Soba Noodles For Lunch

This is one of my favorite meals for lunch, and I prepare it entirely at home.

I cooked two bundles of soba noodles and then set it aside.

Then I make the broth. I added to simmering water a packet of instant dashi mix. Then I added a tablespoon of miso paste. That's the broth, and by itself, it makes a good accompaniment to the noodles. But of course I didn't stop there.

I added cut daikon radish, shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, tofu, and wakame (sea weed). The whole broth mixture was then ladled onto the bowls of soba noodles. I garnished it with roasted seaweed on the side.

It may not look much, but it was a very satisfying, cheap, and nutritious meal to have for lunch.

Zz.

Miss Daisy's Beef and Cabbage Casserole

It is no secret that "A Chef's Life" is one of my most favorite TV shows. It is the reason why we have made a trek to Kinston, NC twice to dine at Chef and the Farmer restaurant.

Still, I have not attempted any dishes shown on the show...... until last night. I finally made the beef and cabbage casserole that was shown by Miss Daisy on the episode titled "A Casserole Says Plenty" (Season 3, Episode 7). This episode also happens to be one of my favorite episodes of "A Chef's Life".

Anyway, I've always wanted to try out this dish, because it looks relatively simple, and it was also a casserole dish that Chef Vivian Howard really liked. I'm not going to post the recipe since you can find it at the link above. However, since I can never leave things well-enough alone (just like Chef Howard), I did some modification to the recipe to suit my taste. In addition to all the ingredients listed in the recipe, I added 1/2 teaspoon of pepper flakes and 4 to 5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce. I added these after mixing the beef with the rest of the ingredients.

So how did it turned out. FABULOUS!

I garnished it with green onions before serving. It added some nice, green color to the casserole (I used red peppers instead of green peppers in the dish itself).

And here we were, going at it. There were only 3 of us for dinner, but we still managed to consume almost half of it. We definitely have enough for lunch and dinner for the next day or two.

Is there anything that I would do differently next time? Sure. I think I'll slice the potatoes thinner, since the potatoes in the middle didn't cook through enough. They probably required maybe another 10 minutes in the oven. Slicing them thinner might just do it.

I also think that I might add grated Pecorino-Romano cheese on top of the beef before putting it into the oven.  This might just push it over the top! 😄

This was a very good casserole, and will feed a lot of people. I will be making this again.

Thanks, Miss Daisy!

Zz.

Turmeric Chicken

I made another dish based on a S.E. Asian's "turmeric chicken" dish that I remember. I think I had to wing it and adjust the ingredients a bit until it matches my memory. It turned out fine, even though I think I under-seasoned it a bit, and toned down the spicy heat to almost nothing.

In any case, the one interesting ingredient that it requires is fresh turmeric. While turmeric powder is commonly available here in the US, the fresh turmeric root is significantly less common. I'm lucky that there are two grocery stores within a 10-minute drive from where I live that carry these fresh turmeric root. This is what they look like unpeeled, and peeled. They are about 2 inches long.

They are quite fragrant with the aroma of turmeric, and you can use a lot more of these without "over-yellowing" your dish.

So in this turmeric chicken dish, I blended the turmeric roots with shallots, garlic, and ginger until they become a smooth paste. I saute the paste in oil until fragrant, and then add chicken pieces. I prefer bone-in chicken thighs and legs, because they will make the dish tastier.

I then add 2 cups of water to 2 tablespoons of tamarind pulp, and extract the juice/flavor from the pulp. I strain the mixture into the post with the chicken pieces. Then I added 4 smashed stalks of lemongrass. Salt and pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, and then add large chunks of carrots, and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning once more.

When done, best to let it stand for about 10 minutes with the lid off. The dish should not be soupy, but it also should not be completely dry.

This is what it looks like while cooking, before adding the carrots.

Serve over rice.

If only you can smell the fragrant aroma of it during cooking. Ah!

Zz.

Surprise Inside A Butternut Squash

I stumbled onto something strange this week. I've used butternut squash many times, so I'm quite familiar with it, especially on cutting it and preparing it. But this is the first time I encountered this rather strange thing.

When I cut opened this butternut squash, the cavity that usually has the seeds had another surprise. I saw what appeared to be mung bean sprouts growing right in the cavity! Check out the photos below:

I have never seen this before. Of course, I started to question on how mung beans could be in the cavity of a butternut squash. There didn't appear to be any "puncture" on the squash itself, so how did they get in there?

After looking at it for a few minutes (and snapping a few photos), I cleaned out the cavity and proceeded to continue with my preparation. I was making my usual butternut squash soup. The butternut tastes the usual, nothing out of the ordinary with it.

So this is definitely a puzzle. Anyone encountered something similar, or has an explanation for this?

Zz.

Yorkshire Gingerbread

This is one of my most favorite cakes to have with my afternoon tea. It is Yorkshire Gingerbread, and it is popular in the British Isles. It is not a cookie, which is what most Americans are familiar with during the holidays (gingerbread cookies). The taste has spices that gives a 'warmth" that one usually does not get eating a cake.

This recipe is adapted from the Two Fat Ladies, and I modified it slightly to my liking. the biggest difference is adding fresh ginger, which I think makes a significant difference. You may chop the fresh ginger till very fine, but I prefer to pound it in a mortal and pestle. This breaks down the fiber and allows for the ginger juice to come out.

1 2/3 cups flour
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, pounded till pulverized (you may also mince it into very fine pieces)
1 Tbsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift the dry ingredients together .

Cream butter and brown sugar till soft and color become lighter.

Beat eggs and add one at a time to the butter mixture. The mix in the molasses and vanilla extract.

Fold in gently the dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Stop when you no longer see any flour streaks.

Pour mixture into a greased and parchment-lined 8-inch square pan. Place in preheated 325 F oven.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then take it out, remove the parchment paper, and let it cool on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour.

Cut into squares (I usually do 16 squares), and then lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar. You may serve it slightly warm, and it goes quite well with a shmear of salted butter and a nice hot cup of good tea.

This is preparing to pound fresh ginger in my mortar and pestle.

The gingerbread has just come out of the oven, and it is cooling in the pan.

It is now out of the pan and cooling on the rack. I will wait for at least an hour, or two, before I cut it into 16 squares (8x8) and then sprinkle it with powdered sugar.

It will make for a good dessert with coffee after Easter dinner today.

Zz.