Cooking with O REN JI Magazine - Gyoza in Baton Form...

It's fun to cook out of Japanese Magazine called Orange - "O REN JI"

There are varieties of recipes of pastries and main dishes that normally would had been just purchased from the stores (back in the old days).  I made the meat filled dumpling in the shape it described and into couple of other familiar shapes. It was fun.  What I liked about this recipe is the result of the skin.  It turned out really nice.   It's another keeper.

I normally cook only one side, but for the test I fried the other side a bit.

And while rolling out another batch, an idea came and I cut the baton shaped dumpling with Ravioli cutter.  Voila! A bite size GYOZA.  

New Lai Wah Restaurant Adventure in Sacramento

It's rare that I venture into a restaurant by myself in Sacramento area, unless recommended by my friends.  Opportunity came last Friday when we had a welcoming late dinner for one of our visiting Kendo Sensei (instructor) from New York.  Whoever could make it attended the 11 pm party.  Yo my surprise, the dish is well prepared.   I did not eat much as it is 11 pm, but all the dish my friends ordered looks good and everyone enjoyed them well.   I tasted this eggplants with cod in claypot, braised TOFU, they were delicious.  It reminds me of New Yong Kang restaurant in Fremont (our family's favorite restaurant in the Bay area.) New Lai Wah is located in 5912 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95822 they are open from 11am - 1 am!!

Egg FuYong?!

I want go back there for lunch.  

From Garden to Table (GTT) TOFU Stew

This dish's ingredients are from my friend's garden and mine.  A couple of items are from the store.  We are so into this Farm to Table that I call this Garden to Table (GTT).  I am sure you have your own favorites, too.

It looks like a MAPO TOFU dish, but The dish turned out to be like a TOFU stew.

Buttermilk Pancakes

It's good to have a consistent result from your favorite recipe. This is third time I am making this for my beakfast   I hope you found a good scratch recipe for your family, too.  I like this buttermilk pancake ingredients. 

Measure 1-1/4 C Flour and Shift then, remeasure into 1-1/4

Shift flour again with heaping 1/4 tsp of Baking powder without Aluminum and 1/8 tsp of Baking Soda.  

Set aside.  

Whisk 2 Large Eggs, (extra large eggs are okay, too) and 2 Tbsp Organic Cane Sugar, 2 Tbsp Melted Butter.   Whisk till quite light (2-3 min.) then add 1-1/4 C Buttermilk.

Shift in flour mixture 1/4 C at a time. 

In the meatime, heat griddle to 350'F. 

"Coat" the griddle with vege oil with brush.  Drop batter to the size you like.  

Turn when some bubble form with a hint of browned or firm rim is formed.  Serve

Freeze any leftover.   

Testing FUTOMAKI Gadget

One of the fun in cooking is to test with new gadget.   For $1.50 this Japanese FUTOMAKI Gadget proved its worth.  I had my bamboo roller out and ready to roll with but I remember having purchased a roller at the DAISO.   Here is my result.  By the way, it would turn out much better if you use the regular short grain rice.  I  have been eating extra long grain Basmati rice cooked with Quinoa so that's what I used.  The test here is to see if the roller is worth trouble using it or make it the old fashion way.  

Ingredients would be cooked rice, cooled, seasoned slightly with sweetened rice vinegar.  Two sheets of NORI seaweed wrapper.  One egg beaten with pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp of sugar and 1 Tbsp of water.  Fry the beaten egg into crepe over a lightly coated frying pan (non stick frying pan works out the best for this job), after it is cooked and cooled, transfer to the cutting board and julienne slice into 1/4" wide.  Julienne cut a cucumber 1/4" wide - leave out the seedy core.   If you would like a crunchy cucumber, squeeze the cucumber between palms of your hands.  Squeeze as much liquid as you can.  You can leave it as is also.  Sliced avocado and anything else you want. 

Place the bottom mol into the bottom box.   Fill the lower cradel with rice 2/3 full, then top with all the cut vegetables and egg pieces.  Set aside.  Line the top round mold with NORI, then fill with rice.  One side of the NORI will extend out of the mold.  That's okay.  After filling with rice, press down with the back side of a soup spoon.   Place it on top of the bottom mold with rice and fillings.  

Revert the bottom out of the bottom box, then remove the box.  Roll the NORI that was extending out over the bottom halves.  Then cover it again with the bottom cradle.  Uncover, Rotate the whole roll over a bit. Recover and press.  Done!

Not a bad Gadget.  A keeper!