Vietnamese Peach Relish

Relish The Thought
I have a mango salsa that I love to make when we have grilled fish or, better yet—and more likely than not—fish tacos. It adapts this salsa recipe from Macademia-Crusted Yellowtail with Mango Papaya Salsa. Except, I leave out the papaya and double the mango. Nothing against papaya per se. But, I find it is too soft for my taste in a salsa. (That’s just me.)

As much as I dig my usual, it is never a bad idea to broaden your horizons and try something different. And, with the fresh peaches and nectarines coming into the market, I felt inspired. So, I tried something outside my norm. And, I think I have found a new favorite.

Peach Salsa is not a new concept, but this relish recipe is new to me, at least. And, it is less south of the border and definitely more Southeast Asia. This opens up a whole range of possibilities from grilled salmon to Halibut steamed in banana leaves. (Not that I always have banana leaves at hand, but a girl can dream. Don’t harsh my vibe, man…)

I like the funkiness that the fish sauce lends to it, and I am curious to see if a little lemongrass would work too…maybe next time.

This relish screams hot summer nights by the pool with some grilled shrimp skewers and a cold glass of white wine…though you could never go wrong with a Mai Tai if you’re feeling tropical.

Vietnamese Peach Relish Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine
Yields 3 cups Read more…

Spiced Roasted Cashews (Masala Kaju)

Kind Of Nutty
I’m not exactly sure when the recent nut craze began. People have been eating nuts for centuries. But it seems that recently nuts have been having a moment. My best theory is because of the popularity of the Paleo diet. But, there are so many other possibilities—not the least of which is that they are tasty—especially when they are spicy. Chili-Lime anyone?

Many world cultures and cuisines enjoy spiced nuts as a snack and India is one of them, with cashews being the most popular. Sometimes they are fried and eaten simply with a dusting of salt. Other times they are covered in fiery chili or other flavorful spices.

No matter how you prefer to eat your favorite nuts, be they spicy or sweet, you can forget about having to purchase them at your favorite retail establishment. Making your own spiced nuts at home is easy and has the added benefit of customization. Personally, I like my cashews a little spicy with a touch of curry powder or garam masala.

Go ahead and experiment. Roasted nuts are great by themselves as an afternoon snack or sprinkled on your favorite salad for some added crunch.

Spiced Roasted Cashews (Masala Kaju)
Adapted from Cook with Kushi
Yields 1 cup

Spiced Roasted Cashews is a crispy and delicious snack you can whip up in 20 minutes. We have included three spice blends: Salted Chili, Pepper Garlic, and Pakora. But, the potential varieties are endless.

They make a great snack and are a welcomed addition to a party snack tray or with afternoon tea. Read more…

Kimchi Sundubo Jjigae (Korean Silken Tofu Stew)

Somethin’ Hot On The Side
I love Korean BBQ. I love it because it is interactive and allows for a lot of variety. I also like it because it forces you to actually have a sit-down meal while you wait for the food to be done—people talk and catch up without being in a rush. As much as I like grilling up some pork belly, my favorite part of Korean BBQ would be the items you order on the side.

Kimchi pancakes? Japchae noodles? Korean pickles? Yes, please!

But, hands down, the one dish that I must have no matter who I go with or where, is the Kimchi Sundubu Jjigae (or Korean Silken Tofu Stew). It could be 90 degrees outside, and I would still order this stew. It is spicy, velvety, bubbling hot nirvana. I have been craving it lately probably because it’s been cold.

The problem is, I won’t be able to get to my favorite place anytime soon but I found this recipe that only takes 30 minutes to make. Nothing says happy Wednesday like a fiery bowl of tofu, right?

Kimchi Sundubo Jjigae (Korean Silken Tofu Stew)
Adapted from Korean Babsang
Yields 2 servings

This quick-to-prepare and hearty stew is made with thinly sliced meat and kimchi. If you wish, you can add an egg to the nearly boiling broth at the time of serving.

Pork Tonkotsu Broth

Using Your Noodle
Ramen is having a moment. It’s been in the moment for quite some time. But, it seems like there are more and more ramen shops popping up. Going for ramen is what the hip kids are doing, I guess. Last year my daughter was all about meeting up with her friends to get Boba. This year it’s all about ramen.

Full disclosure, I like ramen, but I prefer an udon or pho to ramen. That does not mean, however, that I don’t reach into my pantry every once in a while and grab a packet of ramen for lunch.

Gone are the days of college-style ramen. No more hot water and using just the seasoning packet that contains a year’s worth of sodium in one serving. More often than not, I use the noodles but make the rest up on my own.

One search on the internet will tell you that I am not alone in my ramen makeovers. Eggs are an immensely popular add as are fresh green onions. Some people add peanut butter for that peanut sauce effect. Dried and fresh mushrooms are great. Kimchi is a good one as is Chinese sausage. The key, no matter what you put into your ramen, udon, or pho, is the broth.

Let’s be real, if you are looking for first-rate ramen your best bet is to go somewhere and order it because the best ramen places have taken the time to make good broth. This means hours of simmering bones and aromatics to achieve a rich and flavorful base for the ramen.

Most people don’t have the time to do it themselves or just don’t want to hassle with it. I get it. But, because I am weird this way and wanted to challenge myself, I decided a couple of weeks ago to take the time one Saturday and make enough Pork Tonkotsu Broth to freeze and have on hand for whenever I need it. Here’s what I discovered.

The Tonkotsu Broth I made was great. The flavor was spot on. Was it that much better than what I would get from takeout? No. Is it nice to have some in the freezer for later when you have an emergency ramen craving? Absolutely. Would I make it again? Maybe.

It is a time-consuming all-day thing that I would encourage you to try on a weekend when the weather outside is frightful and it’s looking like a movie marathon is in your future. Instead of feeling like you did nothing all day, at the end, you would have dinner!

Pork Tonkotsu Broth Recipe
Yields approximately 8 cups Read more…