Fried Sesame Balls

Grilled Chicken Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

I tried to make the grilled marinated chicken fresh spring rolls, and it turned out quite tasty. 
Marinade sliced 1 large chicken breasts in the following after mixing 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/8 cup water, 2 tsp chopped garlic, 1Tbsp brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp chopped ginger.   Taste and adjust ingredients, then, add sliced chicken breast.  Marinate covered for 20 minutes in refrigerator.

 If you have a stove top grill, brush the grill with olive oil, grill the chicken.

 Prepare the rolls:  Dip the rice sheet in water for 3 seconds in warm water and transfer to a flat surface.  Place leafy lettuce, mint leaves, Thai basil leaves, grilled chicken, pickled carrot shreds (thinly julienned carrots in sushi vinegar for 30 min); roll it up.

Serve with Nouc Cham or spicy peanuts chili sauce or Harissa mixed with rice vinegar.

Viet-Namese Fried Spring Rolls - Gia Gio

 I spent most of the month of June, relaxing and enjoying the free Saturday.  Trying to recuperate from the end of school, and testing in my kitchen.  Visited quite a few restaurants.  Gia Gio (jia-yo') is one of my favorite food.  While living in S. Viet-Nam, my family patronize this shop in Cholon at least once a month.  Crab Gia Gio is their specialties.  It's nothing like this skinny looking fried 'egg rolls' that are presented here in the Asian restaurants.  It's pretty sad that improvisation of ingredients has changed its original form.  Some says, "as long as it's edible, and taste good, what does it matter?"   Well, it matters a lot because it's just not the same.  But after a few testing, my conclusion is that the effort in making it is a lot of fun.  The experience brought many flavor memories.  One of this day, I would like to visit Viet-Nam again.   Who knows, may be the restaurant is still there in Cholon.
The rice paper sheet to make the Gia Gio are make from tapioca and rice.  You will find several brands in the Asian market; however, I don't think they are quite the same as the one we had back in Viet-Name.  They are too thin.  I finally found one that says for Gia Gio instead of fresh spring rolls rice sheet. The turn out is much better, of course, but it didn't turn out the way I remembered.  But it was close and far better than the ones I tried over a year ago that when fried, the rice sheet seems like fried 'plastic'.
This is a testing, so, please don't follow, but the Ingredients are cooked crab shredded with  fingers.  Carrots thinly julienned, some black mushrooms thinly julienned, rice vermicelli << I think that's the problem.  It's a wrong type.  Salt and pepper.
Dip the rice sheet into water 3 seconds and place it on a flat surface.  Place the filling and start rolling into the cigar shape.  Set aside.

 Heat vegetable oil - medium low.  Fry gently till the rice sheet wrap is golden. 

Serve with Nouc Cham and fresh leaf lettuce
To make dipping sauce:  I don't like to put lime juice in mine, so, it's Japanese Rice Vinegar - 1/4 C; 1 tsp nouc mum - fish sauce, thinly julienned carrots, shakes of chili flakes; add teaspoon of sugar to taste.  Add more sugar until the right sweetness is obtained.  Add some salt to taste.

To eat:  wrap the Gia Gio with leaf lettuce and dip in nouc cham.   Enjoy!

Tip: The challenge to wrap the fillings snugly, and add the correct rice vermicelli type. 

Brussel Sprouts in Cream and Stir-Fried Kale

I heard about the coring the brussel sprouts if one is afraid to eat them because of the 'bitter' after taste.  So I tried it, and sure enough, I love them.  Because of the 'bitter' taste that I didn't care for, I have not eaten brussel sprouts for years.  Now, it's back in my menu.  Ingredients: Brussel Sprouts are cored, rinsed.  Placed in a bowl with a dab of butter, and some heavy cream.  Microwave them with a microwaveable splatter cover.  Add kosher salt and ground pepper to taste.  

Many preparation methods for Kale require cooking/braising the green to death.  Without knowing about it, I have been stir-frying them Chinese styles. They taste really great.  Ingredients:  butter + olive oil for stir-frying. 2 crushed garlic cloves.   One bunch Kale, washed and cut into 3 to 4 inch sizes.  Add kosher salt and ground pepper to taste.  Serve with nice bowl of rice.
Add butter+Olive oil into wok.  Add garlic cloves - 15 seconds, then, add Kale.

 The color of the Kale with change from bright green to wilted dark green. 

 Delicious.

Texas Pecan Bars

This pecan bars recipe was tested in our American Regional Cooking class, and they are so amazingly delicious.  I thought there is another layer of batter mixture of some sort on the top, but to my surprise, it's the same ingredients as the rest that turned out crisp.

Polly's Crepes and Crepe Tool Making Adventures

 

 Test #1 using the flat electric griddle.

So, what can I say - I am interested in technologies and kitchen 'make your cooking life enjoyable' tools, and curious to find out if I make one myself.   After studying several photos online, I decided to make one myself out of cedar. 
The crepe recipe is from Jacques Pepin's.

 

  **The first few crepes are like mangled doughs until I got the hand of the crepe stick.  I also cheated and used the backside of this small ladle by running it over the batter in a circular motion, and it worked out just fine, too.  So,.... what's the big idea about the Crepe Stick?  I need to do some research and find out who even invented it.

 The Jacque Pepin's Crepe recipe is simple and turns out great.

Well, it was challenging the first few times to get the hang of spinning the crepe tool in a smooth circular motion.  I think I need to sand and smooth out with ultrafine sandpaper.  But the crepe recipe turned out a great tasting crepe.

 

Test #2 using the round Tortilla pan.

 I need more practice.  I watched some YouTube Crepe making video, and I am very impressed with their crepe cones. 

Will try to make the Crepe Cones, the next time.

MITARASHI DANGO Party Style

For my potluck dish in a hurry, I made this plateful of MITARASHI DANGO to go.  Hmmm... It tasted great, but I like them on the sticks better.   Everyone liked it.