I have a weakness for fried chicken, and I found that Japanese style Chicken Kara-age is the best. I got hooked on the appetizer at Samurai Noodle here in Houston. I feel they have the best ramen in town and their Chicken Karaage appetizer is almost a meal in itself. Sadly I don’t work on that side of town anymore, so I cannot just pop in at lunch and get my grub on.
I gave this a try before based on this recipe, but wanted something a bit healthier, so I migrated the recipe to the air fryer. Here is my first test which came out pretty good, but I think the coating is not up to my standards. I like a heavier coating, but batter type coating does not play well with the air fryer. It did have a light crunch and tender chicken bites as I used dark meat.
3 boneless skinless chicken thighs.
1 thumb size piece of ginger grated about 1 tablespoon.
2-3 cloves of garlic grated.
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of mirin rice vinegar.
about 1/2 cup of potato starch
spray canola oil
Make a marinade with the grated ginger and garlic mixed in the soy sauce and mirin. Cut the chicken thighs into 1-2 inch pieces, which is easier to do when slightly frozen. coat the chicken pieces in the marinade and let sit at least 1 hour, but over night is better.
Lightly dust the marinaded chicken with the potato starch and add to pre-heated air fryer. Spray liberally with the canola oil and cook for 8 minutes about about 375 degrees. Toss the chicken and spray the other side and cook for an additional 5 minutes until done. I served it with some garlic yogurt as I’m still not a mayonnaise fan.
I will say it again. I like butternut squash, and cannot always eat soup. I prefer to make it into mash as a starch replacement. I also do not cook it with the typical sweet desert like covered in brown sugar. I think it is why I do it instead of “sweet potato” mash. It has a much better flavor cooked with savory spices. It can also be done with a spicy curry flavor depending on what it is being served with.
1 butternut squash
1/2 onion
Garlic to taste
fresh ginger to taste
cinnamon
Cumin
paprika
olive oil
Cube butternut squash, and onion. Rough chop garlic and ginger. Add to vacuum bags. I portioned it into 300g bags with 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 of a cinnamon stick and 2 tablespoons of Olive oil. It was too much oil and one tablespoon would be enough. Toss in the bags to coat before sealing and then 3 hours at 185 degrees in the Sous Vide while other things are being done. It was really tender at the 2 hour mark but i got distracted.
I love butternut squash and started making soup in the instapot, so it was a no brainier. Of course it took me several tasty attempts to make one I love. I started from the allrecipes.com version and mixed in some coconut milk ideas from evolving table. I don’t really do vegan, but can enjoy some flavor changes. I mostly always garnish with Parmesan cheese and basil or jalapenos. This soup makes an awesome meal prep and is very hearty.
The winner
This one is the right mix of texture creaminess and retains the flavor of the butternut squash. It does make a bunch, a bit over 8 pints as seen. 5 pint jars, 3 pint bowls and one bowl to eat right away.
Set the instapot to “saute” and soften the onions and garlic. Toss in the squash, water, Caldo de pollo, and spices into the instapot and stir. Cook on “Soup” setting on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before doing a quick release and then stick blend adding coconut milk. Add any extra salt at this time if needed, and brown sugar if extra sweetness is desired. If a vegan soup is desired chicken base (Caldo de pollo) can be skipped or vegetable base/stock used.
Runner up
The runner up based on Butternut Squash soup II used a bit of carrot along with onion and garlic powder. It was a bit sweeter and the carrot changed the color and texture of the soup. I did also use yogurt instead of the coconut milk.
You can see the final color is a bit more orange and the ginger did add a bit more heat. I of course garnished with fresh jalapenos, so it was not too noticeable. The yogurt was nice addition, but did not make as smooth of a soup.
First attempt.
The first attempt based on the allrecipes version was good but it called for too much water/stock and had to be thickened with instant mashed potatoes which dulled the butternut flavor. you can see the color is more subdued too due to the thickening.
I have been on a bit of a cabbage kick lately. Always trying to add vegetables to my diet and cabbage has a great texture if you don’t over cook it. Sweet and crisp flavors that can be a great addition to any meal, or sweet and tart like sauerkraut.
It is pretty simple add yogurt, garlic, basil and cilantro to a small bowl and mix completely. Add in vinegar and olive oil ensuring it emulsifies and does not separate. Once mixed add to vegetables and let sit at least an hour for flavors to mingle. Over night is best. I don’t really like mayonnaise so the yogurt is a great substitute for creamy slaw, and has a slightly lighter mouth feel that other slaws.
Stir fry vegetables in wok until slightly tender. Add soy and oyster sauce and toss to coat. Add beaten egg with optional rice flower and a touch of hondashi instant dashi. Allow to firm up in wok or on griddle until a “pancake” forms.
I missed the annual trip to warmer climates for the Holidays. I was longing and looking at some photos from our Puerto Rican holiday pre hurricane. If you decide you can help think about donating via the Salvation Army who has boots on the ground serving the community. There are still communities there that could use a hand.
I decided to cook some plantains as a reminder and to learn how to cook new things. So Plantain chips with Mojo sauce, Shrimp Mofongo, and Tostones. It was a bit much for one plate but it was delicious.
Plantain chips and Mojo sauce.
Juice from two limes
Juice from a blood orange if you can find one if not it is still good.
2 tablespoons of butter.
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
as much garlic as you can stand, more is better.
some fresh cilantro
Plantains sliced thin and fried until crisp
Fry all the chips and let the cool on a tray. Put all the other ingredients in a storage container and put in the microwave until the butter melts. Stir and let sit for a bit over night is good in the fridge but it may need to be reheated to serve.
Tostones
Tostones are just twice fried plantains, which are sweet and delicious. Slice a peeled plantain into half inch slices and fry for about 3 minutes a side at 370ish degrees. After the initial frying cool slightly and smash with a flat surface like a cleaver, and fry a second time for 3-4 minutes until crisp outside and tender inside.
Shrimp Mofongo
I based mine on this recipe, but as always I changed it up a bit.
The Mofongo
Fried plantains
chicharrones
diced onion
diced bell pepper
chopped garlic
The shrimp sauce.
Diced onion
diced bell peper
diced mushrooms
Tomatoes ( i used canned)
Chopped garlic
Fresh peeled and devained shrimps
dried Oregano
1 teaspoon corn starch
The Mofongo is the same as the Tostones slice and fry some Plantains. No need to twice fry them, but you could just use tostones. Add to a bowl with diced onion and peppers, some garlic, and finally the chicharones. Smash until it can be molded. I sprayed some light oil in a bowl and formed the mound for the plate. Traditionally a mortar and pestle is used, but i did not have one larger enough so I used a bowl and my ice cream scoop.
The sauce is a simple . Saute the onions, bell pepper, and garlic until softened. Then you add the tomatoes and mushrooms. A bit of water may be needed to make a sauce but not much. Add the Oregano and salt and pepper to taste. I added a little smoked paprika at this time for some smoky flavor and some color. Add the shrimp and simmer until tender and just cooked through. Serve on top of the Mofongo.
I started with a simple aerogarden and then went crazy. Like all of my making and learning “All in” is the way. I did a small outdoor 5 dutch bucket hydroponic garden and it was gangbusters, so inside for the cooler months I went. Now almost three years in, I finally update the documentation.
First, I did a quick storage tote system based on B. A. Kratky’s work. His simple system can be in anyone’s budget, for lettuce. My first try was a Miller light Styrofoam cooler I found in my garage, which may have been from the 70’s. It worked, but needed a liner as the handles leaked where they pierced the walls, so I moved into a storage tote.
I suspect this is what the aerogarden is based off of, and the pump in the prefab unit is unnecessary for certain crops. The storage tote based system worked well. It led me to more research and it was on after that. I tried more types of systems. I ended up with three tents total. one 2’x2′ I use for sprouting and my small tote Kratky method plants, and a pair of 2’x4′ tents I use for the NFT and Ebb-N-Flow systems.
I use “grow tents” as the systems started in the living room and the grow lights attract the wrong kind of curiosity. They are also very bright and annoying while watching TV. Grow vegetables inside and everyone assumes you are growing medicinal herbs. I got serious enough that the spare bedroom upstairs was converted to house the tents, which led to shelving.
Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponics.
I started with a thin film hybrid Deep water culture (DWC) system based on the vinyl fence post systems instead of pipe. I’m a few seasons behind on updating the documentation, so this system recently got an update to improve the distance between the lights and the plants, so that taller vegetables could be grown. I did a hybrid as it allows for a bit longer growing season, so I can get more that lettuce and Pak Choi.
The original layout had the reservoir inside the tent which reduced the complexity and allowed the tent to sit on the floor. However since I put the tents on shelves it was wasted space. It also limited the plants I could choose. Often the growing plants were not the optimal distance from the lights and got “sunburned”.
The new setup puts the reservoir under the tent on the bottom shelf and I gained a whole 15 inches of clearance to grow taller plants. I have some leeks and Wan Shen in the sprouting tent as I write this update. The past Wan Shen was too close to the lights and did not grow optimally, but was tasty even if a bit tough. I had to prune it short however to reduce this toughening and premature bolting.
Ebb-N-Flow Hydroponics.
Before I updated the NFT system I also built an Ebb-N-Flow system to try and find a way to support larger plants inside. The advantage of having two tents.
Using Smart Pots with a soil-less mix in a flood table made a system that worked well for Calypso Hybrid cucumbers. The tomatoes grew well, but I am a terrible pollinator. The Curry tree did well too, but had issues with the humidity. I plan to update this design with a table cover to reduce the algae growth in the table.
While the yields did not match the outdoor dutch buckets I did get some nice cucumbers which I left of the vine a bit too long. I think I will have to revisit my pollination plan. Maybe I’ll have to try the electric toothbrush method.
White stem Pak Choi is very tasty grow in the NFT/DWC hybrid. It is always great to be able to go upstairs and grab some for dinner.
I hope to get more documentation done on system specifics and design challenges. I have some notes and costing data, so it is planned. I also have a rebuild of the outdoor dutch bucket for the spring planned to improve efficiency.
Cold front came though with rain and temperature dropped. Makes for a great day to make soup and get a little meal prep out of the way. I have been using the Instapot a lot to make larger meals that I can share or store for lazy days.
Potato and Leek soup.
I really like potato and leak soup, and it is very filling when the weather is cool. You can even air fry the skins from the peeled potatoes to make a crispy garnish for the top. The best part is one bundle of leaks and a few potatoes makes a lot of meals for later.
1 bundle of leeks about 3 stalks or 4 cups chopped.
4 cups of diced potatoes.
one handful of garlic cloves.
6 cups of water
1 cup of half and half.
chicken base.
Add oil to the instapot and start saute mode. Once hot add the Leeks and Garlic and soften slightly. Add potatoes toss in 4 cups water and chicken base ( you can skip this and just add water but may have to add salt, for vegetarian version) run “soup” setting for 10 minutes. Once complete blend with stick blender until smooth and add half and half and/or water to desired consistency.
Chicken and Dumplings.
The instapot makes a quick and easy stock and is a great base for many types of soups. Some chicken things and aromatics makes a quick stock that can be turned into dumplings. I do a simple flour and stock dumpling with no leavening agent. I sometimes cheat and use canned biscuits, but today I rolled out some true dumplings.
1 pound of chicken parts. I prefer thighs, but legs can also be used. Dark meat is best.
1 onion chopped into desired sizes. I do big chunks.
Garlic to taste more is better.
slices of ginger ( that can be easily fished out later)
2 bay leaves.
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon of cumin if desired.
Carrots cut into bite size pieces but uniform in size.
Add Oil to Instapot and heat on saute setting. Add chicken in a single layer and brown lightly to improve stock color, once oil is hot. Turn chicken and cycle through all pieces to ensure uniform color. I leave the skin on until later, but it can be remove before browning, but beware sticking if you do.
Once the chicken is browned add Onions, garlic and spices with all chicken. Add water to cover and cook on pressure cooking setting for approximately 15 minutes. Once this is done release pressure and remove chicken from stock. Remove the bones and skin from the chicken and shred in to bite size pieces. Remove the Ginger and bay leaves, and if you were fancy and used a cheese cloth bouquet garni remove it at this time. Add the chicken chunks back to the pot and make dumplings.
I make simple dumplings with 1 cup of flour a touch of salt, ground pepper, and about 1/2 cup of the stock form the pot. Rolled out on a floured surface. and then cut into squares. Work the dough as little as possible to keep the texture smooth. You can also use canned biscuits cut in to small pieces. Some people add baking powder to get a bit of leavening for lighter dumplings. I prefer the slightly chewy like “al dente” pasta that the simple dumplings provide.
Finally put the instapot on saute one more time add the carrots. This will bring the stock to a boil and cook the carrots for about 5 minutes until the are the desired level of tenderness. Once the carrots are done add the dumplings and cook at a rolling boil until the dumplings float. Remembering to stir to prevent them from sticking to each other or the bottom. You can also add a slurry or other thickening agent if the flour on the dumplings does not thicken the soup as desired.
Living in Texas has only positives. One is that the holiday season always see pork shoulders on sale less than a kongbuck a pound, $0.99 for today’s. The things you can do with a whole shoulder is great, pulled pork, roast etc. However, being just one in my household, I break them down for smaller meals.
Roast Pork
Always tastier than tenderloin as the shoulder has a bit more fat. You can also crust up the skin for a texture change. The best part you can meal prep some of the roast into the freezer.
Share.
Pork stock.
Ready Insta pot
Once broken down the pork shank bone makes for a great pork stock. Add some aromatics and some root vegetables and there is a great base for other dishes.
Pork Miso Ramen
Sometimes Instant Ramen will not do. Since I had Stock I made some Ramen Noodles and then added the pork stock and the “Gate” on top and presto.
I had been watching leather craftspeople on Instagram and there is some much beautiful work out there. I keep getting drawn in to try new things. I have also been watching YouTube videos as well and it is amazing the amount of information people will share. Don Gonzales at dgsaddlery is one of those whos incredible work is an inspiration to learn new things, and he shares his knowledge and experience to make everyone better.
That said I started learning a bit about leather tooling. It is super relaxing and pushes me to be more patient. My first serious piece is a simple basket weave belt, but I also started working on hand tooling from dgsaddlery’s patterns.
Practice practice practice
I have also started looking at different tools and had to laser cut a testube rack to hold the tools. I also tested non traditional colors mixed with antiques.
I did a quck meal prep with Spaghetti with meat and mushrooms. This is an easy dish that gets better as it simmers or the ingredients get to sit together in the fridge. It also freezes pretty well. Best if cooked in one pot to ensure easy cleanup.
Ingredients.
1 pound of ground beef
1 whole onion chopped
1 diced carrot or about 1 tablespoon of sugar if you prefer.
Garlic as much as you like
2 cans of tomato sauce
2 cans of roasted tomatoes
2 cans of sliced mushrooms or fresh if you have them.
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 tablespoon Italian Sesoning blend (Thyme, basail, Oregano)
loadded with all the things.
Cooking instructions:
It is a simple brown and simmer. Brown the ground beef with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Skim excess grease, and then add the Onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic during the last bit of onion cooking and cook garlic slightly. Add the dry seasonings so the oil and heat can activate them. Add the diced carrots, which I use as a replacement seasoning for raw sugar and to add a bit of texture. The sweetness is used to cut the acidity of the tomato based sauce. Finally add the Tomato sauce and canned tomatoes. and simmer for at least 45 minutes util carrots are very tender but firm.
simmering the spaghetti
Stop cooked pasta.
This is a restaurant trick that helps make mid week dining quick and easy. Cook the noodles per package instructions reducing time to ensure “al dente” cooking, and then drain and dunk in cold water bath. This stops the cooking and removes the starch that causing sticking. The pasta can then be portions in containers or plastic bags.
I worked in a restaurant that stop cooked its pasta for dishes. It was portioned into bags and stored in the cold box, and microwaved until steaming as needed. The sauce was added just prior to serving guest. It makes for consistent pasta quality and texture on a busy serving line. It can also be kept in bags in a Sous Vide bath if service is that busy for that dish. Since this was not a restaurant specializing in pasta dishes . it allowed it to serve consistent pasta dishes without having to waste kitchen space for pasta cooking pot.
