Monday, October 08, 2018

Boiled MOCHI DANGO with AZUKI (Red Beans)

Sometimes, I want to just have some snack.  The presentation likely would add to its enjoyment, but sometimes, I just don't have enough time and care in the world, but I want to just make it and eat it.
Grab 1 Cup of MOCHI flour (Glutinous Rice flour) of any brand.
In this testing, I added 1/4 C Tapioca flour.  Not that it matters for the type of MOCHI DANGO I am making because it is moist type and eaten right away.
Mix MOCHI flour with some water.  Adding 1/4 C of water first.  Mix.
Add enough water to form a pliable "play" dough.   Flatten the dough - depending on the size of the MOCHI balls you want to make - 1 to 1-1/2 TBsp size.    Drop enough AZUKI (a can of red bean paste or make your own - thick and pasty.)
Enclose the Red Bean.
Bring a pot of water to a BOIL first, then, Add the MOCHI Balls.
The water will drawn back to simmer naturally.  Wait for the water to bring back to full boil again.
Boil for 1 to 2 minutes after they float up.  Take largest one out to check.
Cooked through?  Transfer to a plate. Cool them off a bit before serving.  Do Not Serve young children MOCHI or Hot Sweet Potato type items while they are still steaming.  Cut them into halves and tested for heat before serving to young children.
Serve.
If you wait long enough after straining and air drying, you could pick them up with fingers to eat... it's sticky... yum!

Polly's Pan Fried Prime Rib Eye Steak

This is my adventure with frying Prime Rib Eye Steak in my cast iron pan.


Yep, I like my steak well done.

Let's serve it with onion pancake I made.

Q-RI MEN - Cucumber and Noodle

Q-RI (Cucumber) + MEN (Noodle).  I have been trying to eat a Cucumber a day.  It's not always to find a good cucumber.  Even a home grown cucumber would shrivel up so quickly if left forgotten on the kitchen counter.  But I find a easy way to enjoy them.
Chop up one or two slices of ham - no Nitrite, etc.
Scramble 1 egg with 1 tsp of water, 1/2 tsp of sugar.  Pan fry in low heat to make a sheet of crepe.
Remove the julienne the egg crepe.
Peel Cucumber and process it through Spiral Vegetable slicer to make Cucumber Noodle.
Boil noodle of your choice - RAMEN.  Boil Instant RAMEN in boiling water for 3 min. but no more than 3 min.   *Instant RAMEN is really not good for you.  Find fresh RAMEN if you can.

Strain RAMEN when cooked and Rinse with cold filtered water.
Assemble the noodle in any order you want.
If you have pickled DAIKON, add that, too.
Sprinkle with TAJIN or SHICHIMI TOGARASHI; Japanese Rice Vinegar.  If you would like you can mix the Rice Vinegar with some sugar to sweeten it slightly, if you would like.
You can also stir fry some ground pork or chicken; Add chopped green onions, curly parsley, cilantro, then - depending on how much you want to make - Add two tablespoon of Organic MISO; Add two tablespoon of water.  Stir to make into paste.  Sever over noodle with cucumber noodle (using spiral vegetable cutter.)  Serve with some rice vinegar and chopped garlic.   You can serve with pickled DAIKON, if you have some.
Pickled DAIKON that I make is really easy.  Select a fresh DAIKON.  Peel.  Then, julienne into 6 cm long, etc.  Boil the Rice Vinegar with Sugar (to your taste) and hot chili flakes or not, make sure the Mason Jar, Mason jar Lids, and Rings are sterilized accordingly.   Fill the sterilized Mason jar with fresh DAIKON and fill the jar with rice vinegar mixture.  Wipe clean the lips of the jar with 'clean' cloth or paper towel.  Seal the jar with sterilized lid and ring.  If the rice vinegar mixture is hot type, refrigerate after the jar after it is cooled off; otherwise, refrigerate the jar.  It's ready in one and half to two weeks. *it all depends on the methods.
  
You can eat with noodle or just with Cucumber noodle.