I had leftover pork fillings when I made pork dumplings for dinner last night. Usually I’d put the leftover in a freezer bag, freeze it, and use it later for dirty rice. Last night I decided to turn them into mini meatballs and steamed them like I did the pork dumplings.
If you want to make a lot for appetizers or snacks, here’s a modified recipe of the dumplings to make Asian Steamed Meatballs.
INGREDIENTS :
6 button mushrooms, finely chopped
3 stalks of scallions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely copped
1 package of ground pork
2 tsp of rice cooking wine
1 tbsp of …read more

Thai Peppers are little fire-babies guaranteed to light up your tongue and mouth with its unbelievable heat. Scoring (depending on which chile-head you consult) 75-350,000 units on the Scoville Scale, it’s an ingredient that excites and terrifies the most adventurous cook. When working with Thai peppers you need to make sure that you either use gloves to handle them, or wash your hands REALLY well before you touch your eyes or nose — these are bound to sting and burn. Trust me, I’ve been there, done that! I haven’t learned my lesson well, apparently, since I …read more

I’ve got some sweet brown rice I need to use up. I’ve used it in sushi, and I’ve been thinking of making homemade mochi, and I’m tempted to try amazake.
I found the homemade Amazake recipe in Michio Kushi’s book

Here’s a detailed recipe, though a bit more intimidating.
Bunnyfoot has detailed her process here.
There are kits available to make homemade koji, but I don’t think I want to go that far. Not yet anyway. Hopefully I’ll be able to find some koji at the local Japanese food market.
Whole Foods has a whole section on cooking grains, but …read more

Hey, it’s almost spring! Are you thinking like I am about an Asian veggie and herb garden? We just moved to a new home so I’m eager to get started! Today I purchased two seed packets — edamame and red perilla — from Botanical Interests. I love this company because they’ve got really good seeds (high % of germination) and the artwork on the seed packets are unbelievable. They also provide a great deal of information on starting the seeds, growing tips, etc.
My personal seed exchange list can be found here. It …read more

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1-lb. block extra-firm tofu, cut in half lengthwise, then in half again crosswise
For the sauce:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup water
4 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh coriander for garnishing
Prepare sauce: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir-fry until just beginning to turn golden. Add tomatoes and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add water, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, tomato paste, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for …read more

Pho Bo is a soup from the Northern part of Vietnam. It is usually served for breakfast on the streets, sold from outdoor makeshift kitchens. My family loves the beefy, gingery flavors of this soup, and rice noodles are the perfect foil along with the crunch of fresh herbs and veggies. There are many different recipes for Pho Bo, but as with most Asian soups, it’s the stock that makes the dish. The picture is of my child’s portion, minus the herbs (he likes neither Asian basil nor ngo gai/culantro) or the raw beef.
2 pounds beef …read more

P. F. Chang’s is one of those places that has paid so much attention to their facade, you can’t help but expect that they would give as much attention to their food. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed, and hopefully neither will you. Their restaurants’ exteriors are at once inviting as they are imposing. Walk in and you are greeted by the “modernity meets antiquity” theme: dark sculpted pillars and walls, pendant lighting, and a cavernous kitchen framed by Chinese paintings reaching up to the ceilings.
But we’re here for the food, aren’t we? I was rather pleased …read more

Hi! My name is Stephanie Amargo-Patag (you can call me Stef). I’m a cooking enthusiast and have been for many years. I love to cook dishes from different cuisines, but Asian food has always had a special place in my heart because I was born and raised in Asia; beyond this, however, I feel that Asian cuisine has much to offer in terms of versatility. It could be simple or complex, light or rich, fiery or soothing. It encompasses all flavors and textures, and learning how to cook Asian food is a deeply satisfying endeavor. …read more