Rei's Random Recipes

• 2 - 3 cut up (old) apples and their peels (take out the seeds though). Did you know there is a German apple soup recipe? Anyway...
• AND/OR A few tablespoons of apple-peel sauce (where you take apple peels leftover from pies and run them thru a blender and then heat through. Nasty for eating. OK for cooking.)

• plenty of onion
• that pink tomato lying around from the over-harvest (optional, not more than one or two)
• any leftover gravy (optional)
• "overharvested" veggies like cucumber, zucchini; seeds can remain. Also works with cucumber or zucchini that has gotten too big and fibrous to eat normally.
• leftover pumpkin? (never tried it, optional)
• Remember, you don't need as many herbs this time, though I've had good results with a big handful of dried carrot tops (very similar to parsley, and another use for garden leftovers).

Now, in the final cooking phase (after straining, skimming, etc.), put in:

• 2 - 3 (or more) cut up carrots
• A dash of milk or cream if you want
• A tiny sprinkle of nutmeg
• Dashes of cinnamon, cloves, and other warm spices
• Pepper
• Extra cut up onions
• try adding some chopped up overgrown cucumber, zucchini, other "overharvested" veggies (without any tough seeds).
• Chicken or turkey meat

• Half a can of sweet corn, with all the sweet corn broth. Or, dump the whole thing in if you want.

Simple Beef Stew

• 1 lb stew beef (if it doesn't look fresh, don't get it)
• 2-3 carrots
• 2-6 onions, depending on size.
• 1-2 potatoes (Idaho, russet, Yukon gold)
• optional: garlic
• optional: a tomato or two
• optional: bag of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
• rosemary: 2-3 tspns or 2 sprigs (2-3 inches long)
• "Italian seasonings" or sage, oregano, rosemary, thyme
• bay leaf
• flour
• salt, pepper
• cooking oil (preferably canola)
• water
• cheap wine
• One large stew pot!

The beef preparation is a very important step. First off, it needs to be fresh stew beef. If your beef is turning brown from age around the edges, I suggest cutting off the brown portions and getting rid of them -- the browning often indicates rancidity, and rancidity is bad for your health (and tastes bad too). Next, trim off the white membranes and any of the hard, translucent rubbery stuff that tend to occur in meat -- the stuff that goes "boing!" if you chew on it. Better to get it out now than have it ruin your meal later; time spent now will greatly increase enjoyment later. The trimmings are great stuff to fry up and feed your dog. Lastly, cut the beef into bite-sized pieces against the grain. The long muscle fibers are chewy, so cutting against the grain will shorten the maximum fiber length and help make the beefy mouthfuls more tender. It's nice to keep the maximum thickness 1/2 inch or less.

OK, next: sprinkle flour over the meat until it's fairly evenly coated (or dredge the meat in flour). Now, pour a thin layer of cooking oil into the pot. Heat the oil on medium to medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles nicely, then add the beef. Stir the beef around and let it brown on the outside. The flour should dissolve into the oil. Once all of the flour has dissolved and the meat has gotten some nice browned corners and sides, add the chopped onions and garlic and let it all cook together for several minutes. I like adding some salt and pepper at this stage, to the point where the meat starts tasting like it could be its own side dish.

Now that everything's all happily cooking together, throw in all the chopped veggies and potatoes (except for the reserved onions). Add just enough water to cover, and stir all the stuff around (but keep the newly added veggies below the water surface). Now, let things come to a gentle boil. Add your rosemary and generous dashes of herbs and spices (say, a tablespoon of "Italian seasonings") and the bay leaf. Adjust the heat down so it's just barely simmering, and let sit like that for about forty-five minutes. If you put in a bit too much water, leave the pot uncovered to let it boil down; otherwise, cover the pot (and be sure to bring down the heat to the minimum needed for simmering -- a closed pot requires less heat).

At the forty-five minute mark, take the reserve onions. (The reserve onions are a Secret Technique to get yummy onion chunks in your final product.) Cut them in half through their middles. Take the two halves and lay them flat, then cut those through the centers to make six "pie wedges" each (or four if they're small onions). Add them to the stew, mix them in; now's the time to add a quick "glug" of wine, too. Let the stew simmer on for another fifteen minutes. Then adjust the seasonings, make sure the potatoes are done, REMOVE BAY LEAF, and serve!

Note: You can also add frozen vegetable mixes (peas, corn, carrots) to this stew near the end - give it time to cook to desired tenderness.

This is really quite tasty with a dollop of sour cream added per bowl....

If you double the quantities, you get enough leftovers for a few days.

Hearty and (Relatively) Healthy Instant Ramen

Thanks to my ramen upbringing, I've never considered just a plain bowl of instant ramen to be an acceptable meal. It's not healthy, in any case -- just starch, fat, and salt. Yuck.

So, here's my intant ramen serving suggestion. You'll need:

• One package instant ramen per person (I use Sapporo Ichiban brand, regular or beef flavor) --
  or split one package among two people, because the large quantities of vegetables make up for the bulk (which is a good thing, health-wise!)
• 3-5 leaves napa or Chinese cabbage per person (can use bok choy intead)
• 2-3 scallions/green onions per person
• Meat: ready-to-eat Chinese-style sweet pork, or just use some lunchmeat ham or turkey (2-4 slices per person)
• Optional: hard-boiled egg, one or 1/2 per person
• Optional: other veggies, like snow peas, cooked spinach, carrots, broccoli, diced summer squash, veggie leftovers, etc. (Yes, this is a great way to use up leftover vegetable stir-fries, too.)
• Optional: a slice or two of naruto fish-cake (traditional Japanese ramen garnish)
• Seasonings: roasted sesame oil, white pepper, Japanese "hot" "pepper," garlic powder, garlic oil ...

Vegetable preparation: Cut napa or Chinese cabbage into bite-sized pieces, by chopping roughly 1"-1.5" apart across the leaf. Chop scallions into thin rings -- how much thinner than about 1cm or 0.5 cm thin is up to you. Broccoli is non-canonical, but I do use them -- I just cut off a few florets and use those. Any other veggies, except for snow peas, should be cut into small pieces or thin slices so they cook quickly. (Carrots should be cut diagonally and extremely thinly, if you do use them.) Set aside prepared vegetables and cook the noodles:

Noodle pot: Heat at LEAST the amount of water recommended for the total number of ramen packages, but this can be guesstimated if you know what you're doing. (Start the second pot of water/teakettle now too!) When boiling, add noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender and the water has turned whitish from the starch and fat. Now, drain off the water. Easy way: add cold water to the pot from the tap. The noodles tend to sink now. Drain water off, holding noodles back with chopsticks. Rinse in cold water. Divide drained noodles among serving-sizes into large bowls (chopsticks help). Do NOT put veggies into the veggie pot until this is done.

Veggie pot: Re-using the noodle pot, after a rinse, makes for fewer pots to wash! Add boiling water from the second pot or teakettle. Use about the amount of water recommended for the total number of ramen packages (use a bit less if you like your soup more concentrated). Once boiling, add veggies (save delicate vegetables, like snow peas and scallions, for last; if you use broccoli or carrots, put them in first and wait a half minute before adding others). This is also where to add any frozen naruto slices. Once veggies have wilted or gotten to the desired state of done-ness, add flavor packet(s) and stir thoroughly. Immediately remove from heat. Pour veggies and nutrient-rich broth over the noodles in their bowls, dividing equally.

To each bowl, add sliced cooked meat or lunchmeat; add also the optional boiled egg, cut lengthwise in two. Try adding 2-3 drops roasted sesame oil and a bit of white pepper for seasoning.

To save leftovers, separate noodles from vegetable broth. Store both in fridge separately.

Other ideas:

• Sometimes I try boiling an egg (OUT of its shell) with the vegetables (using the napa cabbage leaves as a cushion). This is risky as the yolk frequently breaks, and it also does not get completely cooked to hard-boiled stage (actually I prefer it that way, but it could be a health risk).
• I have been known to add diced garlic to the vegetables.
• I have been known to stir-fry mushrooms, vegetables, and onions, and then put that on the finished ramen.
• Back at college, I saw people just make ramen, drain off the water, and put the sauce powder on the noodles -- I suppose adding a topping of cooked/sauteed veggies would make it similar in nutrition value to what I've done above.
• Note: ramen noodles can and do go "off" -- discard or compost them if they stop tasting fresh when tried without the salt broth masking the flavor. You can, however, use the sealed sauce packet to flavor stir-fries or boiled vegetables for a good while longer.

Lazy Person's Beef Casserole

• One large can (28 fl. oz?) of crushed tomatoes
• One can of small ripe black olives
• One pound raw ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chili powder (or less)
• 1 cup uncooked dry rice
• A bit of cooking oil
• salt, pepper, Italian seasonings, ground celery seed, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, grated parmesan cheese, to taste.
• (Non-lazy way: chopped/diced 2 stalks celery, one medium onion, one bell pepper.)

(Hint: normally you'd add the Southeastern trio of diced bell peppers, onions, and celery to this, but we're being lazy and not chopping anything. To compensate for their lack, paprika covers for the peppers, celery seed for the celery, and onion powder for the onion.)

Lazy Person's Bean Casserole

• One large can (28 fl. oz?) of crushed tomatoes
• One can of small ripe black olives
• One or two cans kidney beans or other southwestern-style beans
• 2 tablespoons chili powder (or less)
• 1 cup uncooked dry rice
• A bit of cooking oil
• salt, pepper, ground celery seed, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, grated parmesan cheese, to taste.
• (Non-lazy way: chopped/diced 2 stalks celery, one medium onion, one bell pepper.)

(Hint: normally you'd add the Southeastern trio of diced bell peppers, onions, and celery to this, but we're being lazy and not chopping anything. To compensate for their lack, paprika covers for the peppers, celery seed for the celery, and onion powder for the onion.)

Tasty Olive Oil Ground Beef

• 1 pound raw ground beef
• 1 onion
• 1-2 heads of broccoli
• olive oil
• salt, pepper, Italian seasonings
• Optional: hot cooked rice or sliced bread.

Easy Cheesy Tomato Pasta

• About 8 oz. dry short (such as rotini, ziti, etc.)
• One jar spaghetti sauce
• One 8 oz bag shredded cheese ("Mexican style" works well)
• Optional: One can pitted olives, drained
• Olive oil to taste

This stuff combines the tart zest of spaghestti sauce with the gooey salty goodness of melted cheese, and is "crackalicious" and easy to make. It is technically vegetarian. However, it violates both the low-carb and the low-fat diets like crazy, so go easy if you need to.

P.S. After having a friend's VERY tasty tortilla chip dip, I might try adding CREAM CHEESE to this!

Pseudo Mabo Dofu

• 1 package firm Nasoya tofu (or firmer), diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 tbs. soy sauce
• 1 tbs. apple cider vinegar (or vinegar)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, minced or ground
• 1-2 scallions, chopped.
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced.
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in a half teacup water
• cooking oil, preferably Joyce Chen's spicy cooking oil, or use roasted sesame oil.

Vegetarians can skip the meat and replace the beef broth with vegetable broth.

My preference calls for addition of at least a tablespoon of hot chile oil, a liberal sprinkling of white pepper, another tablespoon of vinegar, and a good splash of Szechuan sauce, oyster sauce, and a spoon of black bean sauce. Hedonism.

The Pleasures of White Rice

Many Asian cultures use hot rice as a backdrop for their foods. The Japanese seem to treat rice as a central player; in fact a number of their rice "dishes" are probably 90% rice, 10% anything else. I suspect this was driven in part by poverty. You can see that sad history in "tea rice" and "miso rice." As a note, though, for a long time millet was the staple of poor farmers, who had to tithe away all their rice or something like that. When they did have rice, white rice was for the rich, brown (healther, ironically) for the poor.

• Fish and rice. This is the epitome of Japanese. One takes a broiled small fish (usually small enough to fit on a plate whole), garnishes with soy sauce and grated daikon radish, and eats it with hot white rice. Yes, frequently your fish will have its head and tail intact (some people like to eat the eyes; I've been known to examine the tiny sharp teeth in the mouth). Chopsticks are about the only way to pick meat off bones or delicate bones off meat without resorting to fingers. The hot white rice is the subtle "pillow" that cushions the sharp flavor of salted fish. One of the nicest broiled fishes is fresh mackerel (which is also among the nicest of sushi if fresh, and among the worst if not fresh); mackerel has a very high fat content, and the fat liquifies when broiled.
• Hiyayakko (tofu and rice). A great summer meal, perhaps second only to hiyashi chuuka, or Japanese cold noodles (ironically the Japanese phrase refers to Chinese cooking). Anyway, hiyayakko is cold cubed tofu on a plate, garnished with diced raw scallions, a bit of bonito fish flakes (optional), and minced ginger (optional). A small dish of soy sauce serves to dip the garnished tofu into; then the tofu is eaten with hot rice. The cool smooth tofu contrasts well with the warm sticky rice, and of course one has the usual tasty soy sauce-with-rice combination. This is truly refreshing on a hot summer day.
• Furikake. In Japanese food stores you can find "furikake," which are dry salty flavorings, such as tiny strips of nori seaweed, bits of dried bonito fish, and/or tiny bits of egg crumbles, to be sprinkled on hot white rice and eaten as-is.
• Ocha-zuke. In form, ochazuke is a lot like furikake (dry salty flavorings sprinkled on hot white rice), but then the rice is covered with boiling water, which dissolves some of the ochazuke to form a salty hot broth. Ochazuke (based on the word "o-cha" for "tea") was originally a poor man's meal: green tea poured on white rice. The poor man's rice garnish is now sold in fancy individual serving packets, in multiple different flavors! For properly hot ochazuke, pour boiling water over the rice and into the bowl before adding the topping, then drain. This helps heat both the bowl and the rice, especially if it is leftover rice. And yes, you can avoid commercial ochazuke and just pour green tea over your rice instead; add salt to replicate the commercial flavor.
• Miso Shiru Rice (Miso Soup Rice). This is considered a rather "low-class" creation, as far as I know; if you want to be polite (I was told) never do this. This is simply miso soup poured over rice; my impression is that it is like tea rice: born from poverty, and in this case shunned by polite society. (Miso is a very salty mash made from fermented soy beans and rice or barley. Miso soup is that same stuff you get at Japanese restaurants - miso mixed into hot water or, ideally, hot broth.)
• Sesame "furikake." A simple rice topping involves roasted sesame seeds mixed with salt, and sprinkled on hot white rice.
• O-tsukemono (pickles). The Japanese love their pickles, which are salty and naturally sweet (usually unsweetened). Eggplant, daikon radish (the white radish's pickle is usually colored yellow), Chinese cabbage (hakusai, perhaps pickled in nukamiso), umeboshi (pickled plum/apricot flavored with shiso - very salty, very sour), even the old pickled ginger (the sweetened sushi stuff, or the non-sweet red "benishoga") are examples of Japanese pickles that one can eat with hot white rice.
• Egg rice. I am not responsible for any cases of food poisoning. Don't try this at home. Egg rice involves a raw egg mixed with soy sauce poured onto hot white rice. It's salty, it's egg-slimy, and it's risky to eat in this day and age. Some places sell "eggs safe to eat raw," but eat at your own risk. (Raw egg is used in various Japanese dishes, including Udon.)
• Natto. Natto is fermented soy beans. It is extremely slimy (my biologist dad once said the long "strings" of slime were "bacterial strands"), but the slimyness is reduced by judicious application of soy sauce and hot yellow mustard. The natto-soy-sauce-mustard is then mixed with diced scallions, then eaten with hot white rice. Definitely an acquired taste.
• Beans and rice. Salted edamame (green soybeans, the latest Japanese food rage to hit the US) go well with hot white rice. No, I don't think this is a traditional meal, but there are now frozen dinners that feature this combination.
• Meat and rice. Of course meat and rice go together. The Japanese equivalent of Mongolian fire pot are shabu-shabu and sukiyaki: raw meat and vegetables cooked right at the table; you pick out cooked bits and eat with rice. Raw egg figures sometimes, but again, don't do it if you're not prepared for the possible consequences.
• Curry rice has to be mentioned just because it is so popular, and the substrate is the standard hot white rice. Japanese curry is, of course, modeled on Indian curry, but has been altered to be smoother, perhaps sweeter, and thicker. (It is also traditionally served with a small side of Japanese pickles, sort of like Indian chutney.) Japanese curry, complete with instructions, can be even found in some mainstream supermarkets these days; some packages even require no cooking. This is one of my favorite "home" dishes, and is a comfort food for probably millions of Japanese, too. I can even make commercial-quality Japanese curry from scratch, but it uses up LOTS of curry powder (perhaps up to a quarter of a typical spice jar for a typical batch) and it requires cream to come out nice and smooth, not to mention lots of meat stock (I try to use home-made). Just as an idea, what I put in home-made curry includes: butter and dissolved flour (roux), meat stock, milk, cream, herbs and spices, carrots, potatoes, a lot of onions, other miscellaneous vegetables, LOTS of curry powder, cumin, ginger, hot pepper, white pepper, salt, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, hints of warm spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves), and meat.

Vita-Mix Ideas

(Quick note on the Vita-Mix: It's expensive but extremely powerful and durable. I know one person who kept ruining blenders until he heard about ours and got a Vita-Mix.)

Quick Tomato Garnish

• Ripe tomatoes (if pink, let ripen; hard is bad, bland is OK!)
• Fresh basil (if you have room to grow tomatoes, you can sneak in some basil plants in the garden)
• grated cheese
• olive oil
• garlic powder
• salt, optional

Make Your Own "Hack" Wine

As with all microbial projects, there is a chance to fail magnificently if the stuff is contaminated.

You'll need:

Ingredients
• Live brewing yeast, such as beer or wine yeast (available at brewing supply stores) ... (I've used both; I think I'll stick with wine yeast, but either is OK for this)
• 1 to 4 glass jars (32 oz.) of store-bought fruit juice of your choosing (some juices may not work, like mango, pineapple, tomato). Pure juice tends to be best (see results section for suggestions). Note: added flavoring and oils in the ingredients may make the final wine taste funny! Also: 32 oz. of juice will probably turn into maybe 20-25 oz. of wine, due to pouring off, yeast slurm, etc.
• Sugar (finely ground is better)

  Equipment

• A drip tray big enough for your jar(s). AND/OR:
• A clean place free of fruit flies and other contaminants, like the inside of a very tall metal pot with form-fitting lid. (Also a good idea just in case the glass breaks or explodes.)

1. Mix Ingredients. Prepare yeast as directed on package. Once the yeast is ready, open the jars. (Remember, the less time the juice is exposed to open air and the possibility of insects, the better.) Pour off some of the juice to make room to add sugar. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar to the jars -- I haven't done this often enough to have precise recommendations, but the lower the sugar content of the juice, the more sugar it needs. (Adding yet more sugar may help these wines be less thin, BUT it can give the wine an unpleasant "hot" sharp flavor.) Add yeast to the jars. Close the lids and shake the jars thoroughly to dissolve sugar and distribute yeast.

2. Put Aside. Now, put the jars in the drip tray or tall pot (if just the drip tray, it is also possible to store them all in an UNHEATED oven to keep safe from insects). Gently loosen the lids so that they are covering the tops properly, yet are loose enough to rotate freely. Next day, make sure that fermentation is starting. (You should see lots of little bubbles starting to rise up and accumulate at the top. Depending on juice, a thick foam may or may not start forming at the top too -- some of the best juices do a lot of foaming!)

3. Check. The first few days, check that the lids stay on. If they are threatening to fall off, tighten them just enough so they don't. But NEVER tighten lids so much that gas can't escape, or else you will get exploding jars!!

4. Wait. Next, leave the jars on the drip tray in a clean dark room-temperature place (again, inside a tall pot is nice) for as many weeks as it takes for the fermentation to stop or at least slow down to a near stand still (about 2-4 weeks with beer yeast). Check periodically to make sure fermentation's going OK, that the lids are still on, that bugs haven't gotten in, and that the jars smell alcoholic (slightly yeast-y or "fresh bread"-y is OK too).

5. Sample and Store. Once the fermentation is pretty much over, sample the product. Note: It is normal to have scum or slime on the mouth of the jar if there was foaming going on. The proof is in the taste. If it tastes really strange or "off," discard it -- it probably got contaminated. If it tastes like wine (having a "yeasty" flavor is OK) and you're happy with it, consume as quickly as possible, and/or carefully pour off the wine into a clean glass container (leave out the settled yeast) and refrigerate. I've had a lovely cherry wine go a bit "off" from sitting around too long. Remember, these are not air-tight bottles and the wine can and will go bad if left too long, especially after sampling and exposure to dried-on foam and open air. Putting the wine into another bottle and refrigerating can also help remove excess yeast (letting it settle out).

Experimental Yogurt Growing

• Different starters/cultures
• Different substrates (different types of milk or milk-substitute)
• Additives/flavors, before and after culturing. I have NOT tried this.
  Note:
  
• Culturing temperature also plays a role in the result

Tip: Rinsing Soap/Detergent

At the kitchen sink, fill a sprayer/mister bottle with plain distilled white "vinegar" (dilute acetic acid) and spray on whatever item isn't rinsing well. The acid vinegar dissolves away the basic detergent or soap almost instantly. (You can use citric acid too.)

This once saved me at a soup kitchen, where the only detergent was liquid dishwasher detergent! It would simply NOT come off a humungous plastic container until I used a bit of flavored vinegar that was lying around. Yay!

Apparently, detergent tends to leave behind a soapy layer of film on whatever surface it was on (according to one biologist). Although not "toxic," it can't be too healthy, so rinse it off.

Comments on Green Tea and Good Knives

I've had all sorts of Western brands of green tea in my quest for convenient and cheap healthy fare (green tea is very good for you). But they just aren't very good in terms of flavor. They don't taste right. If you get green tea, whether loose leaf or in tea bags, get a good Asian brand. The best Japanese loose leaf green teas are somewhat pricey ($13 for 10 grams, I think), but they are rich, delicate, smooth, aromatic, and taste like a sunny summer day.

Don't get the (insert Western brand name here) tea bag and expect to find out what green tea should taste like.

Some Random Thoughts and Things

Salmon Head Stock: Following directions from various cookbooks, I made salmon fish head stock (removing gills was a pain, though), though I also used vinegar as if it were chicken stock. Although Best Cookbook recommends against salmon, one web site for Southeast Asian food recommends them. Taking the Asian hint, I made a light soup with the nicely gelatinous stock, a bit of soy sauce, chopped onions, celery, thinly sliced carrots, slices of half a fresh orange, udon noodles that were lying around in the freezer, dried shiitake mushrooms, mirin, some parsley from the fridge, ground cardamom, and touches of ground ginger, chile powder, garlic powder, mustard, etc. Actually not bad at all. Sort of wanted to try some coconut milk, too, though.

Roast Duck and Honey: Adding a drizzle of honey to the skin of the duck (mallard-type, not muscovy) about 20 minutes before it's done roasting creates a nice crusty brown result. The honey tastes amazingly good on crispy duck skin.

More about stock: I keep one or more plastic freezer bags full of various bones in the freezer. After a meal that results in chicken bones, or duck bones, or pork bones, or beef bones, the bones go straight into the bag. Later, when I'm making soup, I can just add a few to add some gelatine - or use a whole pile to make stock. (And these days I never use bones without plenty of salt and vinegar to leach the minerals out; I just have to let the stock heat long enough to dissipate the vinegar.)

All full recipes, as random and non-specific as they are, are copyright 1994, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004 by Eri Izawa (rei (at) mit.edu) (and also Michael J. Bauer (mjbauer (at) mit.edu) for Spicy Three-Pepper Sesame Beef, Spinach-chicken Salad, and Honey-Worcestershire Chicken).