Seasaltwithfood

I made another batched of Sichuan version’s Pot-Sticker Dumplings With Chicken Stock recently. This time around, I also attempted to make the dumplings’ wrappers too. It worked out well as it was actually pretty easy to make wrappers. I must admit the dumplings do taste so much better. Try it yourself and let me know if you agree with me. Recipe adapted from Sichuan Cookery by Fuchsia Dunlop Pot-Sticker Dumplings With Chicken Stock-ji zhi guo tie (Printable Recipe) Ingredients Peanut Oil or Lard For the Pastry/Wrapper 250 g Plain Flour ¼ tsp Sea Salt 150 ml Water For the Stuffing A 20 g piece of fresh Ginger, unpeeled 1 Scallion, white part only 150 g Minced Pork 60 to 70 ml Cold Chicken Stock 1 ½ tsp Shaoxing Wine ¾ tsp Sea Salt ½ tsp White Sugar 6 to 8 twists of Black Pepper Mill 1 ½ tsp Sesame Oil Dipping Sauce 4 Tbsp Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp Chinese Black Vinegar 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil 1 Stalk Scallion, chopped Method Crush the ginger and scallion with the flat side of a cleaver blade or a hea

These Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti are so addictive. They are great for dunking in the coffee or just simply delicious on its own. My son commented the biscotti smells and taste like brownies, just crunchier. So he named it, The Crunchy Chocolate-Cherry Brownie instead! This is another great recipe adapted from Baking From My Home To Yours book by Dorie Greenspan . Recipe adapted from Baking From My Home To Yours book by Dorie Greenspan Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 2 Tbsp Instant Espresso Powder ¾ tsp Baking Soda ½ tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Sea Salt ¾ Stick (6 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature 1 Cup Sugar 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract 1/3 Chopped Dried Cherries 1 Cup Chopped Almonds, blanched or unblanched 4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped, or ¾ Cup store-bought mini chocolate chips Sugar, for dusting Method Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F

I would like to introduce you to another popular snack from Malaysia, Stuffed Tofu Puffs with Sweet and Spicy Sauce. They are usually sold in larger sized tofu puffs which are not available here in Vancouver. So, I am using the smaller ones which works just as well and they are easier to eat. As for the sauce, if you are a vegan then just omit the shrimp paste. The sauce will taste just as good. It will thicken once it cools down and if you find it’s too thick, then just add a few spoonful of hot water to dilute the sauce. Warm the sauce in the microwave, if needed. If you like tofu puffs, I would recommend that you try this easy and tasty snack! Stuffed Tofu Puffs With Sweet And Spicy Sauce (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 2 Packets Tofu Puffs (90g x 2 or about 18 to 20 pcs) 250 g Beans Sprouts, blanched 1 Cucumber, peeled and shredded 1 Cup Roasted Peanuts, coarsely chopped Sweet And Spicy Sauce 250 g Gula Melaka (Dark Palm Sugar) 250 ml Water 2 Red Chilies, seeded and finely chopped 5

This is Pork Ribs In Ancho Chiles Adobo. Well actually, it’s a Mulato Chiles recipe; but, I had to substitute it with Ancho Chiles as I was unable to buy any Mulato Chiles in Vancouver. Anyway, I think most of you will know that Mulato and Ancho Chiles are just different types of dried Pablanos peppers. The latter is just a bit sweeter. The ribs turned out superb with the sweet, smoky, and earthy flavor adobo. There will be excess adobo after you baste the ribs. So, you can consider the suggestions given by the cookbook i.e. use the adobo for slathering over meats or as a salsa. I also find the adobo tasted great with some tortilla chips too. Recipe adapted from Antojitos By Barbara Sibley & Margaritte Malfy With Mary Goodbody Pork Ribs In Ancho Chiles Adobo-Costillitas Al Adobo De Chile Ancho (Printable Recipe) Ingredients Adobo 12 Mulato Chiles (or Ancho Chiles), seeded and membranes removed 1 Poblano Chile, seeded and membranes removed ½ Onion, chopped 2 Plum Tomatoes ¼ Cup Cor

I like this Chocolate Almond Cake, a great recipe that I adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets cookbook . Just perfect as an afternoon snack or as a decadent dessert with a thin layer of chocolate glaze. It’s not too sweet, light, chocked full of almond flavor with a hint of orange flavored liqueur. Try it. Recipe adapted from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan Chocolate Almond Cake (Printable Recipe) Ingredients ¼ Cup (40 g) Potato Starch ¼ Cup (25 g) Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder 4 Large Eggs, at room temperature 1 Cup (3 ½ oz; 100 g) Finely Ground Blanched Almonds 1 Cup (100 g) Confectioners’ Sugar, sifted 2 tsp Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract 1 Tbsp (15 g) Sugar 1 Stick (4 oz; 115 g) Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled Method Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Butter an 8 x 2-inch (20 x 5-cm) round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper, and butter the paper; dust the entire pan with flour and tap o

Today, I’d like to share with you my recipe for Tuna Salad Sandwiches. Well, I usually try to avoid using canned meat or fish to prepare meals for my family. However, I made some exceptions for good quality canned tuna and sardines when it comes to sandwich fillings. I would ensure lots of diced fresh veggies are added to the flaked filling mixture to make it as healthy as possible. This version of my tuna salad sandwich recipe was concocted many years ago, back when I was a student living in NYC. Gosh, it’s been that long!! :-) Ever since, it’s been pretty popular with family and friends who have tasted it. So, I thought I would share it with you, if you like tuna salad sandwiches. Have a go at my easy recipe and tell me what you think! Enjoy. Tuna Salad Sandwiches (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 1 Loaf of Slice Sandwich Bread Green Leaf Lettuce, washed and dried Tuna Salad 2 Can (142g/5 oz each) Solid White Tuna In Water, drained and flaked ½ of Small Red Onion, finely

I think one of the most common ingredient used to steam mussels or any fresh shellfish in the Indochina region is probably lemongrass. So, here I have an easy recipe for Steamed Mussels With Lemongrass, served with a Chili Lime Dipping Sauce. This recipe was adapted from the Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table cookbook. Try it. Recipe adapted from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham Steamed Mussels With Lemongrass -so hap xa (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 2 Cups Chicken Stock or Water ¼ tsp Sea Salt 3 Lemongrass Stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces and lightly bruised with the flat side of a knife 2 Shallots, sliced 1 Red Serrano Chili or other fresh chili, seeded and cut into matchstick strips 2 lbs Black Mussels, scrubbed cleaned and debearded ½ Cup Chili-Lime Dipping Sauce Method Place the stock, salt, lemongrass and shallots in a medium pot and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chili and mussels. Cover and cook unt

This Salmon Ceviche With Mango Salsa is a great starter for any Mexican meal. It’s sweet, tangy, and a little spicy. The recipe called for fresh wild salmon. I had to substitute it with the best quality fresh farm raised salmon as I was unable to find any at my local grocers. It tasted great; but, I am sure using wild salmon will taste even better. Do serve the ceviche with some tortilla chips. Recipe adapted from Antojitos By Barbara Sibley & Margarite Malfy With Mary Goodbody Salmon Ceviche With Fresh Mango Salsa- Ceviche De Salmon Con Pico De Mango (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 1 lb Wild Salmon Fillets, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice (about 8 limes) 3 Tomatillos, husks removed and diced 1 Plum Tomato, diced ½ Cup Diced Vidalia Onion or Scallions (white part only) 1 Cup Coarsely Chopped, Peeled Mango, Papaya, or Peach or Nectarine (unpeeled) 1 Tbsp Ancho Chile Powder 1 Tbsp Honey 1 ½ tsp Sea Salt 2 Jalapeno Chilies 6 Fresh Cilantro Leaves Tort

I would like to express my appreciation to all my readers for participating in this giveaway! So, without further ado (drums roll, please!!), the lucky winner of seasaltwithfood’s CSN STORES’ ONLINE SHOPPING $60 CREDIT goes to entry No.23 (Barefoot AngieB). A big congratulations to you! Here is the screenshot of the draw from Random.org Once again, thanks everyone for participating in this giveaway!

Whenever tomatoes are in season, I will always try to make a few batches of fresh tomato sauce to go with some freshly cooked pasta. Simple, healthy, and yet delicious. I just love fresh homemade tomato pasta sauce, who doesn’t right? My favorite recipe is definitely from Wolfgang Puck’s cookbook. The fresh sauce is luscious and buttery, just perfect with any pasta of your choice. An easy weekend brunch treat perhaps? Enjoyed with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay? Happiness I think.. :-) Recipe adapted from Live, Love, Eat: The Best of Wolfgang Puck Angel Hair Pasta With Tomato Sauce (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 5 Cups My Favorite Tomato Sauce 1 lb Dried Angel Hair Pasta ½ Cup Julienne of Fresh Basil ½ Cup Fresh Basil, finely sliced Fresh Flat Leaves Parsley My Favorite Tomato Sauce ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 Small Onions, peeled, trimmed, and minced 6 Cloves Garlic, minced 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste 4 lbs Roma Tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced 2 Cups Chicken Stock 12 to 16 Fr

I had adapted this easy Wontons In Chili Oil Sauce recipe from Fuchsia Dunlop’s Sichuan Cookery book . You can choose to serve the wontons with the chili oil sauce, or add some chopped garlic into the sauce, or my favorite, with some chopped scallions. In my opinion, the wontons tastes good with any of the above combination. Recipe adapted from Sichuan Cookery by Fuchsia Dunlop Wontons In Chili Oil Sauce- Hong You Chao Shou (Printable Recipe) Ingredients Wonton About 80 Wonton Wrappers (store-bought) Filling 60 g Fresh Ginger, unpeeled 450 g Finely Minced Pork 1 Egg, lightly beaten 2 tsp Shaoxing Wine 2 tsp Sesame Oil ¾-1 tsp Sea Salt 6-8 Turns of a Black Pepper Mill 100 ml Cold Chicken Stock Chili Oil Sauce 2 Tbsp Chili Oil (With or without the chili sediment) 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce 1 ½ Tbsp Sugar 2 Tbsp Chicken Stock 2 Cloves Garlic, chopped (optional) 2 Scallions, chopped (optional) Method Crush the ginger with the flat side of a cleaver or a heavy object and leave it to soak for a

Nasi Lemak is probably the most popular dish in Malaysia. Traditionally, it’s served as a quick hearty breakfast meal; but, these days it’s available everywhere, round the clock at many restaurants and hawker centers! Nasi Lemak or Coconut infused rice is usually served with a spicy sambal, sliced cucumber, deep-fried anchovies, fried peanuts, and eggs, either hard-boiled or fried. A popular side dish is Sambal Sotong Kering or Dried Cuttlefish Sambal. There are many versions of Nasi Lemak available in multi racial Malaysia. So, this is my version of Nasi Lemak, served with a Dried Anchovies Sambal recipe and a Dried Cuttlefish Sambal recipe, which I will post next. Nasi Lemak With Dried Anchovies Sambal (Sambal Ikan Bilis) (Printable Recipe) Ingredients Coconut Rice Dried Anchovies Sambal – Sambal Ikan Bilis Cucumber, sliced Deep-Fried Anchovies Fried Peanuts Hard-boiled Eggs, halved Dried Cuttlefish Sambal With Peanuts Coconut Rice 400 g (2 Cups) Long Grain Rice, washed and drained 3

Last Saturday, I was invited to attend the 8 Great Traditions of Chinese Cuisines (8GTCC) dinner which was organized by Chowtimes. Hunan Cuisine was the first cuisine of the 8GTCC, and it was held at Alvin Garden in Burnaby. It was a fantastic dinner and we all enjoyed it very much. So today, I am posting a recipe for Potato Slivers With Vinegar. This is one of the appetizers served at the restaurant and I would like to share it with you. The potatoes are light, crisp, a little tangy, and with a hint of spiciness from the red chilies. I will attempt to make a couple more of the dishes served that night and will share with you in the near future. Anyway, if you are in Vancouver, perhaps you might want to explore and learn about some of the traditional Chinese cuisines outside China. Check out Chowtimes for more details. I hear they are going to organized a second cuisine dinner very soon. Recipe adapted from Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook by Fuchsia Dunlop Potato Slivers With Vinegar-

Thai style Steamed Fish With Garlic, Lime, and Chilies is one of my favorite ways to steam fresh fish. This is a “must order” dish for me when I dine at any of my favorite Thai food restaurants that has it in their menu. The fish is usually served whole; but, here I have opted to use Barramundi fillets instead. This is a quick dish to prepare, it will take less than 20 minutes from prep, cook, to serve! Just make sure you have some steamed rice to go with it. Enjoy. Steamed Fish With Garlic, Lime, and Chilies (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 2 Barramundi Fillets (230-250 g) 3 Cloves Garlic, chopped 3 Tbsp Freshly Squeeze Lime Juice 5 to 8 Thai Bird’s Eye Chilies, chopped ¼ Cup Chicken Stock or Water 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce 1 tsp Sugar Scallions, for garnish Coriander, for garnish Lime Slices, for garnish Method In a small bowl, mix the garlic, lime juice, chilies, stock or water, fish sauce, and sugar. Arrange the fish in an oven or stovetop proof plate and pour the garlic mixture over the fis

Today, I am posting an easy and yet elegant dessert recipe called Strawberry Millefeuille. It’s a traditional dessert made by layering puff pastry with fresh whipped cream and you can fill it with your favorite fruits. Making the fresh whipped cream for this dessert is so much easier if you use a portable hand mixer. Well, if you do not have one in your kitchen, the kind folks at CSN Stores have generously agreed to giveaway a $60 online store credit which you can use to purchase one from them. They have a wide selection of products on their websites, it ranges from kitchen tools, baby toys, gadgets, office desks, to even barstools ! *****CLOSED***** ONLY ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL BE SELECTED TO WIN THE $60 CSN STORES’ ONLINE SHOPPING CREDIT. The lucky winner will be chosen at random via Random.org generator and an announcement will be made on April 20th 2010. Each reader is allowed to post up to a maximum of 3 entries for this giveaway. It is very simple, just participate by responding t

I like to indulge my family occasionally with a fancy weekend brunch at home. So, a couple of weeks back, I made these delicious Maine Lobster Rolls. I picked out 4 large lobsters to obtain about 4 cups of lobster meat, following the recipe. The mixture of fresh herbs with the lobster meat, especially tarragon, really brought out the flavor of the lobster. The rolls are garnished with celery and pickled red onions. Hah, my mouth is starting to water now whilst I am describing the taste of these lobster rolls. :-) I am thinking of making it again now. Anyway, the buns for the lobster rolls needs to be buttered and brown in a frying pan first. (The pictures shown without butter and browning.) Recipe adapted from Thomas Keller’s “ad hoc at home” cookbook. Maine Lobster Rolls (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 1-½ lbs (about 4 cups) Cooked Lobster 3 to 4 Tbsp Mayonnaise 2 Tbsp Minced Red Onion 2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Peeled Celery 2 tsp Finely Chopped Tarragon 2 tsp Finely Chopped Flat-Leaf Pars

Try making this simple recipe that I had adapted from Thomas Keller’s “ad hoc at home” cookbook, Scallion Potato Cakes. The potato cakes are crispy on the outside after being pan fried; but, remains light and tasty on the inside. If you like scallions, do slice one or two more stalks and mix into the potato mixture. This will give the potato cakes a little more pungent fragrance and also makes them taste real good too. I made this as one of my side dish for lunch earlier this week. Fantastic! Recipe adapted from Thomas Keller’s “ad hoc at home” cookbook. Scallion Potato Cakes (Printable Recipe) Ingredients 5 Scallions 3 lbs Large Russet Potatoes ½ Cup Cornstarch Canola Oil Sea Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper Method Preheat the oven to 200˚F. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Cut away the ends of the scallions on a severe diagonal and discard, and then cut the dark greens into very thin slices. (Reserve the remaining scallions for another use.) Set aside. Set up a food processor