Hungry to Happy

Biggest Project Yet: “Strawberry Spree”

Haein — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:42:21 +0000

Guys, I did it. It’s finally over. Mother’s Day 2012 at Shokudo Japanese Restaurant & Bar was a huge (and not to mention, all-consuming, body-exhausting, & mind-blowing) success! A widespread brunch/lunch buffet of Japanese fare was followed by “Strawberry Spree” Sweets buffet (by yours truly), where 460-something voracious, yet surprisingly pleasant, guests devoured 1800-something servings of 12 different types of strawberry-themed desserts within a span of 5 hours and 3 full-seating turnovers. Let’s not forget that this was, believe it or not, after these bottomless bellies were stuffed with mountains upon mountains of sushi, tempura, udon, salad, chicken, snow crab, and God knows what else. All I really want to know is, who are these thoroughly inhuman people with such exigent appetites and where on earth did they come from? Because I have this ever-growing hunch that I must be related to them. After all, there is a most uncanny resemblance between my belly and theirs.Stomach resemblance aside, there may have been little else alike between these wonderful guests and I. Though the picture doesn’t show it (thank God), I slept for a very true-to-saying, painstakingly short-and-sweet 45 minutes. The ~~grueling~~ fun-filled hours leading up to that nap and the even more ~~agonizing~~ joyous hours that followed were wholeheartedly dedicated to baking and assembling a mass amount of the greatest (and most practical) homemade desserts I could muster up and create from scratch. Exhausted as I may have been, and trust me when I say exhausted is a euphemism for the physical state I was in at the time, this project was my absolute pride and joy from unshaped, prenatal beginning to expectant, postnatal forthcoming. It was Mother’s Day, for crying out loud, and this project was my beautifully overweight newborn.This baby was made up of a silky-smooth Mascarpone Cheesecake with Balsamic Strawberries, Strawberry Cupcakes with a Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting, the cutest Strawberry-Coconut Brown Butter Bettys, a fresh take on Bruschetta with Strawberries, Peaches, & Bananas over a rich homemade Ricotta cheese, drizzled with honey and topped with some mint, Thumbprint Cookies with homemade Strawberry Jam, Strawberries & Cream topped Cocoa Brownies, dense White Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake Morsels with Orange Zest and a tangy Strawberry Coulis, good ol’ Strawberry Jello, luscious Chocolate & Vanilla Puddings with Strawberries, and a most refreshing Strawberry Horchata (Mexican Cinnamon Rice Milk). Hey, like I said, it was one fat baby.
But, as is the case with all babies, each needs copious amounts of nurturing and attention for healthy growth. It isn’t any different with my baby, this new baking and catering thing I have going on. Mother’s Day may be over, but it’s only the hopeful beginning for me and my so-called “newborn.”

Nevertheless, some Strawberry recipes to come soon! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or catering inquiries! I can be reached via comments on this blog or via email at haeinp@ymail.com.

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Homemade Pizza

Haein — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:13:25 +0000

Remember the last time you were on a deadline and desperately pressed for time or just way too exhausted from work or life to even remotely consider mustering up the energy to look through the fridge (except to retrieve that last ice-cold beer you saved for yourself behind the carton of milk – oops! sorrry, honey!), let alone make dinner? Remember the last time you picked up your phone just to call your friendly neighborhood pizza place to rescue you rather than calling your significant other to let them know that dinner is ready to be served? I do. In fact, it seems as though it’s all I ever do lately.
I grew up loving pizza. I don’t know anyone who didn’t. It was, in my opinion, a luxurious reward for good behavior. In other words, it was a parent’s laziness or lack of time resulting in a most marvelous treat of a meal for us as kids, and even as adolescents. In most cases, it was the meal succeeding a busy day of fun to which everyone would gather around for a slice or two.

However, instead of having to call for an instant pizza, I can now proudly say that I can make my own – albeit, not quite as conveniently. Pizza is a most wonderful thing. Endlessly versatile, it’s hard for anyone not to love some variation of it. Now, pair that gourmet handmade pizza of yours with a bold glass of wine or better yet, a homemade sangria and this, my friends, is what being a mature adult is all about.
So, why then the reverting to one’s childhood of instant phone order pizzas? You ask. Because…I’ve been swamped. I’ve been preoccupied out of my mind. I’ve temporarily taken on the role of an unprofessionally-trained, 23-year-old Korean version of Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker of desserts. I was approached about a month ago to create and execute a Strawberry-themed dessert spread for a brunch or lunch buffet to be held at Shokudo Japanese Restaurant on Mother’s Day this upcoming Sunday. Yup. No big deal, just 1200 servings of 14 different Strawberry Desserts all made, with love and perpetual underlying ~~contempt~~ joy. No, but really. On a serious note, what an honor! The spread will include items like Fresh Strawberry Tart (Tart aux Fraises), Mascarpone Cheesecake with Balsamic Strawberries, White Chocolate Pound Cake with a Strawberry Coulis, Strawberry Horchata, Strawberry-Peach-Banana Bruschetta with Mint & a Homemade Ricotta, and much much more. Unfortunately, these Mother’s Day-friendly desserts will be posted on my blog post-chaos, post-Mother’s Day.
Therefore, please grab a big glass of wine and accept this as a token resulting in my own grown-up lack of time. It’s far more rewarding than ordering take-out and it does dress-up what could be a simple pizza night into something much more impressive and chic. That is, until I make a comeback with the most sumptuous strawberry desserts you could ever imagine; ones that could make even your most perfect pizza night (or any night, for that matter) even better.
Really Simple Pizza Dough
Adapted hardly from Smitten Kitchen

Makes enough for one small, thin crust pizza. Double it if you like your pizza thick and bready.
(I would opt for thin crust on the Lemony-Zucchini Pizza and a thicker one for the BBQ Pork Pizza).

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour (can replace up to half of this with whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (may need up to 1 or 2 tablespoons more)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Some cornmeal, for dusting

Preparation:

Stir dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil, stirring mixture into as close to a ball as you can. Dump all clumps and floury bits onto a lightly floured surface and knead everything into a homogeneous ball.

If you are finding this step difficult, one of the best tricks I picked up from my bread-making class is to simply pause. Leave the dough in a lightly-floured spot, put the empty bowl upside-down on top of it and come back in 2 to 5 minutes, at which point you will find the dough a lot more lovable.

Knead it for just a minute or two. Lightly oil the bowl (a spritz of cooking spray perfectly does the trick) where you had mixed it — one-bowl recipe! — dump the dough in, turn it over so all sides are coated, cover it in plastic wrap and leave it undisturbed for an hour or two, until it has doubled in size.

Dump it back on the floured counter (yup, I leave mine messy), and gently press the air out of the dough with the palm of your hands. Fold the piece into an approximate ball shape, and let it sit under that plastic wrap for 20 more minutes.

Sprinkle a pizza stone or baking sheet with cornmeal and preheat your oven to its top temperature. Roll out the pizza, toss on whatever topping and seasonings you like. (I always err on the side of skimpy with toppings so to not weight down the dough too much, or if I have multiple toppings, to keep them very thinly sliced.)

Bake it for about 10 minutes until it’s lightly blistered and impossible to resist.

Lemony Zucchini Pizza with Sour Cream & Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 batch Simple Pizza Dough (above) or a store-bought pizza dough that will yield one small (approx. 11 to 12 inches across), thin pizza
1 lemon
4 ounces sour cream, at room temperature
Few leaves of fresh basil, cut into thin slivers
1/2 medium yellow zucchini, sliced as thinly as you can pull off with a knife or your mandoline (about 1/8 inch would be fine)
1/2 medium green zucchini, sliced as the same as above
Drizzle of olive oil
Freshly-grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roll your pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal.

In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream with the juice of half your lemon. Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper, and spread it over your pizza dough. Scatter fresh basil slivers over the cheese.

Arrange your zucchini coins in concentric circles over the sour cream spread, overlapping them slightly. You can alternate their colors, if you’re feeling fancy. Squeeze the juice of the second half of your lemon on top of you zucchini, then drizzle with olive oil and finish with the parmesan and some more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, so please watch carefully), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown and the zucchini looks roasted and a little curled up at the edges. Serve with a green or even simple tomato salad and have a glass of crisp, white wine or a fragrant sangria.

BBQ Pork Pizza with Slivered Red Onions

Ingredients:

1 doubled batch Simple Pizza Dough (above) or a store-bought pizza dough that will yield one small (approx. 11 to 12 inches across), thick pizza
BBQ Sauce (recipe as follows)
8 oz ground pork
1 tbspn oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 oz mozzarella, shredded or sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roll your pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal.

In a large pan, heat the oil and add the garlic and pork. Season the pork with salt and pepper, to taste. Once cooked through, turn off heat and set aside.

Spread BBQ sauce over dough and evenly spread the ground pork on top of the sauce. Top if off with the sliced or shredded mozzarella and finish with the slivered red onions.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, so please watch carefully), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown and irresistibly mouth-watering.

Homemade BBQ Sauce
Adapted from Down Home with the Neelys

Yields about 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

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Kalbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)

Haein — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:58:23 +0000

My idea of the quintessential birthday party doesn’t necessarily mandate a towering 3-layer cake. Mainly because every time I try to bake one, all I seem to create is a very tasty mess of sorts. So, instead, I resort to marinating meat. Lots of it. Short ribs, the Korean way, to be exact.
Because my idea of the perfect birthday party consists of just 3 things: a family of friends, perfect weather, and a beach barbecue. All of which I happily had (and then some) at my birthday last week.
Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday. The sun was positively beaming against a pale blue canvas that faded into gold-flecked waves of cerulean. Our overarching tent that provided us shade in the grass was accompanied by a bright yellow volleyball net, an absolute emblem of Spring Break. Friends from various chapters of my life stopped by, bearing endless gifts of food and wine that were happily shared and consumed, yet magically replenished throughout the day. Even those with the most insatiable appetites were stuffed and pleased beyond adequate expression.

The outstretched tables were shrouded in heaps and heaps of food. The spread seemed infinite, beyond my wildest imagination. There was a somen salad paired with a flawless sweet and salty homemade dressing, a tangy pasta salad teeming with ham and vegetables, tender kung pao chicken, chow fun, homemade pork belly yakisoba, cucumber kimchi, various poke (Hawaiian sashimi salad), mounds and mounds of steamed rice, rich and meaty chili, oysters on the half-shell, hot dogs, chips with salsa, beer, more beer, strawberry cheesecake squares, crisp salted white chocolate oatmeal cookies, even more beer, and of course, my marinated Thai Basil & Hoisin drumsticks and Korean Kalbi that (though not pictured in action) were grilled and smoked to an unbelievably succulent perfection.
The best part about the entire event itself (besides the food, at least) was seeing everyone leave with bulging, food-pregnant bellies and lazy but satisfied grins. At a surprisingly ripened age of 23, I can proudly say that as the years pass by, birthdays become less and less about myself and more and more about the people I love. Far beyond receiving even the best of gifts (though I did receive a wonderful pressure cooker!), my greatest joy comes from baking, cooking, and feeding those around me. This year, I was able to do just that. The frantic pre-birthday prepping, chopping, marinating, mixing, arranging, baking, and cooking paid off. And until I can literally succeed in baking and assembling my own, I guess you can say, I’m a girl who still manages to proverbially have her cake and eat it, too!
Kalbi (갈비)
A Hungry to Happy Recipe

Ingredients:

3.5 lbs Kalbi, or thinly-sliced beef short ribs
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water or mirin
1/3 cup brown sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
2 tbspns sesame oil
1 tspn black pepper
1 Korean pear
1 yellow onion
10 cloves garlic
2 in piece of ginger
1 kiwi*

Preparation:

Soak and rinse the beef in cold water to drain out and remove any excess blood or fragmented bones.

In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil and black pepper.

Combine the Korean pear, onion, garlic, ginger, and kiwi in a blender or food processor until it becomes a homogenous white paste or semi-chunky concoction. Add paste to liquid marinade and mix well.

Place rinsed ribs in a large tray/pan or rectangular casserole dish and evenly spread the marinade over the beef. I recommend marinating in layers. Assemble the beef ribs, cover evenly in marinade, add another layer of beef, and cover in another layer of marinade. Repeat until done.

Refrigerate overnight.

Grill or pan-fry the short ribs until cooked well-done (about 5-6 minutes). These thin, marinaded slices of beef taste best when cooked to their full potential, releasing all of its juices and cooking off the fragrant garlic and onion within the marinade.

Garnish with sesame seeds, optional. If desired, serve with lettuce, sliced cucumbers, garlic, jalapenos and spicy soy bean paste (all for traditional Korean lettuce wraps).

*kiwi is a personal secret ingredient passed down from my mama that proves to be a surprisingly wonderful meat tenderizer.

Kimchi Chigae (김치찌개)

Haein — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:53:42 +0000

In the last few months, I felt (yet again) suspended in limbo. In so many ways, this year feels like a first. The first year I can’t use being a full-time student as an excuse to eschew finding a steady and stable full-time job. The first year I realize the true effort it takes to keep in touch with even the best of friends, whose lives also happen to be unfolding unexpectedly before them. The first year I see life the way I do now. It feels strange and surreal to remind myself that I am a college graduate, an adult.
Once in a while, I sift through old pictures and catch snapshots of my past, finding myself at a loss for words. I remember those blunt bangs and the plaid uniform I wore at my private school in California. I remember my strawberry-blonde best friend, her freckles an object of my greatest envy. I remember my sun-kissed skin from blackberry-picking with my Guatemalan nanny, Adela. I remember ferry rides to Granville Island and goose-chasing at Stanley Park with my sister in Canada. I could never forget the fluorescent lights of Seoul and the way my heart would beat in the city. I remember my first failed experiments with make-up and fashion, high school crushes and cliques. Flip forward a few pages and I vividly recall my high school graduation, all the flower leis, and my first official cap and gown. Then I remember Seattle and the courtyard of cherry blossoms on campus. It baffles me that now, I’m looking at freshly-printed photos of my friends and I in forest green caps and gowns against azure Hawaiian skies, proudly displaying our post-college diplomas – our tickets into the real world. To think, I’ve journeyed this far.

The funny thing is between all the heres and theres, I’ve landed somewhere neither here nor there. Somewhere at a crossroads. Somewhere within the familiar and the foreign. Somewhere between childhood dreams and grown-up realities.
But the truth is, it’s in times like these, I feel the most grateful. I’m forced to reflect upon where I’m from, where I’ve been, and ultimately, where I’m going. I admittedly get lost ~~sometimes~~ often, but I’m fortunate enough to have constant reminders along the way.

Like this Kimchi Chigae (김치찌개), or stew. In more ways than one, it represents so much of who I am and where I’m from. For every city I’ve lived in and for every person and culture that has left its permanent mark on my soul, there has been an affiliated dish or two that I’ve come to love and re-create as my own. For Seoul, the city I was born in, it’s everything kimchi. Kimchi chigae was, in fact, the first Korean dish I learned how to make. Simple ingredients are treated simply with diligence as they come together to gain more depth and flavor over time. This is what makes Korean food and Korean culture so raw, so remarkable. Often times, this is how I view myself – a stone pot of various ingredients being simmered together to create a formidable flavor, one whose whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.

That’s what’s great about cooking. Sometimes, it isn’t about precision. It’s about tasting, cooking, waiting, adding, and tasting again and again until the flavors are just right. I admit it’s frustrating at times and to be honest, I don’t even know how long it will take to achieve the exact flavor I seek for my own self. Who knows. In the coming weeks, I might get sick of the tender sweetness of stewed zucchini or the biting heat of a jalapeno pepper. Before long, I may change it up by adding the irresistible richness of pork belly or brined flakiness of canned tuna. But whatever it takes, everything good is worth the wait. Kimchi chigae is undeniably one such thing. And it’s here, in limbo, where the simplest of ingredients are simmered with patience and diligence to yield an unfathomable new flavor.

Kimchi Chigae (김치찌개)
A Hungry to Happy Recipe
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 cups kimchi (the more fermented/older, the better), chopped with its juices
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tspn sesame oil
2-3 cups water, or dashi (recipe as follows)
1/2 zucchini, halved length-wise and sliced
1/4 cup leeks and/or green onions, chopped
1/3 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
1-2 tspn chili pepper flakes, or 고추까루
1-2 tspn chili pepper paste, or 고추장
1 tspn sugar
1/3 pack of tofu, cubed

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan or pot, heat sesame oil and minced garlic. Then add kimchi, leek, jalapeno, and onion and sautée with chili pepper flakes, chili pepper paste, and sugar until tender, about 7 minutes. Add zucchini and sautée for another minute or two. Then add water or dashi until all ingredients are submerged.

Bring pot to a boil then let simmer over medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes. The longer the simmer, the stronger the flavors.

Adjust sugar, chili pepper paste, and sesame oil to taste. Add tofu and cook additional 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve immediately with rice.

* optional: most varieties of Kimchi Chigae are made with pork belly or canned tuna. You can include about 1/4 lb of chopped pork belly or about 1 can of tuna by adding one or the other into the pot in the beginning of the recipe after the minced garlic.

Dashi
Makes about 4 – 5 cups

Ingredients:

5 cups of water
1 (2-3 in) strip of konbu (dried seaweed)
1 cup bonito flakes, or 10 dried anchovies

Preparation:

Place konbu square in water with anchovies and bring to a boil. Let simmer at medium-high heat for 30 minutes.

Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or strainer and discard konbu and anchovies.

Use liquid dashi as soup base for various recipes or store in air-tight container in fridge for up to one week.

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My Funny Valentine

Haein — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:51:43 +0000

I have a little confession to make. My name is Haein and I am a hopeless romantic.
I know, I know. Once upon a time (over Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mint Cream, maybe) I wrote off Valentine’s Day as a “commercial holiday disguised as a single-day celebration of ‘love,’ as defined by Hallmark,” or, you know, something like that. Being the so-called “serial monogamist” that I am, I viewed February 14th simply as yet another excuse to get dolled up and correspondingly wined and dined by the presumably ever-so-charming BF (whoever that may be). But, more importantly, as a girl who loves to bake and cook, I simply viewed the day as one to breathe, think, make, then give everything that is chocolate. To, well, everyone.
Surprisingly, this year, there was no “everyone.” There was most certainly chocolate. But, only a silky and decadent old-fashioned chocolate pudding for two.
Never in a million years would I have imagined myself to be the type to stealthily order vintage-turned-modern picnic baskets on Amazon weeks in advance during the wee hours of the night (whilst the boyfriend lay peacefully asleep) or quietly brood over exuberant entrances and grand gestures of..je ne sais quoi over fluffy spinach omelets and syrup-laden strawberry french toast with the girls. Even more ridiculous would be the thought of me being upset over shattered bottles of his favorite wine, red wine-stained shirts, and jammed car trunks diluting the element of surprise (that is, balloons to pop-up and out upon opening).

Who am I kidding, shattered bottles of any kind of booze and defiled articles of fashion have always been immensely upsetting to me. Ridiculous would thus only be the latter end of the former statement. Do you see what I mean? Love, for me, was a semi-hedonistic ardor for anything fashion and alcohol. Me? Romance? Simply unheard of.
Sigh. That is, until now.
I don’t normally do this. Ever. But, for the sake of love – real love, I have a most wonderful boyfriend. He pays extreme caution to detail, yet is accepting of my total lack thereof. He finds attraction to and amusement in my quirky, cheerleader enthusiasm (complete with hand motions and facial expressions). He patiently awaits me with open arms even after my countless attempts at “running” and “pushing” him away. He constantly strives to become better while also trying to bring out the best in me. Plus, he loves and encourages my blog and cooking (who wouldn’t, right?! I joke).

All I’m saying is, there doesn’t need to be an “everyone” for me to cater to. I have everything I want right here and right now. All with a chocolate pudding and a picnic for two.
Silky Chocolate Pudding
Adapted from John Scharffenberger, via Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
6 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used good quality 60% semisweet chocolate chips; use 70% bittersweet if you want more of a dark chocolate kick)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer (or skip this step if you’re a slacker like me) into a serving bowl or into a large measuring cup with a spout and pour into individual serving dishes.

If you like pudding skin, pull plastic wrap over the top of the serving dish(es) before refrigerating. If you dislike pudding skin, place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and smooth it gently against the surface before refrigerating. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days (ahem, good luck with that).

Chicken Makhani & Garlic Naan

Haein — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:39:32 +0000

Life is a lot like running. In high school, I used to be my cross country team’s captain. At my school, the high school cross country team was open to middle school students and I remember running my very first 5km race in the cool Autumn breeze of the 8th grade. At the time, I was oblivious to the necessary training and immense mental strength primarily involved in finishing a race. I figured I was young, agile, and fit enough to instantly become one of the faster runners. Plus, I had my lucky pair of running shoes on. Sadly, I was terribly mistaken. I recall sprinting at the starting line to get a head start and consequently shifting between brisk walks, quick spurts, and sluggish jogs. When I finally reached the finish line, there weren’t many people there. I thought it was because I was one of the first to finish. In my exhausted state, I had been completely unaware of the people that had zoomed and zipped passed right in front of me. Finish time: 46 minutes. Wow, I thought, I must be fast. For all I knew, running was a cinch.
I was so wrong. To my later embarrassment and horror, I found out that I had been one of the stragglers – the slowpokes. But instead of getting discouraged and quitting, I continued going to practice 4 times a week and races every Saturday – even if it was only to get my face so red that it looked like a gleaming ripe tomato. Or, to get that adrenaline rush that made my legs numb at the sight of the awaiting crowd and finish line. Slowly, but surely, I improved. I became faster. I started running without needing to stop or take walking breaks. Over the next few years and after countless practices and very many races, I trimmed my 5km time down to a solid 23 minutes 34 seconds. I realized that running, like life, came down to persevering, putting mind over matter, and finding the right pace.Each year is like a race. Last year, I thought valiantly to myself, 2011 is going to be a great year. It’s going to be my year, my race. With a strong finish to the Fall semester of 2010 and an out-of-state, or off-island, vacation awaiting me at the finish line, I rushed into 2011 at a sprint. Needless to say, it wasn’t everything I’d predicted not to mention, everything I’d hoped for. My hasty beginning left me winded. It led me to struggle yet again between brisk walks, quick spurts, and sluggish jogs. But it was, without a doubt in my mind, monumental. 2011 was a year of many; 2011 was when my blog started getting more recognition from those around me, I got promoted to a job that highlights my strengths and strengthens my weaknesses, I went through a heartwrenching break up that eventually unfolded into a rare, once-in-a-lifetime kind of friendship, I moved into a new apartment with 2… 3… I mean, 4 fun-loving & amazing roommates, I ditched school religiously, I had my share of “drama,” I found love (which I’m admittedly still learning to accept) in what literally was a hopeless place, I quit my 3-year hostessing job at the same restaurant, I worked full-time in high-end, luxury retail, I moved again, I graduated with honors (miraculously), and then – for the first time in 4 years – I returned to Korea and was briefly reunited with my family. It was the race in which I stopped and stalled, time and time again. I even took a number of short-cuts and detours that only resulted in my delayed arrival at the finish line. I persevered, but crawled like a beginner, gasping and panting, to the end of 2011.
However, this year is different. I don’t forecast a race to which I am victorious, but rather one to which I am steadfast. 2012 is, for me, a transition year. It will be a year of diligent discipline and practice. It will be a year of consciously putting my mind over the matter. Most importantly, it will be the year I strive to find balance and start running at the right pace – one that keeps me going and doesn’t leave me out of breath. 2012 is the race that will set my pace to, slowly but surely, break my own personal records in all those yet to come.Although the actual outcome of any race can be a mystery, there are some things I can be certain of along the way. Family, good food, and good company. I can be sure that luck will be with me wherever I go, though it may not always seem like luck at first, and that I will always have the vitality to keep moving forward.

Besides, if anything, I still have my lucky pair of running shoes and one of my favorite comfort foods. This Indian Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken) and garlic naan are really, really good. The curry is almost a one-pot meal (minus the pan for browning the chicken) and it’s irresistibly fragrant and wonderfully rich and cozy. It transports you to a mystical place of silk and spices. Even the garlic naan is relatively easy to make and you won’t believe the soft and airy texture that it elicits. Brushed with a little melted (or, clarified) butter, it can win the race straight to anyone’s heart. Plus, we all know that even if it is just perseverance, a positive attitude, and the right pace that are necessary to finishing strong in a race, a little luck and some occasional comfort food couldn’t hurt!
Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken)
Adapted loosely from AllRecipes
(Serves 12~14)*

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 shallots, finely chopped
1 white onion, chopped
7 tablespoons butter
8 teaspoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons ginger garlic paste (I made my own using freshly grated ginger and minced garlic)
4 teaspoons garam masala
4 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 bay leaves
1 cup plain yogurt (preferably non-fat)
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups skim milk
1 cup tomato puree
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3-4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups buttermilk
4 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water

cilantro, chopped (optional)
cashews, chopped (optional)

Preparation:

Season bite-sized chicken liberally with salt and pepper and place in gallon-sized freezer bag (or lidded container) and pour buttermilk over them, then swish it around so that all parts are covered. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pot or heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallots and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 4 teaspoons garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaves.

Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in heavy cream, milk, and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and drip off any excess. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 4 teaspoons garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce. Let simmer 20 minutes.

Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Serve with basmati rice & garnish with cilantro and cashews, if desired.

*The serving size depends. Every time I make this, it disappears instantly. There is not one who does not get up for seconds. Even thirds, perhaps.

Garlic Naan
Adapted ever so slightly from AllRecipes
(Makes about 14 individual naan)

Ingredients:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour, plus extra for kneading
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, beaten egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.

Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise (preferably in a slightly warmer location or at room temperature). Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

At the end of the second rising, preheat large pan to med-high heat. At stove side, roll or hand-tug one ball of dough out into a thin mis-shapen . Lightly oil pan. Place dough on pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Seoul

Haein — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:59:33 +0000

I’m sitting at my desk, trying to write this post, but I keep getting distracted.
First, there’s the restlessness I can’t seem to shake off. I’ve been graduated and out of school for about a month now and despite the ample time I may seem to have, in reality, there never seems to be enough time on any given day. Without the once perpetual schedule of deadlines and due dates ascribed to assignments, projects, and papers that used to govern my somewhat tighter itinerary, I seem to have unhinged myself and seamlessly fallen into a state of lazy confusion.

Then, there’s the noise. From my desk next to the window, I can hear everything beyond the rustling leaves and chirping birds. Cars are zooming past and repeatedly driving over what I presume to be is the same manhole, ending in the same reverberant clunk clunk. The occasional vehicle rambles along to the deep, rich bass tones of its subwoofer, only leaving a familiar but unwelcomed beat stuck in my restless head.

But most of all, there’s the longing. On my screen is a collection of images from my recent trip to Korea. Clicking through them, I see a string of blurry photos that inadequately try to capture the breathtaking city I grew up in, a city I once called home.
But now, I’m blogging from my home in Hawaii where a 15-minute car ride is deemed “far,” 2 a.m. is considered “time to go home,” and all of the island’s lights during Christmas combined could never come close to the way Seoul illuminates on any given evening, every single night of the year.
And then, of course, there’s the food. Oh. my. goodness. The food.
The food alone is enough to make you want to pack up what you can cram into one suitcase and transplant yourself over there. Permanently.

My first night there upon landing, excited beyond jet lag, I bought kimbap at the airport’s 7-11 convenient store. It wasn’t anything spectacular, nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it only cost a dollar. But to me, it was simply my first taste of being home.

The funny thing is, even though I’m Korean and was born and partially raised in Korea, some things still feel a little new to me. During my 6 year absence from living in the city and my 4 years apart from my family, a little and a lot has changed. My baby sister, who for as long as I can remember was always a head or so shorter than I was, has rapidly grown into somewhat of a giant (a beautiful one, mind you) that is not only much taller than I am, but also perhaps much stronger. My parents, on the other hand, haven’t aged one bit. My hero of a dad is just the way I remember him: strong, playful, and wise beyond his own matured years. And my mom, just as brilliantly stunning as she always has been, both in spirit and in appearance.

Even Seoul, with or without its swift renovations, has managed to retain all its splendor - the rich history, the bustling crowds, the needle-like winds, the plethora of street food, the hazy grey skies, and everything else that makes me love and fall in love with the city, over and over again.

But, in all the magnificence and splendor that is the home of my past, it’s these distinctions – nuances, even – that inspire me to look forward into this new year while awakening me to also appreciate the here and now, where I am, my home away from home.

Green Tea Cheesecake

Haein — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:35:47 +0000

I’m not a believer in perfection, in life nor in the kitchen. Every endeavor we choose to undertake is an additional notch in our endless belts, a constant work in progress. That said, I present to you two things: my very first and very own Hungry to Happy recipe with all its dreaminess and tasty imperfections and a newly rejuvenated and more hopeful me, freshly graduated with a college degree and henceforth, thrust into the “real world.” Talk about accomplishments, these are huge notches for me!
But alas, like all other works in progress, there’s always room for tapping, tweaking, and discovering. Case in point, this near-perfect Green Tea Cheesecake. After having baked more than a couple cheesecakes using a number of wonderfully decadent recipes in my not-so-lengthy lifetime, I decided to get experimental and forge my own. It was alluring with its creamy and earthy filling, rich and toasty crust, and tart and juicy raspberry, but it wasn’t perfect. To my utter horror and glee, it was baked for my first catering event (with the restaurant I represent) for an affluent group of socialites at an effulgent palace of a home. Despite the petrifying need for “perfection,” though imperative at that moment and in others, my minor shortcomings didn’t hinder my ability to learn, to succeed.Imperfect were the slightly too sweet coconut-graham cracker crust, the absence of that extra teaspoon of matcha powder, and the rushed impromptu presentation. I was irritatingly fixated on the cheesecake’s flaws, my own flaws. But then, I realized, after the desserts were served and eaten, most of these plates were coming back scraped clean. These self-proclaimed mistakes and deficiencies, though perhaps unnoticed by others, contributed to my success rather than my failure. Not because the guests had deemed my dessert still decent enough to devour, but because in my first attempt at inventing and creating, I inevitably fell short of perfection – an ideal that I am reminded time and time again, does not truly exist. Now, what I know does exist, however, is the ability to embrace mistakes and consciously refine and reinvent a better recipe for a better cheesecake, and better yet, a better you. With college and 2011 almost completely behind me, I can’t think of a more rewarding project and resolution to work on, especially with all this rightfully earned free time I have! But for now, I’d say cheers to savoring delicious imperfections.
Green Tea Cheesecake with a Coconut-Graham Cracker Crust
A slightly revised and nevertheless revisable Hungry to Happy recipe

Ingredients:

For Crust

3/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (if using sweetened, minimize sugar to 1 tbspn)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

For Filling

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup green tea syrup
3 teaspoons matcha green tea powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs

For Topping

sifted powdered sugar (optional)
sifted green tea powder (optional)
ripe raspberries

Preparation:

Make Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F and butter bottom and side of 9 to 9 1/2 inch springform pan (or mini cheesecake pan).

Stir together crumbs, coconut flakes, sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press evenly onto bottom and one-third up side of pan. Bake crust in middle of oven 8 minutes and cool in pan on a rack.

Make Filling

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy, then beat in sugar. Add green tea syrup, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Mix in green tea powder and salt at low speed, scraping down side as needed, until just incorporated, then add eggs all at once and mix just until incorporated.

Pour filling into crust and set springform pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake cake in middle of oven until set in center, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes (or 25-35 minutes in mini pan). Cool completely in springform pan on rack. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.)

Run a thin knife around edge of cake and remove side of pan. If desired, transfer cake with a large metal spatula to a serving plate.

Garnish with powdered sugar and/or green tea powder and top with fresh raspberries. Serve with toasted coconut flakes, if desired.

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

Haein — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:31:25 +0000

Last Thursday evening (and admittedly every Thursday since ~~Halloween~~ okay, okay, early to mid-October), I jumped up, wide-eyed with a toothy grin that stretched from ear to ear, shrieking hysterically to anyone nearby that would listen or pretend to listen (including our periwinkle-colored beta fish that swims ever-so-carelessly in his newly-purchased and attractively-decorated tank next to the kitchen): “Oh my god, oh my god! It’s almost Thanksgiving!”
Do we really even need to wonder why?! I love Thanksgiving: the never ending grocery list and wish list for the subsequent Black Friday, the utter madness of stiff, over-sized metal shopping carts running into each other at Costco, Sam’s Club, and any other supermarket imaginable, the mindless snatching of every possible thing in sight paired with the constant little voice of reassurance inside your head telling you “you’re definitely going to need this for Thanksgiving dinner and if not, you’ll definitely use it later” even when you pretty much already know you won’t, and the frenzy and mess involved in prepping and cooking everything from appetizers to sides and main courses to how can we possibly forget, desserts (notice the plural). I can even candidly say I ~~kind of~~ enjoy the all-consuming, I-can’t-breathe-nor-take-another-bite kind of food coma that is imminently self-inflicted by every participant. Seriously though, is that wrong? I love Thanksgiving. The whole sha-bang.
Most of all though, I love what Thanksgiving implies: the gathering of loved ones, the harvesting of good food and good people. I didn’t grow up celebrating the American Thanksgiving. In fact, I doubt my Korean family so much as recognizes the holiday as more than an extra day off from school for my sister and I (since we both attended international schools living in Korea). Regardless of this unfortunate depreciation of this revered day by my family, it has quickly become my favorite holiday – one that, over the past few years, I have made my own.
My Thanksgivings don’t really consist of the standard rituals or traditions. It has been spent with different people and different families, eating different variations of the classic dishes every year. Last year, I baked this Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake for my friend Malia and her family who generously invited me to their family Thanksgiving lunch. It was absolutely gorgeous, an irresistible hit. This year, I plan to bake it again, but this time for a dinner that my roommates and I are hosting for others. This will be my new ritual and tradition. Not necessarily to always bake this amazing Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake for myself and for others (though I’d more than happily comply to doing), but to spend it with the people who have adopted me into their families, the people that I have adopted to form my own. I can’t even begin to give enough thanks. Happy Thanksgiving.
Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen (seriously, I am smitten!)

Ingredients:

For crust

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (from five 4 3/4- by 2 1/4-inch crackers)
1/2 cup pecans (1 3/4 ounce), finely chopped
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling

1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional, but not for me at least)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

For topping

2 cups sour cream (20 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)

Garnish: pecan halves

Preparation:

Make crust:

Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.

Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan, then chill crust, 1 hour.

Make filling and bake cheesecake:

Put oven rack in middle position and Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined.

Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl.

Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks). Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.)

Make topping:

Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 additional minutes.

Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours.

Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving.

Do ahead:

Baked cheesecake can be chilled, covered, up to 2 days.

My 7 Links

Haein — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:03:44 +0000

Even with my sporadic updates and posts recently (shame on me), I have been graciously tagged and asked to participate in the “My 7 Links” Project by Jessica from Jessica’s Dinner Party! As a fairly inexperienced blogger, photographer, and self-taught baker and cook, you can only imagine the thrill I felt to open an e-mail from a long-time schoolmate and fellow food blogger (whom I’m an avid follower of) inviting me to join in on the fun of reminiscing about my previously archived achievements and connecting with other food bloggers elsewhere. To see a different example of what “My 7 Links” Project is all about, check out Jessica’s 7 Links post which highlights not only her skillful photography, but also her most beautiful works and posts.

The categories are as follows:

1. Most Beautiful
2. Most Popular
3. Most Controversial
4. Most Helpful
5. Most Surprisingly Successful
6. Most Neglected
7. Post I Am Most Proud Of

and here are my corresponding links:
1. Most Beautiful: Shaved Summer Squash Salad

Perhaps not the most spectacular dish nor photo at first sight. However, I found myself struck by the beauty involved in making such a simple yet refreshing salad. The soft, pastel-colored squash shavings curved and folded over one another so effortlessly and elegantly that I couldn’t help but to stare in awe. I find the simplest, untamed beauty most remarkable.

This is fusion food in its simplest and finest form. Who would’ve thought to combine butter-sautéed kimchi with melted cheese within a toasty tortilla blanket? Roy Choi of L.A.’s Kogi Truck phenomenon did. And thanks to him, it inspired me to replicate this irresistible dish with my own pizzazz. It’s one that I regularly get recipe requests for, and rightfully so!

3. Most Controversial: Salt

Since the food scene in Hawaii can seem a little humdrum at times, anything new that deviates from the usual good eats attracts enormous buzz and attention. Salt Kitchen & Tasting Bar was no exception with its tapas-style menu and industrial-chic interior. Unfortunately, despite my rants and raves, I’ve had friends beg to differ. Nevertheless, I urge you to try it for yourself!

4. Most Helpful: Spicy Daikon Pancakes

As a current resident of Hawaii and an aspiring epicure of sorts, taking a trip to some of the local farms (thanks to my restaurant PR/Marketing job) was the one of most informative and enlightening “field trips” I have ever participated in. Beyond learning about food sustainability and security, I received fresh produce enabling me to make these spicy daikon pancakes, literally from farm to table!

5. Most Surprisingly Successful: Short Ribs Burguignon

Absolutely petrified at first to take on the challenge, I tackled this recipe fearlessly. To my amazement, it was a complete and total success (minus perhaps the minor mistake of using regular bacon in lieu of applewood-smoked bacon, which would impart a slightly sweeter and richer flavor). The meat was silkier than just fork-tender, surrounded by a delicious slough of complex flavors.

6. Most Neglected: Chocolate Cake Pops

Amidst the whole celebrity and seemingly universal cake pop craze, I was under the impression that these would transfix more readers and followers. Perhaps the tedious recipe repelled everyone. Though pretty to look at and almost too pretty to eat, I have to admit I may avoid making these in the future for the very same reason!

7. Post I Am Most Proud Of: The Beginning – A Fresh Start

This post marked the very beginning (and end of an endless series of procrastination). It was a personal rite of passage, a landmark, a stepping stone – whatever you want to call it. It is what it is and it amazes me how much I’ve grown as a photographer, writer, baker and cook. It also serves as a crucial reminder of how improvement has no ends, there is always room for more.

Now… to tag 5 other blogs! Here goes:

Jessica at Jessica’s Dinner Party

Joe at Simply to Taste

Monica at Dear Tokyo; Love Ai

Julie at Is This My Drink

Hannah at BitterSweet