An easy solution to a sudden craving for old fashioned donuts. Mini Donut Balls with Pancake mix
200g Pancake mix
2 tbsp milk
1-2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg
Vanilla extract
Sugar to sprinkle at the end,
Cinnamon, with your preference
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makes 10-12 small balls
Mix all ingredients together (except sugar and cinnamon), keep them in a fridge for a while, to make the dough easy to work with later. Meanwhile heat oil enough to cover small donut balls. Take the dough out of fridge when it's harden a bit, scoop a drop of dough with a spoon, fry them till golden crispy in medium heat. Sprinkle sugar all over at the end.
Note: When heat oil, make sure not to heat too high, it will burn the outside too quickly.
Anko, red bean paste, is used in many confectionery in Japan, most commonly used for wagawashi (traditional Japanese confectionery). Anko is often used in a similar way as chocolate, sometimes wrapped in pastry, bread, mochi (we call it Daifuku), or topped on ice cream. I simply like to eat it with sticky mochi, or in Zenzai style, a soupier version with mochi inside. This is my comfort sweets around New Year.
Red bean paste (Anko: 餡子)
10 oz (283.5g) Azuki red bean
280g suger
water
a pinch of salt
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Rinse azuki beans, let them soak over night with a plenty of water in Donabe (earthenware pot) or other deep pot. Pour water till 1-2 inches above the beans.
When soaked, start heating the pot, bring them to boil in high heat. Covered.
Once boiling, scoop the scum off the surface, reduce heat to low, cook for 1-2 hr, covered.
keep adding water so that beans are always covered.
Pick one azuki bean and squeeze it with your fingers. If it is smushed easily, it’s done. Check few azuki beans and make sure all beans are soft. ( *Once you add the sugar, uncooked beans will harden like a stone.)
Dump azuki beans into a strainer, drain water completely.
In a pot, add 70mil of water and sugar, then cook till sugar is dissolved.
Add drained azuki beans, cook in high heat even after boiling, keep mixing gently to avoid burning the beans, or mash beans too much.
Stop the heat when beans a thicker and syrupy (they will harden as they cool down), add a pinch of salt.
Move azuki bean into a container, let them cool down completely before you eat. You can wrap extra portion with saran wrap, keep in a freezer.
Note: Cooking time varies depending on the kind of Azuki bean you're using, and how old they are, as well as the kind of pot you're using. The brand I used tend to cook in about 1 hour. The sweetness of azuki bueans also depends on what kind of sugar you use. White sugar tends to be too sweet to my taste. Experiment with different kinds of sugar and discover your own favorite.
Utilizing saved peeled potato skins that come out of your typical potato dishes such as mashed potatoes, stews, etc. A great way to add an extra dish to your supper, or use them as a healthy snack.
Cripsy Potato Skin Chips
Potato skins (picture above is from 4 potatoes)
Flour
Salt & Pepper
Vegetable oil
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Save potato skins when you cook other potato dishes such as mashed potatoes.
Put them on a paper towel, sprinkle salt and let the paper towel soak moistures, let them dry.
Heat oil, sprinkle pepper and flour all over the skin to separate them each other.
When the oil is hot, throw in the skins, make sure to separate them. Cook a portion at a time.
Living in a small apartment in New York City, I have a limited space in kitchen with no dishwasher. That naturally leads me to the philosophy of "less is more". I like to use less tools as possible, it will save space and hustle to wash every parts of appliances. In fact, we can do the most of cutting, chopping, mincing, and peeling with a good selection of knives.
However, I have to admit that these slicers are truly helpful. It adds a variety of textures to your salad recipes. Super essential for a vegetable eater, and very common among Japanese kitchen. The top one makes flat and thin slices. Great for slicing cucumber, celery, radish, cabbage, zucchini and potato.The bottom one makes noodle-like shred. Great for shredding carrot, radish, and etc. Washing is as easy as a knife.
Key note: They are actually quite dangerous and easy to cut your finger nail and skin. So, try not to slice all the way to the end. It's a better trade to leave some than bleeding while you cook.
A refreshing salad with a bit of crunch. Fine shred makes it easy to eat plenty, hence helps digestion. Make a batch, and save for when you don't have time to make a fresh salad.
Daikon & Carrot salad, Sesame Mayo flavor
4-5 thin carrots, peel the skin if they're not fresh
1 medium size Daikon radish,
a handful of chopped Shiso mint leaves or basil
1-2 pieces of lemon or Orange rind, finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame sauce (Goma dare) or Tahini sauce, if not, substitute with ponzu + sesame oil.
1-2 tbsp Mayonnaise
1-2 tbsp vinegar (my favorite is Alessi fig infused vinegar, which gives a touch of sweetness.)
Lemon juice
White sesame seed
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makes 5-6 servings
Peel the skin off Daikon and carrots, chop the bottom end off, shred them. I use Mandolin Vegetable Slicer. It make a life so much easier. Just watch out not to cut your finger. Combine vegetables in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss well. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Meanwhile, chop the Shiso/ basil and lemon/ orange rind finely, then make a dressing by combining sesame sauce, mayo, vinegar, and lemon juice. Once vegetables are soft, combine everything together, and toss. Serve chilled, sprinkle sesame seed before serving.
Quiche is a classic French tart originated in Germany. It consists of savory custard with cheese, meat, and vegetables. Quiche Lorraine is a popular kind that uses spinach, onion and bacon. I usually make one in a 11-Inch Round Quiche Pan, then keep it in a fridge as a breakfast supply for a few days. In the morning, cut up a piece, heat up in a toaster oven till crispy outside, serve with a salad. I find it remains tasty until finish the last piece.
Quiche Lorrain
6 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cups heavy cream
2 or 3 tbsp of shredded Cheese (such as Swiss, mozzarella, etc.)
1 box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed in room temperature
1 small/medium onion, finely chopped
3 slices of bacon, chopped (this time, I used 6 slices of soppressata instead)
1 sheet of puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry)
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makes about 5-6 servings
First, thaw the puff pastry overnight in a fridge, or 2-3 hours in room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, spread out the dough big enough to cover 11-inch round quiche pan.
Coat a surface of the quiche pan with 1/2 tbsp of melted butter, fit the dough into the pan.
Heat a pan on a stove, and brown bacon till crispy, take them out and drain on a paper towel/ newspaper. Take the excessive oil out of pan, as well. Discard the fat or reserve for another use.
Using the same pan, sauté onion till clear, add spinach, season with salt and pepper, cook till liquids are evaporated, then add the crispy bacon.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, add heavy cream and cheese, whisk together.
Layer the spinach in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top.
Bake until the custard is golden, puffed, and set yet still slightly wiggly in the center, 30 to 35 minutes.
Key: Cook the bacon till crispy and sautéing vegetable separately. This will make the flavor stronger. Caution: Make sure to hold the edge of the quiche pan, since the center part is removable.
A simple supper that's ready in 30 minutes. Refreshing sun-dried tomato and green herbs works great with the rich flavor of Italian sausages.
Fusilli Corti Bucati with Italian Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
2/3 box of pasta of your choice ( I used Fusilli Corti Bucati this time, farfalle will work well, too. )
4 or 5 links of sweet Italian sausage or broccoli rabe sausage
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
6-7 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
a handful of chopped basil or Italian parsley
crushed red petter
white wine or sake
truffle oil
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makes about 3 servings
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, chop all vegetables. Take sausage meat out of casings, heat a pan or thick bottomed pot (I use le creuset pot). Once hot, oil the surface, cook garlic in low/medium heat until fragrant, add sausage and brown them. Add onion and sauté them together. Throw in crushed red pepper and sun-dried tomato, drizzle some white wine or sake, cook them covered for a while.
Once pasta is ready, drain the pasta, toss them with sausages, drizzle some truffle oil, add basil, mix together. Serve. Sprinkle generous amount of parmesan cheese.
