Ambitious Delicious(ness)

Upon doing a quick Google search for pork belly, I came across a lot of links that pointed to David Chang’s recipe for pork belly buns.
The recipe I found on Epicurious includes instructions for a big slab of pork belly, as well as instructions for homemade buns.

Since I don’t have a steamer, I was nervous about making the buns myself. So I took the easy way out and bought the fluffy, pillowy buns at the store. And while julienning the cucumbers made for a pretty presentation, cutting them in circles is optimal for getting the cucumber’s crispy texture into every scrumptious bite! I have a feeling that this recipe will be one that I will be making quite often from now on!

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YAY! We have a winner for the spring giveaway. Congratulations to Basil (#9)! Woo hoo!

Thanks for participating, everyone!

Put your puffy winter jackets away – spring is upon us! Hooray! The weather was amazing this past weekend, lifting everyone’s spirits!

To welcome spring, it’s time for another giveaway! The kind folks at Goose Valley Natural Foods sent me their 100% organic wild rice to try. Did you know that wild rice is a naturally gluten-free whole grain?

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In the name of culinary experiments, I decided to take one for the team. I made a broth out of grass fed lamb neck and bones that the lovely Ulla graciously shared with me! I felt that it was time to exercise my risotto making skills, as it has been quite a while since I’ve made risotto.

I started out by making the broth first, then making risotto on the next day. The stock was made by placing lamb neck and bones, a small onion, some carrot top, and a carrot along in a pot with 3 cups of water. I let it simmer for about 2 hours over low heat. The broth was rich in color and quite flavorful.

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Before we bid farewell to winter, I wanted to share this simple hot and sour recipe. This is one of my favorite soups to eat whenever I eat Chinese food, which I realize, is not very often. But now that I know how to make it, I can enjoy it anytime I want!

All of the soups I’ve had at restaurants use cornstarch as a thickener. While I don’t mind it, I didn’t want a big pot of gloppy soup so I omitted corn starch. It’s up to you!

I would recommend cooking pork on the frying pan, then deglazing the pan for extra flavor. Sorry to say that I actually ended up omitting a few ingredients that I didn’t have on hand (bamboo shoots, pork, white pepper).

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Have you ever tried making the same recipe multiple times unsuccessfully? It’s one of the most frustrating things I’ve experienced. My otherwise capable self does not like this feeling of not knowing how to do something to seemingly easy.

One time, I spent an hour boiling tomatoes and then slaving over the sauce. I ended up with a sauce that was so full of liquid that you could have poured it into a cup to drink. I tried adding flour to make it thicker (until it congealed in the fridge and grossed me out). Then the next time, I added cornstarch, which turned out even worse!!

I made a couple of changes to see if I can fare better this time. And luckily, I did. Instead of using a stainless steel pot, I used to a thick anodized saucepan, thanks to a generous gift from a friend (thanks R!). I also tried using canned tomatoes this time, mainly because I didn’t want to waste good tomatoes again like last time.

Speaking of tomatoes, there is a shortage of tomatoes due to bad weather in Florida. Fresh tomato prices are on the rise so a lot of restaurants are starting to feel the pinch. Chicken wing prices have also gone up but for some reason, it doesn’t make me as sad.

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Pad Thai, as you know, is quite a popular dish when it comes to Thai food. The spices in this dish is a melodious combination of tartness, sweetness, and saltiness. I’ve always wondered what ingredients went into making a delicious plate of pan fried noodle goodness. Have you?

I recall going into a Thai restaurant with my friend S about 5 years ago. Like any other smart New Yorker, she looked up a Thai place in Manhattan. We ordered Pad Thai there and I distinctly remember being disgusted at our noodles! We both swear that the major ingredient was ketchup. Major fail!

Interestingly, when I asked her if she remembered the name of the place, she said it was Topaz. I was so surprised because they have such good noodle dishes now! I never would have imagined that a place could turn themselves around like that. It’s a good lesson in not banning a restaurant forever based on one experience.

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