Extra Schmaltz!

 This is the style of rice pudding that mom would make us growing up. It's a great way to use that small bit of leftover rice that's too little for fried rice or whatever. It's also really, really easy to make. The secret for maximum deliciousness is to err on the side of using less rice, or to add a bit more milk and egg to compensate if you add a bit too much rice.  It's all about that cross-section of custard on top and dense sweet rice on the bottom. Ingredients 1-1.5 c. cooked white rice, but less is better 2 c. milk, or increase if you have more rice 2/3 c. sugar (part brown sugar makes it extra tasty) 1/4 c. raisins or to taste 5 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (honestly I just shake and eyeball this)  Preparation Grease an casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350.  Beat the eggs in a big bowl, then add literally everything else and whomp thoroughly.  Pour into the casserole dish, and cook probably about an hour or longer - it takes more tim...

Apparently it's been 11 years since I last posted a stuffed peppers recipe ! I am posting a new one, which a) is a different style, and b) I think is more delicious. My previous recipe was more of a Turkish style. This is based on Das Original DDR Kochbuch , which we purchased in Weimar, Germany.  I have added some spice to what would have been a rather stodgy recipe. This is great to make if you are practically drowning in peppers from the garden, as we are at this time of year. We used about 12 peppers of varying sizes, mostly small. If you are using store-bought peppers, 6 will probably do. Before. Note: some extra peppers were placed in my massive Dutch oven as spacers (and not filled with rice).  Bonus picture of Violet's favorite game that she invented--pepper tops! They say "Helloooo!" and jump around a lot. Melt-in-your-mouth taste of summer. Preheat oven to 400° F Filling 6-10 green bell peppers 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 Tbsp. butter 2 c. coo...

So this is a very traditional, and very delicious dish from the Arab Levant. It is called "maqluba" which means "flipped over" due to the very last step of flipping the pot onto a serving platter. I always laugh because instead of being chicken on rice, it's rice on chicken until that last step, and so a totally different dish than the chicken on rice that's eaten most of the time. There are a variety of typical styles of this dish. The style here is with chicken, cauliflower ('zahra' in Jordanian Arabic) and carrots, also optionally featuring potatoes. Meat and eggplant is another style, featured here .  Another tradition style, especially in spring or early summer is with fresh fava beans and meat ( here's a recipe in English ). Ingredients: 2-3 pounds chicken (whatever cuts you want) 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets 3-4 carrots, cut into large chunks (I do this by cutting at a diagonal to the carrot) 3 medium waxy potatoes, dice...

It's not every day that I post a130 yr old recipe! I found this one from 1885 for Mulligatawny Soup while perusing a site that houses vintage cookbooks and recipes. I am calling it a stew because I overdid it on the rice, and it's kind of nice that way. Scale back the rice if you want it to be soupy and/or are planning to have leftovers, as it will thicken considerably as it sits. Boiling a whole chicken will make more chicken stock than you need for the recipe, which is great if you want to make extra to freeze. Served with parathas (frozen section at Indian grocery). 1 whole chicken, cut into breast and legs 1 package beef or veal stew bones 6-8 c. water 2 Tbsp. oil aromatics* 2 red onions, diced 3 Tbsp. curry powder** 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 Tbsp. butter 3/4 c. basmati rice 1/2 c. frozen peas (optional) 1/2 lemon * if you are making a large batch of chicken stock, use aromatics such as yellow onion (including the peel), celery, bay leaves, etc... **you c...

I received a request to share my fried rice recipe, written for a kitchen beginner. There are a lot of subtleties for making awesome fried rice, which would make it a lot easier to teach in-person; this step-by-step is the next best thing. I'm going to shout a bit in this post, but listen to me if you want your rice to fulfill your every hope and dream! TWO KEY THINGS YOU MUST HAVE: LEFTOVER rice (at least one night in the fridge, ideally a few days old). If you try to make it with fresh rice it will be mushy.  A BIG-ASS non-stick pan. Don't try to be a cowboy with cast iron or some other shiz. I am serious--if you are a beginner, DO NOT PASS GO without fulfilling those requirements or you will be disappointed and frustrated and never try cooking again. For rice I recommend a long-grain Thai jasmine rice, but other types will work. If you don't have a GOOD non-stick pan, I recommend Swiss Diamond . If you are concerned about carcinogens or whatever tin-foil hat b...

What to do when you have some leftover long grain rice and you want some spice? Fried rice, Indian style. You can make it vegetarian, or add some meat or shrimp (leftovers work great). You could also mix in some peas or cooked lentils at the end. 3-4 c. leftover long-grain rice 1 jalapeno, sliced 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds 2 tsp. black mustard seeds  2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced 3 green onions, sliced 1 Tbsp. turmeric 1 tsp. black pepper 1 chicken boullion cube 1/2 c. boiling water 1 Tbsp. tamarind sauce 1 c. cooked meat chunks (optional) 1 tomato, diced 2 eggs  handful of cilantro, chopped salt to taste oil for cooking Heat a large nonstick pan, adding a generous amount of oil. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and heat until they begin to sizzle and pop. Add the ginger, garlic, jalapenos and the white part of the green onions and fry until lightly brown. Add the turmeric and black pepper and toss to combine. Break up the rice so it ...

Japanese curry is its own food category, different than Thai or Indian curries. It is a revelation in easy home cooking--just don't fight the packaged-food-ness! The "secret" is to follow the directions on the package. Serve with good white rice and Japanese pickles (all these things can be found at United Noodle). The curry comes as solid blocks (like a chocolate bar) that you break into your curry pot. There are many brands, such as "Java", "Vermont", and "Golden Curry"...all seem to be good, and "hot" is not hot at all, so get that one if you want a slight heat. I made the batch in the photo with tonkatsu , but it can be accompanied with any protein or just eaten plain. As you can see, pickles are a large part of the appeal for me, but don't worry if you can't find them. 1/2 package of Japanese curry blocks 3 large potatoes 2 large carrots 1 medium onion 1/2 c. water Something like that...just free-form i...

This is a very simple and easy recipe for when you either have lots of leftover rice, or when you have almost nothing fresh in the house but a full pantry. It's a traditional, cheap Egyptian dish, and while I still haven't visited Egypt, I'm told I make it pretty close to the original. It's a pretty complete meal, it's tasty, and it makes a lot with little effort. I'm giving the recipe as if you're making it from scratch - if you already have one of the ingredients leftover, just add it in towards the end, so it can absorb some of the heat from the other ingredients. Ingredients: 1 c. brown lentils 1 c. white rice 1 c. elbow macaroni (Optional: 1 can chick peas, cooked a little to soften further OR use Chana Masala for extra spice!) 1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes (28oz) 2 Tbsp diced garlic 2 Tbsp white vinegar Crushed red pepper to taste S&P (Optional: squirt or two of  vodka to bring out the flavor of the tomatoes) 1 large onion...

I must have been too embarrassed of its humble provenance from the Campbell's Soup Label ( and website ) to post this recipe yet, but I make it all the time. I've classed it up a bit, as I tend to do. Try to find Cream of Onion instead of Cream of Mushroom or Celery...it's not as common, but much more delicious. Preheat oven to 375°F 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 can Campbell's Cream of Onion soup 1 c. milk or cream 3/4 c. basmati or jasmine rice 2 Tbsp. vermouth or sherry 1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. thyme (or several fresh sprigs) 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1 pinch cayenne Grease an appropriately sized baking dish. Whisk together the soup mix, milk, vermouth, and spices. If necessary, butterfly the chicken breasts so that they are uniformly thick. Place the rice on the bottom of the dish.  Pour half of the liquid over the rice. Nestle the chicken breasts among the rice. If using thyme sprigs, arrange them around the chicken. Pour...

I take great delight in convincing people they like foods they thought they hated. Spam is one of them. I re-examined this ingredient after a trip to the Spam Museum in Albert Lea, which led me to stumble across this recipe. It is also known as spam musubi, and it is native to Hawaii, where the US military bases introduced the locals to the 'wonders' of canned luncheon meat. Since each musubi is made with a cross-section of the whole Spam loaf, they make for a very filling appetizer. You can either season the rice as for sushi or leave it plain. These are a real crowd-pleaser and I've had a number of requests to bring these to parties. 1 can Spam 2 Tbsp. oil 1/3 c. terriyaki sauce 2 sheets nori, cut into 1.5" strips 1-2 qt cooked sushi rice (season with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar if desired) Remove the Spam from the tin--this may take some vigorous shaking. Slice into 1/4" pieces. Brush the pieces with terriyaki sauce. Fry lightly in a small amount o...

A bit thick, but very, very yummy :) This is an aromatic stovetop-simmered style (like kheer ), instead of the baked, eggy Occidental style. I made this using cooked rice. You can certainly start with uncooked rice (look up a recipe online), but be prepared to spend a lot of time stirring. The recipe is flexible: you can adjust the liquid amount for the desired consistency, add different flavorings, additions such as raisins or nuts, and even different sources of liquids. I recommend using whole milk and adding cream or evaporated milk. The recipe can be served warm or cold. 3-4 c. cooked basmati or jasmine rice 2 c. whole milk 1 can evaporated milk ~1 c. boiling water 1/2 c. sugar 1 Tbsp. rose water 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom 1 pinch salt 1 Tbsp. butter (optional) crushed pistachios for garnish Heat the whole milk and evaporated milk (or whatever types of milk you are using). Add the rice, sugar, salt, and cardamom. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently for 25 min...

Congee is rice porridge, and is the Asian equivalent to chicken soup as a home-made remedy. It's easy to digest, versatile, and comforting. You can put virtually anything in it, but usually it contains some aromatics (ginger, green onions, celery), a small amount of protein (chicken, shrimp), some seasonings (white pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce), and a LOT of water or broth. You can also add green vegetables. I find most recipes include ginger at the very least. This recipe is great when you're feeling under the weather. This is congee with ginger, smoked turkey (just for flavor, removed the bone later), bouakham nam sausage, tea eggs, tofu, and fried shallots. It's like Chinese penicillin! My rice cooker has a setting for congee, but it can easily be made on the stove. You can start with raw or cooked rice, with the latter being much faster. The consistency is a matter of preference and depends on how much liquid you add (you can always thin it out more, so start t...

This is a really easy way to whip up some dinner after a long day. The main weird ingredient you'll need is Chinese sausage. Here's a picture of one brand and a picture of the actual sausage in a package . Chinese sausage is one of the meats that I like to keep around since it keeps for a long time and you don't have to worry about it going bad too quickly - it also adds sweet/savory flavor to meals. You can also throw some diced garlic into this, but I don't think it's necessary. You'll need: 1-2 Chinese sausages 5-10 leaves of a hardy green (Mustard, kommatsuna, etc) 1.5-2 c. rice 2x as much water as rice Cut sausages into small (1/2-1" circles), then chop the greens into smaller pieces. Put rice and water in the rice cooker, then throw in sausages and then greens. Turn on rice cooker, wait 20 minutes and then eat. I recommend adding some soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sriracha.

UPDATE! Here is an improved salad dressing recipe and a detailed description of making the cutlet from scratch. The dressing below is still good, but not quite as good as the miso style! Technically tonkatsu is a breaded pork cutlet, but you can make chicken-katsu or veal-catsu or chickenmcnugget-katsu (as pictured). It's traditionally served as a full meal with rice, shredded cabbage, miso soup, and some pickles. The cutlet is generally sliced so that it can be eaten with chopsticks and dressed with Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce ('sosu'). I forgot to take a picture of rice, so don't forget to include it! For the meal pictured I used salad with ginger vinaigrette instead of the cabbage. Here's how to put together the meal: Make the Sosu: 1/2 c. catsup 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 c. rice wine 3 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced Combine all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Rice : Make some short-grained w...

I just returned from Ithaca and my thesis defense (I passed!), so hopefully I will be able to get back to cookin' and postin'. While I was there I stayed with my wonderful friend Chris. He spent time in Niger in the Peace Corps, where he learned (among other things) how to cook the various goopy glops of the local cuisine. Here is one such recipe, using okra and squash, which is very hearty and satisfying. The ingredients are flexible, but the okra is important for thickening. Chris also recommends adding a pinch of sand or goat dung for that authentic, gritty touch (optional!). 1 onion, diced 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 c. winter squash, cut into thin slices 2-4 c. okra, chopped (frozen works fine) 2-3 c. boiling water 1 Maggi or other boullion cubes 2-3 fresh hot peppers (jalapenos or hotter), chopped salt to taste dash of Maggi sauce or soy sauce oil for cooking Use an iron cauldron or dutch oven. Heat the oil and add the onions, cooking until they begin to soften and brown. Add ...

I say: you can never have too many bean recipes! They're cheap, filling, flavorful, and, um...euphonious. This one is enhanced by serving it with brown rice that has been roasted, to release the nutty flavor. Some hearty avocado slices make a nice addition too. This is based off a Whole Foods (gasp!) recipe. I have discovered that I only like brown rice if it has been cooked for a very long time, which is not possible on the stovetop without scorching. I use the 'brown rice' setting on my rice cooker, but you can accomplish the same thing by cooking it for an hour in a very slow oven. Roasted Brown Rice, oven style 2 c. brown rice 4 c. water 1/2 tsp. salt Preheat the oven to 225. Heat the rice on the stovetop in a Dutch oven, stirring constantly until it is lightly roasted. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Put the lid on and place the pot in the oven for one hour. Fluff before serving. Chili Black Beans 1 lb. black beans, soaked overnight 1 large ham hock (or sm...

This combination of dishes makes a nice meal and great leftovers. I like to use paneer when I can get it easily, but the recipe works well with firm tofu or even chicken (though then I guess it's a different dish). These recipes are based around Manjula's Kitchen , though I altered them a little to avoid hard-to-find ingredients. Check out the videos if you want step-by-step instructions or more recipe ideas. My most recent attempt. I didn't have cilantro to add to the aloo gobi, but it's still delicious without it. Palak Paneer 1 1/2-2 c. paneer, cubed (or extra-firm tofu, cubed and patted dry) 1 box frozen spinach, thawed, drained well, and chopped 2-3 plum tomatoes, pureed, or 1/2 can tomato puree 2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 Tbsp. salt 2 tsp. whole cumin seed 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1/4 tsp. cayenne 3 Tbsp. flour 1/4 c. water + more water 1/2 c. heavy cream or half and half 2 Tbsp. butter oil for frying tomato slices for garnish Fry the paneer or ...

Kabsa is a Gulf/Saudi recipe, yet another variation of meat and rice, but it's pretty damn tasty. Wikipedia has an entry on it, for further background information. The quantities were pretty approximate, so take them with a grain of salt. Ingredients: Chicken pieces (I used two giant breasts, but I think it would be better to use a breast and a couple thighs) Large Onion, cut into thin slices 5 or so garlic cloves 1 can pureed tomatoes 2 medium tomatoes 2 medium carrots, grated Grated peel of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon, OR 2 black/dried lemons 2-4 whole cloves 2-3 whole cardamom pods (or 1/2 tsp ground) 1-2 cinnamon sticks Pinch saffron Pinch cayenne pepper Black peppercorns Salt 3 c. liquid (water or broth) 1.5 c. rice (preferably basmati) Raisins (option) and slivered almonds and/or pine nuts (optional, but much better with) for decoration. Directions: 1. Sautee the onions until they start to carmelize, then add chicken pieces and brown. Add tomatoes, cook for 1 minute. 2. Add 3 c...

I'm re-posting this - it was originally in the Melukhiyya with Vermicelli Rice entry, but I think it'll be easier to refer to it if it's in its own entry. I've updated it a bit, since I had a word translated wrong (I don't think that it's made with lard as I thought - I had mistranslated) Arabic Vermicelli Rice Vermicelli(I believe this is the English word for it. Very thin, twisty noodles. I believe they are wheat based) Rice 2x water/quantity of rice. Oil, butter, or clarified butter (Damascus is famous for using the latter) Cube of chicken bullion (optional. One could probably use any extra chicken broth from the above recipe as well) 1) Heat the fat, then crumble(if its not pre-chopped into 1/2-1 inch or so pieces) and brown the vermicelli. You have to make sure to properly brown it, or else it will become one with the rice upon cooking. Though it can be easy to burn it. 2) Add the rice. Reem prefers to cook it for a little while in the oil, though her moth...

This recipe is great for when you want something really nice and simple, especially in hot weather. It's adapted from the "Sundays at the Moosewood" cookbook, where it's called Tauhu Goreng Kechap. The sauce is definitely more than the sum of its parts - I really like it. Sauce: 2/3 light soy sauce 3-4 cloves garlic 2 Tbsp minced onion/scallion/shallot(I usually use green onions) 1-2 small bird chilies 1/4 c fresh lime juice (I recommend more) 1/2-1 tsp. sugar Fry up some tofu, make some rice. I recommend adding some vegis - they recommend steaming some mungbean sprouts, but I personally skinned and seeded a cucumber, and blanched some thinly cut carrots. Put the vegis and friend vegis on the rice, then pour sauce over to taste. Depending on the season, it might go well with some miso soup or something. A picture of it made all fancy (served with a side of broccoli...and sake, even):