Writing With My Mouth Full

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    • Leftover Healthy Vegetable Bowl

      I don’t have measurements for this recipe because it truly is a leftover bowl of whatever I needed to use up in the fridge. The only thing I bought is the sweet potato.

      Ingredients:
      sweet potato
      red cabbage
      broccoli
      scallion
      sprouts
      quinoa
      carrot
      avocado
      lemon juice
      oil, salt, pepper

      For the dressing:
      2 garlic cloves
      a small knob of ginger, peeled and sliced
      turmeric
      cider vinegar
      maple syrup
      salt, pepper

      1. Preheat oven at 425º. Wrap the sweet potato in foil, place on a cookie sheet, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until it’s fork tender. When it’s cool enough to handle, peel, and chop in smaller pieces.
      2. Marinate the red cabbage in a little lemon juice, salt, and pepper and set aside.
      3. Make the dressing now and set aside. Blitz everything and season to taste. It should be a little more tangy than sweet.
      4. Peel the carrot and continue to use the peeler to shred the meat onto your salad bowl.
      5. Toss the broccoli florets in oil, salt, and pepper, and add to the cookie sheet to bake with the sweet potato for 20 minutes.
      6. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork and transfer to your salad bowl.
      7. Assemble and complete your salad. Add sliced avocado, scallions, and sprouts. Drizzle the dressing all over.

    • Urban Spring Gardening for Low-Light Plants

      It’s finally spring in New York City and I have to accept the fact that the muscari bulbs that I planted–and that bloomed last year–froze during the winter and have no chance of coming back up again. This means the tulips from Amsterdam that I planted prior to them are definitely d-e-a-d.

      For this season, I opted to spend more money but invested in plants and flowers that thrive in part- to no-shade because of the lack of sunlight on my terrace. I’m just hoping that the unpredictable weather does not bring me a heat wave before spring ends.

      Here’s a list of plants that I planted that are also Zone 7 to Zone 9 friendly, or for the New York City area, but also do not need direct sunlight. A reputable nursery should have them available:

        Peonies
        Bleeding hearts, pink and yellow
        Columbines
        Elephant ears
        Begonias
        Impatiens
        Japanese ferns
        Euphorbias

      So to start, I lifted up all the moss that grew in my planter during the off season using a small garden shovel and set them aside on a tray.

      I then used a garden clawer to mix, till, and reinvigorate the soil using a lot of elbow grease. I made sure I switched from using my right arm to my left arm just to balance the soreness I will feel later with this workout. I poured in the new soil until there was enough to fill the planter near the brim again. I then continued mixing the two kinds of soil; this is to distribute the new soil’s nutrients to the old one.

      Then I planned how the plants will go by arranging them in place while still in their pots. I even took photos to see if I wanted them symmetrical or not. The taller plants went on the back, while the smaller flowers went in the front. The softer plants went on the side, like the ferns and the euphorbias.

      I started putting the plants in place. Since I decided on a symmetrical look, I worked from either side and then went towards the center. I was able to adjust the plants to a different position when it was necessary. When I was happy with the placement, I added more soil to top certain empty spots off and gently pressed down around the new plants to secure them in place. The taller plants like the elephant ears and the bleeding hearts needed to stand, so I added plant supports to hold them straight up.

      I then filled in the empty spots with the moss. They made such a huge difference; they made everything more green and lush! I only watered the next morning to make sure the soil has settled and wouldn’t run off the top.

      It’s been 4 weeks now and we’ve only had a couple of days warm weather so far which I prepared for by watering the plants in the morning before I left for work. Everything still looks great–cross my fingers–and the peonies are starting to come out.

      Related post/s:
      I high recommend these gardening tools:
      – trowel or gardening shovel
      – a garden fork or a claw rake
      – or get the 3-piece gardening set
      – you will need soft garden gloves; I like them better because I can feel the soil without dirtying my fingernails
      – these plant supports are everywhere inside and outside my apartment

    • Instant Pot: Lu Rou Fan, Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly

      Don’t think I haven’t been using my Instant Pot–I have–but I haven’t found a cool new toy that could write this post for me while I’m actually going through the recipe. So recipes are being tested, but I haven’t made the time to sit and write and edit them down.

      Here’s one though, a remake of an old Taiwanese favorite for the Instant Pot. I cut the recipe for you in half so it’s perfect for 2-4 people. At the very last minute, I ended up adding a can of water chestnuts for crunch because you can imagine how the pork belly pieces were super giving (they were saaaaawft) after pressurizing them.

      Do me a favor: the next time you eat a tangerine, keep the peel and air-dry it, and then store it in an air-tight container for the next time you cook this recipe again. I know you will.

      Ingredients:
      1 lb skin-on pork belly, cut into 1″ pieces
      3 star anise
      1 cinnamon stick
      6 cloves
      3 bay leaves
      2 pieces tangerine peel
      2 slices fresh ginger
      1 tbsp sugar
      1 medium onion, finely chopped
      6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 1/4 cup hot water until soft, saving the water
      1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
      3 tbsps light soy sauce
      2 tbsps dark soy sauce
      3 hardboiled eggs, peeled

      1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, add the pork. First in one layer all smooshed in. Make them sweat. They will render fat right away. Mix them a couple of times to avoid stickiness and then you can add the rest of the pork belly and do the same for the other batch, with the already heated pieces on top. Continue to mix them to keep rendering fat and to avoid them from sticking to the bottom.
      2. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the eggs. Include the mushroom water. Stir a little to incorporate everything together. The pork will render more water when you pressurize, so no need to worry about any burns.
      3. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 20 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
      4. Switch back to the sauté function and stir everything just to make sure flavors have melded. Season with salt if necessary. Serve with steamed white rice and top with the eggs cut in half.

    • Flash-Fried Squid

      I wanted to eat shrimp tonight but picked up a pound of squid instead from Whole Foods that called out my name. My intent was to eat light for dinner with the least amount of time spent cooking. I got just that with this Asian-flavored salad.

      I used the Chinatown-bought wok here that I inherited from my brother. He said he couldn’t really control how hot it got so he didn’t become a fan. I didn’t mind a new toy in the kitchen as long as it’s lightweight and could be stored inside the stove.

      Flash-frying in a wok can be super rewarding. They key is to keep it moving, so while you’re adding the rest of the ingredients, you’re sautéing and tossing the squid pieces at the same time. All you need is about 3 minutes for the pound of squid here; any longer and the squid will be too tough and chewy.

      Ingredients:
      1 tbsp peanut oil
      1 lemongrass stalk, coarse outer layer peeled, softer inner core, finely chopped
      2 garlic cloves, minced
      a small knob of ginger, peeled, sliced into thin matchsticks
      2 Thai red chiles
      1 lb squid, cleaned, patted very dry, mantles sliced into rings and tentacles separated
      2 scallions, sliced diagonally
      1 tbsp sugar
      2 tbsps, Shaoxing wine
      salt, pepper

      1. Heat a wok until almost smoking. Add peanut oil. Turn down the heat to low-medium. Sauté lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and the Thai chiles.
      2. Before the garlic gets brown, turn up the heat back to high, add and flash-fry the squid for 1 minute.
      3. Toss in the scallions, sugar, Shaoxing wine, and season with salt and pepper. Keep flash-frying for another minutes until the wine practically disappears.

    • Instant Pot: Pork Shoulder with Pineapple and Red Bell Pepper

      What do you do when you have a whole fresh pineapple leftover from a party? This is a great mix of sweet and sour. Waiting to add the red bell pepper for last leaves them tender and with more bite than if you include them in the pressure cooking. Same for the pineapple: they will cook just enough to produce more juice, but not so much that your stew is syrupy. This is even better the next day when all flavors have melded.

      Ingredients:
      2 cloves of garlic, minced
      1 white onion, chopped
      1 lb pork shoulder, cut into chunks
      a small knob of ginger, sliced into matchsticks
      1/4 cup soy sauce
      oregano
      half of a whole pineapple, chopped
      1 red bell pepper, seeded, chopped
      oil, salt, pepper

      1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, heat some oil. Sauté the garlic until golden brown, and then the onions until translucent. Add the pork and brown them on all sides.
      2. Stir in the ginger and the soy sauce, and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Add about 1/4 cup of water. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 15 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
      3. Switch back to the sauté function. Add the pineapple and red bell pepper and cook until the bell pepper is tender. Season until you get a nice combination of sweet and sour.

    • Instant Pot: Chana Masala, Punjabi Spiced Chickpea Curry

      Mark Wilson of Co.Design is more or less a vegetarian now, and so when I wanted yet another curry-inspired recipe for the Instant Pot I turned to him. The original one uses amchoor, a dried unripe mango powder used in Punjabi cooking to provide sourness. I didn’t want to buy yet another spice to add to my pantry, so I found the greenest mango I could find and cut off two generous cheeks from it and finely chopped it. The key is sourness, not bitterness, so make sure there is no peel involved.

      If you don’t have time to soak chickpeas overnight, you may use chickpeas in a can; just make sure you rinse and drain them well.

      Ingredients:
      2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained, rinsed
      vegetable oil
      1 red onion, finely chopped
      2 bay leaves
      2 tsps garlic, minced
      2 tsps ginger, minced
      2 tomatoes, chopped
      2 green mango slices, chopped
      2 tsps coriander, grounded
      2 tsps, cumin, grounded
      1 tsp garam masala
      1 tsp paprika
      1 tsp turmeric
      1 tsp cayenne
      1 black cardamom
      a handful of cilantro leaves
      salt, pepper

      1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, heat some oil. Add the onion and bay leaf and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir, then add the chopped tomatoes and mango and cook until the tomatoes break down. Add the spices and stir.
      2. Add the chickpeas and about 2 cups of water. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 35 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
      3. Discard the cardamom and the bay leaves. Serve in a bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro.

      Related post/s:
      This is the same model as my Instant Pot

    • Beef Stir-Fry with Sweet Potatoes and Bok Choy

      Contrary to what you think, I have not only been cooking using the Instant Pot. I haven’t lost all my passion for actual cooking, you know. Of course, I tried this in the Instant Pot first, but the cornstarch burned and it refused to pressurize after that. (Very nifty actually; the display said “burn”.) I had to scoop everything out and almost re-do it on my skillet. You see? This is why I test recipes for you, so you don’t have to soak your Instant Pot liner for hours and scrub its bottom clean. I go through the bad shit so you don’t have to.

      Ingredients:
      vegetable oil
      3 tbsps soy sauce
      3 garlic cloves, grated
      a small knob of ginger, grated
      2 tsps cornstarch
      1 lb beef round, patted dry, sliced into strips
      1 medium yellow onion, chopped
      1 sweet potato, cut into small cubes
      5 bok choy, separated
      salt, pepper

      1. In a bowl, whisk together the oil, the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, cornstarch and some black pepper. Add the beef and mix and toss with your hands to coat well. Let stand for about 15 minutes to marinate.
      2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add some oil and saute the onions until translucent. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until tender. Season with salt. Add a splash of water or two and cover to steam a little bit and help cook faster. Remove to a small bowl.
      3. In the same skillet, add some more oil until almost smoking. Add the beef in a single layer and cook, turning after 2 minutes, for medium-rare. Repeat for the rest of the beef if necessary. Add back the potatoes and toss in the bok choy. Add a splash of water again to help cook the greens.

    • Instant Pot: Rib-Eye Ragu

      Is an Instant Pot necessary to make this recipe? Absolutely not, especially because I used ground rib eye rather than big pieces of it. But I wanted to be able to cook the pasta in the 15 minutes it took to cook the meat. Everything was basically ready at the same time and I was eating my single dinner in half the time. If it was the weekend, I would try browning a couple of pounds of chuck roast and then shredding them to pieces before thickening the sauce again, but who wants to spend their weekend cooking ragu?

      Ingredients:
      a chunk of bacon, chopped
      5 garlic cloves, minced
      1 onion, chopped
      2 ribs celery, chopped
      2 carrots, peeled, chopped
      1.5 lb ground rib eye
      1 28-oz can whole stewed tomatoes
      2 thyme sprigs
      2 bay leaves
      2 tsp allspice
      1 cinnamon stick
      1/2 cup beef stock
      salt, pepper

      1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, heat some olive oil. Sauté garlic until golden brown and onions until translucent. Stir in the carrots and celery and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Move everything to the side and add the ground beef to brown.
      2. Gently add the stewed tomatoes while crushing them with your hands. Mix well. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 15 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
      3. Turn back to the maximum setting of the sauté function to reduce and thicken the sauce. Discard the thyme stems, the bay leaves, and the cinnamon stick before serving on top of your favorite pasta.

      Related post/s:
      This is a similar model to my Instant Pot

    • Instant Pot: Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Pork

      The Instant Pot has been working well for me that it’s now my personal mission to go back to my favorite recipes and check if I can cook them in a more efficient way. I found some rib tips at my grocery store and I thought they would work well and cook faster for this recipe. I think if they were boneless, they would be less challenging to eat, but no one said you can’t use your fingers to eat these.

      If you can get a sweet Vidalia onion, it would be nice; a regular white onion will do, but Vidalias have a sweetness to them that would nicely hold the fat back from becoming too overwhelming here.

      Ingredients:
      1 1/2 cups sugar
      2 pork rib tips, boneless if possible
      1/4 cup fish sauce
      3 garlic cloves, minced
      sesame oil
      1 large white onion, sliced
      salt, pepper

      1. Using the sauté function of your Instant Pot, add 1 cup of the sugar. As soon as it melts and turns golden, add pork, raise heat to maximum, and stir until coated. The sugar will harden, but it will re-melt as it becomes a sauce.
      2. Add the remaining sugar and the fish sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 20 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
      3. Stir in the garlic and a dash of sesame oil, and turn back to the lowest setting of the sauté function to reduce the sauce. Add the onions and keep mixing until they’re translucent. Pork should be caramelized and the sauce thickened. Transfer to a bowl with white rice and sprinkle with scallions.

      Related post/s:
      I can’t find the Instant Pot model I have now, but this is a similar model

    • Farro Arugula and Mint Salad

      I can’t give you exact measurements to make this salad because I was assembling it by taste and by eye: a handful of arugula leaves in a bowl balanced with torn parsley and mint leaves, and then enough cherry tomatoes to add some color to the bowl.

      The apple cider vinegar is a nice touch to the farro; it makes it brighter than if you just cook it in water or broth.

      Ingredients:
      1 cup farro
      1 cup apple cider
      2 bay leaves
      lemon juice
      Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
      a handful of pistachio nuts, lightly crushed
      arugula leaves
      a handful of parsley, torn
      a handful of mint leaves, torn
      cherry tomatoes, halved
      2 radishes, sliced
      oil, salt

      1. Cook the farro. In a medium saucepan, bring farro, apple cider, salt, bay leaves, and 2 cups water to a simmer. Simmer until farro is tender and liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes. If all the liquid evaporates before the farro is done, add a little more water. Let farro cool, then discard bay leaves.
      2. In a salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and some salt. Add farro, shaved cheese, and pistachios. Mix well. Fold in arugula, herbs, tomatoes, and radish. I used my hands to toss everything well together.

    • Instant Pot: Asian Soy Sticky Chicken

      Now that I know the magic of Instant Pot with chicken–I mean, 8 minutes? Come on!–I’m going through my favorite chicken dishes and cooking them again using my Instant Pot. With this dish, I didn’t get the sticky consistency I would normally get if I make it on my hot wok, so I had to improvise and add more honey when I was reducing the sauce. I increased the sauté heat from “normal” to its maximum, just like I would on stovetop.

      This is even better with kimchi!

      Ingredients:
      1/2 cup soy sauce
      1/4 cup honey
      1-2 tbsps Gochujang sauce, or Korean chili paste
      2 tbsps toasted sesame oil
      a knob of ginger, grated
      2 cloves of garlic, grated
      1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
      sesame seeds, toasted
      scallions

      1. In your Instant Pot, combine 1/4 cup water, the soy sauce, honey, Gochujang sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Add the chicken, tossing to coat. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 8 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
      2. You will need to thicken the sauce. Turn the sauté function of your Instant Pot and cook for at least 5 minutes to reduce the sauce until you like the consistency. Feel free to squeeze in another dollop of honey to add more stickiness. Stir a few times to keep coating the chicken.
      3. Scoop to a bowl of white rice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and scallions.

      Related post/s:
      I can’t find the Instant Pot model I have now, but this is a similar model

    • Instant Pot: Chicken Makhani, or Indian Butter Chicken

      It’s a funny thing when you don’t know much about Indian food; you think of the dishes per color: brown sauce, red sauce, yellow sauce, orange sauce. This might not look too pretty or presentable, but it’s super delicious, and it’s the best version I’ve tried and it’s from Two Sleevers. An immersion blender is necessary here–at the very least, a regular blender because you want the sauce to be smooth before you melt the butter into it. You can trade in the coconut milk with heavy cream if that’s more handy.

      Cook your rice separately with ghee and a little salt and when you’re ready to eat, scoop up the butter chicken sauce all over the rice and top with a few chicken pieces. And hey, sprinkle cilantro liberally for a touch of green color, why don’t you.

      Ingredients:
      1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
      a small knob of ginger, minced
      1 tbsp garlic, minced
      1 tsp turmeric
      1 tsp cayenne pepper
      1 tsp paprika
      2 tsps garam masala, divided
      1 tsp cumin, ground
      salt
      1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
      1 stick butter, cut in small pieces
      1 large dollop of coconut milk
      a handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

      1. Combine all the ingredients except the butter, the coconut milk, a tsp of the garam masala, and the cilantro in your Instant Pot. Add the chicken and mix well to cover.
      2. Cover and lock the lid properly. Select the Pressure Cook function for 8 minutes. When it’s done, do a quick release after venting and letting the steam out.
      3. Remove the chicken and set aside. (Be gentle with your tongs! The meat falls apart!) Using an immersion blender, blend together the sauce until it’s smooth. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, coconut milk, cilantro, and garam masala, until butter is melted. Remove half the sauce to a container and save for later. Add the chicken back to the remaining sauce, mix gently, and serve with rice.

      Related post/s:
      I can’t find the Instant Pot model I have now, but this is a similar model