Rice week: Chicken stock rice

In honor of rice week, I tried to make a simple flavored rice with 5 ingredients.

Ingredients:
oil
minced garlic
chopped onion
chicken stock
washed rice

First, heat up your pan with oil.
Saute onions and garlic in the oil.
Add the rice until they have a sheen of oil on them.
Add your chicken stock, and cook like you normally cook rice, or you could transfer it to a rice cooker.

The result: a light flavored rice, but not as flavorful as I hoped.

Rice week: Java rice

I decided this week is rice week. As a start to the week, I will try Java rice. The filipino version. Since there are so many recipes out there, I decided to compile a few and see where that takes me.

First off, java rice by casa veneracion

Here is her recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 tbsps. of coconut (or some other palm) oil
• 2 tbsps. of finely minced garlic
• 2 tbsps. of finely minced ginger
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tbsps. of finely minced lemongrass
• 1 finely chopped bird’s eye chili
• 1 tsp. of turmeric powder
• 6 c. of cold cooked rice
• salt, to taste
• crisp onion slices and chopped scallion (onion leaves), to garnish

It looks simple enough, and I love that she did a step by step with photos. I'm not sure about ginger, and lemongrass being in the rice though. Wouldn't biting into those ingredients be a not so pleasant experience?

Bacon muffins - try!

Bacon Cheese Muffins (from The Muffin Cookbook, 1989)

1/2 pound bacon
vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1 3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. crunchy nugget-like cereal

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain, reserving drippings. If necessary, add oil to drippings to measure 1/3 c. In small bowl, combine dripping mixture, egg and milk; set aside. Crumble bacon; set aside.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Make well in center. Add dripping-egg mixutre all at once to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Batter should be lumpy.

Fold in bacon, cheese and cereal. Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

Jan 2012: Trip to Papa Johns with the kids

January 2012

Hamburger night first try. Basic burger

Hamburger Night at Home

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo ground round Monterey or ground sirloin

1/8 kilo lean ground pork

Salt n pepper

Hamburger buns

Big fat tomato

Crunchy lettuce

Mayo, ketchup

French fries

Make sure the meat is not frozen, but not to warm. It must be in the chiller or freshly bought. Mix the two kinds of meat, but do not over mix. Shape them into compact patties. Press down in the center for even cooking.

Heat up cast iron skillet. You want it to be pretty hot, so about 5 minutes on the stove without any oil is the ideal time. Season patties with salt, pepper, and oil just before cooking. Cook on skillet 2-3 minutes per side. Do NOT press down while cooking, because you want the juices to stay inside the burger. Let the meat rest after cooking, before serving.

While patties are cooking, fry French fries, heat burger buns, prep lettuce and slice tomatoes and cheese.

And a pickle if you like.

Hamburger bits of knowledge:

• Keep meat cold
• Do not over work meat
• Cook meat ASAP once formed.
• Season meat just before cooking.
• Shape properly for uniform cooking

Recreating Payless pancit shanghai

Continuation of the Chinese day

Merienda was shanghai noodles. My version of instant shanghai noodles that's kinda a cross between that and pancit canton.  Inspired by Payless Pancit Shanghai.

Shanghai noodles

Cooked spaghetti

2T oyster sauce

2T soy sauce

Few drops sesame oil optional

Diced carrots

Diced Baguio beans

Chopped cabbage

Garlic

Oil

Heat pan. Sauté garlic. Add veg. Add sauces. Add spaghetti. Done. Yum.

Chinese night

Tonight I cooked a Chinese meal. Salt and pepper Ribs and Wonton Soup

Salt and pepper spare ribs

2T rock salt

2tsp black pepper

2tsp 5spice powder

Roast in dry pan. Set aside

1/2 kilo spareribs

4T cornstarch

Water

2tsp five spice powder

Mix together and marinate 3 hours in ref

2 finger chilis

2 spring onions

Chop and set aside

Heat wok and cook spareribs. Remove and drain

Heat wok til smoking and cook spareribs again til browned

Change oil if it's too watery or add cornstarch to help browning. Remove and drain. Remove some of the oil. Add chili and spring onions. Quickly stir fry. Add spareribs and salt mix. Mix and serve.