SPINACH BACON GYOZA

Adapted from Ochi

Ingredients (for 24 gyozas):

1 bunch spinach
1/2 medium onion, minced
4 oz bacon, cut small (I used turkey bacon; and it's still really tasty)
Salt
Pepper
Gyoza or dumpling wrappers
2 slices of cheese
180 ml water (to melt the cheese)
Oil (for pan frying)
Balsamic vinegar (for sauce)

Direction:
1) Boil water and add spinach for 1 minute. Drain, soak in cold water, and remove the excess water by squeezing it (using paper towel)

2) Cut the spinach into small size

3) Heat oil in the pan then add the bacon for 1 minute

4) Then add onion and cook until translucent

5) Add the spinach, salt and pepper.  Stir well and let it cool

6) Place the filling in the center of the wrapper, wet the edges of the wrapper using water, and then wrap well

7) Tear the cheese into smaller parts then add them into the water.  Put it in the microwave for 30 seconds (until they are slightly melted).  Stir well

8) Add oil to the frying pan and then place the gyoza over high heat until the bottom becomes golden brownish.  Then, turn down the heat to medium high and add the cheese mixture.  Cover and cook until the liquid is gone

9) Serve with balsamic vinegar.  YUM!!!!!

SOBAMESHI KEEMA CURRY A LA OCHI

Adapted from Ochi

Ingredients (for 6):

1/2 lbs ground pork
1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 1/2 tbs curry powder
10.5 canned diced tomato
3 packages yakisoba noodles, cut into 1/2-inch squares
2 cups cooked rice
Salt
Pepper
Cooking oil

Direction:


1) Stir fry onion until fragrant 

2) Add ground meat, curry powder, yakisoba seasoning (from the yakisoba package) and diced tomato into the pan

3) Stir fry for 2-3 minutes

4) Next, add the mixed vegetables and season with salt and pepper

5) Cook until done and set aside

6) In a separate pan, heat cooking oil and stir fry noodles and cooked rice for 3 minutes

Note: If you're like my husband, you can either have the yakisoba OR the cooked rice to go along with this keema curry.  You don't need to have both.  But I love the uniqueness of this combination

7) And there you have it!  Enjoy!

LENGKO RICE (NASI LENGKO)

Ingredients:

Fried tofu

Cucumber, skinned and sliced
Steamed rice
Shrimp crackers
Peanut sauce (I used what my mother-in-law made for me; next time I'll try to make my own peanut sauce and share with you)
Fried shallots
Bean sprouts (I didn't have this at the time; so I didn't use it)
Fried tempe (I also didn't have this at the time; so I didn't use it)

Direction:

• Place steamed rice on a plate
• Place fried tofu, cucumber, and crumbled shrimp crackers around and on top of the rice
• Pour peanut sauce over them
• Sprinkle some fried shallots and enjoy

JAPANESE BEEF CURRY

4 Servings

Ingredients:

3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
Vegetable oil

1 lbs beef stew

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cups beef broth

2 cups water

5 tbs all-purpose flour

1 tbs curry powder

Direction:

• Put potatoes in slow cooker
• Layer with carrots
• In large skillet, heat 1 tbs oil in medium heat
• Add beef and brown all sides
• Transfer beef to cooker
• Heat another 1 tbs oil and add onion and garlic for 5 minutes
• Add salt and pepper and cook for 2 -3 minutes
• Transfer to cooker
• Pour broth into skillet and boil
• Pour into cooker and add water
• Cook on low for 7 hours
• In small skillet, heat 2 tbs oil over medium high heat
• Add flour and cook until browning for about 5 minutes
• Add curry powder and stir about 1 minute more
• Remove from heat and turn cooker to high
• Scoop out 1/2 cup of liquid from cooker and add to flour mixture and stir well
• Stir in the flour mixture to the stew slowly
• Cook on high for 20 - 30 minutes until sauce is thickened
• Serve with rice

TOMATO EGG A LA EVELYN (EPE)

Ingredients:

1 medium tomato, cut small

4 eggs

1 green onion, cut small

Salt

Sugar

1/2 tsp chicken broth (powder)

2 tsp corn starch

Direction:

• Add a pinch of salt, two pinches of sugar, and corn starch to the tomato
• Beat the eggs and add a pinch of salt along with chicken broth, mix well
• Heat oil and add tomato and green onion
• Stir fry till tomato is soft
• Then add the egg
• Stir fry until the egg is almost done (scramble it if you'd like)

YAKISOBA A LA FRANCIS

Ingredients:

1 lbs Yakisoba noodles

1 tbs water

.5 lbs pork, sliced

2 cups bean sprouts

2 cups cabbage leaf, cut

2 cups carrot, cut in strips

2 green onions, cut diagonally

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs sesame oil

Salt

Pepper

Yakisoba Sauce:

3 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

1 1/2 tbs water or sake

Direction:

• Mix Yakisoba sauce in a bowl
• Stir fry noodles on a griddle or pan
• Add water and set aside when it's almost cooked through
• Stir fry garlic and pork together
• Add vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste till cooked
• Mix in the noodles and add Yakisoba sauce
• Stir well until all cooked
• You can serve with bonito flakes and seaweed flakes

SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH ANCHOVIES A LA PABLOPABLA

Ingredients:

1 lbs sugar snap peas, remove the ends

3 tbs tiny anchovies, rinse quickly

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs oil

Warm water

1 tbs oyster sauce

Direction:

• Heat oil and reduce heat to medium before adding anchovies
• Set aside anchovies after they turn golden brown
• With the remaining oil, stir fry garlic till fragrant
• Increase heat to high and add sugar snap peas
• Stir fry for 3 minutes as you add the oyster sauce
• Occasionally add warm water - 1 tbs at a time - to avoid drying up
• Serve with anchovies on top

TOFU WITH MINCED PORK A LA PABLOPABLA

Ingredients:

2 tubes Japanese tofu

1/2 lbs ground pork, marinated with 2 tsp light soy sauce and white pepper

2 carrots, cut in strips

2 hand full of dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked overnight and cut small

2 green onions, cut big (~2 inches)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs oil

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup water + 3 tsp corn flour, mix well

2 tbs oyster sauce

White pepper

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tbs chili paste/chili oil (sambel oelek or garlic chili sauce)

2 tbs cooking wine

Fried onion/garlic/shallot for topping

Direction:

• Heat oil and fry garlic till brown
• Add meat and stir fry for 30 seconds
• Add carrot and mushroom and stir for 1 minute
• Add oyster sauce, white pepper, soy sauce, and chili paste, mix well
• Add water and cover the lid till boil
• Once boiled, place tofu on top and cover with lid for 3 minutes
• Remove tofu gently and place them on plate
• Add wine to the meat sauce and mix well
• Add corn flour mixture to thicken the meat sauce
• Add green onions and mix well
• Pour meat sauce on top of tofu
• Sprinkle with fried onion/garlic/shallot over the dish

RED BEAN SOUP A LA MAMIH SANTI

Ingredients:

1 lbs beef stew, cut smaller in cubes

2 cups dried red beans, soaked in cold water overnight

1 cup baby carrots

1 cup celery stalk, cut

3 tomatoes, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 cloves shallot, minced

Salt

Pepper

10 cups water

Fried garlic/onion/shallots for toppings

Chili sauce (optional)

Direction:

• In a large pot, add water and red beans
• Boil in medium heat for 15 minutes
• Add beef and boil for another 15 minutes
• Remove bubbles from the surface
• Add garlic, shallot, carrots, and celery and boil for another 15 minutes
• Add tomatoes and boil till all vegetables are cooked and the beans are soft
• Add water if necessary (better with lots of water)
• Serve with fried garlic/onion/shallots and chili sauce

OKONOMIYAKI (JAPANESE PANCAKE/PIZZA)

Ingredients:
1 cup Okonomiyaki Flour
3/4 cup water
2 eggs
Cooking Oil
2 cups (or more) shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups meat (I use shrimp and crab meat)
2 packages of Yaki Soba (you can use wet yaki soba instead of the dry instant one)


Toppings:
Japanese Mayo
Okonomi Sauce
Seaweed Flakes
Katsuo Flakes


Direction:

• Mix flour, egg, and water till everything dissolves
• Pan fry cabbage and carrot till tender and mix with the flour mixture
• Pan fry meat till cooked and mix with the flour mixture
• Follow direction in the package to cook the Yaki Soba
• Stir fry Yaki Soba and add a bit water to avoid this from drying
• When done, add the seasoning that comes with the package
• Lay flat the yaki soba on the pan and add the mixture to cover it
• Flip when it's done on one side
• Remove from heat and cut up when it's done
• Put the seaweed flakes and katsuo flakes on top of okonomiyaki
• Add mayo and okonomi sauce to finish
  

JAMBI DUMPLING (SIOMAY JAMBI) A LA KO CHRIS

Ingredients:
1 cup mushroom, cubed
1 cup dried shrimp or shrimp, diced
1 cup ground pork
1 cup jicama (bengkuang), diced
1 cup bamboo shoot (rebung), cut in staw
1 cup carrot, diced
Corn flour
Peanut sauce
Dumpling wraps
2 tbs oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Fish sauce
Black vinegar


Direction:

• Heat oil and add garlic until yellow
• Add shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute
• Add mushroom and stir fry for another 1 minute
• Add salt to taste
• Add ground pork and stir fry for 3 minutes
• Add bamboo shoot and stir fry for 1-2 minutes
• Add carrot and stir fry for 1-2 minutes
• Add jicama and stir fry for 1-2 minutes
• Add sugar and pepper to taste
• Add fish sauce and black vinegar to taste
• Add flour to thicken the mixture
• Let it cool for 20-30 minutes before wrapping it in individual wrap
• Steam for 15 minutes until the dumpling wraps are no longer hard
• Serve with Peanut Sauce