Beautiful day in Neighborhood

Beautiful day in Neighborhood

As a tradition of the National night out in the 1st week of August every year, every neighborhood holds the potluck dinner to celebrate. And it also serves to get to know the neighbors as well as to prevent crime by informing each other by email.  Every neighborhood has the nominated block captain who organizes this event each year. The block captain informs all the neighbors about the block outdoor party through email one month ahead.  Usually, as a traditional American party meal, the dishes would include grilled meat, burgers, and hot dogs. Every family also brought different food items such as pasta salads, chili, baked beans, potato salad, fruits, and desserts.

After moving to this neighborhood, this national night out is our 4th Summer block party to meet neighbors in the summer evening. Children had fun eating food and making more friends as their play dates. Adults also introduced each other to get to know the neighbors. This year some new homeowner moved into our neighborhood as old neighbors moved out with their own reasons. Since young families moved in, my neighborhood now has more children and they do biking, skateboarding and different kinds of outdoor activities. As we stay in the state of the cold weather, all of us appreciate the warm weather of Summer. Most Minnesotans are excited when the winter ends.

In August, most vegetables are fresh from the local farms, Sweet corn is the most delicious vegetable to enjoy as a summer treat. Every year I have made one item of Burmese food for this special evening, this year I made sweet rice with corn. I did write a similar recipe once but without sweet corn. It is simple to make and also a good afternoon snack to enjoy with green tea.

Sweet Corn with Sweet rice ( 3-4 serving)

Ingredients

4 cups   Sweet rice or Glutinous rice ( soaked with cold water overnight)
2 cup    Corn ( Scraped from the cob 4-5 corn on the cobs)
1 cup    Shallots ( Thinly sliced)
1 tsp     Turmeric powder
1 tbsp    Salt
1 tsp      Sugar
1 cup     Canola Oil
3 cup     Water

Instruction

1. In the Chinese wok or non-stick pan, add oil and heat the pan with medium-high.
2. When the oil is heated, add the turmeric powder and shallot then fry till golden brown.
3. Strain all the shallot from the oil onto a paper towel.
4. In the pan with the oil which is previously fried shallot, cook the rice together with corn.
5. Add salt and sugar to the rice and stir.
6. Add 1 cup water and stir every ingredients to mix with the rice
7 Add the rest of the water and cover with lid.
8. Turn down the heat to medium and cook the rice. May need to stir occasionally.
9. When all the water has evaporated and the rice sticks to the pan. It is ready.
10. We may cook this rice in a non-stick pan to get the crispy top layer of cooked rice.
( This sweet rice is also suitable to have with fried chicken or fried fish)

Pressure Cooked Fish Stew

 Pressure Cooked Fish Stew

Every time we go back to Burma around July, there will be at least religious event and robe offering ceremony around this time every year.
As a Buddhist culture, we offered food to the monks and the people as a big feast.
At most of the big event in the monasteries, a group of people would volunteer to cook with the big pot and big stove to feed more than 100 people. Chicken curry and coconut rice, Chicken Bariani, Plain Rice with different kinds of curry are the most popular party food for the food-offering events.

Among that party food, I think this fish item must be the most expensive item nowadays because of overfishing. The fish called Hilsa fish is a very popular fish in south-east Asia. This fish was not that expensive though at that time and is one of the boniest fish among others. But this fish was my mother's favorite item every time she went to the market and always on the list for the weekly menu.
As a child, I liked to eat meat either chicken or pork instead of bony fish, but my mom never gave in what children wanted. We had to follow her menu since she manages the family meal on the daily basis. But now, we crave for that dish just like my mother cooked.

Our Mom sometimes cooked this fish with tomato and lemongrass to mask the fishy flavor. And it was also delightful pressure cooked fish stew. Since I arrived in America, I tried to make this type of fish curry with a different kind of fish such as salmon or lake trout.
Because of the fish, taste is a little different but the flavor of the dish is quite similar.
Even though I use lake trout, because pressure cooked, the bone are soft and can be eaten together with fish meat. We can also use Salmon to get more fish meat.

Pressure Cooked Fish Stew ( 3-4 Serving)

Ingredients

3 lb Fish (lake trout or Salmon with skin, cleaned)
2 cup   Onion ( finely chopped)
1 tbsp  Chopped Garlic
1 tbsp  Fine chopped ginger
2 cup  Tomato ( rough chopped)
2 stalk Lemongrass ( washed and Pounded)
1 tbsp  Chili powder
1 tbsp  Lemon Juice
2 tbsp  Fish sauce
1 tsp    Salt
1 tsp    Turmeric
1/2 cup Oil

Procedure

1. In the pressure cooker, lay the pounded lemongrass ( reason: Fish is delicate, Not to stick to the pan)
2. Cut each trout into 3 pieces, marinate with salt and turmeric powder. Align fish pieces on the lemongrass.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, chopped onion,  chopped garlic, and ginger.
4. sprinkle all the lemon juice, fish sauce, and oil onto the fish pieces.
5. add 2 cups of water, seal the lid and heat the pot with medium-high heat for about 1 hour.
6. After, 1 hour of cooking, release the pressure of the pot and check the bone has softened.
7. If the bone is soft, open the lid and cook with medium heat to thicken the gravy. ( for about 15-30) minutes.
8. When the gravy has thickened,  we may taste and add salt to our taste then It is ready to serve with whit Jasmin rice.
9. The mango salad is a great accompaniment for this dish.
10. We can also enjoy the fish sandwich after the next day if there is left over in the fridge.

Grilled Beef Lettuce Wrap

Sweet & Savory Summer Treat with Sweet Corn

Each year, around the end of June throughout July,  fresh sweet corn is available in most of the store. It reminds me of my school days when I was young. Traditionally June has always been the start of school days in Myanmar since I was little. When the Monsoon start, the schools from high school to kindergarten open their doors. Sometimes, we played in the puddles in front of the school gate on heavy rainy days at end of school. We never complained about the heavy rain or curse the monsoon.

I remember the steam sweet corn, my dad bought for us as an after_school snack. Sometimes at home, mom cooked corn with shallots as a side dish for the family meal. We could also make corn fritter with fresh corn and tempura batter. Also, we could cook it with sweet sticky rice and turmeric powder to make sweet rice snacks as an afternoon treat paired with green tea.

Sometimes in the summer, we usually grilled corn on the cob to enjoy with other grilled meat and vegetable also a satisfying meal too. We could also make the grilled corn Asian style salsa to mix with grilled beef to enjoy as low carb meal. As I grow some herbs as summer vegetable, the lemon basil, Thai sweet basil and lime leaf are a great contribution to the salads and soups.

The Thai lettuce cup menu used to be available at one of our favorite restaurants, but now they have removed that item. I really do not know the reason. I would like to try making that dish myself at home. Hope it will be enjoyable for others too.

Grilled Beef (Grilled Meat) Lettuce cup in Asian style ( 3-4 Serving)

Ingredients

1 lb          Beef tenderloin ( or chicken)
2 counts   Butterhead Lettuce head
1 cup       Red Onion (Small Diced)
2 cup       Grilled Corn
1/2 cup    Cucumber ( Small Diced)
1 cup       Red sweet bell pepper ( small cube diced)
1/2 cup    Cubed Celery
1 tbsp      Garlic (finely chopped)
1 cup       Thai sweet basil (small chopped)
1 tsp        Thai green chili ( small chopped)
1 tbsp      sugar
1 tbsp      freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp      Fish sauce
1 tbsp      garlic oil or olive oil (optional)
2 tbsp      Freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp      Hoisin Sauce
1/2 cup    Chicken broth
1/2 cup    crushed peanut ( optional)

Instructions

1. Rub salt and pepper to the pre-cut tenderloin meat. Grill as you prefer.
    I love medium well just to get a little pink color in it. Set it aside to cool it down.
2. In the bowl, add cold water and peel the lettuce leaves to clean the sands and other impurities. Rinse 2-3 time with cold water and strain.
3. In the cooled and dry bowl, add olive oil, fish sauce, green chili, lime juice, orange juice and chicken broth then mix with the whip.
4. When the meat is cooled, dice them into small cubes.
5. Then in the dressing bowl ( step 3), add cubed meat, cut grilled corn, cubed cucumber, diced red bell pepper, celery, onion and chopped basil. Toss all the ingredients together with the dressing thoroughly.
6. We can prepare the dish with meat salad bowl in the middle surrounded with clean lettuce leaves.
7. As the final touch, add a few sesame seeds, the crushed peanut and cilantro leaves as the garnish on top of the meat salad.

( Note: We could also use chicken satay meat instead of red meat ( grilled beef )

Deep Fried Spicy Catfish Nuggets

Deep Fried Spicy Catfish Nuggets

Since I arrived in the United States, I saw the catfish nuggets at the grocery store. I do not have any idea what to do with it. We use to buy the fish with bone in our country. Here,  I could see mostly are all boneless meat and fish.

I did once ask that question to my culinary teacher about the boneless fish in the store. My teacher said that we may get those from the farmer's market or fisherman from the lake. But the legal issue and some rules may apply at the store because for Law enforcement to protect the business.

 Some customer may sue the company because of that bone. There are a lot of legal systems and law enforcement applied in this country. Most of the American respect the Honesty and Sincerity. But some may abuse that system for their own self-interest by claiming the cause.

The catfish in Burma are also from the likes and rivers. The size of the fish is small. Their skin is dark and slimy. In Burma, we usually deep fried with turmeric powder and salt to pair with steam sweet sticky rice or porridge for older people when they are sick. We can also deep fried those and cook again with chili flakes with shallot to pack for the picnic lunch. We can enjoy this dish with the warm steamed rice.

I am also thankful to those who shared this recipe when I arrived in this country. I will always remember their generosity and caring act throughout my life.

Spicy and Crispy Fried Catfish with Shallot ( 3 Serving )

Ingredients

2 Lb     Catfish Nuggets
2 cups  Thinly sliced Shallots
1/2 cup Thinly sliced Garlic
1 tsp     Salt
1 tsp     Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp  Pepper
2 cups   Oil
2 tbsp   Crushed Red pepper
1 tsp     Pepperika
3 tsp     Fish Sauce

Instruction

1. Cut the fish nuggets into small pieces as preferred to fry crispy pieces.
2. Marinate with salt, pepper and turmeric powder for 1 hour.
3. In the Asian Wok on the stove top with medium-high heat, add oil for a few minutes.
4. Fry the garlic and shallot slices to make it crispy golden brown.
5. Strain it from the pan and let it cool down in a dry plate.
6. In the same pan, fry the marinated fish pieces till golden brown color and strain on the paper towel to soak extra oil.
7. Mix the crushed red pepper and paprika with 2 tablespoons of water and fry in the pan.
8. When the chili is mixing well with oil and fragrant add the fish sauce then stir till flavorful.
9. Add the crispy fried fish in the chili paste ( step 8) and turn off the heat.
10. When the chili fish is cooled, add the crispy fried shallot and garlic to the fried fish.

( Note.  This dish can be paired with lentil bean soup and rice. It will make a perfect meal as Myanmar Authentic Lunch.)

Sweet Rice with Shrimp and Coconut

Something to Wrap...

We grew up with the Myanmar food and other delicious ethnic food in our country since we were young. From those varieties of food, one is called Hin Htote in the eastern part of Burma make me think of making myself at home. This one is also similar to the Tamale in Spanish cuisine.

In Myanmar, wrap up rice related food are in the different array we could choose to eat either as a dessert (sweet) or savory snack. Here in America, one of my favorite wrapped food is called Tamale. It has different variety and made with the variety of meat stuffing. Also, it is steamed and the taste is moist and spicy too. Maybe because of the sauce used to eat together with.

I am always thinking of using the ingredients available here to mix and match with my native country flavor. In Burma, the sweet rice ( sticky rice) related food is popular among local people. I'll try to make the sweet rice variety filled with coconut and shrimp filling, wrapped in Banan leaves and steam. Also, the Shan style Hin Htote with honey ham might be a great flavor I could imagine. Instead of using banana leaves since I stay in Midwest, I am trying with corn husk as a wrapping material for that Burmese food.

It is really a trial, and I am not sure about the outcome of its taste and flavor. But I can't wait to make it happen.

Steamed Sweet rice with shrimp and coconut filling. ( 4-5 serving)

Ingredients

1 bag  Dried Corn Husk (soak in warm water for more than 1 hour)
3 cup  Sweet rice soaked overnight
1 cup  Shrimp finely chopped
2 tbsp fried onion ( fried shallot)
1 cup  Coconut milk
1 cup  Shredded coconut
1 tsp   Sugar
2 tsp   Salt ( one for shrimp and one for sweet rice seasoning)
2 tbsp  Canola oil

Instruction

1.  In the skillet on the stove with medium-high heat, add the oil then stir the chopped shrimp ( seasoned with 1tsp of salt) till all the water from shrimp evaporated and shrimp is turned into the pink color.

2.  Add the shredded coconut and fried onion into the pan and stir till all ingredients are well-mixed and fragrant.

3. In the bowl, add strained soaked sweet rice, coconut milk, sugar and salt mix thoroughly.

4.  In the steamer or pressure cooker add 2 inches of water and put the steamer insert
   And ready.

5. In 2 to 3 corn husk could hold the sweet rice wrap. get the soaked rice and put the shrimp in the center and hold together and wrap . with a toothpick. We should make the wrap in loosely as because of the rice will expand during the cooking process.

6. Steam with medium-high heat for 40 minutes in the pressure cooker or 1.5 hour in the normal steamer.

7. Enjoy the steam sweet rice with chili sauce or whatever sauce you may choose.

8. We may also grill this steamed rice wrap on low medium heat to enjoy the smoky grilling flavor.

Hinn Htote

1. Mix 2 cups of rice powder with thinly sliced 1 cup spring onion and 1/2 cup garlic chives.
2. Add 2 cups of chicken broth to get the flavor. May add the salt and pepper. It is optional.
3. Add 2 tbsp cornstarch to make thicken like the pancake batter.
4. We may add the 1 tbsp chopped honey ham to get the meaty and salty flavor.
5. We could use either banana leaves or corn husk to wrap and steam as above method.

One EEL dish..That we grew up with

One EEL Dish

In America, eel fish must be familiar to some restaurant-goers. In most Japanese restaurant Unagi sushi is made with teriyaki-flavored grilled Eel. Most people may love that sushi too. After more than 15 years stay in Minnesota, many restaurants and more diversified menu available in the metro area. Korean, Middle Eastern, Indian restaurants and of course Chinese restaurant too.

As I am the fan of every type of food, I would try most of them if I have the chance. In my memory, the one eel dish has been our favorite since we were little. Some weekends, our dad brought us to enjoy the Chinese dinner and the movie. Each of us could choose one dish that we liked. That spicy Eel dish is the favorite that we all agree to order. It is a simple dish cooked with black bean sauce, chili, and garlic. But the method of cooking depends on how this dish is cooked with the big flame.

 That stir fry dish is spicy with its own unique ingredient.It is flavored with Beansprout. I tried to order this dish from Szcheuan restaurant once, but the taste was not quite the same as we use to eat in Yangon, Myanmar ( Rangoon, Burma).

Therefore I tried to make this dish several times at home similar to that restaurant in Yangon, Burma.
Not that bad, eatable. In Burma, that dish is super tasty at the Golden Duck Restaurant. Because of its very delicious roasted duck which is also signature gourmet food, that restaurant is popular among restaurant-goer and tourists.

This restaurant was also my mom's favorite because she loves the Chinese food from this restaurant. Every time I visit Burma,  that restaurant is a must go for good dinner. That dish is also very good spicy dish to pair with other food too. Till today, the taste is still authentic as it was in our childhood days.

Hot and Spicy Eel ( 2-3 Serving)

Ingredients

1 bag ( 14 oz) Frozen Eel. ( taste better if fresh)
8 oz               Bean Sprout
1/2 cups         Garlic  ( finely chopped)
1/2 cups         Spring Onion ( cut 1 inch long)
1 tbsp            Fine chopped Fresh Red Chili
1 tbsp            Grated Ginger
1 tbsp            Soy sauce ( light)
1 tbsp              Black Bean Sauce
1 tbsp            Sri Racha Sambal Oelek
1 tbsp            Corn Starch mix with 1/2 cups of broth
1 tsp              Black pepper powder
1/2 tsp           Szcheuan Pepper Corn (pounded)
1/2 cups         Canola Oil
1 tbsp             vinegar
1 tbsp             White wine
1 tsp               fine paprika powder
1 cup              Cut cilantro to garnish

Instruction

Prep 1:   Boil the ell in boiling hot water for 5 -10 minute the strain out from the hot water.
             Remove the meat gently from the bone. Season the fish meat with
             pepper and salt.

Prep 2:  In a small bowl, add chopped garlic, paprika powder and vinegar with 2 tbsp of garlic. Mix well.

Prep 3:  In a small bowl add Sri Racha Samba Oelek, soy sauce, 1tsp sugar and black bean sauce. Mix well.

1. Heat the oil in a Chinese Wok over high heat. Then add ginger, Add prep 2. Then stir till chili, garlic and ginger are fragrant. Add the prep 1 together and stir.

2. Add white wine then stir 2-3 minutes over the big flame.

3. Add prep 3 to the Wok and stir.

4. Add the cornstarch with broth pour it on top together with crushed Sichuan peppercorn.

5. Stir 3-4 minutes then add the bean sprout with spring onion into the wok and stir for 3-5 minutes.

6. Then pour into the serving plate. garnish with fresh chopped garlic and cut cilantro.

( Note:  This spicy dish is suitable to pair with either soup or sweet and sour meat dish. Of course to enjoy with white jasmine rice)

Kaw Yay Khaut Swae

Noodle with Thick Starchy Soup ( Kaw Yay Khaut Swae)

This year, I went back to Burma and then transited in Singapore. I tried to have different kind of street food like Mont Hin Nga ( national food of Burma) at the different restaurant because of their different cooking style. Tried a lot of local favorites too.

But in Singapore, we always go for the local favorite food wherever it is available. As the country is more population has different nationalities, there is a vibrant array of food choices everywhere. In Singapore, the local " Lor Mee" noodle is quite similar to Burma's Chinese street food is hard to find in most of the food court. Instead, there is more variety of Vietnamese noodle store and Korean delight food stall are popular in the food court area. Maybe the market keeps on changing because of customers' choices and popularity. And the trend of food court culture also keeps on changing for the second generation as time goes by.

As for me, whatever the new generation fusion food may be selling, I always look for the local classic delight as I appreciate its value and classic tradition.

To be honest, I love the Noodle in Burmese way because of it's starchy soup and healthy ingredients in it. And the good thing about the noodle is spicy and very comforting.
The vegetables that we use in this noodle are water spinach and bean sprout that is only available at Asian groceries stores.

To my knowledge, this type of noodle is the native food from the southeastern part of Burma. Who knows we may have adopted from other countries and modified it to local taste. As we are sharing the same earth on this amazing planet.

For me, I appreciate all types of food that have their own beauty and individuality.

Noodle with Thick Starchy Soup ( Kaw Yay Khaut Swe - 8 serving)

Ingredients

1 bag   Wonton Noodle ( Flat Noodle preferable)
2 lb      Chicken, Pork or Duck ( with bone)
1/2 cup Garlic ( Finely Chopped)
1/2 cup Wood ear dried mushroom ( soak in water for 1 hr.)
3 tsp   Shrimp paste
2 tbsp   Ginger
1 tbsp   Thai Green Chili
1 tbsp   Lime juice
1 bunch Water Spinach
8 oz      Bean Sprout
3 tbsp   Soy Sauce ( Dark Thick)
2 tbsp   Soy Sauce ( light)
1 cup    Corn Starch
1 cup    Spring onion or chives
1 cup    Canola Oil
2 tbsp   Sugar
2 Tbsp  Salt
2 counts Egg

Instructions

1. In the 8qt pot, add the choice of meat add water to cover meat, soy sauce (light), 1 tbsp salt, sugar and let it boil for 30 minutes. ( For pork it may take a longer time to simmer).

2. Wood ear mushrooms(dried) should be soaked in water for overnight or for 1 to 2 hrs ahead of cooking.

3. Rinse the water spinach with lots of water 2-3 times. It may have sand.

4. In the skillet, heat the oil and fry the finely chopped garlic until golden brown to make garlic oil. Set aside and cool in the glass or ceramic bowl.

5. Cut the chives or spring onion into small slices and set aside.

6. Boil the wanton noodle in 8 QT pot and strain. Then rinse in the cold water.

7. After boiling the meat, take out the meat from the pot and separate the meat and bone.

8. Bones should be back to the soup pot and simmer for more hours to make sure to get good broth.

9. Put the starch in the small bowl then add 2 cups of water to stir thoroughly. Then pour it into the boiling broth. Then stir for 1 minute to make sure all the starch mixed in the broth.

10. Add dark soy sauce, sugar, add light soy sauce if we need for the taste.

11. Cut the meat into small pieces, stir in the fried garlic skillet and add a little salt and pepper.

12. Rinse the soaked mushroom 3-4 time with lots of water to clear the sand and other small particles. Then slice if the mushrooms are too big. Add it to the broth and stir. let it simmer for 15 minutes.

13. When the broth is boiling. Beat the eggs with a fork then pour into the boiling broth and stir quickly until the whipped eggs are opaque. Let the broth simmer for 30 more minutes.

14. To Prepare the noodle bowl, add the single portion into the bowl, add meat ( 1 tbsp), add garlic fragrant oil ( 1 tsp). add blanched water spinach and beansprout.

15. Pour the boiling meat broth ( about 2 cups) onto the noodle garnish with chives or spring onion.

16. It is optional to add the spicy shrimp paste to get the bold and spicy flavor.

Spicy Shrimp Paste

1. Wrap the shrimp paste with Aluminium foil and grill it on stove or toaster oven for 3-4 minutes.
2. In the mortar or pastel, add the green chili and 2 cloves of garlic and grilled shrimp paste.
3. scoop out into the bowl and squeeze fresh lime juice and stir. Add sugar and salt to adjust our own taste.