Monthly Archives: April 2016

Sushi, Just Because

I, Me, and Myself, Stuff I Cook

Let me start by telling you that there’s about seven perfectly respectable sushi place within a five mile radius from where I live. After everything is said and done, driving over to get some sushi is so much more easier than making one. Yet here I am, elbow deep in sticky rice, house smelling like burned nori. Why am I doing this? The same answer I gave my friends when they ask me why I have to make my own pasta: because I can.

I was at 99Ranch for my Asian food fix when I saw that their nori (green seaweed thingy they wrap sushi with) was on sale. Five bucks for thirty pieces . Great! Add to cart. For those unfamiliar with 99Ranch, it’s an Asian grocery store which doubles up as deli/bakery. Unlike usual American grocery chains, this store has no shame in letting out the cooking smells of whatever they have in the back. The smell of this store as I enter reminds me of home, where, at any given time, someone is always cooking something.

I discovered that they have ramen which they pack as to-go. I call it my Ikea Ramen. Ikea because “assembly is required”.

cooked noodles, broth, fixins ( pork cutlet, nori, mushrooms etc.)
cooked noodles, broth, fixins ( pork cutlet, nori, mushrooms etc.)
Heat individually then assemble. Just like you would any Ikea furniture, without breaking all your nails.
Heat individually then assemble. Just like you would any Ikea furniture, without breaking all your nails.

And of course I digressed. I write the same way I talk. I get sidetracked easily by little (hopefully exciting) anecdotes. I am what you call “long-winded”.  So here’s how I made my sushi.

For the rice---Japanese sushi rice, miring, salt, sugar, your trusty rice cooker and yes, that's an electric fan.
For the rice—Japanese sushi rice, mirin, salt, sugar, your trusty rice cooker and yes, that’s an electric fan.

Quality of Japanese Sushi rice is what makes or breaks a sushi. It is pricier than your ordinary Jasmine rice but when you see how white and round and how much it carries flavor, you will see where the added dollars went.

Nori, Japanese Mayo, Japanese sushi rice, surimi (fake crab meat), avocados, mangoes and soft shell crab (in Box)
For the filling -Japanese Mayo, Japanese surimi (fake crab meat), avocados, mangoes and soft shell crab (in Box)

I am making two kinds of Sushi today. First is California Sushi, hence the fake crab, avocados, cucumber and mangoes. Next is Soft Shell Crab Roll. Begin everything by cooking the sushi rice.

In a rice cooker, put two cups of washed rice, then add corresponding water, according to rice cooker specs. Add 2T Mirin, a tsp of salt, 2T sugar. Mix. Cook according to rice cooker time settings.

Once cooked, fluff out using wooden spoon and fan. This will allow air to be introduced so rice does not end up dry
Once cooked, fluff out using wooden spoon and fan. This will allow air to be introduced so rice does not end up dry

I spent more time trying to right this upside down picture than making the sushi itself. I would discard it but this is such an important step…

Heat nori in open flame
Heat nori in open flame. This takes about 3 seconds, tops. Anything longer than that, burns  it and you end up with a kitchen smelling like burned….seaweed.

Same thing with this picture. I have yet to figure out why this happens. The IT Director of my blog (my hubby, D) is on a conference call with his more meaningful trade so I can’t disturb him with my less meaningful IT troubles.

Assmeble by adding Jap mayo on bed of rice, then add cucumber, mangoes and fake crab
Assemble in makisu (sushi mat) by adding Jap mayo on bed of rice, then add cucumber, mangoes and fake crab
Roll up mat by moving the sushi towards to the edge each time
Roll up mat by moving the sushi towards to the edge each time
For the Soft shell crab sushi, fry soft shell crab till red and crispy
For the Soft shell crab sushi, fry soft shell crab till red and crispy.

Word of warning, this thing splatters to kill. I figured because the crab has a lot of fat, which is a good thing. Major clean-up after frying. Hate it.

For "inside-out" sushi, with rice outside instead of the nori. Spread rice on top of Cling-wrap.
For “inside-out” sushi, with rice outside instead of the nori. Spread rice on top of Cling-wrap.
Add soft shell crab and mangoes.
Add soft shell crab and mangoes.
Cover the whole thing with nori then roll.
Cover the whole thing with nori then roll.
You will want to pull the cling wrap towards the edge of the mat each time
You will want to pull the cling wrap towards the edge of the mat each time

 

I added avocado on top purely for aesthetics, you can put this inside the roll too
I added avocado on top purely for aesthetics, you can put this inside the roll too
Finished products!
Finished products!
When slicing sushi, use the sharpest knife you have and make sure that you dip it in water for each slice to prevent sticking.
When slicing sushi, use the sharpest knife you have and make sure that you dip it in water for each slice to prevent sticking.

This was dinner for me and my blog’s absentee IT Director/husband. I still have a lot of left-over nori so y’all will be seeing more sushi recipes from me.

Itadakimasu!!! (let’s eat)

Beef and Potato Casserole

I’ve always thought of “casserole” as a some sort of cooking container/apparatus. It’s not until I got an interest in cooking when I realized that it also pertains to a huge assortment of dishes with the common denominator being “cooked slowly in an oven”.

This recipe is placed in a Pyrex dish and cooks 20 minutes in the oven. Neither  fills the above requirement but I will still call it a “casserole”… because I can.

This is one of those dishes that is so rich and creamy that it immediately fills you with guilt if you count your calories. I have made peace with my body so I don’t care much about that. But of a dish that wreaks havoc with your arteries, this dish does wonders to your psyche. Let me break that down to you: sweet and tangy, ground beef, herbed cheese and potatoes. That is the trifecta of comfort food.

The caloric cast of evil characters: lean (yeah right) ground beef, milk, red potatoes, onion, parmesan cheese, assorted herbs, your favorite barbecue sauce
The caloric cast of evil characters: lean (yeah right) ground beef, milk, red potatoes, onion, parmesan cheese, assorted herbs, your favorite barbecue sauce
Saute beef and onions. Once brown, add you favorite bbq sauce. I add a bit of honey, coz i like it more on the sweet side
Saute beef and onions. Once brown, add you favorite bbq sauce. I add a bit of honey, coz i like it more on the sweet side
herbs from my garden: sage, rosemary, thyme and basil. this goes in to the cream later
herbs from my garden: sage, rosemary, thyme and basil. this goes in to the cream later
melt half a stick of butter then cook 3T of flour (about 2 minutes), then add the herbs
melt half a stick of butter then cook 3T of flour (about 2 minutes), then add the herbs
the sin and decadence continues by adding 1 cup of milk.
the sin and decadence continues by adding 1 cup of milk.

Ideally, I should be using whipping cream instead of 2% milk. But since I didn’t do a triathlon today, there is really no need for that. I can live with the less rich quality of low fat milk…

Once thick, add a cup of parmesan
Once thick, add a cup of parmesan

If there is one certainty in cooking, it is the fact that any liquid added to cooked flour in butter, IT WILL THICKEN.

I forgot to take pictures of the potatoes, so lets just conjure an image of peeled red potatoes, cut in half inch scallop, boiling gloriously for 12 min, drained, then arranged in a baking dish.

Pour the cooked ground beef on top of the potatoes then pour the cream.
Pour the cooked ground beef on top of the potatoes then pour the cream.
Bake in 400 for 20 minutes or until crust forms on top
Bake in 400 for 20 minutes or until crust forms on top
All done. Note my new Kate Spade mittens. "All in good taste". Love it!
All done. Note my new Kate Spade mittens. “All in good taste”. Love it!

And just like that, the ultimate comfort food is created. Beans devoured this as soon as he got back from school. Ah, to be 14 and skinny, with a metabolism that doesn’t quit….