I Am... The Ultimate Guide To Sanuki Udon In Kagawa: The Birthplace of the Best Noodles Ever
I have a deep and abiding love for udon. Soba and ramen get all the love, but the humble, unassuming udon noodle is my favorite. Thick and chewy in the best way, super slurpable udon noodles don’t get enough love. They’re just the right amount of firm, with a smooth supple bite. Perfect hot, cold, or anywhere in between. Much like the wine regions in France, many of the prefectures in Japan have their own type of regional udon, differing in thickness, shape, and preparation. There are three ultra famous udon types in Japan: 1. Inaniwa Udon from northwest Akita: thin, chewy, and smooth. Inaniwa udon take up to four days to make and used to only be eaten by the Imperial family. 2. Sanuki Udon from Kagawa, Shikoku, the smallest island in Japan: square cut, firm, and supple. 3. Kishimen Udon from Nagoya, the fourth largest city in Japan: thin and flat. There are many more udon types, but perhaps the most well known both in Japan and abroad, thanks to food tourism, is sanuki. Kagawa is said to have the highest udon consumption rate in Japan - they even refer to themselves as the udon prefecture. As a noodle lover, it just didn’t feel right that Mike and I have never been to Kagawa. So, with empty bellies and open hearts, we boarded the Shinkansen towards the land of broth and udon. We arrived in Takamatsu, the capital city on the Island of Shikoku. It’s pretty small as cities go and we chose it more as a home base, rather than a city that we really wanted to explore. Nonetheless, that first night we managed to have a disappointing mediocre bowl of udon as well as their city specialty: chicken baked on the bone. Neither were anything to write home about. I was still a bit jet lagged (okay, majorly jet lagged) so we called it an early night so we could go udon trekking bright and early the next day.
Gamou Udon
We started off our udon itinerary by hopping on a local train heading east through fields and fields of vibrant green wheat. Our destination was the tiny town of Kamogawa. We got off on the platform, crossed a river, and walked through quiet residential streets until we saw an incongruous parking lot full of cars. The cars were there for the same reason we were: udon. Well, at least their drivers were. There was a line made up of what looked to be udon pilgrims and locals, quietly waiting to get inside for their bowl of udon. There’s barely a menu and all you need to know is if you want your udon hot or cold and how many bundles of udon you’re hungry for. After you let the chef know, he hands you a bowl of udon. Then you get your toppings, pay, and head to the giant pot of dashi that’s on a soft simmer. Fill your bowl and top it off with some green onions and then head outside to eat on a bench. Part of the fun was slurping outside on a sunny day with everyone else doing the same thing. There were construction workers, families, and us. The noodles were just the right amount of firm and chewy – mochi mochi as the Japanese like to say. We got a bowl of both cold and hot so we could compare. The cold udon was a touch more firm and the warm udon soaked in a bit more of the dashi flavor and was just the tiniest bit more supple. A pure and simple bowl. Seriously, nothing beats the combination of udon and tempura. If you love udon, you’ll appreciate the udon here, like much the rest of Japan. Gamou is one of the highest rated udons in Japan.Jotou Udon
After our bowl at Gamou, we headed back on the train towards Minoura Station, a tiny station that consists of a platform by the Seto Inland Sea. We got off the train – we were the only ones who did – and headed across the train tracks towards a tiny little shop by the sea. Looking towards the Seto inland sea you can see the concrete blocks breaking the tide. Looking back towards the tracks, there’s a sun worn blue noren fluttering in the wind to let you know you’re at the right place: a for-the-love-of-udon shop opened by a husband-wife team that runs Japan’s number 6 udon shop according to the ever popular Tabelog – Japan’s definitive restaurant rating catalog. Order your noodles from the friendly proprietress – she’ll hand you a bowl and gesture you towards a vat of boiling water where you heat them up briefly yourself. Top it off with dashi, green onions, and little bits of tempura crunchies. Choose from the small selection of tempura, pay, and find a seat. We sat down at a counter seat next giant window facing the train tracks. There was a small grove of Sakura trees in full bloom. The sun was streaming through the blossoms and a gentle breeze blew soft pink petals through the air. It was like something out of an anime: the warm spring sun, a train rumbling by, the sound of Japanese talk radio murmuring in the background, and the laughter of the husband and wife chatting with each other. I was deeply deeply content, me by Mike's side, the both us of lost in our bowls, slurping in silence. The noodles were thick and slippery and chewy in the best way possible and the experience just couldn’t be beat.Nagata in Kanoka
Nagata in Kanoka is rated the second highest udon in Japan. People travel from far and wide for a taste of their udon. As we got off at the train station, we even noticed another udon fanatic walking towards the restaurant at the same pace we were. When you get there, you’ll see a giant parking lot filled with cars. Cars are definitely a thing in the Japanese countryside - it’s a lot easier to go on an udon tour if you have a car. And for some reason, all the tourists going around eating udon are local Japanese people. Nagata in Kanoka had the feel of serious udon place with a bunch of udon heads, plus some local grandmas and grandpas thrown in. Anyway, much the same as the other udon places, all you can do here is order hot or cold. There aren’t even any toppings to be had. This place is ALL about the udon, nothing else. And the thing is, it didn’t disappoint. We ordered a hot and a cold, of course. The hot came in a bowl its own cooking liquid and a huge jug of hot dashi. You pour the hot dashi into a cup, add some green onions and ginger, then grab some noodles from your bowl and dip it into the soup. The first bite of udon was SO GOOD. Very chewy and slippery but not too soft. The hot ended up being just a touch more soft/supple compared to the cold, as per usual. The cold was beautifully firm yet chewy. It’s the kind of udon you want to eat over and over again. The first bite of the hot udon is very impressive, but the cold is what you’ll go back to time and time again.Ippuku Honten
We visited Ippuku the next day, fresh from a good night’s sleep. It’s only a couple of stations away from Takamatsu, the capital city of Kagawa, so it’s a very easy udon destination, especially compared to some of the other udon shops that we visited. After a short walk from the station, we came across a cute little neighborhood udon shop full of families, young couples, and groups of friends. Ippuku is a casual sort of udon place, the kind where you grab a tray, then head down the cafeteria style line. First you pass by a selection of onigiri, then you let the udon chef know which noodles you want, then you pick up your toppings, pay, find a seat, and slurp away. Ippuku has the most extensive menu of all the udon shops we went to. They have the classics of course, but they also have kama tama, a sort of carbonara type situation with a raw egg; curry udon featuring that classic thick Japanese curry sauce; and niku udon, udon with dashi and thinly sliced beef, kind of like a gyudon beef rice bowl, but on noodles. I was going to go for kama tama, but ended up getting niku udon because that’s what Mike always gets and I always covet his bowl. It was a good move. The beef was tender and sweet, the dashi perfectly seasoned and the noodles...oh my goodness, the noodles were intensely good. Even though they were slightly thinner than some of the other udons we visiting, they still had heft and chew. So slurpable and completely satisfying. It was probably the best udon shop to end on. Fun and friendly, with a room full of laughing udon eating locals. My udon heart was so full. Note: it’s actually unclear which three udons are the top three famous udon in Japan, because there’s some discussion on what the 3rd udon is. Some say it’s Kishimen, some say it’s Mizusawa, some say Himi udon is the third. I guess we’ll never know, but in my heart, sanuki is number one. Read More →
I Am... Spicy, Savory, and Completely Addictive Mentaiko Kimchi Udon
Hi from Niigata, a little town on the Western side of Japan. It’s not a huge must visit for most first timers to Japan, but if you love rice, sake, and seafood, it’s great! Still, even people in Japan will find it hard to believe that you’re going. I mentioned to one of my Japanese friends that we were headed there and she said, “Wow, that’s the real countryside!” It’s true, there are fields and fields of rice and it is decidedly less cosmopolitan than the other major cities in Japan, but it has a charm all its own. The people are friendly and the food is good – what more could you want? The first place we ate at was a little izakaya that kind of reminded me of home. We have a ton of great izakayas in the city and one of our faves does this crazy delicious kimchi mentaiko udon that I love. You’ll see plate after plate of it head out of the kitchen: a tangle of firm, yet chewy udon noodles coated in a butter, kimchi, spicy cod roe mixture. Have you had mentaiko before? It’s a Japanese take on a Korean spicy salted cod roe – basically spicy fish eggs that add a huge hit of flavor to rice, noodles, eggs...essentially anything and everything you can think of. It goes exceedingly well with kimchi and even better with noodles. This has got to be one of the easiest noodle dishes you’ll ever make. The payoff compared to the effort you put in will blow you away. Of course, you have to go to the Asian grocery store to get the mentaiko, which might be a pain, but hey, while you’re there, you can stock up on the snacks, am I right? And, if you absolutely can’t make it to the store and only have kimchi and butter in the fridge, that’s pretty darn good on it’s own. Kimchi butter noodles are where it’s at, the mentaiko just takes it over the top. I hope you guys have a chance to try these noodles! I’m going to head out now – we’re planning on finding some yakitori :)
Spicy, Savory, and Completely Addictive Mentaiko Kimchi Udon Recipe serves 1-2Read More →Cook the udon according to the package and drain well. Melt the butter over low heat and add the kimchi, frying slightly. Remove the roe from the sac by cutting open with a knife and using a spoon to scrape out the eggs. Add to the butter and kimchi. Toss in the udon and mix until well coated and glossy. Top with green onions and nori. Enjoy hot!
- 1 brick of frozen udon
- 1/2 cup kimchi, plus a bit of kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 sac of mentaiko
- sliced green onions and nori, to finish
I Am... Small Batch Triple Coconut Bread
If you love coconut, you’re going to love this coconut bread! Mike and I are currently on a shinkansen, speeding through the Japanese countryside. We just spent the last two days eating at tiny udon shops tucked away in little residential towns and on the sides of the train tracks. I’m so deliriously happy to be back in Japan! Before we left, I made this little triple coconut cake as a sweet treat to welcome in spring. I’ve really come to love our new tradition of baking a mini loaf every Sunday. Loaves come together so quickly and there’s nothing better with a cup of coffee (which I’ve started drinking again after a long hiatus from caffeine) in the morning. Are you guys slow starters in the morning or do you like to just get up and go? I’m pretty much the worst in the morning – I need quite a bit of time to wake up properly, otherwise I end up being grumpy mcgrumpface. I like the whole ritual of grinding up coffee beans, making pour over, and lingering over coffee and cake. But really, it’s not always possible, especially when there’s work to be done. So, more often than not, it’s a grab and go kind of situation. And cake in a grab and go situation is always a good thing. This little loaf gets it’s coconuttiness from three sources: shredded coconut, coconut yogurt, and coconut oil. There’s a tiny bit of coconut extract in there too, but you can skip out on that if needed, it’s plenty coconutty without. Bake this at the beginning of the week and you’ve got cake for days! It’s super moist and keeps well.
Small Batch Triple Coconut Loaf Cake makes one mini loafRead More →Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and flour pan a mini loaf pan (6×3 inches or a pan that fits 2 cups liquid) or line with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the sugar together with the yogurt, oil, egg, and coconut extract. Fold the dry ingredients in, just to blend. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack. Enjoy!
- 3/4 cups (90 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cups shredded coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- 6 tablespoons whole-milk coconut Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, optional
I Am... Sakura Season in Tokyo
Being in Japan during sakura or cherry blossom season has always been on my bucket list. Still, it took Mike and I nine years of going to Japan before we actually got to see sakura. Not because we kept missing the season, or because we didn’t want to. To be honest, I’m not sure why it too us so long to get here. I think it was partially because I was scared of the stories about how cherry blossom season was the busiest season in Japan and partially because, well, we have Japan down pat. We know what we like and we know which season we like it in. Even so, this year is the year we broke our rut. This year is the year we finally made it to Japan to see the sakura! We almost didn’t because I told Mike that it wasn’t really a top priority of mine, but he insisted, saying that if we were going to go around the season, why not try to plan it for the peak. Cherry blossom season varies from year to year, depending on the weather, but it’s usually somewhere near the beginning of April. There are websites and calendars dedicated to telling you when the trees are blooming and when they will be at full bloom. Full bloom is what you want: a gorgeous, generous canopy of fluffy white pink blossoms that are incredibly delicate and fleeting. Their fleeting quality is what makes sakura so popular in Japan. In a culture that celebrates things in season and nature in general, they would of course, celebrate a natural phenomenon a both as a herald of spring and as an excuse to get drunk and eat delicious food. Somehow Mike and I (okay, it was really all Mike) managed to book our flight into Tokyo right at the start of the peak season. Our plan was: check out the blossoms in Tokyo for just one day before heading on a mini train trip to see some other lesser known parts of Japan. We landed in the afternoon after a very long flight (I managed to watch 4 movies!), quickly dropped off our luggage at the hotel and headed out to one of the top cherry blossom spots in Tokyo: Nakameguro. Nakameguro, even without sakura, is a very fun neighborhood. There are a ton of cute little eateries, hipster cafes, and shops all around the station. And, of course, there’s the Meguro river, which is lined with a dense population of sakura trees. The trees, next to the river, along with pink lanterns, is probably something you’ve seen on Instagram. It gets super busy, both day and night, with everyone politely (sometimes not so politely in tourist cases) jostling for the best photos. We loved the Nakame sakura (what locals call Nakameguro for short) so much that Mike dubbed it Naka Bae. Since we arrived in the afternoon, before most people got off work, it wasn’t absurdly busy. As the afternoon went on, it did get increasingly busier, but it was nothing like what I was scared it would be. If you don’t like crowds, this probably won’t be the place for you, but it wasn’t as busy as the time we went to see the winter illuminations – now that was intense. The best part of Nakame, after the blossoms, which were absolutely delightful, was the street food. There were a bunch of vendors set up on both sides of the river, selling sakura themed food and drinks. Think: strawberry everything, pink champagne, and all your classic Japanese festival foods. I had a grilled mochi covered in a thick, sweet, garlicky sauce. It was crisp and chewy at the same time and seriously so good. We also had some classic Japanese festival street food: yakisoba. I wanted to eat all the things, especially the long fries and the tornado sausage, but we wanted to visit another sakura site so we didn’t eat as much as we could have. But seriously, I love street food and there was SO MUCH! Some of the more popular things I saw people having were: strawberry drinks, strawberries on a stick, boba drinks, takoyaki, grilled mochi, and miso dango. After Nakame, we headed to Chidorigafuchi park, which is right near the Emperor’s place. Sadly there was no street food there. We got there right at sunset, when they started to light up all the sakura. It was very, very pretty, but it was also so BUSY. Busier than Nakame, and that was already bustling by the time we left. It seemed like there were more out of town tourists at Chidorigafuchi and more local young peeps at Nakameguro. I liked the way the sakura looked at night, but it wasn’t really what I think of when I think of cherry blossoms, so after a quick stroll and ten thousand pictures, we called it and decided to come again to visit in the morning. The next day there still wasn’t any street food, but it was a lot less busier. The canopy of cherry blossoms at Chiodorifuchi is gorgeous. As you walk along the moat, you can see people out on boats, and the color of the moat next to the pink of the blossoms is perfection. I’m so happy we came back during the day. We walked around most of the of moat and got to see all the people who were already staking out their claims for hanami viewing parties. Hanami is when groups of people picnic under the sakura trees. You get a bunch of friends, food, and alcohol and hang out, drinking and eating and enjoying the cherry blossoms. There were huge blue tarps laid out, with just one lonely guy or girl just hanging in the middle. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to hanami because we were leaving Tokyo. But hopefully we’ll get a chance to in one of the other places we’re visiting. If we do, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be awesome. And that was it! An afternoon and morning of Tokyo’s best sakura. We’re literally on a shinkansen (bullet train) while I’m writing up this post. We’re headed down south and Mike and I are the only ones on the train. If you get a chance to be in Tokyo for sakura, here are our top 5 tips on how to hanami: 1. Bring a tarp. You’ll see giant blue tarps with one lonely person hanging out in the middle of them. They’re just waiting for their friends. Usually, one person will come early in the morning to secure a good spot and friends or office mates will trade off during the day to ensure that they have the best space to hanami. You can grab a cheap tarp at any 100 yen shop. 2. Grab some drinks. Alcohol is a big part of hanami, so if you’re going to do it right, you need to get your drank on! Visit a combini – 7-11 or Lawson’s is always a good choice – and grab some drinks. It’s perfectly acceptable and what everyone means when they say they are going to “see” sakura. 3. FOOD! You’ll need some snacks with your alcohol. Depending on where you hanami, they’re may or may not be food stalls. If there are, of course buy the food at the foods stalls. Otherwise, I’ve been seeing a lot of Uber Eats hanami ads where people literally uber their food to their tarps. Of course, convenience store food or food from a food hall works too! 4. Don’t be disheartened if you can’t sit down. It’s seriously competitive and well, you can just as easily enjoy food and drink while standing around near the food stalls. It’s just as pretty and the food will taste the same sitting or standing. 5. Bring some napkins/wet wipes. Most vendors don’t have them. Sometimes they do, but if you’re a messy eater, like me, just bring your own, you won’t regret it!
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I Am... The Ultimate Easy Instant Pot Meat Sauce Recipe
I love sophisticated and authentic Italian pasta sauces as much as the next person - Steph and I have even made a pilgrimage to Bologna in search of the ultimate ragu Bolognese - but if I'm honest, sometimes I just want the stuff I grew up with - spaghetti with meat sauce. You know what it is: cheap overdone spaghetti and ground meat with red sauce. I'm an adult now and I recognize that stuff neither tastes as good as I remember nor is as healthy as I'd like these days. This version though is very healthy, very easy, and tastes just as good as your memories. The only difference is, instead of mom sweating over the stove for a couple of hours simmering, this sauce comes together quickly thanks to the power of pressure cooking and the freshness of Mutti tomatoes, which are our favorite -bar none- brand of tomato sauces and pastes. This post was done in collaboration with Mutti, but they were already our go-to anytime we needed passata or tomato paste: those tubes of double and triple concentrated pastes are genius. Cooking Notes Ground meat is unspecified because you can choose what you like. I prefer a 50% beef/pork mix, but you can do Italian sausage, ground lamb, ground veal, it's up to you. What do you need? An instant pot or other countertop pressure cooker. How do you serve it? Serve with pasta. Cook the pasta 3 minutes shy of al dente, then transfer to your sauce and finish in the sauce. Or, be nostalgic, and drop the sauce on top of the pasta. It won't be as good, but it sure looks nice. vs
The Ultimate Easy Instant Pot Meat Sauce Recipe Serves 2-41. Toast the fennel in your instant pot on saute medium mode. 2. When the fennel is aromatic, add butter, onions, and garlic and cook until onion is slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. 3. Add your ground meat and break up. When the ground meat is reasonably brown, add the Mutti Double Concentrated Tomato Paste (Doppio Concentrato) and stir. Cook for 1 minute to caramelize slightly. 4. Add Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes (Polpa) and close the lid. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. 5. Cook pasta 3 minutes shy of al dente, then drain and return to the same pan. When the sauce is done, quick release, then transfer 1/2 cup of sauce per serving of pasta to the pasta pan. With heat on medium, toss until a glossy sauce forms and pasta is completely coated. Enjoy with lots of grated parmigiano.
- 1 teaspoon fennel
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 lb ground meat (see note above)
- 1/2 tube Mutti Double Concentrated Tomato Paste (Doppio Concentrato)
- 1 14oz can Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes (Polpa)
I Am... Small Batch Copycat Cinnamon Streusel Starbucks Coffee Cake Recipe
Back in university, I was obsessed with coffee cake. I’d grab my books, go to Starbucks, get one of the huge slices of coffee cake, and “study.” Back then I didn’t even really drink coffee, I just always had coffee cake and tea. It was the one thing that made studying ok, having something to nibble on. Anyway, me and studying are history, but I still love coffee cake with a passion. Especially when it has big ass cinnamon crumbs streaked throughout and on top. Seriously perfect with a cup of coffee. This recipe is a small batch recipe of course, so you can make it at the beginning of the week and have a tiny slice every day without feeling guilty. Think of it as cake meal prep! What I love about this cake, aside from the fact that it’s super fast to put together, is that it’s my idea of what a great snack cake it is. Just rich enough, with a tender crumb and almost doughnut-like cinnamon sugar crumbs, I could eat this cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a standard recipe, but a goodie. Not so fancy unlike some of the hyped pastries that are around lately. What are your guys’ thoughts on hyped food? Are you willing to wait in line to discover for yourself if it’s actually good? I’m a sucker for hype, so I almost always want to try, but then I’m inevitably disappointed. It makes me wonder, how many hyped things are really, truly good? Hope you’re enjoying spring and that there’s cake in your future!
Small Batch Copycat Cinnamon Streusel Starbucks Coffee Cake Recipe makes one small loafRead More →Crumb Topping
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, cold
Cake
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and flour pan a mini loaf pan (6×3 inches or a pan that fits 2 cups liquid) or line with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Use your fingertips or a fork to work the cold butter into the mix until it starts to clump up into large crumbs. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Whisk in the milk. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt until just combined. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and top with half of the streusel. Pour in the remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack. Enjoy!
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
I Am... Creamy Comforting 30 Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs
Sometimes, some things just come together serendipitously. Things like these delicious butter chicken meatballs. Recently, Mike and I went through a period where we were obsessed with Indian food. All the food we made for dinner parties was Indian. But at the same time, I also had a thing for meatballs. One day, we had both leftover in the fridge: a bit of butter chicken sauce and a bunch of meatballs. I looked at the containers, right next to each other, and I had the brilliant idea of combining the two. It was so good! This is spaghetti and meatballs like you’ve never seen before, and trust me when I say you’re going to love it. If you’ve never had butter chicken with pasta, you might think this is a bit of a strange combination. But hear me out: it’s really good – think of it like a basic tomato-based sauce with a bunch of spices and a touch of cream. You end up with a creamy, yet fresh tomato sauce bursting with flavor. Speaking of tomatoes, in this post we used Mutti’s signature tomato offering: Finely Chopped Tomatoes (Polpa). I’m a huge fan of Mutti so I’m absurdly excited to be collaborating with them on this post. I love their retro Italian branding, the fact that they're a family owned company and have been around since 1899, and just how fresh their products taste. With just perfectly sun-ripened tomatoes and salt – it’s like they’ve captured the feeling of being in Italy in the summer, without the flight. If you’re looking for a fresh, flavorful weeknight dish that comes together quickly, this butter chicken is tailor made for you. First up, you make the meatballs: a simple mix of ground chicken, breadcrumbs, eggs, and salt and pepper. The meatballs are baked, so there’s no fuss with frying them - they end up perfectly cooked through, and much healthier then pan fried. While they’re baking in the oven, you’ll have your hands free to make the sauce by opening up a can of tomatoes, and adding the spices. A quick simmer melds all the flavors together. When the meatballs are cooked through, combine everything together and you’re ready to eat! We love the meatballs with pasta, but of course you can have them with rice too. Either way, they’re delicious! They're just as good on basmati too!
Creamy Comforting 30 Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs serves 4Heat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, mix together the chicken, egg, panko and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Wet your hands slightly and shape into meatballs, placing on the foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through. While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce by combining the Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes (Polpa), garlic, garam masala, turmeric, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep on a low simmer. When the meatballs are cooked, add to the sauce, along with the heavy cream and butter. let simmer together, string occasionally until the sauce thickens lightly, about five minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish with cilantro and enjoy hot!
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup panko
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 can Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes (Polpa)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
I Am... How to Make Thai Sticky Rice in a Steamer
I like rice. As a super picky kid it was the one thing I would consistently eat, aside from dry cereal. I became a connoisseur: I knew when it was overcooked and mushy, I knew when it was cooked perfectly al dente, and I definitely knew sticky rice. I loved the texture of sticky rice back then and I still love it now. Sticky rice is a bit different from regular rice, in that it’s steamed, instead of boiled. It also tastes different - it’s fragrant with a delightfully sticky texture. Usually, you find it alongside Thai food, like larb, soup, grilled meats and fish, or chili paste. It’s also used for things like sticky rice desserts, savory leaf wrapped steamed rice dishes, and mochi. We don’t really make sticky rice at home much, because we always forget to soak it overnight. Soaking the rice over night is key - it lets the kernels of rice hydrate, so they cook more evenly. Soaking also ensures a nice tender texture when you steam it. There are lots of recipes that don’t require soaking, but if you don’t, you don’t really get that soft, sticky texture when you think of sticky rice. You want the rice to be sticky, and squishable into a small ball, which is how Thai people generally eat it. Once you remember that you need to soak sticky rice before you cook it, you’re gold. I could eat this stuff every day!
How to Make Thai Sticky Rice in a Steamer makes about 1.5 cups riceRead More →Soak the sticky rice in water overnight. The next day, drain the rice. Line a bamboo steamer with a clean kitchen towel and spread out the sticky rice inside. Bring a large pot of water on to boil, then place the steamer on top, with the lid on. Steam for 20-25 minutes, depending on how soft you like your rice, and let stand, covered for five minutes. Enjoy warm! Alternately if you don’t have a steamer, you can use a colander and pot with a lid. Just place the rice in the colander and set it inside the pot. Make sure the water in the pot doesn’t touch the colander, then bring the water to a simmer and cover with a lid, steaming for 20 to 25 minutes.
- 1 cup sticky rice
I Am... Thai Red Curry Chicken with Bamboo Shoots Recipe
Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Bamboo shoots is a favorite of mine; I get it for lunch at our local place pretty much every time we eat Thai food in a set with a spring roll and rice. It's sweet, savory, spicy, and utterly delicious. The lime zest is what really pushes this version over the top - although if we're being honest, lime leaves are better if you can find them. Baby corn is not a really traditional Thai ingredient, but it's not unheard of either, and I find it adds a bright and pungent crunch to the dish. Cooking Notes Thai Red Curry Paste is available pretty much everywhere, but if you can't find it, Amazon probably sells a red curry paste within a 1-day shipping window of you. As always, Thai basil is best but you can replace with sweet basil just fine, or even arugula. What do you need? A pan. How do you serve it? Serve with rice, lime wedges, fresh basil, and fried onions.
Thai Red Curry Chicken with Bamboo Shoots Recipe Serves 2-41. Heat up around 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan and fry your chicken until lightly browned, then add red curry paste, bamboo shoots, corn (if using), and thai chilies (if using). Fry until everything is deeply brown and fragrant (about 5 minutes). 2. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil, then reduce your heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. 3. Remove from the heat and add thai basil and lime zest.
- 1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 can sliced bamboo shoots
- Thai chilies (optional)
- 1/2 can baby corn (optional)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 handful Thai basil
- zest of 1 lime
I Am... Small Batch Yogurt Lemon Poppyseed Loaf Recipe
I’m so happy it’s spring! Finally, I can stop wearing a heavy winter coat and 16 layers of clothing. Of course, Mike is over there just wearing a T-shirt and jeans. I have no idea why but, the older I get, the colder I get. It’s not even like it’s that cold where we live. Anyway, the weather has been gorgeous; sunshine for days and we’ve been taking advantage and going on long walks. I love going on walks because they usually end with snacks: either at a brewery, cafe, bakery, or perhaps my fave, the ice cream store. I’m not one of those people who eats ice cream in the winter, unless it’s a really good flavor and I’m inside, cozy and under a blanket. But now, with the sun shining, give me all the ice cream! The other day, we walked past one of my favorite ice cream stores, so we peeked inside to see what the seasonal flavors were. Along with the usuals like blueberry oatmeal and matcha, they had lemon poppyseed! I got a scoop of course, kid size in a waffle cone. The taste of tart lemon and fresh sweet cream in the sun was gloriously springy. I love all things lemon poppyseed flavor. Growing up, lemon poppyseed muffins were always the muffins that were left behind in the family packs my mom bought from the grocery store. I always felt like I lucked out and didn’t understand why no one else in my family didn’t like them. I think they said it was something to do with poppyseeds getting stuck in her teeth? More for me! Given my love for lemon poppyseed, this week’s small batch recipe is a little lemon poppyseed loaf. This loaf is essentially the same as the French yogurt lemon loaf with poppyseeds mixed in. It’s slightly sweet, sturdy with a nice crumb, and has the most amazing lemony favor. The poppyseeds add a delightful amount of crunch. It’s the perfect size for having one tiny slice every day of the week. I love small batch baking so much. Happy Sunday! Hope there’s cake in your imminent future. xoxo steph PS - Apparently Mike is getting really annoyed at my dictation because all I do is talk into my phone all the time. “Yeah, it’s true,“ he says. But, I’m really trying to make sure that my RS I didn’t get worse because I heard that it can take months – MONTHS – to go away completely. I might be being a little paranoid about it but I figure, better safe than sorry. ?
Small Batch Yogurt Lemon Poppyseed Loaf makes one mini loafRead More →Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and flour pan a mini loaf pan (6×3 inches or a pan that fits 2 cups liquid) or line with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, use your finger to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it is fragrant and moist. Whisk the lemon zest sugar together with the yogurt, oil, egg, and vanilla. Fold the dry ingredients in, just to blend. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack. Enjoy!
- 3/4 cups (90 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
I Am... Friday Finds: 3.22.1 9
I can’t believe it’s the middle of March, actually scratch that, it’s practically the end of March! My RSI is still acting up, and I’ve become pretty good at dictation. Did you know, you can control the capitalization your sentences and create new lines and everything? It’s been amazing because I really want my arm to get better but I still want to be somewhat useful. Mike tells me I should just rest and I’ve been trying but it’s really hard. Anyway, I’ve still been checking things out on the Internet, I probably should be taking a break from all things device related, but... Web Stuff:
- I screamed so loud when I saw this it’s so CUTE!!
- Man, there are some hard-core crazy parents out there.
- I love Uniqlo, do you?
- I would be so happy if I got a cheese eggs for Easter. Imagine going on a cheese and egg Easter egg hunt, that would be the best!
- OMG, are eggs bad for you again? It can’t be!!!
- Dim sum can’t just taste good anymore, it has to be instagramable too.
- Using Google Docs to flirt ;)
- Pyrex, what is going on?
- Hello chewy crispy chocolate mochi love!
- I happen to love the cookie part of chocolate chip cookies, so these guys are perfect for me.
- Apparently potatoes and kimchi are BFFs – I’m so in!
- The sneakers are super cute how can I resist the name, Cloudfoam?
- Can’t wait to get my hands on my copy of Aloha Kitchen!
- Healthier sweet and sour pork!
- Seven ingredient easy chicken adobo, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- Chicken pot pie bowties, for when you just need comfort food.
- Air fryer Vietnamese chicken wings, the best wings I’ve made all year.
- Dorm room microwave mac & cheese, because sometimes you don’t wanna wash the pot.
- The prettiest egg ribbons you ever did see.
I Am... 7 Ingredient Chicken Adobo Recipe
Chicken and rice is one of those dishes I absolutely love eating. There’s something so comforting about the combination. Growing up, it was always on the menu: fast, easy, and a no brainer for my mom to make for a weeknight dinner. It was the one thing that I would consistently eat as a child and even now, it’s completely nostalgic for me: true comfort food. It seems like the world agrees with me – every culture has its own version, each one comforting in its own way. It was always the best day of the week when my mom would come home from the Chinese butcher with a Styrofoam box of glistening soy sauce chicken. We would make rice in our trusty rice cooker and the taste of the chicken-y soy sauce on fluffy white rice was to me, one of the best flavors of childhood. My other favorite was when my mom would make Hainanese chicken: a simple dish of chicken poached in a flavorful broth seasoned with ginger and garlic. The chicken was unbelievably tender and a perfect match to the extra chicken-y rice that was made by toasting rice in chicken fat before cooking it in chicken broth. So good. Now, when I’m looking for something new and comforting, I look towards chicken rice - I’m forever searching for new iterations. I love the Japanese version, oyakodon: chicken stewed in savory dashi with creamy eggs over a bowl of white rice, creamy chicken casserole, arroz con pollo, and of course Filipino chicken adobo. Adobo is the unofficial national dish of the Philippines. It’s garlicky, vinegary, saucy, and addictive. It’s a little confusing because when you think adobo, you might think of Mexican or Spanish food. In fact, the word adobo actually means sauce or marinade in Spanish, and in this case, it’s a sauce made of soy and vinegar. All you need is chicken (preferably skin on bone in chicken thighs), vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Because it’s such a popular dish, these five ingredients change from person to person. Sometimes people add in a bit of sugar or even coconut milk. Everyone has their own way of making chicken adobo. Here, we kept it simple, with just seven ingredients. I think it’s the simplicity that makes it taste so good. The fact that so few ingredients can combine together and make it more complex than the sum of its parts is amazing. What are you waiting for, make this tonight and absolutely serve it up with lots of fluffy white rice to soak up all that delicious sauce!
7 Ingredient Chicken Adobo Recipe serves 4Read More →Marinate the chicken in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, pepper, garlic, and bay leaves for one hour minimum. In a dutch oven, heat up the oil over medium high heat. Brown the chicken skin side down, in batches if needed, then add the marinade. Top with enough water to almost cover. Bring to a boil, then turn to a simmer, and cook uncovered for about an hour. The sauce will be brothy and thin. If desired, remove the chicken and simmer the sauce to thicken. Enjoy with fluffy white rice.
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 head garlic, peeled
- 2 bay leaves
