Bobby Flay's recipe is here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/jicama-and-watermelon-salad-recipe-1941006.html?soc=itksocialsharedefault%7Cios%7Cp. Although the recipe called for only 1 tsp each of orange and lime zest, we used all zest from one orange and two limes. We also used about 1 cup jicama to 4 cups watermelon. We will garnish with spearmint later. (Sept. 2015)
Iced cantaloupe soup with jalapeño and basil
This was a refreshing summer soup that nearly broke my food processor, but the flavor was great. Recipe from the Splendid Table: http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/iced-cantaloupe-soup-with-jalapeno-and-basil (Aug. 2015)
Indian stuffed and sautéed okra
First, combine 2 ¾ tsp each turmeric and black pepper, 1 ¾ tsp salt, and 1 ¼ tsp cayenne in a small bowl. Second, wash and trim 1 lb okra. Carefully cut a slit into each okra pod, then using a teaspoon, gently stuff each okra pod with the seasoning mix (about 1/8 tsp per… Continue reading Indian stuffed and sautéed okra
Indian sweet and spicy butternut squash
Peel a butternut squash (about 2 lbs), then cut into 1-inch chunks and set aside. Heat 4 Tbsp oil in a Dutch oven, then add ½ tsp cumin seeds. When seeds start to pop, add the squash chunks, ½ tsp salt, and a ¼ tsp each turmeric, cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to… Continue reading Indian sweet and spicy butternut squash
Indian spiced fruit salad (fruit chaat)
This is a simple salad of various fruits cut into bite-sized pieces (here, 3 small guavas, a red delicious apple, a red pear, a plum, 1 cup red grapes, and 1 banana) tossed with the juice of one lime, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp each cayenne and black pepper. The addition of savory spices… Continue reading Indian spiced fruit salad (fruit chaat)
Hawaiian spam musubi
Recipe from: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/04/tutorial-how-to-make-hawaiian-spam-musubi-sushi.html. In terms of spam seasoning, I combined ½ tsp sugar with 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce and 1 Tbsp mirin, but used only about half of it. I also used Spam Lite, and I couldn’t tell the difference from the original version (at least in this preparation). If you tightly wrap each… Continue reading Hawaiian spam musubi
Banana french toast
Using a blender, mix 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, ¾ tsp cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 ½ ripe bananas (reserve the remaining half-banana for garnish). Pour mixture into a shallow dish, then dip a slice of bread (here, thinly sliced ciabatta) into the mixture, coating each side (the recipe calls for 6 slices, but… Continue reading Banana french toast
Slow-roasted spiced strawberries in balsamic vinegar and red wine
I replaced red wine with pomegranate molasses. Keep a close eye on the dish so that it does not reduce too much (as it did here). Details here: http://www.eatthelove.com/2011/04/slow-roasted-spicy-strawberries-in-balsamic-vinegar-and-red-wine/ (Aug. 2015)
Korean chicken soup with hand-cut noodles (dak kalguksu)
This is one of my favorite dishes, but I haven’t had it in years. This is my first time making the recipe at home. Recipe from Maangchi: http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dak-kalguksu (Aug. 2015)
Korean-Chinese black bean sauce over noodles (jja jang myun)
This dish brings back many childhood memories of eating at Korean-Chinese restaurants with my family. My family’s recipe never tasted like the restaurant version. Thanks to Maangchi, I finally found the restaurant version that I loved so much: http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/jjajangmyun (Aug. 2015)
Cooking Adventures 