Blowfish Tenzaru Soba

Blowfish Tenzaru Soba

I haven’t had a chance to break out my bento boxes lately but decided to TREAT MYSELF today with blowfish tempura and soba. This style of soba, tenzaru, is eaten cold, with a small teacup or bowl of soba soy sauce (mentsuyu), and delicious and 

Century Egg (Pidan) and Tofu Cold Dish

Century Egg (Pidan) and Tofu Cold Dish

I’ve really been exploring some dishes from my childhood, and this is a simple summer dish that just goes deliciously with some white rice. It’s a chilled side dish that’s really quick to put together! I don’t really have much to say about it other 

Douchi (Dried Fermented Soy Beans) and Minced Meat

Douchi (Dried Fermented Soy Beans) and Minced Meat

A few weeks ago I made a jar of natto and ended up forgetting about it for a couple weeks, and its pungency crossed over into douchi territory (which can be quite stinky indeed.) I ended up mixing it with seasonings (blended garlic, ginger, peppers, 

Pi Dan (Century/Thousand Year Egg) and Pork Belly Congee

Pi Dan (Century/Thousand Year Egg) and Pork Belly Congee

Traditionally, pork and century egg congee (Chinese rice porridge, also called “zhou/粥”) is made with pork chop and not pork belly, but it is 100000% better with pork belly (as many things often are). This porridge is normally served at breakfast or dim sum, and 

Natto From Scratch

Natto From Scratch

My mom gave me a yogurt maker and while I don’t particularly like or eat much yogurt, I do like and eat a lot of natto. Slippery, slimy, and pungent, it’s one of my (and my children’s) favorite things to pour over a bowl of 

Chinese Style Drunken Chicken Liver

Chinese Style Drunken Chicken Liver

Drunken chicken (zui ji/醉鸡) is a popular Chinese cold dish that usually whets the appetite before the main course comes on—tender poached chicken is marinated in Shaoxing wine, delicious and juicy and oh so easy to eat a lot of (or too much of) before 

Kitchen Sink Pate Bahn Mi

Kitchen Sink Pate Bahn Mi

This week has been… less than pleasant so I decided to make something I’ve been craving ever since I saw it on the Netflix show Street Food Asia—a Vietnamese Pate Bahn Mi. Created during the French colonization of Vietnam, both baguette and pate were introduced 

Yakitori Quail (Eggs, Liver, Heart, Legs)

Yakitori Quail (Eggs, Liver, Heart, Legs)

Warning: This post contains information on raising quail for meat. If that bothers you, please skip it. First, if you’re interested in raising easy to keep Japanese Coturnix quail for meat or eggs, please check out my guide. The quail that did not go into 

Hainanese Quail and Rice

Hainanese Quail and Rice

Warning: This post talks about using poultry I have raised as food. If that makes you uncomfortable, please skip this post. First, if you’re interested in raising quail for yourself or your family, whether for eggs or for meat, check out my quail raising guide! 

Korean Street Toast With Ham and Cheese

Korean Street Toast With Ham and Cheese

I have been getting cabbages in my produce box lately, and while I do like cabbage in other applications (like crispy tasty fried kaki-age), here is a really simply way to use up cabbage. The winter cabbage is naturally sweet and crispy, perfect for breakfast