Spam Musubi
Spam Musubi is a ubiquitous snack and lunch food in the Aloha State comprising of a slice of Spam and a slab of rice wrapped together with nori in the form of Japanese omusubi. This creation is Hawaiian and yet curiously Minnesotan. Spam is made by Hormel and Hormel is based in Austin, Minnesota where [...]
Lobak is a deep fried minced pork roll wrapped in beancurd sheet. It has a crunchy exterior with a soft and chewy filling. On the island of Penang, lobak is often made at home by the Straits Chinese as one of the main dishes during festivals and celebrations. At the food courts, it is eaten [...]
One of the most delectable aromas in Asian Chinatowns is the smell of Bak Kwa being roasted on a charcoal brazier in a nearby restaurant. Interestingly, there are Chinatowns even in predominantly Chinese cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Singapore where things feel more Chinese. In Kuala Lumpur there is Petaling Street or Chee Cheong [...]
Continue reading about Bak Kwa (Long Yoke Korn) – Dragon Meat for the Year of the Dragon
Bak Kut Teh in the Hokkien or Fujianese dialect literally translates to pork rib tea. This rich herbal soup contains dong gui (Angelica Sinensis), known for its warming properties. For this reason, it is popularly eaten as a supper or late night meal in Malaysia and Singapore. Over here in Minnesota, I like to cook [...]
The temperature dipped to the twenties this past weekend and the snow came sooner than expected. We were out shopping at the mall when the snow started to fall. We quickly made our final purchases and scrambled home. Come Sunday morning, there were three inches of white pristine snow on the ground. We woke up [...]
Today is a busy day for most of us as we spend time in the kitchen preparing for the big meal tomorrow. I like to brine my turkey and that has to be done this morning so that it will have sufficient time to infuse that huge bird. After which, there will be the chopping [...]
Continue reading about Lavender Spiced Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes with Marmalade Glaze
It’s Monday again and I hope you all had a great weekend. It was nice and quiet for us. I visited my local Asian market, scanning their shelves for specialty ingredients. In my last trip there I was able to get Chinese herbs for the Six Combination Soup. Always a joy to find ingredients to [...]
Continue reading about Braised Pork Ribs and Bitter Gourd in Black Bean Sauce
Wontons are a small Chinese dumplings with a thin dough wrapper and a meaty filling. They are commonly boiled and served in soup or sometimes deep fried. The soup version makes an elegant starter while the deep fried version is popular as finger food. They come in various shapes, the most common being the globular [...]
I enjoy an eclectic mix of cuisines and my home cooking consists of dishes from different cultures. Japanese cuisine has joined the mix, with onigiri, oden, sukiyaki, miso soup, ocha-zuke, and soba dishes becoming daily fare at our dinner table. My travels to Japan have helped me better appreciate its culture and food.
Continue reading about Spring Rolls with Sesame Ponzu Vinaigrette (Guest Post)
Our short reprieve from the cold and snow ended yesterday when we were dumped with more than a foot of snow. The temperature dived below freezing making it a little harder to bear this time after the “warmer” temperature of the past week. Ro-Ri San and the boys raked the roof and cleared the driveway [...]
