Mochi Party

 DAY BEFORE PREP 

Mochi uses raw cornstarch (or katakuriko/potato starch) as the coating.  Depending on who you ask cornstarch may not be good to eat raw. For the utmost food safety, bake 3/4 C of cornstarch and 1 TB powdered sugar at 350F for 5 minutes or until 160F.   When done, stone in a glass container. 

Pressure cook adzuki (red beans)  does not require soaking beans! Place 250 g dried adzuki beans in pressure cooker with 4 C water. optional add vanilla bean. pressure cook 25 minutes, then let it sit for 20 minutes (natural release). Open the lid, check that beans are soft. Strain the cooked beans and the liquid, reserve some liquid.  Dissolve 1 C sugar  and 1/4tsp salt into the hot beans. Blend in Vitamix, pour into a container and chill. 

Optional: Pressure cook taro (peeled, cubed taro. steamer basket. instant pot. 10 minutes "Steam" button).  Mash and add sugar and nondairy milk until it's a good taste and texture (inspiration1, inspiration2,  purple sweet potato variation)

Optional: pressure cook white beans (cannelini, navy, or some people like lima beans), flavor with sugar, cocoa, peanut butter, black sesame paste etc. 

Scoop the pastes with small cookie scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze.  Frozen fillings are much easier to wrap mochi around!  

DAY OF 

Pour the baked cornstarch/sugar mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking tray. This is where hot mochi dough will go later. 

In a large microwave save ceramic or glass bowl, combine: 

1 C glutinous rice flour, "mochiko". You can use Shiratamako but I can't taste the difference and mochiko is easier to find at the store! 

1/4 C powdered sugar 

1 TB cornstarch (raw is fine b/c we will cook this) 

1 C water (or non dairy milk) 

Zap mochi dough in microwave for 1 minute. Stir with silicone/rubber spatula. Zap for another 1 minute. Stir. Zap for 30 seconds and stir. continue until the raw wet spots are either gone or very very small. 

Stir in 1 TB avocado or neutral oil, you will have to kind of massage it into the mochi dough with the spatula. Be careful b/c it's very hot. 

Spread the mochi out on the prepared cornstarched sheet. Let cool for 5-10 minutes until it's not burning your hands to touch it. 

Bring the frozen fillings out. Place muffin cups (silicone or paper) in a a tray. 

Cut off a small chunk of mochi dough (like 1-2 TB? some people weigh it but I'm lazy). Flatten with your hands, brush off excess cornstarch with a pastry brush. If it's too sticky use more cornstarch on your hands. 

Wrap the mochi around frozen filling, seal the mochi onto itself. Shape it around the frozen filling with your hands. Optional: press it in mooncake molds to make a "snowskin" shape. 

Place in muffin cup ( Use cupcake liners to keep each mochi separate from each other. )  

Let the mochi rest: the hot exterior will cool and the frozen interior will soften up in 30-60 minutes.  Eat day of or lasts 2 days in the fridge. 

If you want to be extra fancy and put some powder on top: don't do this in advance!! A little bit of matcha + some grainy granulated sugar on top is delicious, but sugar is hygroscopic and the mochi will get gooey if you leave it like that. 

C's instant pot chicken curry

Throw into instant pot:  

1 TB yellow curry paste

frozen cooked sliced chicken 

3/4 lb frozen brocoli

6 small potatoes, diced  

1.5C water

1/2 tsp salt 

Cook in instant pot (pressure cook) 4 minutes 

When done cooking, stir in cashew cream (1/4 C cashew + 1/2 C water, blended) 

season to taste with 

lime/lemon juice

sugar

fish sauce

serve with naan bread

Spring Rolls and Vietnamese dipping sauce

 I finally got the proportions right! These are refreshing salad or spring rolls, and a great way to eat up a lot of produce! 

PREP 

Open a firm tofu package, we will use only about half of a 16oz tofu box. Slice into domino shaped pieces. Place between two rimmed cookie sheets, weigh it down and let it sit for 15 minutes or more to squeeze out the liquid. Drain. 

snap rice vermicelli noodles into 4-6" long strands. Soak in hot boiling water for 3 minutes or until soft and white/opaque color. Strain, pour cool water over them, strain again. Let sit. 

Cut cucumbers into thin long strands

Use food processor to grate 2 carrots

Mince mint, basil, cilantro 

SAUCE 

inspired by this NYT recipe, but omitting the garlic since it's uncooked (to reduce heartburn potential). In a small jar, mix: 

2.5 TB sugar

1/4 C lime juice

2 TB fish sauce (red boat brand) 

1 or 2 birds eye chilis sliced thin 

If you can't get the sugar to dissolve, then nuke in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Then refrigerate to chill. 

ASSEMBLY 

In a large glass pan like a pie pan, pour hot water.  Dip rice sheets one at a time into hot water to soften, remove immediately. 

Layer the fillings, then wrap up tightly. Set on a baking sheet or large plate, do not let them touch each other (or they will stick). 

Serve with chilled dipping sauce. 

Leftovers will last 1 day but will start to get hard if you leave them too long. 

Thai Basil Chicken

Inspired by eating this or similar dishes at Thai restaurants, and now that we are eating chicken again, I found some recipes for Thai Basil chicken and liked the Woks of Life version  but thought it needed more sugar. I was afraid to use the full amount of chiles, but I was wrong! It was delicious but didn't make enough for much leftovers, so doubled the recipe and added our changes below. 

PREP

Dice 10-12 cloves garlic

slice 6-8 shallots 

4 birds eye red chilis (the small long narrow ones) 

pull the leaves off of basil until you have about a cup or 2C of basil leaves

Finely mince 2 lbs raw chicken breast (or use ground chicken) 

Pour sauce ingredients into a small jar: 

4 TB soy sauce

2 TB fish sauce 

2 TB sugar

COOK 

On the stove, heat a big pan. Add 1 TB high heat oil (avocado, canola etc.) and swirl. 

Cook garlic, shallots and chiles for a couple minutes until starting to get golden brown. 

Add the chicken, stir and cook until all white (no longer pink). 

Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir, let it bubble and reduce a bit. When there's less liquid in the pan and it looks nearly done and chicken fully cooked through, add the basil. Stir to combine and let the basil wilt, about 30-60 seconds. 

Serve with rice, and optional chili crisp. 

Kung Pao Walnut Tofu

 Like kung pao Chinese takeout but I don't often have peanuts on hand! https://thewoksoflife.com/kung-pao-tofu-vegan-vegetarian/#recipe

Cut one pound tofu into cubes, press. Drain. 

Mix up the tofu coating slurry: 

1/3 C cornstarch

1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt 

1/4 C water

Once tofu is drained, toss with the slurry. set aside. 

Mix up the stir fry sauce, set aside. This was actually very much like restaurant kung pao, I was impressed with how plain /pantry staple the ingredients are. 

2/3 C warm water

1 TB soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce (kecap manis) 

1.5 tsp rice vinegar

0.5 tsp sesame oil 

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cornstarch 

Meanwhile, do some mise en place to prep: 

break apart 2 dried red chili peppers, toss the seeds. 

mince or microplane 1 TB ginger

mince 3 cloves garlic 

slice 3 scallions/green onions

chop 2 carrots into peanut sized pieces

chop 2 stalks celery into peanut sized pieces

In hot pan, add 1/4 C avocado oil. Fry up 2/3 C walnuts  for a few minutes but do no burn.  Using slotted spoon, pull the walnuts out of the pan and set aside. 

Fry the tofu in 2 batches. Let it sit undisturbed until it browns and releases from the pan. set aside. 

Reserving the oil in the pan, fry up the carrots and celery. Add the ginger and chilies. Then add the garlic and green onions. 

Pour in the sauce and let it bubble. 

Pour the toasted walnuts and fried tofu and stir to coat. 

Serve over hot rice. 

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Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (vegetarian)

 Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. discard seeds. Pressure steam for 7 minutes. When the squash has cooled slightly, use a fork to pull apart the spaghetti squash strands.  Drain if necessary. Reserve the hot steaming water. 

Beat 2-3 eggs. Add <=1 C shredded parmesan cheese and 1/4 tsp salt to the egg mixture. 

finely dice 1 clove garlic.  crush 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper.  

Rough chop 2-3 tomatoes. Chiffonade slice basil. 

In hot pan (large enough to hold the squash eventually), add 1-2 TB olive oil. Toast the garlic and black pepper in the hot oil but do not burn. Add tomatoes and stir. Add the sqaush strands and stir. 

slowly pour some hot steaming water into the eggs, continuously stirring so they don't curdle.  Now that you've warmed up the egg mixture, slowly pour egg mixture into the hot pan over the squash. Stir to keep it from curdling. Throw the basil in at the last minute. Serve immediately. 

 

Soy Curl Satay Skewers

Combine one 8oz package of soy curls with hot water to rehydrate. Drain and press out excess water.  (Pro-tip: use the largest pieces of soy curls, you may need to sort through a couple bags and use the big pieces from each bag)

Mix up marinade:  

1 TB Maple syrup

2 TB avocado oil

2 TB soy sauce

1 tsp lemongrass paste

1 tsp sriracha 

1/8 tsp ginger powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Stir the hydrated soy curls in the marinate. Then thread onto skewers.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Broil at 500 F for 15 minutes. Then flip and boil another 5-7minutes. 

Serve with soba or vermichelli noodles, peanut sauce, veggies. 

Blackberry Vodka Spritzers

Make blackberry vodka by combining washed blackberries and vodka in a glass jar. Let sit for a few weeks, then strain. 

For Vodka spritzer, combine: 

1 TB blackberry vodka 

1 tsp lime juice 

1/4 C simple syrup (sugar + water ) 

about 3/4 C sparkling water

C's Favorite Veggie Soup (Instant pot)

 Chop 1 onion and 4-5 cloves garlic. Heat instant pot on saute function.

 When warm, add 1 TB oil. Then saute the onion and garlic in ¼  tsp salt

When carmelized, turn off saute function. Add cracked black pepper , 2 bay leaf, ½ tsp dried thyme. 

Meanwhile, chop veggies: 

3 carrots

2 stalks celery 

1 large russet potato (skin on) 

Optional: 1-2 C chopped green cabbage

Drop these into instant pot. 

Add 1 package veggie stock/broth (32 oz), approx 3 C water and 2-3 C frozen cooked chickpeas

Pour in enough extra water to come to the top of veggies. 

Seal and pressure cook for 5-8 minutes. 

Season with salt (1TB for normal folks, or 1/2 TB for lower salt diet) and 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar 

Serve with crusty bread

Make ahead Sweet Potato Freezer Burritos

Make enchilada sauce: mix chili spices in a ramekin. In hot pan add 2 TB oil and 2 TB flour and toast. then add the spices, then tomato paste (or tomato paste concentrate). deglaze with 1.75 C veg broth.  Simmer to thicken. Set aside.

Peel and dice 2 medium yellow onions (or 1 big one). Saute in 2 TB avocado oil 1/2 tsp salt 

Peel and cut 2 sweet potatoes. Pressure steam in instant pot for 5 minutes. 

3-5 C cooked black beans (we soak, pressure cook, drain and freeze in ziplocks so they are ready!) 

2-3 C frozen corn 

Combine it all, taste and add salt if necessary. 

14 large flour tortillas. Heat up 2 at a time and fill and roll. Wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze