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!  (⋆‿⋆)