“Festivals are the secret to youth; show me a person who doesn’t remember a festival that was all about sweets, treats and friendship and I will show you an unhappy person.” Here in the United States and most of the western countries, grown-ups and children are preparing to enjoy Halloween. Front lawns are adorned with lights and ghoulish decorations in a festive spirit. […]
vegetarian
No animal products, but eggs and dairy are ok
Cold Tofu with Bonito Flakes
“If turkey vultures think it’s too warm to hunt, who am I to disagree?” Tofu ranks high on my list of pantry staples. There are always 2 or 3 packages in my cart on every grocery run. The best parts (my grammar teacher may remind me that the superlative of good describes a singular noun but hear me out) are how versatile it […]
Easy Water Spinach 空心菜 (Kangkung)
All things are difficult before they are easy. ~ Thomas Fuller Here is recipe that starts easy and stays easy. It will make a cook out of anyone. It’s that easy. Water spinach is more closely related to the sweet potato than to spinach as we know it in western countries. It is also called water morning glory, water […]
Chinese Green Bean Dessert Soup 绿豆汤
The wonder, The hunger, And the sound of distant thunder. ~ “Indian Summer”, Brooks & Dunn (released 2009) Warm, hazy, windless weather prevailed all last week following a few weeks of a cooling trend. This kind of tank-top-and-shorts weather right around Halloween means it’s Indian summer for us living in California. Soon after it will be time for […]
Traditional Baked Mooncakes 传统粤式月饼
Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncakes 中秋月饼, commonly just called ‘Mooncakes’月饼 are traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Shared with friends and family while celebrating the abundance of harvest, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals and falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in the lunar calendar. These round-shaped […]
Pan-Fried Tofu with Egg
“Silky golden nuggets with a spicy surprise!” Don’t you just love it when a wrong turn ends up being right, when a mistake turns into an unexpected success, when a kitchen misadventure cooks up a new favorite? That’s what happened the other night – an attempt to save a blooper turned up a surprising appetizer that barely made it […]
- Appetizers
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Vegetable Fritters
Cook up a batch of these vegetable fritters for a fun way to eat more veggies! Deep-frying is not my thing. It (feels) unhealthy, uses (usually) more oil than surely is necessary, and is always a bother to wash. I handwash my utensils – my dishwasher is really a glorified dish drying tray disguised in […]
Okra and Tofu
We have a love-hate relationship with okra. Lip-smackingly good when deep fried in southern style (Hush Puppies and Fried Okra, anyone?), comfortably filling in rich gumbo, tantalizingly spicy in bhindi masala. Yet the thought of inevitable slimy fingers can be a deterrent. Then like smoky, late afternoon rays filtering through loose, leafy canopies, I chanced […]
Steamed Tofu with Ground Pork and Gogi Berries
Tofu – the ‘miracle’ source of protein from soy that has zero fat and low in calories. Depending on what texture you are seeking, there are silken, soft, firm, rough versions and a slew more in between. There are fresh, fermented, fried, pickled ones to suit different needs. For all its versatility, tofu has only […]
Chai Poh 菜脯卵 (Salted Radish) Omelette
I wasn’t in the mood to cook today. It was a good thing I have eggs on hand. And chai poh. Chai poh 菜脯 is salted radish, easily found in asian supermarkets. Very commonly found accompanying teochew porridge. Well, good thing I have some one hand too. Chai poh neng 菜脯卵, or salted radish omelette, […]