Korean scallion and egg fried rice (bokkeum bap)

We had a craving for a mildly seasoned fried rice, so we tried this: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/egg-fried-rice-gyeran-bokkeumbap/ We found this recipe simple to make and delicious. It was reminiscent of chaufa blanco, a Chinese-Peruvian fried rice tossed with egg white, asparagus, and toasted sesame oil. Our only modification was to add 1/2 cup frozen peas. This was…… Continue reading Korean scallion and egg fried rice (bokkeum bap)

Japanese curry with cabbage and thinly sliced beef

We stumbled upon this version of Japanese curry, and it was delicious: https://www.japanesecooking101.com/pork-and-cabbage-curry/ Our modifications: first, instead of 12 oz thinly sliced pork, we used 10 oz thinly sliced beef. Second, we used less than 1/2 head of a small cabbage – probably closer 1/3 head. Third, we used 1/2 package of S&B hot curry…… Continue reading Japanese curry with cabbage and thinly sliced beef

Chinese-style sweet and sour sauteed eggplant

We had an extra eggplant and tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020459-sweet-and-sour-eggplant-with-garlic-chips?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. Because we had only 1 small Italian eggplant, we halved the ingredients. Our only modifications were to use black vinegar (instead of rice wine vinegar) and add a dash of sugar at the end. This was a nice snack, although the next time we may…… Continue reading Chinese-style sweet and sour sauteed eggplant

Kimchi fried rice, version 2

We made this recipe based on pantry ingredients: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018097-kimchi-fried-rice?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, we used whole radish kimchi (chonggak kimchi), which we diced. Second, we omitted meat from this version. Finally, at the end of cooking we garnished with chili crisp (house made by Hanabi Ramen). (Aug. 2025) Note: Another time, we browned diced spam (approx.…… Continue reading Kimchi fried rice, version 2

Korean soy-braised baby potatoes (algamja jorim)

We are heading to a friend’s Korean fried chicken potluck. We made this delicious recipe from Maangchi: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/algamja-jorim Our modifications: first, we did not have rice syrup. To mimic its flavor, we used a combination of molasses, honey, and maple syrup (in equal parts). Second, we had 1.5 lb tricolored baby potatoes, so we adjusted…… Continue reading Korean soy-braised baby potatoes (algamja jorim)

Burmese sour soup with chayote and catfish (chin-yay hin, version 2)

This is a Burmese recipe from my friend’s sister Ma Thicht, who is an incredible home cook. Basic soup ingredients: 1 medium bottle gourd (or two chayote squash), peeled and cut into 1/2” bite-sized slices; bamboo shoot tips, sliced into 1/4” lengthwise slices (see Note 1 below); 2 tsp (or up to 1 Tbsp) shrimp…… Continue reading Burmese sour soup with chayote and catfish (chin-yay hin, version 2)

Japanese curry with chicken meatballs, sweet potato, and Swiss chard

We had an extra bunch of Swiss chard, and we decided to try this recipe for the leaves (no stems): https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026680-japanese-curry-with-chicken-meatballs?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share This was a delicious dish, with an unexpected combination of sweet potatoes and greens that worked well. Our modifications: first, for the meatball mixture, we followed reader suggestions to increase the panko from 1/2…… Continue reading Japanese curry with chicken meatballs, sweet potato, and Swiss chard