Popcorn and Sushi

I'm a Little Slow...

Image by tiffanywashko via Flickr

As I've mentioned, I'm something of a procrastinator.  I read a lot, and dream.  I make big plans and sometimes follow through.  I make smaller plans and sometimes follow through.  One small plan I had last year was to start making healthy green smoothie drinks.  I'd read the book Green for Life after seeing it in my blog-friend Leslie's sidebar, and I was filled with the urgent desire to start making green smoothies and foisting them upon my family on a daily basis.  But as is so often the case, I set the book down and moved on to other books and other recipes. 

I continued to think about green smoothies, though.  It just took me a while to start making them--as in SEVEN MONTHS. I think one thing that held me back was the fact that we don't have a fancy-schmancy high-powered blender.  Yes, it is absolutely preferable to have a high-powered blender for making smoothies--but it's not a necessity. I found this out once I actually tried making them.

Green smoothies are incredibly healthy and easy to make and drink--and they taste quite good, too.  I even have my kids making them now.  We haven't been going by a recipe lately--just using whatever fruits and green veggies we have on hand.  Want to know more about green smoothies and how to make them?  Rather than blathering on here, I will direct you to a true green smoothie motherlode.  Go have a look (you won't believe all you can find at this site--you could be there for hours!), then start blending away! 

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• Green Smoothie Recipes (losethattyre.co.uk)

Hong Kong Food

Now, for a look back at some more of our recent Hong Kong photos, this time all about one of my favorite topics--food!  I think a couple of the market shots were taken by Second Child, who kindly (sometimes) loaned me his Fujifilm Finepix J10 for the photos I took, since most of the time I didn't end up lugging around our D80.

From that fabulous rocquefort-bacon burger at The Press Room to an eye-full in the street markets, from a piping-hot sweet egg tart on Macau to the mango soup that completed my dim sum birthday meal--we loved it all!

Cold Green Tea

 

I should have known the Japanese were right. 

When finding it necessary to make a purchase from a vending machine (they're everywhere--no, I mean it--everywhere), I resisted the ubiquitous summer beverage for the longest time.  I'd drop in my yen and select a world-dominating Coke (when I was feeling naughty) or a low-sugar vitamin/electrolyte drink (when I was feeling nice).  For some reason, I thought these drinks were more refreshing than tea.  It's funny, because I love tea--I drink a pot of hot black tea every morning.  But I figured that for quenching my thirst, tea wasn't the way to go.  Well, I was wrong--and the Japanese people all around me who always seem to have a bottle of green tea with them when they're out and about in warm weather, were right. 

I stand corrected.  Especially now that I've found a bitter green tea (strong teas are my preference) that I can buy in a 2-liter size at the grocery store and have on hand all day.  Yes, few things beat the heat as well as cold green tea, and hey--it's good for you!  When in doubt, the Japanese are right.

I'll Have Mine Without the Nuts

So. Maybe you're wondering about those two black things in the bowl. If you aren't, you should be, because if you've never been to Singapore or Malaysia--or Indonesia, or maybe Brazil, it's extremely unlikely you've ever seen or eaten them.  Perhaps you are thinking that they are some type of shellfish--and that's a good guess.  But no, they are Indonesian Black Nuts, and they are plain and simple some of the strangest things I've ever tasted.  They have a hard black shell, and what's inside tastes like--well, I'll get to that in a minute.  First, a bit of background, according to Lonely Planet's "World Food: Malaysia and Singapore": the buah keluak, or Indonesian Black Nut, is originally from Brazil but is grown extensively in Indonesia.  Nuts must be soaked overnight and then cracked before cooking, part of a labor-intensive process that makes the nuts surprisingly expensive in restaurants.  The book claims that the "black oily kernel has a slightly bitter taste, reminiscent of olive tapenade (without the salt) when cooked." 

I beg to differ--with "slightly" and with "olive tapenade." My dining companions at this meal in Singapore must have been appalled to hear me refer to the flavor (while continuing to eat) as, "like the way the dumpsters outside a Korean restaurant smell--no, like a sewer--no, that's a bit harsh; it's really like the dumpsters, when it's hot out."  But honestly, once I thought of it, I just couldn't get past the dumpster association. Perhaps surprisingly, I still ate much of this dish, which also contained chicken (flavored by the "black oily kernels," and you could scoop out more from the hard shells should you not get enough of the taste in the coconut-milk sauce alone).  I ate (most of) it, because we were paying for it, and I really don't like wasting food, and it was Christmas Eve and we were jolly.  Plus, I washed the taste down with some white wine, though the old Singapore standby Tiger Beer would have been a better choice, considering the spiciness of Peranakan food.

I know that the ayam buah keluak is a favorite (obviously an acquired taste) of the author of Frommer's Singapore and Malaysia, which is why I tried this dish.  But if you go for the excellent Peranakan food, good prices, and lovely interior at Blue Ginger, you might want to order one of these guys instead:

Sure, he stares at you, and he's got a bit of a bite, but he is 100% Indonesian Black Nut-free.  Enjoy!

Hanoi Market

More photos from our April trip to Vietnam:

"Use it, Don't Lose It" Night

Anytime the kids or I claim "there's nothing to eat," Husband immediately counters.  Why, we have a freezer and refrigerator full of all sorts of useful and delicious items, such as capers, hot pepper sauce, butter, elderly onions, peanut butter, applesauce, and four bags of sweetened coconut!  Get to snackin', everybody! 

Thankfully, I'm pretty good about planning out the majority of our dinners, so Husband doesn't get a chance to use his empty-larder block all that often.  But recently, after being inspired by Alison, I planned not to plan one of our weeknight dinners:  I challenged myself to use only stuff in the fridge or pantry that really, really needed to be eaten.  I had a tube of prepared polenta that was nearing its expiration date (I'd purchased it because it was organic; organic items unearthed in our commissary still almost give me a thrill, so I'll often buy them whether or not I need or even like them).  I was bound and determined to use that polenta.  Here, it's been sliced and fried up in a pan, in two batches:

Let's see now--what next?   After the polenta slices were set aside, I sauteed in butter some things I found in the vegetable bin:  an onion, a Japanese carrot or two, a couple of red bell peppers.  I threw in some oregano and thyme.  Then I chopped up some salami I'd been meaning to use in sandwiches, and I added the rest of a bottle of green olives. 

Finally, I added a can or two of tomato sauce and made sure the mixture was nice and warm.  I served it atop the sliced polenta, adding salt, pepper, and grated parmesan to each serving.

It turned out quite well, I must say--could've used some of those capers, though.

Soup Night: Lazy Sausage and Greens

Just about every Wednesday afternoon I'm greeted by this question:  "It's Soup Night tonight, right?  Because Wednesday night is always Soup Night."  First Child is technically incorrect, as we don't have soup every Wednesday, but she's just about right--I usually throw something together in the crockpot and call it soup on Wednesdays, due to our crazy-busy schedule of ballet and AWANA on those evenings.  Below is a "recipe" of mine, more of an amalgamation, really, that's become a favorite in cooler weather.  It's very flavorful, and somehow the whole family likes it.  Sorry I don't have a photo of it to show, but it's still too darned hot here to think of soup.  It only occurred to me to share this recipe because Stefani at Blue Yonder is hosting a gathering of soup recipe links in her sidebar.  I can't wait to try them--just as soon as it cools off a bit.

Lazy Sausage and Greens Soup

1 lb. bulk sausage (make it organic/preservative-free, the kind I can't get here)
1 onion, chopped, or just part of it, if the whole thing seems too much
a clove of fresh garlic
whatever seasonings float your boat (you can go Mexican, with cumin and chili powder to taste, or Italian, with oregano and thyme to taste)
1 small box frozen greens (turnip, collard, kale, whatever you like)
1 large can chopped tomatoes with their juice
1 can black beans, or any other beans you like, drained and rinsed
1 aseptic carton of broth, or two cans (I normally use chicken or vegetable--bully for you if you have your own, made from scratch)

Squeeze the sausage out of its packaging and let it saute in its own juices (fat) on medium heat, in a large skillet or lovely Le Creuset dutch oven, if you aren't using the crockpot tonight.  Don't worry if the sausage isn't defrosted (I usually forget); just let it sit longer.  Don't forget to stir--but only with non-metal if you're rockin' the Le Creuset.  Make sure your sausage is good and cooked (no pink!), then you can add your preferred amount of onion and let it saute for a few minutes.  Toss in the garlic and give it a minute or two in the pan, along with your choice of seasonings--they'll taste better if you add them now, but if you forget, you can always throw them in at the end.   

Now comes the super-easy part.  If you need to head out for a few hours and won't be continuing this recipe in your enameled cast iron, haul out the crockpot and turn it on low, then drop in (not too hard!) the frozen block of greens.  Now see how quickly you can dump in the tomatoes, beans, and broth, since you should have left the house five minutes ago.  Give everything a quick but gentle stir.  Don't forget, in your haste, to put the lid on the crockpot (I admit I've done this before); now you can head out the door.  Come back in an hour, or three, and delightful aromas and flavors will be waiting to greet you.  Itadaki-masu!

Oh--serves 4, with leftovers.

Please Step Away from the Salad

I am wildly addicted to this salad.  Here it is, in all its glory, just prior to our Christmas Eve meal at home with friends last year.  Prepared often by these lovely friends, the salad was inspired by a similar concoction served at a Greek restaurant in their home of Tarpon Springs, Florida.  It contains most, if not all, of the elements of a typical Greek salad:  lettuce, tomatoes, red/purple onions, olives, cucumbers, pepperoncini, feta, and an oil and vinegar dressing.  But wait!  There's a very special addition, hidden underneath all of that:  potato salad!  And not just any potato salad, but Japanese potato salad!  Now, let it be known that I am, for some inexplicable reason, a complete nut for potato salad in any incarnation.  There's something special about the Japanese version, though--it's very smooth and is made with yummy Japanese mayonnaise (in the weird Kewpie-doll-logo squeeze-plastic bottle!), and it's--well, it's just really good.  When you have a bite of it with just a bit of feta, a crunchy piece of lettuce, maybe an olive:  heaven.

When The Salad made its appearance on Christmas Eve, I asked everyone, "Is it possible to be in love with a salad?"  They laughed, but I'm not sure why.  Seriously, I don't believe I'd ever felt that way about a salad before.  It's as if bells were ringing, birds were singing, and all was right with the world.  Let's just say it wasn't the typical reaction to eating salad.

Anyway, we shared a meal with these friends last weekend, and because they are true friends, they made The Salad.  I was just the teensiest bit territorial about it, though there was plenty for all.  But the leftovers--just one small Pyrex container, not enough!  When First Child headed into the kitchen the next day thinking she would have a scoop of my portion (all of it), I almost knocked the spoon from her hand.

This salad and I, we could take over the world.

Cookies and Ice Cream for Breakfast

And why not?  After all, it's summertime, and you're in New York City.  Your resident friend tells you about a tiny, almost-hidden bakery down the street and around the corner that has unbelieveable, huge chocolate chip cookies that you MUST try if you're in the area.  Also, Husband hears of a new gelato place that's everyone's saying is just amazing (an over-used word, to be sure, but it works here), and it's right down the street, too!  Your dilemma:  you're down to one day in NYC, and you're spending the second half of that day in Brooklyn, from lunch on.  There will be no huge cookie and amazing gelato for you, should you not go in the morning.  You ponder this for a moment, then decide it's okay since you don't manage to leave the apartment until 10:30 or so, making it technically more of a brunch, and a cookie-and-gelato brunch sounds somewhat better than a cookie-and-gelato breakfast.  And you also decide that it's okay, anyway, to have dessert before lunch (never mind that you end up having dessert after lunch as well). 

So you go, to both places, and you eat.  Because you're frugal and because you want to hang on to a shred of virtuosity, you share one gelato (the famed pistachio) between you, and you share one cookie (the famed chocolate chip, big as a salad plate)--AND, there's enough cookie left over to soak through a napkin and leave a grease spot in your Lotta Jansdotter cloth purse before you can get it to the office of your friend, whom you know will devour it.  Unfortunately, you forget to take pictures of your "brunch" because you are too busy oohing and ahhing and rolling your eyes in heavenly wonder to pull out the camera.  But at least you can tell your friends that if they're in NYC on the Upper West Side anytime soon, they MUST visit Levain and Grom.  But maybe not on the same morning.

So Much to Do, So Little--Oh, Never Mind!

I won't bore you by blathering on about how busy we are right now as we prepare to jet away this weekend for Summer in the States.  But do indulge me for a moment as I recount a few happenings from the past week. 

We hosted First Child's 12th birthday sleepover--five girls yelling their lungs out at karaoke, eating sushi (where one was tricked into saying "You da' man!" in Japanese to one of the sushi chefs--he was puzzled), and creating general mayhem around the house and otherwise-sedate neighborhood.  It was a blast.  The next day, there was swimming and a going-away party for some friends.  Sunday, we experienced our first live Japanese professional baseball game, with the Hiroshima Carp.  That was a wild scene (for Japan)--they really get into the spirit of things, let me tell you!  Then yesterday, Second Child (quite the little athlete, if I do say so) had his last baseball game of the season, with accompanying pizza and cake party.  And there's been more swimming.  Yes indeed, we're all "nose to the grindstone" around here, aren't we?  Of course, Husband has been winding down the school year, getting grades done and attending end-of-the-year meetings.  After all, somebody has to work around here.

The larder is now officially running low, which just  occasioned a kids-walk down the hill to FamilyMart for some lunchtime provisions.  I do love me a good noodle sandwich!  The chips weren't bad, either.   Must now pull myself out of my carb-stupor and get some packing done.  Alas, someone else has to work around here, too.