat can easily fall off the bone. Very soft and juicy.

Sprinkle some green onion to garnish.

https://flic.kr/p/2g86vFP

Beef, mushroom

Mushroom & Beef Steak Rice Bento

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Bento for my husband (his second day at work).

I have  seriously thought about what is a good match for rice to be in his bento. The first choice is sure to be meat dish with sauce, so that the flavor will go into the rice. My rule is do not repeat the same dish in 3 days. Since my husband already had chicken yesterday, so I chose beef. He’s also a beef fan.

  1. Prepare steak. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over both sides. Heat a pan. Drizzle in some oil. When oil is heated, place steak in. Mine is not very thick, so I just need to fry it for about 2 mins for each side. My husband likes tender not hard texture. So I tried to shorten the cooking time.
  2. Flip the steak after one side turns brown, (about 2 mins). Cut in 1 small chunk of butter. Also add in 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a little dried thyme. Fry for another 2 mins.
  3. Try to stand the steak and sear the side. Then put steak into a plate and let it rest.
  4. Same pan, no need to wash, no need to wipe. Because there is still some butter left with meat juice. I used it to fry mini portobello mushrooms.
  5. Mushroom should be washed and stem-removed before frying. Fry the gill side first for 2 mins. Then flip it over and fry for another 2 mins. There will be a small hole after the stem got removed. Drizzle in light soy sauce into the hole.
  6. Flip the mushroom over again. turn to low heat and lid on. Cook for 2-3 mins. Turn it over, lid on for 2-3 mins, too.
  7. Mushroom out. Same pan. I made a little sauce with the rest fluid. Also juice comes out when the steak is resting. Add the meat juice in. 1/4 tsp flour, mix well. Add in 1/4 light soy sauce, 1 pinch sugar, dash of black pepper. Reduce the sauce.
  8. Cut steak into strips. Place them over rice and top with sauce. Also put in mushroom and some boiled veggies.

My husband likes his bento very much. 🙂

Chicken, Potato, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Bento for Hubby (His First Day at Work)

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My husband got a new job. YAY~!

And today is his first day to go to work. That also means we cannot have lunch together at home. Since I need to teach in the afternoon or evening, we cannot have dinner together either. He will have his lunch at canteen. So I decided to cook lunch and spare his part in a lunchbox. All he needs to do is to reheat it when he’s off work.

I cooked his favorite chicken teriyaki today. And with potato pancakes.

Chicken teriyaki is not that difficult. 3 main steps: 1. Sear the whole boneless chicken leg till tow sides turn golden brown. 2. Sauce part: 2 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sweet cooking wine, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 2 tsp honey. Add in enough water covers chicken. 3. Boil for 15-20 mins and reduce the sauce with high heat.

Cut the chicken into strips. And pour the sauce over it. Rice will absorb the flavor.

Potato pancake:

2 medium potato,  (Peeled and shredded into thin strips. Boil in hot water for 1 min and drain)

1 cup flour

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup water

Mix them in a big bowl.

Scoop batter with a spoon and fry till golden and crispy.

I cut them into halves before placing them into the lunch box.

To let him have more veggies, I also add cucumber slices, cherry tomato and boiled baby corn.

My husband finished them all.

Uncategorized

Oven-roasted Cheesy Scallops

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  1. Clean scallops. Because I used frozen ones. So I thaw them first. Then separate the meat and the shell. Clean the shell with a brush to remove all the dirt.
  2. Place all the scallops in a plate. Drizzle in a little cooking wine. Steam for about 5 mins.
  3. Pour the water out from the shell if any.
  4. Prepare the sauce: 1/2 1 tbsp chili sauce,  1 tsp chopped garlic, 2 tsp chopped onion, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well.
  5. Drop sauce onto the scallop meat. Then top with mayonnaise and cheese. And dried herbs you like.

Preheat oven to 180 Degree C.

Bake for 10-15 mins.

https://flic.kr/p/2g86pNi

Yum!

Uncategorized

Trip to Harbin

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This June, while my husband and I went back to China to visit my family, we also went to Harbin for a short trip with my sister and mom.

Harbin is located in northeastern China. It’s the capital of Heilong Jiang province, which is also the northern most province in China. The best season to visit Harbin is actually winter, cos it will be the white world and it’s famous for ice sculptures.

Summer is the second best season to visit Harbin. You can escape the hot summer and enjoy the cool air there.

Saint Sophia Cathedral is the landmark of Harbin.

It was built in 1907. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful church in China.

Unfortunately, it was under maintenance during our trip. So we were not able to go inside.

It’s a breathtaking architecture  no matter in the day or at the dawn or in the evening.

Another place you don’t want to miss in Harbin is Zhongyang Street. We actually rent an apartment there to stay. It’s quite convenient for us to experience all the activities (orchestra performances, parade, night market, etc) there because we just need to go stairs.

Due to historical and geographical reasons, Harbin is greatly influenced by Russia. You will see many many Russian style buildings there.

Not only in Zhongyang Street but across the whole Harbin.

There are also many stores selling Russian products in Zhongyang Street. And Russian restaurants too.

We had a very nice Russian dinner there. Russian Borsch and Dalieba (Russian rye bread) are the must-try dishes there.

Walk along the Zhongyang Street to the end and there is the Songhua River. Very beautiful view from there. Many people hang out. Local people sing and dance there.

There is a flood control monument in front of the river. On the other side of the river is the Sun Island. You can take ferry to cross the river and get there.

Sun Island has many places to go. If you are a fish lover, you can go to polar aquarium. If you are into Russian culture, you can go to Russian village.

Laodaowai is a place for architecture lover to go. It’s famous for Baroque architectures.

It’s also a spot full of restaurants with various Chinese cuisine.

Northeastern food is also one of my favorite. Here are some Northeastern food (Dongbei Cai) you shouldn’t miss:

Harbin Sausage (can be found everywhere in Harbin)

Guo Bao Rou

La Pi

Stew (There is a saying in China: Give northeastern people a pot, they can make stew with anything. Their stew is very delicious. You can choose pork, ribs, chicken. Special one is goose)

And the special drink Kvass. (Ge Wa Si. It’s brewed from Da Lie Ba. the rye bread. My husband never had it before. When we were in Harbin, He drank at least one bottle each day. Some restaurants even serve their own homemade kvass, which is nice too.)

Except the weather (lowest temperature is around 9 degree C, and highest is 20+ in June), food, architectures, one important reason I love Harbin is the people there. They are very friendly and humorous.

In China, one type of sitcom called Xiao Pin is very popular. And many comedians are from Northeastern China. The dialect there is very special. Usually, Chinese people from different places have their own dialect, but northeastern dialect is probably the most “powerful” one, by which I mean it’s very easy to be affected the northeastern dialect. Many many Non-northeastern people have the experience that after spending some time with a north easterner, their accent starts to change and becomes more like northeastern dialect. Taxi drivers chatted with us and jokes just came out naturally. Restaurant owners welcomed us warmly.

I love Harbin.

Oh, I forgot to mention Madier Ice Cream (Modern popsicle) is also famous in Harbin. Very rich. We all loved its flavor. Even in winter, you can also find it everywhere in Harbin.