steam chicken rice on lotus leaf

Invited some friends over for a family style dinner. I am hesitant in buying groceries because this is my last week in Boston. Looking through chinese recipes, i see steam chicken wrapped with lotus leaf. There is a famous chinese dim sum that used the same technique but they use sticky rice and of course added a lot more other ingredients into this tiny squared dim sum. 

I used rice instead and only added chicken and mushroom into this dish.

You could get the dry lotus leaf in chinese supermarket. First boil some water and put in the leaf for 1-2 minutes. This help soften the leaf and brings out the aroma of the leaf.

First soak the dry mushrooms.

Then cut up the chicken (i used thighs) and marinate them. 

I did not have enough time that night, but if you use egg white and corn starch to marinate the chicken for half and hour, the chicken would be very smooth and chewy.

Then use light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, chinese wine and chopped ginger to marinate for at least two hours. (these are the basic ingredients for marinating most of the chinese meat.)

You could wrap the chicken into the lotus leaf and add some salty ham, scallion, ginger and wine to make steam chicken. This would take around 20 min on high heat.

For me, i cooked the rice with a rice cooker (took it out 5 minutes before it clicks) 

Put the rice in the center of the lotus leaf and add the soaked mushroom.

At the meantime, i slightly fry the chicken with chinese sausages. Fry till half cooked and put everything on top of the rice. Wrap the lotus leaf and put it in a steamer for around 10-15 minutes. 

Make sure the chicken is cooked, and the rice is ready to serve!

I always make sure there is a veggie dish in my meal therefore i made my favorite dish that my mom cooks at home. 

Soak the 'wood ear' fungus. You can purchase them in any chinese markets.

Then peel the chinese okra and cut them into pieces. 

Chop up some garlic. Add oil to the pan and add in the garlic when the oil is heated. Add the okra and stir fry them for a minute. Add in the fungus. For the sauce, i added some oyster sauce, chicken broth and sugar. Taste the dish and add a suitable amount of salt. Add in corn starch to thicken the sauce. Cover the pan and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, until the okra is soft and the dish is ready! You could also add in sliced beef into this dish.

basa fillet--asian fusion

With the weather getting nicer in the Boston, i have a better mood to think different combinations of ingredients and finally take the time to nicely plate my dish. For dinner: Ginger-miso basa fillet in shitake mushroom broth.

Ingredients: 

Fish fillet

Miso -- 2 tablespoons

Chopped ginger and leeks -- 1 tablespoon

A little sake, mirin and vegetable oil

Crust:

Chopped pecan and Panko (1:1 ratio)

Broth: 

Shitake mushroom -- 2-3 pieces

Miso -- 1-2 tablespoons

Water -- 2 cups

Chopped leeks -- 1 tablespoon

First off, salt and pepper the fillet for about 5-10 minutes.

During that time, chop up the ingredients needed for the pan frying the fish and start boiling the mushroom broth.
Thinly sliced 2-3 shitake mushrooms. Boil water with miso. Do not put too much. Add water if too salty. Chop some leeks and add to the broth as well. Boil until mushroom is soft and you can let it cool.
I added a small portion of udon noodles to make it a more substantial meal.
For the udon, cook until al dente and put them in ice cold water. Place them on the dish and pour the soup in when the fish is ready.

 Mix all of the ingredients for the ginger-miso paste. Taste, if too salty, you could add some sugar or warm water.

Wash off the salt and pepper on the fish and dry. Spread a thin layer of paste on one side of the fish. Make sure it covers the whole fish.
Then sprinkle the crumb mix. Press down the crumbs with your fingers. Make sure they are stuck on the paste.

Then pour a thin layer of oil on a pan. When the oil is hot, place the fish on the pan, crumb side facing down. Turn the fire to medium heat and let it fry for around 2-3 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side.

Pour in the soup after placing the udon on the dish.
Once the fish is done, place it on top of the udon and sprinkle some chopped leeks and dinner is ready.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe referenced: Bon Appetit

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2006/12/ginger_miso_striped_bass_in_shiitake_mushroom_broth

a traditional chinese dinner. Cream of corn fillet and cold tofu

Having been in Boston for close to 2 month, suddenly crave traditional chinese food. When i was young, i go to work with my dad and for lunch, we always order take out lunch boxes. My favorite choice is cream of corn with fish fillet. It is very easy to recreate this dish but of course it is most delicious when i am eating with my dad at his office :) good times.
I used frozen basa fillet, a white fish where you can find in most the chinese supermarket. For the sauce, just buy any kind of canned mashed sweet corn. I also used salmon this time because i have a small piece left over but i do not recommend salmon because the flavor of the salmon is too strong and it clashes with the corn sauce. 

First flavor the fish with white pepper and salt. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Cover the fillet with a thin layer of flour then dip them in a bowl of whipped egg. The fillet cook pretty fast depending on the thickness. Once they are cooked, around 2-3 minutes, put them on the paper towel layered plate.


Heat up a pot and pour in the can of corn. Add some water so that the mixture is not too thick. Flavor with a little salt and pepper. Place the cooked rice and fish on a place and pour the sauce on the fish.

Another dish is quick and easy for the summer.

Cold tofu with thousand year egg. You can get them in any chinese supermarket. Cut everything in cubes and plate them. Scoop a spoonful of pork floss on top. (I ran out of pork floss therefore i didn't put it in)

For the sauce, add soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar and it is ready to serve. If you like spicy, you could chop some red chilli pepper in the sauce.

Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake -- burger

My best food buddy found out about this restaurant and we went to try out their famous burger.
It's walking distance from newbury street and you could also take the T and get off at Arlington.
When you walk in, on your right there is a full bar and the lights are dimmed. The vibe is relaxing and perfect for a drink with a friend.
We ordered a chipotle wings to share. There are around 8 pieces of chicken, rubbed with smoked jalapeño and served with poblano blue cheese. The wings are not too spicy and the meat is very juicy.
Next up our main course.
I ordered the Prime Rib Poe Dunker: Peppercorn-rubbed, shaved prime rib with brie, horseradish-sage mayo, black lava sea salt, jalapeno powder & onion broth dipping sauce
The description is very attractive but the sandwich is not as flavorful. The prime rib was soft but because the onion broth dipping sauce was too salty and it covered the flavor of the rib and mayo.
Should have ordered the Burger instead.
My friend ordered the Poe Burger: Kobe beef burger stuffed with lobster, foie gras & black truffles & served with house-cured whiskey bacon, avocado & Irish porter cheese on brioche
Fantastic. The beef is perfectly cooked and you could taste every ingredients in the burger. The chewiness of the lobster, the rich and creamy foie gras and the aromatic black truffles. Personally i think the bacon is too thick but it still hasn't over power the patty. The avocado also had creaminess to the burger too. Overall this burger is splashing with flavors but also very very heavy. One more side note, their fries is crispy, thick and delicious. 
You should definitely go try out some of the other food on the menu and give me some comments. Go try out the burger too! Worth it.

Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake
384 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02215
T: 617.859.8555
www.rattlesnakebar.com/

cupcakes!

I volunteer at a school in Boston and i help out at the cooking club. Seeing the kids enjoying the process of making something and serving others brought me back to my childhood years. Some kids are unbearable but at the end of the day, they would do or say something that would make everything better. I decided to bake them some cupcakes and after my neighbors brought me back Sprinkles' red velvet cupcake, i decided to make them.

• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 24
• Preparation Time: 50 minutes
• 3½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)(sifted)
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp red food coloring
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (I think I actually put 6 tablespoons. I liked it, so maybe it was a good mistake)
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 1½ tsp cider vinegar
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• Frosting
• 8 ounces cold cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, firm but not cold
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour 2 cupcake pans (24 cupcakes).

To make the batter: In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and bake the cupcakes, switching positions of the pans halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack before icing. 

Frosting

Combine butter, salt, and cream cheese until smooth and fully incoroprated.

Add sugar until just incorporated. Don’t over mix. It should be thick but not fluffy.

Add vanilla. If necessary, add milk to thin.

*Do not put too much batter into the pan*

 ~The most delicious frosting ever~

Use a piper for for decorating the cupcakes

my roomate's creations 

Add any topping you want :) 

the most important ingredient is laughter! have fun and enjoy!

tea time

I received this baking book (Rose bakery, breakfast lunch tea) as a birthday gift from my roomate. She is not a fan of baking because of the preciseness, therefore i would be the baking chef at home. Carrot cake. I still remember the first time i had this cake was at my aunt's place. It was amazing. The cake was moist and the icing was creamy. I fell in love with this cake and could not stop eating it whenever i see them.
Ingredients:
unsalted butter for greasing
4 eggs
generous 1 cup caster sugar
1 1/4 cups sunflower oil
4-5 medium carrots, finely grated
2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 finely chopped walnuts (optional)

For the icing
generous 1/2 cup unsalted butter, ,softened
generous 1 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1/2-3/4 confectioner's sugar, alter depending on how sweet you like it

Preheat the oven to 350F
Butter a cake tin
Beat the eggs and caster sugar until they are light and fluffy but not too white
Pour in the oil and beat for a few more minutes
Fold in the carrots and then the flour with the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Finally fold in the walnuts
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean
Remove from the oven and cool

For the icing, beat the butter with the cream cheese for a few minutes till the mixture is smooth
Add the vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar
When the cake is cold, ice the top with the icing

                 

asian twist risotto

my favorite dish of all times. Mushroom Risotto. 

Instead of cooking it the traditional way, i substitute Arborio with Japanese short grain rice. They both have the chewy texture and high in starch.

Ingredients: Mushroom, onions, butter, parmesan cheese, milk

Dice up the onions and slice the mushroom. Stir fry part of the onions with the mushroom, then set them aside. Use olive oil and stir fry the rest of the onions. Put in the rice and coat them with onions and olive oil. Add in the cooked mushroom, then gradually add in small amounts of hot stock. For the stock, i used miso paste with hot water. One tablespoon miso with 2 cups of water. Stir constantly to release the starch from the grain into the surrounding. The rice would turn into a smooth creamy texture. I added milk to increase the creaminess. Take the pan off the heat and add in cubes of butter and parmesan cheese. Stir until they melt and it is ready to serve.