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Something Simple | Tweaking Store-Bought Dumplings

the little things can make a world of difference…

I used to love making gyoza.  I kinda miss it now.  I miss the stuffing and the pleating.  I miss experimenting with flavor.  I don’t miss the pork, but I miss what it did inside that wrapper.  I’ve tried to make my own veg dumplings, but they just haven’t come out right.  Yet.

So, in the meantime, to fulfill the need, I grab a bag of the Thai Veg Gyoza when I’m in Trader Joe’s.  I was disappointed at first.  I had been heavy handed with the sriracha, garlic and ginger in my own, so TJ’s mild did not rock my world.  Why don’t I just got to my local Korean spot where they’ve got an aisle full of options?  TOO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM and I’m scared of the tofu/soy products inside. (I did just try one the other day.  Taste great, but an odd disappearing filling and ew, corn.)

Since I’m at TJ’s, um, a lot, and usually want something quick when I get home, I decided to try the dumplings again and cook them they way I used to do my homemade.  But, something was still missing.  It wasn’t until I added a pinch of salt to the steam liquid that I hit pay dirt.  Now, I have to stay away from them.  A bag isn’t long for the freezer.

Something Simple | Tweaking Dumplings/Gyoza/Potstickers

 a bag of gyoza | lemon juice | salt | water | grapeseed/veg oil

In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons or so of lemon juice to one tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt.  Stir to make sure salt dissolves. Heat non-stick pan.  Add 2 tablespoons of oil.  Place 10 gyoza in the pan leaving space between them.  Brown bottoms over high heat. (I pick them up frequently to see how dark they’re getting.)  Cover when they’re just about the color you want.  Get your bowl.  Lift cover just enough to quickly pour in the diluted salted lemon juice.  Cover again and allow gyoza to steam.  Try not to lift cover to see if all of the water is gone, but listen to see if you start to hear sizzling.  They’re done.

While the dumplings are steaming, I toss together a dipping sauce made of fresh grated ginger, sriracha, lemon juice, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Quickly cooked and eaten.  Seriously.

n♥

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Home From The Market | Hollywood 24June12

just a few things that made it home from the market…

Collard Greens | Curly Kale | Ginger | Tomatoes | Yu Choy

I cried on the way to the market.  I was in the middle of the street, when I noticed I was steps from my dad’s ‘I-only-have-the-kids-on-the-weekend’ car.  I’ve only seen a few Datsun 280zs since I was little.  For an instant, I was in the backseat with my black Barbie, making up stories, on the way to Benihana.  But, just for an instant.  The wave of recognition washed over me and the tears came with the warm tide.  It was the fifth anniversary of his death.

I was in my head deep at the market, on auto-pilot.  I slowed to inhale the incense and oils for sale by the old man drifting off in his chair.  I weaved my way through the people lined up for seafood, to get to the stall run by the Asian family selling my yu choy and ginger.  Rejoining the flow, my eyes darted quickly from left to right trying to gauge my interest and intent against the pace of the crowd.  Within minutes, I was overwhelmed and determined to get out.  There are always too many people, but this day was different.  Holding back the tears and hoping to dull the ache, I knew I still needed to get tomatoes and greens, but, then I could leave.

Comforted by Spotify on shuffle playing songs I loved, I donned blinders to rush through the intersection of produce and prepared.  I didn’t even realize Marisa from Food In Jars was there doing a demo.  I must’ve walked right past her.

The end was in sight.  I’d made it to the herb stand where I pick up my collard greens.  But, yeah, no.  Grandma boxed me out as she chatted with her granddaughter; meanwhile, the mom fingered my greens; and dad came over to pay with one hand full of cash, the other full of kale.  I was bouncing on sneakered feet, antsy.  I love black folks and all, but come on my people, keep it moving.

I was stuffing greens into my waxed canvas tote bag and preparing to re-enter the flow like a double dutch champion, when he caught my eye.  I looked up to see a beautiful, deeply chocolate man, in all his Chiwetel Ejioforian fineness, staring.  I was so caught off guard.*  I was still stuck and struck, unsure of how I was supposed to feel about my dad.  For the first time, I wasn’t a full-on, red-eyed, ugly crying, hot mess, but I still got freaked out by a 35 year old car.  I guess, I needed to get out of my head.  And in that moment, surprisingly, all it took, was for a dude to get my attention when I wasn’t paying any.

I did another half lap up Ivar and back, smiling all easy and broad, then headed home.  I brought back food, a better mood and a few slugs that came along, on the greens, for the ride.

Every year is something different.  And every year, you’re still there.  Thank you, Daddy.

n♥

 

* so, yeah. we exchanged smiles. awkwardly. mine was all hesitant+black+nerdy.

okay, like seriously, there were more black people at the market than i feel like ive ever seen.

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On Obsessive Repeat | Killer Mike + El-P

i just can’t stop.

I decided to make a new space for hip-hop.  I was lucky enough to quickly fill it with intelligence, wit and dense beats.  Both records have been on repeat since their release.

Videos: El-P “The Full Retard“| Killer Mike “Big Beast” f/Bun B, T.I., Trouble & El-P

WAIT! The videos are MUCH and so NSFW and kind of amazing.  There might be some references to a Ryan Gosling film, simulated acts on a puppet, nudity and body parts.  Okay, so there will be those things.  Just saying.

Killer Mike + El-P are in LA tonight.  And on the road with Mr. MFin eXquire and Despot until the middle of July.  And there’s an “Into The Wild Tour Mixtape” too.

n♥

 

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Back To The Market

so..yeah…

I’m going to the market this weekend and will be back to posting the goodness.  I’ve been shooting.  Just mostly instagramming, though.  I’ll put up some of those that I like this week.

This image is from Hollywood 18March12.  I’m in love with it.  No, really.  I did a ‘Look, Ma.  I did this!’ text, too.

n♥

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Something Simple | Yu Choy

look… i like reading cookbooks.  i just don’t really use them.

I could eat yu choy every single day.

My favorite leafy green crunchy veg is yu choy.  I first picked it up, about a year and a half ago maybe, at the Pershing Sq Farmers’ Market.  After that, I just started buying it everywhere I saw it.  It cooks quickly and lends it self to simple flavors.  I tend to use the same ingredients when I cook it, but a co-worker told me her mom uses it in her caldo de pollo. (Mexican Chicken Soup)

I haven’t had much luck with keeping yu choy very long before the leaves start losing their pretty, so I like to cook it within a day or two of bringing it home.  I bought a bunch before I got my dental surgery last year.  I cooked it and kept it frozen for months.  Tasted great when I could finally chew again.

Where does one get yu choy?  Yeah, I didn’t see it until I moved to LA and started going to the market.  I can pick it up in the Korean grocery down the street.  Check the produce aisle at your local Asian spots.  I’m a dork for a grocery store, so while some are going through racks at Barneys, I’m all giddy wandering the aisles at international/ethnic stores around town.  Even if folks are staring, shrug those shoulders and take your time.  It’s an adventure not far from home.

 How does one cook this yu choy?  I cook it quite simply and quite quickly.  And I, honestly, don’t measure much or at all, really.  I drizzle, splash and squirt. (♥:Can we talk about how that sounds? Like, really?)

How else can one cook this here yu choy?  I’ve used yu choy in my ‘Not Pad Thai’ and would no doubt have it in ramen, if I was still on that Sopporo Ichiban Original Flavor crack.

Something Simple | Yu Choy

two bunches of yu choy | garlic | ginger | grapeseed/veg oil | sesame oil | soy sauce | sriracha

Chop the yu choy into bite size pieces.  Mince one garlic clove.  Grate maybe a teaspoon of fresh ginger.  Heat a bit of grapeseed oil in the pan.  Cook the garlic and ginger for about a minute over med/high heat.  Toss in yu choy.  Drizzle a little soy sauce and sesame oil over the yu choy.  Add a squirt of sriracha.  Stir until the yu choy leaves start to wilt and give off a little water.  Cover and let it steam for a minute or two.

Honestly, takes less than five minutes.  I like the leaves glossy and the stems crunchy.  I use two bunches of yu choy, because it loses loads of volume.  l usually add a little more sriracha to taste.  Okay, a lot more.  I like it HOT!

I can have just yu choy for dinner.  Like the bowl above last night.  Just me and my chopsticks.

nikki♥

*um, yes you can eat yu choy with a fork.  i just don’t.

*oh, yeah.  yu choy, depending on when it’s picked, has few yellow flowers or lots of yellow flowers.  i’ve read that you’re not supposed to eat the flowers.  i cut around them.  a few gotten in and, um, i’m still here.

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These Mean Streets | What This Vegan Eats

I’m not deprived, but man, without planning, it can feel limiting…

I found this fruit cart on the way to um, Subway.  See, I was walking there with a co-worker, enjoying a little uncensored convo, lending a kind ear.  I didn’t get anything from the sandwich assembly line, but I couldn’t wait to stop off to get a bag of slices on the way back to the office.  All I could see was melons, mangoes, coconut, cucumber and jicama dancing all the way to my belly.  There were only two serving sizes, ziploc $4 and $5 bags.  I had five on it, stuffed with everything.

Lessons learned: L♥VE the watermelon, honeydew and cucumber.  Oh, NO… on the jicama, cantaloupe and coconut.  The jicama just took up flavorless space; the coconut was sadly bland; and the cantaloupe was a little too fragrant in that old lady with too much perfume on kind of way.  Next time, I think I might have to ask for a taste of the mango, so I can go all in or pass it up.  I think it really depends on the day.  That day was nooooot great.

All in all, it was crazy refreshing on a hot LA day.

Nikki♥