Red Date and Walnut Sticky Rice

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

I couldn’t help myself. These are typically rolled into balls for a snack, but their beautiful red hue was practically begging to be made into a heart shape.

This was my first experience with red dates, or jujubes, but it won’t be my last. They’re typically sold dried and while they’re not good for out of the bag snacking, they do impart a wonderful fruity sweetness to whatever they’re being cooked with.

Rice balls are a common snack in a lot of Asian countries, although this has been one of my favorites since the black rice, red dates and walnuts give it some extra heft and chew. It also kept me full a bit longer than the more basic seaweed varieties.

I also saw several sweetened versions of this basic recipe for dessert. If you’d like to go that route, I’d suggest either adding up to 1/4 cup of brown sugar to the rice prior to cooking, or cook as written below, and drizzle with maple syrup.

Sticky Rice with Red Dates and Nuts

Ingredients:

1/4 cup black rice
1 cup sticky rice
1-1/3 cup reserved soaking water plus extra water if needed
6 pitted dried red dates or jujubes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Place the black and sticky rice in a sieve and rinse under water. Place in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for five hours. Drain the rice in a sieve placed over a bowl, reserving the soaking liquid.

Place the rice in a rice cooker and add 1 1/3 cups reserved soaking liquid. Add the dates, walnuts, salt and sesame oil. Turn on the rice cooker.

When the rice is done cooking, serve immediately or let cool slightly before rolling into rice balls.

To make the rice balls, place about 1/2 cup cooked rice mixture and place onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Bring the sides of the plastic wrap up around the rice mixture and twist the ends together in the center to shape into a ball.

Note: If you do not have a rice cooker, you can prepare the rice as follows. Combine the rice, 1 1/3 cup soaking liquid, dates, walnuts, salt and sesame oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan with a lid. Place the lid slightly askew and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice completely absorbs the water. Remove from heat and allow to sit and steam for another 15 minutes.

Napa Cabbage Kimchi

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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I suppose it would have made the most sense for me to post this at the beginning of my time in Korea, especially since I used cabbage kimchi for the kimchi fried rice. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to create a recipe I thought was blog-worthy. I tried a bunch that were either too salty, too boring, or too fermented. I can find better kimchi than that around here in the refrigerator section of the drug store.

I’m hardly a kimchi expert- I’d never had even tried the stuff until a couple years ago. But I like my kimchi to taste fresh while still having the requisite funk. I finally found one that fit the bill- and it doesn’t require much fermentation time. You just soak some chopped cabbage in salt water for a couple hours, drain, mix in a kimchi paste and let sit for another couple hours. That’s it. Easy.

The fish sauce and oyster sauce help give this kimchi it’s depth of flavor. Many kimchi recipes don’t use them, but I found they made the kimchi so much more interesting than the recipes that relied on salt only. Most fish sauces are gluten-free, but finding gluten-free oyster sauce can be more challenging. Below is the kind that I’ve used for the past couple years in case you’d like a visual to help look at your grocery store.

Napa Cabbage Kimchi

Ingredients:

1 medium to large Napa Cabbage, halved, cored and cut into 1-2-inch strips
1 cup water
3 Tablespoons kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup Korean coarse red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons gluten-free oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
4 green onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

Dissolve the salt into 1 cup of water. Place the cabbage in a large bowl or container and pour the salt water over it. Toss quickly and then let sit, without any additional stirring, for 2 hours.

While the cabbage is soaking, make the kimchi paste by combining the red pepper flakes, 2 Tablespoons of water, garlic paste, ginger, sugar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and green onions.

Drain the cabbage in a colander or in a piece of cheesecloth (cheesecloth for straining) and give the cabbage a quick rinse under cold water. Gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Place the cabbage in a large bowl or jar and stir the kimchi paste into the cabbage. Mix thoroughly to ensure that each piece of cabbage is coated. Let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Cover and refrigerate.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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Fried rice is pretty much the ultimate quick, healthy and filling meal. Although the healthy part doesn’t necessarily ring true in Hawaii, where most fried rice consists of white rice, Portuguese sausage, bacon, lup chong sausage, and few-if any- vegetables. Absolutely amazing, but healthy it is not.

This kimchi fried rice, however, would likely get a nutritionist’s seal of approval with its cabbage kimichi, loaded with vitamins and healthy bacteria, onions, peppers and brown rice. The fried rice is great on its own, but topping with yesterday’s seasoned soybean sprouts adds an extra level of crunchiness, spice and flavor. Want to make it even more filling? Add a fried egg on top.

This would also be a great way to introduce kimchi to your less adventurous friends and family.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Yield: 4 side servings

Ingredients:

* 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon Korean chili powder
* 1 cup cabbage kimchi, cut into bitesize pieces
* 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips
* 1/2 yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups leftover brown rice
* 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
* 2 teaspoons fish sauce (vegans/vegetarians can substitute gluten-free soy sauce)
* 3 Tablespoons diced green onions
* 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
* 1/2- 3/4 cup seasoned soybean sprouts (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chili powder and the kimchi and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and onion and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the pepper and onion begin to soften.

Add the rice and mix thoroughly. Add the sesame oil and fish sauce sauce and mix again. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the rice is heated through. Divide the rice into two bowls and sprinkle with the green onion and sesame seeds. Top with seasoned beansprouts, if desired.

Jamaican Festival Fried Cornbread

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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Some of you might remember that my last attempt at fried cornmeal fritters didn’t go so well. But try, try again I say. Plus, with a name like festival, I had the feeling that these might be just the things to turn my cornmeal fritter luck around.

Festival is new but popular addition to the street food scene in Jamaica. I made a half batch to test the waters and knew that I’d be making them again before my two weeks in Jamaica was up.

They’re a little savory, a little sweet. The rice flour and starches lightens the dough enough to make it almost fluffy. If I ever get a craving for a gluten-free corndog, this would be the perfect starting point for the dough- just omit some of the sugar and the nutmeg. Actually, a gluten-free corndog is sounding pretty awesome right about now…

Jamaican Festival Fried Cornbread

Ingredients:

* 1/3 cup brown rice flour
* 1/3 cup tapioca starch
* 1/3 cup potato starch
* 2/3 cup cornmeal
* 2 Tablespoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* pinch salt
* Approx 1/2 cup milk
* oil, for frying

Directions:

Combine the brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, cornmeal, sugar, xanthan gum, nutmeg, baking soda, vanilla and salt and mix well. Add just enough milk to form a stiff, workable dough. Roll into cylinders several inches long.

Heat oil in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan to 350 degrees. Drop in the shaped dough and fry for about 4-5 minutes, until outside turns golden and the center of the fritters have cooked through. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Ginger Jelly with Honey Molasses Syrup

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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Another country, another ginger-centric recipe. I suppose you could consider this a grown up version of jello: it has a more sophisticated flavor and a softer, more pleasant texture.

The recipe that inspired this one was drizzled with brown corn syrup. Had I thought that was the right flavor match for the ginger, I would have risked angering the pitchfork-wielding anti-corn syrup mob. But the truth is, I just thought a honey and molasses mixture was more interesting way to finish off the dessert.

Molasses is such a strong flavor that it can quickly overwhelm the honey. Start with the 3 to 1 honey to molasses ratio, although you’re welcome to make adjustments from there to make the molasses flavor more pronounced.

Ginger Jelly with Honey Molasses Syrup

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

* One 6-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into 10-12 sliced
* 3 1/4 cups water, divided
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoons gelatin
* 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 Tablespoons honey
* 2 teaspoons molasses

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the ginger with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, set the cover on slightly askew and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the ginger slices and discard, or set aside to re-use. The should be about 2 1/2 cups ginger water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

Pour 1/4 cup of water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top and let soften. Stir the gelatin water and the lemon juice into the ginger water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.

Divide the mixture between four dessert bowls or glasses. Chill for several hours in the refrigerator until set. Just before serving combine the honey and molasses in a small bowl or ramekin. Drizzle on top of the jelly.

Note: If you’d like small squares or pieces of jelly instead of a solid mass, pour the hot ginger mixture into a wide, shallow serving bowl or dish. Chill for several hours or until firm and cut into small cubes or pieces. Divide among the bowls or glasses and drizzle with honey molasses syrup.

Cold Coffee Soufflé

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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This is exactly the type of dessert I generally avoid. Namely because it relies on one critical step that I usually botch: unmolding the soufflé. Per usual, I didn’t do it correctly. And so I give you pictures of the back-up soufflé, which I didn’t even bother trying to flip.

Botched unmolding aside, this coffee soufflé is the perfect dessert to follow a heavy meal. Firstly, because those whipped egg whites keep it nice and light. Secondly, because it provides a caffeinated pick-me-up.

Two quick pieces of advice: whip the egg white immediately prior to folding them into the coffee mixture (you’ll want to make sure the coffee mixture has already thickened) and follow the unmolding tip at the end of the recipe. I think it would have saved me a lot of frustration.

Cold Coffee Soufflé

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

* 1-1/2 cups cold brewed coffee
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1 packet unflavored gelatin (approximately 1 Tablespoon)
* 1/2 cup half-and-half
* 3 large eggs, separated
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* whipped cream, for garnish
* chocolate syrup, for garnish

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the coffee, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the gelatin, and half-and-half over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gelatin has dissolved.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the salt. Temper the eggs by whisking a little of the coffee mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Pour into the saucepan and continue to cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool, stirring often.

When the coffee mixture has thickened, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form and carefully fold into the coffee mixture until blended. Pour into a decorative mold or individual dessert bowls or glasses. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

To serve, invert the soufflé onto a plate to unmold (or just keep as-is if in individual dessert glasses or bowls) and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Note: A tip from the author to help unmold the soufflé- soak a clean kitchen towel in warm water, wring out, and wrap around the mold for 2 or 3 minutes to loosen.

Coconut Cream Pudding

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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This dessert is about as sophisticated as a Snack Pack Pudding cup. I don’t necessarily mean that as a bad thing- I was eating those Hunt’s snack pack puddings well into my adult working years. Hunt’s doesn’t make (to my knowledge) a coconut pudding, but I imagine this is exactly what it would taste like should they ever add it to their line-up.

It’s a fast recipe using a bunch of unfussy ingredients that you probably already have in the pantry. Perfect for when you want to reminisce about the days when you’d get excited that your mom remembered to pack you a dessert.

Coconut Cream Pudding

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

* 1 packet unflavored gelatin (approximately 1 Tablespoon)
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 can coconut milk
* 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
* Pinch salt
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* Whipped cream, for garnish
* Toasted coconut, for garnish

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, dissolve gelatin in water over low heat. Stir in coconut milk and remove from heat. Add sweetened condensed milk and salt. Pour into dessert dishes and chill. Top with whipped cream, nutmeg and toasted coconut to serve.

Baked Jerk Meatballs with a Sweet Glaze

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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Did you guy see the post on Serious Eats about the blogger creating burger recipes for every country in the world? I feel like I read somewhere that it was to introduce the author’s non-adventurous family members to different cuisines. Well, I imagine that when she gets to Jamaica, her burger recipe might end up looking something like the meatball recipe below.

These would be perfect for your favorite non-adventurous eater– the jerk seasoning makes it a little different than your standard meatball but it’s not so crazy that it’ll be outside anybody’s comfort zone. Great in a sandwich. They’re also a nice—and more mild—complement to those fiery roasted jerk potatoes that I posted a couple days ago.

Baked Jerk Meatballs with a Sweet Glaze

Yield: Approximately 20 meatballs

Ingredients:

Jerk Meatballs:
* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon allspice
* 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Sweet Glaze:
* 1 cup ketchup
* 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the beef, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs and spices and knead thoroughly. Shape into golf ball-sized meatballs and arrange in a single layer in a baking dish.

Bake for 10 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar to make the glaze. Drain meatballs.

Pour sauce over the partially baked meatballs and bake another 20 minutes, or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked and the sweet ketchup sauce has baked into a thick glaze.

Red-Red Stew – Ghanaian Spicy Black-Eyed Peas with Plantain Pillows

Girl Cooks World

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April 16, 2019

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Red-Red Stew – Ghanaian Spicy Black-Eyed Peas with Plantain Pillows

One can only imagine whether UB40 would have had the same success if they’d titled their hit song Red Red Stew as opposed to Red Red Wine. Yep, I just pulled an Elaine (War and Peace, aka War, What is it Good For? Anybody? Anybody?).

Anyways, back to the food. This is exactly the kind of recipe that I set out to find on my worldwide cooking adventure. Hearty, healthy, vegan recipes. No, I’m not giving up my dairy or meat just yet (giving up gluten was hard enough), but I’m all for trying to cut back.

Red-Red is a common Ghanaian stew that’s named for the combination of red palm oil and red tomatoes. Red and red. But red palm oil is hard to come by in a lot of parts, Hawaii included, so I substituted the red palm oil for some vegetable oil, paprika, and cayenne. I guess that technically makes this Red-Red-Red stew.

My vegan friends, please don’t hold it against me that I caved and ended up using shrimp paste. It’s really easy to make this stew vegan- just use your favorite vegetable bouillon. I really think you guys will like this one.

Also, unless you are a verified cilantro-hater, the cilantro is really essential here, adding a nice pop of fresh to the dish. And yes, the plantain pillows do take a little extra time and effort but you’ll be rewarded with dreamy little packages of sweet starchiness that really go perfectly with the stew.

Red-Red Stew

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

* 1-1/2 cups dried black eyed peas (or can substitute two cans)
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 onions, chopped
* 8 cloves garlic, minced
* 2-3″ piece of ginger, grated
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 2 Serrano peppers, minced
* large can diced tomatoes in their juice (about 3 1/2 cups),
* 2 cubes of your favorite bouillon (can also use 1 teaspoon shrimp paste)
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus extra for garnish

Directions:

Rinse and drain dried black-eyed peas. Place in a medium saucepan, cover with several inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and put aside.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions and garlic until they begin to brown. Add the ginger, paprika, cayenne, and Serrano peppers and cook, stirring, for several minutes.

Place the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and pulse several times. You want some chunks left. Add to the onion mixture along with the bouillon (or shrimp paste) and stir. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas and simmer another 10-15 minutes so that the flavors can meld. Add the cilantro, stir and simmer another minute.

Season with salt and pepper. Top with plantain pillows (recipe follows).

Plantain Pillows:
* 2 plantains, medium ripe
* oil for deep drying

Cut plantains into 1/2 to 3/4 ” cubes, about the size of a large crouton.

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-heat to 350 degrees. In batches, place the cubed plantains into the oil and fry until golden.

Use as a topping for the Red-Red stew or eat as a snack.