Coming back soon....

I know, I know. I have not posted anything for over a year!!
Its been extremely crazy in all areas of my life, so this blog fell to the wayside among other things. In exchange, now I can say I have some experience opening a business from the ground up. And I didn't have to spend a dime; just contributed my Crossfit enhanced muscles, a ton of sweat and many, many sleepless nights. A toast to my two best buds for a job well done and for taking me along on the ride...a priceless experience indeed!

Give me a couple more months and I will be up and running here again. Not to say I haven't been brainstorming the entire time I've been MIA. I will have a new kitchen to play around in in September. I have a long list of recipes to post, and I've been chomping at the bit to explore new ideas that sometimes star in my dreams too. I'm going to change this blog slightly in that I will post recipes from family, friends, and anything and everything that has to do with the wonderful world of food.

See you soon!

STEAMED FISH

When I crave fish and feel the need to start eating healthy, this is my go to dish. It's very easy to make and so delicious! My dad does a lot of fishing in the summer, so we have a regular supply of Bass, Drummer, Bigmouth, or trout (though I don’t recommend trout for this dish, the meat is too flaky). There's nothing like fresh fish, so ask your fishmonger for recommendations.

1 Whole fish cleaned or 2 large filets (Flounder, Bass, Red Snapper or any fish you like, preferably one that has firm flesh)
4-5 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into fourths
1” piece of ginger, cut into thirds

Toppings:
3” piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
2 green onion stalks, julienned
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped into inch long pieces

Sauce:
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
3 TB oil
1 1/2 TB sugar
1/3 cup of Golden Mountain Seasoning sauce or regular soy sauce
1/2 cup of water
optional: 3 Thai chilies, quartered

Prepare all herbs and vegetables as instructed. Set aside.

Tear off two pieces of aluminum foil large enough to cover the fish. Layer the onion, lime leaves, and ginger pieces on the foil. Place the fish on top and wrap the foil around it. Use the second piece to completely cover the fish.

Steaming options:
I use a metal steamer pot similar to the Chinese bamboo steamers. If you have either one, place the packet directly on the steamer and steam for 20-25 minutes. If you don’t, here are some options:

1. If you have the sticky rice basket and pot, you can place the fish packet into a ceramic bowl and put it in the basket. Add 5 cups of water to the bottom pot. Make sure you put a lid on it, steam for 20-25 minutes on high.

2. Or you can ‘steam’ it in the oven. Set the oven to 400 F. Place the fish packet in a large Pyrex casserole. Add enough water to come a third of the way and put a lid on the Pyrex. Place it in the middle rack and steam for 25-30 minutes. Check it a few times to make sure the water hasn’t completely evaporated (it shouldn’t, but just in case).

Sauce:
Start the sauce 5 minutes before the fish is done steaming. In a medium saucepan, sauté the garlic and chilies until its golden (be careful here, there have been times where an errant chili seed came flying very close to my eyes). Add the Seasoning/soy sauce and sugar, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved pour in the water and cook for another minute or so. Taste the sauce, the flavor should be a little bit intense, the steamed fish and rice will balance it out; adjust the flavor as needed. With the heat still on, throw in the julienned ginger and cook for 10-15 seconds to bring out the flavor of the ginger. Take the pan off the heat and set aside.

Gently unwrap the fish from the foil. Be careful, it’s steaming hot! Pick out the ginger and lime leaf pieces, drain and toss the juice from the packet. Slide the fish and onions from the packet onto a large serving platter. Pour the sauce slowly over the fish, and sprinkle the green onion and cilantro over it. Serve with steamed rice.

STICKY RICE

I cannot give instructions on cooking sticky rice without speaking of the equipment required to make it. You’ll need to find yourself a Thai or Lao grocery store that carries the pot and bamboo baskets (I have yet to find it in other Asian stores). For my friends in Berkeley, I recommend Thai Grocery on McGee and University Avenue, or Tuk Tuk a few blocks down on University as well. Thai Grocery is the same place where I get the delicious Thai sausage that is everyone’s favorite; the lady that works the register is very nice and helpful too.

STICKY RICE
Sticky rice is also known as sweet rice or glutinous rice (though it contains no gluten). And it is the main rice eaten in Laos, and parts of Thailand where there is a large ethnic Lao population. Other Asian countries use sticky rice mainly for desserts or as a small part of a dish. You can buy sticky rice at any Asian market, but a large grocery store is more likely to carry it. People always ask me what the difference between sticky rice and steamed rice is, and there is a major difference; in taste, texture, and cooking method. Sticky rice is a harder grain, and you need to prepare it by soaking hours before you can cook it. Regular jasmine rice need only be rinsed before being cooked in water (and so it is technically boiled rice). Sticky rice on the other hand is truly ‘steamed;’ the rice is transferred to the bamboo basket with the steam from the bottom pot coming up to cook it. You can hold sticky rice in your hands but it wont stick to your hands, it sticks to each other. With the exception of when soup is served, Lao people rarely use silverware when they eat (just make sure your hands are clean!), instead sticky rice is formed into little balls and dipped/scooped into whatever dish is being served. To me, sticky rice is very hearty, chewy, soft yet grainy, and sweeter. I sometimes call it the Lao baguette. Beware: it expands quite a bit in your stomach too.

EQUIPMENT
You’ll need the aluminum bottom pot, and the bamboo basket to steam the rice in. Then you’ll need another bamboo basket to place the cooked rice in. I will post photos of these items so you know what to look for. They are very cheap, for the entire set of three it’ll cost you less than $20. You’ll need to replace the steaming basket 2-3 times a year, depending on how well you care for it; the container basket will keep much longer. Once you have the equipment, you’ll need to soak both bamboo baskets in cold water for a couple of hours, to ‘season’ it like you would a wok. Make sure it is completely immersed in water. Set it out to dry thoroughly, and store in a dry place.

COOKING
Making sticky rice is easy, but it is time consuming. Unlike steamed rice, you have to prepare the rice by soaking it for at least 2-3 hours to soften the grains. In our household, we usually let it soak overnight and cook it the next morning, or soak it in the morning so it’s ready to be cooked by dinnertime. If you tend to be forgetful, like me, you can soak it for 1-2 hours in very warm water (changing out the water once it cools), and preferably in a metal bowl so it softens faster.

For one meal with 2-3 people, I would soak a cup per person, but I always do a little more. You can never make too much because sticky rice keeps well and you can reheat it. I would use a large ceramic, plastic, or metal bowl to do the soaking. To ‘clean’ the rice, gently squeeze the rice through your hands as you run water over it. Keep changing the water until it runs clear, 3-4 times. Then immerse it with an inch or two of water above the rice, and leave it to soak on the counter.

Once it’s ready to be cooked: to the bottom pot, add 4 1/2 cups of water. (You don’t want to add more water than is necessary. If the bottom of the bamboo basket touches the water on the bottom pot, it will make the rice very soggy). Put the pot on the burner and turn the heat to high. Pour the entire bowl of soaked rice into the bamboo steaming basket, and run water over it once more. Then place the steaming basket on the bottom pot, and cover it with a lid. Let it cook for 20 minutes, then you’ll need to flip the rice so the top part is on the bottom and cook for another 3-5 minutes. This part is tricky and requires a little practice. Lift the basket off and away from the pot, flip and rotate the basket towards you, 3-4 times until you’ve done a 180-degree rotation. If you can’t get the hang of it, it’s alright. Just keep the lid on the basket the entire cooking time, approximately 25 minutes, or when you see the grains on top become translucent. When the rice is cooked, pour the entire contents into the second basket, then use a wooden or plastic spatula to break up the rice a little. Cover and serve when it is still warm. Sticky rice will keep in this basket, outside of the fridge, for a couple of days. If it gets hard, you can reheat it in the microwave, just cover it with plastic wrap and nuke it for 30-45 seconds on high. If it gets too hard, discard it and make a fresh batch. Once you get the hang of it, it will be much easier. Eat sticky rice with any dish that is flavorful, and it will balance it out.

MAINTENANCE
Sometimes the rice will stick to the side of the steaming and container basket. On the steaming basket, rinse out the basket right after you are done cooking. Or you can let the rice dry, and then take a spoon and gently scrape the dried rice off the sides, do this for both baskets. Repeat as needed. Replace the baskets when you see tears, especially in the steaming basket.

"CURRIED" CRABS

3-4 uncooked Dungeness or Blue Crabs
1 medium lemongrass stalk
2” piece of ginger
4-6 kaffir lime leaves
A couple of Thai chilies
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
2 TB oyster sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
3 TB canola, vegetable or olive oil

Clean the crabs with a brush under cold running water. Snip off the gills with kitchen scissors. With a larger cleaver (in groove) of crab, split it in half. (Optional: scoop out some of the yellow bits and set it aside, this will flavor the dish more, then rinse out the halves again). Use a hammer or the back of the cleaver to crack the claws.

Chop the lemongrass stalks into small segments (use 3/4 of the stalk), peel the ginger and slice in half, de-stem chilies, peel the garlic cloves and toss it all into the mortar with a teaspoon of salt. Smash it all together with the pestle until it's pretty fine. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a food processor. Slice the green onions into inch long pieces and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil until it smokes lightly. Add the paste and saute until it becomes golden and aromatic, add the lime leaves and yellow bits that you've set aside, sauté for a few seconds. If the paste is too thick, add a little water to thin it. Add the oyster sauce and toss in the crab, stir until all pieces are coated. Then cover the pan and bring the heat down to medium. Cook for another 7-10 minutes then turn the heat off. Stir in the green onions at this time, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning to your liking if needed. Leave the cover on until you’re ready to serve it.

Messy, yummy, spicy, finger food. Best eaten with sticky rice, take a small ball of rice and dip it into the sauce, letting it soak thoroughly...Yum! I guess it would help to teach you all how to make sticky rice...