5 Element Food

Pork Belly in Master Sauce with Hardboiled Eggs

2012-01-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

Pork Belly has been a trendy cut of meat the last few years. It has showed up in all kinds of restaurants and has been cooked in many ways. It's really just uncured bacon and is a very versatile cut of meat. For me, there is really only one way to eat Pork Belly and that is to braise it in a sauce of Soy Sauce, Rice Wine, sugar, ginger and green onions. One of the benefits of cooking this dish is that it also makes an unctuous Master Sauce that can be used to braise other meats in later. And for Chinese New Year celebrations in my family, Pork Belly is a required dish. My favorite way to serve it is with hardboiled eggs that soak up the sauce, but it is also really good with bow-tie tofu cooked in it. Some people object to how fatty the meat is, but in the winter, you need that extra fat to keep yourself warm and there are many studies proving that lard is actually very good for you. I'm a believer as this is something I crave every winter, but I don't eat a lot of it at a time as it is very rich. It's also one of the most popular dishes at my annual Chinese New Year's Lucky Foods party. For that, I serve it with the eggs cut in half. This dish is satisfying in a way that I can't describe and when the chunks of pork belly and a hard boiled egg is ladled over a bowl of rice, I am happy!

Pork Belly in Master Sauce with Hardboiled Eggs

1 lb piece of pork belly

8 cups water

1 cup Soy Sauce or Tamari

1 cup Shaoshing rice wine

1/3 – 1/2 cup sugar (depending on the saltiness of Soy Sauce)

3 - 4 green onions cut in thirds (roots and dry tips cut off)

4 fresh ginger slices (about ¼ inch each – no need to peel)

6 eggs, medium boiled (cook about 7 -8 minutes) cooled and peeled

2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch and enough water to make a slurry

Place Pork Belly in pot with the water and seasonings. Bring to a boil and return to a simmer and cook for 3 hours. Remove pork belly and cut into 1” chunks. Pour off half of the braising liquid and reserve for future use (best if you freeze it). Return the pork belly pieces to the remaining braising liquid and bring back to a boil. Then take the boiled eggs and slice 5 vertical slits around the egg just to the yolk (don’t go too deep!). Add eggs to the braising liquid and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and stir gently to thicken sauce. Serve with steamed rice.

Note: The Master Sauce that you reserve can be used to braise chicken thighs, which is called Red Cooked Chicken or chunks of a leaner pork and then that is called Red Cooked Pork. My favorite though is to take a pound of chicken gizzards and cook them until tender. They end up being like a kind of chewy jerky and I love them! To make any of the Red-Cooked dishes, dilute the sauce with an equal amount of water.

Five Element Analysis

Pork, Eggs and Soy Sauce all belong to the Water Element so this dish is clearly very Watery and therefore good for your kidneys. The Rice Wine brings in a bit of Fire and the sugar adds some Earth. The Metal Element is represented by the ginger and green onions and the white rice. Only the Wood Element is missing so be sure to serve this dish with some green vegetables like sauteed spinach or pea vine leaves.

Radish Kimchi Salad

2012-01-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day for 5 Element Food - it's the 2 year anniversary and my 3rd Chinese New Year's posting! I still make most of the same lucky foods each year, but this year I made sure to make a Chinese Chicken Salad as lettuce is lucky and also a whole fish along with the Buddha's Delight, the Potstickers and Radish Kimchi Salad that's a brand new recipe that I created. I'm actually celebrating on New Year's Day (tomorrow) instead of New Year's Eve this year because I've been so busy unpacking and needed the extra day to get ready.

In order to recap, here are the lucky foods that you are supposed to serve for a traditional Chinese New Year celebration:

Bamboo Shoots for Wealth and Happiness (in the Buddha's Delight dish)

Chicken for Happiness in Marriage or Relationship (Chicken Salad dish)

Dried Bean Curd for Happiness (in the Buddha's Delight dish)

Eggs for Fertility and Creativity (in the Braised Pork Belly dish)

Greens for Abundance (Steamed and served with a drizzle of Oyster Sauce)

Potstickers and Egg Rolls for Wealth (always make these....)

Lotus Root for Continuing Wealth (in the Buddha's Delight Dish)

Lychees for Close Family Ties (canned, chilled and served for dessert)

Meatballs for Reunions (made steamed Pearl Balls)

Noodles for Long Life (made a noodle salad)

Tangerines for Luck and Wealth (always have these....)

Whole Fish for Wealth (baked a whole one in Terriyaki sauce tonight)

Peanuts for Long Life (in the Chinese Chicken Salad)

Daikon Radish for Good Omens (Radish Kimchi Salad)

Watermelon Seeds for Having lots of Children (skipped them this year)

Over the next several days, I will give you the recipe for some of these foods. But since the Radish Kimchi Salad needed to be done the day before, it is the first recipe I am giving you. My son Stephen and I love Kimchi of every kind whether made with Napa Cabbage, Daikon radish, cucumbers or Bok Choy. My only concern in buying Kimchi is that I have to read the ingredients very carefully as many of them contain dried shrimp or shrimp paste that I cannot eat because of my pretty severe allergy. So, we were craving Kimchi today and we decided to make it ourselves. Now my mother has always made Kimchi as she loved it too. She was also convince that the precursor to the Korean kind was made in Northern China where her father's family is from. She also had a Korean friend who showed her how to make it and I grew up with it as a perfectly normal food and so did my kids.

So I bought a large Daikon radish last week with the express purpose of making Radish Kimchi but forgot to make it enough days ahead for the more traditional kind that is served in big chunks. So, I improvised today and made a quick Radish Kimchi salad that ended up being so good that I'm sharing the recipe. Now, you can ferment this salad for more days than I am (I just let it sit for one day) and it will become more authentic. Kimchi often gets a bad rap for the strong smell and its' spiciness. But, if you make it yourself, you can control these aspects. And, Kimchi is extremely good for you. It has been shown to kill the Bird Flu as well as increasing immune function! So, make this salad and let it ferment for one or a few days and eat it for your health. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Radish Kimchi Salad

1 large Daikon Radish peeled

2 teaspoons Salt - divided

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

3 Garlic Cloves, minced fine

3 Tablespoons Korean Chili Powder

To garnish: A small handful of Green onion pieces and a few Tablespoons of Sesame Seeds

Cut Daikon Radish into thin shreds (you can use a Mandoline for this or a special shredder) and put into a colander. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, mix and let drain for 15 minutes. Squeeze dry and place in a glass bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together remaining salt, sugar, fish sauce, garlic cloves and Korean Chili Powder. Add to radish and mix thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for 1 - 5 days. When ready to serve, drain excess liquid and put on a plate and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

Five Element Analysis

Radishes are very pungent and Daikon is also white so they belong to the Metal Element and that element is covered. The garlic adds even more. The Water Element is represented by the Fish Sauce and Salt. The fermentation makes Kimchi a Wood Food as it becomes sour and the Korean Red Chili contributes the Fire Element. The Earth Element only shows up with a little bit of sugar so another Earthy food is needed to supplement this dish to contribute balance. I often eat it with Bulgogi (see previous post) and rice as the sweet beef is very Earthy. And since Kimchi is usually one of several Korean side dishes, it adds many of the elements all by itself.

Red Lentil Coconut Dal Soup

2012-01-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

It's snowing here in Seattle - a lot.... We are actually snowed in. And when it's that cold outside, I just naturally start cooking more and more soups as they are so warming. Plus my son just got home from a trip to Bali and he's not feeling well. After chicken soup, his favorite soup is some version of Dal. So, I made this soup for him last night. This particular version is made with red lentils and coconut milk. It is creamy and rich and redolent of Indian spices - cumin, coriander and turmeric. It's so nourishing and so soothing. And, it can be easily doubled if you are serving a crowd. So, if you need some comfort during this cold spell, try this soup!

Red Lentil Coconut Dal Soup

8 ounces red lentils (masoor dal)

2 - 3 cups water

1 large onion roughly chopped - divided in half

2 tomatoes chopped

1 can coconut milk

2 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

2 Tablespoons ghee (or butter)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional: 1 Serrano Chili minced

Put lentils in a medium saucepan with the 2 cups water and the coconut milk. Add 1/2 of the onion and chopped tomatoes and turmeric, ground cumin and ground coriander (and Serrano Chili if using). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes (stirring occasionally) until lentils are soft. Add the extra water 1/2 cup at a time if the mixture gets too thick. Heat ghee in a frying pan and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds. Cook for just a few seconds then add in onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are golden brown. Put onions in with the lentils and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with basmati rice.

Five Element Analysis

Soups are always considered a part of the Water Element style of cooking, but this one is thick and creamy and that makes it a little more Earthy. Lentils belong to the Earth Element too so that element is covered. Coconut milk and the spices contribute the Metal Element and the rice adds even more. The Cayenne Pepper brings in just a bit of fire, so if you want more, use the Serrano Chili or go heavier with the Black Pepper. The Wood Element is missing, so consider serving this soup with a green vegetable to create a Five Element balance.

Duck Breast with Balsamic Cherry Sauce

2012-01-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

I love duck, but I have to admit that I never made it at home before. It's a rather newly acquired taste as I never even tried it as a child. My mother didn't like it at all and I wasn't allowed to eat it at Chinese banquets. But, here in Seattle, there used to be a great Thai restaurant that had Duck noodles and that got me loving duck. Since then, I have Peking Duck whenever I can and I've discovered that they serve great duck in Europe, particularly in Germany. I was at a restaurant there last year and had a wonderful duck breast with a sour cherry sauce that I decided to recreate. And, on my first try, I was so delighted with the results that I am sharing the recipe with you! I seared a large duck breast (cut in half) skin side first to crisp it up and then a bit longer on the other side so it came out mediumish. I don't like duck too rare. Then for the sauce, I cooked some shallots in butter and I used some sour cherry preserves from Germany (there are several good US brands - like Stonewall Kitchen - even Smuckers has one) and then mixed the preserves with a little balsamic vinegar. I thought it was divine. The only downside is that the sauce looks a bit like blood, but one taste and I think you will be hooked too. I served it with smashed potatoes and some steamed green beans. I was very happy with this recipe and so was my son who loves duck more than me. And it cooks fast. I hope you will try it soon!

Duck Breast with Balsamic Cherry Sauce

1 large duck breast - about 16 ounces, cut in half

Salt and Pepper

1 shallot, chopped

2 Tablespoons Butter

1/3 cup Sour Cherry Preserves

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 cup chicken broth

Score the skin of the duck into a diamond pattern and be careful not to cut too deeply. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on the skin side. Heat a large skillet to medium high. Add in duck breasts skin side down and cook until the skin is browned and crisped. This will take 5 - 6 minutes. Salt and pepper the fleshy side and turn over. Cook for about 8 - 10 minutes longer on medium heat. Take the duck breast pieces out of the pan and let them sit while you make the sauce.

Pour off all of the fat and add 2 Tablespoons of butter into the pan. Add in shallots and cook until they become translucent. Mix together the Preserves, vinegar and chicken broth - taste and adjust for sweet and sour mix and add to the pan. Cook until the sauce reduces slightly - up to 5 minutes. Slice the duck and pour sauce over to serve.

Five Element Analysis

Duck belongs to the Water Element so that element is covered. Balsamic Vinegar add the Wood Element. Sour cherries contribute the Fire Element and the shallots bring in the Metal Element. Only the Earth Element is missing for balance, which is why this dish is so good with potatoes and/or green beans.

Curried Kurbis Soup

2012-01-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

I've been moving and that has been very stressful, especially considering I am finally consolidating all of my stuff that was in storage units and my son's apartment for the last year. And it's cold outside - really cold. So, I need soup and I have been making it every night. Some of the soup recipes I have already posted, but here's one I made last night that I think you will really like. Now, there are many versions of Squash or Pumpkin Soup - Kurbis is the German name for pumpkin and I was inspired by a carrot soup that one of my friends made there. Thai versions of pumpkin soup are really good too. But, this one is my favorite. The pumpkin gets roasted first to make it more flavorful and then it is added to chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if you want to make it vegetarian) and some celery and carrots. That's pureed all together, but not too much as the bits of carrot and celery are so pretty and then the onions are cooked in butter until caramelized with curry powder then added in. It's important to cook the curry powder a bit to bring out the depth of flavor. The onions give the soup a wonderful texture that makes you not miss having any meat. And the curry powder lifts up the flavor of the pumpkin and makes it taste exciting. This soup is really fast to make as long as you cook the pumpkin ahead of time. it's creamy and soothing and delicious!

Curried Kurbis Soup

1 small pumpkin or squash - cooked flesh to equal 1 - 1 1/2 cups

1 onion minced finely

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

4 cups of chicken broth

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork. Remove and scoop out cooked flesh when cool. In a medium saucepan, heat chicken broth and add in carrots, celery and squash. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook onions in a frying pan with the butter until light browned. Add in the curry powder and cook for a minute until the powder darkens. Remove from heat and reserve. Using a stick blender, puree the soup until the carrots and celery are only little fragments. Add in the onion and curry powder, season with salt and pepper and cook for an additional five minutes.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is always part of the Water Element so that element is covered, whereas pumpkin and all squashes belong to the Earth Element and the caramelized onion adds even ore. Chicken broth contributes the Wood Element and the curry powder makes sure that the Metal Element is present. Only the Fire Element needs some support, so to round out the meal, make a salad to serve with it.

Lion's Head Meatballs

2012-01-08T21:22:00.000-08:00

One of my mother's favorite foods is Lion's Head Meatballs and while I was down in Los Angeles visiting her, I made it for her. This is actually her recipe, but she hasn't cooked for years and luckily she taught me how to make what she likes best before she retired from cooking. I've been meaning to post this recipe for days, but I've been moving so I got delayed. Lion's Head Meatballs is a fancy term for pork meatballs pan fried and then simmered in chicken broth with bean thread noodles, Napa Cabbage and some green onions. When this dish is served in China, the meatballs are usually enormous, but my mother likes them smaller, so that's the way I make them. It is very subtly flavored with just a bit of Soy Sauce (or Tamari if going gluten free) and Sesame Oil. For those of you who haven't tried bean thread noodles, they are translucent and a bit slippery and are made from Mung Bean flour. They are also featured in Ants on a Tree, which I will post another day. Anyway, it's a lovely dish for a cold night (although it was actually only cool outside when I made it). It's kind of a cross between a soup and a stew as there isn't that much broth so feel free to make it soupier if you like. I cooked it in a Chinese clay pot although a Wok works just fine too. We eat it with a combination of chopsticks and a Chinese spoon and it's a dish just meant for slurping, which is perfectly acceptable to the Chinese. I hope you enjoy this dish too!

Lion's Head Meatballs

1 pound ground pork

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce (or Tamari)

1 Tablespoon Shaoshing Rice Wine

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 egg white

8 large leaves of Napa Cabbage, ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

3 green onions, white part minced and green parts cut into small pieces

3 small packages of Bean Thread Noodles (2 oz each)

4 - 5 cups diluted chicken broth (3/4 cup broth and 1/4 cup water)

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (or Tamari)

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

Fresh Ground Pepper

Optional: Chili Oil, Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce

Soak bean thread noodles in a large bowl with warm water to cover for 10 minutes. In a wok or a pot, heat the Chicken Broth and keep at a simmer. In a large bowl, mix together pork, white part of the green onions, soy sauce, Rice Wine and cornstarch. Shape into 2" balls and place in a large frying pan. Cook over Medium High heat until browned. Remove meatballs from the pan and place in the simmering Chicken Broth. Add oil to the frying pan and put in the Napa Cabbage. Stir fry until wilted and just beginning to brown. Add to the Chicken Broth with the Bean Thread Noodles, Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in green onion tops and top with ground pepper.

Five Element Analysis

Pork belongs to the Water Element and since this is a bit soupy too and is seasoned with Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil - all Watery seasonings, that Element is covered. The chicken broth contributes the Wood Element, the Napa Cabbage adds the Earth Element and the Mung Bean Noodles and the green onions bring in the Metal Element. Only the Fire Element needs some help, so using some Chili Oil or other Chili Sauce would balance out this dish and makes it a wonderful on-dish meal.

Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

2011-12-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

I am down in Los Angeles visiting my mother and I want to cook her favorite foods for her and one of them is Chicken with Black Bean Sauce. Actually she likes anything cooked with Black Bean Sauce. Most people I know use the jarred sauce that you can buy at almost any grocery store that has an international section. And although it is pretty good, it is nowhere near as good as using the whole salted black beans themselves. Now you will probably have to buy them at a Chinese grocery store, but if you can't find them, they are available for sale on the internet. They come in a bag and keep in a jar in the refrigerator for a long time. The taste of these salted black beans is so much more savory and complex when cooked than the premixed sauce that it is worth searching them out. But a little bit goes a long way as it is very pungent in large doses! I used Chicken Breasts because my Mom doesn't like the dark meat, but I actually prefer it because it is juicier. You can also use tofu, beef, pork, scallops, a firm white fish, shrimp or clams. I like to use multiple colors of peppers because it is so pretty, but any will do. I served this dish with some Pea Leaf vegetables, another beef and tofu dish and steamed rice. Black Bean Sauce is a classic in Chinese cooking and is amazingly easy to make at home. So try it soon!

Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into1/2” chunks

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 Tablespoons Shaoshing Rice Wine

1 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons fermented black beans, mashed with 1 Tablespoon Hot Water

1 large garlic clove, minced

1” slice of ginger minced

One half of a red, yellow and green pepper cut into ½ chunks (or 1 1/2 pepper of any color)

1 small red onion cut in ½ pieces

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

½ teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

3 Tablespoons Peanut Oil

In a small bowl, put in chicken breast, cornstarch, rice wine and soy sauce. In another small bowl, stir together chicken broth, additional soy sauce and sesame oil. Place a wok or large frying pan on the stove on high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Oil and heat until smoking. Put in onion and stir fry until translucent. Then add in garlic, ginger and peppers. Cook until softened and then put all the vegetables on a plate to the side. Add the additional 1 Tablespoon Oil and heat. Put in chicken and let cook without stirring until it browns slightly. Then turn over and brown the other side. Add black beans and chili flakes and return vegetables to the pan. Add in chicken broth mixture and stir, cooking it until it boils. Pour into a serving bowl and serve with steamed white rice.

Five Element Analysis

Fermented Black Beans are salty (and black) so they belong to the Water Element and so does the soy sauce and sesame oil. The chicken contributes the Wood Element, while the peppers and chili flakes bring in the Fire Element. The onion and rice that you serve it add the Metal Element. But, the Earth Element is missing except for the little bit of cornstarch, so serving another dish made of beef or cabbage or cucumbers would be a good addition to balance out the meal. If you want to make this a one dish meal, then serve it with a sweet fruit dessert instead.

Cabbage Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

2011-12-21T21:34:00.000-08:00

I've always loved salad any time of the year. There is something so refreshing about them and they just taste so good to me. Plus, eating a salad also make me feel like I am being really healthy. But, I'm picky about salad dressings. I don't like bottled dressings except for Kraft Seven Seas Red Wine Vinegrette or Masa's Asian Dressings or Annie's Lemon and Chive Dressing. So, I usually make my own. It took me a really long time as a cook to master salad dressings that suited me and one of the most important reasons why is that I didn't use very good olive oil or vinegar and switching to the better brands has made a lot of difference. I also had to learn that using a little mustard emulsified the oil and vinegar or in this case lime juice. I also like my citrus dressings not very tart so I always add sugar or honey to sweeten them up, but not too much.

I have been baking a lot of cookies so I've ingested more butter and sugar than I need to eat for a while. So, to cleanse my palate (and my liver), I made a cabbage salad with fresh lime juice tonight. To make the salad more interesting, I added some red bell pepper and green onions. The crunchy cabbage combined with the tart dressing, sweet peppers and pungent green onions really hit the spot. It's a lovely light salad that has great contrast in color and taste, so you know it has to be good for you too!

Cabbage Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

1 head of cabbage, cut in quarters with the core cut off and chopped into small pieces

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into small pieces

3 slender green onions, ends removed and cut into small pieces

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup light tasting olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 garlic clove minced

2 - 3 teaspoons sugar (depending on the sourness of the limes)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large bowl, add the cabbage, red pepper and green onions together. In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the lime juice, olive oil, mustard, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk to mix and taste. Add more sugar if necessary. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Let sit with dressing for at least 15 minutes up to overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Five Element Analysis

Cabbage belongs to the Earth Element and that is the dominant element of this salad. However, the red pepper and bit of black pepper brings in the Fire Element, the lime juice contributes the Wood Element and the green onion, garlic and mustard add the Metal Element. Only the Water Element is a little deficient as the small amount of salt isn't enough. So this would be a good salad to serve as a side to fish or you could sprinkle some toasted sunflower or sesame seeds on top to give it more balance.

Easy Almond Graham Cookies

2011-12-19T15:41:00.000-08:00

I haven't started my Christmas baking yet and I will soon. I plan on making about 8 different kinds of cookies, but I have to gear myself up for the cooking marathon. And, I had a friend who was coming over today for tea and I didn't have time to go to the bakery and get something sweet for her as she a big sweet tooth. I didn't have that much time to whip something up, so I pulled out a recipe that my friend's Swedish mother gave me a few years ago that uses graham crackers that you pour a sugar syrup over and sprinkle with almonds. Of course I have eaten these kinds of cookies - that's why I asked for the recipe and they were simply wonderful with a cup of tea. I had no idea they were so easy when I tasted them and I think you will be delightfully surprised too. They are buttery and crispy and delicious. If you are pressed for time and want to make something sweet, these are the ticket!

Easy Almond Graham Cookies

1 box Graham Crackers (I used Honey Maid)

2 Cookie Pan – large jelly roll size with edges

32 graham crackers

1 cup sliced almonds

2 sticks butter (2 sticks)

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can also use almond)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 16 graham crackers on each cookie sheet and then carefully break into halves. Squeeze them together tightly in the pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup sliced almonds over each pan, distributing them so that each piece is covered with almonds.

In a small saucepan, heat 1 stick of butter with 1/4 cup sugar until it begins to boil. Reduce heat and boil for about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Ladle the sugar mixture over one pan of graham crackers. Repeat with the butter, sugar and vanilla for the second pan.

Place pans in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool and remove from pan. Use a sharp knife to separate pieces if necessary.

Five Element Analysis

Now you know as a a sweet cookie that this won't be a completely balanced dish by itself. Elementally, these cookies belong primarily to the Earth Element because of the sugar and the almonds. But the wheat in the graham crackers brings in some of the Wood Element and the vanilla extract and butter add some Metal. The Water and Fire Elements are missing so to create a little more balance, serve with a Fiery beverage like tea or coffee.

Pork Carnitas with Salsa

2011-12-15T13:02:00.001-08:00

One of the things I crave most when traveling in Europe or Asia is Mexican food. It is one of those hearty, homey cuisines that I can't live without. In fact, the very first time I took a trip to Europe, I really missed salsa for my morning eggs. So, now that I am back home for a while, I get to indulge in my other favorite pastime besides teaching - cooking! And one of my favorite Mexican dishes is Pork Carnitas in soft tacos. Yum!

Now I know that there are several ways of making Carnitas - the most traditional being to cook the pork in its own fat - kind of like a confit and then until it is crisp. But, I don't like all that fat so I simmer the pork in water with onion and garlic, cumin and oregano for several hours until it is tender. I save the broth and some of the meat for Pozole Soup (recipe coming soon). Then I shred the pork and brown it in a frying pan. Served with steamed or lightly browned (my favorite) corn tortillas and fresh salsa, and a little grated cheese, it is just divine. It's really easy to make and great for serving a crowd if you double or even triple the recipe.

Pork Carnitas

3 pounds of boneless Pork Shoulder, cut in large chunks

1 onion, cut up in large pieces

3 garlic cloves sliced in half

2 teaspoons dried Mexican Oregano

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

Water to cover (about 6 cups)

2 - 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

For Serving:

8 Corn Tortillas, steamed or lightly browned in a frying pan with a small amount of oil.

Chopped Sweet Onion

1 cup of Cilantro Leaves

Put pork chunks, onions, garlic, oregano and cumin in a large pot. Pour water over to cover pork by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 hours and test for tenderness. Pork should shred easily. Cook longer if necessary, but if done, take off the heat and let cool. Take pork out of the broth and shred what you need. Strain and reserve broth and extra pork for later use and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Heat a large frying pan and add oil. Put in the shredded pork and stir occasionally until pork is crisp. Heat tortillas in a steamer for 5 minutes or in the microwave on a plate covered with a wet paper towel for about 2 - 3 minutes. Or, you can crisp tortillas on one side in another frying pan with a small amount of oil.

Fill tortillas with Carnitas and serve with fresh salsa and top with additional chopped onions and cilantro leaves.

Salsa

4 - 6 tomatoes, chopped

1 small white onion chopped

1 small Serrano chili (use half if large), seeds removed and minced fine

Juice of 1 small lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Mix together and let flavors mix for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Five Element Analysis

Pork belongs to the Water Element so that element is covered. Corn tortillas add the Earth Element. The Fire Element is represented by the Tomatoes and Serrano Chile whereas the herbs and spices, onion, garlic and cheese all contribute the Metal Element. Finally the lime juice brings in the Wood Element. To me, it's a balanced meal - all you need is some Cerveza! Or, for me, I like to drink a refreshing Mexican style limeade.

Five Spice Boiled Peanuts

2011-12-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

I'm back from my Asia tour and I am seriously jetlagged yet again.... And, all I wanted to do (besides sleep) was fill up the pantry and start cooking. So my son lovingly drove me to the closest 99 Ranch Market - it's a Chinese market for those of you who don't know - and I bought a lot of food! Besides the Roast Duck and Char Siu BBQ pork, I was delighted to find raw peanuts in the shell, as one of my favorite snacks is Five Spice Boiled Peanuts. They are incredibly easy to make - they just require salt, water, Five Spice Powder and a lot of time - meaning hours. When they are done and you bite into the softened shell, you get a squirt of salty, lightly spiced juice and you get to eat the peanuts that have the consistency of cooked chickpeas, but with a wondeful peanutty flavor. I love them!

Now people from the Southern part of the US also loved boiled peanuts and you can find them cooked at road side stands. My father was from Virginia - that's peanut country and he loved boiled peanuts too, but plain with just salt. So, if you want to make them American style, just leave out the spice. They are great as a cocktail snack, but my favorite way to eat them is to shell them and put them in Rice Congee as shown in the photo above. Congee is just rice (usually left over from dinner) and lots of water cooked until thick. To serve the Congee, I also put in lettuce pickles (sweet and sour crunchy stems sold in jars), chopped green onion tops and a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil - it's an amazing breakfast. Congee with peanuts and lettuce pickles was served at all the hotels I stayed at in Asia and got me craving it all again. After all, with a Chinese mother, this was my most common childhood breakfast. And for me, it is incredibly comforting food.

So, if you want to make this recipe, you will have to find some fresh, uncooked "green" peanuts, even though they don't look green. When you can't find any locally, you can order them online from Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina or Mississippi. You can also buy them precooked at a Chinese market. And if you love peanuts, you'll just have to try them boiled!

Five Spiced Boiled Peanuts

1 pound raw (green) peanuts in the shell

1/4 - 1/3 cup salt

4 - 5 cups water (to cover the peanuts by about 1")

1 teaspoon Five Spice Powder

Put all the ingredients into a large pot and taste the brine to see if it is salty enough for your taste. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 2 - 3 hours (or more depending on how soft you like them). Test at 2 hours to see if peanuts are soft enough and continue boiling if necessary. Cool slightly and serve. They can also be served cold or reheated.

Five Element Analysis

Well, this is certainly not going to be a very balanced snack as it only contains one ingredient - peanuts - that you eat. Peanuts belong to the Earth Element so that element is thoroughly covered. The Five Spice Powder adds in just a touch of the Metal Element and the Salt and way of cooking in water bring in some of the Water Element too. These peanuts are very good served with tea and beer and either of these drinks would bring in the Fire Element. The Wood Element then is completely missing so try to eat something before, during or after that belongs to that element like something pickled or sour or made of wheat and when served as I did with soupy Congee and green onions, it becomes a balanced breakfast.

Butternut Sqaush Cake

2011-12-09T02:17:00.000-08:00

Steamed pumpkin pudding was such a big hit for Thanksgiving with my son's friend that she asked me to make something else with pumpkin. My son told her about Pumpkin Bread, which is the only way he really likes pumpkin. I didn't like the pumpkin we saw at the market, but the Butternut Squash looked really good. Since my son doesn't have an oven, we went over to another friend's house to bake it and since we didn't have a loaf pan, we borrowed a Springform pan. And, since it was clear I was going to be making a cake instead of a bread, I adjusted the amount of liquids. The original recipe comes from Epicurious.com and made two wonderful loaves of Spiced Pumpkin Bread. I also tweaked the spice ratio as I don't like the taste of cloves to be too strong and I love the flavor of cinnamon. I used 1/2 of a small butternut squash that I peeled, cut into chunks and steamed for 15 minutes. Then I mashed it and mixed it in to the rest of the ingredients. One hour later, a delightfully moist cake was ready to be devoured. Topped with whipped cream, it was divine! And, I liked it better than the Pumpkin Bread I used to make. I think the fresh squash gave it a much better taste than canned pumpkin so I will be making it this way from now on!

Butternut Squash Cake

1 cup cooked Butternut Squash

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh grated is best)

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Turn oven on to 350 degrees and butter a Springform pan thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix together the squash, sugar, eggs and oil. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Then pour the flour mixture into the squash mixture. Stir until just combined and pour into pan. Place in the center of the oven and cook for 1 hour. Test with a knife inserted into the center. If it is clean, take it out and if cake batter sticks, cook for an additional 5 - 10 minutes. Wait 10 minutes, remove the side of the Springform pan and slice into wedges. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Five Element Analysis

All squashes belong to the Earth Element and the amount of sugar definitely makes this a mostly Earth food. The eggs and oil add in the Water Element (I used sunflower oil made from sunflower seeds). The wheat flour contributes the Wood Element and the spices and whipped cream bring in the Metal Element. Only the Fire Element is missing. So serve this cake with tea or coffee for a balanced dessert. And, it's perfect for tea time.

Fried Bologna with Onions

2011-12-06T23:07:00.000-08:00

It's funny the things that you crave from your childhood. My mother didn't know what to pack for my school lunches when we moved from Japan to America and so she made things like rice wrapped in seaweed, which I loved, but I got teased about it. So, she went to the neighbors and asked what to make. They recommended ham or bologna sandwiches, potato chips and usually a fruit pie or cookies. She thought bologna was one of the strangest things she had ever seen. And, she refused to put mayonnaise on the sandwiches. Her solution was to make the bologna taste better by browning it in a frying pan. It became my favorite sandwich.

When I had kids and wanted to start packing them lunches, I wanted to give them the healthiest foods possible. What I discovered was that my kids liked pretty much the same things that I did despite my best efforts to give them hummus with carrots. Ranch dressing with carrots was more appreciated, but they still wanted the sandwich and chips. They asked me what I ate at school and then asked me to make that for them. Guess what? The fried bologna sandwich won the day. So, I decided to buy the best quality bologna that I could (is bologna ever really that healthy?) While I could buy Chicken Bologna at the health food store, it simply didn't taste as good as the one from the Polish deli and since my sons' father was half Polish, he insisted that we fry the bologna with onions the way his grandmother did. This became the dinner we made when there was no time for anything fancy and the kids started wanting the browned onions on their sandwich too.

Well, it's been a long time since I've made a fried bologna sandwich and while visiting my son in Singapore, it became a request. Ring bologna wasn't all that hard to find and we had a feast! We both thought it tasted so good.... While I won't serve this too often anymore, it's really wonderful once in a while. Serve this dish with a good, hot mustard - we used Dijon - and it goes wonderfully with toasted Rye Bread. And, then don't forget to serve some vegetables too.

Fried Bologna with Onions

1 ring of bologna (about 1 pound), sliced in half and into thin rings

1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced into thin pieces

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and add the onions. Cook until they just begin to brown and then add bologna. Cook until bologna and onions are browned. Serve with toasted Rye Bread and mustard.

Five Element Analysis

I would never claim that this is a balanced meal by itself, but it does taste good! The bologna is a cured pork product so it belongs to the Water Element. The browned onions are sweet and caramelized so they represent the Earth Element. Rye bread brings in the Wood Element and the Mustard adds the Metal Element. Only the fire element is missing so my best suggestion is to serve it with a salad to round out the meal and make it a lot more balanced nutritionally.

Pad Thai

2011-11-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

One of my kids’ favorite foods was and still is Pad Thai. It was always the go-to take out dish after long soccer or baseball games. We ordered it so much that I decided to start making it myself and I tried to make it as authentic as possible. The problem was that the restaurants we were ordering from were serving Pad Thai that was kind of red and that meant they were using a lot of ketchup instead of Tamarind Paste. My authentic Pad Thai looked brown. My kids agreed that it tasted good, but they missed the reddish coloring. So, I had to compromise and add some ketchup, which I mixed with Sriracha Chili Sauce to give the dish some fire. Since then, this has been the Pad Thai recipe that I use. I taught my friend Alicia in Mexico to make it for her kids, which made me a popular guest and I just made it here for my son while I am in Singapore and the ingredients were really easy to find.

The only difference I have found in how Pad Thai turns out is in the brand of Tamarind Paste you use. The one from India is really dark and you need a lot less. The Mexican Paste sold in a block is by far my favorite but harder to find and there are many other jarred versions that you are going to have to experiment with. You can also add any kind of meat that you want – just stir fry it ahead of time and add it in at the end. In any case, I think it is best with just tofu and eggs and usually serve other dishes with it that have meat. Our favorite accompaniment is Crying Tiger – or Thai Beef Salad (see previous post for Thai Salad Dressing recipe). Pad Thai is really good left over – in fact it is still my now grown kids’ favorite breakfast!

Sorry - I forgot to take a picture so I will do that when I make it again. And, I am sure it will be fairly soon....

Pad Thai

2 - 3 Tablespoons Tamarind Paste from the jar or block (I used the Tamicon brand from India this time, which is very intense and dark so I used the lesser amount– add more if using a milder, lighter colored brand)

3/4 - 1 cup cup hot water (depending on the thickness of the Tamarind Paste)

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

¼ cup or more brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Sriracha (or other chili sauce)

1 Tablespoon Ketchup (use one tablespoon more if not using chili sauce)

2 shallots sliced very thin

3 cloves garlic minced

4 scallions (green onions) cut into 2 inch lengths and then into slivers

1 package firm tofu, drained and cut into small cubes

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup bean sprouts

12 oz rice noodles (1/4 inch wide)

4 Tablespoons vegetable oil

To garnish:

¼ cup toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Cilantro leaves

Lime Wedges

1 – 2 teaspoons Chili Flakes (to amp up the heat)

Soak noodles in a large bowl of very warm water (from the faucet is fine) for about 20 -30 minutes.

Mix tamarind sauce, hot water, fish sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha and ketchup together and taste – adding more sugar or water if necessary.

Heat wok and add in 1 Tablespoon of oil. Add eggs and scramble until just set and remove from pan. Add additional 3 Tablespoons of oil and put in shallots and garlic. Cook until shallots start to wilt and add in tofu. Cook until tofu just begins to brown. Add in additional 2 Tablespoons oil and the rice noodles. Pour in sauce, toss to coat and cook until noodles soften. Add in bean sprouts and scallions and scrambled eggs (and meat if using) and toss with the wok spatula until everything is hot. Serve with chopped peanuts, cilantro leaves and lime wedges.

Five Element Analysis

Rice Noodles and Tofu, which are the basis of this dish belong to the Metal Element as do the garlic, shallots, green onions and cilantro so that element is most dominant. Eggs and fish sauce contribute the Water Element. The Tamarind and bean sprouts add the Wood Element and the Sriracha Chili Sauce, Ketchup and Chili Flakes bring in the Fire Element. The brown sugar adds the Earth Element but this element needs a little more support. So, serve with a side salad of cucumbers or Crying Tiger – Thai Beef Salad - like we do or add a sweet fruit dessert and then you would have a balanced Five Element meal.

Steamed Pumpkin Pudding

2011-11-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

I'm in Singapore visiting my youngest son for Thanksgiving and he doesn't have an oven in his apartment and we wanted to create some kind of traditional Thanksgiving meal as ex-pats always do. It's my favorite holiday because it involves food and family so I was up to the challenge. The lack of an oven meant that roast turkey was not going to be served, which was fine because my son never liked turkey anyway and the Chinese don't eat it, which meant it was going to be hard to find. So, we substituted chicken that we braised on the stove. We also made Chinese mushrooms with green beans that we stir fried and also some potatoes. I couldn't make my usual dressing that I was looking forward to (from my previous post so I will save it for Christmas dinner). Since everything had to be cooked on the stove, the one thing that had been requested that was problematic was pumpkin pie. Hmmm..... What to do?

Here was my solution. I took my usual pumpkin pie recipe made with soy milk (adapted from Sunset Magazine) but reduced the amount to 1 cup and actually ended up using milk. I couldn't find canned pumpkin, so I cooked a Malaysian Pumpkin (cut in chunks and cooked on the stove with a bit of water for 1/2 hour) and then I drained it and mashed it to add to the spices, eggs and milk. Then I steamed the pudding in a bowl on a little insert steamer inside a big pot. It took a lot longer to cook than I thought - about 75 minutes, but it turned out great! Now, if we had a bigger steamer and a larger bowl, it would probably take a lot less time. But I can adapt! Since we couldn't make a crust, we served shortbread cookies on the side and whipped cream on top. The meal ended up being a lot more like atraditional Thanksgiving than I expected and I found myself really enjoying the creamy texture of the pudding without the crust. I also dunked the cookies (mine were gluten free that I had brought with me) as I love dunking! All in all, we ended up stuffed, but happy. The only thing missing was football. But most important, it was a lovely Thanksgiving because I got to be with my son who has been away from home for a year and for that I am very grateful. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Steamed Pumpkin Pudding

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups mashed pumpkin (can also use 1 14 oz can)

1 cup milk (soy if you would rather use it)

3 large eggs

In a large bowl, mix together milk and eggs until blended. Add in mashed pumpkin, the sugar, the spices and the salt and mix well. Pour into a bowl that is as large as you can fit into your steamer. I used a Chinese soup bowl, a steamer insert and a big pot). Pour 1” of water underneath the steamer insert, add bowl and then heat the water to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Steam for ½ hour and check water – add more if necessary. After one hour, check to see if the center of the pudding is still very jiggly by gently moving the pot back and forth (be very careful!) Also check water. If it is still very soft, cook for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool enough until you can remove the bowl from the pot (carefully) with pot holders.

You can serve the pudding in the steaming bowl or you can scoop it out into individual small bowls or ramekins. Serve with sweetened whipped cream and shortbread cookies on the side.

Five Element Analysis

Pumpkin belongs to the Earth Element and because this is a dessert made with sugar, it is obviously and Earthy food and is certainly not going to be a balanced meal. However, the spices bring in a good bit of the Metal Element and the whipped cream (and milk – if using) adds even more. The shortbread cookies are made with wheat and contribute the Wood Element. Since this is going to be served with other foods, be sure to serve other Water, Wood and Fire foods. As Thanksgiving involves Turkey (or chicken in this case), Cranberry Sauce and a green vegetable along with dressing, potatoes and more – the meal is sure to be balanced as long as you don’t eat too much of one thing!

Southern Style Cornbread Dressing - Gluten Free

2011-11-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

My father was from Virginia and loved Cornbread Oyster Dressing. I love it too but I never did convince my kids to like it, so in order for them to eat Cornbread Dressing at Thanksgiving, I had to use Pork Sausage instead. And, I have to admit that it is really good too. I love the smell of the onions and celery cooking together and then when you add the Poultry Seasoning or sage, well, it just smells like Thanksgiving to me. One of the benefits of this authentic Southern recipe (from my grandmother) is that it is gluten free, which has made my friends who are Celiac very happy. And since I just found out that I am definitely Gluten Sensitive, I am going to have a much better Thanksgiving if I eat more Dressing and no rolls! So, here is our family recipe in time for you to use. There’s no picture as I haven’t made it yet this year but I’ll post it when I do. But I really wanted to give it to you ahead of time so you can plan to use it for the big day. And it is also really good as a side for roast chicken or pork or as a stuffing for pork chops (but make it less wet). I hope you enjoy our family recipe this Thanksgiving.

Southern Style Corn Bread Dressing (Gluten Free)

1 pan stale cornbread crumbled (see recipe below)

1 onion minced fine (about 1 cup)

2 large or 3 medium celery stalks, minced fine (about 1 cup)

4 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning Mix or more (can also use ground Sage)

From 1 1/2 - 2 cups Chicken Broth (or you can substitute clam broth if using oysters)

Optional: 1 lb package of pork sausage – breakfast style

Optional: 1 small jar of oysters – each oyster cut in half and 6 pieces of bacon cut in small pieces

Heat the oven to 350 degrees (can also cook this at 325 degrees with the turkey for the last hour). Grease a 9” Pyrex baking dish with butter (can also use a cast iron skillet if you want to be really authentic or a casserole dish)

In a large frying pan, melt butter and add in onions and celery. Cook until onion and celery gets soft and translucent. Add in sausage (if using) and cook until it is no longer pink or if using bacon, cook until crisp. Put crumbled cornbread in a large bowl and add in onion, celery mixture with the Poultry Seasoning (or Sage). Add oysters in now (if using). Add in enough chicken broth (or clam broth) to make it moist. Put into prepared pan and pour in more broth and let it absorb until you have enough broth so that the liquid is just floating above the cornbread mixture and it is soupy. Put into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes up to 1 hour or until top is browned and dressing is set.

Southern Style Cornbread (Gluten Free)

2 cups cornmeal

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 eggs lightly beaten

1 ½ cups milk

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

2 Tablespoons melted butter – plus extra for greasing the pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, grease an 8” or 9” glass baking dish (or cast iron skillet) with butter. In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, vinegar and then add in egg and butter – stir to mix. Put egg and milk mixture into cornmeal mixture and stir just until moistened. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or the edges are brown cornbread has pulled away from the side. Serve warm with butter if eating right away and cool for several hours or overnight if using for dressing.

Five Element Analysis

Corn is most definitely an Earth food, so that element is covered in this dish. The onions and Poultry Seasoning or Sage add the Metal Element, the celery adds the Wood Element and the Sausage or Oysters and Bacon add the Water Element. The chicken broth brings in the Wood Element and so does the turkey you usually serve this dressing with. The only element missing is the Fire Element so be sure to serve it with Cranberry Sauce for a balanced Five Element meal – Happy Thanksgiving!

Korean Bulgogi

2011-11-05T18:56:00.001-07:00

I grew up in Los Angeles, where there is a very big Korea Town and every once in a while I got to go to one of those wonderful Korean Restaurants. I remember being very excited about being able to grill my own meat right at the table and those restaurants created a lifelong love of Bulgogi – Korean Grilled Beef. So, whenever I get blood deficient and I need to eat beef to make more blood– I make stir fried Bulgogi instead of grilled as I don’t have a table top grill at home and actually don’t even own a barbecue.

Traditional Bulgogi is marinated in a combination of Soy Sauce, Rice Wine, Sugar and Sesame Oil with green onions and garlic. Then it is cooked at the table by each person. However, it doesn't work so well on a bigger outdoor barbeque as the pieces of meat of so thin, but you can use this marinade for a steak and that's delicious too. But if like me, you are going to stir fry this dish, leave out most of the garlic and green onions from the marinade and stir fry those first and then add the drained beef to cook in a very hot pan. Stir fried Bulgogi doesn’t have that wonderful charred flavor that comes from grilling the meat, but it is still really good. And one of these days I am going to buy an indoor grill and do it right. Serve Bulgogi with lots of white rice and Kimchi (I’ll post my Mom’s recipe one of these days) and a green vegetable like sautéed spinach.

Korean Bulgogi

1 lb very thinly sliced beef (sliced in pinky finger lengths) – freeze to make it easier to slice or buy it presliced in an Asian market – look for Shabu Shabu or Sukiyaki beef

2 Tablespoons Shaoshing Rice Wine or Mirin

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 - 2 Tablespoons Sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 bunch of green onions – about 6 with roots and ends trimmed cut into 2” lengths

2 large garlic cloves minced

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Optional: 1 Tablespoon toasted Sesame Seeds

In a large bowl, mix Rice Wine, Soy Sauce, 1 Tablespoon of Sugar, Sesame Oil and Pepper until blended. Taste and adjust sugar if necessary – it should be a little sweet. Add a few of the white parts of the green onions and 1/3 of the minced garlic. Then add in the sliced beef and mix to coat thoroughly. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes up until overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, drain the beef from the marinade, but be sure to reserve the marinade in a bowl to make the sauce later.

Heat a large skillet or wok and then add in oil until it just starts to smoke. Then add in the remserved garlic and green onions and cook until the green onions just begin to wilt. Add the drained beef and stir-fry over high heat until the meat shows just a bit of light pink. Add in the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Put on a serving plate and sprinkle with Sesame Seeds if desired and serve with lots of white rice.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element and the sugar emphasizes the sweet flavor of Earth even more. The Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil bring in the Water Element and so do the Sesame Seeds. The green onions and garlic contribute the Metal Element. The Rice Wine and Black Pepper add the Fire Element. Rice brings in more Metal and Kimchi would contribute more Earth from the cabbage and more Fire from the chili powder and the fermentation. Only the Wood Element is missing, which is why this dish needs to be served with a green vegetable like spinach. Then it would be a balanced Five Element meal.

South Carolina Soup/Stew

2011-11-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from my from my former Mother in Law, Joyce in Tennessee, whom I adore. She learned how to make this amazing soup from her husband's family in Walterboro, South Carolina. My ex, Hal who is still a really good friend was visiting his parents last week and sent me this picture, which made me remember all over again how much I love this soup. I've actually made it many times and so I'm going to make it again soon when I find some fresh okra - I usually get it at an Asian grocery store. This soup is made of okra (which is a mucilaginous food that is great for your digestion), fresh tomatoes (but canned will do if necessary), fresh lima beans (but frozen are acceptable and I personally prefer Edamame or green soybeans that are also grown in the South), and fresh corn (although you can use frozen).

This soup is an amazing fresh vegetable medley that is really more like a stew. I have doctored the more traditional version by adding onions and chicken broth to give the sauce more depth. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead. Add more broth if you want your soup to be soupier. But, this soup is traditionally served over long grain (Carolina) rice and is often accompanied by biscuits, country ham and cane syrup that is sopped up by the biscuits. And don't forget to add lots of black pepper when you serve it as this brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes and corn.

South Carolina Soup

4 - 6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 package frozen lima beans or use 2 cups of frozen Edamame (green Soybeans that are already shelled)

1 lb fresh okra, ends cut off and cut into ½ inch slices

3 lbs fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced (or can use a large 28 oz can of canned whole tomatoes chopped with the juice)

2 cups fresh (or frozen) corn kernels – cut off about 2 – 3 ears of lightly cooked corn

1 onion chopped

2 tablespoons safflower oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic in a frying pan until soft and translucent. Add to large soup pot and pour in chicken broth. Add lima beans or Edamame, okra, tomatoes and corn. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until lima beans are tender - cook for only for 1/2 hour if using Edamame instead.

Five Element Analysis

This dish is very colorful, so you already know that it is going to have some inherent balance to it. Okra and corn belong to the Earth Element and this soup is thick so it is basically an Earthy preparation. But, the tomatoes bring in the Fire Element, the lima beans bring in the Water Element, the onions add the Metal Element and the chicken broth contributes the Wood Element. It's a balanced meal all by itself! The rice adds more Metal, the pepper adds more Fire, the biscuits more Wood, the Country Ham more Water and the cane syrup - if you use it - adds even more Earth. That's still an amazingly balanced meal!

Caldo Verde

2011-10-29T22:57:00.001-07:00

I was visiting my friend Holly in Santa Cruz who harvested some beautiful kale from her garden. Since she also had some newly harvested potatoes, all we needed was to pick up some Portuguese Sausage to make this soup. Caldo Verde is the national soup of Portugal and one of my son’s favorites. It was one of the only ways I could get my kids to eat kale.He thought the kale looked like seaweed floating in a milky sea so he called it seaweed soup. It is a very simple yet hearty soup with a lot of flavor and cooks very quickly. When I receive the photograph my friend took, I will post it too. I hope you enjoy this great soup!

Caldo Verde – Portuguese Potato Kale Soup

2 ½ lbs potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 large)

1 shallot minced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 large bunch Kale or Collard Greens

8 cups chicken broth

Optional: 10 - 12 oz. Portuguese Sausage (Linguica) cubed

Bring chicken broth to a boil, add potatoes and garlic and cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, remove center rib of each leaf of the collard greens with a sharp knife. Roll up the leaves into a cigar-like shape and then thinly slice into shreds. Mash potatoes and garlic in the broth until creamy. Add collard greens and cook for 10 minutes more. If desired, add sausage at the same time. Serve with crusty peasant bread.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is a Water food and the cured Portuguese pork sausages adds even more of the Water Element. But the paprika and that bit of heat in the Linguica bring in just a bit of the Fire Element. The chicken broth base and the kale belong to the Wood Element. The Potatoes add the Earth Element and the shallot and garlic contribute the Metal Element. Only the Fire Element needs enhancing so add another side dish or dessert that contains a Fire Food. A tomato salad would be a good choice - we had some lovely strawberries to make it a balanced Five Element food.

Szechuan Eggplant

2011-10-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is a very famous Szechuan dish that is usually called "Fish Flavored Eggplant." Now there is not fish in this dish and what the name actually means is that this is the seasoning blend that they use in the Szechuan province to cook fish. It is one of our family favorites, although I have to admit that I can't take it when it is too hot. I like to add a little more meat than most people 1/2 lb instead of 1/4 lb and I like the eggplant chunks to be slightly smaller in size - about 1" chunks instead of longer pieces. I just think they are easier to eat that way. The usual seasoning involves Chili Bean Paste, but I have always preferred Chili Garlic Paste (I use Lee Kum Kee) as I think it tastes cleaner, but the bean paste is more traditional. If you don't have those, you can also substitute a teaspoon or more of chili flakes. It is also quite common to use Szechuan Peppercorns, which up until now were quite hard to get. But, these are something you will either love or hate. They numb your lips and tongue so you have to like that feeling - otherwise it is much better if you don't use them. Be sure to serve this dish with lots of white rice - especially if you make it hot.

Szechuan Eggplant

1 lb Chinese or Japanese Eggplant – cut in quarters, then cut into 1” pieces

4 oz ground pork

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Shaoshing Rice Wine

3 green onions, cut into small pieces

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced fine

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

For Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 teaspoons Chili Garlic Sauce or Chili Bean Paste (add more if you like it hot)

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Black Chianking Chinese Vinegar (can substitute Balsamic)

½ teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil

¾ cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Optional:

Cilantro leaves for garnish

½ teaspoon ground Szechuan Peppercorns put in when the green onions, garlic and ginger are put in. (this is quite numbing and some people really dislike the feeling so be careful about adding it unless you know you like it)

In a small bowl, mix together the Soy Sauce, Rice Wine and ground pork. In another small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, chili sauce, sugar, pepper, vinegar and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. In a separate bowl, mix together ¼ cup of chicken broth with cornstarch and Sesame Oil

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add in 2 Tablespoons of oil. Put in eggplant and stir-fry until it just begins to brown and is softened – about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil and put in garlic, onions and ginger and stir until you start to smell the fragrance. Add in pork and stir to separate meat and cook until it is no longer pink. Add in the sauce and the eggplant and cook for another 3 minutes. Add in cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens – about 2 minutes. Pour onto a serving plate and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with lots of steamed white rice.

Five Element Analysis

Eggplant and pork both belong to the Water Element as does the Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil so that element is covered. The vinegar and chicken broth adds the Wood Element and the Chili Sauce, black pepper and Szechuan Pepper (if used) contribute the Fire Element. The Metal Element is brought in by the white rice, the green onions, ginger and the garlic. The only element that is missing is Earth so another dish that uses an Earth vegetable like cabbage or a dish with sweet sauce or a fruit dessert would balance out the meal.

Chinese Creamed Cabbage

2011-10-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Chinese are known for being economical about food. They rarely like to waste things and find interesting ways to use up what's left from cooking another dish. As a child, I made a lot of Jaiotzi or dumplings - in fact I can wrap them with eyes closed and I'm fast! One of these days I'll post my grandfather's recipe. His Jaotzi were made with pork and Napa cabbage, but he favored using the upper part of the leaf as it made the dumpling filling softer. So, there was always a lot of the Napa Cabbage stalks left over and that's when he made Chinese Creamed Cabbage.

The Chinese use very little milk or cream in their cooking and it is not something they enjoy very much, primarily because many of them are lactose intolerant - including me. However, my grandfather became a big fan of coffee in the morning and discovered that whole cream had very little lactose. So when he made Chinese Creamed Cabbage, which is a Shanghai specialty, he only used real cream. If you make this dish with milk, just be sure to use whole milk but it won't be as creamy and I don't think it is as delicious. The Napa Cabbage stalks hold up well to the cream sauce and have a delightful crunch and the dish is seasoned with salty ham and green onions. Of course, you can use the the upper leaves as well as the crunchy stalks, but this is the way I grew up eating it and I like it much better. And, like my grandfather, I use the tops for dumplings. The traditional ham we used in the US was Virginia Ham, but Southern Country Ham also works and in a pinch bacon is also good. This is a simple dish and quite loved by my kids. It's also been a big hit when I have brought it to parties.

Chinese Creamed Cabbage

4 cups Napa Cabbage stalks, sliced into strips about 1/3 inch wide (you can also use the whole leaves cut into about 1" pieces)

1/2 cup minced salty ham or bacon

4 - 5 green onions (scallions) washed, roots cut off and cut into small pieces - separate the white part and green pieces

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup cream

2 heaping teaspoons cornstarch

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Heat wok or frying pan and add oil. Put in the white part of the green onions and the ham and stir a few times. Then Napa Cabbage and stir fry until the cabbage wilts slightly - about 2 minutes. Add in the chicken broth and cook until the cabbage is soft - about another 3 minutes. Meanwhile, stir cornstarch into the cream and add to cabbage mixture and stir until it thickens. Taste and add pepper and salt if necessary. Sprinkle dish with the remaining green onions, stir in and then serve.

Five Element Analysis

Napa Cabbage belongs to the Earth Element, whereas the salty ham adds the Water Element. The chicken broth contributes the Wood Element and the cream and green onions add the Metal Element. Only the Fire Element is missing and the Black Pepper brings in just a bit, but to balance this dish, it would be good to serve a Fire meat like lamb or to have another spicy hot dish to go with it. Then the creaminess of this dish will offset the heat of the other and that is very balanced eating!

Chinese Hamburger

2011-09-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my Chinese Grandfather, Kingway Lowe was an extraordinary cook. If you have ever seen the movie, "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" you will know what kind of cook he was. He cooked so many amazing dishes every day and it is because of him that I have an educated palate for excellent Chinese food. But, one of the quirkiest dishes he made was Chinese Hamburger. It's kind of like a Chinese version of Sloppy Joes only you serve it over rice instead of on hamburger buns, but it would be good that way too. It is composed of ground beef, onions, carrots and celery all cooked together and seasoned with a soy sauce based gravy.

My grandfather actually invented it in deference to his two Caucasian son-in-laws. Now my father actually liked Chinese food - the more authentic the better. But my Uncle Don had a fear of anything unusual and got quite queasy when confronted with some of the strange ingredients that the Chinese eat. So, this dish was created to satisfy his less adventurous tastes. Then it ended up becoming one of the favorite dishes of all of us grandchildren - 18 in all. And, we used to beg our Grandfather to make it. I used to watch very carefully as he made it because I wanted to know how it was done and it wasn't until I was a teenager that I learned the secret ingredient was curry powder. It isn't tasted immediately and it adds this exotic and slightly mysterious depth of flavor. I now use a lot more curry powder so that you can see that it is in the dish as it colors the rice a bit yellow and I still make this dish all the time. My kids grew up on it and when I told my son that I made it at my friend's house here in Europe, he wanted me to post the recipe so he could make it at home too. The only difference you will see in the picture is that I used celeraic, or celery root instead of celery stalks and that was only because I couldn't find regular celery at the little market near my friend's house. I also used a red onion as that was what she had in her pantry. The celeraic was a surprisingly good substitution. It still had that lovely celery taste but added a different kind of crunch. I will no doubt use it again, but I did miss that bit of green color in the dish. You need to try this one - it will surprise you with its' homey deliciousness! And beware, it is strangely addictive.....

Chinese Hamburger

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium yellow onion minced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, washed and diced (or use 1 cup peeled, diced celeraic)

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup cold chicken broth mixed with 1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch

2 - 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (depending on the saltiness of the brand - I use Kikoman's)

2 teaspoons Curry Powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Few drops of Toasted Sesame Oil

In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil and add in vegetables. Stir until onions get soft and add salt and pepper. Add in ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink and it is broken up into small pieces. Put in Curry Powder and stir a few more minutes. Then, pour in chicken broth mixture and 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce - taste and add more soy sauce if necessary. Then bring to a boil and cook until sauce thickens slightly. Add in a few drops of Toasted Sesame Oil and serve over white rice or on toasted hamburger buns.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element and so do carrots so that element is covered. The celery and chicken broth add in the Wood Element. The Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil contribute the Water Element and the onions and Curry Powder bring in the Metal Element. The Fire Element is the only one that is missing and this can remedied be added by serving with some chili sauce or by drinking tea. And, if it is part of a multi course meal, make a dish that is spicy hot or that includes some Fire vegetables to create a balanced Five Element meal.

Coconut Chicken and Vegetables

2011-09-28T14:23:00.001-07:00

I was busy seeing clients all day and have been craving vegetables - probably since my quick lunch was mostly all protein. Since I'm staying at a friend's house (who luckily lets me cook), I found a chicken breast and various veggies in her fridge and grabbed a can of coconut milk in her pantry to make for dinner. I sliced the chicken and the vegetables - some had to be blanched in boiling water for just a few minutes - like the pea pods and carrots. But if you are using other hard vegetables that take a long time to cook like broccoli, cauliflower and green beans in particular, they will take from 5 - 7 minutes to get just tender crisp. You want to make sure that all the vegetables continue cooking in the sauce. The bean sprouts were a bit wilted, so I spent a lot of time making "Silver Needles" - snipping off the heads and tails of the bean sprouts with my thumb nail. It was tedious work, but it always makes me happy because the bean sprouts then look so pretty. This was something my Chinese Grandfather insisted on and I spent years of my life getting them ready for dishes he cooked. Somehow, I can't use beansprouts without doing it too. I seasoned the dish mostly with leeks, garlic, ginger and a dash of fish sauce. Of course we also included the can of coconut milk and salt and pepper and a pinch of Cayenne Pepper. We served it over steamed rice. It was wonderful and very soothing. It was also beautiful with all the lovely colors of the different vegetables - that's a sure sign that many of the Five Elements will be present. And, almost any vegetables will do. You can change the meat too and use beef, pork or fish or if you are a vegetarian - tofu would also be great although for texture and color, I would use fried tofu. When I make this dish again, I would probably add some Red or Green Thai curry Paste or some curry powder or some turmeric or cumin and maybe a bit of fresh chili, but it was so good just the way it was so why mess with a good thing? Let me know what you think if you try making it.

Coconut Chicken and Vegetables

1 pound chicken breasts sliced into thin strips about 1" long (easiest if partially frozen)
3 - 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 leek - white part and light green part only, sliced into rings and rinsed carefully
1 inch of ginger root, peeled and minced fine
1 red pepper, cut into 1' pieces
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rings
1 cup snow peas - tips removed
1 - 2 cups bean sprouts (heads and tails removed if you are a purist)
1 can (14 oz) Coconut Milk

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce (a Thai or Vietnamese brand)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Optional Vegetables - onion, garlic, green onions, green pepper, cabbage, or any green leafy vegetable, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, canned baby corn, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, potatoes, eggplant, Thai Bird Chilies, etc.

Optional Seasonings: 1 Tablespoon Red or Green Thai Curry Paste or 1 teaspoon Curry Powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander.

Preparation:

Bring small pot of water to a boil and put in any hard vegetables. Cook anywhere from 3 - 4 minutes for softer vegetables and from 5 - 7 minutes for hard vegetables - keep checking. You want them just barely tender. Drain and rinse in cold water and put aside.

In wok or large frying pan, heat oil until it shimmers. Add leeks (onions, green onions or garlic) and ginger in oil and cook until leeks or onions become soft. Add in chicken and stir fry until it is no longer pink. Then add vegetables from hardest to softest (bean sprouts last) and stir fry for 3 - 5 minutes with each addition. Pour in coconut milk and season with fish sauce, salt and pepper and Cayenne Pepper. Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes or until heated through and the flavors have time to meld. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with cilantro sprigs or sliced green onion if you have them.

Five Element Analysis

The colorful nature of this dish gives you the biggest clue that this is a more balanced meal than most. Chicken brings in the Fire Element and so does the red pepper and the bit of Cayenne Pepper. Pea pods and bean sprouts add the Wood Element. The Allium family of onions and garlic brings in the Metal Element. The Earth Element is represented well by the coconut milk. The Water Element has only the bit of fish sauce to represent it so it is the only element that really needs help. Using pork or fish instead of chicken and/or adding some eggplant would balance this meal out.

Chicken Marengo

2011-09-23T23:21:00.001-07:00

There is just a hint of fall as you can feel that little nip in the air in the mornings. Plus some of the Japanese Maples are beginning to turn color. For me, that means that it is time to bring back the stews that I love so much when the weather is cold. Oh, I know that tomorrow might be warm again and there are still some lovely summer vegetables to use, but today I was craving some comfort and I wanted Chicken Marengo, a dish that I have been making since I was 12. At that time, I was trying to make Chicken Cacciatore but I didn't have any red wine or mushrooms and all that was in the cupboard was some white cooking wine. Looking back now, I'm sure it wasn't very good wine and the dish ended up looking rather anemic compared to the picture of Cacciatore in my Italian cookbook. But, oh it was good - even with the bad wine. I liked it even better than Chicken Cacciatore and still do. I learned much later that I had actually made Chicken Marengo instead. In this dish, the sauce is light, but complex and simply perfect for dunking in pieces of toasty baguette or spooning over some rice - actually my favorite accompaniment now, but pasta is good too. It became an instant hit for my family and I made it again and again. But, I realized that I hadn't made it in a very long time and it was time for some comfort from the past. I used a package of drumsticks from the freezer, but you can use thighs or breasts as well, or even a whole cut up chicken as I used to do. I like to leave the skin on as I think it adds more flavor, but you can use skinless chicken just as easily. Make sure to use a can of good Italian tomatoes. Yes, I could have used fresh tomatoes, but the flavor I was craving required this ingredient and is much easier to get when the weather really does get colder. Chicken Marengo uses onions and garlic as the flavor base along with the wine and please use a good light white wine to flavor this dish. Chicken Marengo is easy to put together and requires very little fuss once it starts cooking. It can also be made ahead and reheated and it may even be better this way. Serve with crusty bread, pasta or rice. Enjoy!

Chicken Marengo

1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or 8 drumsticks, 6 thighs or 4 large breasts (cut in half) preferably with the skin left on

1 14 1/2 oz can of Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup white wine

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Optional: 2 Tablespoons chopped Italian Parsley

In a large pot, add in the olive oil and heat. Then put in chicken pieces and cook until the skin is slightly browned. Add the garlic and onions and cook until onions are soft, making sure to stir frequently so the garlic doesn't burn. Add in chopped tomatoes and wine wine and stir up all of the little browned bit on the bottom of the pan. Add in the salt, sugar, pepper and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let cook for 45 minutes (for drumsticks) or up to one hour for thighs and mixed pieces, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken to a bowl and cover with foil. Turn up heat and bring broth to a boil again. Boil for 4 - 5 minutes until slightly thickened - stirring frequently so it doesn't burn. Add in one Tablespoon of butter and pour over the chicken to serve. Sprinkle with a bit of Italian Parsley for some extra color if desired.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element and the olive oil adds a bit more. The tomatoes and the white wine bring in the Fire Element. The garlic, thyme and parsley add just a bit of the Metal Element so using rice would bring in even more and the long cooking onions and the method of cooking contribute the Earth Element. The bit of butter is the only source of the Water Element so try serving this with a side dish of some eggplant or sauteed kale. Then you will have a balanced five element meal.

Mexican Chicken Soup

2011-09-22T04:16:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm still under the weather with this bad cold, but it's not so bad that I can't taste anything - thank goodness! However, strong flavors are preferable when I am in this state and of course, I need my chicken soup. So at times like these, I resort to an old standby - Mexican Chicken Soup. This is a versatile spicy soup made up mostly of things that can be taken off the pantry shelf. My kids requested this soup all the time - it was their favorite when it was cold outside and they could doctor their heat to their own liking and they liked it hot. They also loved to crumble up tortilla chips and sprinkle lettuce and cheese on top. It is full of vegetables and I often substitute green beans for zucchini and love to add corn. I often cook a cob or two of corn directly in the soup, take it out after 10 minutes, cut off the kernels and then add them back to the soup. I also like using fresh chopped tomatoes, but canned diced tomatoes are fine if you don't have fresh ones. It is best with fresh green pepper, but canned green chilies are good too. Serve this soup with a plate of limes, a bowl of tortilla chips, some shredded lettuce and some sour cream, cheddar cheese or better yet, crumble some Mexican Cotija Cheese on top to make it extra special.

Mexican Chicken Soup

8 - 10 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)

1 15 oz. can black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

4 medium tomatoes chopped (or 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes - reserve juice for clearer broth)

2 boneless chicken breasts (uncooked) cut into small cubes (can also use 1 lb ground turkey - browned or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken)

2 garlic cloves minced

1 onion chopped

1 green pepper chopped (or 1 small can green chilies diced)

1/2 cup long grain rice (can also substitute Fideos noodles)

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 small or 1 medium zucchini diced (or can also use a handful of green beans trimmed and cut into small pieces)

1 cup corn kernels - fresh cooked and cut off the cob or frozen

2 teaspoons Chili Powder

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Oregano

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or a few dashes of hot pepper sauce

Pour chicken broth into a large soup pot and add black beans, tomatoes and chili powder. Heat while sauteing garlic, onions and green pepper in a frying pan with the oil. Stir until onion is translucent. Add rice and stir until slightly golden. Add in cumin and heat until just fragrant. Add to hot soup. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Add zucchini (or green beans), corn, chicken pieces and oregano. Cook an additional 10 minutes until zucchini is soft. Add Cayenne Pepper or a few dashes of hot pepper sauce to taste.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is representative of the Water way of cooking, but the use of many different vegetables gives you the biggest clue that this may be a very balanced soup. The chicken and the chicken broth add the Wood Element, the black beans bring in the Water Element, the zucchini and corn represent the Earth Element and the tomatoes, chili powder and hot sauce make sure that the Fire Element is covered. The cumin, oregano and rice round off the Five Element balance by contributing the Metal Element. All of the Five Element Foods are covered in one bowl and any of the garnishes are extra!

Hot Lemonade with Honey

2011-09-21T01:26:00.000-07:00

I've been traveling way too much lately and feel like I have been suffering from constant jetlag, but considering my schedule - I haven't had a chance to get over it yet! I went from Seattle to London for a few days, then to Singapore for a week and from there to Amsterdam for a week and then back to London for a few days, working at each stop. Needless to say, I had no time or place to cook although I did have some fabulous meals in Singapore. I am finally stopping at a friend's house for a few days before singing at a party in Switzerland this weekend and teaching in Germany the next. And no surprise - I have caught a cold and I need to get over it fast. I am definitely going to start cooking now as that is the best way I know to heal myself and the chicken soup will be bubbling on the stove in just a little while (see 4/19 post for one recipe) .

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you my favorite cold remedy - Hot Lemonade with Honey. Most of you probably know how very easy this is to make, but for those of you who don't - I'm posting it for you. Try to buy an organic lemon that has no wax on it and wash it thoroughly. You can make this in a cup with one slice of lemon and a big heaping Tablespoon of honey and you can even add a shot of Whiskey or Scotch to make it a Hot Toddy, but I prefer it plain. You can also make it hot tea with lemon and honey by using either black tea - I prefer English Breakfast or Green Tea. I like to make it in a much larger quantity and have several cups at a time (this teapot made six cups!) The honey and lemon clear the throat and soothe it too. I drink this quite often even when I am not sick because it is so good for you and as a speaker, it is so good both before and after a lecture. It has also been my beverage of choice before singing. I find it is especially good at the very first sign of a sore throat. So try it if you don't already drink it.

Hot Lemonade with Honey

1 large lemon, ends cut off and cut into 8 slices

6 cups boiling water

6 - 8 Tablespoons Honey

Optional: 1 shot of Whiskey or Scotch for each cup of Hot Lemonade

Optional: 1-2 English Breakfast teabags or 1 - 2 Green Tea teabags

In a large teapot, mix lemon slices with boiling water and tea (if using). Stir in honey and taste. Add more if necessary. Pour into mugs and add a shot of spirits (if using).

Five Element Analysis

As a beverage, Hot Lemonade clearly represents the Water Element. Lemons belong to the Wood Element as they can be so sour. The honey brings in the Earth Element. Using tea or spirits adds the Fire Element. Then only the Metal Element is missing. If you are drinking this while sick, make chicken soup with lots of onion, garlic and thyme and that will add the Metal Element that is needed.

Fried Rice

2011-08-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

Most people don't realize that fried rice is simply a really good Asian way of using up leftover rice. It was one of my favorite childhood foods and I still love it and make it often. The secret to good fried rice is that the rice must be really dry, so you only want to use rice that has been in the refrigerator overnight or even several days - the drier it is the better. Don't use just cooked rice as that is a recipe for a gummy and sticky fried rice. It just won't work and is the biggest cause of Fried Rice Failure!

Fried rice is so versatile that you can add any little bits of meat or vegetables that you want. The most classic form of fried rice usually involves green onions (although pieces of yellow onion are also delicious), bits of meat - most often Virginia Ham or Southern Country Ham (they are a lot like Chinese hams) or shrimp and scrambled eggs. You don't have to use a wok, although the flavor is slightly more authentic - a frying pan is just fine - nonstick is preferable as rice does stick. And, like many Chinese dishes, you have to cook it in stages: scrambling the eggs first, then taking them out; cooking the green onions (or yellow onions or garlic) and rice together; then adding in the veggies and right before serving, add in the eggs and seasonings.

Now seasonings vary by region. In Northern China, it is just salt and pepper, farther south like in Shanghai, you will see Soy Sauce. In the Canton region, some people use ketchup, which is similar to a Chinese sauce and tastes much better than it sounds. In Indonesia, they use Sweet Soy Sauce - or Kecap Manis and in Thailand, they use Fish Sauce. Some people I know use Hoisin Sauce, Oyster Sauce or even Sriracha Hot Sauce - all of which are good. I am currently fond of mixing a bit of soy sauce with a bit of fish sauce, as it makes such a wonderful Umami taste. But I still keep going back to salt and white pepper as that was my childhood memory taste of really good Fried Rice that my grandfather and mother made.

I'm partial to leftover Terriyaki Chicken in my fried rice and also Chinese Barbecued Pork - although it does tend to turn the rice lightly pink. Actually, any meat will do and sometimes I add in some leftover baked tofu (baked in soy sauce and other spices). Sometimes I even add bits of pineapple (if I have any left over), which really adds a Thai flavor or I will add cut up tomatoes and add them at the end (you don't want the rice to get too soft). It is also a good way to use any cut up leftover vegetables from Chinese takeout (but don't use the sauce) - carrots, bok choy, cabbage, green or red pepper, broccoli, corn, water chestnuts, etc. all work.

The actual amounts of the ingredients doesn't really matter and I am simply giving you proportions - just use whatever you have on hand. Fried Rice is so versatile and so good that I deliberately make lots of extra rice when I cook it or take home rice from Asian restaurants so I can always have rice on hand to make it. I hope you will try to make Fried Rice if you don't already know how. And if you are an old pro at making it, try some new ingredients or seasonings to make your Fried Rice different for a change.

P.S. - the photo will be posted when my computer allows me to add it in.

Fried Rice

3 - 4 cups leftover white rice

2 - 3 eggs in a bowl, whisked with a fork until yolk is incorporated

4 - 5 green onions (scallions - 2 Tbsps reserved) or 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion and/or one garlic clove minced

3/4 cup to 1 cup of cut up meat of your choice - you can also use pieces of baked tofu

1/2 cup frozen peas

Optional: 1/2 cup of any other cooked meat or vegetables, cut in small pieces

4 - 6 Tablespoons light tasting vegetable oil (I used safflower - do not use olive oil!)

1 - 2 teaspoons salt (use only 1/2 teaspoon if using any other salty sauces)

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper - preferably white pepper

Optional: 1 - 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce, Thai Fish Sauce, Kecap Manis, Oyster Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Ketchup, Sriracha, etc.

Heat wok and add 1 Tablespoon of oil (if using nonstick pan, do not preheat). When hot, add in the eggs and scramble lightly until just set, but still moist. Remove to a bowl until later.

Add in remaining oil and heat before adding green onions (or yellow onions or garlic) and cook until slightly softened. Add rice and stir fry until grains are separated - about 3 minutes. Add in meat and frozen peas and any other vegetables. Stir fry for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, then add in egg and break up into small pieces with the spatula. Season the rice with salt, pepper and soy sauce (and fish sauce or any other sauce you are using). Continue to toss and stir fry until seasoning is completely incorporated - 2 to 3 minutes. Put into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of remaining green onions.

Five Element Analysis

This dish looks like it is balanced because it is colorful, but a few elements are more represented than others. This gives you a chance to play with the ingredients to find a good balance or serve it with other stir fry dishes. In this dish: rice belongs to the Metal Element so that one is covered and the green onions and/or yellow onions and garlic all contribute too. The eggs make sure the Water Element is present and so do any of the salty sauces, such as soy sauce and fish sauce, and the peas bring in the Wood Element as do any other green vegetables. Pork or Shrimp would add more Water and chicken would contribute Wood whereas Beef would add the needed Earth Element as would cabbage, carrots or water chestnuts - so consider adding one of these. Fire is the only element missing except for a tiny bit of pepper unless you add ketchup or Sriracha or red peppers, so you can serve the fried rice with chili sauce on the side or drink tea as your beverage and you will have a balanced one dish meal.

Salmon, Zucchini and Corn Cakes

2011-08-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

Some people love leftovers and some people hate them. I love to reuse the ingredients and make them into something else and my sister usually throws them away. I know quite a few people who dislike leftovers and don't take doggie bags from restaurants. I think there's such an opportunity for creativity with leftover food to make something new and different and delicious.

I'm getting ready to go to a TCM Kongress in Denmark and so it's time to clean out the fridge and use everything up. These times are when I get most creative as I won't let myself buy anything new. I had leftover baked salmon - baked with onion and lemon and some corn on the cob. I also had a slightly wilted zucchini and half an onion. When I combined those together with a bit of flour and two eggs, I created Salmon, Zucchini and Corn Cakes and they were wonderful! I've always loved Salmon Cakes, but I usually make them with canned salmon and crumbled up Saltine Crackers and Zucchini Cakes have always been one of my favorite ways, besides Zucchini Bread, to use up the end of the summer zucchini. And, this recipe was a big hit with my son, who isn't fond of either of the other two kinds of cakes. I think the salmon flavor mellows and is not as pronounced and the corn adds that wonderful bit of sweetness and texture that keeps the cake from being too soft. This recipe can easily be doubled and for me, it is a keeper so I'm happy to share it with you!

Salmon, Zucchini and Corn Cakes

8 oz cooked salmon (can also use a small can of salmon, drained and flaked)

1 medium zucchini, shredded

1 ear of cooked corn, cut off the cob (about 1 cup - can also use frozen corn in a pinch)

1/2 small onion minced finely

2 eggs

6 Tablespoons unbleached flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (I used Safflower)

In a large bowl, make sure salmon is flaked into small pieces and add zucchini, corn, onion, eggs along with the flour, salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

In a large frying pan, heat up the vegetable oil until just hot. Using a large soup spoon, scoop a heaping spoonful of salmon mixture and put into the pan and press down to make 2 1/2 - 3" patties. Make as many fit into a pan (I could make 8) and fry until very browned (about 3 minutes) before turning over. Cook until the other side is brown (another 2 -3 minutes) and then remove to plate covered with a paper towel. Put into oven if you are making more than one batch. I like to sprinkle them with a bit of additional salt before serving. You can serve with a slice of lemon, ketchup, cocktail sauce or tartar sauce.

Five Element Analysis

Salmon and eggs are both part of the Water Element so that element predominates. Zucchini and corn are from the Earth Element. Wheat flour contributes the Wood Element and a squeeze of lemon when serving adds a bit more, whereas onion brings in the Metal Element. Pepper adds only a hint of the Fire Element, so that one needs building up. My son eats these with ketchup or cocktail sauce and that's one way to bring Fire in, but I also made a side salad of arugula and tomatoes to balance out the meal.

Summer Vegetable Salad

2011-08-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Summer weather has finally arrived in Seattle and I am one of those strange people who prefers it cool. Oh well, it had to happen and most everyone else is overjoyed. But, when it is hot and sunny outside, I simply don't cook very much. For one thing, the fresh produce from the farmer's market is so good that I spend most of my time eating the fruit straight from the bowl or putting together different salads with fresh greens. Today, I looked in my vegetable drawer and found 2 ears of corn, a red pepper and some green beans. Of course, I also had some onions, for if I run out of them, I am in trouble! I cooked the corn and green beans very lightly, but kept the red pepper and onions raw. I tossed them all together with some fresh lemon juice and a little oil and it was delightful! The lemon juice gave it that lovely bright flavor that enhanced the sweetness of the corn. I loved it and so did my son Stephen. I thought about adding some black beans, but didn't have any. And, I debated about tomatoes too, but decided against them in favor of the red pepper as I wanted all the vegetables to have a bit of a crunch. This salad would actually work with other vegetables including cabbage or zucchini. I debated about making it more Mexican in flavor by adding some cilantro, but what I had was wilted. I like to chill my salads a bit before serving, but you can certainly serve it as soon as you dress it. If you leave it too long though, the vegetable will marinate and get softer, but you might like it that way. In any case, it was delicious and it was so easy that I actually hesitated about posting the recipe. But then I realized that the reason I like recipes so much is that they remind me of combinations I haven't used before or for a while. Recipes are for inspiration and you don't need to follow them exactly unless you are baking. So, I hope this one inspires you to make your own version!

Summer Vegetable Salad

2 ears corn shucked

1/2 pound green beens, ends trimmed

1 large red pepper, cut in half and deseeded

1/2 small onion diced

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used safflower but could also use olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Put a large pot of water to boil on the stove and when it comes to a boil, drop in the corn and green beans. Cook for 5 minutes and then drain. Rinse green beans in cold water quickly to keep crisp. Then remove the corn from the cob with a serrated knife. Cut green beans into small pieces a little bit bigger than the corn kernels. Then cut up red pepper and onion about the same size. Put all the vegetables in a serving bowl and add in the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Toss and then refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour to let the flavors meld.

Five Element Analysis

Looking at the different colors, you know this dish is going to have some inherent balance. As my son Stephen says, it looks like the colors of the Mexican flag. The corn represents the Earth Element, whereas green beans belong to the Wood Element and the olive oil and lemon juice enhance this element even more. The red pepper brings in the Fire Element and the onions add Metal. So, the only element missing is the Water Element and that would have been resolved if I had added some black beans to make it a balanced meal. This would also be a great side dish to some grilled fish or pork.

Fresh Carrot Salad Moroccan Style

2011-08-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

I have been craving salads dressed with olive oil and lemon juice and since I didn't have any lettuce, I perused my vegetable drawer and found it woefully depleted as I am not going to the farmer's market until tomorrow. But, I always have carrots so I decided to make a Moroccan style carrot salad that is also quite popular in Israel. Usually Moroccan carrot salads are made with cooked carrots, but for some reason, I only like them raw. Actually I love them raw and they are my most frequent take aboard food when I travel. It may be that my liver needs more Vitamin A that the carrots provide and with the olive oil and lemon juice dressing (which cleanse the liver), my liver was going to be very happy! This is really a simple salad that takes only minutes to prepare. The only thing hard about it is letting it marinate long enough for the flavors to develop. As I didn't have any parsley and cilantro or salad greens of any kind, the picture looks a little plain to me. It is amazing how much that little touch of green brightens up this salad. It can also be served in a bed of lettuce, but you may want to make more dressing. This salad can also easily be doubled and it is simply delicious. I especially like it as a side dish to grilled meat. Try it and your liver will thank you!

Fresh Carrot Salad – Moroccan Style

2 cups shredded carrot (about 3 large)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 small garlic clove minced (or 1 Tablespoon minced sweet onion)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Optional: 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Mix together carrot, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic (or onion) and spices. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour or even overnight. When ready to serve, garnish with parley or cilantro if desired

Five Element Analysis

Carrots belong the Earth Element so this is an Earthy salad, but the addition of olive oil and lemon juice contribute the Wood Element. Cumin and garlic or onion bring in the Metal Element and the parsley and cilantro would add even more. The black pepper and cayenne pepper make sure that the Fire Element is present. Only the Water Element is missing, so serving this with an eggplant or bean dish or a fish or pork main course would make it balanced.

Nectarine and Bluebery Crisp

2011-08-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Summer fruits are really ripe now and I am happy! This is the time of year that I start making cobblers (see previous post - 8/28/10), crisps and clafouti. I really love cooked fruit desserts if I can keep the fruit around long enough to cook with it. Since I go to the farmer's market every week and can't help stopping at farm stands, I always end up with one of these and some of those different fruits that have gotten a little soft so putting them together in a dessert is a good idea! Today I had 2 large nectarines and a nearly full container of blueberries so I made Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp. It's so easy and so good and I loved the combination of these two fruits. I served it with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream for everyone else, but I like it best plain - hot out of the oven. The buttery, crispy, cinnamony crumbs top the cooked fruit wonderfully. I will even plan to eat some cold for breakfast tomorrow morning - if there is any left!

Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp

2 large or 4 small nectarines, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 pint blueberries washed

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour

For topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons butter cut in small pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together nectarine pieces, blueberries, sugar and flour. Pour into a buttered 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pan.

In a different bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter with your fingers (or a pastry blender) until the consistency of wet sand. Sprinkle all over on top of the fruit. Pat down lightly.

Put into the oven and cook for 30 -40 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbling.

Cool slightly and serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Five Element Analysis

Nectarines are a summer fruit so they belong to the Earth Element and the brown and white sugars add even more - as expected from a dessert. However, the blueberries are a Water fruit so that element is covered and the wheat flour brings in the Wood Element. The cinnamon adds just a touch of the Metal Element. This element needs enhancing and the whipped cream contributes more Metal. Only the Fire Element is missing so serve this with some tea or coffee and you have a balanced dessert. I certainly wouldn't call it a balanced meal, but I would call it delicious!

Chicken Lo Mein

2011-07-18T12:05:00.001-07:00

Life is crazy for me lately as I have been moving out of my house and staying at my son's apartment in the meantime. And when I get stressed, I go for comfort foods, which for me means the food of my childhood. I mostly ate Chinese food and one of my perennial favorites is fried noodles of any kind. Some days I am partial to pan fried noodles that are crispy to soak up the sauce, but that's for another day. Today, I wanted chewier, softer noodles that are stir fried with vegetables and just a bit of meat - chicken is my favorite. It can also easily become vegetarian if you leave out the meat and oyster sauce and use more soy sauce and a little bit of toasted sesame oil.

Lo Mein is really quite easy to make and as with all Chinese food, the cutting and prepping of the ingredients takes the longest time. Cooking itself is actually really fast and you can do it ahead of time. For Lo Mein, you can use any kind of meat and any kind of vegetables. It's always easier to slice the meat if it is partially frozen. Remember to slice everything just about the same size. I had a large boneless chicken breast, some red pepper, a carrot, some dried Shitake mushrooms and green and yellow onions. As you can see, it turns out to be a colorful dish, which implies a five element balance and the ratio of meat to vegetables makes it a wonderful light summer meal.

Chicken Lo Mein

2 small or 1 large boneless chicken breast, sliced into thin slices about 1/2 inch wide and 1 inch long (easier if partially frozen) - can also use beef or pork

1 Tablespoon Shaoshing Rice Wine
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch
Handful of Pea Pods, strings removed, blanched in boiling water for 4 minutes and drained
1 carrot, slice thin on the diagonal blanched for 4 minutes with pea pods
1/2 cup dried Shitake Mushrooms soaked in hot water, stems cut and sliced thin
1 small yellow onion, sliced thin
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced thin

Optional: 2 shredded green onions (cut about the same length as pea pods)

Optional: 2 cups Napa Cabbage cut in small pieces

Optional: 2 stalks celery sliced thin

Optional: 1 cup fresh bean sprouts

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil (I use high heat Safflower)

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

16 oz. package fresh Chinese egg noodles (you can also substitute spaghetti) cooked al dente according to package directions and drained thoroughly.

In a small bowl, stir together, chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce and pepper

Heat a wok (I prefer a flat bottomed wok or you can use a large frying pan) on high heat and add in 2 Tablespoons of oil and heat until a drop of water sizzles. Put in onion pieces and red pepper slices. Stir fry until softened slightly and then add in chicken. Cook chicken without stirring until slightly browned and then turn and stir fry. Then add in pea pods, carrots and mushrooms (and any other vegetable you are using). Stir fry until all vegetables are hot and remove to a platter. (This will not take very long).

Add an additional 1 Tablespoon oil to the wok. Heat until a drop of water sizzles. Put in noodles and stir fry for about 1 - 2 minutes. Add in chicken and vegetable mixture. Pour in sauce mixture over the top and stir fry to coat everything evenly. Add in green onion shreds and remove to a serving platter.

Five Element Analysis

Since this is a one dish meal composed of a protein, carbohydrates and vegetables, so you can be pretty sure that it has an intrinsic balance. But to break it down: the wheat noodles add the Wood Element and so do the chicken and pea pods. The carrot adds the Earth Element. The Shitake Mushrooms, soy sauce and oyster sauce contribute the Water Element. The Shaoshing Rice Wine and Red Pepper bring in the Fire Element and the yellow and green onions cover the Metal Element. So you can see, this is a very balanced meal indeed

Stephen's Salsa with Cabbage

2011-07-10T11:16:00.001-07:00

My kids and I love Mexican food - most likely because I was raised in LA and so were they for their early years. We developed a good palate for authentic Mexican food as I love the little family run restaurants that serve meals that taste like they are straight from Mexico. It's also why I love visiting Mexico City so much and the Southwest of the US. The first time I took an extended trip to Europe, the thing I craved most was Salsa and that was one of the things I ate immediately after I returned. As I recall, I had it with Chorizo and Eggs. But, I'm not a fan of jarred or canned salsas. The only exception I make is occasionally resorting to opening a can of Herdez Salsa Casera in an emergency, meaning that I don't currently have tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime and Serrano chiles on hand, which is rare. I like the flavor of Serrano chiles much better than Jalapenos, but they can certainly be substituted easily. Together, they make Pico de Gallo which is good on everything, but I am particularly partial to eating it with scrambled eggs and of course tacos and burritos. A restaurant that we used to go to always had cabbage in their salsa and since that restaurant has now moved away, my son Stephen took the initiative to experiment and recreate that salsa. We served it with Carnitas Tacos and it was wonderful! I found out that this is a common version of salsa served in the Yucatan Peninsula. It's also even healthier as cabbage is so nutritious. It's easy to make and the only thing hard about it is waiting a little while for the flavors to meld before you serve it, otherwise the cabbage won't have absorbed the flavors. It's great with chips and a good way of getting kids to eat more vegetables!

Stephen's Salsa con la Col

1/2 small green cabbage, chopped finely
1/2 sweet onion, minced (can also substitute red onion)
8 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 large Serrano chile minced finely, de-seeded if desire to make it less hot
handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
3 limes, juice squeezed out
1 small garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Chili Powder (we like McCormick and Schmick's)
Sugar to taste - we used about 2 teaspoons as the limes were very sour)

Mix all ingredients together and let sit for one hour before serving with tortilla chips. Can be kept refrigerated for several days.

Five Element Analysis

Salsa is a Fire Food as it's main ingredients are tomatoes and Serrano Peppers. The limes add the Wood Element, while the garlic, onions and cilantro bring in the Metal Element. Serving it with tortilla chips or corn tortillas brings in the needed Earth Element and having a main dish like eggs, pork or fish adds the Water Element that is also missing. So, try this on Fish Tacos, Carnitas or Scrambled Eggs sometime soon!

Japanese Potato Salad

2011-07-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

I have a thing for potato salad and also for cucumbers so what could be better than a potato salad that includes both of them? I recently bought a container of Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise (ranked as one of the top 100 foods in last year's Saveur Magazine) and needed to use it. I wasn't in the mood to make Sushi as this brand of mayonnaise mixed with either chili oil or Sriracha makes the best spicy tuna sauce. So, I decided to replicate the Japanese Potato Salad that I sometimes get in restaurants. I called a Japanese friend and asked her how to make it, but like many good home cooks, her response included phrases like - "you add in enough Kewpie mayonnaise to make it moist." However, I did discover the secrets of Japanese Potato Salad. First, the potatoes need to be cooked until they can be easily mashed and the thinly sliced onions and cucumbers need to be presalted and drained. The carrot, that adds such pretty color, needs to be boiled and sliced and the dressing is simply Kewpie Mayonnaise, salt, pepper and a bit of sugar. We served it with Terriyaki Baked Chicken. It was so good that I had to make a second batch as my son and his girlfriend and I devoured it in one sitting! The contrast of the cucumbers to the mashed potatoes was wonderful. Just for the record, the second batch, which got to sit in the fridge over night was probably even better, but it's unlikely that we will wait that long. So, if you like potato salad, you need to try this recipe!

Japanese Potato Salad

2 large Russet Potatoes or 4 regular potatoes, washed with peels left on
1 Japanese Cucumber or 2 pickling cucumbers or 1/3 of a large hothouse cucumber thinly sliced - cut pieces in half if the cucumber is very fat
1/3 cup of thinly sliced red onion (cut into small pieces about the same length as cucumbers)
1 carrot, peeled and left whole
1 cup of Kewpie Mayonnaise (can also used Best Foods or Hellman's)
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt - 1/2 teaspoon for salting cucumbers and onions, 1 teaspoon for salad
1/4 teaspoon of Pepper
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon of sugar to taste, depending on kind of mayonnaise

In a large pot, put in potatoes and cover with water about 1" over the potatoes. Bring to a boil and add carrot - cook carrot for about 15 minutes and remove. Cut into thin rings. Continue to cook potatoes until they can be pieced easily with a fork (this takes less time with smaller potatoes - about 20 - 30 minutes or up to 45 minutes for larger potatoes). Meanwhile, put cucumbers and onion into a small bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Leave until potatoes are done.

When potatoes are done, drain water, peel potatoes and cut into a very small dice. Put in a large bowl. Squeeze juice out of cucumbers and onions and rinse with a little fresh water and drain. Put them in with the potatoes and add carrots. In another small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, salt, pepper and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Mix in with potato mixture and stir. It is okay if the potato mashes, that is part of the texture of this kind of potato salad. Smooth top and place in refrigerator and chill until cold.

Five Element Analysis

Potatoes are very Earthy so Potato Salad is clearly an Earth Food. The carrot enhances that and so does the cucumber. The mayonnaise and red onion bring in the Metal Element. This dish therefore needs to be served with other dishes. We added a spicy Terriyaki Chicken which added the Water Element from the soy sauce, the Fire Element from the Red Chilis and the Wood Element from the chicken. Then, this became a balanced meal.

German Wurst Salad

2011-06-27T12:36:00.001-07:00

In my quest to cook "real" German food, I was taught to make one of his favorites - Wurst Salat or Sausage Salad. Now the Germans are known for putting meat in their salads and this particular one is a little unusual as the only vegetables in this salad are pickles and onions and the meat is Ring Bologna. It all comes together with a vinaigrette made with a good German mustard. I know it may sound a bit strange, but if you haven't tried it - you should. It is actually really good! Emmentaler Cheese is often added in Bavaria and in Switzerland, but I didn't have any and I'm Lactose Intolerant anyway. Ring Bologna is quite good cooked with onions until they are caramelized and browned and served with lots of mustard, but it's finally hot here in Germany and I just didn't feel like cooking it that way. So, I made this meat salad and also a salad of cucumbers in yogurt with fresh dill and a little garlic to go with it. I served it all with some good German bread and butter. It made for a lovely light Mittag Essen or lunch. Hope you try this recipe and please let me know what you think!

Wurst Salad

1 Ring Bologna (about 1 pound) sliced into thin rings
1 small white or red onion, sliced very thin
1 cup of sliced dill pickles (I used about 6 small ones)
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil (I used safflower)
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon German Mustard (I used Lowensenf - you can use Dijon instead)
1 teaspoon sugar
Optional: 1 cup of thinly sliced Emmentaler or Swiss Cheese

Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or several hours to let the flavors meld. Serve with buttered bread.

Five Element Analysis

This salad doesn't contain a lot of ingredients so you already know that it has to be part of a meal that includes other dishes. The Ring Bologna is cured pork so it automatically belongs to the Water Element. The sour pickles add the Wood Element and so does the bread. The cheese (if you use it), the mustard and the onions contribute the Metal Element. There is only the hint of the Earth Element with the bit of sugar, so that element needs some support and the Fire Element needs to be added. The cucumber salad I made to got with this dish added more Earth (and Metal from the yogurt, dill and garlic) and I also served ice tea to bring in some Fire.

Sopa de Fideos

2011-06-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have been surrounded by people lately who are sick with colds or the flu and I am determined to keep myself healthy so I don't catch anything from them. As I used to be a very sickly child, I make the foods that I used to eat while I was sick as a preventative measure. I figure - if they help you heal, they can certainly help you stay well! So, I make my usual Chinese Chicken Soup (see March post) and lots of hot lemonade with honey (a slice of lemon in hot water with a big spoonful of local honey - if you add Scotch you have a Hot Toddy!) And today, I remembered a great recipe that I got from one of our housekeepers when I was 10. She used to make me Sopa de Fideos when I was sick and it was wonderful. I haven't made it in a long time and it's really amazingly easy and so delicious. The combination of chicken broth, tomatoes, garlic, onion, chili powder, oregano and cilantro (although I didn't have any tonight) with thin little noodles are just the things to fight off all those nasty little viruses flying around. I do need to mention that this was the only thing she made well. I distinctly remember having to hide pieces of hot dog in my napkin until I excused myself to flush them down the toilet whenever she made hot dog tacos - the were disgusting - ugh! In any case, she didn't work for us very long because she was pregnant when we hired her and she reconciled with her husband when her baby was born. But, I do appreciate this recipe for a delicious and simple soup that she left behind. So thank you Maria!

Sopa de Fideos

4 ounces of Fideo noodles or vermicelli pasta broken into small pieces

2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil

½ cup tomato sauce (I used the juice leftover from a can of whole tomatoes) or 4 ripe tomatoes chopped

4 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)

1 small onion chopped (I used a red onion)

2 small or 1 large garlic cloves minced

½ teaspoon dried Oregano

1 teaspoon Chili Powder (I like McCormick and Schmick’s)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional:

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Chopped Cilantro for garnish

Zucchini chopped into small pieces

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and put in garlic and onions until the onion is soft. Add in Fideo noodles and cook until they begin to brown. Add in chicken broth and tomato sauce (or chopped tomatoes) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add in Oregano and Chili powder and zucchini if using. Simmer for 10 minutes and taste for seasoning. Add pepper and salt if necessary. If you like things hot, add in a bit of Cayenne Pepper and serve with a garnish of chopped cilantro.

Five Element Analysis

Soup by its very nature is part of the Water Element, but chicken broth and wheat noodles belong to the Wood Element so that element is covered too. The tomatoes, Chili Powder and Cayenne bring in the Fire Element. The onions, garlic, cilantro and Oregano contribute the Metal Element so only the Earth Element is missing. Adding some chopped zucchini to the soup would balance the soup as they are Earthy and so would serving beef as the main course or finishing with a sweet dessert.

Ratatouille

2011-06-12T06:25:00.001-07:00

A lot of you probably already know how to make Ratatouille, but for those of you who don't - this recipe is for you and for my son, who requested it. And no, I don't make it anything like in the movie, where it is beautifully layered, but this version still tastes wonderful even though all the vegetables are cut into chunks. I first had Ratatouille in the South of France - in Nice to be exact and this dish still reminds me of the French Riviera. It is the perfect summer lunch with a crisp baguette slathered in fresh butter and a glass of wine. Ratatouille is a combination of eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, tomatoes, onions and garlic. If you want to be a purist, you can dunk the tomatoes in a boiling water bath for a few minutes and peel off the skins and take the seeds out. But this is a rustic dish and I don't mind the peels and seeds at all. This dish also has beautiful contrasting colors so you know that there is some inherent Five Element balance to it. The olive oil and fresh basil add just the right note of extra interest to the fragrance of the dish - be sure to use a good Extra Virgin olive oil as you will taste the difference! You can serve this dish hot or you can serve it cold. It goes very well with a piece of grilled chicken or a steak, but I like it all by itself and I have been known to spoon leftovers out of the bowl straight out of the fridge. It's that good and it's very simple to make. It's also very good as a topping for Bruschetta when you have a party. Here's the recipe I learned years ago from a French friend:

Ratatouille

1 small eggplant, stem cut off, sliced into 3/4 inch slices and thencut into small chunks, sprinkled with salt
1 medium zucchini, stem cut off and cut into quarters and then small chunks
1 red pepper, seeded and stem removed and cut into small chunks
4 large Roma Tomatoes, stem end removed and cut into chunks or 5 - 6 whole canned tomatoes chopped
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
6 leaves of fresh Basil, or 1 teaspoon of dried Basil
1 spring of fresh Thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
6 - 8 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Rinse eggplant and dry with paper towels. In a large frying pan, heat 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and add in garlic and onions. Cook until onions begin to get soft - about 2 - 3 minutes. Add in the eggplant chunks and cook until the eggplant starts getting soft - about 8 - 10 minutes. Then add in 3 more Tablespoons of olive oil and put in zucchini and red peppers. Cook for an additional 5 - 8 minutes until zucchini is cooked but still a bit firm. Then add in tomatoes, basil and thyme and a bit more olive oil if desired and simmer for about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Five Element Analysis

Eggplant is a Water Element vegetable, so that element is covered. Zucchini comes from the Earth Element and the Red Pepper and Tomatoes add the Fire Element. Olive Oil brings in the Wood Element and the onion, garlic, thyme and basil contribute the Metal Element. Guess what? This is a dish in balance all by itself - so you know it has to be good for you!

Strawberry Orange Cake

2011-06-09T07:24:00.000-07:00

The strawberries available are wonderful right now. I like them on the small side and from the Farmer's Market because they are so much riper. But, I got too many so I needed to cook with them. I often make strawberry bread, but felt like something a little sweeter, so I made Strawberry Cake. I decided to add the zest of one orange to keep the sweetness from getting cloying and it turned out wonderfully. This is not a very sophisticated cake - it is homey and lumpy and bumpy, but it is so good! You could serve it with some whipped cream or ice cream, but I ate it right out of the oven when the strawberries where hot. Yum! It has a flavor a bit like Strawberry Shortcake only more comforting because the strawberries are cooked and the orange zest was just right to give it a little brightness. Hope you enjoy it too!

Strawberry Orange Cake

1 pound strawberries, washed, stemmed and cut in half

6 Tablespoons of butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

½ cup milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of one small orange

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of a 9 inch Springform pan.

Mix together flour baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

In a separate larger bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (a mixer works best). Add egg, milk and vanilla extract until just combined. Add in dry mixture and mix until smooth.

Cut zest into very small pieces with a sharp knife and mix with 2 Tablespoons of sugar.

Pour into the prepared pan and smooth out top. Place strawberries halves with the cut side down on top of the cake. Sprinkle orange sugar all over the top of the cake.

Place in the oven and bake for 45 – 50 minutes or golden brown and firm and tester comes out with no cake batter on it. Cool slightly before cutting into eight pieces and removing the sides of the pan.

Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

A quick note: I made this same cake with 4 cups of red currants from my neighbor's yard and it was delicious too! However, red currants are very tart so I added one more Tablespoon of sugar on the top.

Five Element Analysis

Strawberries belong to the Fire Element because they look like little hearts and are red so that element is covered. The Wood Element is represented by the flour and orange zest. The Earth Element is brought in by the sugar and the Metal Element has the milk, butter and vanilla extract. Adding whipped cream brings in even more Metal and the ice cream would too and also contribute more Earth. Finally, the egg adds just a bit of the Water Element so this cake would be great after a meal with a Water Element main course.

Turkish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

2011-06-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a chance to cook much lately as I have been traveling. I just returned from a great conference and the first thing I did was to go grocery shopping as I was craving fresh vegetables. But interestingly, the first thing I made involved canned tomatoes. I think it was because I got invited to teach in Italy and I ended up praising San Marzano tomatoes as my favorite kind. I was also informed that canned tomatoes actually were better for you as the phytochemicals in them that are so healthy are released when they are cooked. So, I made my favorite Turkish meatballs with Tomato Sauce that I serve over buttered rice, but they would be good over pasta too or as a sandwich filling for pita bread or a baguette. I used ground beef as that is what I had, but I usually make it with ground lamb. It can just as easily be made with a combination of the two, like in gyros. The side dish was some sauteed Swiss Chard with garlic. It was so good and as my new Italian friend said, "Italian tomatoes capture the sun in the can! The addition of Pomegranate Molasses and lemon gives the sauce a light sweet and sour flavor and the chopped mint and the cumin and allspice add a hint of mystery to the flavor that mesmerizes your taste buds. This dish has always been a big hit for a potluck and with my kids as well. Hope you enjoy it too!

Turkish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

1 pound ground lamb or ground beef or a combination of both
2 slices of dry sandwich bread, crust removed and crumbled
1/2 medium onion, grated (reserve the rest for the sauce)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (can use dried mint but use 1 -2 Tablespoons)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Mix bread and egg together in a small bowl to soften the bread. In a large bowl, combine the lamb, onion, mint, cumin, salt, pepper and allspice. Mix with your hands until well combined. Then add in the egg and bread and mix thoroughly again. Shape meat into walnut size balls, flattening slightly to make ovals. Put olive oil into a large frying pan and put in meatballs. Brown on one side and then the other, then remove from the pan and put on a plate. Reserve drippings for sauce.

Tomato Sauce

1 large can (28 oz) San Marzano whole tomatoes (crush with fingers in a bowl)
1/2 medium onion chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses (if unavailable, use balsamic vinegar)
2 Teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Reheat the drippings in the skillet and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is soft. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses (or balsamic vinegar), sugar and allspice to the pan, mixing thoroughly. Taste for sweet sour balance adding more sugar if necessary. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan. Return the meatballs to the pan and simmer over low heat fro 15 - 20 minutes. Take meatballs out and cook sauce for an additional five minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper and return meatballs to pan. Remove from heat and put in a bowl. Serve with buttered rice.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element so that is covered - if you use lamb, it belongs to the Fire Element. The tomatoes add the Fire Element. The lemon juice and the pomegranate molasses, as they are both sour, add the Wood Element as does the olive oil. The allspice, cumin, mint, garlic and onions all bring in the Metal Element as does the white rice. The egg adds just a bit of the Water Element but more is needed so perhaps start the meal with a little soup or a side dish or starter of eggplant.

Mapo Tofu

2011-05-26T04:47:00.001-07:00

When you have grown up with a very good cook - in this case my mother - it is always a bit intimidating to cook their specialties for them. However, my mother stopped cooking about 5 years ago after she had a stroke and she misses her favorite dishes. Of course, she orders them at restaurants, but they are not the same. I've been visiting her so I decided to cook for her as I get tired of going out to restaurants all the time. My mother loves tofu in every manifestation. She could eat it for every meal and her hands down favorite dish is Mapo Tofu. This is a Szechanese dish named after a pockmarked woman in China, which is what the tofu looks like when it is cooked. I would hate to be known for my bad complexion, but Mrs. Ma has earned eternal fame from her good cooking. Mapo Tofu, like all Szechuan dishes has lot of chilis in it mixed with ground pork that creates a savory sauce to blanket the bland tofu squares. It is delicious served over lots of white rice. It is also very simple to make and only requires that you keep on hand soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, hoisin sauce, cornstarch and garlic chili paste or chili bean paste. I like the Lee Kum Kee brand of sauces. The level of heat can be determined by how much chili sauce you use and if you want to be really authentic, sprinkle the dish with a bit of Szechuan peppercorns to finish. It will numb your lips, but maybe that's part of the experience! I like to use more ground meat than usual. Most people use only about 1/4 pound and I often double this amount as I love the textural contrast to the soft tofu. This dish has converted a lot of my friends into tofu lovers and is one of my most frequently requested recipes. Oh and by the way, my mother told me it was as good as hers used to be. High praise indeed. Hope you enjoy it too!

Mapo Tofu

1 pound firm tofu, rinsed and cut into cubes
1/3 - 1/2 pound ground pork
3 scallions, sliced - separate white part from green part
1 large garlic clove minced
1 inch by 1/4 inch slice of ginger, peeled and minced finely
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine
2 teaspoons Hoisin Sauce
2 teaspoons Chili Garlic Paste or Chili Bean Paste
1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch mixed with enough water to make a slurry
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground Szechuan Pepper

Place ground pork in a small bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce, Rice Wine and Hoisin Sauce. Mix in thoroughly and put aside to marinate for a few minutes.

Mix together the chicken broth, remaining soy sauce and chili paste in a small bowl. Put aside.

Put oil into a heated frying pan or wok and add in the white part of the green onions with the ginger and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until you can smell the fragrance. Add in ground pork and cook until the pink disappears. Add tofu cubes carefully and cook stirring frequently to turn cubes and get them hot for 3 - 4 minutes. Add in the chicken broth mixture and boil for a few more minutes. Add in cornstarch and sesame oil and stir to thicken. Add in green part of green onions and Szechuan pepper if using. Serve with lots of steamed white rice.

Five Element Analysis

Tofu belongs to the Metal Element and so do the green onions, ginger and garlic so that element is covered. The white rice adds Metal too. Pork adds the Water Element along with the soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. The Fire Element is also well represented by the chili paste, rice wine and Szechaun peppercorns. The Wood Element is only shown in the chicken broth so it needs some support and the Earth Element is lacking except for a tiny bit of cornstarch. So to balance this meal, serve a green vegetable on the side and some cooling fruit for dessert.

German Fried Potatoes

2011-05-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, my father was responsible for Sunday breakfast. It was my Mom's one morning off and my father made pancakes most of the time. I wasn't crazy about pancakes until I discovered real maple syrup, so I was always happiest when he made what we girls called German Fried Potatoes, but is really called Farmer's Breakfast. This dish is basically composed of the leftovers from a roast dinner. It is a combination of potatoes, onions, meat and eggs fried together in a pan and was quite common for farmers to eat after coming in from milking the cows. It is a hearty meal, which farmers need and was truly something that my Pennsylvania Dutch grandfather ate when he was a boy on the family farm. I was quite tickled to discover that it really is an old German dish - called Bauern Fruhstuck - which means Farmer's Breakfast! I've also had it in a hotel in Denmark with eggs sunny side up on top.

Since I don't make a lot of roasts and don't often have leftover potatoes, I usually cook it with fresh potatoes which takes longer, but the potatoes have more texture. It is quite versatile and a lot of different meats can be added. I suppose it is a lot like hash except that you add the eggs in and it is also like the Spanish Tortilla, except it is scrambled instead of being made into a frittata and cut in wedges.

Like many homey foods, it is an excellent way to use up leftovers. This dish is often something I will make for dinner, especially if I have already cooked potatoes as then it only takes minutes to make. One of the tricks with fresh potatoes is to add the onions in after the potatoes are nearly done or the onions will burn. One of my grandmother's additions was to put in cubes of stale bread at the end and crisp those up too, which adds a whole different dimension of texture. My sisters and I like to eat it with ketchup although my father liked Worcestershire Sauce on it and if my mother ate it, she put on Tabasco sauce. I hope you enjoy this German farmer's breakfast dish.

German Fried Potatoes

4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (or use cold baked potatoes and leave skins on)

1 onion chopped

1 cup meat of your choice - roast beef, ham, pork roast, lamb or chicken cut in small cubes

4 eggs beaten

Optional: 4 slices white bread, crusts cut off and cut into cubes +2 Tablespoons of butter

4 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, heat oil until hot. Add in potatoes and cook until just starting to brown and then turn over and continue to cook until brown on the other side. Add in onion and continue to cook until onions start to brown. Add in meat and cook until meat is warmed. If desired, make a space in the center of the pan and put in butter to melt and add in bread cubes. Cook until browned and turn until browned on the other side. Stir it all back together again and season with salt and pepper - it takes more than you think! Taste until you like the saltiness level. Then pour the eggs over the top of the potato mixture and cook until it just starts to set, then turn over and break up so that the egg scrambles. Remove as soon as the egg stops being runny and serve.

Five Element Analysis

Potatoes belong to the Earth Element and eggs and salt bring in the Water Element. Onions contribute the Metal Element and the bread cubes add the Wood Element. Only pepper brings in a tiny bit of the Fire Element so this element needs support so lamb would be the most balancing meat (chicken would bring in Wood, pork or ham - Water, beef adds more Earth). But, if you don't use lamb, Ketchup or Tabasco Sauce will add the Fire that completes the Five Elements in this one dish meal.

Baked Eggs with Tomatoes

2011-04-30T13:53:00.001-07:00

So in my current quest for fast and easy dinners, I have gotten on an egg kick. Partly because I bought a lot of eggs from the local farmer and they are wonderful with dark yellow yolks that stand up high because they are so fresh. But when I make eggs for dinner, which is actually quite often, I need to add things to dress them up a bit. In looking through my fridge, I came across 6 whole formerly canned tomatoes - the other half I used for pasta two nights before and I decided to bake my eggs in a tomato nest and added the rest of the cherry tomatoes I had on hand. I made a lovely tomato sauce with garlic and onions and a little sugar. I chopped up some leftover ham and shredded up some fresh basil and parsley and added them in and sprinkled the whole thing with some Parmesan Cheese for that wonderful Umami flavor on top. Of course, you could use other vegetables too. After cooking the sauce in a small ovenproof skillet - or you can put the sauce in individual ramekins - you break whole eggs over the sauce and bake for about 10 -15 minutes. That's it! Served with buttered toast or in my case - slices of toasted baguette, it is a wonderful savory little meal. I made enough for two and this dish can easily be doubled and it would be great if you have to serve a crowd for breakfast. It is even better with fresh tomatoes and I am waiting not very patiently for tomato season.

Baked Eggs with Tomatoes

3 - 4 eggs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 cup minced ham
1 14 oz can plum tomatoes (or in my case 1/2 can plus 8 cherry tomatoes cut up) or you could use about 6 - 8 medium fresh tomatoes cut up
1/2 teaspoon sugar (if using canned tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
6 basil leaves sliced into thin ribbons (chiffonade)
1 Tablespoon minced parsley
2 Tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees

In a small ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil and add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is soft and add in ham, cooking until just heated through. Add tomatoes and break up with the spatula. Add sugar and cook until sauce is bubbling. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed and add basil.

Push sauce aside with a spoon in 3 to 4 places in the pan to put in the egg or put 1/4 of the sauce in 4 buttered ramekins. Break eggs over sauce gently and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and parsley.

Put pan or ramekins in the oven. Cook for about 10 - 15 minutes or until whites are just set. Serve with buttered toast.

Five Element Analysis

Eggs belong to the Water Element and so does ham so that element is covered. Tomatoes add the Fire Element. The Parmesan Cheese, garlic, onion, basil and parsley bring in the Metal Element. The toast being made of wheat contributes the Wood Element. The only thing missing is the Earth Element and that can be added by serving this dish with some fried potatoes or some fruit for dessert. Then you will have a balance Five Element meal.

Tortilla Egg Scramble

2011-04-29T12:16:00.001-07:00

In my current quest for comfort food due to my writing schedule (almost done), I have been making things that are super easy and fast, which is always a good combination when I am stressed. And, from my frugal Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, I am quite obsessed with using up leftovers as I hate to waste food. So, here's what I found: a bag of stale tortilla chips - about 2 cups worth, some leftover meatloaf, 1/2 of an onion, 1/2 of a red pepper and a bit of corn - about 1/4 cup. What to make with that? Well, with several eggs - 4 to be exact, you can make what my kids call Tortilla Eggs. My older son never liked eggs when he was younger and the only way he would eat them was if I put a lot of stuff in them to disguise the eggs. Actually the eggs became a binder for whatever I had on hand and could be made into a scramble or a frittata. The resulting combination of eggs and assorted meats and vegetables were dubbed "Eggs and Stuff" and became very popular in my household. Their favorite combination was whenever I added stale corn tortillas cooked in butter until browned or stale tortilla chips. Sometimes that's all I would put in but I like it even better with more stuff. As I have a great love of breakfast for dinner, it is also a wonderful way to create a meal in less than 15 - 20 minutes. This may be something you already make, but if you haven't yet, you need to try this. Just for the record, the name of this dish in Mexico is Migas.

Tortilla Egg Scramble

4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups tortilla chips (or about 6 corn tortillas cut in squares)
1/2 cup of meat - ham, beef, chicken, chorizo sausage, meatloaf, taco meat - cut in small pieces
1/2 onion minced
1/2 red or green pepper or both cut in a dice
2 Tablespoons of butter (may need more if using fresh tortillas)
Optional: I used 1/4 cup corn

In a large bowl, add the eggs to the tortilla chips while you are cutting up the rest of the ingredients.

Heat butter in a frying pan and add onion and red pepper and cook until onion is wilted. (If using fresh tortillas, this is when you add more butter and cook them until lightly browned.) Add other vegetables if using and cook until onion is just beginning to brown. Pour in egg mixture and pull back sides to let more of the egg cook underneath. Let it set only slightly before turning it over and then cutting it up into large chunks with your spatula. Cook until the eggs are just past being runny or it will be overdone and put on a serving plate. Serve with salsa on the side.

Five Element Analysis

Eggs belong to the Water Element so there is plenty of that element represented in this dish. Corn tortillas add the Earth Element and so did the beef that I added in. The onions bring in the Metal Element and the red pepper and the salsa bring in the Fire Element. The only thing missing is the Wood Element and using chicken would solve that, but so would adding any green vegetable to the dish or on the side and that would make this part of a balanced Five Element meal.

Chinese Peanut Noodle Salad

2011-04-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

Cravings are a funny thing - when you have them, you just have to eat that food and nothing else will quite do. You can try to satisfy that craving some other way, but you somehow end up just feeling dissatisfied. Luckily, with a fully stocked cupboard and freezer, most things are possible. I've been working on the photos for my book and it has been intense and all of a sudden I started craving Chinese Peanut Noodle Salad. Actually, I first started craving peanut butter but didn't have any celery and I didn't want any jelly. And then it came to me that I needed to make this classic Chinese Peanut Noodle Salad. Noodles or pasta of any kind are comforting to me. This was one of those dishes that I had only once in a while as a child and I just loved it then and still do now. Luckily, it is so easy to make as long as you have peanut butter on hand and I always do. I also had a leftover chicken breast in the fridge along with a red pepper and some green onions. I also had some leftover spaghetti noodles so this meal ended up taking only minutes to make. And it was delicious. It is a great pot luck dish, but the only caution is that you shouldn't mix in the sauce until the last minute or the noodles can go pretty soft. It's a lovely light lunch on a hot day and an amazing midnight snack. Who am I kidding? I could eat it for breakfast too! If you cook the pasta right before making it, make sure to rinse them in cold water or the salad will be a little warm and I like it a little on the cooler side. But as my noodles were cold from the fridge, I warmed them slightly by running hot water over them. In any case, if you love peanut butter, you will love this salad. Try it - I think you will be very happy with it!

Chinese Peanut Noodle Salad

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons or more Hot Water
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar (unseasoned) - can use white wine vinegar instead
1 1/2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
1/2 cup cooked chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
1 red pepper, cut into small pieces
3 - 4 green onions (depending on size) cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Optional: 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded and cut into chunks

1/2 pound Spaghetti or Linguine noodles cooked according to package directions, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon red chili flakes

Mix hot water with sugar or honey and stir until dissolved. Add peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar. Taste and add salt if necessary (depending on the brand of peanut butter) and pepper. In a large bowl, mix together noodles, chicken, green onions and red pepper. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and red chili flakes if you like it hot.

Five Element Analysis

This is actually a very balanced dish and the biggest clue is that it is colorful. The peanuts add the Earth Element. The soy sauce and sesame oil bring in the Water Element. The spaghetti noodles, chicken and vinegar come belong to the Wood Element. The red pepper and red chili flakes provide the Fire Element and the green onions add the Metal Element. This is balance in a bowl!

Chinese Chicken Soup

2011-04-19T14:50:00.001-07:00

I've been cooking very little these last two weeks as I have been traveling, teaching and seeing clients and going out to eat. Now I'm heavily into the last part of writing the second edition of my book as the deadline for submission is fast approaching. So, I've been taking just enough time to fix something that's easy and nothing is better for me or more comforting when I am stressed than chicken soup. This soup recipe is based on a classic Chinese chicken broth made with Chinese Rice Wine, ginger, garlic along with regular and green onions. Like many Chinese soups, the noodles are cooked separately and the green vegetables - in this case Bok Choy - is stir fried before they it is all put together in the bowl. You can change the vegetables to suit what is in your fridge. It is very good with spinach, bean sprouts, Napa Cabbage and regular green cabbage too. You could egg drop if you want more protein - just beat one of two eggs in a bowl and add them in at the end - swirling the soup while you are pouring. Then let it cook for just a few minutes. You can also use rice noodles or precooked rice instead of noodles. It is seasoned with just a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil to finish and it is a wonderful bowl of savory, soothing goodness.

Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup

2 chicken legs and thighs, skin left on
8 cups water
1 small onion, cut into big pieces
1 - 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into pieces
8 green onions - roots cut off and white parts cut for broth, green part sliced and reserved
2 clove garlic peeled and smashed
1/2 cup Shaoshing Rice Wine

Place chicken pieces in a large pot and add water, onion, ginger, white parts of green onion, garlic and Rice Wine. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Skim off foam. Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove chicken pieces from soup and cool and then take meat off the bones and cut into bite sized pieces. Strain soup and return back to the pot - keeping the soup at a simmer.

1/2 pound of Chinese wheat noodles or spaghetti
1 small head Bok Choy or 3 - 4 baby Bok Choy, end cut off and cut into about 1" pieces
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 - 3 teaspoons Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions - usually anywhere from 10 - 15 minutes. Drain and put aside.

In a small frying pan, heat oil until hot and add Bok Choy. Stir fry until wilted and add soy sauce and sesame oil.

Place noodles in bowls until half full. Add about 1/4 cup of Bok Choy. Pour in soup with chicken meat over the noodles and vegetables with a ladle. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve with Sriracha Hot Sauce or Chili Garlic Sauce on the side.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is by its very nature a Water dish and the soy sauce and sesame oil contribute a bit more. But the chicken, wheat noodles and Bok Choy bring in a lot of the Wood Element. The rice wine and the chili sauce that you add at the end add the Fire Element and the green onion tops, the garlic and ginger add some Metal Element. The long cooking onions are the only representative of the Earth Element so adding mushrooms or using regular cabbage might be good or you could serve a fruit dessert to balance out the meal.

Pork with Marsala Wine Sauce

2011-03-28T00:50:00.001-07:00

I realized with the last few posts that I am really needing nurturing - writing is stressful! And I have been turning to things that to me convey comfort. As I am enforcing a stay-at-home lifestyle until this book gets done, I have started to cook things again that I normally order in restaurants. One of the things I love to eat in Italian restaurants is Chicken with Marsala Wine Sauce. And I always forget how easy it is to make at home. Many things that I order are easy to make and they are a lot less expensive when you do it yourself.

However, I didn't have any the chicken and didn't want to go to the store. I did have thin, boneless pork chops in the freezer so Pork with Marsala Wine Sauce was born. I loved it! I may love it even more than with chicken and I've never been very comfortable with veal. So, this recipe is a keeper and I am sharing it with you. Marsala is a sweet wine from Italy that is a lot like Port. It is a wine that I wouldn't drink by itself as I don't really like sweet wines, but in a sauce with shallots or onions and mushrooms, it is wonderful!

The basic technique is that you season and flour the pork (or chicken) and then cook it until browned in a mixture of butter and olive oil - the oil keeps the butter from burning. Since the pork chops (or pounded chicken breasts) are so thin, it doesn't take long if the heat is high enough. Then you remove them from the pan and cook the onions, garlic and mushrooms. Then it's time for the wine and some chicken broth to add a savory note. You can thicken the sauce by adding cream or you can use cornstarch as I did as it is already so rich with butter. You can serve this dish with either noodles or rice and a green vegetable - I served it with rice and steamed haricot verts. It would be great for company as it is so fast to prepare and it has such a lovely flavor. I made a lot as my son is visiting and he was delighted with the dish - I hope you will be too.

Pork with Marsala Wine Sauce

1 1/2 pounds thin sliced pork chops (or chicken breasts sliced or pounded thin)
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper

For Sauce:

1 - 2 additional Tablespoons Butter, if necessary
2 shallots or 1 onion minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 pound of Button Mushrooms washed and sliced
1/2 cup Marsala Wine
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch mixed with enough water to make a slurry

Mix flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme in a large bowl. Put in pork chops and turn chops to coat.

In a large frying pan, heat butter and olive oil until bubbling. Add in pork chops and cook until lightly browned on each side. If necessary, cook in two batches. Remove to a plate - you can keep them warm in a low temperature oven if desired..

Add additional butter if necessary to the pan and put in garlic and onions (or shallots). Cook until onion softens. Add mushrooms and cook until the juice is released and mushrooms are soft. Add in wine and cook until bubbling. Then add in chicken broth. Let simmer for a few minutes before adding in cornstarch. Cook, stirring until sauce thickens. Taste and add additional salt if necessary. Put pork chops back in pan to get covered in sauce or put them on a large serving platter and pour sauce on top.

Five Element Analysis

Pork is a Water Element food. It is joined by Marsala Wine, which is a Fire Element beverage with a touch of Earth as it is so sweet. The Earth element is further enhanced by the use of mushrooms. The Wood Element is represented by the chicken broth and flour, whereas the Metal Element is represented by the onions, garlic and thyme. Guess what? All the elements are represented and this dish has an intrinsic Five Element balance. Anything else you add - like rice, noodles and vegetables - is a bonus!

Pastitsio

2011-03-26T05:35:00.001-07:00

I was in was in the mood for lasagna today and I didn't have any lasagna noodles - my favorite are the Barilla No Boil kind. So I decided to make the next closest thing with a Greek twist - Pastitsio because I did have macaroni. True Lasagna in the Bolognese style is made with a Bechamel Sauce not Ricotta and so is Pastitsio. The biggest difference is in the seasonings used in the sauce - the thyme and bay leaf for Bolognese Sauce is still present, but there is the addition of some cinnamon and allspice for Pastitsio. Very often the meat is different too with the Italians using beef and the Greeks using lamb, but I had ground beef in the freezer. What's great about Pastitsio is that it has that same creamy goodness as lasagna and it is a lot less work. Some restaurants I have been to that serve this dish layer the cooked macaroni (or ziti) in the pan first, then put on the meat sauce and then the Bechamel sauce. I like to mix the sauce in and then top it with the Bechamel. And don't be scared of making a Bechamel Sauce - it is the same base as if you were making gravy or macaroni and cheese - it is simply butter, flour and milk with some salt and a hint of fresh grated nutmeg. I also like to add in some vegetables like carrots and zucchini to enhance the nutritional profile of the sauce. The only cheese is used on top and I used Parmesan although it is more authentic to use the Greek Kefalotryi cheese. In any case, this dish is really easy to make and yet looks very impressive. It can be made ahead and baked when you need to serve it or it can be baked ahead and reheated.

Pastitsio

For Meat Sauce:

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 large carrot chopped fine
1 zucchini, cut in quarters, seeds removed and cut into a small dice
1 garlic clove minced
2 14 oz cans of tomato sauce
1 cup of white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pot and add in onions and garlic. Cook for a few moments until you smell the garic fragrance and add in carrots and zucchini. Then cook until the onions become translucent. Add in white wine and bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in tomatoes and spices and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, make the Bechamel Sauce.

For Bechamel Sauce:

4 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon (or more) salt
1 bay leaf
Sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg - about 1/8 teaspoon

In a large frying pan, heat butter until melted. Add flour and combine until it forms a thick paste. Cook until it becomes a bit golden and then add in the milk, salt and bay leaf. Stir with a whisk until thickened. Remove bay leaf and taste for salt adding more if necessary. Take off the heat and add nutmeg. Put aside while macaroni is being cooked.

To Make Pastitsio Casserole:

500 gram package of macaroni (or ziti)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni according to directions -usually for about 10-12 minutes in boiling, salted water. Drain and pour back into empty pot. Add in pasta sauce and stir to combine. Pour into a buttered lasagna pan (or you can use a 7x11 inch baking pan with at least 2" sides) and pat down with a spoon. Pour Bechamel sauce carefully over the top and then use the back of a spoon to smooth it over the pasta covering it fully. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Put into a hot 350 degree oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is browned and bubbling. Cool for about 10 - 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Five Element Analysis

Casseroles by their very nature are very Earthy and also tend to be rather balanced as they combine proteins, vegetables and carbohydrates in one dish. Pastitsio is given more Earth Element from the beef, the carrots and the zucchini. The Fire Element is represented by the tomato sauce and wine. The Wood Element is supported by the wheat pasta and the Metal Element shows up with the milk and spices. Only the Water Element needs a presence and that can easily be added by serving it with a glass of water! Otherwise, this is already a fairly balanced one dish meal.

Knodel - German Dumplings

2011-03-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

In my quest to master German food, I decided to try to make Knodel. They are German bread dumplings usually served with roasted meat. I have had them at restaurants and they reminded me of American stuffing served at Thanksgiving except they are served as little balls covered in gravy and never see the inside of a turkey. I like their chewy texture and actually the most accurate description of them is that they are probably the precursor for Matzo Balls, only they are made with leftover bread instead of Matzo meal and are therefore a little denser. I made them with leftover Semmel, which are German rolls that to me seem a lot like mini baguettes and these are usually more accurately called Semmel Knodel. I used marjoram as the spice since that is the usual German choice, but I think they would be great with sage or even poultry seasoning as then they would really taste like stuffing and adding celery might be good too. Usually the Germans soften the bread with milk, but I'm not that fond of milk and decided to use broth instead for more flavor, since they were going to be simmered in water.

Like many German recipes I get from my friends - the exact amount isn't always given - instead you get comments like, well it depends on the size of the egg, or you use teaspoons and soup spoons from the drawer to measure and they are not the same as measuring spoons to me. And then there are liters and 1/2 liters and 1/4 liters that on the measuring cups I have seen in Germany have to be estimated. I'm much more used to the exactness of cup measures, I guess. Anyway, the Knodel turned out great on my very first try so I thought I would share the recipe with you. I served them with oven broiled pork chops and made a gravy from the pan drippings (2 cups chicken broth to deglaze the roasting pan. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a frying pan, add 4 Tablespoons flour and mix into a paste - add broth and whisk until thickened over medium heat) and a sweet and sour cabbage salad. I think the Germans serve sour things with their meat to help the gallbladder digest the fat. Anyway, these Knodel are not very pretty, but they were a big hit with my son who loves stuffing at Thanksgiving with lots of gravy. So, if you like stuffing and gravy, you may want to give this recipe a try.

Knodel - German Dumplings

1 Tablespoons butter, plus 2 Tablespoons more for sautéing

1 small chopped onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons marjoram (can also use sage or poultry seasoning)

1 teaspoon or more salt

1/2 pound of stale Baguette bread or Italian bread, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 cup chicken broth

1 egg beaten

¼ - 1/3 cup bread crumbs

Pinch of pepper

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until they are translucent. Stir in marjoram, cook briefly and then set aside to let the mixture cool.

Place the cubed bread in a large bowl. Heat the broth to boiling and pour it over the cubed bread. Set aside for about 15 minutes. When the bread mixture is cool – mash it and then mix in the onion mixture and taste for seasoning – add more salt if necessary and add pepper. Then add in the egg. Add in ¼ cup breadcrumbs and mix well. If the mixture seems too soft to shape into a ball, add more breadcrumbs until it is a stiff dough. The mixture should be firm enough to form into 2 inch balls that hold their shape. Make all dumplings and put on a plate.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Lower the dumplings gently into the simmering water and cook for about 9 – 10 minutes.

When they are boiled, remove them and put them into pan with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and cook until they are browned. Serve with roasted meat and gravy on top.

Five Element Analysis

Well, I would never expect someone to just eat Knodel for a meal so these are definitely not balanced by themselves. But the elements in this dish are Wood for the wheat in the bread and the chicken broth. Onions, garlic and marjoram add in the Metal Element. Knodel needs a meat from another element and the pork chops I served add the Water Element and the cabbage salad added the Earth Element. Only the Fire Element needed enhancing and I served tea as the beverage along with sparkling water to gain Five Element balance with this meal.

Spring Pea Salad

2011-03-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of Spring and the sun is shining, birds are singing and flowers are blooming. In honor of the season, I decided to make a salad using spring vegetables - peas, radishes, chives and spring onion tops. I didn't have fresh peas, which would have made it even better as I haven't seen them in the market yet. So, I used frozen peas, which I happen to love. The dressing is a light homemade ranch that uses mayonnaise and a little milk to thin it, a bit of lemon juice since I didn't have any buttermilk to make it tangy, dried dill, a tiny bit of grated onion, some chives, garlic powder and pepper. It is a wonderful dressing that will make you wonder why you buy the prepackaged dressing or even the dried mix. The peas only have to be cooked for a few minutes, the tops of the spring onions (save the bottoms for a stir fry) add a subtle onion flavor and the radishes add a delightful crunch. It's easy and light and a delicious Ode to Spring!

Spring Pea Salad

1 package frozen peas
6 - 8 red radishes, washed with tops and bottoms cut off and cut into quarters
2 green tops of spring onions, cut into small pieces
1 Tablespoon minced chives

For Ranch Dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 - Tablespoons or more milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
pinch of pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated onion (or 1/8 teaspoon onion powder)
1 teaspoon minced chives (scissors work best and you can also use dried)
a pinch of sugar

Mix ingredients for salad dressing and check for seasonings and consistency. If it needs to be thinner, add more milk. If it is too tangy, add a bit more sugar. Remove to the side while you make the salad.

Cook peas in a small amount of water for 3 minutes and drain. Add to bowl, add green onions and let cool slightly. Add radishes and stir in enough Ranch Dressing to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour to several hours for best flavor. Before serving, sprinkle with additional chives.

Five Element Analysis

Peas belong to the Wood Element as the pods, vines and leaves grow so quickly and the bit of lemon juice adds to the element. Radishes, spring onions and chives are part of the Metal Element and the mayonnaise, milk, garlic, onion and dill enhance that element even more. Pepper is only hinted at with Black Pepper and the fact that this is a salad, which is a Fire Food. Earth has only a pinch of sugar and the creaminess of the dressing to represent it. So, Fire and Earth and Water all need to be enhanced to balance the meal. You could serve this salad with some fish or pork or soup for the Water Element. Fire can easily be added with a Fire beverage like coffee, tea or wine or sparkling water and a fruity Earth dessert would round things out nicely.

Irish Soup

2011-03-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

In honor of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow I used some classic Irish ingredients - bacon, potatoes and cabbage to make a soup. Bacon is actually a more common food in Ireland than Corned Beef and I don't know where to find Corned Beef here in Germany and didn't want to spend the five days needed to cure it myself. Besides that, I've been stressed from writing and didn't feel like shopping and these ingredients were in the fridge. So I improvised. I used a base of chicken broth - I made a lot of broth the other day from a soup chicken (very popular) here in Germany. Then, I cooked up some bacon and green onions and cut up some potatoes and cabbage and let it simmer with a bay leaf. It cooked for only 1/2 hour and it was delicious. So simple - why do people think soup is so hard to make? It was soothing and savory and would be perfect with some soda bread. But, I served it with some baked pretzels as I had some in the freezer. That made it more a German soup, I suppose as these ingredients are common here too. If I had used Chinese ham (or Virginia Ham) and noodles instead of potatoes, I would have had a classic Chinese soup. You could use a chopped onion or leeks instead of the green onions too. Like most soups and stews, it may even be better the next day so I plan on eating the rest tomorrow. Soup is one of the most nurturing foods in the world and I think we should all eat more soup - your kidneys will thank you if you do! Try this if you need a fast, easy and delicious soup.

Irish Soup

6 - 8 cups chicken broth
1/2 head cabbage cored and chopped into pieces
6 green onions (or white and pale green parts of leeks, washed and sliced or chopped onion)
8 pieces of bacon cut into small pieces (easy with scissors)
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put chicken broth in a large pot on stove and heat to boiling. In a frying pan, cook bacon until the fat is released and add in the green onions (or onions or leeks) and cook until they just wilt. Add it to the broth along with the cabbage and potatoes and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Five Element Analysis

Soup by its very nature is a Water Element food and this soup has even more Water as bacon is a salt cured meat. The cabbage and potatoes add the Earth Element and the green onions bring in the Metal Element as does the bay leaf. Fire and Wood are missing so to balance this meal, you might want to serve it with beer for some Fire and/or some berries with cream (for the Metal Element) for dessert. Doesn't that sound good?

Chicken and Dumplings

2011-03-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

I have been writing madly this week trying to finish my second edition and have only allowed myself a few other activities besides sleeping, one of which is cooking. But, my intense writing schedule is taking a toll and I've been craving comfort foods and hot baths. So, last night I made Chicken and Dumplings - one of my favorite Pennsylvania Dutch classics and one of my father's and son's favorite foods too. What's most interesting about it is that the dumplings are really more like thick chewy noodles and when paired with soft chicken pieces and a creamy gravy, it is so incredibly satisfying. I usually cook the chicken the day before and remove it from the broth and refrigerate it all (seperately) overnight. Then the next day, I take the chicken off the bone, then I make the dumplings and cook them in the broth. After that, the only thing left to do is thicken the broth into gravy and add the chicken back in. But, you can also make it the same day - it takes about an 1 1/2 - 2 hours depending on how fast you can make the dumplings. It is worth it because you will end up with a bowl of creamy and chewy goodness. If you have never had these kind of dumplings, you will have to try them. It really is comfort in a bowl.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 broiler/fryer chicken about 3 pounds, cut into pieces and dusted with flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil

About 10 cups of water - more if necessary

2 - 3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon thyme

2 onions, chopped

3 - 4 Tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with enough water to make into a slurry

Put large pot onto stove and put in vegetable oil and onions. Cook onions until they are translucent and just beginning to brown. Add in chicken pieces and brown lightly on each side. Add in water to cover by about 2 inches. Add salt, pepper and thyme and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Remove chicken and cool down until you can remove meat from the bone. Cut into bite size pieces (but not too small). Keep broth warm or refrigerate both the chicken and broth overnight.

Then make dumplings:

Dumplings

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Put butter in and mix with your hands until the dough resembles coarse meal. Beat eggs and milk together and add to flour. Mix with your hands until rough ball just holds together. Put ball on lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth. Roll out with a rolling pin until dough is between 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick and cut into small squares.

Reheat the chicken broth to boiling and add in dumplings. Bring to a boil and turn down heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes - no peeking! Then taste one to make sure they are done and if necessary, cook for another minute or two.

Then, remove dumplings to a bowl and add cornstarch to broth. Cook until thickened. If it isn't thick enough, mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with a bit of water and add it in and cook for a few more minutes. Be careful of adding too much cornstarch too soon as you don't want the sauce to get gummy. Taste for salt and pepper.

Add dumplings back in and also the chicken. Simmer just until chicken is heated and serve in bowls.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken is a Wood Element meat and combining that with dumplings made from wheat makes this a primarily Woody dish. The onions add the Earth Element as they cook for a long time and this is a long and slow cooking stew that is chewy and creamy so that adds even more Earth and there is enough water that turns into broth to bring in the Water Element and the eggs help too. The thyme adds just a bit of Metal and the cornstarch and milk add even more. But there isn't any Fire - so to balance this meal, a green salad with tomatoes would be a wonderful choice.

Classic Meat Loaf

2011-03-08T01:42:00.000-08:00

Most of you who are reading this blog probably already know how to make meatloaf, but for those who don't, here is the classic meatloaf recipe that I have been making since I was about 10. It was one of my father's favorite foods and only he and my sisters and I ate it since my Mom didn't like anything except Chinese food. So, I usually made it when she wasn't home. There is something so incredibly comforting about meatloaf. It is rustic and chunky with onions and so good with mashed potatoes. I like using just ground beef but many recipes call for a mixture of ground beef mixed with ground veal and pork. I used bread as the filler although you can certainly use oats. I also tend to make a smaller meatloaf than many people. I think it is because I usually only have 1 pound of ground beef at a time in the freezer and most recipes call for 1 1/2 pounds. I also like to form it into a loaf shape and then bake it in a larger baking pan so that all the sides get crusty. When you cook it in a loaf pan, it is more tender as it cooks in its own fat, but I like when the fat drains away. I also like a lot more ketchup baked on it so I like to cover it all so every piece has that wonderful baked ketchup flavor all around it. I once had a great meatloaf at a famous Tennessee restaurant that had a topping that was tomato paste doctored with brown sugar and green pepper and Worcestershire Sauce and that was good too. I've made it with all kinds of chopped up vegetables - even beets as my father loved to have me experiment with the ingredients. He loved it when I put in hard boiled eggs so that every slice had a piece of egg in it. But I am a purist about meatloaf and I like it best when it is really simple.

Meatloaf is also wonderful cold as a sandwich the next day. I usually add a little ketchup to the mayonnaise and also add some lettuce. Served with potato chips, it is just wonderful and many restaurants serve it these days for a lot more than it costs to make at home. This recipe is for my son Stephen since meatloaf is one of his favorite foods too and he needs to learn how to make it. It's so easy and so good!

Classic Meatloaf

1 pound of ground beef
2 slices of stale bread (can also use about 1/2 cup oats)
1/3 - 1/2 cup warm milk (depending on size of bread pieces or you can use beef broth)
1 small onion minced fine
1 egg
1/4 cup ketchup + 1/2 cup for topping
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt or plain salt if preferred
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a small bowl, soak bread (or oats) in milk and push with a fork until bread pieces are mashed. Add egg and Worcestershire Sauce. In a large bowl, put in ground beef, onion 1/4 cup ketchup, seasoned salt and pepper. Add in soaked bread mixture and mix thoroughly with your hands (nothing else works as well). When it is thoroughly combined, place in a baking pan at least 9 x 9 inches. Mound meat in the center and shape into a loaf. Cover with remaining ketchup on top and down the sides. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 55 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing into 1 1/2" pieces.

Five Element Analysis

Beef is an Earth Food so meatloaf is inherently Earthy. The bread adds in the Wood Element. The Worcestershire Sauce brings in the Water Element and so does the egg. Onions are from the Metal Element although they ending up cooking for a long time so they really contribute more Earth. So the milk brings in the Metal Element instead. Ketchup adds some much needed Fire and guess what - meatloaf by itself is more balanced than even I realized!

Mushroom and Sunflower Seed Pate

2011-03-07T08:18:00.001-08:00

One of the things I love is spreading things on crackers and toast and I have to admit that pate is one of my favorite foods, but I can't eat it all the time as it is so rich. So, I am always looking for other spreads that are healthier. I remembered that I once had a great vegetarian pate at a friend's party - years ago - that I just couldn't stop eating, but she wouldn't give me the recipe. It was made with mushrooms I know, but there were also nuts and if memory serves me right - they were walnuts. I didn't have any walnuts on hand yesterday, but I did have sunflower seeds and I am very fond of a sunflower seed spread made in Germany with chives in it. So, I decided to work on a recipe I came up with last year combining mushrooms and sunflower seeds. And, it turned out wonderfully this time with just a few tweaks - it needed a bit more butter so it now spreads better. It tastes great and would be ideal for a party - especially if you have vegetarian friends. And, if you want to make it vegan, just change the butter to a light vegetable oil - sunflower oil would be really good. I would spread it on little toasts and sprinkle a little extra fresh thyme or parsley on top before serving. I'm always happy when I create something new so if you try this recipe - please let me know if you like it as much as I do!

Mushroom and Sunflower Seed Pate

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

¾ lb mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed, cut into quarters

6 Tablespoons of butter (or oil if you want to make this vegan)

1 small onion, cut up coarsely

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme (preferably fresh)

1 teaspoon sea salt

Toast sunflower seeds in frying pan on stove, stirring constantly until seeds are lightly toasted. Remove to bowl to cool off. In Cuisinart, place onion and garlic and cut up until very finely minced. Melt butter in frying pan and put in garlic and onion to cook until translucent. While they are cooking, place mushrooms in Cuisinart and chop until fine, being careful not to puree them. Add to frying pan with thyme and salt and cook for 10 – 15 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated. Place sunflower seed in the Cuisinart and chop into very small pieces and add to the mushroom mixture. Taste and check salt adding more if necessary. Place in small crocks and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Return to room temperature and serve with crackers.

Five Element Analysis

Mushrooms are clearly from the Earth Element by the way they grow and also because of their color. Sunflower seeds belong to the Water Element. The thyme brings in some Metal and so do the onions and garlic so that element is covered too. Serving it with wheat bread or crackers adds the Wood Element. All this needs to balance it is some Fire and that is present somewhat as it is an appetizer but to increase the fire a little more - wine would be really good with it!

Schupfnudeln or Swabian Gnocchi

2011-03-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

Did you ever notice how so many cultures make very similar foods but call them different names? The more I travel, the more I see this. Of course, when countries are close together, it would make sense that they would make similar foods as they grow the same kinds of crops. But even acrross the world, there are similarities in food preparation. For example, aren't Ravioli the same thing as Wontons, Momos or Maultaschen? Yes the fillings are slightly different, but all have a noodle dough. If you don't know what any of these foods are, I'll be making them all one of these days as I have an obsession with wrapped and stuffed foods and also with noodles. So, in the interest of learning more about German food, I was given recipes from some German friends for a few traditional Swabian foods. The one I got most intrigued by at first glance was Schupfnudeln or these cute, fat little potato noodles that to me are just like Italian Gnocchi only shaped differently and served with other kinds of sauces. Apparently, they are also called by a name that refers to little boys' private parts but I won't be giving you that one! This name comes from the back and forth rolling motion that you use to shape the noodles. This recipe was one of those that you have to use your own judgment about in terms of how much flour to use. That's because different kinds of potatoes have differing levels of moisture. The only do ahead part was cooking the potatoes the day before, but I already had made extra potatoes when I baked some actually a few days before. And you do have to be a little careful not to the dough too wet or it will fall apart when you cook it so test one first and add more flour if necessary. Or, if you make it too dry - you can add another egg and some more flour.

But other than that, Schupfnudeln were actually very easy to make and if you like chewy noodles, you will love these. I browned them in butter and served them along side some pork chops with a little bit of pan sauce and a green salad. But they would be just as good with pasta sauce and another German way to serve them is to mix a few eggs and some cream and pour it on top of the noodles and bake it until it is browned - Hmm - that sounds rather like a cross between a Carbonara and Alfredo sauce if you just added some Parmesan cheese. I haven't tried that version yet and I'm sure it is good - I'll let you know how it turns out when I do. What I did was brown the Schupfnudeln only a little bit as I was in a hurry, but next time I will brown them a lot more. - the crispy bits were the best and really contrasted with the chewy texture.

Schupfnudeln

About 2 pounds of potatoes cooked the day before in their skins - either baked or boiled
2 eggs
About 1/2 cup - 2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
pinch of nutmeg

Large pot of boiling salted water
2 - 3 Tablespoons butter

Peel the potatoes and mash in a bowl. Add salt, nutmeg and 1/4 cup of flour at a time. Knead together until it just holds together.

On a floured board, Take about a palmful of the dough at a time, roll into a snake and cut into 1 inch pieces. Then take each piece and roll into small noodles about 1 1/2 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide with the ends slightly pointed - or about the size of a small little finger. Boil the noodles into the water until they rise to the surface. Drain them and put into a frying pan with melted butter and cook until crisp.

Five Element Analysis

This is not going to be balanced as it is a side dish but it represents the Earth Element best as potatoes belong to that element. The wheat flour adds in just a bit of Wood and the eggs bring in some of the Water Element. Browning them makes them a little Fiery and the nutmeg adds a teeny bit of Metal. If you cooked these with the cream, you would bring even more Metal in. But serving Schupfnudeln with a meat dish and some vegetables would definitely be a good idea to make a balanced meal.

Linzer Torte

2011-02-23T13:16:00.000-08:00

You may have read about my attempt to make Linzer cookies back in December that turned out great. I made the cookies because I was intimidated by the idea of making a true Linzer Torte. And you know what? It was easier than the cookies! For those of you who don't know, Linzer Torte is from Austria - the city of Linz to be exact. It is made with nut flours - either almond or hazelnut or a combination of both - I used both. Raspberry jam is the most traditional filling, but I had some good strawberry jam so I decided to use that. I think it would be really good with sour cherry jam or red currant jam as well. Anyway, I decided to make the strawberry jam a little more tart so I added in some lemon juice so the Torte wouldn't be too sweet. The only difficult part was rolling out the lattice pieces as my dough was not quite cold enough. And, I made the strips a little wide this first time and next time I will make them a little thinner and add more. But, otherwise, it was so easy to make and it was delicious! It's kind of a cross between a cookie and a cake and delightful with a glass of milk for Rudi and a cup of tea for me.

Linzer Torte

1 cup softened butter

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 egg

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups ground almonds or hazelnuts or a mixture of the two

Zest of one small lemon

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves

1 cup of raspberry, strawberry or sour cherry jam

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Combine butter and sugar until creamed. Add eggs and mix well. In another bowl, mix flour, ground almonds or hazelnuts, cinnamon and cloves. Add to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in refrigerator to cool for at least ½ hour.

Meanwhile, mix jam with lemon juice.

Take ¾ of the dough and press into bottom of a greased Springform pan. Spread the jam evenly across the top of the dough stopping ½ inch before the edges. Roll out remaining dough and cut into 1” strips. Arrange strips in lattice (criss-cross) across the top of the jam. Push the edges of the lattice strip into the bottom crust. Place into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the lattice crust turns golden brown. Cake can be served warm but is even better the next day. It can be sprinkled with powdered sugar to serve.

Five Element Analysis

This is a dessert, so you wouldn't expect it to be very balanced by itself. The nut flours bring in the Water Element and the wheat flour adds the Wood Element. Strawberries or raspberries or sour cherries or red currants belong to the Fire Element. The sweetness from the sugars brings in the Earth Element. It is only missing the Metal Element and that can be added with a big glass of milk. It's a pretty balanced dessert after all!

Stir Fried Eggs with Salty Ham and Scallions

2011-02-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

What a fancy name for scrambled eggs! This post was inspired by a few of my friends who wanted to know how to make a Chinese-style breakfast. I'm sure you have all heard of Congee or Jook. Haven't you? If not you are missing something, because it is one of the world's most comforting foods. It is basically rice porridge and it's really simple. It's something I ate a lot as a child - usually for breakfast and always when I was sick. My mother makes it with leftover rice that she adds water to in the morning and then she cooks it until it is very hot and the rice is very soft. Some people make Congee or Jook with chicken broth and pieces of chicken and it becomes more of a hearty main dish. But I like it plain. If you don't have any leftover rice, you can make it like I did last night - put a handful of rice in a pot with about 3 times the water and then cook the rice until it is soft. This kind of Congee needs savory and spicy things to go with it. Some of my favorite things are crunchy fried onions and pickled lettuce (the stems not the leaves) and chili sauce. These can all be found in a Chinese market and if you live in a big city, you can probably find them at the regular grocery store. But, my absolute favorite accompaniment to Congee is Stir Fried Eggs. What I like best is the creaminess of the scrambled eggs, the saltiness of the ham and the savory green onions. It's drizzled with soy sauce and sesame oil and I love it. I actually had it for dinner last night, but breakfast for dinner is a tradition in my family and so is leftover dinner for breakfast.....

Anyway, these stir fried eggs are very similar in flavor to the Japanese shredded eggs - eggs fried in a pan until solid and then cut into shreds and seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. But the little pieces of ham and the green onions are the best part to me and they are held together by the eggs. Be sure to use a salty ham if you can - like a Smithfield Virginia Ham or Country Ham. But if you can't find either of those, you can also use bacon, cooked and crumbled into bits. I'm giving you the recipe for one to two servings - if you have other sides, but it can easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled to serve more people. My grandfather used to make these same kind of eggs with scallions and crab and it was divine until I could no longer eat crab - but if you can, you should try that version. You can also use tomatoes or Shitake mushrooms for yet another version and you can also drizzle the eggs with Oyster Sauce diluted with a little hot water if you like that better. My sons calls all these egg dishes "Chinese Eggs and Stuff", which is a pretty good name too!

Stir Fried Eggs with Salty Ham and Scallions

2 eggs, cracked into a small bowl and stirred with chopsticks until lightly blended
2 -3 green onions/scallions (depending on size), ends removed and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup salty ham or already cooked bacon, crumbled
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspons Soy Sauce or Tamari
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Sprinkle of freshly ground pepper

Optional Ingredients:

1/4 cup flaked crab meat
4 Shitake mushrooms, rehydrated and cut into little pieces
1 Roma tomatoes, cut into large dice
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce diluted with 1 teaspoon hot water

Optional to serve on the side:

Chili sauce - I like Lee Kum Kee Chili Garlic Sauce
Pickled Lettuce
Crisp Fried Onions or Shallots

In a small nonstick frying pan, heat vegetable oil and add scallions. Cook until you just start to smell the fragrance of them and add in the ham or bacon. Cook until ham is hot and then pour in eggs. Let set for a few moments and then start pulling back the sides, tilting the pan to let the uncooked egg run into the empty space. Keep pulling until the top is still moist but not runny and the start to break into chunks while turning it over. Take off heat only a few moments after turning the eggs and put onto a plate. Drizzle with the soy sauce and sesame oil (or oyster sauce) and sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.

Five Element Analysis

Eggs belong to the Water Element as they are all about potential life and they are full of nutrients and the salty ham, soy sauce and sesame oil all or oyster sauce all add more Water. When served with Congee, you bring the Metal Element in with the white rice, but the soupy nature of Congee adds even more Water. The scallions bring in more of the Metal Element and the pepper adds just a pinch of Fire, which is why you need to serve it with some hot chili sauce or some tea or tomatoes. The Earth Element is missing unless you add the Crisp Fried Onions or mushrooms or you could also serve something sweet like fruit to balance the meal.

Chinese Onion Pancakes

2011-02-11T19:18:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Chinese snacks is Onion Pancakes. There is something about this delectable flatbread that just satisfies on a primal level. It's one of the things I love to order at Chinese restaurants, but it is actually so easy to make at home. The only thing that's the least bit difficult is figuring out how much flour to add. The secret is to keep adding flour until you have a soft and pliable dough that can be easily rolled out with a rolling pin. It's a delicious snack if you like savory things. What's not to love? There is the crispy exterior with the soft chewy interior and the sprinkle of saltiness juxtaposed against the savory flavor of green onions - yum! A lot of people like to dip their onion pancakes into a dipping sauce of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame or chili oil, but to be honest, I just like them plain. But they are also really good as a side bread to a stir fry dish, especially if there is some sauce as it dips up stir fry sauces wonderfully. Try these and I think you will love them too!

Chinese Onion Pancakes

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1/4 cup - 1/2 cup or more all purpose flour for kneading
1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
1 cup minced green onions
vegetable oil for pan frying
extra salt for sprinkling on top

Stir together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the oil and the boiling water, stirring until slightly sticky dough just forms. If the dough is too soft, knead in more flour until dough is no longer so sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth, kneading in more flour as necessary to make a smooth, pliable dough. Cover with a cloth or wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes, or longer.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a long roll with your hand until you have a rope about 1 inch in diameter. Cut the roll into 24 pieces. Keep the unused dough covered with a damp paper towel as you work.

With a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a 4 or 5-inch circle. Brush the tops with a little sesame oil and sprinkle with some of the minced green onions. Roll up the circle with the green onions inside and pinch the ends to seal. Coil it into a snail shape and flatten slightly with your fingers. Pinch the end into the roll and put on a lightly floured plate. Prepare the remaining pancakes in the same way. Then, roll each pancake out with the rolling pin into a 4-inch circle being careful to keep the green onions covered by dough if possible. It is okay if a few pieces stick out.

Heat a skillet on the stove on medium-high heat and put in 2 Tablespoons of oil and place two of the pancakes in the pan, not touching, and fry over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove with a spatula and place on a paper towel covered plate. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with additional pancakes. Serve immediately or you can keep them warm in the oven at about 200 degrees.

If desired, you can serve them with a dipping sauce composed of equal amounts of soy sauce and seasoned rice wine vinegar and a few drops of sesame oil or a few drops of chili oil if you like heat.

Five Element Analysis

The wheat flour in these pancakes make them a Wood Element food first and foremost, but the green onions bring in the Metal Element and the salt and sesame oil add just a touch of the Water Element. If you use the dipping sauce, you are balancing the dish even more as the soy sauce adds more Water and the chili oil brings in some Fire. The only thing missing then is the Earth Element and I often serve these pancakes with a spicy stir fried beef dish for some added Fire too. Dipping these pancakes in the sauce is an Earthy way to eat too.

Stir Fried Kohlrabi and Ham

2011-02-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Kohlrabi is one of those funny looking knobby winter vegetables that can be rather intimidating if you've never cooked it before. Kohlrabi has a tough outer skin that needs to be peeled and inside is a crunchy vegetable that is most comparable to the stalks of broccoli only slightly sweeter. I have always loved the broccoli stalks the most when sliced for stir fries so I was delighted when I first realized that kohlrabi would give me what I liked most of all in the Cruciferous family - the crunch. It is often roasted or even boiled and mashed, but then you lose that wonderful texture that makes it so good in a stir fry. One of the natural accompaniments to all Cruciferous vegetable is ham and the best kind is the salty variety. Chinese people in America often use Virginia Ham, although I have found that Southern Country Ham is really great too. I had a small piece of Country Ham left in my freezer from my ex-husband's last visit to Tennessee and so I combined with a bit of garlic and stir fried it with a little chicken broth for added flavor. I cut both the kohlrabi and the ham into little cubes, although it would be just as good julienned into matchstick pieces. Cutting everything in the dish the same size is part of my Chinese obsessiveness about cooking. I just think it looks better and tastes better too. So, try this funny looking vegetable and I think you will love the flavor and crunch!

Stir Fried Kohlrabi and Ham

4 Kohlrabi, peeled and cut into chunks or julienned into strips
1/3 cup ham, cut into pieces the same size as the kohlrabi
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Heat frying pan or wok and add oil until just smoking (or sizzling if you throw in a few drops of water to test). Add garlic and stir quickly until you can just start smelling the garlic fragrance. Add in ham and kohlrabi and cook until the kohlrabi just begins to brown slightly. Add in chicken broth and cook until it boils down - no more than five minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Five Element Analysis

Kohlrabi is a green stalk, even if bulbous so it is considered part of the Wood Element and chicken broth enhances the Wood. Ham belongs to the Water Element and the garlic brings in just a hint of metal. This dish is obviously a side dish and it certainly needs the addition of both a Fire food and and Earth Food to balance out the meal.

Long Life Noodle Salad

2011-02-02T20:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year's Eve! It is also the one year anniversary of 5 Element Food and it has gone by really fast. Tomorrow is the Year of the Wood Rabbit and for me it is quite a relief after the turbulent Tiger Year.... If you would like to read more about what this year has in store for you, check my Lotus Institute website:

http://lotusinstitute.com/newsletter2.htm.

As usual, I am preparing some lucky foods to celebrate the start of the new year and one of the most important ones to serve is a noodle dish as noodle imply that you will live a long life so be sure not to cut them when you cook them. This is one of the noodle dishes that my kids have always liked best. The great thing about it is that it can be made ahead of time so that the rest of the meal can be prepared. Annie Chun makes a great packaged noodle salad mix if you don't want to make it from scratch, but I don't think the noodles are long enough to serve on Chinese New Year. And, it is so easy to make from scratch with just a few ingredients that you probably keep on hand or you should - the basic sauce is just soy sauce, seasoned rice wine vinegar and sesame oil with a bit of garlic. If you like it a little on the spicy side, you can add chili powder or chili oil. In the summertime,

I often serve this salad with a shredded poached chicken breast (store bought roasted chicken breast is good too), but for Chinese New Year, you have to serve a whole chicken if you want family happiness. I usually use Chinese noodles, but I forgot to buy them so I substituted spaghetti and I actually liked the more al dente texture. Mixed with cucumbers, red pepper and green onions, it is a refreshing side dish that juxtaposes well with the other cooked dishes. It's also good with snow peas and thinly sliced carrots that have been lightly blanched. Chopped peanuts are really tasty as a garnish so are almonds, but I don't add them for a party as there may be someone with an allergy to nuts. So, sesame seeds are the safer bet. If I have enough time, I julienne the cucumbers and red peppers as it is so much more attractive, but as I was making a lot more dishes, I just peeled, seeded and cut the cucumbers into half moon slices and cut the red pepper into nearly equal size pieces. It's simply tossed together with some thinly sliced green onions and nuts and cilantro for a garnish - if desired Be sure to prepare it ahead of time so that the noodles absorb the sauce thoroughly.

Long Life Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

1 package of spaghetti or linguine noodles (1 pound) or an equal amount of Chinese noodles (for a gluten free version use a package of Tinkayada Rice Spaghetti)
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut in half, seeded with a teaspoon and sliced into thin half moons or julienned into thin shreds
1 large red pepper or 2 medium, cut in half with stem removed and then sliced into slices about the same size as the cucumber or julienned
3 green onions, root cut off and cut cross into thin slices or shredded if julienning the other veggies
Optional: a handful of snow peas and/or thinly sliced carrot blanched in a small amount of boiling water for 3 - 4 minutes and rinsed with cold water

Optional for serving: 1 cup shredded chicken breast meat
1/4 cup chopped peanuts or slivered almonds or about 1/8 cup toasted sesame seeds
Small handful of cilantro leaves

For Sauce - Mix and taste:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 -3 Tablespoons Seasoned Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons toasted Asian sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon Korean chili powder or Chili Oil
1 teaspoon sugar if you like the sauce sweeter

Preparation:

Boil noodles according to package directions - about 10 minutes and drain, but do not rinse. Place in a large bowl and put in cucumber, red pepper and green onions (and snow peas and carrots if desired). Pour in dressing and toss. Let flavors meld for at least 15 minutes before serving and this salad can also be refrigerated and served cold. When ready to serve, garnish with peanuts, almonds or sesame seeds and cilantro if you are using them.

Five Element Analysis

As there are a number of different ingredients in this colorful salad, you can pretty much guess that there will be some inherent balance in this dish. The noodles are made of wheat which belongs to the Wood Element and so does the rice vinegar so that is the dominant element in this dish and if you add chicken, you have even more Wood. The red pepper and chili if you use it add the Fire Element, whereas the cucumber brings in the Earth Element. The soy sauce and sesame oil contribute the Water Element and the green onions and garlic provide the Metal Element. Guess what? This is a balanced dish all by itself so it's good for a light summer lunch and as a side dish it automatically creates a balanced meal.

Beef with Red Pepper and Zucchini Stir Fry

2011-01-28T16:47:00.001-08:00

I was down in Mexico City visiting my friends and offered to cook Chinese for two hungry teenage boys. I discovered with my own boys that stir fries are one of the best ways to get kids to eat vegetables. Besides that, the crisp texture of stir fried vegetables can convert many a young vegetable hater. Zucchini was one of those vegetables that my kids wouldn't eat when steamed, but devoured in this dish. And guess what? It was a hit once again. I also served Pan Fried Noodles with Chicken and Pea Pods that I will post another day.

Stir Fries are really easy to cook. The only hard part is getting all the ingredients prepped. So, cut up all the vegetables ahead of time and marinate the meat and mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and keep them all near the stove. Be sure to cut them all about the same size to make them easier to eat and much more attractive too. Then the actual cooking time will only be a few minutes in a wok or frying pan. Don't forget to cook the rice ahead of time too and rice cookers are great for that as they can keep rice warm for hours. Chinese cooking is really so much easier than people think and the ratio of small amounts of meat to a lot of vegetables makes it really healthy too!

Beef with Red Pepper and Zucchini Stir-Fry

1/2 pound beef steak - partially frozen and sliced thin into 1/2" by about 1" slices (I used Beef Chuck steak)
1 onion cut in half and sliced thin
1 red pepper cut in half, stem removed and sliced into thin strips about 1" long
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

For Marinade:

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon Pepper

For Sauce:

1/3 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon Chili Garlic Sauce (I like Lee Kum Kee brand or you can use Sriracha)
1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Place meat in marinade and mix thoroughly with your hands. Then mix ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and put aside. In a wok or frying pan, heat oil and add onions to the pan. Cook until just translucent and then add red pepper and zucchini. Stir fry, moving spatula frequently through the vegetables until the red pepper has softened. Push them aside and put in meat, leaving it to brown softly before turning to brown other side. When the meat is just barely pink, add in the sauce and cook until thickened. Serve with white rice and additional chili sauce if you like it hotter.

Five Element Analysis

The various colors in this dish show you that there is going to be an inherent balance in this dish. However, it is primarily Earthy because both the beef and the zucchini belong to the Earth Element. The red pepper and Chili Garlic Sauce brings in the Fire Element and the onion adds the Metal Element. The chicken broth contributes the Metal Element and so does the white rice. The soy sauce and sesame oil complete the elemental cycle by representing the Water Element. This dish is balanced all by itself!

German Potato Salad

2011-01-17T01:38:00.001-08:00

I've eaten lots of German Potato Salad here in Germany and every one of them has been different. Some are very tart with vinegar and some have a lot of bacon or ham. And, some of them are redolent with onions. I think the best have been lightly sweet and sour with a smoky flavor from the bacon and the onion contributes as a slightly pungent side note. I never made German Potato Salad before, but in my attempt to make authentic German foods, I attempted it last night and it turned out so well that I have to share it with you. Here in Germany, they sell bacon already cut up in little pieces called Schenk and I used Apple Cider Vinegar as it is slightly sweeter than the usual white vinegar. I also cooked red onions in the bacon fat to slightly to mellow them. If you would like to make these with less bacon fat, you can use real bacon bits and light olive oil instead, but numerous studies have pointed out how good lard is for you and during the winter, you need that fat to make your body warm. So I am all about the bacon! Plus the vinegar cuts through the fat so that you digest it easier and the water tones down the vinegar - that's a German trick I learned. German Potato Salad has a wonderful sweet and sour flavor and it is a wonderful side dish to sausages and other meat dishes. I served it with lamb cutlets. And in Germany, they often serve it as a part of a green salad with canned corn and shredded carrots. I hope you enjoy it!

German Potato Salad

6 - 8 slices of bacon cut into pieces

(or if using bacon bits or ham use 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup oil)

4 medium potatoes boiled in skins, peeled and cut into chunks

1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 cup broth (beef or chicken) or water

2 - 3 Tablespoons sugar or more to taste depending on sourness of vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons German mustard

extra salt and pepper

Put cut potatoes in a large bowl. In a frying pan, cook bacon until crisp and remove to a plate to crumble. Add oil if necessary to make about 1/4 cup of oil in pan (including bacon grease). Add onions and cook until just translucent. In a small bowl, stir together water, sugar and vinegar tasting to make sure it has right sweet and sour balance. Add more sugar if necessary and then stir in mustard. Stir vinegar mixture into onions and warm slightly. Pour over potatoes and add bacon, tossing lightly - making sure not to smash potatoes. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve later, but bring to room temperature for best flavor.

Five Element Analysis

Potatoes as root vegetables belong to the Earth Element as does the sugar. Bacon, being a salted meat comes from the Water Element. Vinegar adds the Wood Element and the lightly cooked onions bring in the Metal Element along with the Mustard. The only element missing is the Fire Element so serving it with a Fire meat like I did with Lamb will work and so does a green salad if you cook another meat. It is a surprisingly balanced little dish.

Janneke's Spinach Tart

2011-01-15T00:32:00.000-08:00

Today I am giving you a recipe for something I didn't cook, but it was so good that I had to get the recipe from my friend Janneke in Den Haag and pass it on to you. I went to do some consultations in the Netherlands and although I love to cook almost all the time, I was having one of those nights where I was even too tired to go out to eat. So, Janneke made me one of her special dishes. It was like a quiche, but not as rich and the wonderful spinach filling and the pine nut garnish was so nourishing that my tired body felt instantly better. The frozen puff pastry dough and frozen chopped spinach made it a really fast meal too!

It was only lightly seasoned and delicious that way, although it could very easily be adapted to Indian flavors if you added spices like turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and chilis. Or, you could add feta cheese, leeks, mint and dill and it would become a Spanakopita Pie. Or you could use lots of garlic and olive oil and red pepper with Parmesan Cheese to give it a Mediterranean taste. My imagination keeps going off in rifts thinking about making it taste more like creamed spinach with a Bechamel Sauce, Gruyere Cheese and nutmeg. Or, any number of cheeses could be added like Blue Cheese or even Soy Cheese instead of the Goat Milk and Goat Cheese that Janneke used. I even had an idea about adding mushrooms and using sunflower seeds on top. I think it would make a fabulous buffet or potluck food as it is just as good cold as it is hot. In fact, I loved it so much that I had it the next morning for breakfast! You have to try it if you like spinach....

Spinach Tart

1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 onion, finely minced
2 Tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1 cup of milk - Goat Milk, Regular Milk or unflavored Soy Milk
1 cup of grated cheese of your choice - Goat Cheddar in this case
1/2 cup or more Pine Nuts or other nut of your choice
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take puff pastry and line the inside of a 7 x 11 inch rectangular pan or a 9 x 9 inch square pan. Press seams together and trim any pastry that overhangs the side but keep it high on the sides.

In a frying pan on medium heat, melt butter and add onions. Cook until soft and translucent. Add spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste - it needs more than you think! Cook until spinach is just heated through. Put aside and let cool slightly

In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Then place spinach on top of the puff pastry, smoothing it on top. Pour over milk and egg mixture. Top with grated cheese and sprinkle with Pine Nuts. Turn over Puff Pastry above the filling and crimp slightly for a more decorative look. Bake until Puff Pastry is golden brown - about 25 - 35 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Five Element Analysis

Anything green belongs to the Wood Element and the Spinach in this dish brings in lots of the Wood Element as does the wheat flour in the puff pastry. The eggs and Pine Nuts add the Water Element and the milk and cheese contribute the Metal Element. Fire is missing so adding some chilis would help or serving it with something spicy or with a Fiery drink like a cup of tea or a glass of wine would work too. Earth is also missing so a lovely fruit dessert would balance out the meal.

Chicken, Spinach and Shitake Potstickers

2010-12-31T05:31:00.000-08:00

It's New Year's Eve and instead of thinking about celebrating with champagne, I've been making Potstickers for New Year's Day. Potstickers are a lucky food because they look like the shape of Chinese gold ingots. I usually make Pork with Chinese Cabbage and Scallion dumplings, but Meine Grosse Liebe Rudi isn't fond of cabbage right now. So I decided to use spinach as any greens help bring in paper money like the American dollar - that's one of the main kinds of luck to try to bring in by eating special foods on New Year's Day. I have heard that in some countries chicken isn't considered a lucky food as chickens scratch backwards, but for the Chinese, it is one of the foods traditionally served - especially whole for Chinese New Year to symbolize family togetherness. I also wanted a less fatty meat than pork as I have definitely been eating too much Schwein here in Germany. I often mix pork and chicken anyway so that it lowers the fat content of the dumplings. For these dumplings, I used minced chicken breast and Shitake mushrooms. It's a combination I often used for a stir fry as in the photo and it turned out to be a wonderful filling for dumplings. The only difficulty I had was having to make the dumpling wrappers from scratch as I haven't located an Asian market nearby yet - the recipe is included below and it actually easier and more fun to shape than the store bought ones. And, I had to chop the chicken myself as I couldn't find it already ground but with sharp German knives, I enjoyed that too. I am going to serve these dumplings pan fried, which symbolizes gold along with a whole fish and stir fried broccoli - fish is another lucky food for New Year. Dessert will be a big bowl of tangerines - also a lucky food. If you like, you can steam them or boil them and then they are considered Silver. I'm giving you my grandfather's secret method of making Potstickers - he used chicken broth to steam them and they are so much tastier than when you just use water. I've also included the traditional dipping sauce recipe although my sons love Thai Sweet Chili Sauce the most. These dumplings are great - I hope you try to make them. Chinese New Year is a chance to do it all again (Feb. 3rd) and the menu will be much more extensive. Happy New Year!

Chicken, Spinach and Shitake Potstickers

1 pound of spinach, stems removed, washed and chopped finely
1 large or 2 small chicken breasts ground or minced fine - about 1/2 pound
6 Shitake Mushrooms - rehydrated in a small amount of boiling water, stems removed and minced finely
1 small onion, minced fine
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
14 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Oil and 1 cup Chicken broth for cooking

In a small frying pan and using a small bit of oil, cook onions and garlic until onion is soft. Mix with chicken, spinach, mushrooms and seasonings together in a large bowl. Use 1 rounded teaspoon per wrapper. Place in center of a round Gyoza or Potsticker wrapper bought or made from scratch (see below). Wet around the edges if using the store bought kind. Pinch together in the middle (or you can seal all the way around and make flatter half moons if desired) and then pleat the edges on the side facing you - 3 times on each side to toward the middle make the Potsticker stand upright and curve inward. Place on a sheet of wax paper until all are filled.

In a large frying pan with a lid, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil, heat for a few minutes over medium heat and place Potstickers in - as many as possible without touching. Let the bottom brown and then pour in 1/4 cup chicken broth if using store bought wrappers and 1/2 cup of chicken broth if using homemade wrappers. Cover and steam. When the broth is mostly absorbed, take off lid and recrisp the bottoms. Remove to a serving plate and put in a warm (200 degree) oven until all the Potstickers are made. Serve with dipping sauce recipe (below)

Dumpling Dough

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup warm water

Mix salt with flour in a large bowl. Sprinkle in 1/3 cup of the the water and using your hands, mix water in adding more water if necessary until dough gather into a ball. Knead dough until it is shiny and holds together. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest of 1/2 hour.

Cut dough into 4 sections and roll into 6" logs. Cut each log into six equal pieces and cover them with a damp towel. Roll out one piece at a time with a rolling pin until you have about a 3 1/2 inch circle. Fill as directed above.

Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
slivered fresh ginger and/or finely sliced green onions
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or chili oil - optional

Five Element Analysis

The wheat in the dumpling wrappers brings in the Wood Element as does the chicken and spinach and rice wine vinegar in the dipping sauce. The onions, garlic and ginger or green onions add some Metal Element and the soy sauce and sesame oil represent a small bit of the Water Element with the Shitake mushrooms enhancing Water and also the Metal Element because of its' wonderful Umami flavor. The Fire Element is only found in the chili paste or chili oil or the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce if you use that, so Fire is an element that needs to be enhanced and an Earth food needs to be added to balance out the meal.

Linzer Cookies

2010-12-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

I try to make one new cookie every year and since Meine Grosse Liebe Rudi loves Linzer Torte, I decided to make Linzer Cookies. I wanted to make the cookies as close to the flavor of the real thing as possible. Most recipes I looked at made what appeared to be a rather simple sugar cookie or shortbread cookie with jam. I just knew they were missing something. When I checked out numerous recipes for Linzer Torte, I figured out what was missing. There is an extraordinary combination of spices in German and Austrian pastries - something I couldn't quite identify - like in Stollen. What I discovered was the combination of vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon and cloves. When I added them to the Linzer Cookie dough, I knew I had hit the jackpot! They smelled just right.

Now traditional Linzer Torte dough is usually made with ground hazelnuts, but sometimes almonds or walnuts are used instead. I decided to use almonds, mostly because I had used hazelnuts in my Russian Tea Cakes and I wanted a different flavor in the cookie tin. I found a special cookie cutter for Linzer Cookies at a cookware store in Lindau, which made things a lot easier. It had a special little lever that allowed for the bottoms to be cut and then when released cut the top cookie with a little cute tulip cutout in the middle. If you don't have this special kind of cookie cutter, just use a regular round one about 2" wide and then cut out the middles of half of the cookies with a tiny cookie cuter. When the top and bottom cookies are sandwiched with raspberry jam in the middle, it looks like a little stained glass window. Rudi has declared them his absolute favorite cookie and they are now going to be a staple in my Christmas cookie repertoire. Merry Christmas!

Linzer Cookies

2/3 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extraact
1/8 teaspoon cloves
rind of one lemon, zested

1 jar seedless raspberry jam or jelly (you can use strawberry, blackberry or currant too) mixed with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add ground almonds, the egg and vanilla and mix together until combined. Then add in flour mixture until just mixed through. Form dough into 2 balls and flatten on plastic wrap and chill the dough wrapped in plastic for one to two hours. When ready to cook, remove from the refrigerator and roll out dough between two sheets of wax paper until the dough is between 1/8" and 1/4". Using a round cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can. Place on ungreased cookie sheets about 1 " apart (parchment paper or Silpat is helpful). Use a smaller cutter to cut out the center of half the cookies. Add centers back to the remaining dough. Make more cookies from the rest of the dough.

In 350 degree oven, bake cookies for about 10 - 12 minutes or until just starting to get brown on the edges. Do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack or a cool plate.

When cookie are cool, put about 1 teaspoon of jam on the solid cookie bottoms and place cutout cookie on top so that you can see the jam below. Sandwich all the cookies. Store covered in the refrigerator. Cookies are even better after the first day.

Makes about 2 dozen

Five Element Analysis

Once again it is obvious that sweet cookies belong to the Earth Element, but because these cookies are made with ground nuts, they have more Water Element in them than usual for a cookie. The wheat flour as always brings in the Wood Element and the little bit of lemon juice emphasizes this element even more. The raspberry jam adds some wonderful Fire as does the lemon zest and the spices and vanilla bring in the Metal Element. Who knew that these cookies would be so balanced?

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

2010-12-21T10:48:00.000-08:00

Every Christmas since I can remember, I have made Molasses Ginger Cookies. They are my absolute favorite. I include them in all of my give away cookie tins and it is usually the recipe most requested. This year I am in Germany and I couldn't find any molasses. I did find Zuckerrubensirup which is similar, but it is much lighter - more like dark corn syrup. I also couldn't find brown sugar, so I used just regular granulated sugar and the the cookies ended up being much lighter in color as well. I compensated by adding a lot more ginger. I also added just a pinch of white pepper to jazz things up. It's a common ingredient in Pfefferneuse cookies here in Europe. The good news is that they still crackled on the top with that wonderful sprinkle of sugar and they tasted heavenly. This is the one cookie that makes it smell like Christmas for me and this recipe variation is going to be a keeper.

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

12 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks or 160g)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light flavored molasses or Zuckerrubensirup
2 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon ground ginger (buy this one fresh for best flavor)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of white pepper - about 1/8 teaspoon

Extra sugar for rolling - about 1/3 cup in a small bowl

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and molasses and continue to stir until evenly mixed. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and stir until just mixed thoroughly with no dusty flour at the bottom or sides of the bowl.

Make balls with the palms of your hands about the size of walnuts or a generously rounded tablespoon. Roll in granulated sugar and place on an ungreased baking sheet (I used parchment paper and Silpat liners are even better). Bake at 350 degree for 8 - 10 minutes until the crackle on the tops are obvious and they are just barely beginning to set in the middle if you want them chewy. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before removing to a wire rack or plate.

Five Element Analysis

Cookies are always going to belong to the Earth Element as they are so sweet, but these cookies have a lot more Metal Element to them because of all the pungent spices. The Wood Element is represented by the wheat flour and the black pepper adds just a hint of fire. I think these cookies are best with a cup of tea, which would bring in even more Fire. There's not a lot of Water Element in this cookie so maybe they would be a good dessert after a big bowl of soup and then there would be room to eat a lot more of them....

Eggless Banana Cookies

2010-12-20T05:42:00.000-08:00

I usually bake a lot of cookies for Christmas, but this year I find myself in Germany with Meine Grosse Liebe Rudi and I'm having a little trouble locating the right ingredients for my usual assortment of cookies. I buy gift tins and fill them with at least 5 or 6 kinds of cookies. I think it is much nicer to give personalized gifts like this. I only buy presents for birthdays. Maybe the grocery stores I have been going to haven't been big enough but so far I did find something resembling molasses, but can't find corn syrup or Cream of Tartar. My best source for baking supplies was in the Netherlands when I was visiting my friend there last month. So here's what I will be making: Russian teacakes (using ground hazelnuts instead of my usual walnuts as I don't have a food processor), Molasses Ginger Cookies, Chocolate Crinkles, Almond Butter Cookies (see previous post for the recipe) and Eggless Banana Cookies - today's recipe. I got this recipe from an incomplete set of recipe cards that my mother got at a garage sale. I don't even know what happened to the card as I memorized the recipe years ago. What I like about it most is that it doesn't use eggs, which means that you can eat the dough if you are so inclined. It always made my kids happy to have one cookie dough that they could lick the beaters. It's actually a rather homely cookie - a little more cakey than most. So for Christmas, I top it with multicolored sprinkles. This is my son Alex's favorite cookie and I have to admit I love it too. It's a great one for kids to make as it is so simple and it tastes like banana cake. It's good with chocolate sprinkles too. It also freezes well so you can always pull it out and make a few fresh cookies - I used to do this after the kids got home from school. Hope you enjoy this recipe too!

Eggless Banana Cookies

1 cup softened unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Multi colored sprinkles

Cream together the butter and sugar (can be done by hand, with a hand mixer or a stand mixer or a food processor). Then add the mashed banana and vanilla extract until well blended. In a separate bowl - mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Then add to banana mixture, blending in 1/3 of flour mixture at a time.

If you can't wait to eat the cookies, turn the oven on to 375 degrees and place rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press sprinkles onto cookie dough and place in oven.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottom edges become lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing to a wire rack and cooling completely.

If you want to save them for later, wrap in plastic wrap. The dough should be about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place in freezer and slice into 1/2 inch slices when ready to bake. No need to thaw them - just put slices in the oven. They actually turn out a little prettier this way.

Five Element Analysis

I will never claim that cookies are a balanced meal although they certainly make life a lot sweeter. Because they are so sweet, they obviously belong to the Earth Element and when made from a tropical fruit like bananas become even Earthier. The wheat flour brings in some Wood and the vanilla extract adds some Metal and the sprinkles give just a touch of Fire whimsy. When served with milk, you add more Metal and with hot chocolate, tea or coffee you bring in more Fire and clearly the other elements need to show up some other time and at a regular meal.

Thai Salad Dressing

2010-11-30T03:17:00.001-08:00

I promised in the last posting that I would give you the Thai Salad Dressing recipe. It's quite simple and very refreshing. It is a much requested and favorite pot luck dish and I usually serve it on a platter so you can see all the colorful ingredients. I use lettuce or Napa cabbage (sliced thin), sliced red pepper, slice raw carrot, sliced red onion or green onion (in thin shreds), lots and lots of mint which I think is the secret ingredient, along with some cilantro and usually some leftover sliced beef or chicken. There is no oil so it's very light and it's just so delicious. With all those colors - you just know it has to be good for you!

Thai Salad Dressing

½ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup Asian Fish Sauce

¼ cup light brown sugar + 2 Tablespoons more if limes are especially sour

2 large garlic cloves minced

1 small Serrano chili, deseeded and minced finely

Optional - 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

A pinch of red chili flakes

1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped peanuts for garnish

For Salad:

3 - 4 cups of washed lettuce broken into small pieces or Napa Cabbage shredded

1 cucumber, peeled, halved with seeds scooped out and then sliced into half moons

1/2 cup mint leaves

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

thin slices of one peeled carrot

thin slices of one small red onion or 3 green onions in small shreds

1/2 red pepper - cut into strips

1 cup already cooked leftover roast beef or steak, pork or chicken sliced - can also use squid

Optional: precooked rice noodles (boiled 4 - 5 minutes, drained and rinsed in cold water) - about 1 cup

On large platter, lay down lettuce leaves and layer with cucumber and hen carrot and red pepper slices. On top of that, layer red and green onions. Put meat on top of that. Pour salad dressing all over the top and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve immediately.

Five Element Analysis

Salads are almost always part of the Fire Element and this one is no exceptions. Along with the lettuce and red pepper, there are also Serrano Chilies and red chili flake in the salad dressing, which all to the Fiery Nature of this dish. If you use Napa Cabbage, you are bringing in some of the Earth Element and this element is also included because of the cucumber, brown sugar, carrot, peanuts and beef (if you use it). The lime juice adds the Wood Element and chicken would add more. The mint and cilantro are somewhat Woody as they are leaves, but they are also considered part of the Metal Element because they are such pungent herbs. The Metal Element involves the raw garlic, red onion and green onion along with the rice noodles (if you use them. The Water Element is represented by the fish Sauce so this is the only element that needs enhancing. Using pork as the meat would help or seafood such as cooked squid. But unless you want to make this the whole meal, a soup would be a lovely accompaniment or cooking another Thai dish that embodies the Water Element would make it a balanced meal.

Pad See Ew

2010-11-25T01:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been one of those months. I haven't cooked much, mostly because I have been traveling and also because when I have cooked, I keep forgetting to take a picture. And, I think blog posts are so much more interesting with a picture. But, I did want to share some recipes I have been working on and this month I worked on Thai dishes but there aren't any pictures - sorry! I get into these modes where I want to perfect a dish or master certain dishes within a cuisine. I was inspired while in Mexico City visiting my friend Alicia and teaching our intensive program. She was missing the good Asian food in Seattle so I offered to cook. Her sons requested Thai so I obliged. Here's one of the better recipes I created. It's one of my son's favorites too and I started making it to save us from the high prices for take out when they were hungry teenage boys. It's really easy and really good.

Pad See Ew

1 package fresh rice noodles (or wide dried rice noodles – boil for 4-5 minutes and drain)

4 Tablespoons Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)

4 Tablespoons soy sauce

3 Tablespoons fish sauce

½ teaspoon white pepper

4 Tablespoons oil - divided

1 boneless chicken breast, sliced into small pieces or beef

2 cloves garlic minced

1 shallot, chopped or 1 small onion sliced

2 cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed or blanched for 4 minutes in boiling water

2 eggs lightly beaten

Put 2 Tablespoons oil in nonstick frying pan and put in noodles. Cook until dry and lightly browned. Remove to serving plate.

Mix Kecap manis, soy sauce, fish sauce and white pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat and add oil. Then add garlic and shallots (or onions). Stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add chicken breast and stir fry until no longer pink. Push chicken mixture to the side of the wok and add eggs. Scramble until set and stir in with chicken mixture. Add broccoli and sauce and noodles to the wok and stir until well combined and all the noodles are coated in the sauce. Put on serving platter and enjoy!

Five Element Analysis

Rice Noodles belong to the Metal Element and that's the basis for this dish and the garlic and onion add a little more Metal. The chicken adds the Wood Element and so does the broccoli. The soy sauce brings in the Water Element and so does the fish sauce. To balance this dish, serve an Earth Element dish that has some red chilis. I made a Thai Salad with lots of cucumber and slices of beef - both Earthy foods and a salad dressing that incorporates Serrano Chilis or Red Chili flakes - or both if you like things hot. See the next post for this recipe.