Daily cooking

Even though I love cooking, I still get bored of my dish... So I try to cook variety of food from all over the world. Here is Some of my dinner from last week. 

Green Curry from Thai land

I love this coconut flavor and rich taste.

Buccatini all Amatriciana 

Basic tomato pasta from Amatriciana area in Italy. Here is a rough recipe of Buccatini all Amatriciana from past post. I will write a full recipe soon =) 

Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

I had this garlic shrimp in North Shore, Hawaii, and I'm addicted to this taste. I posted the recipe of my garlic shrimp on Japanese recipe site called "Cookpad". Cookpad is one of the biggest recipe website in Japan, and anyone can post and access to their recipe on this website. Here is an Japanese cookpad website, and Cookpad has released English website as well. 

Vancouver is getting a bit cold, but still have lots of sun shine! Gotta enjoy this last minutes of the sunshine before it gets into the Vancouver's annual rain season =)  

Storage Tech.

Since I love to cook, I have many kinds of spices, sauces, dried ingredients, dishes and glasses, pots and pans, and other cooking tools. But, I live in one bed room condo and my kitchen doesn't have enough space to store many stuffs for cooking. Many of you might facing this problems as well, and this is a very common problem for house wife in Japan, so a lot of magazines and TV programs introduces storage techniques by using goods from a dollar stores. Today, I'm gonna introduce you some of the storage tech and some useful goods from Dollarama (Canadian dollar store) and Daiso (Japanese dollar store).  

Mayo and Ketchup bottle (left) and One Push Open Plastic Jar (right) from Daiso. I recommend you the One push open plastic jar because the rid opens up with just one push. No need to suffer from opening jar anymore, and it will prevents from spreading the powder ingredients by opening the rid.

I  store the coffee beans, tea pack, and pasta. Daiso sells incredible kitchen tools and storage stuffs for only 100 yen (about $1) in Japan, yet $2 in Canadian Daiso because it is imported goods. I personally think $2 is still cheap for the high quality goods from Daiso.

One Push jar has 3 sizes; 900 (L), 700 (M), 500 (S). The reason why I store the ingredients in One Push jar is because it is possible to pile them up, and uses less space to store than keeping in the bag.  

This is my spice rack. The oil jar and the sesame grinder is also from Daiso. I buy a huge bottle of oil because it is cheaper to buy large bottle in Canada, therefore the oil bottle is very useful. For the spices and dried ingredients, I store in a spice jar from dollarama.  

This spice jar from dollarama is only $1 for 3 bottles!!! thus, 1 bottle for $0. 34!! 

This is my favorite space under the sink. I store my rice in a red storage pot from Le cruset, and all the professional pans and pots by Jamie Oliver is a birthday gift from two of my best friend Mark and Ellie =) 

I had a problem with storing rids for pots, so I went to Daiso to get this dish stand, and it actually work perfectly. 

Now, I'm gonna introduce you dead space storage tech. Here is one of the dead space storage technique called "Door storage". I guess some of you already realized this tech. from my spice rack picture. 

I use this Fusil sticking hook from Daiso. Daiso has several types of hooks; Magnet, Neil, Sucking, Sticker, and this Fusil hook. Fusil hook is the strongest hook, and melt the back side of the hook with lighter and put it on the door/ wall. It will come out easily by warming up the hook with lighter again. No wholes or stains after taking off the hook =)

These are some other door storage tech. with using door hook from Daiso.

In this rack, I use bowl stand case to pile up the rice and soup bowls. 

This thing is actually for dish storage, but I use it to store little plates and plastic wrap/ aluminum foil as a picture before. This is a Technique Using dead space above the piled dishes!   

I enjoy using goods from a dollar store to store my cooking goods. My favorite dollar store in vancouver area is Dollarama (Canadian store), Yokoyaya in Downtown (Japanese store), and Daiso in Ritchmond (Japanese store). Yokoyaya is one of my favorite one close to my house. It is located in the 1st floor of Tinsel town =) 

TacTic

A cooking Tactic to make a simple dish a bit better quality isn't that complicated or difficult. Just give a little more effort and add an extra step during the cooking. Today, I'm going to introduce you to my original tactic to make Hamburg stake. Hamburg stake is a very famous dish for everyone in Japan especially for children and guys. Therefore, many of my girl friends ask me the recipe for juicy hamburg steak. It is very simple, and low cost to make it high quality!! so please try it =)       

Hamburg Steak

ハンバーグ

Ingredients : Ground Pork            1/2 lb　豚ひき肉　

(3 servings)    Ground Beef            1/2 lb　牛ひき肉

材料３人前 Diced Onion            1 cup 　みじん切り玉ねぎ

                    (cook it in golden brown with butter)　

                    バターで茶色くなるまで炒める

                    Butter (room temp)              2 table spoon　

                    バター　       大２（常温）

                    Salt and Pepper                   1/2 tea spoon each　

                    塩こしょう　  各小1/2 

                   ☆ Gelatin                             2 table spoon 　

                    ゼラチン　         大２

                   ☆ Water                               2 table spoon　　

                           水　　　      大２

                    

                   Your favorite Boiled Veggies  好みの温野菜

                   (I used potatoes (small), carrot,  corn, long beans)

Sauce: I like to mix  demiglace, ketchup, red wine, and a bit of worcestershire sauce. ソースは、デミグラス・ケチャップ・赤ワイン・中濃ソースまたはウスターソースを混ぜました。

Step 1: Mixing all the ingredients together (except boiled veggies) with hand till the meat mixture become a bit sticky. 温野菜以外の材料を全て混ぜ合わせます。手でこねて、少し粘りがでてきます。

Step 2: Make hamburg steak balls, and cook it on a pan with medium heat, covered with rid. (Broil and steam at the same time) ハンバーグをまるめ、中火でじっくり焼いて行きます。蓋をしめて、蒸し焼きの状態になるようにします。

Step 3: Make sauce on the Pan. ソースをフライパンで作ります。

Step 4: Serve on the dish, and ready to enjoy the juicy Hamburg steak!! 温野菜と盛りつけて完成です。

☆An Secret Step: As a picture above, I like to wrap the hamburg steak with aluminum foil, and heat it on the cleaned/dried frying pan (Mid heat).  Heat it till the sauce in the wrap makes a little sound. Serve it without opening the wrap, and let the person to open it with fork and knife.  時間に余裕がある時はハンバーグをアルミホイルに包み、きれいなフライパンの上で中火で熱を加えます。ソースがパチパチと音をだしたら完成です。ホイルを破らずに、食べる直前にあけます。

This step will help the dish to keep the heat, and the flavor will pop out when you open it. このステップをする事によって料理が冷めにくくなり、あけた時の香りは最高です。

Gelatin will keep the great meat juice inside. For children, serve it with ketchup. This is a boy friend-loving dish. Make this dish for your boy friend, and he will love you even more =)

Chelsea Market, NY

Chelsea Market is one of the famous place to visit in NY.  Whole building is more like 1970's in NY, and I really loved a market/ restaurant called "The Lobster Place".

Love the antique mood.

Fresh Lobsters and Shrimps

What I loved about this store is The Lobster Bisque. It was Rich and Creamy and just like the one in french restaurant, but the price was ONLY $3.50.

You must try the Lobster bisque at the Chelsea Market, and I want to try the steamed Lobster when I get a chance to return to NY again =)

Home made Sangria

First time I made home-made sangria last week. It was great and my friends really loved it as well, so I decided to post the recipe on my blog.  

Home made Red Sangria

自家製サングリア

Ingredients: One bottle of cheap red wine 

　　　　　(you can make it with smaller size as well)

　　　　　安い赤ワイン　１本

　　　　   Orange   Half 　　　   オレンジ　半分

　　　       Gold Kiwi 　1　　　ゴールドキウイ　１

　　　　   Peach     1     　　　     桃　１ 

                   Apple 　Half　             林檎　半分

                   Canned Pineapple   2 table spoon   

　　　　  パイナップル缶   大さじ２

　　　　   Korean Citrus Tea (Yuzu tea)   4 table spoon  

                  韓国のゆず茶　大さじ４

                   Brandy/ Rum  2 table spoon 

                   ブランデー／ラム酒　大さじ２

 *If you don't have the Korean Citrus Tea, use Citrus Jam instead.

 ゆず茶が無い場合は、柑橘系のフルーツジャムを使用してください。

 *Adjust the amount of citrus tea depending on how sweet you want.

 ゆず茶の量で、お好みの甘さに調節してください。　　　　

 *Add a bit of Cinnamon if you like to make traditional style sangria.

 本格的なサングリアがお好みでしたら、シナモンを少し足してください。 

This is the Yuzu tea. You can get this at T&T or H-mart in vancouver area. 

                

Step 1: Cut all the Fruits into 1-2 inch size. 果物を1.5-2.5 cm程度の大きさに切ります。

Step 2: Add Korean Citrus tea and the same amount of red wine into a small bowl, and Microwave it    for 20-30 sec till the citrus tea melt perfectly. ゆず茶とその同じ量の赤ワインを小さめの器に入れ、電子レンジで20-30秒加熱し、ゆず茶を溶かします。

Step 3: Add all the ingredients into a jar and let it sit for at least over night. 全ての材料をジャーに入れ、一晩ねかせて出来上がり。

Ready to drink now! Having a bit of red wine is actually healthy for your diet. Please enjoy my Simple Sangria recipe and get healthy! 

Dashi

Here is my Recipe for the Yamagata pref's Local dish called "Dashi". Simple, Easy, and Cheap dish.

Dashi : だし

Ingredients: Fresh Shiso Leaves しその葉

                   Threaded Konbu 糸こんぶ

                   Cucumber (about 1- 1.5 inch)　きゅうり 2-3cm

                   Egg Plant (about 1- 1.5 inch)　茄子 2-3cm

           Yamaimo (Sticky Yam Potato, about 1- 1.5 inch)　山芋 2-3cm

※ look at the picture below to see the amount of veggies that I used.

                   ☆Mentsuyu sauce  めんつゆ

           (Condiment made from fish stock, soy sauce, mirin, sugar) 

                   ☆Konbucha ( Konbu seaweed stock powder) 昆布茶

                   ☆White Sesame 白胡麻

                   Star☆: 3 tea spoon each　小さじ３

                   

The only Japanese store where sells Shiso leaves in Downtown Vancouver is "Konbiniya" on Robson st. So I  glow my own fresh Shiso leaves since last year.

This is how the threaded konbu package looks like. You can get this in T&T, Konbiniya, and Kim's mart as well.

Konbucha on the left, and Mentsuyu on the right side.

Step 1:  Gather all the Veggies from my petite garden and fridge. 材料を集める。

Step 2: Chop all the veggies.　みじん切りにする。

Step 3: Mix all the Veggies and Seasoning together in a bowl. Liquid will come out from the veggies after mixing for a minute. すべての材料を水がでるまで混ぜる。

Ready to eat with rice like picture below, or you can put dashi on top of soft tofu. Easy steps, and cheap ingredients. ご飯のお供に、また冷や奴にかけて。

Enjoy =)

NY cheese cake

I had one of the best New York Cheese Cake in New York. The store is called "Baby Watson Cheese Cake", and I'm so in love with it.

"The Best Cheese Cake ON EARTH"!!

Store is more like a corner store in town =)

So many kinds of cheese cakes and also other sweets as well

I had the cheese cake with Milk, and the milk was totally different from the one in Vancouver. It was very creamy and a bit of sweetness in it. The cake was heavily creamy, and i could taste the cheese a lot! Perfect match with milk or coffee. 

You must try the cheese cake if you get a chance to visit New York =)

Ippudo Ramen, NY

While I was away from my blog, I've visited New York for the first time. In my trip, I had an amazing Japanese food in New york!! Today, I'll introduce you A famous Ramen store called "一風堂 ippudou".  I couldn't believe my eyes because there was a huge line up, and people line up at the store wasn't only asian, but also people from all over the world.

Sign of the Ippudou Ramen

The outside the store was on construction...

Tans of Ramen bowls on the wall to welcome you

I had the Spicy Ramen.

I'm so in love with the Ramen now... oh, I miss the bowl already.

They also have many kinds of Japanese beers!!

This is my favorite Japanese beer called Ebisu beer =)

If you got a chance to visit New York, the place will be on the MUST GO LIST for sure!!

Rebirth

Yes, I'm back again!! Since I turned 25yrs old on August 9th, I decided to change the name of my blog to "La petite kitchen"for the fresh start. It is because I believe this year is gonna be a huge turning point for me, and I thought it would be better if I change the name of my blog to something more meaningful to me. "La petite Kitchen" simply means "The little kitchen" in French. I started cooking with a little wooden toy kitchen when I was a little girl. I never wanna forget the pure joy that I had as I used to cook with the little kitchen. That's why I named my blog "La Petite Kitchen". My goal in the new blog is to give people happiness with my recipes and pictures!!

Today I'm gonna post many of my cooking pictures from the time I was away from my blog...

Black Vinegar Sweet and Sour Pork

黒酢酢豚

Squid Nimono　イカの煮物

Japanese Simmered dishes are called "Nimono"

Nimono is a basic style in Japanese daily cooking.

Chinese style crab and egg soup

かに玉中華スープ

Fresh basil and tomato hot sand

Shrimp Salad Pasta

Traditional Japanese Breakfast

Japanese Omlet called "Atsuyaki Tamago"

Yamagata local dish called "Dashi"

I'll post the recipe for this soon =)

ENJOY=)