Month: March 2021

Japanese Shumai

Japanese Shumai

Japanese Shumai

Cheating version of Shumai because it is steamed on Frying Pan, not with the official bamboo steamer!

  • 400 gram 1/2 ground beef, 1/2 ground pork mixed
  • 1 small piece Grated Ginger
  • 1/2 each minced onion
  • 2 tbsp Corn Starch
  • 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Cooking Sake
  • 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 12 pieces Wonton Wrap
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil

  1. Mix the minced onions with a dash of cooking oil, salt, and pepper. Cover lightly then microwave them for 15 seconds. Set aside.

  2. Mix the ground beef and ground pork very well till becomes sticky. Add the seasonings of grated ginger, corn starch, soy sauce, cooking sake, sesame oil and cooked onions. Mix well. Make 12 meatballs and place them onto the cookie sheet.

  3. Place one piece of wonton wrapper onto one meatball, and repeat till all 12 meatballs are covered. Then using your fingers, press the wrapper around the meatballs to create the Shumai shape. Press the top portion to make them flat.

  4. Pour the frying oil in the pan, then place all the shumai pieces in. Pour 3 tablespoon full of water into the pan, and place a lid. Cook in low heat for about 8 mins.

    Turn them upside down to cook the bottom of shumais for about 3 mins to brown them.

    Serve them with soy sauce with small amount of ground mustard mixed together.

Main Course
Japanese

Mashed Acorn Squash

 

Mashed Acorn Squash

Mashed Acorn Squash

  • 1 each Acorn Squash
  • 2 tbsp Cream Cheese
  • 1 tbsp Sour Cream
  • 1 tbsp Melted Butter

  1. Wash one whole Acorn Squash, place onto the plate, then microwave for 5 mins.

  2. Take out the Acon Squash from microwave (be careful, it is very hot) then cut it into half. Scoop out the seeds, then place them flat side down onto the plate, with splash of water on the plate. Place it back to microwave to cook additional 5 mins.

  3. If needed, increase the cooking time till the squash becomes soft. Scoop the meat into the bowl, add the dash of salt and pepper with the above noted other ingredients, then mash it all together. Serve 🙂

Side Dish
American

Five Star Eggplant Dish

Five Stars Eggplant Dish

Five Stars Eggplant Dish

  • 1 each Chinese / Japanese Eggplant (Slice them into 1cm thickness, then salt and pepper – Set aside.)
  • 1/2 cup Flour (powder the above eggplants)
  • 1 each Egg (beat with dash of milk / half & half, then dip floured eggplants)
  • 1/2 cup Panko / Bread Crumbs (powder them to egg-washed eggplants, then set aside)
  • 1/2 cup frying oil (I used Canola Oil)
  • 1/2 lb ground beef (brown them with pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, set aside.)
  • 1 can Stewed / Crushed Tomatoes (cook it down in a small pan with dash of Italian Seasonings, Ground Cayenne Peppers, pinch of suger, and small dash of Soy Sauce)
  • 1/2 cup mixed shredded cheese, any kind works (I used some Mozzarella and Medium Cheddar )
  • few leaves Fresh Basil

  1. Slice eggplant into 1cm thickness, salt & pepper, then place them into flour – beaten egg wash – panko in order.

    In frying pan, pour thin layer of cooking oil, then fry the eggplants till lightly browned, about a two minutes each side. Set them aside onto clean paper towel to remove excess oil.

  2. Heat up the can of stewed / crushed tomatoes with the above noted seasonings, and cook it down till desired thickness. I usually cook it down quite thick.

  3. Brown ground beef and season with the above noted seasonings, then mix with the tomato sauce.

  4. Line up the fried eggplants on baking dish, then pour the tomato sauce, sprinkle some cheese and 1/2 of cut fresh basil leaves. Place another layer of eggplants, sauce and cheese Bake it in the oven with 375F for about 20 – 25 mins till the surface become light golden color. Take it out from the oven and sprinkle the rest of basil leaves.

Italian Sausage meat is okay to use, but we like simple ground beef the best.

Main Course
Italian

Sunday Bike Ride

Made it almost down to the dam this morning.  Went through the 5 Railroad tunnels.  Bikes are not allowed on the final stretch and nobody felt like getting arrested.  Lots of sheep out and about today.  Not many flowers yet.  About 22 miles.

Aisa and Tomoko
Aisa, Tomoko, Rob
This one let us get up close
Tomoko, Rob

 

Ramen: Monta Chaya

First time to Monta Chaya.  Overall it is solid but not magical.  Spicy Tonkostu is pretty standard.  Chashu was good but not super tender.  Shishito peppers are always good to see on a menu.

Jinya is still the place to beat in town, unfortunately they don’t have shishito peppers.  Ramen Kobo is by far the hottest ramen I have ever had in my life.   Tajima in San Diego or Danbo in Seattle are probably still at the top of the list.  So far.

Shishito Peppers
Tonkotsu (front) Tonkostu/Shoyu (back)

Thursday Bike Ride

Took the Specialized Turbo Levo out in the desert for a few hours.  I saw a tunnel under the highway the other day so I followed the powerlines and found a back way to Gold Strike Canyon.   If you ever have 1/2 a day in Vegas, go hike this trail.  It has 6 short rope climbs through the boulders.  Instead of taking the highway back, I cut over to the Hoover dam (Boulder dam as the locals still call it) and took the historic railroad tunnel trail back.  Got to see the lake from a new angle few ever see.

Map
Looking down on the new highway
Lake Mead

Mint

The Mint Indian Bistro is the best Indian food we have found so far in the area.  Last night was the Mango Masala, Chicken Vindaloo, Pagoda, Naan, and Mango Lassi.  5 out of 5 stars as always.  The lamb rogan josh, biryani, and korma are also reliably wonderful.  Put this place in your restaurant rotation.

 

Mango Lassi
Chicken Pagoda
Mango Masala, Vindaloo, Naan

ETH

Look at these beauties.  BTC rounds are all sold out but found a few Etherium. Big fan of Ag (Silver). Also a big fan of ETH.  Hoping ETH2.0 is a success this summer.  If not, there is always ADA/Cardano in the wings.  Might spin up a Cardano staking server one of these days.

999 Silver rounds

 

Street Tacos

 

Street Tacos

Quick and easy dinner

  • Grill
  • 6 6" Corn Tortillas
  • 6 Slice cheese
  • 2 Chicken Thighs or Beef
  • 1 Razor thin onion
  • 1 Pico / Salsa

  1. Grill Chicken (or beef)

  2. Chop into small pieces

  3. Assemble tortilla, cheese, meat, onion

  4. Put back on grill for 5 minutes until tortilla is crispy (key step)

Main Course