Dukk Bokkee and Durian Shake

Sorry, J, today I made food only I like.


Once in awhile, I force J to eat dukk bokee, or spicy Korean rice cakes. It's one of my favorite dishes, and one that I'm almost always willing to eat. Sadly, J does not share my enthusiasm for chewy dense rice noodles drowning in spicy red sauce, so I try to remember to put a lot of other stuff in it. Today's version included plenty of pork belly, zucchini, bamboo, fish cakes, spinach, enoki mushrooms, green onions, and yellow onions. He didn't complain (too much) and I got to wallow in my dukk love.

I did also make something we both love: a durian milkshake! If you've never had this incredibly stinky tropical fruit, a milkshake is the best way to try it out because the iciness dulls the smell of the durian. If you'd like to try it, find frozen durian pieces in the freezer section of an Asian market; it'll cost you $4-5 for a pack of six small sections instead of $30-50 for a fresh whole fruit! For one mug:

• 1 section frozen durian, seed removed and cut into three chunks
• 4-5 ice cubes
• 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream if you have it
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp simple syrup if you like things sweet

Blend everything in a blender and serve!

Bridal Shower Weekend

It's only two more weeks until another high school friend of mine ties the knot, so a group of girls got together this weekend to help her celebrate the San Francisco way! Here's a summary of our food adventures. Apologies, I was too busy having fun to photograph everything, but this is a great plan to follow if you want to have 2-3 days of fun in SF

FRIDAY
-Blissful Bites
-Academy of Sciences
-Blue Danube Cafe
-Cha Cha Cha's
-Humphrey Slocombe

SATURDAY
-Tartine
-2223 Market
-Miette
-Paulette
-Tal-Y-Tara
-home cooked jajang myun

SUNDAY
-Hong Kong Lounge dim sum

And now, here come the photos!

I was tasked with getting to the Academy of Sciences and snagging planetarium tickets while another friend picked the bride-to-be from the airport, so I stopped by Blissful Bites and bought a welcome present. I bought the six cutest cupcakes, which were pretty well received by a bunch of cupcake connoisseurs. I only had a bite of the Oreo one, but I really liked it. I was saving room for dinner, though, which was a night of tapas and sangria at Cha Cha Cha's in the Mission followed by ice cream at Humphrey Slocombe!

The next morning, we got up bright and early for not one, but two breakfasts. First, some of us stopped by Tartine because we realized there were too many in our group who'd never eaten there. One chard quiche, ham and cheese croissant, apple bread pudding, and a round of coffees and lattes later and the problem was remedied. The ladies were nice enough to accompany me on a remodel-related errand to Ceramic Tile Design. They had fun though, because the showroom really is more like an art gallery than a tile store.

After that, we met up with the East Bay resident in our group and headed to brunch at 2223 . This was the dark horse candidate in this week's eating adventures. None of us had ever been, but it turned out to be really delicious! I'll definitely be bringing people back in the future. The guest of honor had a fruit and yogurt parfait to keep up her vitamin intake for the weekend.

I shared a fried chicken salad, because I'd already had my fruit in the form of baked apples...

And everyone sort of dug into this delicious corned beef hash with perfectly poached eggs. This is one of the best renditions I've had; the only superior one that immediately comes to mind is the one at Canteen. And at about $10, 2223's entrees are really nicely priced for a San Francisco lunch. After eating all this food before the clock had struck noon, we took a nice walk to Hayes Valley for some window shopping, and a few souvenir purchases at Miette and Paulette.

I can't say we were hungry by mid-afternoon, but we were beat so we headedto Tal-Y-Tara Tea & Polo Shoppe in the Outer Richmond. That's right, San Francisco has its own polo shoppe where you can buy everything to ride like a fine English gentleman/woman, plus a lot of very nice tea to boot. The photo above is motorloaf; a carved out loaf of dark nutty bread. The center is used to make tasty sandwiches, which are then stuffed back into the crust for easy transport (get it? It's food for a motor trip!) The crust is then used for jam and clotted cream. Yum! We also had Harlowe & Sons China Rose tea, and a very interesting herbal blend called Forest tea. It was reminiscent of ginseng tea, but a little more palatable.

After Tal-Y-Tara, we just took it easy. We went for foot massages at a Chinese spa, occupying a private room and getting our cares pampered away for an hour and a half. Then we did some shopping and headed home, where N made everyone some of the tastiest jajang myun I've had in a long time. We spent the evening munching through the various treats we'd gathered and playing Bananagrams, the best new game of 2010 as far as I'm concerned. Then we all went home to bed and met up for a farewell dim sum at Hong Kong Lounge. Not a typical bridal shower weekend, but I think it was a lot more fun! I got to show off my city, eat more than I have in ages, and hang out with lovely people. I can't wait for the wedding in two weeks. Beautiful San Diego, here I come!

Liguria Bakery

I checked another San Francisco institution off the list today: Liguria Bakery. They're famous for foccacia, but they're even more famous for closing shop every day as soon as they sell out. It's infuriating, but it also made me curious. So today, I bought a pizza foccacia.

I hate to say I won't be back. Unlike SF Bagelry, which also only sells one batch of bread a day but makes pretty decent bagels for this coast, Liguria was just okay. It was nice, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it and was glad I didn't make a special trip or anything. And yes, those are boxes of books in the background; let the packing begin!

Dinner, Pre-Plating

Last night's post got me in a "behind the scenes" mood. So today I whipped out the camera while I was cooking, instead of right before we ate.

Here's the soup of the evening. I simmered pork neck and leg bones, then added daikon, watercress, mushrooms, and a root vegetable that I actually have not officially identified. Maybe I'll post a picture tomorrow and see if anyone knows what it is.

We also had stir fried broccoli. Heat a little garlic and oil, throw in clean dry broccoli, toss until the broccoli browns a little around the edges, throw in a few tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt, and cover for two minutes to let the broccoli steam cook. Remove the lid, toss a few times to release excess liquid, and serve. Easy stir fried vegetables infused lightly with salt and garlic.

And finally, our filler: rice with sausage and green onions. I sliced Chinese sausages into thin pieces and charred them in a wok with some green onions, then added them to rice in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Note to other home cooks: I used the oil that the sausage gave off to cook the broccoli. Remember, Chinese moms say a real cook never needs to wash a wok until the end of a meal! Cook your dishes in the order that allows the dishes to build on each other, and save anything that might stick to the wok for last.

Negihama Handrolls

Full tutorial today, everyone! Why? Because I finally had a chance to make something simple and new that I think anyone can make. J and I found a great price on sashimi grade yellowtail this weekend, so we made a lot of handrolls today after enjoying yellowtail sashimi with our cherrystone clams last night.

Not too bad, right? I know the handrolls aren't perfectly formed, but I promise they are delicious. For two people you'll need:

• 1 package nori (seaweed), 10 sheets per pack
• 1 pound sashimi grade yellowtail (tuna also works well
• 1-2 green onions, depending on size
• 1 tsp soy sauce, plus more for dipping
• 1/2 tsp wasabi, plus more for dipping
• 1-2 avocados
• 2 cups cooked sushi rice, cooled to room temperature or very slightly warmer

Beautiful piece of fish, isn't it? This is about 1.75 pounds, so don't worry if you can't find a piece this big!

Chop the fish and green onions, then combine in a large bowl with a teaspoon of soy sauce and half a teaspoon of wasabi. Mix well, and add a pinch of salt or two if needed. The mixture should be slightly salty to your taste.

Slice your avocado thinly. Here's a trick for making perfect slices: using a small knife, make very thin slices in half an avocado, all the way until your knife touches the skin. Then, use a large metal spoon to scoop out the perfectly formed slices. You'll be surprised how well this works, even on an extremely ripe avocado.

Using half a slice of nori at a time, layer your fillings in your hand roll. Feel free to add an extra dab of wasabi, horseradish sprouts, fish eggs, pickled gobo roots, or whatever else you like.

Roll everything up, and eat it before the nori gets soggy!

Cherrystone Clams

3:00 o'clock snack was extra tasty today. We got home from the market and couldn't wait, so half the clams got taken off the dinner menu and put on the snack menu.

Instead of steaming them in water or wine, J steamed them on a rack today so they would retain every last bit of flavor.
And, proving once and for all why he is Spouse in Charge of Aquatic Affairs, J came up with a great combination for a really fragrant dipping sauce: ponzo, chopped green onions, and a little zest from both a pomelo and a blood orange.

Lotus Root Soup

I found myself trudging through Chinatown in the rain today (thank goodness for waterproof boots), so I bought a fish and some lotus root to round out our dinner.

Not a bad spread, even when raw, right? I wish we'd get some sunshine around here so my photos could stop looking so dreary.

Lotus root and pork soup is one of the easiest, tastiest combinations around. Simply simmer pork back bones for about two hours in enough water to submerge all the bones. Add a few big slices of ginger, and be sure to skim regularly. After the bone soup starts looking a little opaque, add thickly sliced lotus roots and a little salt. Simmer until the lotus root is cooked through, about half an hour to forty minutes. Salt to taste, remove any ginger pieces, and serve.

Sliced asparagus, no explanation needed.

And a giant bowl of colorful fruit for dessert. I bought a ton of fruit at Trader Joe's, but we've been doing a really good job of eating our way through it! This automatically adds three or four colors to any meal, depending how you're counting!

Lemon Chicken and Vegetables

Easy, healthy, not too pretty dinner tonight.

Grilled chicken breast with a little lemon pepper sauce, mache, garlicky broccoli and carrots, and some rice. It's surprising how full you can get off half a chicken breast when you have this many sides.

Close up. I didn't always like chicken breast, but it's grown on me over the years. I finally applied the rule that works for tough cuts of beef: cook lightly (but thoroughly, for chicken) and slice thinly against the grain. Works wonders!

Spinach Salad and Egg Tortillas

Keeping up with eating fruits and vegetables in the dead of winter is tough, but I'm doing my best!

Spinach salad with apple and walnuts. Sometimes, lettuce gets boring. I topped this with a simple garlicky vinaigrette.

Then I heated up some eggs wrapped in a tortilla. Simple, but tasty, and overall not a bad lunch!

Rainy Day Diversions

Two storms down, three to go, according to the weather reports. Tomorrow is supposed to be the worst storm of the week, so I prepared for the worst and loaded up on groceries today.

Over the weekend, J and I shared a green tea latte at Cafe Bean across the street since it was too rainy to stray far. Cafe Bean has decent food, but the green tea latte is quite delicious. If I had an espresso machine, I would make this all the time.

Today, I finished another hat! It's fuzzy and blue, and just in time for the windy wet weather.

And finally, tonight's dinner. Not much cooking involved, but oh so tasty! Every California-raised kid likes chicken taquitos once in awhile. I balanced it with fresh salsa and guacamole and a nice big pile of baby carrots.

And for dessert, a big bowl of berries and blood oranges. That makes six colors today, just counting dinner.

La Mar, Ghirardelli, and a Rainy Weekend

A trip to SF by some friends in LA gave us an excuse to head to La Mar this weekend. Actually, we spent Saturday restaurant hopping and strolling the city. Here's part of our day, captured in photos.

Pisco sour, of course! Can't go to La Mar and not have one of these lime-licious treats.

Ceviche classico, the most traditional type of ceviche with halibut, hominy, yams, red onions, and a dangerous slice of habanero perched on top.

Ceviche nikkei (Japanese style ceviche) with avocado slices, sesame sees, nori, and a soy sauce base.

After sharing that very small pre-lunch snack, the four of us strolled Fisherman's Wharf and had chowder bowls for lunch--I know, I know, chowder bowls! But you have to give the tourists what they want. Personally, I find these dingies a lot more interesting than chowder bowls. They are so cute, and painted so whimsically.

After lunch, we took another stroll over to another tourist destination for a Ghirardelli sundae.

It's crazy to think that was just two days ago, because today we're cooped up inside safe and sound from one of the worst storms to hit the Bay Area in years. I stave off boredom I've started another knitting project--you'll have to see what it ends up being later!

Sushi Rika

J stopped at the new apartment tonight after work to check on what's becoming some rapidly visible progress. There are some things that are tedious but not really visibly apparent to us lay people--patching and smoothing a wall, or re-wiring electrical circuts, for example. However, there are some things that really change a room. Today, that change was the hardwood. All our damaged boards have been replaced, other boards have been re-laid so they point the same way, and the kitchen finally has beautiful new hardwood instead of dilapidated linoleum!

After checking out the apartment by flashlight (no lights for now!) we decided to go to Sushi Rika and not order our usual two items: a lion king roll: lightly torched sashimi salmon on a California roll; and Al Bap: Korean style chopped sashimi with chili paste on a bed of lettuce.

Today, we started with a sashimi sampler.

J chose a double salmon roll.
I had udon with tempura on the side.

I was hoping for a nice bowl of hot soup, but for some reason this was only lukewarm. Overall it was a decent meal; exactly what we've come to expect from Sushi Rika. But next time I think I'll revert to our favorites!

Steak and Sprouts

Yum! Tonight I managed to put together a real meal, with courses and sauces and complementary flavors! I'm kind of amazed by myself, actually.

Sliced steak in blue cheese sauce. I seared a flap steak in the broiler, then used the pan drippings, vodka, and some blue cheese to create a creamy sauce to pour over the beef. Really simple and delicious, and I think it could work with any number of pungent cheeses.

This is actually two dishes that I put on one plate. I browned some bacon over medium heat, taking care not to burn any pieces. I poured off almost all of the drippings, then added the potatoes and browned them on all sides. Then I added the brussel sprouts and a little bit of salt, tossed everything well, added a few spoonfuls of water, and covered the pan to let the brussel sprouts and potatoes cook through. Then I tossed everything until just barely browned around the edges, put it in a pan, and used what was stuck on the pan to pan-fry a little broccolini.

The whole meal took under 30 minutes from start to finish, and paired with a big bowl of apples and blood oranges filled our color quota for the day!

Remodel Update

We reached a real milestone this week! We have finally passed all our rough inspections, and all our cabinets, appliances, and fixtures have been delivered. So next week will be a turning point of sorts: no more tearing things apart, a lot more putting things back together!

One shiny object I haven't yet posted about is our GE Monogram 18" dishwasher. It's a sleek little machine, but plenty big for the dirty dishes of just two people.

I really like the clean front of the dishwasher: all the controls and displays are invisible when the unit is closed.

See? It holds a lot of dishes despite its tiny size. I'm really looking forward to less time spent standing at the sink!

*photos courtesy of GE

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts on a stick! I remember the firs time I saw these, I was completely weirded out. Growing up in an Asian family, I never even ate brussel sprouts much less saw them on their stalks!

Now, it's easy to fine brussel sprouts in any market, and in season they can be found on their stalks in farmers markets and slightly more specialized markets like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. They last a little longer on the stalk, and it's fun to carry them home on a stick! But beware, one stalk is a lot more sprouts than you'd think.

Eating a Rainbow

There's really nothing like a home cooked meal. We're keeping things simple until after we move. Luckily, assembly a tasty oden is practically a no brainer. And yes, if I include the apples and blood oranges I ate today, I'm way over my five color quota for the day!

Today's oden isn't as fancy as what I usually make, but it sure beats eating out again!