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Recipe: Chinese Braised Tofu

Jul9

How do you folks get your recipes nowadays? I have a whole bunch of cookbooks but I never touch them, I rely on social media and YouTube. Been on a Chinese kick, just wanting to cook up comforting Chinese dishes. I found this video on YouTube and it looked so good and it’s actually quite simple to make! I made adjustments from the original (I always do). Check it out!

Chinese Braised Tofu

Ingredients
2 blocks of firm tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch rectangles – drained and patted dry (extra firm okay too)
6 spring onions – white sliced thin and at an angle, greens sliced into 2 inch sections (reserve greens on the side)
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 C water

1 Tbsp neutral oil for panfrying tofu

For sauce, mix in green onion whites, garlic, black pepper, chicken bouillon, sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch and water. Mix well. Set aside.

Pan fry tofu slices – brown on both sides. I had to do this in two batches since my pan wouldn’t fit two blocks of tofu in a single layer.

Add sauce mixture and cook until sauce thickens. Add green parts of the green onions and cook for an additional minute. 

Notes: Perfect dish to serve over rice – a bit salty. I would probably add a maybe 1.5 T of soy sauce next time. Take this with a grain of salt (heh), I’ve been into blander food lately.

Recipe Credit: Linda Guo’s Kitchen

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Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku – McCully, HI

Jul7

Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku is located in the old McCully Buffet location aka the old Camellia Buffet location. Moobongri is a popular restaurant that specializes in soondae, which is a Korean blood sausage dish. This restaurant is fairly new, we came early for lunch on a weekday so we wouldn’t catch a crowd. They did a great job renovating this place, everything was so clean and new looking. The Korean waitresses were very nice which is a bit of a departure for me but I’ll take it lol. As we lunched, more folks came in and the majority of them were Korean so that’s a good sign. They have a pretty big private parking lot which I was able to self-park, not sure what the parking is like at night but lunch time is chill. Let’s get to the food!

Various Seasonings

Their menu has an expansive soup section – I love that they have all these seasonings for your soup at your table! I didn’t have to use any this time but would definitely use them if I didn’t get such a flavorful soup!

Broccoli Banchan

Great side dish, it’s steamed broccoli with goma dressing. How simple is that? Since I have to stuff myself full of more vegetables, I totally bought myself broccoli and the dressing to make at home too. Quick blanch of the broccoli to retain the crunch and just a bit of dressing. Perfect summer cooling dish.

Daikon Kimchee

Nice banchan! You can tell this daikon has been properly fermented. I don’t like it when it’s too fresh or too sour, this was just right!

Kimchee

Can tell this was house made and it was good! Looks sour but it wasn’t too sour at all! I enjoyed it!

Poke

Don’t usually see poke as a banchan but I was very happy to see it. I’m thinking this might be kajiki but I like kajiki so it was good! Seasoning was like a simple sesame oil and salt with red chili flakes. So good. They even offered to refill this which I absolutely said yes to and finished both plates myself lol.

Kimchee Pancake | $13.95

Good pancake! They actually mistakenly gave us Seafood Pancake at first but I had to correct them since my fellow diner did not want the seafood pancake. They weren’t mad and took it back and brought us the new one after. It was delicious!

LA Kalbi & Cold Noodle Lunch Combo Special | $24.95

Not my dish but it was enjoyed heartily! I think they are generous with their portions and even the slices of the meat in the naengmyun was pretty “tick”. And of course they offered to cut up the noodles for her when they served it.

Spicy Soondae Sooup | $17.95

Yes, you read that right. Spicy. I am the spice queen after all *ahem*. When Chan saw the pics, he was saying the soup is only half full. He is correct but actually this bowl was quite big (bigger than the usual bowls they serve soups out of) so it was a lot! And it’s chock full of blood sausage and offal that most folks probably wouldn’t like.

Well, more for me! I like it! It was so delicious! I had enough leftover to eat it for dinner too. Delicious. We both really enjoyed it and plan to return soon!!

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YuXiang Korean Chinese Cuisine – Las Vegas, NV

Jul2

I couldn’t leave Las Vegas without my proper Korean fix and here is where I chose! YuXiang Korean Chinese Cuisine – this was after Chan got over his little bout and boy was I ready to go for it! Well we ordered too much food, as usual (lol). What I really like about this place was that they offer “mini” sizes of food – you know I can’t be distracted from my black bean noodles!

Complimentary Banchan

Mini Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Pork) | $12.99

Perfect size to share between two people while you slurp those yummy noodles!

Mini Yan Jang Pi | $27.99

What is Yan Jang Pi? Here’s a quick description I found online: Yang Jang Pi is a chinese influenced dish very popular in Korea, often served as an appetizer. It is a great dish for parties, because it has a mix of everything – fresh vegetables, seafood, sitr-fry beef or pork with noodles, mushrooms and not only! Everything is served in thin slices creating a rainbow-coloured dish, topped with a spicy mustard sauce where yellow wasabi is the main ingredient.

I’ve had this once before in Hawaii and I love it. It’s definitely a dish to be shared and we really shouldn’t have ordered it because we had so much food but I really wanted to try it. This is also considered a mini! Nothing about this looks mini to me and I’m scared to ask what a regular would look like. It was so delicious but we couldn’t finish it of course.

Jjamppong

Chan’s spicy seafood noodles. Look at how red that is! He was really taking a leap eating this after just getting better but he can handle spice better than anyone I know! Chan super enjoyed it, he plans to return here when we go back to Vegas!

Seafood Ganjjajjang

Ah….I love jjajjangmyun and this was heaven. I like to get the ganjjajjang because it’s less saucy (I’m plenty saucy). This was so good. I had to eat it all, sorry. They also offer a mini size so I’ll get that one next time! This restaurant was very clean and the food came out quickly. The Korean waitresses were very nice so it was a well rounded experience. Wish we had this restaurant here and can’t wait to return!

Noodle Pull!

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Kaiseki Sanga – Las Vegas, NV

Jun30

Kaiseki Sanga is a omakase restaurant that Chan was really excited to try. Unfortunately, this was at the peak of Chan’s food poisoning spell. This restaurant is one that requires a deposit to make the reservation and there is a fee if you don’t cancel with at least 24 hours notice. So…we had a big dilemma. What ended up happening was Chan’s friend and I decided to go dinner to avoid the fees and explained to them about our third diner being out. The restaurant was very nice and understanding about it but wished that we had given them an earlier heads up and just requested that we go for the alcohol pairing and didn’t charge the no-show fee. I don’t drink alcohol but Chan’s friend could definitely do it up, he enjoyed every thoughtful sake pairing they had! The cost of the kaiseki was $250 per person.

The night’s spread before the meal started – yes, you already know this meal will be pricey…

Amuse
Amadai (Tilefish), Hokkaido Uni, Tofu Skin

Appetizer
Sakura Mochi with Ma Tai / Kani Chawanmushi / Hataru Squid / Hotate / Cuttlefish with Miso

Soup
Cherry Salmon, Goma Tofu, Edamame

Sashimi
Aka Ebi with Caviar, Chu Toro, Hirame

Grill
Sawara, Bamboo Shoots

Turf
Wagyu, Iberico Pork

Akami

Ma Aji

Wagyu

Anago

Otoro

Negitoro with Uni

Red Miso Soup

Dessert
Strawberry Ice Cream and Warabi Mochi

Matcha Tea

All in all, it was a wonderful meal. I did however miss Chan too much to enjoy it, really wished he could be with us to enjoy it. It is a bit pricey but I guess you are paying for the high quality imports from Japan. It’s a very small restaurant, just enough seats at the main bar to serve maybe 10 people or less? I can see why they have to be serious about no-shows. Would love to experience this place with Chan one day in the future!

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Mixed Plate Friday

Jun27

I saw this sign the other week and thought it was so funny and oddly specific. It’s like this place had it UP TO HERE with Nan, Inc. vehicles in particular and had a special sign made for them. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Tuna Mayo Omusubi | $2.49

Unagi Hijiki Omusubi | $3.99

I went to Marukai Wholesale Mart the other day and love to peruse the ready made food section – especially after work since they are marked down (I am Chinese after all). I was super excited to try these musubis because I think they are made with a special rice and you even have to get the fresh nori from the cashier as you pay. The tuna mayo musubi was basic, exactly what you would expect. The unagi unfortunately was a bit of a bummer for me. The mixed rice was a bit mushy and sweet for my taste and the unagi was just okay. I probably wouldn’t get this again.

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Fukuya Delicatessen | Moilili, HI

Jun25

Now that it’s summer time, I am more willing to venture out to various places because I know traffic won’t be a nightmare. Don’t you love summer? Less people, less traffic. I am a total introvert. Anyway, Fukuya Deli is located close to my work place but I hardly go because it’s always so crowded. Well, lazy me didn’t think to just park on the road. Why do I stress about parking in their lot? I’m so crazy. I go to work early anyway so I can go right when they open.

Medium Mixed Sushi | $8.20

Got this to share with some coworkers, ate a maki sushi and cone sushi myself. Was okay, nothing special.

Hot Dog Roll (lol) | $7.40

Of course I bought the hot dog roll cause I’m crazy. I didn’t even know they include a piece of spam in it? How funny. Fun to try but wouldn’t get it again.

2x Chow Fun | $7.50
1 Fried Chicken Thigh | $3.75
1 Spicy Tofu Stir- fry | $3.30
1 Nishime | $3.30

My first lunch plate – was good. I always gotta try the chow fun at the different delicatessens. I think what inspired the visit was someone bringing chow fun to a gathering and me trying to figure out where it was from. The chow fun is pretty on-par with Toshi’s. I liked the tofu stir-fry a lot and I love nishime – they do it well, the vegetables are nice and soft but not mushy.

1 Fried Noodles | $3.75
1 Chow Fun | $3.75
1 Nori Fried Chicken | $4.25
1 Ahi Burger | $4.00
1 Spicy Tofu Stir-fry | $3.30
1 Nishime | $3.30

Second lunch plate – this time I wanted to try the fried noodles to see if they were good. They were! The nori chicken is good but mochiko chicken has never been a favorite. I got the tofu and nishime again cause I like it! It’s a delicatessen so it’s pricey as usual but oh! I almost didn’t talk about it but the ahi burger is so good! Nicely seasoned and so soft, I would definitely get the ahi burger again!

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Recipe: Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Jun23

Perhaps I should say “crab” stuffed mushrooms because I bought imitation crab but eh…no can really tell the difference. Also, I found the real looking ones at Sam’s Club. Check it out!

Gadré Surimi Snow Leg Style, 16 oz., 2 pk. | $10.88

I think if I served this up in a seafood boil or something, you would not notice the difference but since I chopped it up, you could tell. I followed a recipe that I’ll credit below but I definitely took a lot of liberties. I’ll share my own recipe and the link to the original and let you make your own decision!

Mushrooms de-stemmed and rinsed, hanging out on the baking pan to pre-bake. We are supposed to bake this for about 3 minutes to help get rid of the moisture. It didn’t really lol…maybe I had to put it in longer?

My version of the stuffing, I basically omitted the egg and didn’t do the panko crust. Didn’t feel like I needed it anyway!

Mushrooms stuffed and ready for the oven! Yummy! I served these up at a BBQ and it was nicely enjoyed! I also had some extra for the bros and boy did they like it too. I think you absolutely need to serve it up with lemon slices and tabasco…it needs a bit of the acid/vinegar kick to cut through the richness of the stuffing.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 2 – 24 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms (Sam’s Club)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • 2 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1/4 cup shallot, small dice (1 big shallot from Safeway)
  • 6-8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 16 ounces imitation crab (snow leg style from Sam’s Club)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup Italian blend cheese (any combination of mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh italian parsley, minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh italian basil, minced
  • 2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste

EXTRAS/GARNISH:

  • lemon slices, for serving
  • Tabasco (or you hot sauce of choice), for serving

Instructions

  • SAUTE THE SHALLOTS AND GARLIC. Heat the pan over medium/high heat. Add the butter, and when it’s melted, sauté the shallots for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Set this mixture aside to cool.
  • COMBINE FILLING INGREDIENTS. The stuffed mushrooms with crab filling is best when it’s chilled for 1 to 24 hours, to allow the flavors to meld together. To a medium bowl, add the crab meat, cream cheese, Italian blend cheese, egg, fresh parsley, fresh basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Once the shallot/garlic mixture is cooled, fold that into the crab mixture.
  • PREPARE THE MUSHROOMS. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C). Remove the mushroom stems (any stems and pieces can be frozen to use for stock later). Thoroughly rinse the mushrooms under cold water then pat them dry. Place the mushrooms cap side down on a baking rack placed over a sheet baking pan. Prebake them in the oven for 3 minutes to remove most of the excess moisture. You can turn the oven off for now.
  • OIL THE MUSHROOMS. Pour some olive oil into a small bowl, and using a basting brush or your hands, lightly coat each mushroom cap with oil (inside and outside). Place the prepared mushrooms into the biggest baking dish you have (you may need to use two depending on the size, which is okay).
  • STUFF THE MUSHROOMS. Fill each mushroom with about a tablespoon of the filling (this small scoop makes it easy). Use more or less of the filling depending on the size of each mushroom.
  • Preheat the oven again to 375° F (190° C) then bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. The mushrooms should be tender, and the filling fully warmed through.
  • SERVE AND ENJOY! I recommend serving lemon slices and hot sauce (vinegar based) with stuffed mushrooms with crab. It adds a lot of flavor and acidity.

Recipe Inspiration/Original: Heavenly Spiced

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Mixed Plate Friday

Jun20

Trader Joe’s Shrimp Seafood Burgers

I didn’t have access to a grill or a pan with cooking oil so I just baked them. These were okay, edible but nothing great. I think it would definitely taste better on a grill!

Trader Joe’s Uncured Turkey Corn Dogs

My likes for sausages continue (please, no jokes). Wanted to try the turkey corn dogs, couldn’t taste the difference – it was good! Heated it up in the oven with our leftovers from night one (curly fries and long john silver’s).

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Eggslut – Las Vegas, NV

Jun18

Probably our only trip to the Vegas Strip this time around and it was to try Eggslut! This is my first time trying it and I wasn’t expecting much but it actually was quite good! They are located in the Cosmopolitan hotel. They have a super long line but don’t worry, it moves quite fast! They are more of a take out place but there is some hotel seating areas…and it does seem to clear up as you pick up your food!

Truffle Hashbrowns | $6.00
duck fat, truffle and rosemary salt

We got two sandwiches and two sides of hash browns! The hashbrowns were so good. How could they not be??

Fairfax Sandwich | $11.00
Add bacon | $3.00
cage-free soft scrambled eggs, chives, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, sriracha mayo in a warm brioche bun

Chan super enjoyed this sandwich, but gotta add the protein. The person in front of us was actually telling us this one was a dud but Chan was happy he didn’t listen. He would definitely get it again!

Gaucho Sandwich | $16.50
seared prime tri-tip steak, cage-free over medium egg, chimichurri sauce, red onions and dressed arugula in a warm brioche bun

Of course I had to go bougie on my choice, no can even tell an egg was in this sandwich – was too focused on the meat. It was delicious!

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The Black Sheep – Las Vegas, NV

Jun16

The Black Sheep is a newish restaurant Chan found online that we tried! This was the meal after Chan finally bounced back from the food poisoning spell so he definitely kept playing it safe. This restaurant is located down by the Durango so I was happy about that too lol.

S. Pellegrino

Chan has been doing a lot of carbonating of drinks lately which got me to realize that I also like plain carbonated water! So instead of alcohol, I downed this whole bottle. Forreal.

Fried Beef Crisps | $9.00
thai chili tajin dust, chili lime sauce

I’m going to assume this is some kind of beef fat? It is deep fried but comes out super airy and crispy not crunchy. My complaint, it was SO salty. Hard to enjoy.

Oxtail Empanadas | $15.00
pickled shallots, lotus root slaw, coriander chimichurri

Pretty good! Not that you can tell it’s oxtail inside but I liked it. One of the better dishes of the night.

Salmon Skin Tacos | $12.00
two salmon skin tacos filled w/salmon tartar, tobiko, anaheim peppers, micro cilantro

Okay, I don’t even remember this dish so either it was junk or I didn’t even eat it. I don’t know how I feel about entire salmon skin being your taco shell. But if that’s your thing, have at it!

Steak Tartare | $14.00
asian pear, egg yolk aioli, beef crisps, pickled thai chili, julienne green onions

I almost forgot what this dish was! They serve their steak tartare on top of the fried beef chips. Heh…like I said, it was salty…

Braised Pork Jowl | $29.00
tumeric flat noodle, chinese broccoli, sesame seed crumble, chili broth

This was good, the pork jowls was of course super soft and tender. Tasted good but nothing special. Another soupy dish I wish I had a bowl of rice for lol.

Special Duck Confit

This one was also just an okay dish, the duck wasn’t spectacular in taste or anything. I enjoyed the couscous and veggies below better. I guess this shows me that I prefer Chinese roast duck above all other preparations.

This restaurant was just okay to me. The service was good but the food was a bit underwhelming.

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