Let's Make Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)!

Annyeong internet! To continue celebrating Chinese New Year/the Lunar New Year, we will be making Chinese BBQ pork, also known as char siu. This is a simple recipe for a tasty marinade that yields delicious char siu. So here we go!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs boneless pork shoulder (not pictured)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbs thin soy sauce (regular works just as well too)
• 2 tbs hoisin sauce
• 1 tbs Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (I substitute rice wine vinegar for extra tang)
• 4 cloves of garlic, mashed or minced
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder (optional but highly recommended)

Directions:

1. Wash and trim excess fat from pork. Place in a large baking dish or a large plastic bag. Set aside.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over pork or into the bag. Make sure pork is thoroughly coated in marinade. 
3. Cover/seal and refrigerate at least 2 hours to as long overnight, depending on how intense you want the flavours.
4. When marinading time is up, remove from dish/bag and place on grill set on medium heat. 
5. Grill on each side for 7-10 minutes or until a nice char appears and a glaze is formed. 
6. Remove from heat when pork is fully cooked (145 degrees F). Place on dish and let rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain. 

 

And there you go! This pork is great served with rice and Chinese vegetables, or it can be put in soups or cut into small pieces to be made into dumpling fillings. The possibilities are endless! What will you do with your char siu? Let me know in the comments below! :)

Happy Lunar New Year/Let's Make 떡국 (tteokguk)!

Gung Hay Fat Choy everyone! Chinese New Year was just a few days ago, and in honour of that I made a traditional dish that’s enjoyed throughout all of East Asia in celebration of the lunar new year. This particular version hails from South Korea (no surprise there) and is called tteokguk, or rice cake soup. It’s made from yummy rice cakes in a delicious beef broth with egg and scallions. So enough talking and let’s get cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of flank steak
• 1 package of tteok (or you can make your own. I was too lazy so I just went grocery shopping kekeke)
• green onions plus extra for garnish
• 1 egg
• 2 tbs fish sauce (A/N – I didn’t have fish sauce so I substituted oyster sauce, which worked just fine)
• roasted seaweed for garnish

Directions:

1. Soak the tteok in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain when time is up and set aside. 
2. Cut the flank steak into small cubes (it’s ok if they stick together). Set aside. 
3. Wash and dice three green onions. Set aside. 
4. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the meat and scallions and let boil for roughly 20 minutes. 
5. While the meat is boiling, separate the egg with the white in one bowl and the yolk in a hot pan. Spread the yolk out as thing as possible (like an egg yolk pancake). Cook thoroughly and remove from heat. Slice into thin slices (this will be a garnish).
6. After the meat has been boiling for 20 minutes add the tteok and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the tteok is thoroughly soft and separated from each other. 
7. Add the egg white into the pot and let it cook without stirring.
8. Once egg is cooked, remove pot from heat. Ladle into bowls and garnish with egg yolk slices and additional scallions. (A/N – I forgot to take pictures of the finished product, so you’ll just have to try it out for yourself to see what it looks like! >.<). Enjoy and happy lunar new year!

Let's Make Ratatouille!

So when it comes to European cuisine, nothing beats that of France (in my humble opinion). And while there’s so many different exquisite dishes that hail from that country, I find that the most delicious and comforting hails from the provencal territories. It’s full of healthy veggies and even has a movie named after it. Guessed it yet? You’ve got it – it’s ratatouille! The yummy eggplant, zucchini, tomato, pepper dish means home to France as much as meat loaf and mac ‘n cheese do to us. There are many ways to make this dish, from stovetop to the oven, the latter method of which I’m using. It’s a great summer vegetable recipe but can be made year-round with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Here’s my quirky spin on the beloved recipe – tell me what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized eggplant, thinly sliced
• 2 small to medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 6oz can tomato paste
• 1 16oz can diced tomatoes (usually I’d used fresh ones but I didn’t have any)
• olive oil (roughly 2 tbs)
• salt, pepper, and herbs de provence to taste (if you don’t have herbs de provence, a combination of oregano and rosemary works just fine)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and thinly slice both the eggplant and zucchini. Set aside. [A/N – I sliced my zucchini into rectangles instead of circles to keep them more uniform in size with the eggplant, but any shape works just fine as long as the thickness is uniform] 
2. Drizzle 1 tbs olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish. Spread out the tomato paste as best as you can (you may have to use your hands and get a bit messy!) and then spread the canned tomatoes on top. 
3. Alternate slices of eggplant and zucchini (if you have peppers or fresh tomatoes, alternate those now too) until you’ve completed the dish. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and herbs de provence.  
4. Bake ratatouille in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and beginning to appear translucent and the sauce is slowly bubbling.
5. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Voilà! Bon appetit mes amis. Feel free to make this recipe your own and let me know how it all goes!

Let's Make Chicken and Mushrooms in a White Wine Sauce!

So pardon the erratic posting here. I had to copy all my posts from another platform *cough* Wordpress *cough* because my account over there was hacked. I still haven't regained access to it, but no worries, because ta da! Blogger to the rescue. But enough about that stuff. Let's get to the more important things, like delicious chicken in a white wine sauce. It's a simple recipe I adapted from Cooking Light that allows for lots of exploration of other ingredients and flavours. Feel free to adapt it to suit your own taste just like I did.

Ingredients:

• 1 package pasta of your choice (I used orecchiette)
• 3lbs chicken thighs (the best part of the chicken if you ask me)
• 1 package pre-c0oked chicken sausage (usually four to a package)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• half a pound of mushrooms
• 1 hearty bunch of spinach
• 1/2 cup dry white white (I used sauvignon blanc)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste
• parmesan cheese (if desired)

Directions:

1. Boil pasta according to directions and keep warm.
2. Wash spinach and trim the ends. Drain and set aside.
3. Wash and slice mushrooms into 1/2 cm slices. Set aside.
4. Slice sausages into roughly 1cm thick slices and sauté in 1 tablespoon of oil on medium to medium-high heat until lightly browned. Remove from pan and pat away excess oil.
5. On medium heat, add mushrooms to pan and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until browned and liquid is almost entirely evaporated.
6. Add white wine to the pan; stir and cook for one minute.
7. In a small bowl, mix some of the sauce with 1 tablespoon of flour to form a roux. Mix back into the sauce and stir for one minute to thicken.
8. Add chicken broth and continue to stir until sauce is reduced by half. Add tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste. 

    9. Add spinach and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer until spinach is wilted.

    10. Return sausages to the pan. Mix everything together so that the flavours are completely integrated.

Serve with the warm pasta and parmesan cheese (and a glass of that white wine too!). Enjoy! >.<

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Insomnia

So hey there internet…for those of you on the west coast like I am, it’s just shy of 4:30 in the morning and I have yet to fall asleep. Why? Heck if I knew, I’d do something about it.

Strike that. I do know what’s been bothering me. And it comes in two words that I’m sure many of you are familiar with.

Body image.

Those two words alone are like the scariest of threats wrapped in a death sentence. For someone who doesn’t struggle with it, it can be hard to explain why body image is such an issue. But for those who do struggle, it is a daily battle just to stay on the road of recovery. Body image is more than just being dissatisfied with how you look. It’s having pervasive thoughts intrude in your life constantly and relentlessly, and it often feels like there’s nothing you can do to combat it. It’s all-consuming, and often results in things like nights (er, mornings) like these where sleep is nonexistent.

*pauses to go back and read writing*

Gah I really wish that I had more poignant and inspirational things to offer on this subject, but as I said I am extremely sleep deprived and in the midst of a battle myself. I don’t even know why I’m writing this post…I just felt compelled to do so so that if there’s just one person out there who’s also struggling, s/he will know that s/he is not alone and that I am right with him/her fighting the good fight.  So with that all said, I’ll let one of my icons wrap this post up for me.

Goodnight/good morning world. I wish you the sweetest of dreams and never forget that I’m here rooting for you. Together we can do this. ♥

Let's Make Nong!

Hi again! This post will feature the yummy snack that my family calls “nong,” or “nong nong” if you’re a youngster or “crispy critters” if you’re my dad. It’s basically the cooked on rice that’s stuck to the pot that, instead of scraping off and throwing away, you salt and brown them for a crunchy snack. Sound familiar? That’s because this is the same rice used in sizzling rice soups in restaurants around the world. It’s a great way to make sure every last grain of rice is used. I’ve grown up eating it for years and look forward to it almost every night (we’re big rice eaters at my place). It’s super easy to make, so let’s get started!

A/N-this only works when the rice is cooked stovetop. I’ve tried it multiple times in my rice cooker, but to no avail. If anyone out there wants to give it a go or has had success using a rice cooker, please let me know! :)

Ingredients:

• leftover rice at the bottom of the pot, scraped until there’s just a thin layer remaining (see above photo)
• sprinkling of olive oil
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Scrape the rice pot until a thin layer of rice remains on the bottom and along the edges. (see above photo)
2. Sprinkle olive oil over rice (roughly a tablespoon) and add salt according to taste preferences (A/N-you may want to salt after it’s cooked, as you’ll be able to taste it better and then season again if need be)
3. Cover pot and place on simmer for 10-15 minutes. You’ll know when the rice is done when it starts to make crackling sounds and the rice has taken on a golden brown colour.   
4. Let the pot cool for a few minutes (if you have the patience. I usually don’t hehe). Using a metal spoon, scrape the edges or pierce from the centre and start breaking apart pieces of the nong. 
5. Break off as much of the nong as you can and season more, if necessary (some rice will just be stuck to the pot; let soak in hot soapy water for a few minutes and it’ll come off easily).
6. Enjoy your nong nong! (and this embarrassing photo of me eating it >.<)  

Let's Make Turkey Scramble!

So as a recovering anorexic, it can be really difficult to get all the nutrients I need when I eat (that sounds so rehearsed, like something for those Ensure commercials…hey I could be a spokesperson!). All joking aside, this meal has it all – healthy carbs, veggies, protein, and dairy. It’s been one of my favourite dishes that my mom has made since I was young and evokes a lot of nostalgia whenever I eat/make it. It’s super easy to make (roughly 30min) and requires just two pots (one if you’re using a rice cooker). Don’t be fooled by the name, 맛있어 보여! So let’s scramble and get this dish started! (´∀｀) (yay for corny jokes ㅋㅋㅋ)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups washed, uncooked rice (it is a little much, but leftovers are great for other dishes)
• 2 medium sized zucchini
• roughly 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 16oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 6oz can of tomato paste
• salt
• ground pepper
• dried basil (A/N – as you may have noticed, I’m not very specific with spices. I believe this is where you get to experiment and make the dish your own. Feel free to substitute any spices you like, and I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comments below!)

Directions:

1. Prep the rice for cooking (rinse, wash, and drain). Set aside. 
2. Wash the zucchini and slice into medium slices, slightly thinner than 1/2 cm thick. Set aside. 
3. Grate the cheese. Set aside. *Now is the time to start cooking the rice!!!* 
4. On medium heat and in a large pot, cook the turkey until it’s fully cooked (obviously not like it is in the photo, as I had just added it to the pot. My bad!) 
5. Once the turkey is fully cooked, add the zucchini (photo #1), tomato paste (photo #2), diced tomatoes and spices (photo #3). Mix well and cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the zucchini sweat for 5-10 minutes depending on thickness of slices.   
6. Once the zucchini is beginning to become translucent, turn off heat and add any final seasonings. Serve on a bed of rice and garnish with cheese and voilà! A healthy, well-rounded meal that lets you check off every food group at once. Daebak! ＼(^。^ )

To my fellow recoverees, I know this meal itself seems daunting due to certain ingredients, but it really is a safe meal that is a one-stop shop for all the nutrients you need. Balance is key in recovery from anything but especially eating disorders, and this meal is the epitome of just that. Why not give it a try and let me know how it goes? Feel free to tinker with it and adjust the flavours to suit your taste, but make sure to maintain its nutritional integrity. I know it seems tough, but I’m here for you. Together we can do this, one meal at a time. ♥~(◡‿◡✿)

Let’s Make 김밥! (gimbap/kimbap)

Annyeong internet! Today we are going to learn how to make gimbap/kimbap, or what is better recognised as Korean sushi or seaweed rice rolls. It’s history comes from the Japanese-style makizushi when Japan ruled over Korea up until the mid 1940s. It’s basically everything you’d expect form a sushi roll (nori, rice, a protein, vegetables), only with a yummy Korean twist. I made a few adaptations to the original recipe and also lacked a bamboo mat so everything was rolled by hand, but things seemed to have still worked out well. So c’mon and let’s get started! (apologies for lack of photos at this time. I’ll update more later! >.<)

Ingredients:

• Nori (roasted seaweed paper; can be found at any Asian market or supermarket)
• cooked rice, rough 4 cups
• 1/2 lb skirt steak (if you can’t find skirt steak, sirloin is a good substitute)
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• pickled yellow radish
• small bunch of Vietnamese spinach (regular spinach works well too. I use Vietnamese because the stalks are longer and better shaped for the rolls)
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar (white or brown)
• salt
• 8-10 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2-3 cloves of garlic (I made this optional as my dad has an allergy to it)

Directions

1. Wash and cook rice as desired. When cooked, place the rice in a large bowl and drizzle with 2 tsp sesame oil and salt. Let cool while preparing the other ingredients.
2. Wash and trim the ends of the spinach and blanch for a minute in boiling water. Combine with crushed garlic (if desired), a dash of salt, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Set aside to cool.
3. Combine the julienned carrots with salt. Mix them well and let them sweat for 5-10 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. When time is up, squeeze excess water from carrots and quickly sauté in an oiled pan for 30-40 seconds.
4. Trim any excess fat from the steaks and cut them into strips roughly 7-15 centimetres long by a  1/2 centimetre wide. Place in a glass bowl and season with 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil, salt , and crushed garlic (if desired). Mix well.
5. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and sear the strips of steak until just cooked (make sure not to overcook – you don’t want them too chewy!)
6. Place a sheet of seaweed (gim) shiny side down (this lets it stick together)
7. Cover three-quarters of the sheet of gim with rice (roughly 3/4 cup), using your fingers to spread it out to the edges.
8. Place strips of beef, spinach, carrots, and radish along the rice as shown below. 
9. Pinching the filling together, use both hands to roll the seaweed. Tuck under as you roll to keep everything as even and smooth as possible (it’s okay if some of the filling extends beyond the roll) 
10. Continue until you have finished up all the ingredients (leftovers are great for bokkeumbap – stay tuned for that recipe!)
11. Using a sharp knife and a wet paper towel, carefully slice the rolls in a back and forth motion to get even slices. Clean the blade with the paper towel in between cuts so that the pieces come out clean. 
12. And ta da! You have now made gimbap! It’s best served fresh but can stay refrigerated for up to a week (I recommend a bit of reheating before eating as the rice gains flavour when warm).

맛있다! Enjoy your 김밥 and stay tuned for more recipes! Feel free to leave comments below! Annyeong! ◠‿◠ϡ

Adapted from Maangchi’s recipe listed blow.

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kimbap

안녕하세요!

안녕하세요! Welcome to my humble blog, Cooking Up Recovery. C’mon and join me, Fei Lan, on my journey of recovery from anorexia (and others) through the medium of food. Now, i know what you’re thinking. A recovering anorexic making a blog about food? Blasphemous! And it’s true, to a degree. I’ll be the first to admit that this is a bit of a daring endeavour, but one I desire to challenge myself to nonetheless.

Before I get started, here’s a little bit about me. I struggled with anorexia for three years before entering recovery in 2010. Since then I have been in strong recovery and actually volunteer for the National Eating Disorder Association as a Navigator (maybe they’ll be a post on that later on…). I also struggle with PTSD, depersonalisation/derealisation disorder, and schizoaffective disorder. Big scary words, i know. But I’m no different than anyone else out there, just a tad quirkier and following a path with a few more twists and turns to it.

Outside of my recovery, I enjoy spending time exploring Korean culture (which may become evident through future posts), enjoy watching and playing baseball, dance, and write and read profusely (I have a soft spot for Shakespeare, Shelley, and Keats). Now with all that said, let’s get cooking!  (⋆‿⋆)