Month: April 2020

Chicken Adobo to me is the Asian version of vinegar chicken or lemon chicken. I learned to make vinegar chicken with sherry vinegar, garlic, basil, and butter at one of my first jobs. I’d sear the chicken and then glaze it with sherry vinegar and chick stock over and over and over until chicken is laced with its own juice. In this recipe, we are going to make an adobo sauce and re-heat the chicken inside of a rich soy vinegar sauce.

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series:

Chicken Adobo
Serves: 2 adults & 2 children

Ingredients:
Leftover Chicken (2 drumsticks and 2 thighs)
1/2 piece onion, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1 head Fresh Garlic, cut into little chunks
1 piece 1-inch long ginger, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 + 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 + 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Peppercorn
1 Bay Leaf
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar (or Distilled White Vinegar)
3 cup Chicken Stock
2 teaspoon Crushed Black Peppercorn
1 tablespoon Honey
1 sprig Cilantro, for garnish

To Serve with:
Rice
Chili Oil

1. In a medium pot on medium high heat, cook onions, garlic, and ginger until softened and a little brown. Add salt, ground black pepper and the liquids. Reduce the sauce by 1/3.
2. Add leftover chicken to the pot. Spoon adobo sauce over chicken several times on low heat. While heating up the chicken, reduce the liquid by another half until thin syrup. Spoon sauce over chicken few more times until nice and shiny.
3. Take out chicken and strain the sauce. Put chicken and the sauce back in the pot and season with crushed black pepper. Add honey for a little sweetness to balance out the vinegar.
4. To serve, put a generous amount of rice on a plate and layer chicken right on the top. Spoon more sauce over the chicken and add some chili oil over the rice. Garnish with cilantro. Bon Appétit!

Spanish Tortilla is a simple egg dish that could be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I love making Spanish tortilla when I have excess of onions and potatoes that are about to go bad. Serve it with a side of shredded chicken salad, you’d have yourself a delicious meal made of entirely with cheap and leftover goods! 

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series:

Spanish Tortilla w/ Shredding Chicken Salad
Servers: 2 adults and 2 children

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
For Spanish Tortilla
8 Eggs, beaten
1 pound ( about 4 medium size)Yukon Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/16-inch thick
1 medium size onions, sliced thin
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoon EVOO
1/2 teaspoon Salt

For Chicken Salad
1 piece Chicken Breast, shredded
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/8-inch thick moon shape
1/8 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoon sliced Jalapeño, ring shape
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
3 tablespoon EVOO

1. Pre-heat oven at 350F
2. Slice potatoes using a mandolin into 1/16-inch thickness and rinse in cold water to rid of excess starch
3. Peel and cut an onion in half and using a mandolin to slice it into strips; start from the side and tilt the onion in 45 degrees. Go down the mandolin swiftly
4. Cook the potatoes first. Using a medium pot, add cold water to potatoes and cover. Bring it up to simmer and cook until soft but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, make chicken salad. Using a pairing knife or a peeler, peel celery to get rid of the stringy part; clip a little piece of celery off from the top and pull your knife down. You’d see strings of celery come off. Using a mandolin, slice celery into moon shapes
6. Slice jalapeño thinly into ring shape with a mandolin as well. 
7. Adding all the shredded chicken salad ingredients together in a mixing ball and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
8. Once the potatoes are done, cook the onions. Heat up EVOO in a 9-inch non-stick skillet on medium heat and gently cook onions until translucent and soft. Season with a pinch of salt. Add cooked potatoes when onions are done and stir both to combine.
9. Turn the heat up to medium high and pour in beaten eggs. Move the eggs around to ensure they reach the bottom. Once the sides are set, put the skillet in the oven and set timer for 15 minutes. The tortilla are done when the middle is solid. Let rest for couple minutes.
10. Flip the tortilla onto a flat surface (a lid or a cutting board) and slide it back into the skillet to warm up the other side. Using a rubber spatula to press in the sides and form a circular disc. Tip out the tortilla onto a cutting board and slice it into wedges like pizza.
11. To serve, place a wedge of tortilla off the center on a plate and place a small handful of chicken salad next to the tortilla. Drizzle couple teaspoons of chili oil and dig in. Bon Appétit!

I always seek out a “chicken over rice” dish when I travel. I believe there is a form of “chicken over rice” in most of the cuisines in the world. I love the concept of “chicken over rice” because of its simplicity. I’d argue that rice is the star of this dish because the best version of it uses chicken fat and stock made from the trims. The rice is the backbone of this humble dish.

For the latest COVID 19 Cooking Series:

Southeast Asian Chicken Over Rice
Serves: 2 adults & 2 children

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
For Chicken
1 Breast
1 Drumstick
1 Thigh
2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground White or Black Pepper

For Rice
450g (2 + 1/4 Cup) Long Grain Rice (Jasmine or Basmati)
45g (4 Tablespoon) Canola Oil
5 cloves fresh Garlic, minced
700g (approximately 3 cups) chicken stock or water
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground White Pepper
1 teaspoon Salt

For Cucumber Salad
2 cups bite size cut cucumber (English cucumber is the best)
8g (2 +1/2 teaspoon) Salt
8g (2 teaspoon) Sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried chilies (optional)
2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoon Cilantro Stems, cut into batons (optional)

To Serve With:
Scallion Oil
Chili Oil

1. In a medium pot, gently cook garlic with canola oil until fragrant on medium heat, and add rice to coat. Toast rice until fragrant. Be careful not to let garlic get too toasty or black.
2. Add the spices and salt, stir to combine, and add liquid immediately.
3. Bring the pot to a boil and turn down to simmer. Cover with a lid. Once the liquid has been absorbed, turn off heat and leave the lid on for additional 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the cucumber salad. Bash cucumber gently with the side of your knife and cut it into bite size. Season cucumber with salt and sugar and let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, drain cucumber and season with dried chili, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Add herbs to enhance the flavor if you wish
6. You could microwave your chicken until hot. If you don’t have a microwave, you could bring a small amount of water to a boil and place your chicken in and turn the heat down to simmer until the chicken is heated through. Re-season chicken with soy sauce and white or black pepper
7. To Serve, put a generous amount of rice on a plate, level the rice and place your chicken in the middle, and drizzle more soy sauce if necessary. Serve cucumber salad, scallion oil, and chili oil on the side. Bon Appétit!

Cassoulet is a great dish for using up all the leftovers. The main ingredients of a cassoulet are: bacon or some form of cured meat, sausage, a type of poultry or game, and beans, and you could build so much flavors into this dish by introducing root vegetables and herbs.

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series:

Cassoulet à la Leftover Chicken
Serves: 2 adults & 2 children

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 Hr.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Canola Oil
1 + 1/2 cup Diced Bacon
3 piece Italian Hot Sausage
1 + 1/2 Medium Size Onions, medium dice
10 cloves Garlic, smashed
3 piece Medium Size Carrots, slice 1-in on bias
3 sprigs Thyme
1 quart of water or chicken stock
5 cup Diced Chicken (about 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs)
1 can (28 oz.) Cannellini Beans
1 + 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon softened butter
1 lemon, zested

1. In a medium size stock pot, heat up canola oil on medium high heat, sauté bacon and sausages at the same time. Once sausages are nicely colored, take them out and keep rendering the bacon
2. Add onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme when bacon starts to take on some brown color. Cook veggies and bacon together until veggies are moist and soft. Put sausages back in the pot and add enough water or chicken stock until it covers two-thirds of the way. Turn the stove down to simmer and cook until carrots are soft and sausages are done
3. Meanwhile, make breadcrumb crust by mixing in olive oil, softened butter, and lemon zest
4. Pre-heat your oven at 400F
5. Once carrots and sausages are done, mix in chicken and cannellini beans. Bring the stew up to a boil and turn off the heat
6. Scoop the stew into a casserole and top off the casserole with breadcrumb (you will only need half the amount, refrigerate the other half for the next time)
7. Bake the casserole for approximately 20 minutes, oruntil the top gets golden brown. You could use broiler to help you with the color towards the end. Enjoy Cassoulet as it is, or eat it with rice. Bon Appétit!

Making cold noodle salad with chicken and peanut sauce is one of my favorite ways to use leftovers. Peanut butter is a popular pantry item; therefore, this dish is accessible to everyone. Simply shred leftover cooked chicken or dice up to bite size and mix in with peanut sauce, and you’d have a delicious and healthy meal done very quickly. I like my cold noodle salad with cucumbers and raw shredded carrots; that’s how my nanny served it to me. The choice of veggies is abundant; raw and crunchy veggies are the best for adding texture. Finally, you don’t have to forgo this recipe for not having Asian noodles. You could substitute this recipe with spaghetti! But do make sure you cook your spaghetti a little further and not leave them al dente, firm to the bite.

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series:

Cold Noodle Salad with Chicken and Peanut Sauce
Serves: 2 adult & 2 children

Prep Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 40 mins 

Ingredients:
For Chili Oil (make 1 cup), optional
1/2 cup Canola Oil 
1/4 cup Sriracha 
1/4 cup Sambal Oelek
1/2 Tablespoon MSG
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

For Peanut Sauce (make 2 cups)
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (prefer low sodium and sugar) 
2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
2 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/4 teaspoon MSG 
2 clove Fresh Garlic, grated
1/2 cup Cold Water

To Serve:
4 portion Spaghetti
4 stalk Celery, thinly sliced on bias
1 cup grated Carrot
1 cup sliced cucumbers, in sticks
4 piece scallions, sliced into thin coins
1/3 cup Cilantro stems, cut into batons
2 cup shredded chicken, seasoned with salt and chili oil
Extra tablespoon chili oil added at the end (optional)
1 + 1/4 cup tablespoon Peanut Sauce
1/3 cup Cilantro leaves

1. To make chili oil, put oil and chili sauces in a small pot and turn stove to medium-high heat. Fry the chili sauces in oil until jammy and fragrant. Also watch the bubbles on the surface; they should be tiny at the end. When the sauce is finished, turn off the heat, and add the spices and seasonings. Set aside.
2. To make peanut sauce, combine everything and whisk until smooth. Adjust consistency with cold water, and then re-season.
3. Cook spaghetti for 11 minutes. Drain and cool the noodles immediately. Cook the noodles beyond al dente (firm to the bite). Cold water will help stiffen and retain the texture of spaghetti.
4. Stir cold spaghetti with a little oil (could use sesame or chili oil) to prevent sticking. Toss in the veggies, chicken, and peanut sauce, stir to combine.
5. Plate everything in a bowl and garnish with cilantro leaves. Bon Appétit!

I love incorporating buckwheat into crepes because of its added nutty flavor. This gluten free version holds up very well; the crepe batter doesn’t need any chemicals or AP flour to help it maintain the structure. My chickpea salad is filled with flavor bombs; it has fresh herbs, spices and garlic, and dressed with fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. One great advantage of having crepe as part of the meal is to use it to mop up the sauce at the end!

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series:

Buckwheat Crepes with Chickpea Salad
Serves: 2 adults & 2 children

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 1 Hour (resting crepe batter)
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 minutes

Ingredients
For Crepes
120g (1 cup) Buckwheat Flour
3g (3/4 teaspoon) Salt
2 Eggs
225g (1 cup) Milk
14g (1 Tablespoon) Butter
1/4 cup Water, for adjusting consistency 

For Chickpea Salad
1 can (28 oz) Chickpeas
1 Lemon, juiced
1/2 cup EVOO
1/8 cup White Distilled Vinegar
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cloves Fresh Garlic, grated
1 teaspoon dried chilies (such as Thai bird chili, arbol, cayenne)
2 Tablespoon Za’atar Spices
1 teaspoon Madras Curry Powder
2 teaspoon Spanish Paprika
1/4 cup chopped Mint
1/2 cup chopped Parsley
1/4 cup chopped Scallions
1 piece Pickled Chilies, rough chopped or hand torn (optional)

1. To make the crepe batter, using a blender and blend everything, except water, until smooth. Let the batter rest for 1 hour.
2. Adjust the consistency of the crepe batter with 1/4 cup of water (I prefer a thinner batter, this step is optional)
3. Pre-heat a non-stick skillet on medium low heat for 4 minutes. Heating your cooking vessel slowly will help you cook more evenly.
4. After 4 minutes, gently wipe the surface with oil, or butter, or cooking spray. You want the surface to be non-stick, yet not grease.
5. Use a 1/4 cup or a 2 oz. ladle and scoop the batter into the middle of the skillet. Holding the skillet handle, swirl the batter around until almost paper thin. Cook the first side until the edges are set and comes off the skillet. Using both hands to lift the crepe and flip. Cook the second side for 5 to 10 seconds. Fold the crepe in half and leave it on rack to cool. Repeat the cooking procedures with the rest of the batter
6. To make the chickpea salad, drain chickpeas and use a fork to crush about a 1/4 cup of chickpeas inside a mixing bowl. Pour in lemon juice, EVOO, and vinegar and mix. Add salt and grated garlic and stir to combine.
7. Add spices and stir to combine, and then add the chopped herbs. If the salad is too clumpy, add few dashes of water or lemon juice to loosen up. The salad should be juicy and bright looking.
8. To serve, fold crepes into quarters and fan them out on a plate, place chickpea salad next to the crepes. Add some pickled chilies if you wish and drizzle EVOO to finish. Bon Appétit!

I am getting obsessed with baking muffins and cakes because seeing different results from using different techniques on same recipe fascinates me. “Creaming with Butter”, “Creaming with Eggs”, and “Straight Up Mixing” are three important methods in baking. While each one of them will provide different results, no method is perfectly right for any recipes. Applying personal preference in choosing a method will give you the best result. Also…don’t forget to bake with love!

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series:

Cornbread Muffins w/ Corn Flake Streusel
Serves: 10 Muffins

1. Pre-heat oven at 400F
2. Mix dry ingredients: cornmeal, gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt together
3. Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, beat butter on high speed until pale and creamy. Add sugar and continue beating butter and sugar until fluffy. (This is the “creaming with butter” method, which I find it to be the best for muffins for my own preference)
4. Turn mixer down to low setting, add flour mix, 2 stages at a time to avoid making a mess, and slowly incorporate until evenly mixed. Finally, add the milk and mix to combine. Your muffin batter should be thick, yet fluid.
5. To make corn flake streusel, simply put all the ingredients inside a food processor and pulse until butter is reduced to pea-size, like making a pie dough. Alternatively, you could crush corn flakes with your hands and cut the butter into flour separately, and then combine everything.
6. Butter or grease your muffin tin, or line them with paper cups, fill your muffin tins to the top with cornbread batter and sprinkle on corn flake streusel. Bake muffins for 18 to 23 minutes.
7. Test doneness by inserting a skewer into the middle of a muffin and it should come out clean. Rest muffins for 10 minutes, and then cool them on a rack for extra 10 minutes before digging in. Bon Appétit!

(Carrot Cake, by Reggie Soang)

Carrot cake is one of my favorite cakes because of the added sweetness and flavors from different spices. Though I can’t compete with Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker, I think I could put up a decent fight with a gluten free version. Making a carrot cake is also a great project for parents and kids, and the kids might end up eating more vegetables by the end of it! I have also seen variation of carrot cakes with added nuts, please feel free to try it as they might add some nice texture to each bite!

For the latest COVID Home Cooking Series, I present you with:

Cinnamon Ginger Carrot Cake
Serves: 2 adults & 2 children

Total Prep time: 10 minutes
Total Bake Time: 1 Hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Ingredients:
280g (2 cup) Gluten Free Flour
4g (1 teaspoon) Baking Powder
5g (1 teaspoon) Baking Soda
3g (1 + 1/2 teaspoon) Cinnamon Powder
1g (1/2 teaspoon) Ground Ginger
5g (1 teaspoon) Salt
3 Eggs
215g (1 cup) Oil, Canola or Grapeseed
350g (1 + 3/4 Cup) Sugar
300g (about 3 cups) grated Carrots
6g ( 1 + 1/2 teaspoon) Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix the dried ingredients: gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, and salt
3. Using a stand mixer or electric mixer with whisk attachment, whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and thick ribbons on medium high speed. Slowly stream in the oil and whisk to combine
4. Fold in the dry ingredients and follow by carrots
5. Grease a cake/loaf pan with pam spray or soften butter. Pour your cake batter in and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Depending on the size and shape of your mold, you might have to split up this recipe in half, like I did.
6. Rest your cake in your pan for 10 minutes until cool enough to handle, tip the cake our and rest for 10 more minutes. Slice the cake as thick as you want. Bon Appétit!

(Chocolate Scones, by Reggie Soang)

Scones are one of my favorite baked goods. The flaky exterior and soft interior are the perfect complement. You could use dried fruits instead of chocolate, or together!

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series, I present you:

Chocolate Scones
Serves: 2 adults & 2 children

Ingredients:
255g (1 & 1/2 cup) Gluten Free Flour
3g (1 teaspoon) Baking Powder
5g (1 teaspoon) Baking Soda
2g (1/2 teaspoon) Salt
25g (1/8 cup) Sugar
140g (2/3 cup) Heavy Cream
1/2 cup (3 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
130g (1 stick + 1 Tablespoon) Butter, diced into small cubes, must be chilled

1. Combine dry ingredients, gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar
2. Using a food processor or your finger tips, work the butter into the dry goods until the size of peas
3. Add cream to the flour mixture and make it into a dough. Fold in Chocolate chips
4. Tip the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Dust the surface with a little more flour. Cover the dough with another piece of parchment paper and roll it to 3/4-inch thick circle
5. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before cutting and baking the scones
6. Pre-heat your oven 10 minutes before baking
7. Cut the dough into 8 pieces like you would for pizza. Place individual scones 2 to 3 inches apart on your baking sheet
8. Brush the surface with a thin layer of cream and bake in 350 F for 23 minutes
9. Rest and cool your scones for 10 to 15 minutes. Bon Appétit!

(Cinnamon Almond Cake, by Reggie Soang)

Since the supply of AP flour has been short, I have decided to explore gluten free baking. Gluten free recipes need few more ingredients to help the product stay nice and moist. However, the techniques of gluten free baking are very similar to the ones for regular baking. One advantage of gluten free baking is that you rarely overmix the batter or dough since there isn’t any gluten involved. For our first gluten free baking, let’s make cinnamon almond cake.

For the latest COVID 19 Home Cooking Series, I present you with:

Cinnamon Almond Cake
Serves: 2 adults & 2 children

Ingredients:
1 Cup (140g) Gluten Free Flour (you could use my recipe or buy a premix product)
1 Cup (120g) Almond Meal
1 Tablespoon (8g) Ground Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon (9g) Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon (2g) Salt
1 Cup (240g) Sugar
1 & 1/2 Stick (170g) Butter
1 Lemon Zest
3 Eggs
1/2 (115g) Cup Sour Cream/Yogurt
1/2 (2g) Teaspoon Vanilla

1. Take out butter 30 minutes before baking to soften
2. Mix dry goods, gluten free flour, almond meal, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, together
3. Pre-heat oven to 350
4. Meanwhile, butter and flour (with gluten free flour) your cake pan
5. Beat butter until fluffy, add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy
6. Mix in yogurt, vanilla extract, and eggs one at a time, mix to combine. Your wet ingredients will look grainy and broken. Don’t worry, adding dry goods will fix it
7. Add dry goods in 2 batches so the flour will not get everywhere, mix on low speed
8. Once the dry goods are mixed in, turn on your mixer on high for 20 seconds to help mixing evenly
9. Bake the cake in 350 F for 1 Hour 5 minutes. Let cool and slice it thick…it’s gluten free! Bon Appétit.