Author: Josephine Fan

Chicken Liver Pate

Chicken Liver Pate

If someone were to ask me what I would most likely die of, the answer would probably be Vitamin A toxicity. I love liver (which has a whopping dose of Vitamin A per serving) and organ meat in general, but liver pate has a huge 

Sourdough Bread

Sourdough Bread

About a week ago, my sister gave me a batch of sourdough starter she got at a breadmaking class, and I got thrown into the weird and wonderful world of naturally leavened bread. It was both a terrifying and delicious undertaking, but I realized just 

Sesame Miso Shungiku Side Dish

Sesame Miso Shungiku Side Dish

It’s the season for shungiku (also called tong ho in Chinese, and edible chrysanthemum/garland daisy–not to be confused with Chrysanthemum nankingense) which means I can get a big bag of it for real cheap at the Asian supermarket. It has a distinctive herb taste but is absolutely delicious. I am never without it when I have hotpot.

Ingredients

  • 1 handful shungiku greens
  • 1 tablespoons sesame paste (or peanut butter, if you don’t have)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon pepper paste
  • 1 tablespoon hot water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • Pot of boiling water, lightly salted
  • Bowl of ice water

1. Bring a pot of water to boil and quickly blanch shungiku greens, about 45 seconds. Remove from boiling water and immediately cool in ice water. Once cooled, remove and squeeze out excess water.
2. In a bowl, mix together sesame paste, 1 tablespoon hot water, sugar, soy sauce, miso, ketchup, and pepper paste until well combined.
3. Toss greens together with sauce and serve as a side dish.

Honey Rose Chia Drink

Honey Rose Chia Drink

I have a few bags of chia seeds in my pantry, and I realized I should probably use them before they go bad. One of the things I like using them for is making drinks with them. Not only are they very healthy, but the 

Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt

My mom gave me her yogurt machine (Sambo brand) because her first few batches had failed and she gave up. So it was up to me to experiment. My first batch didn’t do as well as I had hoped–it was too sour because I let 

Tasty Tuna Sandwich

Tasty Tuna Sandwich

I often make tuna sandwiches when I’m craving fish but don’t want to go out and do an entire fish meal. My husband, who only likes fish in specific instances, really enjoys this tuna sandwich. The secret is just to add a dash of dried herbs to give it that oomph, and also to use a nice mayo like Kewpie. If you can’t get Kewpie mayo, adding some sugar to regular mayo can mimic it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small can of Tuna (5 oz)
  • 3 tablespoons mayo
  • Pinch of salt, to taste
  • Pinch of pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or dried basil
  • 1 Brioche bun

Optional:

  • Egg
  • Sprouts
  • Tomato

1. Mix can of tuna, mayo, salt, pepper, and dried herbs together and combine well.
2. Place in brioche bun and top with optional toppings. Enjoy!

Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi Fried Rice

Leftover rice is never wasted in this house–and there’s nothing better than kimchi fried rice to use it up. I used the kimchi I made this past fall (recipe here) now that it’s been properly fermented and pickled. You can use any meat you like, 

Taco Rice Recipe

Taco Rice Recipe

Taco rice (takoraisu) is another example of a yoshoku dish, a Japanese western style meal that gained popularity and the country made it their own. It was invented in the 1960’s by a Japanese chef who enjoyed tacos. I usually make this when we have leftovers 

Spicy Chili Miso Hummus Platter

Spicy Chili Miso Hummus Platter

I finished the rest of my first jar of Abokichi’s Chili Miso Oil so I broke out the SPICY Chili Miso Oil for today’s lunch (but I’m pretty sure you can also do this recipe with their Curry Miso Oil too.) I like hummus because it makes for a wonderfully light lunch, or smeared on toast to pair with eggs for breakfast, and incorporating this condiment in place of Tahini puts a wonderful spin on it. My husband and I both like it spicy, so this was perfect. If you prefer it not spicy, then their regular Chili Miso Oil only packs a little heat.

This recipe is also, incidentally, vegan.

Ingredients

  • 1 can of Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 2 tablespoon Spicy Chili Miso Oil
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)
  • 5-6 cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)
  • Fruit/berries (optional)
  • Bread/crackers/vegetables for dipping
1. In a food processor, combine garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon Abokichi Spicy Chili Miso Oil and blend until smooth.
2. Place hummus in a serving dish and top with avocado and cherry tomatoes. Serve with sliced French bread, crackers, or vegetables for dipping and fruit to cut the heat.
2018 Jumbo Coturnix Quail Hatch-A-Long and Grow-A-Long

2018 Jumbo Coturnix Quail Hatch-A-Long and Grow-A-Long

Saturday February 17th, 2018 I’ve been wanting to raise quail for a while, especially for quail eggs for my bento. I am on the fence about raising them for meat, but will probably have to process the males when the time comes. In any case,