Chicken and Pistachio Fried Rice

Maria, my work buddy, greeted me one Wednesday morning with particular excitement: She had seen a recipe for Chicken and Pistachio Fried Rice in the Washington Post that morning and thought I would be very interested. She was right. :) The recipe is copied below and it tastes as good as it sounds! The only gripe I have is that this dish is definitely not "Dinner in 25 Minutes." The preparation - particularly, shelling the pistachios - took quite a while! (Note to self: buy pistachio kernels next time! And maybe even precooked chicken!) But other than that, I really liked this flavorful dish, especially the use of Chinese mustard which gives the rice a nice kick! I brought some for Maria the next day and she was impressed as well. She even claimed that she had fallen in love with Chinese mustard! Who knew Chinese mustard could be so powerful?

CHICKEN AND PISTACHIO FRIED RICE

Ingredients:

• 2-inch piece peeled ginger root
• 1 small clove garlic
• 2 to 3 scallions
• 2 to 3 ounces Chinese mustard greens (may substitute arugula)
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 pound cooked (skinless) chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cups cooked white rice, preferably cold (may substitute brown rice, cooked and cooled)
• 1 1/2 cups raw, unsalted pistachios, plus 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped, for garnish
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Chinese mustard (or adjust to taste - I like to use a little more than 1 tbsp)
  
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup (about 4 ounces) mung bean sprouts (for garnish)
  

Directions:

1. Mince the ginger to yield 1 tablespoon and the garlic to yield 1/2 teaspoon. Trim the root ends from the scallions; coarsely chop the white and light-green parts of the scallions (at least 1/4 cup). Wash, dry and cut enough of the mustard greens to yield 2 packed cups.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until the oil begins to smoke. While it is heating, shred the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.
3. Add the chicken to the wok or skillet and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until it is heated through and has picked up a little color. Transfer to a plate. (Clara's note: Be careful as the oil is *really* hot at this point, and will splatter when you place the chicken into the wok or skillet. Hot oil splattering onto your hands and arms = very painful!)
   
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil to the wok or skillet along with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil; when the oil is quite hot, add the ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 10 seconds or until the mixture is fragrant. Add the rice, pistachios, peas and scallions; stir-fry for 2 minutes.
5. Return the chicken to the wok or skillet along with the oyster sauce to taste, water, Chinese mustard and soy sauce; stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until the mixture is well combined and the rice has picked up a nice brown color. Add 1 cup of the mustard greens; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until they have wilted but are still a strong green color. Remove from the heat.
6. Place the remaining cup of mustard greens in a medium bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil and toss to coat evenly, then divide the dressed greens among individual plates.
7. Add the fried rice on top of the mustard greens or alongside; garnish with the chopped pistachios and bean sprouts. Serve hot.

Yield: 4-6 servings

I skipped the bean sprout garnish, 'cause I'm not a fan of raw bean sprouts and I was too hungry to care anyway.

Links:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2009/03/04/chicken-and-pistachio-fried-rice/

Vegetarian Hosomaki (Slender Sushi Rolls)

Sushi is one of my favorite foods, second only to Jeni's Ice Cream, so I was super excited to learn how to make my own sushi. My attempts in sushi making thus far has only entailed cucumber rolls and sweet potato rolls, and I must say, I'm not sure I'll ever graduate to the fish variety because sushi-grade fish is so outrageously expensive (at least at the two Japanese markets near me) that I might as well go to a sushi restaurant and pay a professional chef to make it for me! So for now, I'm sticking to vegetarian rolls, especially since it's something that my raw fish-phobic friends are willing eat! However, you can certainly use the recipe below to make hosomaki with fish as the filling; just make sure it is sushi-grade fish, or your tummy will be sorry!

The directions below is a combination of techniques I learned from the book that came with my sushi kit, various web sources (such as this one), and observations of my own.

VEGETARIAN HOSOMAKI (SLENDER SUSHI ROLLS)

Specialized equipment you'll need:

• Bamboo rolling mat, wrapped in saran wrap (but check this out)
• A sharp knife

Ingredients:

For hosomaki:

• Desired filling (e.g., cucumber, sweet potato, avocado, asparagus, carrot, etc.)
• 4-5 sheets of seaweed
• wasabi
  

For hosomaki preparation:

• Rice vinegar and water mixture (to seal the rolls and to moisten hands and knife so rice doesn't stick)

Condiments (should be available at your local supermarket):

• Japanese soy sauce
• wasabi (optional)
• pickled ginger (optional; used to cleanse palate)

Directions for rolls:

1. Prepare sushi rice according to recipe here.
2. Cook filling if necessary. Cut the filling into long strips.
3. Wrap bamboo mat with saran wrap (this prevents the rice from sticking to the mat which makes it hard to clean). Place mat on a dry chopping board. The bamboo sticks should be aligned horizontally (so you can roll the sushi forward).
4. Divide rice into 8 to 9 equal parts.
5. Divide a sheet of seaweed in half.
6. Place the halved sheet of seaweed horizontally on the bamboo mat, with the shiny-side faced down.
7. Dip hands in vinegared water mixture. Spread one part of rice on seaweed evenly and gently. At the far end of the seaweed, leave about a 1-inch space free of rice.
8. If desired, run a little wasabi along the rice at the end closest to you. Place desired filling on top of the wasabi.
9. Wet the strip of seaweed not covered in rice with vinegared water mixture.
10. Lift the front of the bamboo mat closest to you and roll the sushi. Tighten the roll by pressing firmly. The roll will stick to itself once you're done rolling.
11. Let the roll rest for a minute or so.
12. Run vinegared water along the cutting edge of a sharp knife. Cut the roll evenly into six pieces. (It's easier to first cut the roll in half and then each half into three even pieces.)
13. Repeat until you're done with all the ingredients.

Yields: 8-9 rolls (48-54 pieces)

Tips:

• It takes time to figure out how to make presentable sushi, but practice makes perfect!
• If the roll is too full, it won't stick to itself, so try using less rice. It may take a little experimenting before you figure out the most appropriate amount of rice to use. I've found the recommended amount above works for me.
  
• The vinegared water is the secret to not having rice all over your hands. It is also very important to dab it on your knife before cutting each roll; otherwise, it won't cut well.
• Sushi rice only lasts one day, so sushi should not be made ahead.
• Not all soy sauce is the same. Make sure you eat sushi with Japanese soy sauce, not Chinese soy sauce!
  
• Not all chopsticks are the same. Compared to Chinese chopsticks, Japanese chopsticks are shorter and have tapered ends (as opposed to the blunt ends on Chinese chopsticks) that make them easier to pick up delicate foods such as pickled ginger.

Rolling the hosomaki with a bamboo rolling mat.

Links:

• http://claralovesfood.blogspot.com/2009/03/sushi-rice.html (sushi rice recipe)
• http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Make_Sushi
• http://sushicup.com/making-of-maki-sushi-8/2007/07/11/
• Sushi kit

Sushi Rice

Since we're on the topic of sushi...

I got this sushi kit for my birthday this year and I'm (very) slowly starting to learn how to make my own sushi. And in honor of Washington, DC's annual cherry blossom festival, which begins this weekend, I thought I'd start a series on sushi-making. The first key to making good sushi is to make good sushi rice, and that's the focus of today's entry. The recipe below is adapted from multiple sources, mainly from the book that came with my sushi kit, but also from this RecipeZaar recipe.

SUSHI RICE

Specialized equipment you'll need:

• Wooden flat-bottom sushi rice bowl (looks like this), though a glass dish is OK as well

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups sushi rice
• 1½ cups water

For vinegar mixture:

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1½ tbsp mirin (available at Japanese markets, but may also be found at your local supermarket)
  
• 2¼ tbsp sugar
• 1½ tbsp salt

Directions:

1. Wash rice until water runs clear.
2. Drain rice for 1 hour in the winter, 30 mins in the summer.
3. Cook rice. (I use a rice cooker, but if you don't own one, follow the directions below.)
   
4. Combine rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
5. Spread the rice evenly in a shallow, flat-bottom wooden bowl or glass dish. Gently separate the grains with a spatula or a rice paddle and add the vinegar mixture at the same time. The rice should not be too moist.
6. Fan the rice until it reaches room temperature. Don't let it get too cool or it won't stick as well.
   

Directions for cooking rice without a rice cooker: (taken from RecipeZaar)

1. Add rice and water to pot.
2. Bring quickly to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
3. Cover the pot and DON'T touch it until the end, NO PEEKING.
4. Cook for 15 minutes before removing the pot from the heat but keep the lid CLOSED.
5. Let rice rest for 10 min and then remove the cover.

Yields: approximately 4 servings

Note that sushi rice only lasts one day, so it should not be made ahead.

Sushi rice is not just for traditional sushi rolls or nigiri, but can be enjoyed in other ways as well. Scatter fish over a bowl of sushi rice to make chirashi. I sometimes serve it with grilled salmon.

Check back on Thursday for an entry on my first experiment with sushi: vegetarian rolls!

Links:

• http://www.recipezaar.com/Minados-Perfect-Sushi-Rice-119373?scaleto=3
• http://www.amazon.com/Sushi-Deluxe-Book-Kumfoo-Wong/dp/1402729383/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3HHPK7CWBQU9E&colid=3NM0TEZGR3351

Bonus Weekender: Obama Sushi

Thanks to my friend Lisa for bringing my attention to this masterpiece from http://www.johnon.com/655/obama-sushi.html:

Amazing work!

Update (3/23/2009): I have since found a better article describing this sushi from http://www.tofugu.com/2009/02/18/obama-sushi/. It contains more pictures, including this one:

The original article, in Japanese, can be found here.

Ben's Chili Bowl (Washington, DC)

Ben's Chili Bowl in the U Street corridor is one of the most well-known landmarks in DC, so famous that even Barack Obama paid a visit the moment he stepped foot in his new hometown. Anyway, R. and I went there for lunch on a Monday around 2:00 pm, and even at that hour, there was a massive line at the joint. (I hate to imagine what it's like during regular meal hours!) I spent the 10 minutes I waited in line ogling the hot dog display and other patrons' meals. I can't believe I waited this long to indulge in all of Ben's chili glory, and ohhh, indulge we did! The chili really was amazing, and even though all that food made us feel like we were pregnant afterward (we ate so much!), it was totally worth it!

R. got a chili dog and I got a chili half-smoke. Yum!

And we shared an order of chili cheese fries. Mmm...so bad, yet sooo good!

We sat next to the table where Obama had sat during his visit. A large portrait commemorates this important day in Ben's history.


A sign behind the cashier informs patrons that, unless they are cool like Bill Cosby and the Obama family, they don't get to eat for free. (Although Barack paid anyway).

Pertinent info:
Address: 1213 U St. NW, Washington, DC 20009
Nearest intersection: U Street, between 12th and 13th Streets
Nearest Metro: U St/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (green & yellow lines)

Chicken Satay Stir-Fry with Orange Scented Jasmine Rice

Tried this Rachael Ray recipe with R. the other day. It's one of Rachael Ray's "30 Minute Meals," but don't believe it for a second unless you are Rachael Ray and have a kitchen-full of minions doing all the chopping and zesting and mincing for you. Hmph. For us lowly earthlings, the preparation alone took about 45 minutes (and there were two of us, too!). But the end result was absolutely delicious, and I now see why the recipe garnered a five-star rating. It is easily the best dish I've made so far - R. called it "restaurant quality" - though I don't think I can personally claim credit for that! I think there's just something about the combination of orange and ginger, and cooking the orange zest with the rice was a nice touch as well. On top of that, the dish is extremely easy to make, even if a little bit high maintenance (IMHO) with the massive list of ingredients! I've also discovered that this dish strangely tastes better as a leftover, after you've let the chicken absorb the sauce a bit. Anyhoo, here's how our dinner turned out:

Excellent dish for a special occasion. (I skipped the snow peas because I'm not a fan, but the dish was still great.)

CHICKEN SATAY STIR-FRY WITH ORANGE SCENTED JASMINE RICE

Ingredients:

• 3 3/4 cups water (Clara's note: 2 cups if using rice cooker)
  
• 2 oranges, zested
• 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds chicken breast tenders, 2 packages, sliced on an angle into bite-size pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, quartered and sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrots, store bought, or 2 medium carrots cut into matchsticks
• 6 scallions, cut on an angle into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup snow peas, a couple of handfuls

Satay sauce:

• 4 rounded tablespoonfuls chunky peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons dark soy, Tamari
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 orange, juiced

Garnish:

• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) chopped peanuts or nut topping, available on the baking aisle
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Heat water with orange zest to boiling. Add rice, return to boil, stir. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook rice until tender, 18 minutes. Fluff with fork. (Clara's note: If using rice cooker, combine 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of water, and orange zest and cook according to manufacturer's directions.)
2. For stir-fry, heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken, garlic and onion, stir-fry 3 minutes.
3. Add remaining veggies and stir-fry 5 minutes more.
   
4. Heat all ingredients for sauce together in a small pot over low heat, stirring the sauce until all ingredients are combined.
   
5. Transfer stir-fry to a large platter and pour sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle the platter with chopped nuts, cilantro, and basil.
   
6. Serve jasmine rice in a separate dish with an ice cream scoop to serve the rice with - it makes perfect, pretty, round portions of rice on the dinner plates.
   

Yields: 4-6 servings

And now, it's time for a little gadget-talk...

Instead of following Rachael Ray's directions for cooking rice, I used a rice cooker. I love this little gadget. My dad bought it for me at a little Asian store in Toronto (so you know it's good stuff). It is computerized so it detects when the rice is done, and it is also programmable so you can set the rice cooker in the a.m. and come home in the evening to warm, freshly cooked rice! The rice comes out perfectly every time and NEVER sticks to the bottom of the inner bowl. And I must say, the retractable cord is pretty sweet, too! If you happen to be in the market for a rice cooker, this is one I give high marks to!

Links:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-satay-stir-fry-with-orange-scented-jasmine-rice-recipe/index.html

Bonus Weekender: H Mart (Various Locations)

Last night I went to heaven...

OK, not really, but I did go to the Asian supermarket chain H Mart in for the first time. Located in a creepy little strip mall on Georgia Ave. in Wheaton, MD (see their website for other locations across the DC area and the USA), it is not too far from the Target store I frequent, so I don't know what took me so long to discover this gem. And, I have to admit (embarrassingly so), I had never been so excited about an Asian supermarket before. I was like a kid in a candy store! Growing up in Toronto, Asian supermarkets are really nothing special, but now that I live in DC and there isn't an Asian supermarket at every street corner, suddenly it feels so great to have a place where I can get authentic Asian stuff. Even though H Mart is mainly a Korean supermarket, they carry a large variety of other Asian products. I was looking for items specific to the Chinese cuisine for a couple of my recipes, and I found everything I needed, plus more. Not only that, even products that regular supermarkets carry are cheaper at H Mart. For example, a 5-lb bag of sushi rice sells for $9.99 at my local area Giant store, but only $6.99 at H Mart! Sample items I was excited to see at H Mart: taro roots, choy sum, lap cheong, Chinese donuts, a variety of Lee Kum Kee sauces, different kinds of rice noodles, Maggi seasoning sauce, champagne mangoes, and much, much more. (Bring on the nostalgia!) Now, if only they carried purple yam (ube) ice cream and dofuhua, too, then this place would really be heaven!

Sights from the store:

My favorite aisle: the Asian snack aisle. My favorite gummy candy is near the top shelf.


A variety of Japanese and Korean noodles.


They also sell random Asian goods, which means lots of Hello Kitty stuff, but also things like hair clips, slippers, cosmetics, and humidifiers. (I did say "random," didn't I?)

Now, this H Mart is a good 20- to 25-minute drive from my place, so I don't anticipate making weekly trips there, but I'm definitely glad this place exists to satisfy my Asian food cravings! (Granted, there's also a Chinese supermarket up in Rockville that might carry an even better selection of Chinese groceries, but that's just a bit out of my way.) And to top it all off, H Mart doesn't stink!

Pertinent Info:
Address:12015 Georgia Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902
Phone: (301)942-5701

Mamma Lucia (Silver Spring, MD)

When R. arrived in town for spring break, we headed straight from the airport to Mamma Lucia in Silver Spring for lunch. This is our favorite pizza place in town. I discovered this restaurant when I used to live within walking distance from it, and even though I no longer live around the corner, we still love to come back for pizza every time he's in town. In addition to pizza, Mamma Lucia serves other Italian fare as well, and though I find their pastas a little greasy, they are quite tasty. We also love the ambience of the restaurant and the fact that they play Italian music. R. says it makes him feel like he's in Italy.

Our lunch.

We each got a slice thin crust pizza but they also have the thick crust variety as well, and I must say, I'm definitely not a fan of thick crust pizza (just not a dough kind of person) but I LOVE Mamma Lucia's thick crust pizzas! We took advantage of the 70-degree weather and enjoyed our pizzas outside. What a nice start to spring break!

A word of caution about Mamma Lucia, though. We've been to one of their other locations (in Bethesda) but the food was not nearly the same as the stuff they serve in Silver Spring!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I started with a super delicious banana bread recipe and added some chocolate chips. The result? Siiiiiinfully good chocolate chip banana bread!! And absolutely share-worthy! Here's the (very slightly) modified recipe:

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten (I always use an egg substitute)
  
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
• 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and mix well.
   
4. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 70 to 80 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Best time to enjoy this bread is fresh out of the oven, no questions about it!

Links:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Banana-Bread/Detail.aspx (original banana bread recipe)

Voodoo Kitchen Products

I love crazy toys for the kitchen! I discovered this knife holder through my sister, who saw it during a trip she went on last weekend. Some might find it disturbing; I happen to think it is hilarious! (And regardless of what your visceral reaction may be, you've gotta admit it's quite creative.) Oh, and I love how it's called "The Ex." Nice touch, Raffaele Iannello. I'll bet it is cheaper than therapy, though perhaps not quite as effective if one is aiming to find inner peace...

If stabbing a knife rack shaped like your "ex" is just a little too gruesome for you, yet you find the idea of voodoo therapy appealing, may I suggest a slightly less aggressive approach - poking him/her with toothpicks:

Oh yeah, poke him right there in the eye! "Ouch" is right!

Oh, how I love crazy toys for the kitchen!

Amazon.com links for more product details:
"The Ex" 5-Piece Stainless-Steel Knife Set with Unique Holder (in red)
Fred "Ouch" Toothpick Holder (in white)

Dining Out for Life: Raku (Bethesda, MD)

Last night I attended the Washington, DC edition of Dining Out for Life. DOL is a multi-city event in which participating restaurants donate a certain percentage of your bill (in DC it ranged from 25-100%) to support adults and children suffering from HIV/AIDS as well as other serious illnesses. I was invited to last night's dinner by my other sushi buddy and former neighbor Janet, who pretty much spends 110% of her time doing some sort of charity work. And she served as a volunteer ambassador at last night's event (which entails waaay more than just eating and paying) even though it was her birthday! Gosh, that girl's amazing.

Anyway, Janet was stationed at Raku, a pan-Asian restaurant located in downtown Bethesda, in trendy Bethesda Row. I had been here once before for sushi and it was amazing - one of the best places for sushi in the DC area, in my humble opinion. (I also like Spices but that's for another blog, and of course, Yirasai which I wrote about the other day.) This time, I was tempted to try Raku's non-sushi fare, but in the end I couldn't resist the Jo Nigiri ("Sushi Deluxe"). For $20.50 I was served 12 pieces of super fresh fish (including sea urchin and salmon roe), plus I got conned into forking out an extra $3.50 for the fresh wasabi from Japan. Just kidding, I wasn't conned, but I did have to pay extra for it.

Jo Nigiri + fresh wasabi from Japan

The sushi was simply delicious. The salmon melted in my mouth - I love it when salmon does that! Everybody else seemed very happy with their food, be it sushi or other types of dishes. The fresh wasabi was a bit pricey but I justified the order by reminding myself that it was for charity. Besides, I guess it was worth it because fresh wasabi is supposedly very difficult to come by even in Japan! (I must admit I didn't even know such a thing existed until yesterday!) The fresh wasabi tasted good, hot but not nearly as strong as the regular (fake?) wasabi. I didn't get the watery eyes/runny nose reaction that I usually get with regular wasabi. A follow-up internet search revealed that fresh wasabi is basically grated wasabi rhizomes while regular wasabi is made with a combination of mustard and horseradish (mmm...probably why I like it so much!), so I guess that explains the difference in taste.

All in all, I really enjoyed Raku, and am glad to have been able to take part in the charity event. Who doesn't love yummy food for a great cause?? For a future event near you, please check out the Dining Out for Life website!

Links:

• http://www.yelp.com/biz/raku-an-asian-diner-bethesda
• http://www.diningoutforlife.com/
  

Pertinent info:
Address: 7240 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
Nearest intersection: Wisconsin Ave NW & Bethesda Ave (just south of East-West Hwy)
Nearest Metro: Bethesda (Red line)

Honey Curry Squash

I saw this recipe on Ken's blog and my eyes lit up. Anything with the word "curry" in it will do that to me. ;) Anyway, Ken got the recipe from the November issue of the Cooking Light magazine. His recipe calls for 1/2 an acorn squash, but since I didn't know what the heck I was going to do with the rest of the squash, I went ahead and cooked the whole thing. Which meant almost doubling the baking time he recommended (I did 30 mins). Which meant I ended up overbaking them a little, but I tend to like my veggies a bit overcooked anyway so they were fine by me. Another snag I ran into was that my 6" chef's knife was apparently not quite large enough for easy cutting of the squash (I'm talking about my Henckels knife too, not the cheap Target one!). Seriously, I was worried about incurring a senseless cooking injury while attempting to cut the squash. Just imagine the headline: Idiot Amateur Cook Stabs Herself in the Eye while Carving Squash. Yikes. Anyway, I just saw a 7" Santoku knife on clearance (and ordered it, of course) so maybe that will help, but someday I think a cleaver would be really awesome. Yeah, petite little me and a huge cleaver. Of course, this was all before discovering this tip from About.com on microwaving the squash for 2 minutes before carving. Hmm...will have to try that next time. Anyway, this dish came out super well and makes a fabulous side dish. And the best part is that it's extremely easy to make. Thanks, Ken!

And without further adieu, here's the recipe according to how I made it:

HONEY CURRY SQUASH

Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash, cubed, seeds removed
• 1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 oz (1/8 cup) golden raisins
• 3 tbsp honey
• curry powder, to taste
• cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500°F.
2. Toss squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Cover dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tender.
4. Toss remaining ingredients and serve.
5. Optional: Sprinkle a little curry powder on top before serving.

The dish was tasty, but I wish my picture had turned out as awesome as Ken's!

Links:
http://kencooks.blogspot.com/2008/11/honey-curry-squash.html

Yirasai Sushi and Cafe (Bethesda, MD)

I decided to take a break from writing (a research manuscript) to...write a blog entry. Go figure.

Anyway, I drive by this little unassuming Japanese restaurant every weekend en route to the grocery store. I've been curious about this place since Day 1, because having sushi options near my place of residence is a wonderful thing. I finally decided to look up Yirasai on Yelp and discovered, to my surprise, that it has garnered rave reviews! Surprised, because the location of the restaurant is rather subpar (more on that later). Anyway, encouraged by the reviews, I dragged my most obvious victim, I mean, my sushi buddy, Moe, over to try it out last night.

The restaurant is not very big, and the ambience is fairly casual, but the food is excellent! I got the Sushi Delight for $17 (quite reasonable!) and it came with a California roll plus nine pieces of nigiri - all fish (even eel!) - no silly tamago egg or anything like that. And I don't usually make comments about the California roll 'cause, I mean, it's pretty standard fare. But Yirasai made it GOOD. They used real crab meat and it tasted fresh. The nigiri was fresh and mouth-watering as well. Moe liked his tuna sushi and soba noodles with shrimp tempura and said he'll be back again.

Oh, and we also ran into some former high-ranking politician, whose name has already slipped my mind. I think he's a Republican.

The biggest drawback of Yirasai, I believe, is its location. The restaurant is tucked in a weird corner inside a creepy plaza and the restaurant is not at all visible from the main street (River Road). Not only that, the parking situation is strange to say the least - there is limited parking on the River Road side of the plaza, but it's not clear how you would get from that parking to the restaurant. Then, there is also a parking lot on Westbard Ave that's not directly attached to the plaza. When it's dark, cold, and snowy outside (as was the case last night), the whole plaza and the area surrounding it feels very shady. And finally, it is not immediately clear where the entrance of the restaurant is because it doesn't look like a real entrance. (But in case anyone reading this ever goes there, the door facing Westbard Ave that doesn't look like a door is, indeed, the entrance.)

Overall, this is a great little restaurant and I'll definitely go back (but maybe not on a creepy dark night). I wish I had taken photos of my food, but alas, I didn't. Perhaps I'll take one next time I go there.

UPDATE (5/10/2009): As promised, I took a picture when I went back to Yirasai Friday night. See it here.

Links:

• http://www.yelp.com/biz/yirasai-sushi-and-cafe-bethesda
• http://www.nbcwashington.com/around_town/dining/Yirasai-Sushi-And-Cafe-Bethesdas-Best-Kept-Secret.html

Pertinent info:
Address: 5110 Ridgefield Rd, Bethesda, MD 20816
Nearest intersection: River Rd & Ridgefield Rd (just north of Little Falls Pkwy)
Nearest Metro: none, sorry

Garden Baked Potato Casserole

This recipe is a personal creation, with some of the ideas borrowed from a recipe card I was once gifted at a White Elephant party. (Random, I know.) It's fairly easy to make and works great as a side dish, though I actually enjoy it as an entree myself. The secret is in the ranch dressing - it gives the dish a little tangy kick.

GARDEN BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 oz frozen chopped broccoli
• 8 oz frozen green peas
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup light ranch salad dressing
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or use 2 tsp dried parsley flakes)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 °F.
2. Microwave pierced potatoes on HIGH for 12 minutes, then bake for 30-40 minutes or until done.
3. While potatoes are baking, cook broccoli and peas according to package instructions.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add onion and mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
5. When potatoes are done, scoop them into a large bowl.
6. Add salad dressing to the potatoes. Mash potatoes using a potato masher or a hand mixer.
7. Add onion, mushrooms, broccoli, peas, salt, pepper, and parsley to the potato mixture. Mix well.
8. Scoop potato mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

The finished product.

Serves: 6-8 as a side dish, 4-5 as a main course

One of my favorite gadgets to use for chopping veggies is my Chop Wizard. I saw it on one of those <~embarrassing admission alert~> infomercials, and had R. get it for me for my birthday one year. Or was it Christmas? Anyway, it is a fantastic gadget to have, especially for chopping onions. No more tears!! And clean up is easy, just throw it into the dishwasher.

Chop wizard in action.


It has a built in measuring cup, too! Just stand the chop wizard upright.

Mini Mushroom and Sausage Quiches

I've always had pretty good luck with recipes I've found on Yahoo! Food, so when I came across this one the other day I wanted to try it out right away. End result: The mini quiches turned out amazing, and I immediately deemed the recipe share-worthy. :) The only thing I would add to it, though, is salt. For me, these mini quiches will come in handy when I need a relatively healthy breakfast option (i.e., NOT muffins or Mickey D's) after using the gym at work in the mornings. (In fact, I'm enjoying some for breakfast right now.) They'd probably make a good snack or an appetizer item, too. Oh, the possibilities! The one problem I did run into was that my local area supermarket apparently doesn't carry turkey breakfast sausage, so instead I had to use the only other kind available (pork). Don't let the mini size deceive you, they were more filling than I thought. And they're just 115 calories per quiche (OK, probably a little higher when made with pork).

Mini mushroom and sausage quiches. Too bad I lack the photography skills to make them look like this. But they TASTE good!

Here's the recipe, with minor modifications:

MINI MUSHROOM AND SAUSAGE QUICHES

Ingredients:

• 8 oz turkey (or pork) breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 5 eggs (egg substitutes, like Egg Beaters, work as well)
  
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup 1% milk
• salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.
3. Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Add salt. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.
4. Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.

Yield: 12 servings

Additional tips from Yahoo:

• A good-quality nonstick muffin tin works best for this recipe. If you don't have one, line a regular muffin tin with foil baking cups.
• If making ahead, individually wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.

Nutrition info (per serving): Calories: 115 kcal | Carbohydrates: 2 g | Dietary Fiber: 0 g | Fat: 7 g | Protein: 10 g | Sugars: 1 g

Link to the original recipe:
http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/eatingwell/408/mini-mushroom-and-sausage-quiches