Good Day

Morning: Picked up flowers (only $4!), cherries, and dates at the farmer's market.

Afternoon:  Laundry

 

Evening: dinner @ Florio Bar & Cafe

Ended up at this place after we coudln't get a table at SPQR.  :(

After dinner, we went to my friend Joanne's choir concert followed by a glass of vino at Long Bar. 

Ga nite.

となりのトトロ

Almost done!

 Everyone should have a favorite Miyazaki film.  Mine is 'My Neighbor Totoro', obviously.

Green Chicken Curry

Recipe from Epicurious
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 5 large)
1 3/4 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1 large orange bell pepper, cut into strips
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil plus sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus wedges for garnish
I added 1/2 can of bamboo shoots

Directions
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and curry paste; stir until shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and fish sauce; bring to boil. Add chicken and bell pepper; stir until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in chopped basil and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide curry among bowls. Garnish with basil sprigs and lime wedges.

Chicken with Basil (Gai Pad Graprow)

Recipe from Temple of Thai

Ingredients

1 lb boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped (I used minced chicken breast -came out a bit dry.)

4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp peanut oil for stir-frying
2 tsp black soy sauce
1-2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 cup fresh Thai basil
2 small kaffir lime leaves (I used 1/2 tablespoon of lime zest)
5-10 Thai chillies (prik kee noo), chopped and pounded with a mortar and pestle
dash of ground white pepper

Directions
Heat a wok until the surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then stir in the garlic, followed a few seconds later with shallots. Stir another few seconds before adding the chicken. Stir-fry a minute or two, or until most of the chicken has started to change color on the outside and is no longer pink.
Toss in the chillies and slivered kaffir lime leaves.  Sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry another 15-20 seconds. Then add fresh basil leaves and fish sauce to taste. Stir and mix well. Stir-fry another half a minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with white pepper. Stir and transfer to a serving dish, or spoon directly over individual plates of plain steamed rice.

Asia Trip III - Langkawi, Malaysia

Langkawi sunset

Asia Trip II - Cambodia

 

Stir Fried Noodles - the owner of this joint started out with a small push cart.  I'd have to say this is the best thing I ate on my trip.

                                            

 

Visited Angkor Wat - it is a truly amazing place. Pictures don't do justice for this place.  You just have to go see it. 

 

Asia Trip I - Hong Kong

 

I thought I would never say this...but I'm officially dumpling'd out. I think I ate at least a dozen dumplings/day.

Ddukbokki (떡볶이)

serves 1

Ingredients

1 cup dduk (rice cake)

1/2 sheet of fish cake, sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 hard boiled egg

1/4 onion, sliced

1 green onion, sliced

sauce

1 cup dashi stock (I had leftover dashi stock from last Monday night when I made Oyakodon)

1 Tbs gochugaru (hot chili flakes)

1 Tbs gochujang (hot chili paste) 

1 Tbs corn syrup

1/2 Tbs sugar

3/4 Tbs soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 Tbs ketchup (I know it sounds weird adding ketchup, but it works.)

Directions

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small pan.  Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.

2. Add sliced onions and fish cake.  Cook for another 3 minutes.

3. Add rice cake and green onions.  Cook over high heat for 3 mintues.

4. Serve with hard boiled egg.

Pink Pom-Poms

Pink pom-poms for my new suitcase. :-)
Here's how to: http://belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/2006/03/post_1.html
IM message from my dad -
     Ahppa: i need pom-poms too for my bag

Atoms for Peace

Atoms for Peace (band)

From Wikipedia

Atoms for Peace is a rock supergroup formed in late 2009. The group consists of lead singer of Radiohead, Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar and piano); Flea (bass) of Red Hot Chili Peppers; longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich (guitar and keyboards); Joey Waronker (drums) who has played with artists such as R.E.M., Beck, Smashing Pumpkins and Walt Mink; and Mauro Refosco (drums and percussion) of Forro in the Dark.[1]

Joanne and I saw Atoms for Peace tonight in Oakland. Both Thom Yorke and Flea are amazing performers.   I think Flea had way too much sugar when he was a kid.  I had never seen anyone so energetic  on stage - he sure picked the perfect stage name!

Oyakodon

Ingredients

3 oz chicken breast

1 egg

1 green onion

1/2 small onion

sauce - combine and boil 1/2 cup of dashi stock, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon mirin

Directions

1) Slice chicken, green onion, and onion thinly on an angle.

2) Bring sauce to a boil.

3) Add chicken, green onion, and onions.  Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat.

4) Distribute the beaten egg over.  Cook for another minute.

5) Serve over rice.

32nd Spring

Jake Shimbabukuro is one of my favorite artists.  His music is innocent and pure.  I even bought myself a ukulele after watching him perform.  (I only know how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.)

First Camera, Then Fork

NY Times Article
http://s.nyt.com/u/czM 

In 1825, the French philosopher and gourmand Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”

Spicy Cod Roe Spaghetti

Recipe from: Tarako Spaghetti
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 fish roe (must be Japanese salted cod roe called tarako or karashi mentaiko)
6 oz spaghetti (I used linguini)
2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup heavey cream
1/4 sheet nori, cut into strips
 Directions
1) Cut open the casing on each piece of tarako and gently scrape or squeeze out the roe. Discard the casings.
2) Cook pasta to al dante.
3) Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add roe, stirring until the color of the roe changes to pale orange.
4) Stir in  the heavy cream until well blended and heated through.
5)  Drain pasta and toss with sauce.  Serve with nori on top.
 *I added ultra skinny asparagus and finely chopped shallots to my sauce.  :-)

Kimchi Spaghetti

Ingredients

1 serving of spaghetti, cooked and drained (I used linguini)

1/2 cup chopped kimichi

1/3 cup pancetta (cut into small cubes)

1/4 cup diced onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small tomato, diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

salt & pepper

Directions

1. Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add pancetta, onions, and minced garlic to othe pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add kimichi; cook for another 3 minutes.

3. Add diced tomato, tomato paste, and pasta; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.
4. Serve with grated parmesan cheese or sprinkle with finely chopped green onions.