Chinese Celery

Chinese celery is a strange little plant. Thin and very strong in flavor. I had bought some a week ago but didn't get around to cooking it. It shriveled and shrank in the fridge, looking sad and pathetic. I soaked it in water today and it sprang right back! Chinese celery is very strong in flavor and may take some getting used to if you have been eating plain celery all your life, but once you are used to it, you enjoy the intense flavor it provides.

I thought it would go perfectly with some chicken I had been marinating in a mixture of spicy sesame oil, soy sauce and julienne ginger.

I had it with rice and some delicious meat sauce my roommate's girlfriend made yesterday for Easter. It was full of yummy meat balls, stew meat and sausages. Maybe I can get her to share her recipe with us!

Ginger Chicken with Chinese Celery

1/2 pound of chicken tenders
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 thumb sized ginger (julienned)
2 tbsp of sesame oil
1 head of Chinese Celery
1-2 cloves of garlic

1. Clean the celery and trim off the roots. Set aside to drain
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized strips and put into a bowl with ginger soy sauce and sesame oil. Marinade at least for 15 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
3. Chop celery up into match stick lengths
4. Finely dice the garlic
5. Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of oil
6. Add the chicken, and toss in the garlic
7. Cook until outside is browned
8. Add Chinese celery and stir
9. Add salt and pepper to taste

B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Ok, so I heard a strange food myth. Has any one heard of the myth that you shouldn't eat bananas on an empty stomach, like first thing in the morning or you will have an upset stomach? Yes I've heard of the laxative properties of bananas...my personal theory is that it makes everything slippery inside ;).

Let me know if you've ever heard of this myth or not or it's affected you. I personally don't believe it as I've had bananas on an empty stomach plenty of times. I just don't know where people get this stuff!

Leftovers...

Invariably we all have to deal with leftovers...*queue the groan* whether it's from a doggy bag or from what you made for dinner earlier in the week. What do you do with them? Sometimes it's enough to just reheat the leftovers and eat it...but that gets kind of boring. Or you can create some type of new concoction! I rely on a few tried and true recipes that I tweak to make a quick and easy dinner.

One recipe I rely on is classic fried rice. It is a simple dish, was designed for leftovers and there are endless variations of what you can make. All you need for a really simple fried rice are some onions, some leftover rice and some eggs. You could even make do without the eggs...but then it becomes really bland.

Optimally, for a really good plain fried rice, you will need:

• 2 cups leftover plain white rice (heated up)
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 2 green scallions, white stems sliced finely and green parts chopped coarsely
• 2 eggs, beaten (like it owes you money!)
• salt and white pepper to taste
• soy sauce (optional, for the restaurant style)

1. In a wok or a frying pan (that will hold all your ingredients), heat up 2 tbsp of oil
2. Pour the eggs in to the hot oil slowly, stirring as you do so.
3. Scramble the eggs and push off to the side of the wok or dish back out into the bowl and set aside
4. Add more oil if needed and heat the oil until it is simmering
   
5. Add the onion and the white part of the scallions if you have any
6. Cook until semi translucent and add the rice, smashing with a spoon or spatula to separate the grains of rice
7. Re-add the eggs and smash into the rice
   
8. Add salt and pepper to taste and soy sauce if so desired
9. Remove from heat and add the green parts of the scallions. Mix quickly and let the heat soften the scallions

I added some leftover vegetables in mine and garnished it with umeboshi, Japanese pickled plum. Mmmm.

And of course there is always room for dessert! I heartly recommend Mochi Ice Cream. I had the Green Tea flavored type. Enjoy!

Follow the Leader to Co'm (Rice) Grill

Yesterday, I went to dinner with two foodie friends. I was treated to quite the Vietnamese cuisine experience at Co'm Grill on Buford Highway and given a little Vietnamese lesson to boot!

Since I didn't know the area very well I followed my friends. Parking turned out to be quite the ordeal...My friends drove in a circle around the parking lot with me in tow...when we finally pull into spots...they started backing up...not knowing what was happening I start backing up as well to follow them until I get the "Stay, sit, good boy" sign from Michelle :-).

We had the Co'm Goi Salad with Beef Tenderloin and Mussels for appetizers and I ordered the Co'm La Lot with Vermicelli Noodles and my friends shared a Banh Hoi which are do-it-yourself Vietnamese burritos. I also stole a wrapper and made one for myself.








I would definitely like to go back and try some of the other unusual dishes I saw on the other tables...but I have a feeling I'll be introducing my friends to some Baby Oyster Omelette at Penang before that happens!

Co'm Vietnamese Grill
http://www.comgrill.com/buford/index.html
4005-E Buford Hwy.
Atlanta, GA 30345
404-320-0405 Tel.

Yummy Curry In My Tummy

Deciding what to make for dinner really isn't an easy task for me. I deliberate for the whole day from the moment I wake up. You're probably asking, "You think about dinner as soon as you wake up?" well yes..I do...to be honest, I think about breakfast first...but dinner is never far behind.

Saturday, I had a craving for Curry Rice, the Japanese dish of delicious curry over sticky Japanese rice. A favorite among most Japanese children and hopefully to many more people!

The good people at Vermont Curry have made it particularly easy for busy housewives, bachelors and bachelorettes, etc. to make this soul warming food.

Curry Chicken - Vermont Style
Ingredients:
1/2 Package Vermont Curry - I prefer the hot variety but you can choose to your level of spiciness
2 Medium Onions - Vidalia, Yellow or White, even Purple
2-3 Potatoes - depending on size
2 Carrots
1/2 lb of Chicken tenders
1 small nub of ginger

Feel free to add some celery or whatever else...I just didn't have any on hand.

Directions:

1. Dice the onions roughly, so you can see them when you're eating them
2. Peel and dice the potatoes roughly the same size as the onions
3. Peel and dice the carrots also roughly the same size
4. Peel the ginger (a teaspoon works wonders) and dice finely
5. Cut the chicken tenders into bite size chunks
6. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a medium sized pot until the oil is hot
7. Add the ginger and onions, stirring occasionally until the flavor is released and the onions are semi-translucent
8. Add the chicken and stir until browned
9. Add potatoes and carrots, stir until coated with oil and slightly brown
   
10. Add enough water to barely cover everything
11. Cover and wait for it to boil, stirring once
12. Once the mixture is boiling turn to low head and simmer, skim the scum off with a large spoon
13. Cover and let simmer until vegetables are tender, remove from heat
14. Break up half the package of Vermont Curry and slowly stir into the pot
15. Once the curry is incorporated into the mixture place back on heat and slowly stir, the sauce will thicken
16. Stirring occasionally, continue simmering with the lid on for another 15-20 minutes

White Rice
Ingredients
2 Cups Short Grained Rice

Excellent directions on how to cook the rice both with a rice cooker and the stovetop.

I Feel Like I'm In the Islands!

Yeah! I finally have DSL hooked up. I guess AT&T got its act together and turned on my service this morning!

On one of my "drive until you get lost and find your way home" expeditions way off of HW 400 at exit 10 while , I passed by a Caribbean restaurant located on the corner of Old Milton Pkwy and North Point Pkwy...making a mental note, I didn't have the opportunity to drive by again until I was driving a friend out to be picked up by her friend.

Her friend was late and we decided to try some Caribbean food at the Caribbean Fiesta. It was noon when we walked in the door, people were already seated in the main dining area and the restaurant smelled of wonderful spices and savory meats. It felt like I was back in Miami eating hard dough bread and Jamaican patties with my JBC(Jamacian Born Chinese) friend.

We quickly got in line and placed our orders. My friend ordered the Curry Goat with peas and rice and fried plantains and I couldn't pass up the Ox Tails, I also got the peas and rice and fried plantains along with a coco bread to sop up all the delicious sauce.

The Curry Goat was very flavorful but was slightly tough and had bone splinters in the meat. Overall it was a delicious.

The Ox tails were tender and falling off the bone! The flavors blended together as if the Ox tails were cooked for hours (which it probably was). There were white beans in the Ox tails, adding to the creaminess. A definite must try!

Caribbean Fiesta:

4000 N Point Pkwy
Alpharetta, GA 30022

(770) 521-0021

I wish I had 4 stomachs so I could have tried out the Jerk Pork and the Jamacian Patties, but alas I was only born with my one...although my friends do marvel at where I put so much food :).

More AT&T "Goodness"

After talking to the AT&T rep (who was very polite by the way), the reason I was given for my DSL not being hooked up is some how it got "kicked" out of the system. The earliest I can have it will be 3/18/08 :-(. This is not goodness!

How is it just kicked out of the system? Maybe someone can enlighten me?

Of Dumplings and Watercress

I just have to say, AT&T thus far has not changed my views of their incompetence. They have only increased my dislike of their service, and I don't even have their DSL yet! I'm blogging from a "borrowed" wireless connection because it's been a week since they've told me they would hook up my DSL, I have received two letters, one welcoming me and one telling me about their billing policy, but still no self-installation kit! I will be calling their service department to see how badly they messed up my order. Meanwhile this wouldn't be a food blog without the food content...

I'm on a mission to save some money. Yes, I know this makes it hard to review restaurants. However all food doesn't come from restaurants! I will be showing you some lazy ways and not so lazy ways to make delicious food at home too.

So what do you do when you're tired after a long day at work...don't have much groceries in the refrigerator and your kitchen isn't as well stocked as you would like because you just moved in 2 weeks ago? Well, I of course have started stocking my fridge and pantry full of goodies that a bachelor/college student would rely on (I can't speak for the ladies...they might do better in this situation, I'm not sure). The essentials would be ramen noodles and frozen dumplings! Yes, I'm sure all of you have experienced the joy(horror) of ramen noodles. Most of you would have been exposed to the generic Maruchan Ramen packages often sold at Walmart and Publix and the like...however there are a great variety sold in Asian food stores, ranging from spicy Korean style ramen to Tom Yum Soup Ramen (recommended btw). I am a bit of a ramen fanatic, but I believe there are a fair number of websites reviewing all different types of ramen. I may cover it in the near future I'm sure, but today we will focus on dumplings.

I love dumplings. They are the perfect little packages of meat and vegetable with carbohydrates all in one. I find the dumplings from Chinese takeout restaurants to be a little fatty and generally not as good as the kind I'm used to at home, so what is one to do when one is away from home? Frozen Dumplings. These days a lot of Asian supermarkets, Super H-mart included carry a variety of frozen dumplings, containing some combination of meat and vegetable. Some of these dumplings are meant to be pan fried making Potstickers and some of these are meant to be boiled or steamed. In truth, any of these dumplings can be cooked using any of the cooking methods specified. The boiled dumplings look like little pillows filled with goodness....mmm!

Tonight, I'm trying dumplings that contain string beans and pork. Quite an interesting combination. I'd never had it before today. This type of dumpling works better with a nice dipping sauce. I also sauteed some watercress with tofu for my vegetable dish. While I do not take the Japanese principle of having 5 different colored dishes or 5 different cooking methods I do believe you should balance a meat dish with a vegetable dish.

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup of Soy Sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp of honey or maple syrup or just sugar to taste
1 Tbsp of Sriracha Hot Sauce (optional)
1/3 Tsp of white pepper
1 Tbsp of Sake or rice wine
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

Mix all ingredients together until evenly mixed, add sliced scallions if desired.

How to Pan Fry Dumplings (Potstickers):
What you need:
Large frying pan or flat-bottomed saute pan with lid that fits.
1/4 cup water.

1. Spread 1-2 Tbsp of oil in the pan and heat on high.
2. When oil is heated add the dumplings one by one to the pan, carefully placing them so they do not touch.
3. Let the dumplings fry until the bottoms are golden and crispy. Do not flip!
4. Move the dumplings around to make sure they are not stuck to the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the water and quickly cover. This prevents both splatter and helps keep the steam in.
6. Let the dumplings steam until the water is evaporated.
7. Remove the lid and let the bottoms of the dumplings crisp up again.
   
8. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Spicy Watercress with ToFu:
2 bunches of watercress
1 package of tofu
3-4 large cloves of garlic
2-3 serrano peppers (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1-2 Tsp Fish Sauce (optional)

1. Roughly chop the watercress into manageable pieces
2. Cube the tofu into half-inch cubes
3. Slice the peppers
   
4. Mince the garlic
5. In a wok or saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil
   
6. Add the garlic and peppers when the oil is hot
7. After the oil is infused add the watercress. Stir frequently on high heat
8. Add the fish sauce and salt and pepper
9. Plate up and enjoy!
   

Oishikatta - What does it mean?

Some of you who are reading this may be wondering what the web address means and why I chose it. The term Oishikatta is a Japanese term for Delicious, however there is already a site @ http://oishikatta.blogspot.com. Also a very good food site. More recipes than mine thus far. Once I start getting my kitchen in order there will be more postings of recipes to make not just restaurants to go try!

Penang Part Deux

You all already know that I'm a big fan of Penang. Well I can't help but to keep bringing back friends! This time, we tried Roti Telur, similar to the Roti Canai, but stuffed with egg and onions, served with curry dipping sauce. Mango Chicken, served in mango shells, Thai Mango Salad, Baby Oyster Pancake, Watercress in fermented Tofu sauce, for our vegetable dish.

The Roti Telur is quite filling, good but different because you lose a little bit of the elasticity in the bread since they cut it up for you. The Baby Oyster Pancake is simply an omelette with baby oysters, it was both crispy and savor, simply delicious with the spicy chili dipping sauce.

The Thai Mango Salad is quite good with a mixture of sweet and tart and spiciness the contrast of the crispy calamari mixed in gives this salad a welcome crunch.


The Mango Chicken is sweet and tangy, could have been a little spicer but that could be just me. I'm quite the Hot Head :).

The Watercress sauteed in Tofu sauce has a depth of flavor you would not expect from such a simple combination. This one is truly a must try!

Last but not least we ordered the Malaysian Eggplant in Shrimp paste sauce. This was a wonderfully delightful dish, where the eggplant was tender and salty and savory, just the right consistency to go with the rest of the meal.

Them ol' Bones

Today, I'm bringing you this post from the library. Unfortunately Ma Bell still hasn't even hooked up my DSL so even if I did have my modem it wouldn't do me any good. On with the post!

Bones is located in the popular Buckhead area of Alanta. From the outside it almost feels out of place, stuck behind a tall office building off of Peachtree Rd on Piedmont Rd. The outside of the restaurant is unassuming but very neat with a large neon sign. Valets quickly wave you in to get you parked.

The moment you walk in, there is a vintage feel about the place. The walls are decorated with black and white pictures of past celebrity patrons and such. The lighting was bright enough that you could identify who's sitting across the room, but not so bright as to make you squint.

Service is impeccable and the wait staff is very friendly, addressing you by name. This is one of the few places where I didn't feel ignored by our waiter, but also didn't feel suffocated. Our waiter, Marven, was always there when we needed him, but never imposed his presence when not desired.

If you're a little early for your reservation, Bones has a well stocked bar and will even know how to make you a Pimms Cup should you be in the mood :). The bartenders are friendly and sociable, we even got into a conversation about substituting pickle juice for olive juice in a dirty martini. It sounds like a future experiment waiting to happen!

At 7:15 the Maître d arrived promptly at the bar to seat us.

The menu is filled with a nice selection of salads and of course steaks and seafood.

Of particular interest they did have some dry aged bone in steaks which I have not seen at many other steak restaurants. But also I didn't see any Kobe or Wagyu steaks being offered.

A hot, crusty loaf of bread was brought to our table while we perused the menu.

We decided on the Bones salad, the Bone-in NY Strip (16oz) as well as the Bone-in Rib-eye (20oz), mushrooms and sauteed spinach and a half-bottle of Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Nappa.

I like my steaks to be medium, my friend, however likes them mooing...I mean rare :). After reconsideration, she patronized me and got hers medium-rare.

The salad consisted of Boston Bib lettuce with sliced Granny Smith apples, dusted in cinnamon sugar with crumbled blue cheese and pistachios.

The NY Strip was brought out medium-rare but with some charring on the edges, my Rib-eye was a little undercooked and it was immediately brought back into the kitchen. While it was in the kitchen cooking our waiter was kind enough to bring out a small dish of sauteed button mushrooms in cream sauce. Quite delicious!

The Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Napa had a really good earthy, fruity quality that matched perfectly with the steaks, definitely a must try!

The mushrooms also added an earthy rich flavor, and the sauteed spinach was a welcome change of pace to the usual creamed spinach. Sauteed in garlic, the spinach cut the grease and made the experience more enjoyable.

We had saved room for dessert and decided on the Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. A great finisher for any meal.

I left feeling full, but not gorged, and with a wonderful experience.

Bones is a fantastic dining experience! If you are in the Atlanta area and ever have a special occasion to celebrate or just want to pamper yourself and a special someone definitely consider Bones. One word of warning, Bones is not cheap, in terms of calories or in terms of dollars.

Bones is located:
3130 Piedmont Rd NE, Atlanta
(404) 237-2663

Moving

Sorry I haven't updated this blog in the past few days. I recently just moved and am currently Internetless (the horror!) and yes I just made that word up. This actually leads into a rant about how sucky AT&T is. I wanted to order their high speed 6.0 mbps AT&T Yahoo DSL service
but apparently that is only available in the Mid-West or so I was told by the AT&T rep, and they pushed their U-verse internet service (of course). It sounded like a good deal until I saw the work order required a $95 installation fee with additional charges should any wiring need to be replaced to meet their quality requirements.

I'm currently renting a house that is 20 years old, what are the odds that their phone lines won't meet AT&T's updated requirements? Pretty good I'd say...I decided, maybe plain old DSL would be good enough. I got the run around and the phone transfers...It took AT&T 1 whole hour to finally transfer me to a call center that handled orders for Georgia...since when did Georgia sound like Connecticut? Not even remotely close!

I go through the DSL ordering process, without the phone line since I don't need it and plan on using a VoIP plan. AT&T wants to charge you $75 for a DSL modem. Since when does DSL service not come with a modem? I already have 3 from my previous DSL orders from Verizon laying around so I'm currently awaiting them to be shipped to me. I wish Verizon serviced Gerogia...then I would at least have the chance of getting their super fast FiOS service.

At this point I'm wondering if I shouldn't have gone with Comcast. Only time will tell... But it looks like Ma Bell is up to her old tricks again!

I will be making posts to the blog this weekend even if I have to go camp out at a Panera or something. Stay tuned for posts from Bones (great steak house) and more from Penang, if you haven't tried them...you're missing out!