fastest appetizer

Have you ever been in situations when you have friends over at your place and suddenly realize that your refrigerator is empty? Of course you can order Chinese or pizza but I always like doing something on my own as a way of appreciation to show that I am glad they came over. Dinner can always be ordered if the kitchen is not well stocked enough.


Since I brown bag my lunch in trying to control the calorie intake, I always have bread at hand. Here is a recipe; you can whip up even if you have nothing at hand. It’s a good appetizer with drinks or just starters while you call up for the delivery guy.

I have always hated soggy bread and I like things crisp and clean, while trying to cook up something fast I came up with the idea and it has been a hit with all my friends for years. The gathering always ends with people taking this recipe home. So, here’s my secret-

All you need-
Bread (white preferably)
Onion
Cilantro (if you have/optional)
Salt and pepper
Chili flakes

What you have to do-
Warm up a wide skillet with oil
Take a big bowl and fill it up with water -2 cups
Take slices of bread and soak it in water (1 mint)
Chop the onions, while the bread soaks and oil warms up
Take the soaked up bread and give it a tight squeeze to get rid of the water.
Add it to the owl with chopped onions and add salt and pepper and cilantro
Mix them well together and turn them to small balls
Once the ball is done, press them a little (so its looks flat) which will help them cook sooner.
Now, fry them up till golden brown and serve with ketchup or any sauce.

They are done astonishingly fast and your guests won’t even know it’s made with bread. They taste amazing and every bit of it will be devoured.

random pics

My trip to "Traders Joe" and the cute little pet parking lot caught my attention. the ice cream is from there too amd is worth a try. Perfect and not too sweet.


The leaning tower is from Chicago, yeah in a YMCA area.The tom yum paste is a thai ingedient which is sweet and tangy and is perfect to make a huge pot of tom yum. something i always have in stock.

Some strawberries I bought, a dollar a box and so sweet. The best I had in a few years.

My refrigerator- a peek inside. Yes, I really cook everyday and eat loads of vegies ( I told you!).

I have finally found the perfect hang out spot- the Lutz pastry place. it has some amazing collection of pastries and cookies and you can pair it with wine, soda, beer or coffee. The best part is the ambience, light music and decorated with good taste. if I opened a cafe- it would be excatly like that, the right nook for friends and family and even small business meetings. Need I say more.

my favorite kitchen gadgets

Thats my tiny kitchen and gadgets i can't live without.

The slicer and right knives along with the red pepper grinder, a blender and my fun tea pot.

These are all valuable products and yet very affordable and worth every buck you spent. Most of them are available in regular stores and my tea pot in asian stores.

Take time to build up your kitchen because that will make you feel more at home than anything else.

Thai food in seconds

I am amazed at everyone who dedicatedly take pics after they are done with cooking and post it along with their recipe. I'm too lazy or may be very instinctive. I never plan on cooking something unless I have been craving it for a week or so.

By the time the food gets done am all in the eating mode and realise once the plate is cleaned up that i should have taken the pic. Anyways here is the Thai Green chicken curry. If you have seen my earlier post you know I had my bottle of the curry, you get it everywhere these days in international grocery stores.

to get

• green chicken curry paste or sauce


• chicken (boneless)


• oil

I had drumstick chicken in my fridge, so I defrosted and cut off the chicken from the bone.

to do

• heat a pan and add 1 table spoon of oil


• add the chicken and just let it sear in the pan on both sides (cover the pan)


• once done, open up the green chicken curry (bring it to room temperature)


• remove the chicken and add the curry paste in the same pan


• let it boil for a few minutes and add the chicken to it

Remember the drumstick that I have used for the chicken and I had stripped the meat clean from the bone. So, now I take a stock pot and add 5-6 cups of water, salt and pepper, one onion and 5 cloves of garlic and add in the bones. The product- home made chicken stock. Let it boil for an hour and strain off the liquied or easier (what i do), just throw away the bones.

the chicken rice

• to be served with the green curry


• take a small container and add the stock to it and let it boil


• rinse a cup of rice (make sure you have the right amount so extra liquid does not stay behind, i eyeball my measurements)


• let the rice boil and add a little black pepper or chopped bell peppers if you like.


• once it is done, serve with the green chicken curry

You can add vegies to it and you can serve yourself one hearty meal even without the chicken curry or throw in some leftover meat to the rice.

(pics: courtesy google images. I promise will try to think of clicking pics and restrain myself from eating the delicious food next time)

magazine scribblings

I have been scribbling in this Chicago local magazine for a while now............ and I thought it would be nice to have the link here.

http://wassuplocal.wehaa-server2.com/

My article is on page 34-35...so you have to use the navigation buttons! Last week I tried green chicken curry and will place the recipe soon. Enjoy the Sunday!

My Award

Look what I have got! Look to your right- the cute pink award. Rv just handed it over to me and am so excited!

More posts coming your way.

grocery today

I love to cook and nothing is better than a well stocked kitchen-

• red potato
• white potao
• red onions
• yellow onions
• egg plant
• cilantro
• salmon steak
• tuna steak
• salt
• thai green curry in a bottle
• italian bread
• mango preserve
• cauliflower
• turkey slices
• pickled jalapeno

steak time

Tonight for dinner I am planning on having tuna steaks and veggies. I had a salmon steak a few months back and liked it so much I decided to try tuna today.

Yesterday, we actually went for a steak dinner at “Chilies” and I enjoyed it too. We ordered a plate with half rack of baby back ribs and a steak with a side serving of mashed potatoes and veggies. The dinner ended with a cheesecake.

The portion size was so big that two of us actually could share it easily. It was a cool think to do, instead of ordering two entrees which happens most of time times and I never end up eating it entirely. So I have to pack them because I don’t want to waste it and it doesn’t feel so good the next day.

So, we actually decided to split one entrée for both of us and waited to see the quantity. It turned out to be a smart decision. The meal was delicious and it also gave us the chance to grab a dessert- the cheesecake.

Ah- all that gibberish. Today I got both the tuna and the salmon steaks. Now for the dinner plans-

The tuna steak
Season with salt and pepper on both sides
Heat a wide pan with vegetable oil
Add the tuna and fry both sides
When done heat up your oven top grill and place it there
One minute on both sides and they look yummy

The veggies
Clean fresh beans
Dice one red potato ( I like to keep carbs to minimum)
Boil one pot of hot water and add salt to it
Blanch the beans and potato in it
Drain off the water
Add the veggies to the pan with a little oil and one clove of garlic
Add salt and pepper

Serve the tune steak with veggies and if you are in a mood light up a candle and pour for yourself a glass of wine.

(the other pic is a to-go tiramisu available in downtown Chicago in cafe BACCI).

garbanzo salad

A light salad is a perfect snack or meal anytime. Here is the 10 minutes summer chick pea/garbanzo salad salad.

You need-

• garbanzo beans
• green pepper
• onions
• tomatoes
• lemon
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

It's as simple as it looks, just heat up your grill and throw some onions and green pepper, even tomatoes if you want to. Rinse the garbanzo beans and add it to a bowl. once the grilling is done, chop it finely and all the green pepper and onions to the bowl, add salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon and some oilive oil, toss it and you are good to go!

delicious potstickers

Sunday is the only day I get to try experimenting new dishes. I have been eating out a lot and it has added a few visible calories on my waistline. I decided to stop it right there and get back to cooking more at home and eating healthy.

I love going to downtown everyday and though I bag my lunch, after a hectic day and all those eating places all around i sneak out to get some lunch. I did find some great places and fabulous dishes.


Today, I decided to try making some potstickers, I bought the potsticker wrappers last month and have been sitting in my fridge like forever. I had some shrimp and decided to give it a try. what came out was really good......I didnt expect it to turn out that perfect!


So, try this out and here's the recipe-

You need-

• potsticker wrappers (available in asian/international grocery stores)
• oil
• shrimp (fresh/frozen)
• onion
• garlic
• turmeric
• chilli flakes
• salt and pepper

To do

The filling

• keep your potsticker wrappers in the refrigerator and not in the freezer.
• pull them out and let it come to the room temperature.
• meanwhile clean up your shrimp
• put your pan in medium flame and add vegetable oil
• out the shrimo and let it get lightly fried
• add the onions and garlic and stir it all together
• when almost done, add a pinch of turmeric, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.
• when they are almost red and done, take it off the flames and let it rest for a minute.
• transfer the whole pan to the food processor/blender
• pulse it, till it is all smooth and done. add a little water if needed.
• transfer it to the pan and heat up a little and stir, so the water evaporates and you potstickers don't seem runny.

The Final Act

• keep a bowl of room temperature water.
• take a wrapper and fill in a scoop of the shrimp filling
• dab our index finger with water, add wet the sides of the wrapper.
• fold the wrapper and make sure to have it sealed.
• once done, add some oil to the pan and out it on medium flame
• add the potstickers to the pan one by one and let them fry 1 minute each side.
• now the trick, add a little water to the pan (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan)
• close the lid of your pan and let it steam
• the water will evantually evaporate and since it had the left over oil in it, will fry ligtly again.
• transfer them to the dish and serve with a tomatillo salsa.

Now, thats a perfect Sunday meal and couple it with some good reads and you are ready for a grilling week coming ahead.