Kare Kare - Oxtail Stew with Peanut Sauce

Jul 29, 2009

I've never cooked oxtails before and when I saw them at American grocery store, I thought I'd give it a shot. It was kind of strange to see them there as I've only seen them in Asian Supermarket. I guess it's becoming popular or I've just never noticed them before. I've asked several friends how they cook oxtail, and they told me that they make soup or stew since the meat is very tough and the meat needs to cook for a while. I saw Emeril make oxtail stew on his show using Cajun ingredients which I thought was interesting. In the "old country" as my friend Ana would say, oxtails are very popular and it is often used in a dish called Kare Kare which is a stew made in peanut sauce. If you're at a Filipino party you'll see Kare Kare on the buffet table and it's a great treat. I've made Kare Kare when I younger and I remember I always used powder mixes which still calls for peanut butter. This time, I thought I'd give it a shot without it. It turned out great, the oxtail was very tender, fall off the bone, the sauce had a buttery nutty texture to it, and the thickness was just right, not too thick and not too thin. The condiment used with Kare Kare is salted shrimp which gives it another element of flavor.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb of Oxtails
1 lb of beef tripe, diced into bite size pieces, 3" squares
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of long string beans, cut into 3 - 4 inch segments
3 cups of eggplant, diced approximately 2-3 Japanese eggplant
4 bunch bok choy, sliced quartered
banana blossoms from 1 banana bud
2 cups of peanut butter
2 tbs of vegetable oil
6 -8 cups of water
salt and pepper
shrimp paste to taste



I wasn't sure what to do with a Banana Blossom, recipes online called for the heart but I wasn't sure how to prepare it. As I peeled the leaves layer by layer I saw these blossoms. I had recalled eating this back when I was little and so I used it for the stew.
When you peel the entire blossom, you get these blossoms which look like bean sprouts.

Directions:
Season oxtails with salt and pepper, brown oxtails on medium heat with vegetable oil. Add garlic, onions, tripe and add water. Let it boil for 1 hour and if residue rises, remove with ladle. In a bowl, combine peanut butter with some broth and whisk until smooth. In a cup, add 2 tbs of starch with 1/2 cup of stock. Add peanut butter mixture and start mixture. Add fish sauce to taste. Add vegetables and let it cook until tender.

Serve with rice and shrimp paste to taste.

Ana's Birthday Lunch at Nola's

Jul 28, 2009

I took Ana to Nola's, a Cajun restaurant in Palo Alto for her birthday lunch. She has never been before and I was excited to take her there. The place looks like a cutout of the french quarter in New Orleans and the food is a combination of Cajun and Southwestern which is absolutely delicious. The place was not as crowded which was a surprise and were seated right away. Ana ordered a cup of crab soup, and bbq shrimps on grits. For me, I ordered the Jamburrito which is basically a jambalaya burrito and it was delicious.

After lunch, we watched The Ugly Truth and UP. The Ugly Truth had it's funny moments but not truly a must see summer movie. UP on the other had is phenomenal and is a must watch.

Soft Tacos with Drunken Pork Carnitas

Jul 22, 2009

Hidden in the back of the refrigerator, I saw the bag of corn tortillas still half full. I wanted to use all of it but I didn't want to make enchiladas again and so I set out to make tacos. I had pork picnic shoulder that I had defrosted for a Thai dish that I was going to make but I was craving Mexican food. The meat had the skin attached to it along with the fat which I call Flavor. I am sure that thit will give it a buttery taste. Since I'm big fan of beer, I love to incorporate it in my cooking as much as I can. The beer is a great tenderizer and gives any food full of flavor. I braised my carnitas with Hefeweizen but any beer will do.

Ingredients:
3 lbs of pork picnic shoulder
2 tbs of olive oil or vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbs of chili powder
1 tbs of paprika
1/2 tbs of oregano
3 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, chopped
salt and pepper
3 bottles of beer
corn tortillas

Condiments:
tomatoes, seeded and diced
Cilantro, finely chopped
radishes, diced or sliced
fresh lime

Directions:
In a medium high heat, add olive oil on pot. Add pork and sear on each side for 4 minutes. This will caramelize the meat and seal the flavor. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, oregano and 3 bottles of beer. Cover and cook for 2 1/2 hours in low heat until the meat falls apart with a fork. Check the meat occasionally to make sure it hasn't dried out, if you see it drying out just add more beer or water.

Thai Lemongrass Chicken

Jul 20, 2009

I have never cooked with Lemongrass before and so when I was at the Asian market I had to get some. It looks like a long yellow grass stalk with a citrus smell hence the name lemongrass. I had originally wanted to make a Vietnamese dish but I saw coconut milk and decided to make a dish with flavors. AsI was going through the frozen aisle they had frozen chopped lemongrass. I was tempted to buy some but I wanted to chop it myself but it's good to know that you can freeze it for later use. When chopping the lemongrass peel away a few layers as it is very tough and dry, the white portion what has the flavor.







Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breast, diced
2 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced (use only the white part of the lemongrass)
1 tbs of ginger, finely diced
1 tbs of red onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup of thai basil leaves
1 cup of coconut milk
1 tbs of fish sauce
1 red chili pepper, sliced
2 tbs of sesame oil
juice of 1 lime aproximately 1 tbs
zest of 1 lime
2 -3 peanuts, chopped

Directions:
Saute garlic, ginger, lemon grass in sesame oil. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the lemongrass has soften. Add Chicken and cook until cooked golden brown. Add fish sauce and chili pepper. Add lime juice and zest, coconut milk and add basil leaves before serving. Sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts if desired.

Korean Barbecue Short Ribs

Jul 15, 2009

I had my first Korean style short-ribs at a restaurant in Sunnyvale, CA called Palace BBQ Buffet a long long time ago. It had been a long anticipation, the banner sign "coming soon" made me curious and eager for Korean Food. When the time finally came, it was a great surprise. The waitress seats you, turns on the table gas grill , directs you to the buffet, and unleashes you to the islands of unlimited variety of Korean Food. The most important island was the meat island filled with uncooked marinated beef short-ribs, pork, chicken, and seafood. My plate quickly filled with height like a mountain. I quickly returned to table to cook my meat on the grill. The meat was delicious and very tender.

When I was at the Asian market the other day I saw the short-ribs and I had to have them. They had marinated ones but what's the fun in that. I wanted to make my own so I know what I'm putting in there. The meat had nice marbling and fat so you can't go wrong with that...you know that the meat will just melt in your mouth like butter. I made an easy marinade with all the elements of Korean: soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, onions, sugar, and chili.


Ingredients:
3-4 lbs of beef short ribs

Marinade:
1 1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 tbs of sesame oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 stalks of green onions, finely sliced
1 tbs of ginger, minced
1/4 of a medium size red onion, rough chopped
2 tbs of toasted sesame seeds
2 thai chili peppers, chopped (optional)

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients for the marinade mix and place in zip lock bag, add beef short ribs and let it marinate over night.
Turn on gas grill and let it warm up for 5-10 minutes, cook short ribs for 5-6 minutes on each side or until cooked.
For charcoal grill, place over glowing coals and cook for 5-8 minutes each side

Serve with your favorite Kimchi and rice...Enjoy!

No Crust Quiche

Jul 14, 2009

When I think of Quiche, I think about this pie filled with creamy cheesy custard full of surprising ingredients. When you bite into it, you taste the flakiness of the crust, the melting cheese, the eggs, and the saltiness of meat. I love eating and making my quiche the way I want. I use whatever I have and what I like, and I often use left overs like grilled steak or grilled vegetables. I make mine today for lunch with bacon and vegetables without a crust as I didn't have time to make a crust, and ate it with a small side salad.

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
3 slices of bacon
1/2 cup of cream
1 1/2 cup of broccoli, crowns cut bite size
1 cup of diced Monterey jack cheese, or shredded or any cheese desired
1 clove of garlic, diced
1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Slice bacon into half an inch and cook in a medium heat pan, and cook until golden brown
Drain excess bacon fat and saute minced garlic, broccoli , and saute until tender
In a bowl, beat eggs, add cream, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste
Spray pie tin with olive oil spray or cooking spray, sprinkle bacon, broccoli, add egg mixture, and place sliced tomatoes on top
Bake the quiche at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes clean

Turkey Enchiladas

Jul 9, 2009

I was first introduced with Mexican food by my childhood friend who I met back in 4th grade. She lived on the same street as I did and I used to go to her house all the time to hang out and most importantly eat. She made me try everything that her mom cooked and I was hooked ever since. Her mom's cooking was so good that I purposely drove by during dinner time with the hope that they were having dinner. I miss her mom's cooking and I wished I paid a little more attention to how she prepared everything. I'll have to do a drive-by one of these days during dinner time to "say hello," and go straight to the kitchen just like the good old days. I was at the market and I saw tortillas and I stood in front of it briefly to think about what I would do with them. Tacos? or Enchiladas? I bought them To my surprise, when I got home, I found these packets.


Recipe will be up shortly...stay tuned

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Jul 1, 2009

It's summer time and there's no other way to eat than with your fingers. I love eating with my fingers especially with friends because it's interactive and a lot of fun. Today, for dinner, I decided to make Asian Lettuce Wraps. They're usually served as appetizers at restaurants such as PF Chang's or Elephant Bar but they're also great as the main course. Lettuce wraps are full of flavor, easy to make, and delicious. The recipe that I made up was what I had. You can use chicken, beef, or turkey grounded, minced, or sliced. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb of pork shoulder, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbs of teriyaki sauce
1 tbs of chili garlic sauce, more or less depending on taste
1 tbs of ginger, minced
1 tbs of Chinese all spice powder
1 tbs of Korean hot pepper paste (more sweet than spicy)
2 tbs of sesame oil
1/2 tbs of roasted sesame seeds
5-6 green leaf lettuce or iceburg lettuce or butter head lettuce
sarachi sauce (optional)

Directions:
Combine pork, garlic, teriyaki sauce, ginger, all spice, korean hot pepper paste in a zip lock bag and marinate it for 30 minutes or longer (the better)
In a hot skillet or wok, add 2 tbs of sesame oil. Add pork, and cook for 5-8 minutes until browned.

To assemble, add a little bit of pork on onto lettuce, add sarrachi sauce if desired.