Avocado & Eggs

I was curious to bake an egg inside of an avocado... it didn't turn out nearly as good as I thought it would be... unless you like warm avocado.. -_-; The gooey egg inside didn't go well with the consistency of the avocado... It was a bit too creamy, and not too appetizing.  

                            
My backup turned out great: a poached egg (a little overcooked, but I liked the hardened yolk:) gruyere cheese, avocado slices and arugula on a piece of honey wheat toast and sriracha.  So simple and delicious.

Edamame!!

Edamame (soy bean pods) are so delicious and healthy and can be munched on as an appetizer or snack. You can find frozen bags of edamame at the grocery store, and you can either prepare them the traditional way by putting the frozen edamame into boiling water for 3-4 minutes, or you can simply put the frozen edamame into a microwaveable bowl, submerge them in water, and cook them in the microwave for 2 minutes. Drain the access water, sprinkle salt on top and enjoy!

Ingredients!

These are the ingredients for panfried tofu! I made it again recently and I liked how it all looked out as raw ingredients :]

Here is the original recipe blog post --

[http://nomadichimee.blogspot.com/2010/09/panfried-tofu-with-spicy-sauce-dubu.html]

Spicy Shrimp

If you're using frozen shrimp, make sure they've been defrosted and drained before marinating.

Ingredients:
About 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 1-inch piece ginger, minched
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon Korean chile powder (gojugadu)

Instructions:
Put the shrimp in a large bowl. Add the soy sauce, red wine, garlic, ginger, and lime juice and combine. Sprinkle with the chile powder and toss.

Place a large pan on a preheated grill/stove. Add the shrimp and cook, turning, until they've turned pink.

Serve hot with rice and other side dishes.

Smoked Salmon-Rucola- Parmigiano Reggiano Salad

I made this at 1 in the morning because I was hungry and craving something light and healthy. The ingredients are:
- Wild Smoked Nova Salmon
- Organic Baby Rucola
- Vine tomatoes
- Parmigiano reggiano cheese
- Capers
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Black pepper and salt to taste

Put a bundle of the organic baby rucola leaves at the bottom of a bowl. Add the sliced smoked salmon, cubed tomato chunks, capers, parmigiano reggiano cheese- grated and some chunks, along with some salt and pepper to taste, a splash of extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Mix and enjoy:)

Duk bok ki (Spicy Rice Cake)

[I added ramen noodles to the mix to make it a more filling meal.. but that doesn't make it very healthy..!:{ BUT I wanted to add the tasty dish anyway :]

2 lbs. rice cake (can be found at the Korean market)
1 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp. red hot chili paste (gojijjang)

2 Tbsp korean red pepper flakes (gojugadu)
1 tsp minced garlic
Half 1 onion, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
2 boiled eggs (always use free-range, organic, hormone/steroid free if you can!)

Put the rice cake in cold water for about 15 minutes to soften. Hard-boil the eggs, de-shell them and put to the side. Put 1 cup water in a large saucepan. Add sugar, red chili pepper paste, and garlic. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Put the rice cake and onion in the pan and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Add chopped scallions and continue to biol for 2-3 minutes. Add the cut egg on top. Serves 5.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

The ingredients may change and there are various different things you can put inside spring rolls, but last night for dinner I made this combination of fresh vegetables to make these delicious spring rolls, with the perfect spicy, tangy sauce to match!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces rice vermicelli
• Rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
• Chopped fresh mint leaves
• Baby romaine lettuce
• Carrots, sliced
  
• 1 Avocado
• 2-3 Green onion, sliced
• Bean sprouts
  
• 1 Egg
• Cucumber, sliced
• Jalapeno
• Fish sauce
  
• 3 Limes
• 1/2 a can of Sprite
  

Instructions:

1. Cut the cucumber, carrots, and avocado into long strips and arrange them on a plate.
2. Boil water and cook the rice vermicelli noodles for 3-4 minutes. Immediately rinse in cold water and drain.
3. Scramble an egg, mixing salt and pepper to taste. Put a skillet on low heat, and make a thin egg omelet. Cut into strips and add it to the plate
4. Put the rice paper in hot water until it is soft and place it on a plate. Put a bit of all of the ingredients including some vermicelli noodles, mint leaves, bean sprouts, baby romaine lettuce, carrots, avocado, carrots, and cucumber in the middle of the circled rice paper and wrap it tightly, as if it was a soft taco.

FOR THE SPICY, TANGY DIPPING SAUCE!

1. Squeeze the 3 limes into a bowl.
2. Cut the large jalapeno into small pieces and add to the lime juice.
3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of fish sauce
4. Add 1/2 a can of Sprite and mix together.


Add the sauce while eating the spring roll. Enjoy!

Tuna Kimbap // Maki Roll

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups cooked rice (made from 2 cups of uncooked rice)
• "kim" (seaweed paper)
• 1 english cucumber
  
• a can of tuna (i used Kimchi flavored tuna!)
• soy sauce
• garlic
• green onion
• gojijjang (red bean pepper paste)
  
• sesame oil
  

(2-3 servings)

1. Prepare about 2 cups of cooked rice in a large bowl
2. Make your mixing sauce by mixing up ½ tbs sugar, 1 ts salt, and 1 tbs of vinegar until the liquid looks clear
3. Mix rice with the mixing sauce and stir it evenly. Set it aside for now.

Prepare a large plate to arrange all ingredients for kimbap

1. Make seasoned tuna flakes
   1. Open a can of tuna and remove the oil or water. Put it on a heated pan and drizzle some sesame oil over it. Toss it and cook it for 2 minutes
   2. Add 1 tbs of soy sauce, ½ tbs of sugar, 1 clove of minced garlic, and 1 ts of ground black pepper.
   3. Keep stirring for another 3 minutes.
   4. Turn off the heat and add 1 chopped green onion
2. Place thinly sliced cucumber strips on a plate.
   
3. Slice an avocado and place it on the plate.

Let’s roll Kimbap!

1. Place a sheet of laver(“kim”) on the bamboo mat and evenly spread a layer of rice in the center of it.
2. Place 2-3 spoons of seasoned tuna flakes on top of the layer of rice. Add a cucumber strip, some avocado, and on some of the rolls I added some gojijang (red bean pepper paste) to make it spicy.
   
3. Roll it up gently using the bamboo mat.
4. Remove the bamboo mat and cut the roll into pieces about 2 cm thick and place it on a plate

*tip: prepare a wet cloth or paper towel to wipe the knife while cutting, it will make it slice easier.

Caprese Salad w/ Sourdough Bread

I also made my favorite Caprese salad.. So simple yet so flavorful and delicious ^_^

Ingredients

• 2 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
• fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices
• fresh basil leaves
  
• Extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
• salt and pepper
• sourdough bread loaf
  

Directions

Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper to taste. Cut pieces of the sourdough bread loaf and serve.

Crab & "Original" Stuffed Mushrooms

[Photo: "Original" Stuffed Mushroom on the left, and Crab Stuffed Mushroom on the right]

I made two different types of stuffed mushrooms tonight for dinner... Crab stuffed mushrooms, and I'll call the other style "the Original stuffed mushroom".

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms:

- Fresh oversized mushrooms
- 1/2 a cup of crabmeat
- 2 green onions / scallions
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (i used mayo made with olive oil)
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, combine crabmeat, green onions, spice and pepper. Mix in mayonnaise and the grated Parmesan cheese until well combined. Refrigerate filling until ready for use.
3. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Remove stems (Save the stems, I used it for the next recipe) Fill the mushroom caps with rounded teaspoonfuls of filing, and place them in an ungreased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle tops with parmesan.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, Remove from oven, and serve immediately.

"Original" Stuffed Mushrooms:

- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 red onion
- Oversized mushrooms
- 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Mint leaves
- Basil leaves
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used a loaf of sourdough bread and hand grated it)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease the pan with some olive oil
3. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red onion and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.
5. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in parmesan cheese, basil leaves, mint leaves, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

오이 냉국 "Oi naengguk" - Cold Cucumber Soup

Oi naengguk is another simple but popular Korean side dish, perfect for summer. The seasoning in this recipe could be changed a little according to your taste, more sugar if you like it sweeter, or more chili peppers if you like it spicier. (I went for more red hot chili pepper)

Ingredients: Cucumber, garlic, green chili pepper, red hot chili pepper, green onion , 1½ tbs vinegar, 1 ts salt, 1 ts fish sauce, 1 ts sugar, 1½ cup of cold water (purified or boiled and cooled down), and 3 ice cubes.

1. Get a bowl ready, one that can hold more than 2 cups.
   
2. Put about 1¼ cups of cucumber, cut into thin strips (julienne style), into the bowl.
3. Mince one clove of garlic, chop up half a green onion, and cut up 1 or 2 ts worth of green chili pepper (depending on how hot you like it). Add them to the cucumber strips in the bowl.
4. Add 1 ts of salt, 1 ts of fish sauce, 1 ½ tbs of vinegar, 1 ts of sugar to the bowl and mix it well with a spoon.
5. Pour 1½ cup of cold water (purified or boiled and cooled down) to the bowl and mix it.
6. Add 6 ice cubes.
7. Cut some red hot chili pepper to garnish and sprinkle on the top of the soup.
8. Serve it with rice.