Homemade Delicious and Easy Korean Bulgogi!

I recently got this delicious bulgogi (Korean seasoned beef dish) recipe from an older Korean woman in my community. This recipe is so super easy, and makes eating bulgogi more affordable :). No longer will I buy bulgogi-seasoned meat from Korean stores, I can make it myself! This easiness and tastiness of this dish really surprised me, and it will surprise you too!

Bulgogi Recipe:

Ingredients:
-2 lbs beef chuck or rump roast (I used sirloin, but any cut of meat should work. Try to get a piece of beef without too many fat or cartilage veins in it)
-1/2 cup soy sauce
-1/2 cup water
-5 green onions, chopped into 2 inch pieces
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 cup sugar (or more depending on how sweet you like it)
-7 garlic cloves
-1 onion, thinly sliced

Method:
1. Cut the beef into thin slices with a kitchen knife, as thin as you can (don't worry if it's not perfect, it'll still taste good)

2. Crush garlic cloves with side of a knife to remove skin. Chop each clove into small pieces and then mush the garlic against the cutting board with the side of a kitchen knife until it looks more translucent then before. This helps release flavor from the garlic in order to season the meat. Don't worry about having garlicky smelling hands, it's part of the fun!

3. Combine the oil, sugar, water, soy sauce, and minced/smashed garlic, sliced green onion and sliced regular onion with the sliced meat in a bowl. Mix to coat meat. Marinate for 2-3 hours or even overnight.

4. After marinating the meat, heat a pan to high. Put all of the beef and marinade into the pan and cook quickly. Remove the meat and marinade from the pan immediately after meat is done.

5. Enjoy with rice and pickled vegetables or kimchee.

Delicious Mulberry Scones!

picture by Shino Takahashi

Mulberries are everywhere in Ohio during the summertime, and the particular mulberries I used for this recipe were from the parking lot of my apartment. With my graduate summer M.Ed classes in full swing, and actually, soon ending in 2 weeks, I need a recipe to fall back on for easy, quick breakfasts on summer mornings, something crumbly and scrumptious to eat while sipping my morning English tea. And what better to eat than fresh, buttery scones made with whipping cream and hand-picked mulberries from the backyard?

Fresh summer mulberry scone with a side of whipped cream

These lovely photos are all taken by my very talented friend Shino Takahashi! Check out her website to see more of her amazing portfolio at shinotakahashi.com! 

Cooking is just so tiring....not! :P

Ingredients! from left to right: whipping cream, mulberries, lemon zest, butter, salt, sugar, and flour + baking soda in the middle

cutting the butter into the flour

Mulberry Scones 

(any other berries can be substituted)

*adapted from this recipe on chow.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2-inch cubes and then chilled
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 cup fresh or frozen berries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl

3. Cut the butter into one inch cubes and then cut the butter cubes into the flour with two knives, just like you do when making pie crust dough. Dough should start to look like little pebbles. 

4. Pour the whipping cream into the dough and continue mixing with a spatula for another minute or so. Lightly mix the berries into the dough. Be gentle so that the berries don't get too crushed.

5. Place 1/2 cup mounds of the scone dough onto parchment paper on a baking sheet (you can also oil the baking sheet instead)

6. Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar on top of each scone (optional). Bake until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. 

7. Enjoy! :)

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From my kitchen to yours, 

Kaori <3

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Tacos at Los Tizoncitos

Al Pastor Tacos are marinated in a combination of dried chiles, spices and pineapple and then roasted on a vertical rotisserie, shawarma-style (information from Wikipedia)

Some moments are better left untouched, whole, and spontaneous, and one of those moments was tonight on my stroll to Los Tizoncitos, a taco truck down the road. A few minutes prior to my decision to suddenly walk out of my apartment with just my keys, phone, and some coins to buy tacos, I had started to feel restless, like I needed something to fire me up. Today I just finished my first week of graduate school, and boy, what a week it was. I had just finished a wonderful vacation to Boston, Massachusetts with two dear childhood friends the day before, and I thought I had some time to relax because classes started Wednesday. Wrong! Classes actually started on Monday! I missed my first class, and realized from that point on, that man, I need to take this sh*t seriously (sorry for swearing). But that's really how I felt. I am currently studying in the Masters in Education program at Ohio State University, as part of the English Language Arts Program. Woohoo! I'm finally fulfilling my dream of teaching English! It's exciting, yet daunting, and this first week, with missing class and then realizing the large amount of reading, I got shocked into shape. This is it, one year of life dedicated to trying to become the best teacher I can possibly be. I realized I need to get on court and off of the sidelines of life, and really be present to what is happening for me in my life right now.

Anyways, back to the tacos...cause I know that's all you probably want to know about :P. Just kidding. Where was I? Moments left untouched, oh yes, so I immediately have the inspiration, TACOS TACOS TACOS, grab $3.50 worth of quarters from our coin "vacation fund"(because let's face it, with a huge loan for grad school, I don't feel very rich right now!) and sneakily head out the apartment door. I walk over to Los Tizoncitos from my apartment because it is super close by, embracing the humid and warm air that Ohio currently offers. I almost feel like the air is hugging me, embracing me like lovers do when its time for bed, clinging to me, but not enough to make me sweat and tell it to "back off!". I close my eyes to increase my sense of hearing, and absorb the sounds of crickets, birds, and a lawnmower in the far distance. It smells like summer: warm concrete, earth, and moist air, and a faint smell of freshly cut grass. I walk over to Los Tizoncitos and find the familiar faces of the hispanic husband and wife that own the taco truck. In my broken Spanish, I order "tacos al pastor", and prepare myself for four corn tacos, layered with deliciously marinated pork, a slice of grilled pineapple, chopped cilantro, onions, and salsa. I eat the tacos, relishing every spicy bite, and stroll back towards my apartment. Just as flames of spice engulf my mouth from time to time as I walk away, I see fireflies bursting into one-second explosions, and then flying away. I feel at home. I may be a California girl, but this is a part of Ohio I will always love.

Earlier, I went to Los Tizoncitos with my childhood friend :) photo taken by Shino Takahashi

photo taken by Shino Takahashi

Tacos Chicharron (fried pork skin), photo taken by Shino Takahashi

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From my kitchen to yours, 

Kaori <3

Please subscribe to my blog today!

Strawberry Custard Phyllo Dough Tart in 30 minutes!

Nothing tastes better than a cream puff custard spread lavishly onto a flaky phyllo dough crust, topped with fresh, macerated strawberries. At least I think so :P. I served this tart at an event for young adults in my church community, and it was practically licked clean within minutes. And the great thing about it is how easy it is to make! From start to finish, this took me around 30 minutes to make. That said, my husband says that I am a really quick cook, but really there is not much work to this dish. 

Custard pastry filling brings me back to fond memories of cream puffs at the Japanese bazaars at our church, served from loving Japanese mothers (even though cream puffs originated in France), fundraising for their club events. I would buy a cream puff for 50 cents and take a little bite of the pastry, soon slurping out the custard and eating the rest of choux pastry in one bite. It's a taste of childhood, a taste of something familiar and comforting.

I recently discovered phyllo dough from a recipe my mother-in-law taught me for Greek spanakopita. Bought from the frozen section of any supermarket, these flaky, super-thin sheets are crispy and lightly buttery. I prefer them to to the thick and crunchy pastry crusts that are usually accompanied with tarts. Phyllo dough is light and flaky, and gives this tart a light feeling when eating it. Macerated strawberries are basically strawberries chopped up, with about a tablespoon of sugar mixed into them, to have them release some strawberry juice.

Strawberry Custard Phyllo Dough Tart

*Custard recipe is from deliciouseveryday.com

Ingredients: 

• Phyllo Dough (It comes frozen and needs to be defrosted)
• 1 package strawberries

Vanilla Pastry Cream:

• 6 egg yolks
• 150g (2/3 cups) sugar
• 70g (1/2) cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1. Overlap two layers of phyllo dough sheets at a time at different angles over the pie plate. Use about 14 sheets. 

2. Microwave 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and pour over the phyllo dough sheets in pie plate. Place in oven at 350 degrees. 

3. Put the milk and vanilla extract in a pot and heat on medium heat until just below boiling point. 

4. Separately, use a mixer to mix the sugar, eggs, and flour together until completely combined.

5. After egg-sugar-flour mixture is combined, slowly add the hot milk to the egg-sugar-flour mixture. Gradually whisk the hot milk into egg mixture until all milk has been added and mixture is well combined. Gradually adding milk will minimize risk of eggs curdling. 

6.  Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened and glossy. Whisk out any lumps or strain through a mesh sieve if needed. Refrigerate until cool. 

7.  Chop up strawberries and put in bowl. Mix with 1 tablespoon sugar and let it rest until custard has cooled down. 

8. After phyllo dough is a golden brown color, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Pour cooled custard onto phyllo crust, and top the custard with the macerated strawberries. 

Enjoy!!

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From my kitchen to yours, 

Kaori <3

Please subscribe to my blog today!

Cooking Class 1: Italian Ravioli Class!

I may look like a small, little girl (many students I substitute are in disbelief that I am 25 :P), but I have some big dreams, and one of those dreams (that is becoming a reality) is being a cooking instructor!

So naturally, I was so excited when I could teach my first cooking class in my church community, with beloved friends!

 For this class, we made ravioli with spinach and ricotta, homemade tomato sauce, rosemary and olive oil baked potatoes, spelt salad, and a meat and cheese appetizer called "Saltim Bocca".

Saltim Bocca- "jump in your mouth" morsels made with beef, prosciutto, edam cheese, topped with sage leaf

Delicioso! Thanks friends!

Comforting Chicken Wor Wonton Soup

 When I was just a little toddler, viewing the streets of New York through my small baby eyes, I remember my mother feeding me lots and lots of shrimp and wonton soup. These two foods were my staple, and being the little half-Japanese kid that I was, I would constantly ask for "Ebi!" "Ebi" (meaning "shrimp" in Japanese). I gorged those sea creatures down like no tomorrow. Wonton soup also always has held a soft spot in my heart. After a tired day at work today, feeling a little weary, with my feet hurting a little, I determined to make Wor Wonton Soup. I gathered ingredients from the local Chinese store, a pack of square wonton wrappers, baby bok choi, snow peas, carrots, chicken breast and chicken broth I bought from a grocery store, and headed home.

 One of the things I love about making wonton soup is the aroma of flavors that greet you every step of the way. I enjoy thinly slicing the green onions (though they made me cry a little), mincing up cloves of garlic and inhaling that sudden, pervasive, garlicky smell in the air, and chopping up pungent yet addicting chunks of ginger root. After mixing the minced chicken and aromatic ingredients together in a small bowl, I begin by taking up a square wonton wrapper, feeling it's cool and floury surface with my fingers, its thin and supple, yet firm texture, and yellowy-ness.

I wet my fingers and put a layer of water around the edges of the wonton wrapper. Using a little teaspoon, I gingerly pick up just a little mound of meat mixture, and place it in the middle. I fold the wonton in half, sealing the edges and turn it so it is facing the other direction. I fold it in half again, but while doing so, pinch the edges of the wonton together in a cute tortellini-like shape. Then, I make like 50 more wontons. It's actually quite fun when done with others!

Surprisingly, the broth for wonton soup is simply chicken broth. I bought 4 lbs of chicken broth from Kroger, but any kind of chicken broth will do. Homemade is even better tasting. After making the wontons and washing the baby bok choi, snap peas, and diagnally and thinly sliced carrots, I bring the chicken broth to a boil, drop the wontons in and let them cook for a couple of minutes. A delicate steam greets your face as the light flavor of chicken broth marries the flavors of wonton noodle and the wonton filling. It's almost like rebirth. It feels miraculous, delicious, hot, steamy, and so comforting. I bite down into the tender wonton noodle and it gives way to a mouth-watering, meaty yet fragrant core, slurping up the soup and vegetables as I go. It's really relaxing. It's like coming home again, over and over :).

Comforting Chicken Wor Wonton Soup
adapted from a recipe on Allrecipes.com by Marbalet
*enough for a big pot of soup, halve the ingredients if you want a smaller portion

Ingredients:

For the wontons:

• 2 chicken breasts 
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced (or more if you like!)
• 2-3 green onions, chopped finely
• square, thin wonton wrappers (make sure they are defrosted before you start!)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar

For the soup:

• baby bok choi
• 2-3 carrots
• sugar peas
• 4 lbs chicken broth
• green onion for garnish

Method:

• Mince chicken breast meat until very fine. Mince all wonton filling vegetables very fine, and mix all filling ingredients, including soy sauce and sugar, all together.
• Place a small bowl of water in front of you for dipping your finger in. Pick up a wonton wrapper, place in your palm and wet all edges with water from your finger. Place 1/2 teaspoon filling mixture in the middle of the wrapper. 
• Fold wrapper in half, sealing all edges. Turn wonton wrapper so that the edges you just sealed are facing toward you. Fold in half again, and while folding, twist wonton so that you overlap the top corners of each side of wonton. Watch this helfpul video I found on Youtube and you will get it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWIVfA9uteY
• Put them all on a plate, get a friend or reluctant husband to help you ;)
• Put all chicken broth in a pot and heat till boiling. Drop wontons in and let them cook for 2 minutes or so. Put all the bok choi, carrots, and snow peas in and let it all cook for another five minutes of medium high heat. 

Enjoy!

Kaori

Delicious Homemade Mabo Tofu! Made with No MSG!

You have to admit it. Mabo Tofu, in all of it's meaty, savory, tasty, umami-ness is just what you crave for dinner. A delicious combination of ground pork, soft tofu, scallions, minced ginger, garlic, and bean-based sauces, it is a perfect meal for a protein boost. And it's addicting.

My husband is allergic to MSG(monosodium glutamate), so I wanted to find a way I could make Mabo/Mapo Tofu without buying one of those easy packages of sauce. What I found through another online recipe and my own experiments, is a fresh Mabo Tofu that beats an easy sauce packet any day!

Delicious Homemade No-MSG Mabo Tofu

adapted from the Appetite for China blog

Ingredients for sauce: 

• 1 tablespoon fermented black bean sauce (this can be find in Chinese stores)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon miso paste (no MSG miso paste)
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon Japanese/Korean/Chinese cooking wine (make sure it contains no MSG)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (like the kind you put on pizza)

Other ingredients:

• 1 package soft tofu, diced into 1 inch cubes (but doesn't have to be exact)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 scallions (just the white part, save the green part for garnish), thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced (I added a little more ginger, because I just love it. But don't overdo it)
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 4 mushrooms (optional)

*I left out cornstarch and it tasted just fine!

Method:

• In a separate bowl, combine and mix the sauce ingredients and set aside
• Chop up and mince all vegetables
• Heat up a pan to pretty hot, I put it at level 8 (if that makes sense), and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Add in the ground pork and fry in hot pan for 4 minutes or until cooked, splitting up the meat while cooking
• Reduce to medium high heat and add all the vegis, stir fry them for a couple of minutes
• Add in the chopped tofu
• Mix in the sauce and cook for another 7 minutes uncovered, let the tofu soak in the sauce 

Serve over white or brown rice, with a garnish of thinly sliced scallions (green part)

Most Importantly, Enjoy!! :)

Cooking Class Confessions: Macarons from France

Hi everyone! It has been too long since my last update. In these past couple of months, I have been helping out at a delightful cooking school in Clintonville, Ohio, The Seasoned Farmhouse. During my assistance, I learned the ins and outs of instructing a cooking class. I saw how much work went into it, from buying ingredients, preparing them, preparing recipes, and cleaning, but I also saw how much enjoyment can be had in the process of teaching others the joy of cooking! I've assisted with French Bistro classes, Middle Eastern cooking classes, and Italian pasta cooking classes. These experiences made me realize how much I would enjoy being a cooking instructor as well.

MACARON LOVE

 Following this inspiration, I have designed and led several cooking classes, my first being an Italian pasta cooking class (pictures to be posted soon) and my second, a french macaron baking class. The French Macaron isn't an easy cookie to master. These small and seemingly innocent cookies actually take a lot of attention to detail, precision, and time.

Our Melange of Sweet Shapes

A typical batch takes at least around 4 hours from start to finish. If you saw my very first blog post below, it contains the recipe for the French Macaron which I learned from a class I took in Paris :). For now, I wanted to document the macaron cooking class, and what I learned from doing it.

Some of our participants got very creative

Voila! Heart Macaron

Demonstrating how to pipe a macaron

Beautiful Mika and her Rose Flavored Macaron

Rose Flavored Macaron, filled with white chocolate and Rose Water

Grace and her piping skills

Green Tea Matcha Macaron

I intend to continue with the cooking and baking classes :). I will update soon with photos from the Italian Pasta class!