Thai Basil Chicken

So, our cute little basil plant was producing more and more basil leaves and I had to cook up a recipe with it so the little guy's hard labor does not go to waste.  Basil in a chicken dish is something I have not done before but I thought why not.  I love chicken, Thai food, basil-y flavor, and spice.  This dish has a lot of spicy kick to it and it even made my nose runny from all the spicy-ness.  So, a little Kleenex at hand wouldn't hurt while enjoying this dish.  This was so friggin delicious.  The basil-y after taste of the chicken was such a subtle delight.  I would not add more basil than recommended as you don't want it to overpower the chicken.

This is a quick and easy dish that can be cooked up in thirty minutes or less.  :)  Yay for quick recipes!

The Recipe:
Thai Basil Chicken by Immaculate Bites

Changes I Made:

• I did not have crushed red pepper so I used chili powder instead which worked fine. 
• Before cooking the chicken I marinated it with a teaspoon of minced garlic and a few pinches of salt.  I marinated it in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes.
• I added a little bit of green bell pepper because I just had some left over and it was a great addition  to the recipe.  I cooked it in with the onions. 
• I didn't have the traditional fish sauce so I used the Korean anchovy sauce, which was fishy enough.  It was awesome. 
• I used white sugar instead of brown.
• I used 2 extra Tbsp of soy sauce and sriracha sauce.  (1 tsp was absolutely not enough!)

Recommendation:

Definitely eat it with rice.  It's Thai! 

Potato Salad - Tips

Since my last potato salad post, I have had about three more occasions to make potato salad.  If you've been a part of a church community, you know that there really are many, many, many potlucks to attend.  I've made potato salad a go-to recipe...for now, anyways.  They are easy to make and goes with most main dishes.  It's also a great way to secretly feed your kids celery. 

Anyhoo, I wanted to add this post to share some tips I've learned along my potato-salad-making journey.  I googled some tips on potato salad and the adjustments I made to my recipe made a tremendous difference and I actually feel okay to say that I think my potato salad is pretty good!  :D 

Tips from The Kitchn:
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Potato Salad

My Tips:

1. Right Potatoes:  Like The Kitchn says, you should use the right kind of potatoes.  I will let the actual site do the explanation for this, but the best kind of potatoes are the waxy kind.  I have mostly used the Yukon potatoes or the red-skinned ones and they work great!
2. Cooking Potatoes:  This is an important step that you should pay attention to since it will determine the consistency and texture of your potatoes. The trick is to start the potatoes immersed in cold water, bring to boil, then reduce heat to cook in simmer.  You should check the potatoes regularly and take it out when you can push your fork into it.  Mushy potatoes for salad kinda sucks. 
3. Salted Water:  A GREAT tip.  Salt your water when cooking your potatoes.  This makes a huge difference in the flavor of your potato salad. 
4. Cooling Potatoes:  My potato salad recipe calls for creamy mayo dressing, which means I've got to cool the potatoes before dressing them.  If you don't wait to cool the potatoes, you will risk the mayo-based dressing separating and just becoming yucky. 
5. Chopped Dills:  I eliminated this in my last potato salad post and since then, I've changed my mind and this has been a must addition to my potato salad recipe.  For a 4lb potato salad recipe, I'll add about 3-4 chopped dills.  This is a personal taste thing.  I love a bit of pickle-y sourness in my potato salad and if you do too, do this! 
6. More Boiled Eggs:  Again in my last recipe I added 4 boiled eggs for 4lb potatoes.  I've increased that to 7-8 eggs and I love it!  Also, instead of chopping them up into teeny pieces, I do a very rough and loose chomping with a fork so it leaves large chunks of whites and yolk. 
7. Green Onions:  Instead of red onions (which is still an awesome choice) I use green onions and I don't think I'll go back.  I just like the flavor better and I don't have to deal with soaking the onions to eliminate the spicy-ness. 
8. Chilling:  This may sound like a redundant step but, like the other tips, it makes a big difference.  I try to chill the dressing at least for about 30 minutes and also chill the salad for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving.  It just melds all the flavors together and gives extra quality to the salad.  Don't you want people to go "OMG!  This is awesome!"

*Let me know if you've tried the changes and how your salad turns out.  ;)

Easter Potatoes

Spring arrived a few months ago but I didn't get to celebrate it on Fried Blue Tomatoes so here's my homage to the return of spring (few months ago).

Picture #1:  
In honor of spring, my manager at work brought me these flowers from the garden outside our building.  It was just a very sweet gesture and made me appreciate spring a tad bit more.  :D

Picture #2:  
My hubby & me at the church Easter Luncheon. We have had a very rough couple of years and couldn't really enjoy Easter the way we would have liked.  So, this year was extra special cuz we were able to smile and do what we do best - be weird.

The rest of the pictures:  Cheesy Potatoes 

 

We have an Easter Luncheon every year at our church and I always look forward to it because they order the ham from one of our proudest and well-known St. Louis BBQ joints (Sugarfire!).  We all bring a dish and I signed up for a side.  I obsessively went back and forth from signing up to make scalloped potatoes to other potato variations - made about 10 edits on the church google doc.  Oops!  Anyhoo, I thought scalloped potatoes would be perfect, but after pondering on this choice a little bit decided to go with a slightly different baked potatoes.  I actually did not make a single change in this recipe.  They were pretty amazing, imho, and perfect alternative to scalloped potatoes.

The Recipe:
Homemade Cheesy Potatoes by Simply Scratch

What I'd Do Differently:
The only thing that I would do differently next time is to cut the potatoes into smaller pieces.  As you can see in the photos, the potatoes were quite chunky.  Just think they'll look yummier if they were smaller. 

Fire Chicken with Cheese

Korean chili peppers,  Oh yeah~

The sauce!

Skinned chicken leg. (Gross!)

Hi, I'm marinating!

On my way to becoming yummy

Mozzarella-ed

Yes! 

Green onions for garnish

The final step: gobble!

Now that I have the stress of long-winded theological essays and exams behind me, let me re-start blogging at one of my favorite places of all time - spicy.  This recipe was born out of the love of chicken and sinus-clearing spicy-ness.  It's also the place where the ramen from the famous Korean Spicy Ramen Challenge came about.  (FYI:  Korean name for this recipe = Buldak; Korean name for the ramen = Buldak Ramen)  It is probably one of my favorite chicken recipes and it is way too easy to make considering how amazingly yummy it is. I made edits to the recipe based on other Korean food blogs. 

The Recipe:
Fire Chicken with Cheese by Maangchi

Changes I Made:

1. Instead of vegetable oil, I used sesame oil.  I will do this every time because sesame oil adds an extra flavor to the recipe which I absolutely want in this dish.
2. I also added about 2Tbsp of mirim (Japanese cooking wine).  From what I understand, this step helps to eliminate the unpleasant odor that can come from chicken.  In other words, it enhances the flavor of the chicken.  I believe you can add just regular cooking wine from the store if you don't have access to a Korean store.  Mirim is used a lot in Korean cooking, when cooking wine is required.
3. I also added about 2Tbsp of sriracha sauce.  One of the Korean food boggers said to add spicy sauce but did not specify which one so I thought...of course, sriracha!  Do this if you can handle the spice though.
4. Another awesome addition was green chilies (also suggested by other Korean cooking blogs).  I chopped them up (you can see it in the pix) and added them into the chicken mix before marinating it in the fridge.  I used the Korean chilies cuz I had access to them, but I think jalapenos would work fine.  Again, do this at your own risk.  This adds another layer of ear-popping spicyness.
5. I used regular white sugar instead of corn syrup. 
6. I used green onions for garnish.
7. I did not pan fry the rice cakes but I think this would be a great step!
8. I also marinated the chicken mix in the fridge after mixing in all the ingredients (except for the green onions and the mozzarella cheese) for at least 4-5 hours.  Seriously.  No one ever regretted marinating their meat before cooking.  You can even marinate overnight. 
9. I used pre-grated mozzarella cheese instead of mozzarella cubes.
10. Adding about a table spoon of sesame seeds to the mix will add more pizzazz to the recipe. 

Other Suggestions:

• You are so welcome to add onions and bell peppers to the mix.  I've also seen many Korean food bloggers add sesame leaves - which I think is just friggin awesome! 
• When I first made this, I bought bone-in chicken legs and labored for a good long time to cut out the meat.  I did like the flavor of the meat very much but just your good ol' boneless chicken breast will also work fine. 
• I ate it with rice (of course!) and coleslaw.  'Twas perfect! 

And...you're welcome for the recipe.  :P 

Clementine Cake

I only used four clementines.

Cut

Ready to be processed

Clementine paste

Ready to be baked

Right out of the oven

Browned edges and slightly sunken center... :(

Powder-sugared

This cake is like the fourth season of Sherlock Holmes - it's been waiting for forever to be made.  Like Smitten Kitchen, I was fascinated by the recipe.  Cake with no butter and no flour.  Could that work?  It was my first time making this cake, but I braved it and made this for a dinner invite.  (I also took back-up cookies and a good bottle of wine just in case.  I am actually not that brave...)

The total time invested in this cake was three hours.  Two hours to boil the clementines and about an hour to put all the ingredients together and bake it.  I was very happy with the outcome.  The cake was dense, very moist, had just the right amount of sweet, and it was delicious.  The flavor of the clementines were very evident and, strangely, the cake felt very velvety as if it had chock full of butter...it had none.  

I highly recommend the sliced almond topper and powdered sugar finish as the cake itself is not very sweet.  (Another option is to make the glaze like Smitten Kitchen to pour over the cake) This is a very 'adult' cake so I would not recommend this for your child's birthday party.  Everyone at the dinner table seemed to enjoy the cake and I certainly did too.  I made my husband promise to tell me the absolute truth about this cake and he swears it was delicious for him too so I think it's safe to make this cake again.


The Recipe
Clementine Cake adapted by Smitten Kitchen

Sunken Center

• I don't know if you can see it in the pictures but I actually had a slightly sunken center.  I've baked quite a few cakes in my life and have never had that happen before.  Eeeek~!  I quickly searched the internet for what might have caused it.  Here's what I've found.  
• I believe my culprit was the baking powder.  Smitten Kitchen's recipe calls for 'heaped' teaspoon full of baking powder.  But, the original recipe asks for just one teaspoon of baking powder.  I went a little overboard with the 'heaped' spoon.  I will go with just one flat teaspoon of baking powder next time.  

Variations & Tips

• Do not use 'heaped' spoon of baking powder but just a teaspoon as it may cause the cake center to sink.
• I added sliced almonds and powdered sugar and I will do this every time I make this cake.  Or, I will definitely try the clementine glaze from Smitten Kitchen.  
• Add the sliced almonds right before putting the cake in the oven.  Add the powdered sugar after the cake has cooled, preferably right before serving.  
• Since the size of clementines differ, it would be helpful to use a kitchen scale to ensure you don't put too much or too little clementine.  
• I only used the food processor for the clementines.  I used a handmixer to beat the eggs and the sugar and I folded the rest of the ingredients with a spatula to avoid over-beating.  (Make sure that your baking powder is mixed it well and is not clumped.  This will be disastrous for your cake!)
• I checked the cake after 30 minutes and my toothpick came out clean so make sure you start checking your cake after 30 minutes.  
• Ensure you implement the step of tin foiling your cake after 20-30 minutes - put foil over your cake to protect the top from over-browning.  I put foil over the cake after 30 minutes and put it back in the oven for an extra 10 minutes. 
• My total cooking time was 40 minutes.
• I used an 8x8 square pan instead of a round pan. My batter would not fit into an 8 inch round pan. 

Mr. Baek's Korean Curry

Korean Curry (Hot!)

Curry Paste

Colorful Veggies!

'Almost' caramelized! 

Veggies in the pot!

Cookin'

Almost done!

Ready to go in yo belly!

This may sound strange to the non-Korean ears but curry is a very popular staple in a Korean household.  In our house, we even had mom's version and dad's version of Korean curry.  Korean curry is not as dense as Indian curry.  The flavor of the curry is not as in-your-face but more gentle on your palate.  That's the best I can describe it anyway. 

The below recipe is a slight deviation from the traditional Korean curry.  I've been seeing this recipe floating around the Korean food blogs, so I had to try it out.  The below video is of Mr. Baek from whom the recipe came from.  (Scroll all the way down to see the vid!)  The difference in this recipe from the traditional Korean curry is that the onion is caramelized (actually 'almost' caramelized) before adding the other ingredients.  I say 'almost' because it isn't caramelized in the traditional sense.  (This is how you really caramelize onions)  This step adds greater depth to the flavor of the curry and I do think there's a huge improvement in the flavor.  This is why we use more onions than the traditional Korean curry recipe.  Caramelizing reduces the volume of the veggie.  I also used chicken broth rather than just plain water - a trick I learned from my husband, who is known for his amazing Korean curry.

Mr. Baek's Korean Curry
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Medium carrots 
• 3 Medium potatoes (I used Russet)
• 2 Medium onions
• 1 Bell pepper
• 5-6 White button mushrooms
• 1 1/2 Cup of diced chicken (I used boneless breast, but wouldn't mind trying chicken thighs)
• 2/3 Cups of Korean curry powder (Click if you wanna buy this online) 
• 4 Cups of chicken broth (You can use water or veggie broth)
• 1 tsp of ground pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 4-5 TbspVegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Cut all vegetables into 1/2 inch pieces.  (You may cut it length-wise like Mr. Baek does in the video.)
2. Use about 1/3 cup of chicken broth and pour it into the curry powder to make curry paste.
3. Heat about 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet on medium high heat and cook the diced chicken for about 2-3 minutes until most of the skin is white.  Do not fully cook.  Set aside.
4. In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil on medium heat.  Put in the diced onions and ground pepper.  Cook the onions for about 10 minutes until it is (almost) caramelized - refer to picture.  Stir frequently with a wooden spoon to avoid burning.  
5. Once the onion is caramelized, add all the vegetables and the chicken to the pot with the remaining vegetable oil and cook for about 3 minutes on medium high heat.
6. Pour the chicken broth and continue to cook on medium high heat for about 5-8 minutes or until the potatoes get soft and all the vegetables are cooked.  
7. Add the curry paste and stir.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes.  
8. Turn off the heat and serve with your favorite rice!  (I recommend Jasmine rice.)  

If you can read Korean, check this site out with the original images and instructions.
If you want an English version of the traditional Korean curry recipe click here for Aeri's Kitchen recipe.

White Chocolate Coconut Truffles

toasted almonds + shredded coconut

coconut oil + white chocolate

mixing 

ball-ing the chocolate mix

ready to go in the freezer

ready to go back into the freezer

all ready to be packaged

"Am I beautiful?"

ready for some L-O-V-E

These truffles are a winner.  They really are amazing, if I say so myself.  Apparently they are a Raffaello copycat - a little sister of the famous and oh-so-delicious Ferrero Rocher.  But, no store-bought candy can beat a home-made truffle.  These are not intensely sweet but just sweet enough for you to keep going back for more.  If you love coconuts in your sweets (like moi!)  these are the best ever truffles for you.  The coconut coat adds a little fancy-ness to them and you can easily dupe people into thinking you are a truffle-making fairy.

The Recipe:
White Chocolate Coconut Truffle by Let the Baking Begin

Changes I made:

• The original recipe inserts whole almonds into each truffle (like the original Raffaello).  I opted to add in 1 cup of silvered almonds into the chocolate + coconut mix instead.  This allows for almonds to be in every bite which I absolutely love.
• I toasted the silvered almonds before adding them to the coconut mix.  Here's a link to toasting nuts.  I usually dry roast them on a skillet.  Let the almonds cool a bit before you add it into the shredded coconut.  Add the melted chocolate + coconut oil after this step is completed. 
• The recipe gives two options to choose from.  You can roll the coconut balls directly in shredded coconut or you can dip them in white chocolate and then roll them in coconut.  I opted for the extra white chocolate.
• For the 'dipping' white chocolate, I only put in 2 Tbsp of coconut oil instead of 3 like the recipe says to.  I wanted the chocolate to be a bit thicker.  

Tips & Reminders:

• Ensure you use unsweetened coconut.  The white chocolate is already intensely sweet so it will tone down the sweetness of each truffle.  
• I used Ghirardelli's white chocolate chips. 
• Next time, I'll make the balls a little smaller so that they are bite-size.
• I put the coconut+almond+chocolate balls in the freezer as they were too soft to roll in melted chocolate.  They firm up pretty quick and it is much easier to dip them in melted chocolate if you add this step. 
• I put the finished truffles back in the freezer and this sped up the process.  
• The recipe already tells you this but if I may repeat this great tip, coconut oil is a better option than butter as they remain solid in room temp.  The flavor also works awesome with coconut oil.