Ground Beef Rice Claypot

Ground Beef Rice Claypot with Runny Egg 

I love one pot meals.  I love it even more when that meal can be eaten straight out of the pot it was cooked in.  Affordable, filling, simple and most importantly, flavorful.  Rice claypot meals are very popular in Hong Kong.  There are many different kinds, depending on the protein that is cooked over the rice: ground pork, chinese sausage, chicken, minced beef, vegetables, mushrooms, even seafood.  Here is one variation.

Ground Beef Rice Claypot

1/2 cup raw rice

1/2 cup water

1/4 lb. ground beef

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 handful of frozen vegetables

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

pinch of sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

5 tbsp water

egg (optional)

small claypot w/ lid that can hold at least 2 cups of water

Soak claypot overnight or for at least 30 minutes in cold water.

Sprinkle the ground beef with cornstarch and mix well.  Mix 1 tbsp oyster sauce with beef.  Marinate in the refrigerator until ready to add to claypot.

Dry claypot.  Add raw rice and 1/2 cup water to claypot.  Bring rice to simmer for 8 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Add frozen vegetables and ground beef mixture on top of rice.  Drizzle the oil onto the inside edges of the pot so that it will flow down to the bottom.  This will make the bottom of the rice crispy.  Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Mix the 1 tsp oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch and 5 tbsp water together.  Pour over meat mixture.  If desired, make a well in the beef and crack an egg into the well.  Cover and let the residual heat cook the egg to your liking.  I recommend about 2 minutes for a runny yolk.  

EAT Toast

EAT Toast

E = Egg

A = Avocado

T = Tomato

This is as a quick breakfast on the go, brunch item, snack or last minute appetizer.  Add slices of bacon and you have BEAT or BETA (which on sounds better?).  Mmmm...bacon.  It would be like the good fat and the bad fat coming together in harmony.

I love this on toasted potato bread.

EAT Toast

2 slices of toast

1 medium-boiled egg, sliced

1 avocado, mashed

1 roma tomato, sliced

sea salt, to taste

Spread the mashed avocado generously on each slice of toast.  Sprinkle sea salt on avocado.  Layer slices of tomato with egg on top of mashed avocado.  Enjoy!

Spaghetti Carbonara with Crispy Mushrooms

I love pasta carbonara.  It is actually a really simple dish to make.  The original recipe contains no cream, and that is the version that I prefer.  I think the addition of cream takes away from the egginess of the dish, which is what I love most about carbonara.

I still basterdized the dish with mushrooms though.  Cause I love crispy browned mushrooms and the earthiness goes nicely with this rustic pasta dish.

Fresh eggs are essential for this recipe.  I dish up the pasta and then mix in the egg yolk with each serving.  The hot pasta and pasta water semi-cooks the egg yolk.
I sanitize each egg by washing the uncracked eggs with dish detergent and make sure that I get the freshest eggs possible.  Organic, cage-free eggs have the best tasting yolks.

Mushroom Spaghetti Carbonara

1 lb dried spaghetti

Sautéed Mushrooms

4 oz guanciale (or pancetta or bacon), chopped

black pepper

pecorino Romano, freshly grated

1 egg yolk for each serving

Cook spaghetti according to directions on package.  Reserve 2 cups pasta water and keep hot.  

While the spaghetti is cooking, prepare the sautéed mushrooms and set aside.  In the same pan, add guanciale and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring.  Add the mushrooms back into the pan. Toss in hot spaghetti.  Add black pepper to taste.  I like lots and lots of pepper.  Mound the pasta into warmed serving bowls.  Mix in freshly grated pecorino Romano and 1 egg yolk to each bowl of hot pasta.  Mix in 1 tbsp of hot pasta water to each bowl.  Add more cheese and black pepper.  Serve.  Makes about 6 servings.

• Leftover pasta can be reheated and then add the eggs, cheese and black pepper at serving.
• Egg whites can be frozen in ice cube trays and then stored in a container in the freezer for next time you make omelets, meringues, scrambles, etc.

Roast Duck - The Series (Roast Duck Hash)

I was scrolling through my photo stream and realized that I didn't do a post on the first meal I made the morning after my roast duck dinner.  The leftover bits of crispy duck skin, brussel sprouts and three types of roasted fingerling potatoes made a beautiful looking hash.

In case you missed Roast Duck - The Series (Crispy Skin Roast Duck with Brussel Sprouts and New Potatoes), I used a mix of fingerling potatoes  (baby yukon, red and purple peruvian).  I especially love the nutty flavor and vibrant color of the peruvian potatoes.

Roast Duck Hash
1/4 cup roast duck meat and skin, finely chopped
1/2 cup roasted potatoes, smashed and mashed
1/4 cup roasted brussel sprouts, chiffonade (finely cut into thin strips)
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp crispy fried shallots, crumbled
1/2 tbsp flour or cornstarch
1/2 tsp duck fat
salt and pepper, to taste

In a mixing bowl, combine duck, potatoes, brussel sprouts, onion and fried shallots.  Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle in flour/cornstarch and mix.  Make sure the flour/cornstarch is fully incorporated into the mixture.  The flour/cornstarch gives the hash that crispy finish.
In a cast-iron pan or a heavy bottomed frying pan, heat up the duck fat for 15 seconds.  Add the hash mixture.  Cook and stir for about 15 seconds.  Spread and press the hash mixture evenly down on the pan.  Cook over low-med heat until the bottom is crispy, about 10-15 minutes.  With a spatula, divide the hash mixture into quarters and flip each piece over, trying not to break it any further.   Press down and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the other side is brown and crispy.
Serve with eggs cooked however which way you like.  I personally prefer poached or over easy.

Chinese Sausage Fried Rice with Salty Duck Egg

I had a sudden craving for fried rice the other day, but was fresh out of regular chicken eggs.  I was too lazy and cozy in my little apartment to even run out to the corner store.  Luckily, I had some salted duck eggs from when I made Three Yolk Steamed Eggs.  It coats the rice with a wonderfully rich, umami flavor.  I used thinly sliced chinese sausage as the protein, a little savory sweetness.
I chopped up a tomato and added it at the end.  The freshness of the tangy raw tomato was a nice contrast to the saltiness of the duck egg, not that it was overly salty to begin with.  The ratio of salty duck egg to rice was just perfect.  There was just enough flavor with out being overpowering.  I also think that my wok has finally reached that level of seasoning for my dishes to achieve "wok hay" or "essence of the wok".  I feel like I should celebrate that.  Throw my wok a party or something.

I have always loved the flavor of the yolk in a salty duck egg.  I even prefer the moon cakes that have the salty duck egg in the middle.

Chinese Sausage Fried Rice w/ Salty Duck Egg

Chinese Sausage Fried Rice w/ Salty Duck Egg

2 cups cold, cooked rice

2 links chinese sausage, sliced

1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen

1 tomato, chopped

1 small onion, diced

1 salted duck egg

2 tsp oil

If the salted duck egg is raw, which is the type I used, separate the whites and the yolk.  Then dice up the yolk, which will be solid.  If the duck egg is cooked, then dice up the whites and the yolks.

Heat up the wok and then add the oil.  My mom always says not to add oil to a cold wok.  Swirl the oil around to wok.  Stir fry the onions and chinese sausage until caramelized.  Add the cold rice and peas.  Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.  Push the rice to the sides, creating a hollow in the middle of the wok.  Add the whites from the salty duck egg to the center of the wok.  If the egg was cooked, just add the whites with the yolks.  Scramble the rice into the egg whites, constantly scrapping at the bottom of the wok to prevent sticking.  Stir fry for about 2 minutes.  Add the yolks.  Stir fry for a minute to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed together.  Add the peas and stir fry until cooked, about 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Turn off heat and serve.

Three Yolk Steamed Eggs (Sam Wong Dan)

Have you ever heard that the skills of truly great chefs are tested by the simplest dishes?  I'm not a great chef, but I get it.  Egg dishes always require precision and timing.  Poached eggs, soft boiled eggs, hollandaise sauce, shirred eggs, and my foe...the steamed egg.
My steamed eggs have always come out dry, with the liquid separated from the eggs.  After much trial and error (and many dozens of eggs), I have finally managed to achieve that silky, smooth consistency. The secret is a slow simmer.  You just can't rush this dish.
I am somewhat of a purist, so I don't add much seasoning to this dish.  Besides, the saltiness from the salted duck egg will be flavor enough.

Three Yolk Steamed Eggs (Three Emperor Steamed Eggs)
4 large chicken eggs
1 salted duck egg, raw
1 century egg
water

Separate the whites and yolk from salted duck egg.  Carefully crack open the chicken eggs so that you can save one of the half shells for measuring out the water needed.  Add the whites from salted duck egg with chicken egg.  Add 12 half shells of water.  Whisk until blended.  If you want, you can strain the whisked egg mixture through a fine sieve to reduce air bubbles for a smoother surface.  I didn't do that since the slow simmer eliminated most of the air bubbles.  Pour mixture into heat proof bowl that is smaller than the pot that you are using.
Dice up the yolk from the salted duck egg.  Dice up the century egg.  This is when an egg slicer comes in really handy.
Stir salted duck egg yolk and century egg into whisked egg mixture.  Fill a large pot of water with 2 inches of water.  Place a steam rack in the center of the pot.  Heat the water to boiling and then reduce to a slow simmer.  Carefully place the bowl of egg mixture on top of the steam rack.  Cover.  Maintain the slow simmer for 10-12 minutes.  Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Beats N Eats Food Trucks Meet Up

Update - The Beats N Eats Food Trucks Meet Up has been moved to a new location in Mira Mesa.  Information to follow....
I have to apologize for not disclosing the information to the Beats and Eats Meet-Ups that have been taking place each Tuesday for the past summer months.  I was looking through my posts and realized that I never finished this one.  

The location is at the parking lot in front of the Tabe Kitchen off Murphy Canyon Road by Taco Bell, Happy Car Wash and Express Tire.

3690 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, CA

The trucks do not sell beverages at this event out of respect for the convenience store that they are parked in front of.  I always purchased my beverage from the convenience store.  Plus, they allow the food trucks patrons to use their restroom facilities.

Tables are chairs are available outside the convenience store where DJ booth is set up.   

This food truck event, unlike some others, do not have an entrance fee.  There is also DJ Kanoya providing the beats, hence Beats N Eats.   

This shingdig happens every Tuesday from 6:30 pm - 9 pm.  I thought this was only a summer food trucks event, but a very reliable source has told me that they are looking for a new location to continue this.  I hope so, it's so much easier than chasing these trucks down on Twitter.

There are usually 4-5 trucks at this event.  Tabe (the event organizer) and SuperQ seem to be the regulars.  Some of the trucks that I've seen on the rotation are Sweet Treats, Asian Persuasion, India on Wheels (no longer in business), Pierogi, SD Street Eats and the Gooch.  Most of these trucks take credit card for a small transaction fee and/or minimum purchase.  There's also an ATM inside the store.

Makes me wish that I had four stomaches, like a cow, instead of just my measly singular human stomach.  Sigh.

Clockwise: Tabe Kobe Beef Slider, Tabe Beef Short Rib Taco, India on Wheels Samosa, SuperQ Beef Brisket Sandwich (mostly eaten), Sweet Trucks Chocolate Covered Bacon

Asian Persuasion Longanisa Rice Bowl

Sweet Treats Tiramisu

Here's what I've tried so far:

Tabe

Kobe Beef Sliders - A child-sized burger served on a soft dinner roll w/ cheddar cheese and shredded iceberg lettuce.  A pretty good starter or kiddie meal.

Tabe Beef Short Ribs Taco - I love korean bbq'd meat on a taco.  My only complaint is the massive amounts of shredded iceberg lettuce.  I took half of the lettuce off my taco and re-sauced.  

Tabe Asada Fries - Super deliciousness.  Grilled beef marinated in korean bbq sauce over crispy fries.  This is an example of fusion gone right.

SuperQ

SuperQ Beef Brisket Sandwich - This is a meal in a sandwich.  Sorry, I scarfed this down before I even remembered to snap a picture.  It was a huge sandwich.  I-needed-a-nap-afterwards huge.  It's like a sourdough grilled cheese stuffed with tender beef brisket, mac n cheese and sautèed onions.  The brisket was packed full of flavor.  If you like a little spice in your life, ask them to add some jalapeños to your sandwich.  You won't regret it.  Unless you can't do spicy foods, in which case, you will regret it.

BBQ Chicken Salad - This is the most flavorful salad that I have ever had.  Black beans, corn, shredded cheddar cheese, red onions, cucumber, tomatoes, shredded BBQ chicken and ranch served over a mix of greens.  I was stumped as to what was making this salad so packed full of flavor when one of my friends pointed out to me that the chicken is infused with BBQ sauce.  Great big portions and flavor.

Asian Persuasion

Longanisa Rice Bowl - In other words, a longsilog.  And they do it so well.  My egg was a perfect over easy with a runny yolk and nice crispy edges along the whites.  The bite-sized chunks of longanisa were packed full of flavor, as longanisas should be, and had a good sear.  The stir-fried garlic rice had a good wok hay, which means the cook was using a very well-seasoned cooking surface and really high heat.  To achieve wok hay, you have to be able to use really high heat to sear in the flavor of each individual ingredient without burning any of it.  I overheard the girl who took my order speak to the cook in Cantonese.  A chinese cook with true skills is behind this filipino dish.  They actually ran out of this dish one Tuesday at 7pm.

Pierogi

Meat Stuffed Pierogi - There were other items on the menu that were calling to me as well.  Grilled polish sausages, hungarian pancakes and blitzers.  But how could I not try one of the hand-made pierogis from a food truck named Pierogi Truck?   Prior to ordering, I asked what's a pierogi?  One of my friends started explaining to me that it is a pan-fried european dumpling.  The lady from the truck overheard us and stuck her head out to inform us that she does not pan-fry her pierogis.  "It would make the dough tough.  We only boil ours," she said.  Boiling is also the preferred method of cooking for freshly made jiaozi.  Yes, most people probably think that pan-frying is the better way to make them.  However, that's what you do to the store bought frozen jiaozi (which I also love).  But when someone, like say your loving chinese mother (or someone else's loving chinese mother if you don't have one of your own), makes the jiaozi fresh from scratch, the best way to enjoy those as soon as they are made is to boil them. This allows you to really appreciate the texture of the dough.  It is the rest of the batch that are frozen for later use, hence losing that freshly made dough texture, that is pan-fried.  These were boiled, sprinkled with bacon and served with a side of sour cream.  Yums.  Like a european jiaozi. The dough was not too thick, not too thin and had a good "bite" to it.  Much like my momma's.  The filling is juicy, meaty and just plain good.  I could eat about 20 of these in one sitting.  There were also other meatless filling options.

Sweet Treats

Chocolate Covered Bacon - I know, it sounds weird.  But it is one of those weird combinations that are honestly really good.  Someone had made these for a work potluck once and had convinced me to give it a try.  To much of my surprise, I really liked it.  A crispy bacon strip covered in chocolate, probably the same kind that is used for chocolate covered strawberries.  It is not at all greasy.  For some strange reason, the salty sweet combo kinda reminds me of peanut butter and chocolate.  I don't know why no one else gets that.  Try it, it's good.  I promise.

Tiramisu - Pretty good.  I wasn't blown away, just a solid pretty good.  The espresso bean on top was a nice touch.  After all that food, I needed a giant hit of caffeine to keep me awake long enough for the drive home.

India on Wheels

Samosa - I got a potato filled samosa topped with a sweet and savory pesto-like sauce.  It was good.  Too bad they closed down the business.  I guess a vegetarian food truck can only sustain so long when there are competing with meaty, guilty-pleasure fares.

Cubicle Cuisine: Scrambled Eggs

Since working in an office, I've reacquainted myself with the microwave quite a bit.  During my first year as a college freshman, I had gotten quite good at microwave cooking.  Yes, it was real cooking, not just reheating frozen meals and corn dogs.  But, I have not really used my microwave that much since I have moved out of the dorms and learned how to really cook.  My microwave at home is left unplugged most of the time.  I'll use it to melt butter or reheat food, but even then I usually use the stove for that stuff most of the time.  I have been getting some pretty good use out of the microwave in the office break room.  I think I have gotten the microwave scrambled eggs technique down to a science.

You will need:

Microwave

Microwavable bowl

Eggs

Water

Fork

Salt (optional)

Pepper (optional)

Any other seasonings you want on your eggs (nothing raw)

Crack your eggs into the microwavable bowl.  Use as many eggs as you like, just make sure your bowl is big enough so that the eggs don't spill over whilst cooking.  If it does, clean it up, there is no such thing as an Office Mommy.

Beat your eggs with the fork and add 2 tbsp of water for each egg.  Add the salt, pepper and any other add-ins.  I added about a tablespoon of chives & onion cream cheese that were leftover from bagels once and my eggs were herbaliciously creamy.  I've also used plain half & half from the coffee stash instead of water.  Mix all of that in.

Cook in the microwave at 70% Power for 15 seconds and stir.  Repeat until your eggs are cooked to your desired doneness.  The more eggs you use, the more cycles of cooking and stirring.

Onsen Tamago

I have always loved eggs.  In my opinion, the yums factor will almost always be raised 2 fold when topped with an egg...3 fold if the yolk is runny...4 fold if the runny yolk is a fresh, free range, golden orangish hue.  Well, you get the idea.
I have recently decided to take my egg addiction to a heightened level.  I am talking about being able to enjoy an occasional onsen tamago without trekking all the way to the hot springs of a japanese spa.  Although, if anyone wants to sponsor me for a trip...
"Onsen" means "hot spring" in Japanese, so "onsen tamago" literally translates into "hot spring egg." The temperature of the hot springs are perfect for soft poaching an egg in it's shell so that the whites are cooked and opaque, but still runny and the yolks are set, but still soft.
Since I live no where near a hot spring, my newfound obsession has been to replicate the onsen tamago method in a home kitchen.

I researched the internet and found some recipes for making onsen tamago in the rice cooker.
Cooking an egg is really a scientific endeavor.  Adjustments had to be made based on the size of the egg, temperature of the egg, the number of eggs and the elevation I live in.

• I found that large eggs are easier to work with than jumbo eggs.  
• Always use the freshest eggs possible.
• Rinsing the eggs with tap water to bring them to room temperature prior to cooking helps minimize cracking and helps the egg cook evenly.
• Cooking more than 3 eggs at a time has huge effects on the temperature and cooking time.
• And did I mention, use the freshest eggs possible?

After 2 attempts with the rice cooker method, I was finally able to crack open an egg with runny whites and a softly set yolk over some fluffy white rice drizzled with soy sauce.
I also wanted to try to achieve a runny yolk with the the runny, yet opaque whites.  That proved to be harder to do with a rice cooker.  Either my whites were undercooked or my yolks were overcooked.  The temperature of the warm setting on my rice cooker was not up for the task.
So I decided to come up with my own stove top method for cooking a runny yolk onsen tamago.  This was even more trying than experimenting with a rice cooker.  I went through 5 eggs before I finally perfected the temperature and timing.





Stove Top Onsen Tamago Method:

Stove Top Method - 23 minutes 

Bring a pot halfway with water and bring to a boil.  Take pot off heat.  Bring egg to room temperature by running it under tap water.  Place egg in a bowl small enough to fit inside the pot with the lid on.  Place the bowl inside the pot and cover.  Depending on your elevation, the timing might have to be adjusted.  I found that cracking open the egg after 23 minutes works perfectly for me.  Add about 2 minutes for every additional egg, but do not try to make more than 3 at the same time.

Runny whites and runny yolk

Rice Cooker Method:

Rice Cooker method drizzled with soy sauce afterwards - 50 minutes

Cook rice in rice cooker.  Once rice cooker switches over to the Warm setting, rinse the egg under tap water to bring to room temperature and place on top of cooked rice in rice cooker.  The yolk should just start to set after about 50 minutes, but the whites should be cooked, yet still runny.

Thai Green Chicken Curry

I have been on a curry kick lately. However, ordering out conflicts with my plan to pay off my loans by the end of this summer. So off to SF market I go! I can't believe how simple it was. I checked out a couple of recipes online and went with the recipe from Temple of Thai. Here is my modified version of the recipe:
1 can Green Curry paste
2 cans coconut milk
1 fresh bamboo shoot, julienned
5 pieces of chicken tenders, cubed
1 tbsp palm sugar
1/2 bunch of thai basil
4 thai chili peppers
fish sauce to taste
Sautee the paste in a big pot over medium heat until fragrant. Mix in the coconut milk. Add the rest of the ingredients. I prefer my curry to be slightly thicker compared to most restaurants. No soupy curry for me. However, I you like your curry to be thinner you can add a couple tablespoons of chicken broth or water. Add it slowly so that your curry doesn't end up being too thin. I only added enough to keep it at the consistency of spaghetti sauce while it's simmering. Cover with a lid and let simmer until the chicken is cooked and the bamboo shoots become tender. About 20 minutes. Stir occassionally so that the bottom doesn't get scorched. Add fish sauce to taste and serve over rice. I topped mine off with an egg over easy. The runny yolk mixed with this creamy curry just took this meal to a whole other level. The next day for lunch, I added hard boiled eggs instead and it was delish!

Cafe 2121

I love poached eggs. Mmm...golden liquid yolk encased in a pillowy cloud of whites. I think this may be my favorite sandwich of all time. "This" is the Presto Pesto Eggs Sandwich from the kitchen of Cafe 2121 on Adams Avenue. Two soft poached eggs sitting on top of fresh spring greens sprinkled with crumbled feta. Pesto sauce was lightly drizzled over this lovely concoction. All this laid between a lightly buttered and toasted french roll. Very messy to eat, but it was heavenly. The pesto sauce was light and did not overwhelm the eggs, which were the star of this sandwich.
Van and I have been waiting to try this place out. I was ecstatic to find this offering on the menu. I was practically drooling when the owner took our order.
This little cafe had a very nice and cozy atmosphere. Though small, I did not feel cramped at all. In the middle of our order, a little boy from the table nearby came running over to the owner and wouldn't leave his side. He kept saying that he wanted to see the baby. The little boy stayed to witness our orders.
Van ordered the Normal Heights Stacker, which looked and smell absolutely delicious. She really enjoyed it. The sandwiches came with a choice of soup or salad. We both went with the soup. It was yummy goodness. A crock of garbanzo beans, beef, herbs and vegetables in a rich beef broth. It was so filling that I was worried I wouldn't be able to finish my sandwich. Van didn't enjoy the garbanzo beans as much as I did. I also ordered an apple flavored iced tea. It came to the table freshly brewed in a french tea press with a glass of ice. The owner was nice enough to demonstrate how it works. When the tea press is sitting on top of the glass, the tea will pour out leaving the tea leaves behind. Once the tea press is taken off the glass, the bottom of the tea press will be sealed off and can be set aside without worry about it leaking. I have seen this contraption before at a friend's house. It was fun to see my iced tea being "made." The tea was unsweetened, which I prefer. But there were also packets of sugar available at the table. The tea was delicious. Had a nice apple aroma and was very refreshing.