Dreams of Dashi

  Since my last post it feels like the world has completely changed. I didn't mean to take this long for my next post but I decided to pause everything and focus my attention on helping others this past month. I dusted off my sewing machine to make 150 masks for friends, neighbors, and especially front line workers. Focusing on this one task helped me cope with this new world. Despite all the challenges recently, one heartwarming consequence has been all the baking and home cooking. I love seeing everyone's creations from sourdough bread to dalgona coffee (I haven't tried this yet, is it worthwhile?) to family meals. For those of us with extra time, it's great to be leaning into the kitchen. For others, getting food on the table right now can be a challenge. Going to the store is a lot more difficult and even if we do make it there, we can't be sure what will be on the shelves. So being creative with pantry items has become essential. I have always kept a healthy su...

  Hi everyone! It's so good to be back. I know it's been years since my last post so I wanted to do a quick recap on what's been happening in my life. I'm now a mother to two wonderful humans, H (3 yo) and A (6 mo) and enjoying everyday with our family of four. After having H, I wrote a couple of posts thinking I could keep up but being a stay at home mother proved to be a lot more challenging than I ever anticipated. I even wrote a bunch of recipes, took photos and had plans to start delving into the baby food blog world but somehow almost 3 years have passed without a single post. I've contemplated coming back to this blog so many times but the one thing that has always stopped me was predictable time. With a toddler and a baby in the house, I never know what the day will be like. And if you have a food blog of your own, you may already know this, but photography is one of the most time consuming aspects of a food blog. I write recipes constantly to feed my fa...

  Mochi cake aka mochiko cake (餅粉ケーキ) is an amazingly simple cake that has the deliciously chewy texture of mochi. Typically in Hawaii, it's made using butter and coconut milk but I prefer the more simple version using canola oil and regular whole milk because I love spreading some jam on mine. I always keep mochiko (glutinous rice flour) in my pantry so it's an easy cake to make when I need a last minute dessert or snack to share with friends. The only item you'll need that's not a regular cake ingredient is the glutinous rice flour (explained  here  in another mochi based dessert post). They're available in most Asian supermarkets and they're usually $1 a bag. I like to keep these stashed away in my pantry because they're so useful for Japanese desserts. Also it's perfect for when you need to bake something gluten free (despite the name there's zero gluten). First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Then mix 2 eggs, 50g of sugar and 250ml (1 cup) of milk w...

  Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐) is traditionally a Szechuan dish characterized by the tongue-numbing ma la flavors from the red chili oil and Szechuan peppercorns. Although Szechuan food is one of my favorite cuisines and I always jump at the opportunity to eat it, my husband is not a huge fan. Luckily, Japan has it's own variation of this dish that's milder in heat but just as flavorful. First, prep the aromatics. Mince the ginger and garlic. Slice 2 of the scallions and mince the other. Then, mix the sauce ingredients. Pre-boil tofu cubes, drain, and dry on a paper towel lined tray. By pre-boiling, you remove some of the moisture from the tofu so that it doesn't water down the dish. Pre-boiling can also soften the tofu if you're using something a little bit firmer. Now heat up a wok over medium high heat and coat with oil. Add the aromatics and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Next, crank the heat up to high and add the ground beef. Break apa...

  Chicken wings are one of my favorite lunch proteins because they're cheap and super quick to cook. Paired with some sautéed vegetables and a bowl of rice, you have yourself a balanced meal (vegetables pictured above are pea shoots, my fave). Marinating and broiling them results in maximum flavor with minimum effort. This recipe is more of a guideline because you can really change up the marinade depending on your preference and your mood. Some of my must have's are grated garlic (gives it the bite and flavor oomph) and tobanjan chili bean paste (for the regulars, I'm sure you're used to me throwing it in the mix I love this stuff). If you want something on the sweeter side, you can switch up the soy sauce with oyster sauce or add some brown sugar. If you like some tartness, try adding a little rice wine vinegar. All you need is some chicken wings and the marinade mixture. Here, I used a clove of grated garlic (microplane for the win), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sake, 1 ...

  For some reason, I have only craved food that I'm not really supposed to eat throughout my pregnancy. I crave raw oysters and paté (I mean it's holiday season how can I not??) which are on the "do not eat" list and carbs and lots of sugar which are on the "should limit" list.  So I really needed to come up with meals that were nutritious, filling, and super satisfying. And then I remembered this dish my dear friend served one night: the warm quinoa salad. It has all my favorite foods and is packed with protein and healthy fats making it the perfect meal for an expecting mom. And for all those indulging in holiday eats, this is a nice way to balance it out without feeling like you're giving up a good meal. The dish is so simple to make that I don't really have step-by-step instructions. The one thing I recommend is getting frozen shucked edamame so you don't have to spend time popping the pods. It's a huge time saver. Trust me. Boil those ba...