Mananya Cooks: Tom Yum Fried Rice
5 OctThai-Style Pasta with Ketchup, a household favorite!
4 OctRecipe: Stir-fry Arugula, nutty peppery goodness
3 OctWho said you shouldn’t cook arugula? My philosophy in cooking is the same as my fashion life.
***If you like it.. wear it again and again…in many different ways. In ways others might not approve. Wear it. Until you get sick of it. Break all the rules.. Because you want to! Most importantly, it’s because you like it! So, who cares!*** I love arugula! So I am going to cook it the way I want to. Arugula is known for its nutty + peppery taste. Imagine it stir fried with minimal ingredients! And.. With a hot bowl of rice. Delicious! 1 bag of pre washed arugulaDash of salt
Sprinkle of black pepper
1/4 sliced garlic (use fresh!!!)
2 tbs of oil (I tend to use OO a lot) In a medium-hot pan, put in your garlic. Don’t let it burn! Wait a couple of seconds so that the garlic is defused into the oil. Put the entire batch of arugula in. It will sizzle due to the water contents. Wait 5 seconds and move the greens around in the pan. Wait 3 seconds more, turn off the heat and let it settle. Please do not over cook your greens! You’ll lose all its nutrients. At the end, add salt and pepper. You’ll notice that your arugula probably welted down to a tiny bowl. But, that’s okay! Just make more!
Recipe: Grilled Steak with Zap Citrus Thai Salsa
1 OctSometimes, a girl just wants a good piece of……….. steak. 🙂 My favorite place to get good meat = Whole Foods or COSTCO.
Living in a condo, cooking a good steak is a challenge. BECAUSE THE FIRE ALARM IS SOOO SENSITIVE!! So included in this gallery are pictures of Stan fanning the beeping smoke detector. Thank goodness the fire department didn’t come. 2 pieces of steak/beef of choice (see for cuts http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/typesofcuts.aspx) I used chuckFreshly ground pepper
Sea salt For the Zap Salsa (Zap means outrageous flavor in Thai.. The kind of flavor that makes your mouth water) 1 tangerine or orange
1 tomato or 5-6 grape tomatoes
Handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 small onion
1 lemon
1 thai bird chili
Salt to taste
Dash of fish sauce I use a grilling pan that can be found at Sur La Table. It’s awesome. See my previous posting for more information or visit http://www.surlatable.com There are some important rules to grilling or cooking meat. 1) make sure it is at room temperature before you put in on heat 2) Once it hits hot surface, leave it alone! Don’t play with it. Only move it when it’s ready to be flipped. So begin favoring it with just good ole’ salt and pepper. Be generous. I cooked mine @ medium. For your cooking preference, visit http://www.askthemeatman.com/beef_cooking_times.htm Flip once or twice, turn off the heat and let it cool. It will continue to cook for another 10 mins. It’s simply perfection. Make sure you cook your meat well…. You don’t want to get sicko! For the salsa, in a blender, put in your onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and tangerine. Please remove as much pulp and seeds as possible. Otherwise, you are going to get a grossly bitter salsa. You don’t want that. Add salt to taste, thai chili, lemon juice and a dash of fish sauce. Do not substitute with soy sauce, please please. Don’t put too much fish sauce in. Well…unless you’re Thai… Then.. Fish sauce it away!! This is a very satisfying dish. It just hits you right there… YEAH… RIGHT THERE. I wish I brought leftovers.
Mananya Cooks: Thai Cucumber Salad
30 SepMananya Cooks: Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing with Greek Yogurt
24 SepThis recipe came to me when I was deciding what to do with all the anchovies lingering in the fridge. I buy everything in bulk. So, of course, I bought enough anchovies to last me a year. Caesar dressing is my favorite (followed by blue cheese dressing). What better way to make it guilt-free other than using… Greek yogurt as your base. So simple. In a blender, combine:
1 cup 0% Greek yogurt (Fage or Trader Joe’s)
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup of white vinegar
1/8 cup of FRESH lemon juice
1 tsp of fresh cracked pepper
2-3 anchovies (depending on your salt-level preference)
1/2 cup grape seed oil (commonly used in salad dressings)
(optional: for Greek yogurt beginners, add in 1-2 tbs of low fat/reduced fat mayonnaise)
Mananya Cooks: Cilantro Pesto
22 Sep3 handful of unpeeled garlic cloves
1 bunch of cilantro
1 bunch of parsley
1 teaspoon of salt
Olive Oil
How about a spicy pesto inspired by Rick Bayless? Si si! So simple you can make it with your eyes closed. Yeah, not really. Roast the jalapeño and garlic on a grilling or cast iron pan for about 20 mins. Make sure to be attentive and turn them over as needed. In a blender, blend the roasted goodies with parsley and cilantro. Uh huh… make sure to peel the garlic! Add salt at the end. Scoop the cilantro pesto into a jar and top off with olive oil. Keeps for 2 weeks. Great on rice, pasta, or in dips!
Mananya Cooks: Pumpkin Curry
10 JanHappy 2011 my friends! Hope everyone had a great 2010. I start this year’s post with a Mananya Cooks goal.
Mananya Cooks: Moo Wan, Recipe for Thai Sweet Pork Belly
19 NovMananya Eats: More than just bahn mi @SaigonSisters
15 NovLove mi a good bahn mi. Saigon Sisters’ restaurant…cute. Surprisingly fancy looking. I thought it would be an in-n-out type of joint. Ohhhhh no. Prepare yourself for a dining experience. We’re talking candles, dim lighting and an attentive waitstaff. If you’re used to going to Broadway and Argyle for your Vietnamese fix, expect higher prices and smaller portions–not like your favorite Uptown mom n pop-owned restaurant. Saigon Sisters is just a notch below Le Colonial. A nice date night place.
Bánh Bao, open faced steamed buns $7
Pork Belly, Egg and Rice $13
Tuna Tartar $13
Lobster Fritter on sugar cane $15
Better hurry! For now, they are BYOB.