The morning after . . .

Unfortunately, I'm not always able (or willing) to whip up a delicious dinner. Like every other New Yorker I inevitably order in Chinese - which, inevitably, comes with too much rice.
In my house it usually becomes a simple form of fried rice the next day,  or maybe a bowl on congee.
But if there is ever too much beer and/or wine consumed with my take out, then the left over rice is reserved for one purpose - making the morning after a little less hazy.
This recipe will cure what ails you, but it does need leftover rice to really comes out as intended. 

Crispy Rice and Fried Eggs

2 cups of white rice that has been cooked and then refrigerated overnight.
4 eggs
Optional: Sriracha

1. Place a heavy bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron or black steel, over medium heat and give it a good 5 minutes or so to heat up well.
2. In the skillet, put enough vegetable oil (corn, canola, peanut, etc) to coat the cooking surface well.  Leftover rice gets clumpy after a night in the fridge. using your hands, break the rice clumps up into the pan. 
3.  Use a metal spatula to disperse the rice evenly across the cooking surface.  You should hear a slight sizzle, if it goes silent, or if you see burning, add a little more oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

4. Use a spatula to flip the rice in big segments. It should look golden and feel crispy. Again, break up the clumps and distribute evenly through the pan.  Cook for 4-5 minutes. Repeat this as many times as it takes to get crispy rice throughout. Take your time, and let it get nice and crunchy.  Transfer the rice to your serving bowls.

5. Wipe out the pan and add enough oil. Fry the eggs to however you like them. Douse with sriracha and enjoy.

I'm been making miso soup from the packet. It's fine but I'd like to build a more distinct flavor. Is there an easy way to do this?

If you've ever enjoyed anything but sushi in a Japanese restaurant, chances are you've devoured more than a few preparations with a foundation of dashi - a fragrant, delicious broth.  It is the base for tentsuyu, that liquid dip for tempura that I always sip when no one is looking. It turns up in dressings, in marinades, and it is what composes the ubiquitous miso soup.
Because of the exacting nature of Japanese cuisine, it can be intimidating.  Having heard stories of sushi chefs passing their first eight years in the kitchen mastering the technique for sushi rice - I have steered clear of the cuisine for the sake of terror. 
Which is unfortunate, because much of it is startlingly simple, involving few ingredients, few steps, and yielding delicious results.  Dashi Epitomizes this, with two ingredients and 15 minutes cook time, and it leaves you with a delicious and very versatile product.

Kombu (aka- kelp) - A long and tall type of seaweed that is harvested from shallow waters around Japan.  Bigger pieces are typically considered to be better.  And don't sweat the powdery look of the surface, it is a naturally occurring form of MSG.  (I really like this article about the stuff)


Katsuobushi (aka- bonito flakes) - Usually made from bonito, a fish not so different from a small tuna, is produced by a process of cooking, drying and smoking that leaves you with a condensed plank of fish-goodness.  Traditionally this would be shaved as needed using what looks like a wood plane.  These days this is very tough to find, but most Asian markets will carry some form of katsuobushi flakes.  Just check the label [translation] to make sure that it contains only bonito.  Cheaper options sometimes contain mackerel or other fish, and this results in a fishier dashi.  (though I held out hopes that it wouldn't)

I've read countless recipes for dashi, calling for different amounts of ingredients in various forms of measurement - I don't understand what four inches of kombu is and wouldn't risk a "handful" of bonito flakes.  I use weight in this recipe, but you should know that it doesn't have to be so precise, you'll still achieve a delicious broth.  I also use a higher ratio of bonito than most recipes call for,  maybe the bonito close to my house is weaker or maybe I just prefer a stronger bonito flavor.

Dashi

50g kombu (about 1.75 oz.)
50g katsobushi (about 1.75 oz.)
4 quarts water

1. Place the kombu and water in a medium sized stock pot. Let this sit for between 30 minutes and 2 hours.  This rehydrates the seaweed. (some recipes call for 12-24 hrs soaking, some for non at all)
2. Place this pot over medium high heat and watch it - a watched pot never boils - and that's the point. Just before boiling, turn off the heat.  Remove the kombu and set it aside. -  Boiling kombu releases very intense flavors and not-so-good flavors.

Look for signs such as foam starting to form and vigorous steaming.  Kill the heat at the first sign of bubbling.  

3. Immediately add the katsuobushi and let this steep for exactly ten minutes.
4. Dump this liquid through a very fine strainer lined with a tea towel, cheese cloth or coffee filter.

It should be a feint and transparent tan color and smell terrific.

That's it, you've made dashi.
Now what? Bring it to just below a simmer and stir in some miso, tofu, wakame seaweed, and any veggies you like and you have miso soup.  Add mirin and soy sauce and you've got tentsuyu, that tasty tempura dip.
Or my favorite, lightly simmer various vegetables in the dashi.  The veggies take on the delicious smokey flavor of the dashi, and they lend some interesting aroma to the broth.

You can also re-boil the used kombu and katsuobushi for 10 minutes for a second broth.   It will be stronger in kombu flavor and a little murkier, but still delicious. 

Shitake mushrooms, Japanese sweet potatoes, carrots, kabocha squash, leeks, hard boiled eggs, various radishes and shredded kombu (the one used to make the dashi) all simmered in dashi. 

Easy Weekday Curry

By Lauren Rauh

Craving Indian? It can be less labor intensive than you may think to whip up a delicious Indian meal. At an oversimplified level, Indian food is all about the spices, with a few key cooking techniques thrown in. The following recipe is a curry at its fundamentals! The tomatoes and cabbage can be swapped out for any vegetables of choice. Add a protein of your liking as well and you have a meal! Just a note: of the spices listed, only mustard seeds are whole, the rest are in their ground form. Cumin, coriander, and fenugreek are often sold whole or ground.  Freshly ground will give you a better flavor, but ground is still great. 

You Will Need:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. Mustard seeds

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch ginger, minced

1 Tbsp. each ground Turmeric, Coriander, Garam Masala, Cumin, Fenugreek,

1 teaspoon Chili powder

½ teaspoon cayenne

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 small head, or half large head cabbage, chopped

½ cup red lentils

¼ teaspoon salt

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Add the mustard seeds (and any other whole spices you use). Fry the seeds until they become fragrant and start to pop.

Add the garlic and ginger and stir frequently to avoid burning (reduce the heat, if necessary). In a small bowl mix the remaining spices (powdered spices) and a few tablespoons of water into a paste. Add the paste and tomatoes to the pot.

Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes begin to break apart (about 10 minutes). Add the cabbage, lentils, and salt. Stir the ingredients to fully incorporate the spice/tomato mixture. Add enough water to nearly cover the cabbage and bring the pot to a boil.

Simmer the curry until the cabbage softens, the lentils break apart, and the liquid is mostly evaporated. Season to taste. Serve hot with condiments and accompaniments of choice (naan, rice, yogurt, chutney….).

Ok, so...my sister is hosting Thanksgiving this year at her and her boyfriend's place. Backgound: Her boyfriend is actually a damn good cook...I'm wondering if you can help me out with a killer Mashed Potato recipe which will prove that I can be a force in the kitchen. I need a head turner dude!

As the holidays are about to sweep over us, we take a deep breath and brace for the surge.  The travel, the family chatter, the tossing, and turning.  Undoubtedly, they'll leave us gasping for air, stiff, and on the hunt for a roll of tums.
The silver lining, for most, is the prospect of a decent home cooked meal surrounded by people who don't judge you for showing up with a can of cranberry gel and a bottle of ranch dressing. 
And if you hale from somewhere between New York and Los Angeles some part of a meal will be draped/sloshed/dumped over a foundation of mashed potatoes. 

Despite being a simple preparation with only a few ingredients and steps, there is a slew of variables that, if gone awry, can become less than edible.  Maybe it is because of it's simplicity that people feel as though they can take license, and glue ensues.
And, despite all of the fuss, rumors and their "easier to use" dehydrated brothers, mashed potatoes are easy to make. 

I'm including a delicious recipe, but this entry is more about damage control.

Do

• Use a starchy potato or a combination of starchy potatoes. - including but not limited to - russet (aka Idaho), yukon gold, la ratte, fingerlings, many purple varieties, et al. (waxy varieties such as new potatoes and creamers are crush-able, but don't really yield a nicely "mashed" potato)
• Season your potatoes well with salt.  They're gonna need it, since starch is a flavor thief.
• Use cold butter, as room temp or melted butter doesn't fully incorporate in to the mash.

Never Ever

• Use a mechanical device to mash or whip your potatoes.  You're liable to rip open the starches, giving them a pasty consistency - the worst fate for a mashed potato.  It is not the mashing that releases the starches, it the re-mashing. For this reason a ricer or food mill as ideal since it mashes only once, where a food processor beats on a starch over and over until it resembles Elmer's.

Variations and Comments
Yes, there is some serious butter in this recipe, but in truth it is less than what I actually put and only a fraction of what you'll find in many high end restaurants (Joel Robuchon's famous mash is rumored to be almost half butter with no cream).

A potato ricer looks like a big garlic press.

If you wanted to add various flavor components to these potatoes for extra pizzazz, then by all means.  I love them with a small handful of Parmigiano Reggiano.  Blue cheese would be nice, as would roasted garlic.
You could also sub in some other root veggies such as celery root, parsnips, sunchokes, etc.
All of these you would simply add in the final step.

Very Yummy Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs Starchy Potatoes, peeled, rinsed well and cut into roughly 1" cubes*
5 tbls spoons of cold butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Place, your prepped potatoes in a sauce pan or pot, cover with cold water, add a hefty pinch of salt and set over high heat. Once this comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking (aprox 25 min.) until the potatoes are cooked through. (a fork should easily break them up, or an inserted paring knife should come out easily.)
2. Strain the potatoes.
3-A - For a smooth mash, use a food mill or a potato ricer, process the potatoes back into the pot and GENTLY fold in the butter and cream. 
3-B - For a more lumpy mash, simply return the potatoes to the pot along with the butter and cream and mash the potatoes with a whisk or potato masher to the desired texture. 


Serve with just about anything!

* If you're at all conscious of "organic" labels and natural growing practices, potatoes are the place to to put your foot down.  Conventional potatoes are hit with many kinds of pesticides, both on their leaves and sewn directly into the ground where they grow.  Then, in some cases, an herbicide is used on their leaves and stems to make for easier harvesting.  Then they're charged with anti-maturing agents so that they don't turn green and sprout. Not many of these chemicals have been around long enough to be proven carcinogens, but neither have they been subject to rigorous testing for safety of human consumption.  So you're essentially deciding whether or not you'd like to be part of a giant sample group when you buy conventional potatoes.