Savory Sesame Brown Rice Crackers

Make your own brown crackers?  Yes, you can.  I just did.

Why make your own?

Let me give you just one reason:  Did you know that they put talc in rice? TALC!  Talc ingestion is highly correlated with stomach cancer! We’ve been rice eaters for years and we just found this out by accident.

Hubby went to the store to buy brown rice.  Our usual brand was not in stock but he found this Korean brand instead.  It says Brown Rice No Talc U.S. No.1 Supreme Quality.  At the back, it says rinse rice lightly 3-4 times before cooking.

We found out talc is regularly used to polish the rice and make it shiny! A Japanese study showed that washing 9 times CANNOT remove the talc completely and talc is indestructable once ingested.  There is a prevailing hypothesis regarding high incidence of gastic cancer in Japan: chronic inflammation caused by bacterial infection enhanced by high salt intake and carcinogens (TALC) that leads to cancer.  Most Japanese and Korean moms wash the rice till the water runs clear. Washing and milling your own brown rice (unpolished rice) avoids the possibility of ingesting talc and possible residual fertilizers.

That’s why I’m thrilled with my Wondermill.  I can mill not just organic, talc-free rice, but also whole wheat, rye, beans, quinoa, teff,  nuts, lentils, chickpea and amaranth just to name a few!!

So here’s what you can do with your brown rice flour— my go to recipe for crispy, Savory Sesame Brown Rice Crackers.

Savory Sesame Brown Rice Crackers

3/4 cup brown rice flour
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp minced parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1  tsp brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp onion powder (add more for oniony flavor)
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp water

Measure out 2 cups brown rice. You will have more than enough brown rice flour for baking these crackers as you’ll be using only 3/4 cups brown rice flour for this recipe.

Washing rice gets rid of clinging starch left off in the processing so the cooked rice is not gluey.  It also removes any possible trace fungicides or additives like glucose so rinse brown rice four times, drain water and spread rice on a baking sheet and dry at 170 F for 25 min. or air dry.  Mill rice on the Wondermill.  It takes just 3 minutes!

Mix brown rice, sesame seeds, parsley, salt, onion powder, brown sugar, olive oil and water. Form a dough, squeezing if necessary. Using a rolling pin, spread it on parchment paper/ Silpat.  Crackers are crispier when dough is rolled thin.  Score dough into diamond shapes using a pizza cutter.  Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes or till lightly golden brown.  Make sure to let crackers cool so they crisp up. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Ann  (momgateway.blogspot.com)

Palate Cleanser: Shiso Sushi and Giveaway Reminder

Japanese  use the word shiso to refer to perilla. The green variety with ruffled edges (aojiso) is used in sashimi and salads and the purple kind (akashiso) is used to dye pickle plum (umeboshi). It belongs to the mint family and tastes of mint and fennel combined.  
I found some perilla/ beefsteak plant leaves with a purple underside and a deep green topside in the Asian store.   I love wrapping sushi rice in it ---so pretty but it is also fantastic over steamed rice when finely shredded and mixed with salt.  
My son loves shiso tempura ---it doesn't look stunning but the flavor is incomparable.  They dry out quicky so I grow it in my container garden. It is a great palate cleanser.  

Palate Cleanser: Shiso Sushi

fresh Japanese/ Korean shiso leaves

seasoned rice vinegar or sushi vinegar*

steamed rice
Season rice with sushi vinegar. You only need about 1 T sushi vinegar for  1-1/2 cup of steamed rice. Wrap in shiso leaves. Cover with plastic wrap since the leaves easily dry out.



*You can buy sushi vinegar but it's easy to make your own.  In the Just Bento Cookbook, Makiko recommends mixing 4 c rice vinegar with 7 oz sugar and 6 T sea salt to make 6 cups of sushi vinegar. This is will last a long time and can be used in salads, dips etc.  

Giveaway reminder:

Most of the recipes I used for the Hanami bento are from The Just Bento Cookbook so I am also doing a giveaway of this must have Japanese cookbook by Makiko Itoh. The sushi vinegar is from the same book. Please comment to enter the giveaway.  To have get 4 additional entries, please blog about the giveaway and let me know in the comments.  Random.org will be used to choose a winner and this will be announced on April 22, 2011. 

Foodbuzz 24x24: Hanami Bento and Giveaway

Foodbuzz 24x24: Hanami Bento

I’m thrilled that my Foodbuzz 24x24 proposal was chosen for this month.  I am featuring the Hanami Bento. Hanami is a traditional flower-viewing festival in Japan also known as cherryblossom festival. It is said that the Japanese elite celebrated the first Hanami in the 700s but Hanami is so popular now that almost everyone in Japan celebrates it. The tradition has changed little over time. Friends, families and colleagues gather to enjoy food and drink under plum (ume) blossoms or cherry blossoms. Since Japan's fiscal year and school year starts in April coinciding with the end of winter, Hanami symbolizes new beginnings so many welcome parties start with Hanami, a chance to get bond with each other and to renew their spirits.

When news filtered in about the 9.0 (on the Richter scale) earthquake and tsunami that hit the northeastern coast of Japan I was shocked and stunned by the utter havoc caused by the tsunami.  Live videos showed ships, houses, cars and people being swept away by the tsunami. On top of this there was the problem of partial meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

A friend’s daughter lives in Sendai and she had to run down six flights of steps carrying her two daughters when the earthquake struck. Her immediate family was spared but all around them nearly everyone lost someone.  I emailed my former professor inquiring about their safety and he replied that due to power outages half of the trains in Tokyo were not in service and he had to ride his bike to get work.  He lives at least 5 train stations away from the campus.  He said bottled water was being rationed and everything was in short supply. How could I feature a happy event such as Hanami when so many Japanese were grieving for lost loved ones and the uncertainty of the future in the face a nuclear crisis? 

For days I contemplated about pulling out of the event.  But then I came to the conclusion that it was alright to have a Hanami picnic.  Just as Hanami is a time for new beginnings and renewal it is also a time to mediate on our own mortality and the fragility of life.  If we dwell upon this during Hanami then it is worth doing it. 

The day chosen for Foodbuzz 24x24 was unfortunately very cold and grey in Oklahoma.  Temperatures have been erratic in the previous weeks and today it dipped to 30 C.  I planned to share the Japanese picnic meal at the Boomer Lake with a few friends to introduce them to this Japanese tradition and Hanami food. Unfortunately, James and Curtis could not make it because they were sick and Preet had to go to Dallas so it was just me, my sister, Mark and Jshinobi  (Hubby was on call this weekend) who shared the Hanami bento and reflected on the symbolism of Hanami.  We enjoyed our brief but meaningful Hanami picnic under the blossom-laden branches.

This is what I made for our Hanami bento: Inarizushi (seasoned rice in seasoned soybean curd), karaage (japanese fried chicken), simmered spinach with sesame seeds, kabocha simmered in soy sauce, Harumaki (spring rolls), and for dessert we had dango (pink, white and green dumplings skewered on bamboo sticks) and mochi (rice dumplings filled with bean paste).  The recipes are at the bottom of this post. 


I bought pink and white fish cakes (kamaboko), quail eggs, and seasoned tuna cakes and some mochi (rice dumplings with red bean filling and matcha/ green tea mochi).  Since JShinobi was under 18 we had Ramune (Japanese lemonade), Calipco and soy milk for our drinks.

Clockwise: Blanched spinach with sesame sauce, Simmered kabocha squash, Hardboiled quail eggs, Kamaboko, Cucumbers, Chicken karaage, Inarizushi

Top to bottom: Harumaki (spring rolls), Dango, Tuna cakes

The delicate sakura blossom is the symbol of the samurai.  It embodies the spirit of “bushido” or the way of the samurai that combines bravery, valor and stoicism. Hanami is a reminder of the fleeting nature of life and this brings out a peculiar Japanese strength, stoicism and willingness to rebuild and rise above tragedy.  

Giveaway

Most of the recipes I used are from The Just Bento Cookbook so I am also doing a giveaway of this must have cookbook by Makiko Itoh.

Please comment to enter the giveaway.  Random.org will be used to choose a winner and this will be announced on April 22, 2011.

For those who wish to donate to the Japan Disaster Relief efforts please visit Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami link of the American Red Cross https://american.redcross.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=ntld_main

RECIPES:

Inarizushi (from can of Shirakiku can of Inarizushi no moto)

1 10 oz. can inarisushi no moto (fried soybean curd seasoned with soy sauce)

2 1/2 cups rice

1/4 cup su (rice vinegar)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Cook rice in usual manner. Add sugar and salt to rice vinegar and stir till all crystals dissolve. Seaon cooked rice with seasoned vinegar. Stir rice well so that it will be evenly seasoned. Cool rice with a paper fan while you stir. Pack seasoned rice in Iarishushi no moto. Do not pack too solidly. Fold end of abura-age to cover rice. If you prefer vegetables in the rice use Gomoku no moto.

Chicken kara-gae (from The Just BentoCookbook)

420 g boneless chicken thigh, without skin, cut into 3-4 pieces

2 tsp soy sauce (if you are not making green onion sauce, increase to 4 tsp

2 Tbsp sake or rice wine

2 tsp peeled an grated fresh ginger

cornstarch

Marinade chicken at least 10 min or overnight. If overnight, omit soy sauce and add 10 min before coking so the salt will not draw too much moisture from the chichen and make it dry. Coat pieces in cornstarch and fry chicken till deep golden brown.

Green onion sauce for karaage

1 T rice vinegar

1 T soy sauce

1 T chopped green onions

pinch sugar

a few drops of sesame oil

1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients in a frying pan till sugar dissolves.

Simmered kabocha squash (from The Just BentoCookbook)

3 c kabocha squash, cut up

1 c dashi stock

2 T sake

2 T mirin

1 ½ T sugar

1 ½ T soy sauce

Mix dashi stock, sake, mirin, sugar and soy sauce. Place in a saucepan with peeled kabocha squash and simmer till tender.  Leave kabocha to cool down in the liquid to absorb flavor.  Drain well before packing.

Blanched spinach with sesame sauce (from The Just BentoCookbook)

1/2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted

1 tsp sugar

1/s T soy sauce

t tsp white sesame seeds for sprinkling

Boil spinach for 1 min Drain, and balnch spinach in cold water. Form into a log and cut into even pieces.

Put sesame seeds and sugar into a motar. Grind seeds well until seeds are crushed and smells nutty. Add soy sauce and mix well. Add cooked spinach and mix well. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

Hanami Dango (from http://www.saucemagazine.com/recipe/9)

½ cup nonglutinous rice flour

½ cup mochiko*

½ cup cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

½ Tbsp. yomogi or matcha*

Dash red food coloring

1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

In a bowl, whisk rice flour, mochiko, cornstarch and sugar together with a fork. Add 1 cup of water and blend until smooth. Divide batter into 3 ¾-cup portions.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 portion of batter on low, stirring constantly until the batter pulls away from the sides of the pan to form a solid mass. Set aside. This will be used for the white dango.

To make the green dango, add the matcha to the next batter portion. Heat it on low, stirring constantly until the batter pulls away to form a solid mass. Set aside.

To make the pink dango, add the food coloring and vanilla extract (if using) to the remaining batter portion, blending well. Repeat the steps to cook.

After the dough cools, knead each portion separately in clean hands. Roll each portion into 10 1-inch balls. Thread the balls onto skewers in order of green, white and pink. Bring water to a boil in a steamer basket. Place the skewers on a lightly greased plate, ½ inch apart. Steam on high for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.

*Mochiko, yomogi and matcha are available at Asian markets. Yomogi, also known as mugwort, is a bitter herb associated with spring in Japan. Matcha, or powdered green tea, may be substituted instead.

Harumaki spring rolls (link is here)

Firecracker Chicken with Picante Sauce

Snow days make me think of spicy Singaporean food.  Years back my dad and I ate at an outdoor market featuring international food.  We were mesmerized by the Singaporean chef who prepared the most amazing stir-fried noodles we ever tasted.  His other specialty was Firecracker Chicken.  Later on the chef decided to open Rasa Singapura, a hole-in-the-wall, family owned restaurant, where the food was truly exceptional.  As newly weds, hubby and I,  frequented the place and ordered their crispy chicken in spicy black bean sauce.  When the chef retired for health reasons and a son took over, the food and service suffered.   The son did not have the passion and talent of his father so the place folded up. I  truly miss their amazing food so for the Super Bowl here is my take on Rasa Singapura's Firecracker Chicken.

 

Firecracker Chicken with Picante Sauce
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 T hot sauce (I used Siracha Rooster brand)
1 T picante sauce (I used Pace Mild Picante Sauce)
5 T canola oil
2 t lime juice
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small bottle of Pace Picante Sauce

Cut chicken breast into 1 inch wide thin planks.   Combine siracha, canola oil, minced garlic, lime juice and 1 tablespoon picante sauce in a ziplock bag.  Marinade chicken in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.  Thread chicken through bamboo sticks (if the sticks are soaked overnight in water they will not burn during grilling). Grill chicken till they are cooked through and serve with more picante sauce  on the side.

Disclaimer: In this recipe I used Pace Picante Sauce I received from FoodBuzz Tastemakers

 

Super Bowl Recipe: Baked Cheese Flavored Chicken Nuggets

I'm so excited with my first food video.  Here's my Baked Cheese Flavored Chicken Nuggets just in time for Super Bowl Sunday.  Serve with wing, sweet chili or hot sauce.  

Give it a try ....it's super easy!

Super Bowl Recipe:Baked Cheese Flavored Chicken Nuggets

PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
1/4 cup milk
1 cup crushed cheese flavored cheese crackers
1 tsp green onions , finely minced

Disclaimer: I received products from Conagra Foods and FoodBuzz Tastemakers.

Firey Habanero Baked Tofu

 Credits: Chili framed art from CSN. Their wall art and decor is a good starting place to get cool decor like this chili framed art for "fire-eater" friends and family.

My sister is a fire eater...well almost... she eats habaneros every day!   No meal is complete without a chili or two. She grows habaneros and bird's eye chili in her bedroom, even in the dead of winter!  The chilis are so pretty.  Bright red and orange fruits look like fairy lights amid the lush green leaves.  Charming but deadly hot!  A thin slice of habanero is all I can handle. But not her...see the slivers of orange habaneros in this tofu?  It looks like art to me but this is one of her firey creations.... tofu studded with habaneros! 

Firey Habanero Baked Tofu 

      1 block medium soft tofu

      2 habaneros

      salt and pepper

      sweet chili sauce

Slice the tofu. Make incisions and insert slivers of habanero.  Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper.  Spray Pam cooking spray over the tofu.  Broil at 350 F till tofu is crispy at the margins.  Serve with sweet chili sauce.  WARNING: This is really hot!  I tried a small piece of the tofu as far away from the habanero slices and my mouth was on fire for an hour!

Andy's Mexican Cornbread

Andy L. brought Mexican cornbread to potluck three weeks ago.  It was not a plain old Mexican cornbread with jalapenos and corn.  Stuffed it was!  Every bite had lots of jalapenos, kernel corn, cooked burger meat and GREEN BEANS!! Very healthy, so easy to make for dinner on a busy weekday and a meal on it's own!!

Kim N. and I found the handwritten recipe by Susan (Andy's wife) so cute so I'm posting it here. Just follow the instructions on the box of cornbread mix, add the rest of the ingredients and bake at 350 F!

Jazzed up Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic Herb Butter

As a kid, I loved spicy, super-garlicy sausages.  So did all of my family.  Then, I married a guy who did not really care for sausages. Sometimes I crave for it but all the beef sausages I find are stuffed in natural hog casing.  So from time to time I'd make my own beef sausages, stuff them in sheep casing (!!!) or I just wrap them in plastic then freeze them to keep their shape when cooking. They never were quite as good as the ones I had as a child. My son never liked beef sausages specially my homemade version.

One day, FoodBuzz Tastemakers Program sent me a Party Planner Gift Box to try out.  It was a Home for the Holiday Gift Box from Hickory Farms.  It had beef summer sausages, cheeses, honey pineapple mustard and cracked wheat crackers.  Hickory Farms has been making gourmet beef sausages and cheeses since 1951 and this time of the year they offer gift boxes at very reasonable prices.  Right now they are 50% off. 

My failed experiments in making beef sausages must have given these sausages a bad rap with my son.  He did not even want to try them!

 

Last night, he had friends over and they wanted baked potatoes but I did not have sour cream, green onions and cheese.  Instead of heading to the store, I made a garlic herb butter and hasselback potatoes with slices of beef sausage in between.  Guess what?  It was a big hit with the boys!  Better than baked potatoes is what I heard. Even my son said the beef sausage was crazy delicious! 

Jazzed up Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic Herb Butter

2 lbs baking potatoes
2 sticks of salted butter, softened at room temperature
3-4 fresh garlic cloves, finely minced 
lots of finely minced parsley
3 mm round slices of Hickory Farms beef sausage, cut in half

To prepare the garlic herb butter, mix softened salted butter, fresh minced garlic and parsely in a small bowl. Stir well until garlic and parsely is well distributed.  Take plastic wrap and shape the garlic herb butter into a log.  Place in the freezer to solidify. If you are on a low salt diet, go ahead and use unsalted butter.

Scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush and rinse well to remove any adhering soil particles.  Do not peel the potatoes. Boil the potatoes and when they are almost completely cooked, drain the water and lay them on their flat side.  Start from one end of the potato, cut across almost all the way through, at 2-3 mm intervals. The potatoes should now look like an open accordion.

Insert slices of garlic herb butter and/ or half discs of beef sausage into the cuts. Place potatoes on a baking sheet.  Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy outside.  The inside will be soft and buttery.  When serving up, top with more garlic herb butter.

Red Quinoa Corn Salad

Have you heard of red quinoa? My friend Janet introduced me to this seed crop from the Andes where ancient Incas revered it and referred to quinoa as the "Mother of all Grains".  It is a high protein, high fiber "grain" similar to oats in that it has all 20 essential amino acids nutritionally important for humans.  Best of all, it's easily digestible and gluten-free so it's a boon to people with difficulties digesting gluten.

We found red quinoa on sale for less than $3 a pound at a bulk organic food outlet. It was a bargain considering a pack of eight 16 oz pouches can cost about $40.  If you soak it for a few minutes before boiling, it cooks faster and swells up and 1 cup of uncooked quinoa is enough for two people.  I really like its mild nutty flavor that goes well with corn and cilantro and a light vinegar dressing.  Here is a yummy, nutritious and easy side dish that can be prepared ahead of time and served at room temperature. 

Red Quinoa Corn Salad

1 cup red quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup drained, sweet corn kernels (add more if you wish)
finely chopped cilantro
about 1 T seasoned rice vinegar* (you can adjust the acidity to taste)

Soak red quinoa  for about 10 minutes in 2 cups water.  Place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it in running water. This step removes saponins (a mild laxative) and makes it even more digestible.  Pre-rinsed quinoa is available too if you prefer to skip this step.  Cook quinoa in a rice cooker with 2 cups water or cook covered in a pot at a low simmer for 15-20 minutes till nearly all the water is absorbed and the cooked germ looks like a tiny curl separating from the red seed coat and the cooked "grain".  Fluff up the quinoa with a fork and place in a bowl. Add drained sweet corn kernels, cilantro and seasoned rice vinegar. Serve and enjoy!

*One time, we tried balsamic vinegar but it tended to overpower the flavors.

This post is part of this weeks Simple Lives Thursday.

What's in my sling backpack? Jackfruit Custard Bonbons!

If I asked you to name one thing you can't do without when you step out of the house, what would it be?   For me, it's my bag.   With never-ending deadlines and a gazillion things I have to do at work and home, I rely on sling_backpacks to make sure I don't forget stuff.  They're handy specially at parties or picnics. Along with keys, purse, etc, I often pack cookies or other treats (for emergencies..LOL) in my bag . What's in it right now? Jackfruit Custard Bonbons for a party!

Custard bonbons are simple to prepare.  What makes these special is the addition of jackfruit. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit found in South-East Asia. The edible part of ripe jackfruit is brilliant yellow-orange in color and sugary sweet.  It can be eaten raw or in desserts.  It's unique aroma is sweet and inviting.  A little fruit goes a long way.

I learned this family recipe for Jackfruit Custard Bonbons when my in-laws stayed with us for more than a  month.  These festive bonbons are absolutely delicious so I'm sharing the recipe with you. They were my hubby's favorite treat as a child and now my son's too!

Jackfruit Custard Bonbons

1 can condensed milk
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoon flour
1/2 tablespoon of melted butter
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped jackfruit or 1 tsp jackfruit extract

In a bowl, combine egg yolks, flour and condensed milk.  Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook the custard slowly over medium-low flame.  Keep stirring to ensure that the custard cooks evenly without scorching the milk.  It will take a while for custard to thicken.   Blend in the jack fruit pieces when the custard attains the consistency of dulce de leche.  Cook 2 minutes more while stirring.  Transfer custard to a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes. Shape into tiny balls and roll in granulated sugar.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature. You'll love these!