Recipe of the Week

1 must of eaten this dish hundreds of times during my time in Taiwan. I never got tired of it and I have been trying to find a recipe just like what I had there for the last almost 6 years. I finally have the perfect recipe that brings back so many memories for Mike ad I. I know you all with just devour this like I do so I hope it goes on your list of to try soon recipes. The pepper does make it a litte spicy which I love but if you don"t then put less pepper. It was a favourite amoung missionaries so that tells you it is not too foreign tasting and even similar to some thinng we are used to eating here.

 Beef in Gravy over Rice 牛肉燴飯

250 grams Beef tenderloin
1/2 carrot sliced on a slant
1/2 onion, cut in chumks
1 green onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
400 ml or 1 3/4 cups water
1 cup roughly chopped spinach or other green
1 Tbsp. starch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water or 3 Tbsp. lotus root powder

Beef marinade:
1 egg white
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp. beef boullion

1 Tbsp. starch

Seasonings:
3 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Thinly slice beef against the grain. This is easiest when it is mostly frozen with a very sharp non-serrated knife. Mix egg white, soy sauce and beef boullion into beef and let rest 30 minutes then stir in starch. Prep vegetables. Heat wok over high heat and add a lttle oil. Stir-fry beef until cooked through then remove. Heat a little oil and add onion, garlic, green onion and carrot. Stir-fry until onion starts to soften. Add water, seasonings and beef. Simmer a couple minutes then add the starch and water mixture and stir until lightly thickened. Take off the heat and stir in spinach and a little, little sprinkle of sesame oil.

Recipe of the Week

I love sushi. I must admit though it wasn't love at first taste. It was in Beijing were I finally had some really good sushi and was hooked. Cooking it at home you can control the quality of nori seaweed (makes a big difference) and the filling is totally up to you which makes a difference if you don't care for the common fillings you see commercially. I love to stuff it with chicken curry or left over grilled or beaded meats or strips of omelet. This also means my husband can enjoy it as well because he is not a fan of the common sushi fillings.Green onion or leek adds a nice kick in flavor. For nori seaweed sheets, at the Asian supermarket in Lethbridge it is labeled gold, silver and bronze for quality. I am sure other markets would have a similar way or some other way to let costumers know the quality of nori they are buying. I love pickled ginger, wasabi soy sauce but you can do whatever you like. Hey if your favourite condiment is ketchup, why not. Ketchup is a great condiment for rice. They put the two together often in asia. Japanese omurice is a good example and it is sooo delicious. By my third time time making sushi I was able to get a nice tight roll. Think I learned is go light on the rice, just a thin thin layer and only two thirds down the nori sheet. Go light on the filling as well only about 1 cm thick. Also pushing down on the it while pulling the bamboo mat. I also just bought the sushi seasoning but you can make your own. It contains stuff most people have around such as sugar, vinegar, salt...
Sushi
1 cup uncooked rice
3 Tbsp. sushi seasoning
filling of choice
3 nori seaweed sheets

Wash rice and then soak in 11/4 cups water for 20 minutes. Cook rice as normal then take off the heat an leave covered for an additional 10 minutes. Mix sushi seasoning into the rice and spread out on a plate and let it cool completely. Place a nori sheet between two damp paper towel and press down just to slightly dampen it and make it more pliable. Place nori sheet at the top of the bamboo mat. Dampen hands to prevent rice from sticking and then spread a very thin layer of rice over two thirds of the nori sheet. Place the filling half way down the area covered in rice. Dampen the end of the nori to help it adhere when rolled up. Roll up using the bamboo mat. Press down on the roll while pulling the bamboo over itself all the way until it releases the sushi roll. Repeat with the remaining two nori sheets. Cut with a dampened knife.

A cute little jada moment

While at church today, Jada was looking at a book called "I love you because you are you". After we were done, she put the book away and then looked up at me with her big brown eyes and said "Daddy, you love me, don't you." I replied "Yes Jada, I do love you." She then gave me a hug and said "I love you too daddy." It was just a very sweet little moment between Jada and I.
This is one of the best things about being a dad!