Son in law Eggs & Crying Tiger Beef

Last night's menu sounds like a Kung Fu movie...There are many versions behind the name of this famous fried eggs dish from Asia, but the most common is that a  man wanted to impress his future parents in law by preparing them some food, and since he was not an experienced cook, he just threw together a few ingredients to prepare these eggs, and they were a hit...
The Crying Tiger grilled beef comes from Thailand and it's rumored to be so delicious that even tigers would weep over it...
I served these with coconut flavored sticky rice and a green salad.

Son-in-law's Eggs
4 boiled eggs (shelled)
2 big shallots (finely shredded)
Oil for deep frying
Scallion or cilantro for garnishing
Tamarind Sauce:
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce (or to taste)
2 tablespoons palm sugar or rock sugar (or to taste)
4 tablespoons tamarind juice (use about a lump of tamarind pulp and mix with hot water to extract the juice)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 tablespoon ground peanut
1 tablespoon oil
Method:
Deep-fry the eggs until the skin turns golden brown. Drain and slice into halves and display on a plate. Deep fry the shredded shallots until golden brown, remove and place on paper towel to absorb oil.
Heat up a sauce pan, pour in the oil and saute the minced garlic until light brown. Add the dried chili flakes, ground peanut, stir, and add the tamarind juice, sugar, and fish sauce. Bring it to boil and pour the sauce on top of the eggs. Top with fried shallots and scallion/cilantro. Serve hot with steamed white rice.

Crying Tiger

• 1 garlic clove sliced
• 4 coriander sprigs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh green peppercorns, available from specialist stores
• 1 teaspoon nuoc mam or nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 lb sirloin steak

for the chili sauce

• 1 teaspoon roasted rice powder (available at Asian stores)
• 3 teaspoons nuoc mam or nam pla(Thai fish sauce)
• 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet chili paste

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

1. Pound together the garlic and coriander in a pestle and mortar.
2. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and combine with the peppercorns, fish sauce, soy sauce and honey. Add the steak to the bowl and rub with the marinade. Leave in a cool place for 20 minutes.
3. For the chilli sauce, transfer the toasted rice powder to a small bowl, add the fish sauce, lemon juice, crushed chillies and sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Leave on one side.
4. For the steak, preheat a grill until hot, and lightly grease a grill rack. Grill the steak for 1½ - 2 minutes on each side, if you like your steak rare. Cook it for about 3-4 minutes on each side for well-cooked steak. Leave the steak to stand for a few minutes before slicing into strips.
5. Serve the steak with the chilli sauce and accompany with rice

Christmas Eve Dinner Menu

We had a traditional family Christmas dinner at home. As appetizer, I served baked cranberry brie with French bread, while we wait for everybody to be here for dinner. The first course is Grilled lobster with garlic butter served with garlic scallion wholewheat noodles. The piece de resistance is Roast Goose with apples stuffing and Calvados sauce, served with French style buttery mashed potatoes made from scratch, and sauteed asparagus with mushrooms.  For dessert, we had Buche de Noel with home baked cookies. A real feast and fun filled evening...

Yakitori Dinner

On a cold and rainy night, we need a little cheering up... Made some yakitori skewers with chicken meatballs, chicken wings, chicken liver, beef, pork belly and vegetable (baby zuchinis, baby bellpeppers, shitake), basted with homemade yakitori sauce.

Home made yakitori sauce:
4 tablespoons sake
5 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce)
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon rock sugar
1/2 teaspoon corn starch blended with 1 teaspoon water
Cook first 4 ingredients till gentle boil. Add the cornstarch diluted in water to thicken. Use to marinade and to brusyh on the skewers after grilling.

For the chicken meatballs:
11 oz skinless chicken, minced
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons corn starch
6 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
2 inches fresh ginger root, grated

Mix all above ingredients except the ginger, and with wet hands (to avoid sticking), form meatballs of regular size.
Boil some water, add the ginger, put in the meatballs, till they float (about 8-10 mn). Soak the bamboo skewers for about 20 mn first. Thread the meatballs on the skewers, add the teriayki sauce and grill. Brush more sauce as glaze before serving.

For the chicken wings and liver - I also boil them for about 10 mn before putting them on the skewers and grilling.
For the beef slices and pork belly, just marinade with the yakitori sauce (or any other BBQ sauce of your choice), sprinkle some sesame seeds on the beef, put on the skewers, and grill.

Stuffed Artichokes and Couscous salad

Too many pre Christmas parties... tonight we're having a light vegetarian meal with grilled stuffed baby artichokes and a couscous salad - Really satisfying and light!

Christmas home made treats

Finished baking my Christmas cookies and prepared gift boxes for neighbors and friends...

Christmas Cookies...

Tis the time of the year to bake Christmas cookies to share with family and neighbors... I made 8 kinds of cookies using 4 types of dough.  Sugar cookies in shapes of Christmas trees, Snowmen, Wreath, and Stars,
Granola cookie bars, Florentine cookies made with dried apricots, mangos, candied lemons and pine nuts, and melt in your mouth coffee cookies and pecan cookies... It was time consuming, but worth the efforts as
thoughtful home-made treats for Christmas.

Lobster Salad

Going to a potluck Christmas party at our old neighborhood and bring a Lobster salad...
To prepare : Put the lobster into a large pot of boiling water seasoned with salt & pepper. Depending on lobster size, boil around 10 to 20 minutes (for 3 lobsters - 20 mn). When cool, remove the lobster flesh from the tails and slice thinly. Boil some prawns (it takes only a few seconds, when prawns turn pink, remove and drain, deshell, remove intestine, slice in half). Meanwhile prepare a macedoine of vegetable (asparagus tips, corn, carrots, peas - defrost if frozen), mixed with canned fruit cocktail, drained. Mix with home-made or packaged low fat mayo, mixed with mustard (or wasabi) and dash of worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper. Mix in the sliced cooked prawns. Display on a platter, and arrange the lobster slices on top, garnish with parsley... It makes a festive salad/appetizer!

Lamb Couscous

Couscous (semolina) is nutritious and delicious! I use instant couscous available in most supermarkets. Boil a cup of water with a tablespoon of butter and a little salt, add 1 cup of instant couscous. Remove from heat, cover for 5 mn, fluff with a fork, and it's ready to serve.... I like to serve couscous with lamb. First, brown the lamb (could be any cut of lamb) in a little olive oil, add 1 chopped onion, chicken broth to barely cover the lamb, lower the heat to medium low, add the spices as you like (1/4 teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground ginger, ground cloves, cayenne pepper, cardamon, coriander, allspice), 1 can of stewed tomatoes, , simmer for an hour or till the lamb meat is tender, season to taste with salt & pepper. Add sliced vegetables (like zucchinis, bell peppers, plum tomatoes, eggplants, okras), 1 can of low sodium garbanzo beans, drained, and simmer for another 20 mn or so, add a little orange zest.
Serve piping hot with the couscous... A simple and satisfying meal, perfect for winter!

Caramelized Pear Frozen Yogurt

I have always been obsessed with pear ice cream or pear gelato and they are hard to find in the USA.
This recipe is absolutely delicious!!!
First, prepare the caramelized pears...
Dice 3 fresh pears. Melt 3/4 cup of sugar in a thick saucepan on medium heat till the sugar starts to brown slightly at the edge, add a pinch of salt (like Fleur de Sel or sea salt, do not stir), add the diced pears, the caramel will bubble and parts will become sticky, not to worry, stir and continue to cook on medium heat till all the caramel is melted and pears are golden brown (watch the caramel carefully as it can easily burn). Remove from heat and let cool. Put in blender and puree. Put in freezer till very cold.
Prepare the frozen yogurt:
- 1-2/3 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups of Greek plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon of rum
Mix the milk with sugar till dissolved, add the yogurt, cream, rum, stir well. Turn the ice-cream maker on, pour the mixture into the freezer bowl and  mix till thickened, about 20 mn. Add the caramelized pear puree. Continue to mix in machine for another 5 mn. It's delicious eaten right away (with a soft texture), or put in the freezer for couple of hours for a firmer consistency...

My "Umami" Burger

I read in the November GQ magazine that the Umami burger has been voted best hamburger in Los Angeles... This is my version of this Umami burger which is supposed to evoke the 5th taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter...

The burger patties are made from ground beef mixed with bits of crunchy bacon, and marinated in a "secret umami" sauce (in this case, I used Vietnamese fish sauce mixed with some sugar and vinegar) and grilled to medium. The toppings are caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce and oven baked and herbed cherry tomatoes with melted gruyere cheese. The wholewheat buns are spread with garlic butter and quickly grilled. To serve with French fries... Amazing tastes, juicy, crunchy, soft, and that 5th taste...

Japanese banquet

Had an exquisite Japanese banquet in Tokyo last night, a real feast for the eyes and tastes buds...

Shanghainese Lunch in Hong Kong

Enjoyed a lovely Shanghainese lunch at Wu Kong Restaurant in Hong Kong, with the highlight being the seasonal Hairy Crab with its richly smooth golden roe... Other dishes included smoked eggs, crispy mock goose rolls, stewed pork belly served with steamed buns, pickled carrots and bamboo shoots.

Dinner at Club Qing in Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong

The dinner menu at this trendy dining club in party scene Lan Kwai Fong, was served with a variety of fine teas to cleanse the palate and to enhance the taste of the delicacies: appetizers with snails and cold cucumber/tofu, chili prawns with flower buds, deep fried oyster rolls, stewed abalone with goose feet, melon soup, dumplings with noodle soup...

Fish & Chips

This is not a dish I normally would prepare at home as it involves too much deep frying, but if you've got fish in the fridge, potatoes in the pantry, and you're about to leave on an overseas trip the next day, it seems like the natural thing to do... Since I was a bit rushed, I crowded the deep fryer which resulted in unevenly crisp French fries, but the fish turned out very nicely... Of course, the Fish & Chips were served on newspapers, the English pub way, malt vinegar optional!

Molecular testing

I did my first molecular experiment following guidelines by my sister Nhumai who's my source for many extraordinary recipes, and made gravy beads... It's actually quite a simple process of boiling the gravy mixed with 2% of agar agar, and piping drops of it into chilled oil, forming beads which are then rinsed in warm water... The texture is like jellified gravy that melts in your mouth...

Thanksgiving Dinner

Bruce & Jeremy insist on the traditional Thanksgiving main course, Turkey marinated and roasted the same way, same stuffing, creamed corn etc etc, no experimentation with new variations.. so there it is. However I had a free hand with the appetizer and desserts... Timbale of Lobster, with avocado, and a wine mushroom cream sauce as appetizer... For desserts, I slaved at making macarons, choux filled with berries, and my sister made a delicious flan au caramel!

Thanksgiving weekend BBQ

Today, I did some experimentation with molecular cooking and made some gravy beads to serve with the bacon wrapped sirloin steaks... It was a hit! Served the dish with caramelized butternut squash and corn on the cob, and extra red wine gravy... Delicious meal for a laid back week end...

Simple Noodle Soup Supper

Sometimes the best meals are the simplest... I made a family style noodle soup with shredded chicken, egg pancake, pork, and vermicelli, with a broth made from spareribs, chicken broth, tomatoes, onions and pineapple chunks, seasoned with a little fish sauce... perfect for a chilly evening.

Macarons

This is my (almost) first real attempt at macarons... The last time, I used the wrong almond meal and the macarons batter had a grainy and brownish texture, and the process was aborted... This time, they tasted perfect , light, fluffy, crunchy yet soft,  although they did not look very pretty... I made 2 flavors, lemon (using fresh lemon juice and grated rind) and pomegranate, both were fragrant and bursted of fruity flavors...

Raspberries Clafoutis

Got these beautiful raspberries from the farmers' market and decided to make a clafoutis, which is traditionally cherries baked in a creamy batter... Bursting with berries flavor!

Comfort Food - Caramelized Pork Belly and Tofu/Shrimp Fritters

Bruce is home from NY for Thanksgiving and I prepare his favorite comfort food - Caramelized Pork Belly Stew with Boiled Eggs (Thit Kho) and Tofu/Shrimp Fritters served with Broccoli and Shitake Mushrooms (Pi Pa Tofu). Very simple, delicious - served with steamed brown rice...

Gratin aux Fruits de Mer

Baked a delicious Gratin with Scallops, Prawns and Mushroom, with a white wine sauce, enjoy...

Mouclade

Made a mouclade with mussels, a reduction of white wine cream sauce stepped with shallot butter, very rich and yummy, and a nice change from the usual Moules Marinieres...

Roasted Deboned Quails with Asparagus, Oyster Mushrooms and Peach Chutney

Tonight we want to have an early dinner as Guido is teaching a jiu jitsu class at the Gold Gym at 8 pm. I decide to prepare quails which cook really fast. Since they are small birds, it was a breeze to debone and season them with salt, pepper and honey, so they could be laid flat when pan frying in a little butter. I also sautee asparagus and mushrooms in olive oil, garlic with a dash of balsamic vinegar, really simple and tasty. As a garnish, I have some peaches from the farmers market that are caramelized in a little butter and sugar. It is a real treat for a week day dinner!

Souffle au Grand Marnier

I have some extra egg whites in the fridge and decide to put them to good use... Whipped up a Souffle au Grand Marnier which brings back great childhood memories.... They were so fluffy and light, with a luscious texture and a hint of Grand Marnier liquor... Heavenly!

Tarte Tatin

Went to the neighborhood farmers' market and got some luscious Granny Smith apples and made individual Tarte Tatin using my muffin pan... They turned out beautifully caramelized, just the way I love them!