Summer and Fresh herbs Thai Basil

Basil Fried Rice with Pineapple

The weather in Minnesota is so nice and pleasant in Summer. Grilling in Summertime is quite a treat in our state since we have to cope with the cold and long winter season. If I get a chance I grill fresh vegetables and meat once in a while. As a treat, I grilled Satay pork chop last weekend and stored some leftover in a box and the pineapple is also ready in the fridge.  The Thai sweet basil I planted since May is growing so well in the flower pot.

 

In the stay home period of this hard time, my husband doesn't need to go to his office, but once in a while, he needs to go to set up things in the lab of his company. One morning out of the blue, he said there were two meetings at the office and he may not be able to come back for lunch because of the afternoon meetings. Why not make a lunch box for him!. So I have to think quickly to make fast fry rice with the ingredients in the fridge. One grilled Satay pork chop is sitting in the box for days in the fridge. So I got an idea of making pineapple fried rice with satay pork.

It is also a good lunch box preparation since almost all the ingredients ready. Chopped Garlic and spring onion are essential for fried rice and grilled meat, ham or bacon is easy meat options to add to that fried rice. Also, this spicy pineapple basil fried rice is my friends' favorite one-dish meal. One day hopefully they will be able to cook on their own by seeing my recipe.

Pineapple basil fried rice with satay pork

Ingredients

3 cup  rice ( cooked ) if not ( cook 2 cups in the rice cooker and cool it down in the fridge for hours)

3 counts Egg

1 tbsp  Chopped garlic

1 chopped Ham or grilled pork chop

1/2 cup Cooked smaller shrimp ( optional)

1/2 cup Chopped pineapple

1   cup Frozen Asian vegetable

1/2 tsp  Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp  ground cumin

1tbsp   Chopped Thai green chilies 

1/2 tsp Corse ground black pepper

1/2 cup Chopped basil ( if no Thai sweet basil. we may use Italian basil).

1/2 cup Chopped spring onion.

3 tbsp  Oil

1tbsp   light soy sauce

1tsp     Sugar

1 tsp Fish sauce

Salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a wok with high heat, add oil then add chopped garlic stir to get a golden color.

2. Then add 3 egg and pinch of salt, stir till all the eggs are cooked. 

3. Add chopped meat, shrimp, pineapple ( chopped), frozen vegetables together, add 1 tsp of soy sauce, and cooked all the ingredients are blended well.

4. Add rice ( fluff the rice before adding) 

and mixed with vegetables and meat until well blended.

5. Add salt, soy sauce, and sugar and stir on high heat.

6. Add the fish sauce and ground black pepper.

7. Finally, add chopped basil, spring onion, and chopped Thai green chili. Stir till fragrant and add a little salt to taste. ( we may add 1/2 cup of beansprout but optional)

8. When all the ingredients are well blended, heat up the stove into high flame for 1 minute to infuse fragrance and smoke flavor into the rice. 

9. Stirring needs to be continuous for all the ingredients to be well-blended and also not to burn the rice.

10. Enjoy with cucumber or sliced onion with Sriracha sauce.

Staying Home days

Awe Kay Kyi ( Roadside Snack of Yangon China Town )

As we need to stay at home for social distancing. We use it as the family together time and coping well. Some working families with two school kids and have a tough time. Children learn from their teachers through the computer and parents need to take turns setting up the computer for children. It is also kind of frustrating for both teachers and children. I hope the COVID 19 days are over soon and things are back to normal and everybody is healthy. Because of this situation in the whole world and the need for social distancing, some Chinese restaurants are shut down. One of my favorite Dim Sum restaurants is closed and not even cater for the take out food.

I found out that some of my friends tried to make homemade Dim Sum and snacks. I always thought 0f making this steam rice cake that we used to eat in China Town in Yangon. It was a small roadside stall where one lady was shallow-fried that rice cakes in the flat pan with a little oil. Then she served the fried rice cake with two types of sauces. One is the sweet sauce and the other was spicy chili garlic sauce.

This rice cake can be made with two types of vegetables: pumpkin meat or taro root.

I tried to make with taro roots because of its texture and taste, and also because it can bind the rice cake to be well-formed. I will add chives just to make some new flavor to it (or) we may use spring onion too. ( We can still use carrot or Pumpkin instead of using Taro.)

It needs to be steam in the mold cup and cooled down. Some would just eat it right away after steaming because it is also good as it is. I planned to make this food because I would like my niece and nephew to try this since they always want to try out new food that makes them some excitement.

 Awe Kayy Kyi (Shallow fried steamed rice cake)

Ingredients

 1 cup    Taro Roots (Boiled and mashed)

2.5 cups  Rice Powder  

0.5 cup   Sweet rice powder

1.5 cup   Chicken broth 

1 tsp      Black Pepper

1/2 tsp    White pepper

2 tbsp    Thinly sliced chives

1tsp      Ginger Juice

2 tbsp    Thinly chopped boiled pork meat or ham

1 tbsp   Crispy fried shallots

1 tsp     Dried shrimp powder 

Instruction

1. In the Bowl, add rice powder, chicken broth, ginger juice, black pepper, white pepper together and mix with fork or whisk. We may use the stand chopper or blender.

2. Then add the mashed taro roots, meat, chives, crispy fried shallot, and shrimp powder in the bowl and mix thoroughly to blend all the ingredients well.

3. In the quart size mold steel cups or cake pan,  add that pre-mixed paste into it and stem in the water bath in the oven or in the steamer. Steam for 1 hour to make all the thick rice mixture turned into the block of cake.

4. We can consume right away after steaming because it is fragrant and taste good.

5. We may choose to fry the next day also taste super crispy on outside chewy inside together with chili garlic sriracha sauce, or maple syrup, or caramel sauce.

6. We can cool it down in the fridge for a few hours or 1 day and cut into 4 or 6-inch square of 1/3 inch thickness. 

7. In the non-stick skillet, add 2-3 tbsp of oil and shallow fry the rice cakes till both sides are golden brown and crisp.

8. We may also choose to enjoy it without sauce just after the rice cakes are fried.

9. Pair this snack with green tea to make a perfect evening snack for chit-chatting with your friends. Enjoy!

Sea Food Egg Roll

Seafood Egg Rolls

This egg roll appetizer has been our favorite appetizer although some may not like it. For us, we love the egg rolls since childhood. Our father would bring them home for the family from the famous Chinese Restaurant in Yangon uptown area. As a child, that egg roll seemed really big with the stuffing of cabbage, meat, crab meat, carrots, and spring onion. It was enjoyed with chili garlic sauce for some spicy taste.

The whole world is facing a hard time with the COVID-19 problem. People are trying to cope, and balancing between the children's homeschooling and their work from home schedule. Somehow, I am so thankful that "Oh...Lord..he is teaching us how to cope with the hardship and to care for each other". I used to say to my husband " Once in a while, could you work from home?" but he always gives me an excuse about working in a lab because of his work nature. Now, there is no choice because of social distance practice.
Most of the families will also appreciate their precious time of being together during this hard time. Another thing, I noticed that some families were spending time outdoor when the weather was warm. Somehow, nature and the environment have taught us how to balance our life between work and family in this crazy world.

As I shop for groceries, I ask "Would you like to eat the crab and shrimp egg roll?"  His expression of "Yes! Of course" was like winning the lottery. Actually, that recipe is troublesome because of many steps by step preparation. Such as cutting the different types of vegetables with mandoline, cooking stuffing first and rolling in the egg roll shells and then frying. Too much procedure sometimes stresses me out too.
But, we never know what will happen in the future. So I just want him to enjoy this food during this difficult time. I hope you could make it at home for your self or to share with your loved ones too.

Crab and Shrimp Egg Roll ( 3-5 Serving)

Ingredients

1 pkt  Egg roll paper (25 Pieces)
1 Pc.  Carrot (sliced into matchsticks with mandoline)
1 Pc.  Turnip (sliced into matchsticks with mandoline)
1 cup Daikon (sliced into matchsticks with mandoline)
3 cups Cabbage ( Thinly sliced)
1 bunch Spring onion ( Thinly sliced)
3 pcs eggs
1 cup  Thin sliced Shrimp
1 cup  lump crab meat
1 cup  diced (boiled chicken or rotisserie chicken)
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp  Salt
1 tbsp Black pepper.
1 Qt oil for deep frying.
1 tbsp soy sauce

Procedure

1. In the skillet, on the stovetop with medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp of oil.
2. Scramble all the egg in a bowl with a pinch of salt then fry in the skillet making the omelet.
3. Then set it aside, In the same pan, add chopped shrimp first. After stirring five minutes, add chopped garlic.
4. When the garlic starts fragrant, add diced chicken together with crab meat.
5. Stirring all the meat and seafood together with 1/2 tbsp black pepper and soy sauce.
6. Add the rest of the cut vegetables except spring onion.
7. Stirring and mixing the meat, shrimp, chicken, and vegetable with sugar and salt.
8. When the vegetable have softened and all water in the pan evaporated, turn off the heat and cool it down.
9. Lay the egg roll sheet on the plate, add 1.5 tbsp of stuffing or more as you like.
Then roll it and seal with corn starch water as glue ( 1 tbsp corn starch and 1 tbsp water)
10. In the fryer or wok, add oil then heat with Med. hight heat, fry those prepared egg rolls until golden brown. Enjoy with chili sauce or any dressing you may wish.

Sweet Rice Cake with sesame seeds ( Khaw Pyin)

Sweet Rice cake with Sesame Seeds

In March, The world news is unthinkable and overwhelming with Covid-19 virus. Most of the families are affected by a school closing and work from home for safety. Most Asian families were panic buying rice bags for their family food supply for this short term quarantine period.

Around this time in Burma, during my childhood days, there were some famous Pagoda festivals, where sweet rice related treats were sold by street peddlers. A Burmese snack called ( Kaut Nyin Kyi Daut) or ( Khae Tan Khi Daut) is sweet rice stuffed in the Bamboo tubes and baked on the open fire. We used to eat it as an afternoon snack when there was new harvested sweet rice. It was so fragrant with the smoky flavor and a soft texture covering the rice from the inner membrane of a bamboo tube. Every trip or visit back to my country, I try to find authentic Burmese treats to enjoy with my family.

Also, this is also the time when new harvest rice available. My mother used to buy a year-round supply of rice at a discount price and stored in the big iron turbine. To feed the family of 6, my mother bought dry food such as beans and dried fish for a few months and rice(newly harvested rice for 6 months to a year). April is also the month of Burmese new year and after the new year, the monsoon comes any time.

Seeing our parents' practice of how to stay safe for the family served as lesson for me on some family survival habits and traditions. When I stayed in Singapore with a small baby, my habit of a weekly grocery run every Sunday was also my duty. Saturdays used to be for the family outing to go somewhere and have dinner as Singapore has the most variety on the planet.

As for the memory of sweet rice, the treat is this savory sesame rice cake which is an easy to make, authentic Myanmar snack. Also, a light snack to enjoy with afternoon green tea.

Sesame Rice Cake ( Khaw Pyin)( 2-5 serving)

Ingredients

4 cups  Sweet Rice (  glutenous rice)
1 tsp   Salt
2 tsp   grated ginger
1 tsp   Sugar
1 cup  Grated coconut
1.5 cup toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp  peanut oil or canola oil
1 cup  Black eye pea ( frozen) It is optional

Instructions

1. Wash the rice with water and cook in the rice cooker with 5 cups of water, together with grated ginger, salt, sugar and 1 tbsp of oil.

2. When the rice is cooked, mash with a potato masher or pound in the mortar or pestle.

3. Grease the cake pan with some oil and put the pounded rice into it. Spread till all the cooked rice is evenly spread in the whole pan. The thickness should be only 1/2 inch. for the good taste with sesame seed.

4. Put this cake pan again in the steam bath and cover it and bake in the oven for at least 45 minutes with the 375 degrees.

5. After that, sprinkle all the sesame seeds on top of the rice cake to cover the whole surface, then press into the rice by using parchment paper or aluminum foil.

6. Let it cool down for 1-2 hours then we can cut into any shape we want with a greased knife.

7. Sprinkle the grated coconut and ground sesame-salt mix. This is the most enjoyable way for every sweet rice treat.

8. It is also good with grilled smoked fish.

Can Food Never Fail

Can Food Never Fail

In early February, the world seems scary with the news about the epidemic illness in Wuhan, China. Some countries take serious precautionary action for prevention. Even I and my husband didn't go out much unnecessarily.

For our weekend treats, we enjoy dinner together at some of our favorite restaurants. One weekend, amid the virus rumors, we decided to eat our dinner at One Indian Restaurant as we eat early dinner at around 6 pm. The restaurant was not that busy, we ordered what we like and noticed that one server guy is way much too attentive. Such as " Is everything OK? " " Do you need some water?"  Then while we were still working on our meal and not done yet but asking " Do you need boxes? " " Can I bring the check? ". First I thought It was so strange overly attentive. Now I was a bit puzzled about his manner which seems so rude. Back at home, I told my husband realizing then " Oh! no, He was being paranoid and thinking that we both are Chinese who might be infected?" I can not be mad about this behavior and I tried to understand that different people have their own issues of daily life that they face. Puzzling myself "Are human beings Judgemental? ".

I heard the news about people storing food in Singapore. Therefore I also put some effort to buy some canned products like Tuna, Sardine and lunch meat. And the Sardine with tomato sauce reminded me of my Mother. She always gathered some dried food items when there were long-deserted holidays during Myanmar New Year. Tinned food was the expensive imported food compared to a fresh one when we were young. It was such a treat if she cooked sardine in tomato sauce for dinner. We make salad, curry and stirfried glass noodles ( mung bean thread noodle) with sardine too. Every time she cooked that noodle( vermicelli), my husband ate like crazy. Even though I tried to imitate her cooking, I must admit that I can't match it. I always try my best. But who knows " It must be her originality." She also said that this canned Sardine was also a special treat in the olden days because it was imported.

In this recipe, I tried my best to taste like what she cooked in olden days to fondly honor her beautiful memory. Also, It is really easy to make.

Stir-Fried Glass Noodle with Can Sardine ( 3-4 Serving)

Ingredients

1pk        MungBean Thread Noodle ( Glass Noodle) ( 8oz)
1can      Sardine in Tomato sauce ( any brand is fine)
1/2 cup   Chopped Onion
1 tbsp     Chopped garlic
1 tbsp    Fish sauce
1 tsp      Black Pepper
1 tsp      Turmeric
1 tsp      Salt
2 pcs      Chinese Sausage ( Thinly sliced and fried a little bit)
3 tbsp     Canola Oil
1/2 cup   Chopped Spring onion ( for the garnish)

Instruction

1. Soak the glass noodle in the bowl of lukewarm water for 2 hours to make it soften. Then cut into the manageable sizes for stir-frying.
2. In the skillet, add the oil then on the stovetop with medium-high heat.
3. Add the sliced sausages and fry a little till the meat edges are turning into a golden color. then strain and set it aside.
4. In that same skillet, add onion, crushed garlic and turmeric together and stir fry till the onions are translucent.
5. Then add the Sardine fish, leave the sauces in the can. we only need fish and only a little sauce.
6. When the fish is mixed with onion and fragrant, add vermicelli
7. Stir the noodle and fish to mix.
8. When water from noodles has evaporated add the 1/3 of the tomato sauce from the can. Also, add the fish sauce.
9. Turn down the heat to medium to stir thoroughly with sauces.
10. When all the water and sauces have evaporated, add black pepper to enhance the flavor. Add salt to taste and garnish with spring onion. Enjoy!

Crispy pork salad

Crispy Pork Salad

 Chinese New Year is around the corner, one family hosts a party every year, inviting other families for a get together a party in wintertime. For me, as a friend, I always think about bringing a good item to share with others for that party. It is becoming my habit or culture I can't explain but one thing for sure is I am happy to see that people appreciate the homemade food that I contribute to share with other families.

 This crispy pork is a famous salad in Burma in the olden days. The open market area used to be our food place when we were in Rangoon as school-age kids. Our father used to treat us once in a while to a special food that we love to eat. That crispy pork is very tasty with its dipping sauce, which was a mixture of fruity tamarind and chili-garlic sauces.

The shop owner freshly fried the pork only when the customer ordered that item. Therefore, that meat is so crispy outside and tender juicy inside.
Even though there were a lot of other shops were selling that item, my father brought us to that shop because of their attitude to make food and friendly service.

Now in recent days, that open market is no longer there but city center mall ( just opened a few years ago) is also a big attraction for the locals and foreigners.

Pork loin is fat-free and tender to make that crispy pork meat. Thinly cut and marinated with sesame oil, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, white and black pepper one day ahead could hold the flavor and taste.
In this recipe, I just add cornflake and panko mix together to make sure of a light crispy texture. A normal batter mix can only coat the meat and can't hold the crispness.
I hope this recipe will be a satisfying salad option for cold winter days.

 Crispy Pork Salad ( 2 serving)

Ingredients

1 lb     Pork loin ( cut into 0.5 diameters thinly strips)
1 tsp   Sesame Oil
1 tbsp  Light Soy sauce
1 tbsp  Olive Oil
2 tbsp  White wine
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp White pepper
4 tbsp  Corn starch
2 tbsp  all-purpose flour
2 count Egg
1 cup Panko Bread crumbs
1 cup Kellogs Corn flakes
2 cup Canola oil ( for deep frying)

Dressing

1 tbsp  Hoisin Sauce
1 tbsp  sesame oil
1 tsp    Miso bean paste
1 tsp    Sriracha chili sauce
1 tsp    Fine chopped garlic
1/2 tsp  Fish sauce
3 tbsp  Tamarind juice
1 tsp    Sugar
Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the pork loin into Thin strip to make sure the same size and easy to cook.
2. In the bowl. Add soy sauce, olive oil, White wine, White pepper, black pepper, salt, and sesame oil. Then mix the marinade with the precut think strip thoroughly.
3. Store it in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
4. In the chopper, add the panko bread crumb and cornflake together and chop into powder.
5. Scramble two eggs in the bowl then set aside.
6. Put the dutch oven or Chinese wok on the stovetop with medium-high heat.
7. Then add oil and let it heat up.
8. We have to prepare a line up 3 trays. One with flour, one with beaten egg and one with cornflakes and panko bread crumbs mix.
9. When the oil is heated up, put the meat strip in the flour, then into the egg and finally coat with all the bread crumbs to the meat.
10. Then we can deep-fry those coated meat strips until golden brown.
( I used the Nori seaweed wrap the meat before coating with batter. It is optional)

Salad

1. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing ( list of ingredients) and set aside
2. Prepare the salad bowl with anything you may love to add( Shredded green, carrot, tomatoes, onion, and orange, etc.)
3. Arrange the crunchy crispy pork on top of that green
4. Spread the salad dressing and enjoy.
5. We may use ranch cream ( As an option) for the salad as a creamy salad dressing.

Thank You

Thank You

November is a pleasant and happy month of the year for me. I am thankful to my mother for bringing in to this world alive. Also, I do not really know Thanksgiving celebration is the season's eating festival for all Americans. I do not need to explain how Thanksgiving came about America since we could find out in google and it also explains well in Wikipedia.

For me, this celebration first came to my notice when my kindergarten son brought the coloring project of a Big turkey drawn on paper. Then at school, children could bring their grandpa, grandma or parents for Thanksgiving awareness to educate the children. As for me, I was happy that I am able to attend my niece's kindergarten class celebration as she invited me as her favorite person last year also. I am thankful that some love and bonding between all human beings in this world.

In our town, we usually visit this one beautiful family that hosts a Thanksgiving party every year. I usually make the fragrant chicken rice that I enjoyed in Singapore. They always cook the turkey so I bring the rice and spicy chili sauce to go with meat, rice, and vegetable. In this recipe, I will make two sauces that we enjoy meat and green vegetables.

One is Chili garlic sauce and another is Burmese Tomato sauce to enjoy with plain rice. Tomato sauce is also a great accompaniment for some vegetarian dishes. This November, since I am in Singapore, I am able to make authentic chili sauce and also the tomato sauce or Burmese spicy salsa because of fresh red chili padi (Birds eye's chili).

Hot and Spicy Ginger chili sauce ( 10 serving)

Ingredients

1/4 cups   Red Chili padi (small)
1/4 cups   Red Chili padi (big)
2 Tbsp     Fine chopped garlic
3 Tbsp     Fine chopped ginger
1/2 cups   Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp     Fine chopped shallot
4 Tbsp     Fish Sauce
1 lemon    ( or 1/4 cup lemon juice)
2 Tbsp     sugar
1 Tbsp     Vinegar
Salt to taste

Instruction

1. In a clean and dry electric blender, add all the ingredients together at the same time.
2. Blend it until smooth and add a little bit of cold water if needed.
3. We may adjust the taste by adding lemon, salt, and fish sauce to our liking.


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Spicy Tomato Sauce ( Burmese Spicy Tomato Salsa)

Ingredients

3   Ripen BushalBoy Tomato ( or ) 5,6 Roma tomatoes
3   Red chili padi ( Big)
2   Tbsp Fine chopped garlic
1/4 cups Chopped Cilantro
1 tbsp Light soy sauce
1 tbsp  Fine chopped Thai green chili
2 Tbsp Golden fried garlic oil
1 lime or 1 tbsp lime juice
Salt to taste

Instruction

1. Put the skillet on the stovetop with Medium-high heat, add the chili padi and tomatoes together and cook till charred.
2. When the tomatoes and chili are soft enough to peel off the skin, let it cool down for a while.
3. Peel off the skin from tomatoes and chili. Then put all the ingredients together in the electric chopper. Then chopped it till all the ingredients blended in.
4. Pour the sauce into the clean and dry bowl then cover with plastic wrap.
5. Chill the bowl for a few hours before serving.
( we may use fish sauce for non-vegetarian options. It can be tastier.)