Fearless Kitchen

Recipe: Braised Tofu

Recipe Source: Song, Young Jin.  The Korean Kitchen.  Anness Publishing, London, 2010 p. 138

Here's another recipe for which pictures are completely lacking.  Again, I remember taking them.  I think they must be on someone's phone.  I guess that's okay.  The important thing is that I still have the notes from this recipe.  I write my notes down on these little pieces of paper which works fine when I'm in the kitchen - as long as I can transcribe them or write up the recipe very quickly.  If I cannot write up the recipe for, say, a month, the piece of paper either gets lost or gets eaten by the dog (no joke) or ceases to make sense.  After all, what does "1 bx ps" really mean?

Anyway.  Vegetarian dining doesn't have to be a penance and tofu doesn't have to taste like whale snot.  Done correctly, and by "correctly" I mean "in a way where it is not pretending to be some sort of animal product" tofu can be an excellent source of protein.  Unfortunately almost all tasty vegetarian and vegan food seems to come from points east of Italy, starting with Greece and really picking up momentum in India.  Tofu, of course, comes to us from East Asia where they have many dishes that in no way, shape or form involve "chicken" or "beef" or "cheese" or any other "food."  It's tofu, it is what it is and it's good.

I made a few changes to the original recipe.  I used light tofu here because I am very anxious to lose weight and I will take whatever help I can get at this point.  I used vegetable broth in place of seafood stock to keep the dish vegan.  I also omitted the honey.  I added a habanero because I intended to serve this just to my husband, although that's not what actually happened.  Finally, I added peas.  An entire 1 pound bag of peas had been thawed for my daughter, but no 2-year-old needs to just eat a 1-pound bag of peas for dinner.  I took the leftovers and added them to the pot so they wouldn't go to waste, and I think that while that's not necessarily the most authentic way to present the dish it was still delicious.  I'd like to point out that our dried kelp actually came from Maine, which makes it much more local than some of the imported dried kelp I've seen on the market.

Braised Tofu (serves 4; approx. $1.16/serving)

1 block firm light tofu, diced

1 cup vegetable stock

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 sheet dried kelp, chopped

8 garlic cloves, crushed

1 onion, finely chopped

1 serrano chili, sliced

1 red chili, sliced

1 habanero, sliced

1 tablespoon chili powder

8 ounces frozen peas, thawed (approx.)

Equipment:

• Large saucepan

1. Combine the tofu with the stock, 1 cup water, the soy sauce and the kep.
2. Add the garlic and bring to a boil.  Cover and boil 5 minutes.
3. Add the onion, chiles and chili powder.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes further.
4. Serve.

 

Recipe: Spicy Cabbage “Genghis Khan”

Recipe Source: Cramer, Marc. Imperial Mongolian Cooking. Hippocrene Books, New York, 2003 p. 169

Okay, I will be the first one to admit that Genghis Khan did not actually consume this dish cooked this way. He would have had no access to things like hot peppers or bell peppers, for one thing, and I'm not sure that vegetables made up a large part of the diet of the extremely nomadic horde. It's a really tasty dish, though.

What's that? Did Fearless actually refer to a cabbage dish as being "tasty?" Yes, yes I did and I'll tell you why: because it was tasty. I've been trying to find tasty cabbage recipes and I'll admit that it's hard because I've always hated cabbage. The thing is, we joined a CSA group this year. Cabbages of various types grow quite well in New England and well, I've paid for them. These are Napa cabbages. They are not nearly as "whiffy" as the abhorred green/white cabbage or red cabbage. I had a couple of them lying around and needed to use them up. I also needed a dish to bring to a big camping event we attended up in Maine this year. I decided that even though this was not a medieval dish it would do quite well for the purpose and I was right.

I made a few changes as you might expect. I had two cabbages so I used two cabbages, but I didn't increase the other quantities by a whole lot. I decided that whatever the title, the original recipe was somewhat lacking in spice so I decided to add three jalapenos to the dish. I also added cumin to the five spice powder because I like it. The Napa cabbage was also a change, but I've already discussed that. This dish went over extremely well at the Saturday night dinner. I highly recommend this if you should find yourself in possession of cabbage.

Spicy Cabbage "Genghis Khan" (Serves 20; approx. $0.76/serving)

2 heads Napa cabbage, cleaned and diced

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

3 onions, diced

3 jalapeno peppers, diced

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, sliced

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

1 ½ teaspoons cumin

2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce

1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper or to taste

Equipment:

• Large bowl
• Large wok

1. Sprinkle the cabbage with the salt and let sit 40 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in the wok.
3. Add the onions and jalapenos. Sauté until the onions are transparent.
4. Add the remaining vegetables. Sauté until softened.
5. Add the cabbage. Sauté until just wilted.
6. Combine the water with the cornstarch and soy sauce. Add to the wok.
7. Cook until the sauce is thickened and serve.

Recipe: Spicy Spinach

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin. Eating Korean. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 71

I almost forgot that I made this dish. I never went and calculated the cost per serving when I first cooked it. I didn't add the write-up to my to-do list. If I wrote down the changes that I made to the original at all I certainly can't find them now. The past month or so has just been a zoo in the Fearless household and sometimes things slip through the cracks. I found a picture of this dish when getting other pictures off my camera, and as soon as I saw the picture the dish came rushing back to me. That's kind of unusual in a side dish. You want to hear something even more unusual? My husband usually detests cooked spinach but he loved this. There weren't even any leftovers.

Looking back, I think I can remember a few of the changes that I made. I used hot pepper sesame oil instead of regular sesame oil because it is allergy season and you have to do what you have to do. I increased the garlic because there could always be more garlic in everything except possibly desserts. I added some ginger because I thought it just seemed right. Finally, I added some Korean chili paste. I bought it a while ago and it's been sitting on my counter ever since (darn those tamper-proof packages!). Since it's spring and therefore allergy season I figured that no harm could come from adding a little extra spice.

Spicy Spinach (serves 4; approx. $1.28/serving)

2 bunches spinach – regular spinach, not baby spinach – washed

1 tablespoon hot pepper sesame oil

5 garlic cloves, crushed

Kosher salt to taste – be sparing here, since the chili paste has salt in it.

1 tablespoon ginger paste

2 tablespoons Korean chili paste

Equipment:

• Large saucepan
• Large wok
• Colander
• Tongs

1. Fill the saucepan with water and bring to a boil.
2. Add the spinach and blanch very quickly. Use the tongs to evacuate the spinach to the colander, where you should rinse it thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking. Let drain.
3. Heat the oil in the wok.
4. Add the garlic, chili paste and ginger paste. Sauté until fragrant.
5. Add the spinach. Sauté until heated through. Season with salt.
6. Let stand a few minutes to allow the flavors to marry, then serve.

Recipe: Noodles with Turkey and Zucchini

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin. Eating Korean. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 122

This recipe looked complicated at first pass, but at the end of the day it came together very easily and quickly. Part of the reason, I think, is the fact that I poached the turkey several days ahead of time and prepped the rest of the ingredients while my daughter was taking an extended nap. I made a few changes to the recipe as is my wont, and they probably made it a lot less authentic. The two biggest changes are the noodles and the meat. The original recipe called for "knife noodles." I do not know what "knife noodles" are. I had an elaborate plan of making my own pasta and then cutting the noodles with a knife but that wasn't going to happen. The original recipe said that they could be found in the refrigerated section of Korean groceries. If there is a Korean grocery in or near Braintree it is very well hidden. I ultimately decided to go with fresh pasta from the refrigerated section of the regular American grocery, which wasn't very tasty but was adequate. After all, the noodles were mostly a conduit for the turkey. The turkey itself was a major change. The original recipe called for chicken, but I prefer turkey and found some for a decent price. I'm not too sure about Korean zucchini, but I found a regular zucchini. I added some shiitake mushrooms because I had purchased them at an earlier time and then cancelled that recipe. I also added some ginger to round out the flavors.

I liked this recipe well enough, but my husband loved it. Like I said, it was a great recipe in that I was able to prepare the components as I had time and then pull things together at the last minute.

Noodles with Turkey and Zucchini (serves 4; approx. $3.55/serving)

2 turkey tenderloins (approx. ¾ pound)

Water

3 tablespoons chili powder

8 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon hot pepper sesame oil, divided

2 scallions, sliced

1 package (3.5 oz) shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 zucchini, shredded (I used the food processor, but you can use whatever tool works for you)

1 package fresh tagliatelle

Equipment:

• Large saucepan
• Large wok
• Mini-prep miniature food processor
• Zip-top plastic bag

1. Put the turkey tenderloins in the large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the turkey is cooked through.
2. Remove the turkey from the water and cool. Shred manually.
3. Combine the garlic, chili powder, soy sauce, ginger and half the sesame oil in the mini-prep and process to a paste.
4. Put the shredded turkey in the plastic bag. Add the marinade and toss to coat, then refrigerate until you are ready to cook.
5. Clean out the saucepan, then fill with more water.
6. Add the zucchini shreds and the pasta. Cook until done, then drain and set aside.
7. Heat the oil in the wok.
8. Add the mushrooms and sauté until just tender.
9. Add the turkey and sauté until heated through.
10. Add the pasta and zucchini. Sauté until heated through.
11. Serve.

Recipe: Spicy Turkey Soup

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin. Eating Korean. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 102

Has the Horrible Creeping Crud hit your town yet? There's been something going around, I'm not sure what it is but it seems like everyone's had it. We've heard from friends as far away as Nyack who've experienced the joy and wonder of this unpleasant virus. We certainly have all had it here in the Fearless household. This recipe came out of that illness. I know I've talked about this before, but when I'm sick all I want is spicy food – spicy to the point that a lot of people can't eat it. It's the only thing that brings relief.

I made a few changes of course. I used a turkey breast instead of chicken because I prefer turkey. I increased the garlic out of habit. I did not add as much salt as directed because we just don't need that much salt right now. I added the carrots and celery because I had them left over from another recipe, didn't want them to go to waste and wanted to make this a more substantial soup. The result was delicious, if I do say so myself.

Spicy Turkey Soup (serves 8; approx. $2.97/serving)

1 turkey breast

1 gallon water

1 ½ garlic bulb, peeled and crushed

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 eggs

1 tablespoon hot pepper sesame oil

3 bunches scallions, cut into 3" pieces

2 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

Equipment:

• Large stockpot
• Small bowl
• Large bowl

1. Put the turkey breast – skin and all – into the stockpot and add the water. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour at least.
3. Remove the turkey to a cutting board. Skim the fat from the broth.
4. When the turkey has cooled enough to handle, strip the skin from the carcass and discard. Cut the meat from the bones and cut into cubes.
5. Put the meat into the large bowl and season with the chili powder, soy sauce and salt. Set aside 10 minutes.
6. Beat the eggs and the sesame oil together in the small bowl.
7. Bring the broth back to a boil.
8. Add the meat, scallions, celery and carrots.
9. Return to a boil. Drizzle the egg mixture slowly into the bowl.
10. Serve.

Recipe: Spicy Squid

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin.  Eating Korean.  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 157

This dish combines everything that I've been looking for in a recipe lately.  It is spicy.  It is tasty.  It is easily made ahead of time and reheated.  It contains some form of seafood.  Yeah, that's pretty much everything!  Oh, did I mention that it's pretty easy?  The picture didn't come out all that great, but we were in a bit of a rush. 

I made a few small changes.  I didn't have three fresh squid.  I had a pound of baby squid from the supermarket.  I decided to assume that the quantities were correct.  I also increased both the ginger and the garlic.  The sesame oil I used was hot pepper sesame oil because of personal preference and the "vegetable" oil was actually olive oil, also because of personal preference. 

Spicy Squid (serves 4; approx. cost per serving not available)

1 pound squid, tubes and tentacles (you could do just tubes if you find tentacles creepy)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons red chili paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon hot pepper sesame oil

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/2 carrot, thinly sliced in pieces about 2" long

2 scallions, sliced into 2" long pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper - I used green because it was cheapest

Equipment:

• Large wok or saute pan
• Small bowl.

1. Slice up your squid into pieces of about 2". 
2. Combine the soy sauce, chili paste, chili powder, hot pepper sesame oil and ginger in a small bowl.  Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in the wok. 
4. Add the garlic.  Cook 1 minute.
5. Add the squid, onion, carrot and bell pepper.  Cook until the squid is cooked.  Do not overcook. 
6. Add the scallions.  Cook another minute. 
7. Serve. 

Recipe: Korean-style Vegetable and Turkey Stew

Recipe Source: Park, Allisa (ed.).  Discovering Korean Cuisine.  Dream Character, Lomita, 2007 pp. 108-9

I love Korean food.  There's something about it that really appeals to me.  Maybe it's the way that every Korean dish I've ever had has been comforting, filling and flavorful without being heavy, fatty and greasy.  Maybe it's the way that the dishes come together to stimulate all the senses.  I'm not sure what it is, but I love Korean food. 

Korean food has been difficult for me to re-create in my own kitchen, though.  Many of the recipes I have call for special ingredients that I haven't found a good source for, and then I've been criticized for not including certain ingredients that I've never heard of and weren't mentioned in the recipe I'm working from but are nevertheless apparently essential for authenticity.  That's why I'm calling this a Korean-style stew instead of a Korean stew. 

As usual, I had to make some changes to the original recipe.  I changed chicken for turkey because I prefer turkey.  I omitted the carrot because I hate carrots, and I didn't need to have 3/4 of a carrot kicking around my refrigerator for the next decade.  I omitted the spinach because I just didn't want to spend the money on a whole bunch of spinach for five leaves.  I couldn't find sweet potato vermicelli, so I used brown rice vermicelli instead.  It's not the same thing, not even close, but at least offers fiber.  I increased the garlic and omitted the sugar for matters of personal taste, which is also why I used honey instead of corn syrup.  (I'm not one of those "corn syrup is evil" people.  I just don't think it offers any flavor.  If I'm going to add calories to a dish, why not add some flavor as well?  And I love the taste of honey.)  Finally, I was absolutely, positively, not going to spend the money on enoki mushrooms.  I could only get them in a mixed pack of mushrooms, none of which I needed for upcoming recipes.  The pack was expensive.  I used shiitakes instead because I could control how many of them I bought!

The result was probably a lot less authentic than it could have been, but really knocked my husband's socks off.  We both enjoyed it tremendously and I'm sure I'll be making this again. 

Korean-style Vegetable and Turkey Stew (serves 2; approx. $8.52/serving)

1 1/2 pounds turkey breast, chopped into 2" pieces

1 potato, sliced into 1" pieces

3 1/2 cups water

5 scallions, chopped

1 onion, sliced

1 serrano chile, sliced

1/4 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

3 ounces brown rice vermicelli, prepared according to package instructions

8 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper paste

1 tablespoon mirin

2 tablespoons honey

3 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Equipment:

• Large saucepan or wok with lid

1. Combine the chicken, potato, water, garlic, soy sauce, chili powder, hot pepper paste and mirin in the wok. 
2. Boil 20 minutes, covered. 
3. Add the honey, scallions, onion, serrano and bell pepper.  Mix and cook another 5 minutes uncovered.
4. Add the vermicelli and mushrooms.  Do not mix, but cover and cook another 2 minutes. 
5. Gently mix, then serve. 

Recipe: Kimchi Fried Rice

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin.  Eating Korean.  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 31

Sometimes people can be odd.  For example, I detest cabbage.  I will not allow cabbage to be cooked in my home, I will not allow it to be grown in my garden and the merest suggestion will cause me to run for the hills.  There is an exception to my cabbage aversion, though, and it is kimchi.  I don't know why.  It's not as though I'm Korean.  I didn't grow up eating the stuff, it's not part of my heritage or anything.  And it is pungent, which should trigger my strong aversion to anything that smells bad.  When it comes down to it, though, I will always eat kimchi if provided. 

We've had a jar of kimchi in the fridge for a while now.  While planning the menu for that first week back in the kitchen after the birth of the Fearless Baby, I was looking for recipes that would use up ingredients we already had and which would be relatively easy.  A fried rice dish seemed to fit the bill.  This recipe was actually even less intensive than a lot of the Chinese fried rice recipes I've seen.  I decided that I would make this dish.

I made a few substitutions.  I substituted turkey for the pork called for in the original, as I am still terrified to try and eat pork.  I increased the amount of garlic.  I used hot pepper sesame oil instead of vegetable oil, because I like it, but I reduced the amount of oil because my husband can't tolerate oily food.  And, ah, I added the eggs.  I'd love to tell you that I added the eggs to put more protein into what was our main dish, but I wasn't that slick.  I had been convinced that the original called for eggs.  Since the only eggs we had in the house had gone bad (I'd purchased them well before our daughter was born.  Their expiration date was the day she was born.  Ick.) I asked my husband to run out and get me more eggs.  He did.  Then I opened the cookbook and noticed that there had actually been no eggs called for in this recipe.  I decided that if I sent him out for egg I'd darned well better use them!  Oh, the original claimed to make 2 servings, but I think this would have served 4 easily.)

The result was pretty tasty if I do say so.  My husband enjoyed it so much that he asked for more.  Since it was amazingly easy, I think it's a good dish for those nights when we're very rushed or don't have the energy to screw around in the kitchen. 

Kimchi Fried Rice (serves 4; approx. $1.07/serving)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 onion, chopped

1/4 pound turkey cutlets, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 1/4 tablespoons hot pepper sesame oil, divided

3 cups leftover rice

1 cup kimchi (approx.)

2 scallions, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

Equipment:

• Large wok

1. Heat 1 tablespoon hot pepper sesame oil in the wok. 
2. Add the garlic, onion and turkey.  Cook over high heat until the turkey is well browned.
3. Add the rice.  Reduce the heat if your dish seems to be burning and cook until the rice is no longer hard or clumping together so much.
4. Add the kimchi, scallions and remaining hot pepper sesame oil.  Cook another 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly. 
5. Make a well in the center of the wok and add the eggs.  Let stand until the eggs are starting to set up, then stir furiously until the eggs are well mixed.
6. Serve.  Note: I made the rice with a bit of salt, but if you would like more you can add soy sauce to taste. 

Recipe: Chicken in Chili Sauce

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin.  Eating Korean.  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 177

I made this dish as part of my attempt to eat healthier during the playoffs (a futile attempt so far) and as part of one of my regular freezer purges.  I had some chicken thighs in the fridge.  I knew that in order to implement my plan of making food ahead of time and eating it during the week I would need to clear some space in the freezer.  This was done. 

I did make a few changes, naturally.  I halved the amount of chicken, because that's what I had on hand.  I also used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of the bone-in ones, again because that's what I had.  Due to poor inventory management, I had run out of regular onions on Sunday and had only red onions to work with.  I substituted some home-grown broccoli for the zucchini and carrot, because I detest carrots and because we'd harvested the broccoli before the first big frost and needed to use it up.  I increased the amount of garlic and I omitted the sugar. 

I really, really liked this dish, having felt the need to sample it before freezing.  It's a hearty, fall-appropriate dish that really brings a smile to your face.  Well, my face anyway, and my husband certainly liked it too. 

Chicken in Chili Sauce (serves 4; approx. $2.51/serving)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces

2 cups water

2 potatoes, cubed

1 red onion, diced

1 lb broccoli, chopped

7 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

5 tablespoons Korean chili paste

2 scallions, sliced on the diagonal

Equipment:

• Deep frying pan or wok with lid

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in the pan. 
2. Add the chicken, potatoes, onion and broccoli.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce and chili paste.  Bring back to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 
5. Add the scallions and cook another minute or so. 
6. Remove from heat and serve. 

Recipe: Spicy Beef Soup (Yookgaejang)

Recipe Source: Lee, Cecilia Hae-Jin.  Eating Korean.  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2005 p. 101

Years ago - all right, a year and a half ago - when I still worked outside the home, there was a Korean restaurant near my office that I was absolutely in love with.  I'd tried Korean food before once or twice, but opportunities for exploring it were few and far between until Minsok came into my life.  One of my favorite things to get for lunch at Minsok was Yookgaejang, a kind of spicy beef and scallion soup.  Well, I work from home and home is a long way from Brookline, so I don't get to go to Minsok and indulge myself as often.  When I got this book and noticed this recipe, I thought it might be very close to the real thing. 

The result was not identical to Minsok's version, but it was darned tasty nevertheless.  I didn't make a lot of changes other than using green garlic instead of regular garlic, which I feel gave it a more pronounced garlic aroma.  I used chile powder that was labeled "extra hot" - my husband had complained that the last dish I'd made at home (the pasta with fresh basil and tomatoes) wasn't spicy enough, so I decided to be a little generous in my measurements.  That made it a little spicier than the Minsok version, which is certainly no slouch in the scoville unit department.  Minsok also makes theirs with noodles, also serving rice on the side.  I've been assured that this is not only inauthentic but possibly heretical by people who are in a better position to know than I am, but I don't care.  It still tastes great and adds body to the soup.  I didn't omit the noodles for the sake of authenticity, though.  I omitted them because I didn't have the right kind. 

We both really liked this soup.  I was probably a little harsher in my evaluation of it because I was comparing it to Minsok, but that's okay.  My husband, who has never been to Minsok, loved it and had thirds.  A note on cost per serving: brisket is usually one of the cheapest cuts of beef you can get, and I'm very certain that you can get brisket for far less than I paid for it.  I got mine at the farmer's market, so fresh you could still smell the fields on it, grass fed, et cetera, and the cost was frankly exorbitant.  Getting brisket for less money would get your cost per serving down considerably.   

Yookgaejang (serves 5 - 6; approx. $2.44/serving)

1 pound beef brisket

1 gallon of water

1 green garlic bulb, minced

3 generous tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons kosher salt

3 eggs

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

3 bunches scallions, cut into 3" lengths

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment:

• Large saucepan or stock pot
• Skimmer (optional)
• Small bowl
• Medium mixing bowl

1. Put the beef and water in the saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour.  Skim as necessary.
2. When the meat is sufficiently tender, let cool slightly and shred it into thin strips. 
3. Put the meat strips into the mixing bowl with the garlic, chili powder, soy sauce and salt.  Mix thoroughly and set aside at least 10 minutes.
4. Combine the eggs and sesame oil in the small bowl and beat well. 
5. Bring the broth to a boil again. 
6. Add the seasoned meat, scallions and pepper. 
7. Return to a boil, then drizzle the egg mixture into the boiling broth.
8. Boil 1 - 2 minutes, then serve.