Happy Halloween With Grilled Yakitori Chicken Hearts...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN with springy spongy ever-so-tasty impaled chicken hearts on a stick-- yakitori-style!! Nothing to fear, contrary to what people may imagine, fresh chicken hearts are not gritty, rubbery or slimy or have a strong livery, offal taste. When quickly grilled on high heat, they become tender morsels with a hint of red meat taste and a soft springy texture like flash-fried fresh squid. Chicken hearts, are rich in essential B vitamins (including B12, riboflavin and folic acid) and minerals (including zinc, selenium, iron and potassium). Nutritious and Delicious, what's not to 💗?

Sharing an oldie but a goodie!... 

Grilled Yakitori Chicken Hearts

Battered Fried King Mushroom Bites...

Mushrooms! Not your everyday button white shrooms, but the King! What’s best is that they stay fresh and firm in the refrigerator longer compared to other mushrooms. Growing up, my mother would cook them sliced in vegetable stir-fries, and their hearty yield often reminded me of meat-- a great meatless option with wonderful health benefits. On many occasions when shopping in Asian supermarkets, ladies are cooking up thin slices in a small skillet, with a little salt and pepper on both sides and served to customers hot on a toothpick. Yum, stir-fried and pan-fried were my go-to ways, until the eureka moment for deep-fried came while dining out with my pal. We ordered banh cuon, a rice roll dish at a vegan Vietnamese restaurant, and a few battered fried kings served as its garnish. The tiny morsels were divine and I knew that replicating these in abundance home-style is a must. 

I was also craving KFC, not Colonel Sanders but Korean fried chicken, and the place I wanted to order from tops theirs with a mound of shredded green onions. How about sliced green onions on top of crispy mushrooms for the extra crunch and colour-- Yes!! So simple to make and addictive to eat, kids will love this as did mine! I had BFM and KFC that night and my family polished both off with equal intensity :D.

Battered Fried King Mushroom Bites

4-5 king oyster mushrooms, cut into bite size pieces
canola or vegetable oil for deep frying
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup potato starch

1/4 tsp. salt
a few dash of white pepper
1 egg

1 tsp. water

1 tsp. soy sauce

a few drops of toasted sesame oil

red pepper powder/flakes (optional)

Dipping Sauce:

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

a few drops of toasted sesame oil

Sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds

Cook's Note: The best way to clean the mushrooms is to trim off only the very end of the stem and give them a light brushing to remove any dirt.

Cut the mushrooms down its length and slice into batons.

Make the dipping sauce by combining the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Set out two bowls. One for the batter mix and the other for the egg wash. Mix flours, salt and pepper in one. In the other, mix egg, water, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper if using.

Korean red pepper powder can be found in most Asian Supermarkets.

Working in batches, evenly coat the mushroom pieces in egg wash, then in the batter mixture, shaking off excess flour. I do the egg wash with one hand and the flour in the other to keep it less messy. You can also use a slotted ladle or spoon. Place the battered mushrooms onto a plate.

Heat up a skillet/wok with oil on medium-high. Oil is ready for frying when a skewer or chopstick is inserted and tiny bubbles shoot up its side. In batches, cook the mushrooms until golden and crispy. Remove with slotted ladle onto a paper-towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. Place onto serving platter, top with onions and alongside dipping sauce.

Oooooo....

La, La....

Sprinkle with red pepper for some heat if you wish.

Making it a full-on Korean meal affair with kimchi and white radish pickles.

OMG Deep-fried goodness! King mushrooms or chicken-- why choose when you can have both!

NOM NOM!! 식욕을 돋구다

Chieko's Fermented Squid (Ika no shiokara)...

Always happy to hear from my readers, sheer delight ensued when a conversation began from a post comment on an off-the-cuff matter-- offals! This American reader from New Mexico favoured my recipe Spicy Pork Intestine Stir-Fry with Pickled Mustard Greens and expressed her love for nose to tail eating in wicked detail-- just read the comments :D. She tells me Super Walmarts particularly those near Latino communities carry offal, such as tripe, tongue, beef intestines, trotters and even an entire pig's head-- who knew? Half-Japanese, Chieko talks about her adoration of pickling, brining, and curing meats like pork liver, beef and salmon. She makes this amazing Japanese raw squid that was featured as squid guts on the show Fear Factor... Fear what? She says she would have guzzled it-- lol. Hearing this, a light bulb lit up.. Halloween is just around the corner and how timely is a potentially scary recipe post on squid guts :D. This fermented squid dish was lauded by my brother as a must try when I first visited Japan way back when-- and I absolutely loved it! Easy with just two ingredients, the squid cleaning is really not that difficult and the results well worth it! And so, it is with great pleasure to have Chieko as my guest to break it all down, and show us there's really nothing to fear... Take it away my offal friend!

Chieko Thompson

When I was four, during lunch one rainy day in Massachusetts, out of nowhere I asked my mother if I could peel an onion. She just gave me a quizzical look and said, "I guess." It had always fascinated me when I'd watch her peel onions with the nakiri knife she'd brought with her from Japan. She actually let me use that knife and I successfully peeled an onion that afternoon. I think that's when I became interested in cooking. Scary to think a four year-old was handling a sharp Japanese knife! 

I went on to become a photographer, water skier, skydiver, pilot, and mother. Despite all those activities, I still always loved to cook and experiment with food. Luckily, I got to spend a lot of my adult life along the coast of Florida so had access to some super-fresh seafood often times right off the boat. Other times I'd go harvest my own oysters, mussels, blue crabs, and of course go fishing. I miss those days. 

The first time my mother made ika no shiokara "food fit for the gods" from some squishy tentacled things, I thought she was the most talented person on Earth that day! Today I share it with you...

In Japan ika no shiokara is known as a hangover cure, eaten with a bowl of hot rice and washed down with a cold beer. Yes, hair-of-the-dog, breakfast-of-champions much like ceviche is touted as a hangover cure in South America. 

Ika no shiokara is salted squid. It's been referred to as fermented squid guts. As you'll see with the preparation, most of what's salted is the flesh from the squid tubes and tentacles. This dish is lightly fermented due to the break down of protein by proteases (enzymes) found in the digestive glands of squid. Needless to say, only whole squid can be used. Pre-cleaned squid will not work because the digestive gland will have been removed. I recommend squid with tubes 4" to 6" long (tentacles not included). Large squid have a big digestive gland that tends to be a bit bitter and the flesh tougher. I use frozen squid and leave the skin on for its bespeckled appearance. Squid are not difficult to clean. Preparing the batch for this post took 30 minutes for 1.15 lbs. Make sure your knife is sharp.

Cook's Note: If you can only get squid thawed, soak them in baking soda dissolved in cold water for about 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. At this point, they can be frozen for later use. If using right away, place in freezer for about 30 minutes. This will make the squid much easier to handle.

Chieko's Squid Guts (Ika no shiokara)

Frozen squid, completely thawed
Table or sea salt
(yup no measurements)

Pull the head from the tube (body). Cut to remove tentacles just in front of the eyes. Open tentacles to reveal small black bird-like beak encased in a little sphere. Remove with your fingers and discard. Cut behind the eyes. Discard the remainder of the head.

Cut the innards into pieces and place into a bowl. Now slice the squid tube without slicing all the way through, off the mid-line. Pull apart the flesh and remove the quill that runs the entire length. Slice the squid into roughly 2" x 1/4" strips. Cut the tentacles into individual ones.  Do this for all the squid. 

Collect these parts for discarding.

Salt generously with plain old table salt or regular sea salt. I made a batch from some super expensive sea salt once and it just didn't taste right. Mix well. When it starts to develop a froth and bubbles, you're good to go (enzymes are working). Place into a non-reactive container, cover and refrigerate for four hours, preferably eight or overnight.

NOTE: If you'd like to remove some of the saltiness, rinse well under cold water several times then drain. Sometimes the ika no shiokara may darken after being in the fridge, likely from the ink sac. Just rinse and it will go away.

Cover and refrigerate for four hours, preferably eight or overnight.

Serve in a small bowl (a little goes a long way), garnish with chopped green onion, some chili peppers, and sesame seeds. Don't forget hot steamed rice and wasabi! I prefer lemon juice and/or a fruit vinegar with mine. Cider and rice vinegar are good, too. Just don't let the squid sit too long in acid or it will get tough. 

Ika no shiokara will keep for two to three days in the fridge, even after being rinsed. It can be frozen up to a month (so you'll have some handy for that hangover! LOL).

Susan says, "This is too lovely... I can't wait to make it and savour its fermented salty taste like I did in Japan over a decade ago. I haven't had this since. I really love the dishes and creative plating-- it's so perfectly Japanese :D!

The fish plate and cat dish were originally gifts to my mother from me. When she passed
away, I ended up getting back some of the gifts I'd given her over decades. RIP, Mom!

Creative Suggestions: 

An excellent ceviche can also be made from this. Add lemon or lime juice to onions, cilantro, tomato, garlic and hot peppers first and let marinate 20-30 minutes. Mix in the squid five minutes before serving. Serve on a bed of greens or in fancy martini or margarita glasses!

Toss with olive oil, cracked pepper, some chili flakes, chopped tomato, fresh basil, and some lemon juice. Serve with mozzarella on crusty bread. Calamari Caprese!

You can also use the squid after having rinsed it in any dish that calls for squid such as in a stir-fry, or in marinara sauce, etc. Cook it for a minute. Don't worry, it will continue to cook when removed from the heat, just not overcooked like rubber bands. Just remember the squid is already salted so adjust your additional seasoning accordingly.

Itadakimasu! (bon appétit)

Live. Love. Learn. Be All You Can Be. Now. Not Later...

Nearing two decades, I've worked with food in many arenas... restaurants, catering, TV, magazines, R&D, test kitchens, from private to corporate with the humblest to the gourmet of ingredients, and in the most-detailed and adrenalin-pumped of pace... but you know what? The satisfaction and rewards does not compare to part of what I do today-- simply serving lunch of wholesome yummy real food to school kids. Seeing a child try something new, a kid enjoy a food they couldn't stand before and just hearty happily-fed smiles all around... that is my joy! The kids here have special learning challenges which makes it even more special.

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” -- Morrie Schwartz

-- Author Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie (An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson)

On-site lunch club coaches are hired to serve the prepared food at each of the participating schools and impart food education as well as encourage the kids to try new foods. I am one of those lucky lunch club coaches and I absolutely love engaging my young students on what they are about to eat. The monthly-changing menu offers an array of globally-inspired dishes that focus on whole grain products, in-season fruits, vegetables and products grown & produced locally. Wholesome, hearty and energy-sustaining. "Seconds please!"... :D

Enjoying lunch leftovers brought home-- Chili Chili Bang Bang over whole wheat couscous balls and Carrot Slaw with savoury sweet Samurai Sauce. And sliced oranges for dessert.

Too often I hear many say they are counting down the years to retire so they could finally get to do what they enjoy or love. But really, who knows ten years when we don't even know what happens tomorrow right? Should we not be enjoying in the here and now? If you love what you do, it's not work and the word 'retirement' may sound foreign. I mean, sure we could go on sacrificing our inner passions and minds of fulfilling nourishment... We will continue to be, but at the end of it all, have we truly lived? #lifeistobelivednow #makeeverydaycount

“Everybody knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently. There’s a better approach. To know you’re going to die and be prepared for it at any time. That’s better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you’re living. . . Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, ‘Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?... The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live… " -- Morrie Schwartz

Live. Love. Learn. Be All You Can Be. Not Later. Now..

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend...

It was a steamy seafood delight kind of big family Thanksgiving Sunday feast at my parents! And for good measure, we had East meeting West and West meeting East... talk about unconventional! :) We savoured and devoured seafood at their natural best- steamed! Crabs, shrimps, mussels and oysters with either a splash of lemon or a dip in a saute green onion soy oil. Pan-fried pike and a rotisserie chicken was also part of the spread. Yup, there was my homemade Caesar salad and bruschetta served as sides along with my mom's lovely green wakame seaweed salad, brussel sprouts and boiled potatoes! The table was certainly adorned with plates full of textures and colours, making the cheap plastic table covering barely noticeable... we doing it Chinese restaurant-style! lol

My mom prepared four fiesty Vancouver crabs for the main event...

Love seeing the kids all cracking, peeling, picking and digging into their selection of crustaceans.

A little bit of everything...

Cheers Everyone!

I couldn't resist cooking this incredible Vietnamese street food specialty banh xeo coconut crepe for Thanksgiving brunch. This kind of bean sprouts-mung bean-shrimp-pork filling deliciousness served with seasoned fish sauce nước mắm cham and fresh herbs inspired gratefulness at the table all around. A good start with a nod to our family heritage (my husband's side) on a traditional Thankful Canadian occasion! 

Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes Bánh xèo

The finale for the official day's celebration took on some of the classic faves.. 
no turkey but a roasted chicken with the fixins', perfect for our fam of five. 

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend with your family and loved ones!

Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes (Bánh xèo)...

Bánh xèo, a popular Vietnamese street food translates to "sizzling", because of the sound it makes as it cooks in the hot pan. This is a second updated crepes a la Saigon recipe on my blog, inspired by yet another Vietnamese-Aussie chef Luke Nguyen. This is my preferred version because it is lighter in coconut flavour vs. Nhut Huynh's rich coconut cream banh xeo recipe. Its signature crispy, crunchy but foldable crepe is made with a batter of rice flour, potato flour (my own adaptation for extra crispiness), turmeric for colour and coconut cream (yup you read right, no eggs). Salivating at the cooking photos in Luke's cookbook Street Food Asia, I couldn't resist getting the ingredients and making it for a family Thanksgiving brunch. This kind of bean sprouts-mung bean-shrimp-pork filling deliciousness served with seasoned fish sauce nước mắm cham and fresh herbs inspires gratefulness at the table all around. A good start with a nod to our family heritage (my husband's side) on a traditional Thankful Canadian occasion! Feeling blessed!

Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes (Bánh xèo)- (adapted from Luke Nguyen)

Makes 4 to 6 crepes

1/3 cup dried mung beans, soaked overnight and drained

2 Tbsp. oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

300 g raw shrimps, peeled and cleaned

200 g pork belly, skin removed or pork shoulder, thinly sliced

salt and ground white pepper

2 large handfuls bean sprouts, washed and drained well
2 green onions, mostly green tops, thinly sliced

Pancake Batter:
3/4 cup rice flour
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. potato starch (this is what gets the crepe crispy)
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chilled carbonated water
3/4 cup coconut cream (my sis-in-law swears by brand Savoy)

Garnish: Green lettuce leaves, herbs- Thai basil, mint leaves, Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), sliced cucumber
Nước mắm chấm (seasoned fish sauce): see note below

Place mung beans in a steamer basket and set over a saucepan with water, cover and steam for 20 minutes or until soft.

NOTE: To make Nước mắm cham: i) Dissolve 1/4 cup granulated sugar in 1/3 cup boiling water; ii) Mix in 3 Tbsp. fish sauce and 3 Tbsp. white vinegar or fresh lime juice; leave to cool; iii) To season, add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 1 tsp. of Vietnamese chili sauce (sambal oelek) or 1 finely chopped Thai or hot red chili to taste.

Season prepared shrimp and pork with a little salt and ground white pepper. Make the pancake batter by sifting the flours into a bowl, add the salt and turmeric and whisk well. Pour the soda water and coconut cream into the bowl and whisk until a smooth batter is formed. Let rest for 10 minutes. 

Heat oil in a frying pan (best to use crepe pan if you have one). Add one minced garlic and saute with shrimps for two minutes or until cooked. Set aside and repeat with pork, then remove from pan.

Lightly oil a frying/crepe pan and place it over medium heat. Sprinkle green onions in the pan and pour 1/4 batter into the centre. Holding the handle, swirl the mixture to spread over pan. The pancake should be quite thin. Scatter the mung beans, shrimps, pork and bean sprouts over half the pancake. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until pancake is crisp and browned. Using a spatula, fold the pancake in half and slide onto a large plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Pour some batter, lift pan and swirl until evenly thinly coated.

Crispy but pliable for an awesome fold!

To serve, you can cut the pancake into several pieces and wrap in lettuce leaves, herbs and dunk into the nuoc cham. Or you can tear up lettuce and herbs over the pancake, pour the sauce and eat it straight! Whichever you decide, I can guarantee you it will be utterly delicious!

My twins were happy campers lapping up this savoury fresh pancake!

Eat is straight up with herbs and nuoc cham on top.

Or wrap crepe pieces with lettuce in parcels and dip in nuoc cham.
This crepe got the extra extra crispy treatment :)