For some people it’s birthdays. For others it’s a New Year’s resolution. Or even a trip to the doctor. Everyone gets inspiration for eating healthier from different places. For me, it’s the fact that I’m getting married in seven months and I agreed to pay someone a substantial amount of money [...]
Dijon Chicken Stew
The first time I planned to cook for my fiance, I was going to make beef stew. It’s simple, hearty, and perfect for a cold San Francisco evening. As a bonus, it requires you to open a bottle of wine, pour out about a cup to cook with, and then wait for a [...]
BBQ Pork Buns Two Ways
The steamed, BBQ pork-filled bun, cha siu bao, is like the gateway drug of dim sum. They’re easy to find, inexpensive, and even the worst of them are satisfying in their own way. If you didn’t grow up in an Asian household, there’s a good chance it was the first dim sum you [...]
Fishsticks!
As tasty as it is, deep frying fish at home can be a bit much. Especially when you’re cooking a small amount. It’s a lot of oil. A lot of hassle. A lot to clean up. And a lot of calories for a typical weeknight meal.
You can approximate most of the flavor and crunchy texture [...]
Preparing for a Perfectly Edible Chinese New Year
I guess when it comes to food, the holiday season isn’t quite over. In just a few weeks, it will be time to celebrate Chinese New Year. If you’ve never made a dumpling before, this is the perfect opportunity to try. It’s really not that hard, and it’s actually a fun [...]
Broiled Shrimp with Soy-Mirin Glaze
Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking wine. Blending the sweetness of mirin with salty soy sauce gets you part of the way to tare, a grilling sauce used in teriyaki.
In other words, mirin + soy = cheater’s teriyaki sauce. Or at least, pretty close to the teriyaki you’ll find in your grocery store. [...]
Turkey Tofu
Turkey and tofu. I know what you’re thinking: two boring flavors, together at last. This spicy Szechuan dish will change your mind. It’s very similar to mapo tofu, but without the black beans. It’s easy to make, and after you try it once, you’ll be craving it again.
It’s fair to say that I do most [...]
Turkish Eggs: An Easy Weeknight Dinner
It’s the holidays. One. Big. Meal. After. Another. If you’re not cooking a feast that was days in the making, you’re eating one prepared by friends or family. As much fun as it can be, sometimes you need a break. Although I first had this dish for brunch at Public in New [...]
Banana Bread, redux
The other day, when I was making the maple cream pie, I saw them. Three forgotten bananas sitting in the fruit basket threatening to go rogue on me. It was just a matter of time. The oven was already on and I had already managed to make a mess of the kitchen [...]
Sugar Free Pie! (technically speaking)
As a kid, I doused my pancakes and waffles in what can only be described as maple-ish syrup. You know, Mrs. Butterworth, Log Cabin Lite, etc. No shame in that. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as “real” maple syrup until I landed in New Hampshire for college. When we’d go out [...]