Pork Belly and Mushroom Rice

Here is another recipe from The Woks of Life, one of Ben’s favourite following.

We made this for one of the Christmas potluck gathering.

Ingredients

  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted for 2 hours, squeezed dry (saving the soaking liquid), diced
  • 1/2 pound pork belly, diced
  • 1 piece of spiced tofu, diced
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 3 slices ginger, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 3/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup mushroom soaking liquid
  • 4 cups cooked rice
  • 1 scallion, finely chopped

Source: this recipe is adapted from The Woks of Life

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Spicy Black Bean Twice Cooked Potatoes

We bought a bag of very cheap white potatoes from a grocery store along Fraser St, something like $1.49 for a bag. It was on sale because some of the bags were wet. I found one bag that was not wet and I made sure I pad dry the potatoes with paper towel when I got home.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 medium yellow or white potaotoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized chunks
  • salt to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • canola oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes (depending on your tolerance for heat)
  • 2 tablespoons black beans
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or rice wine
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 bunch of green onions, sliced diagonally

Source: this recipe is adapted from The Woks of Life

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Ants Climbing Tree

I love this dish called Ants Climbing Tree. So, Ben made it for me one day.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz mung bean noodle/glass noodle
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon spicy fermented bean sauce
  • 4 oz ground pork
  • 1 can (398ml) chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 2 stalks green onion, chopped
  • 2 Thai chili, finely chopped (optional)

Source: The woks of Life

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Korean Glazed Potatoes (Gamja Jorim)

I like the sweetish Korean potato banchan whenever I dined at a Korean restaurant.

Ben noticed that I like Gamja Jorim and he searched for the recipe to make this side dish for me. He is sweet, just like this dish.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, rinsed well to remove starch
  • 1 large onion, cut into 1 cm chunks
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • toasted sesame seeds, optional
  • chopped green onion, optional
  • 3/4 cup water

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Lentil Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes

The main course for this vegetarian theme meal at the Caring Place Community Kitchen was a Lentil Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes.

This is a very hearty meal. Minoo also suggested that we baked this into a casserole. Just lay the mashed potatoes at the bottom of a baking dish, topped with the lentil mushroom stew and then with grated cheese. Baked until golden brown. Sounds delicious.
Ingredients
Mashed potatoes ingredients

  • 1 pound yellow or Russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable broth or milk

Mushroom Lentil Stew Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallot
  • 2 cups cremini (or button) mushrooms, sliced
  • pinch of salt and pepper each
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or rosemary) or use dried ones
  • 2/3 cup dry green lentils, rinsed and drained; To improve digestibility, soak the lentils overnight in cool water.
  • 2 to 3 cups vegetable broth
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced, optional
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste, optional


Source: Caring Place Community Kitchen
Serves 4
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Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce

For the summer months i.e. July and August, the South Arm Community Kitchen is held in other locations as the kitchen in the South Arm Community Center is fully booked for summer activities. For the month of July, the South Arm Community Ktichen is held at the Gilmore Park Church kitchen. Thank you Gilmore Park Church for accommodating us.

Minoo shared a Bolognese Sauce recipe in the kitchen. We served the sauce over spaghetti.
Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (we omitted this)
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork (we substituted this with beef)
  • 1/2 pound fresh mushroom, sliced
  • 2 carrots, shredded
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
  • 6 ounces tomato sauce (we substituted this with 2 tablespoons tomato paste)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (we substituted this chicken stock)
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound pasta (we used spaghetti)



Source: South Arm Community Kitchen
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Potato Crusted Quiche

For the last kitchen at the South Arm Community Kitchen for 2017, we made another three dishes.

Our main dish is a Potato Crusted Quiche. This recipe is inspired by Foodnetwork.com.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound russet potato, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup bacon bits
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

We served the Potato Crusted Quiche with Cream of Celery Soup.

You can find the soup recipe here. This Cream of Celery Soup is great as people who are not a fan of celery also enjoy it.

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Tuna Loaf with Potatoes

The South Arm Community Kitchen met again for another cooking adventure.

For this kitchen, we made a Tuna Loaf with Potatoes.

We served the Tuna Loaf with Potatoes with a Cranberry Almond Spinach Salad. You can click here for the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mash potatoes
  • a teaspoon Paprika
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup drained tuna
  • a small bunch of Parsley, chopped
  • a handful of sliced black olives
  • breadcrumbs for coating

Source: South Arm Community Kitchen

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Quinoa Pilaf

In the South Arm Community Kitchen, we served the Chicken with Tomato Sauce with a side dish of Quinoa Pilaf.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed a few times
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnut
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Source: this recipe is adapted from allrecipes

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Easy Italian Spaghetti Pasta Salad

The South Arm Community Kitchen resumes in September after the summer break.

For this kitchen, we made an Easy Italian Spaghetti Pasta Salad. This salad is a great way to incorporate vegetables into the meal. It is also great for school lunch box.
Ingredients

  • 1 pound thin spaghetti (can substitute with your choice of pasta)
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 cucumber, quartered and cubed
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 x 4-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 garlic clove, finely minced
  • salt to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste


Source: South Arm Community Kitchen
Serves 8
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