and curiously – Page 8

Coconut Mochi Matcha Cupcakes

I turned 27 last week! Though I have now been a person for, like, a bunch of years, I’m still figuring a lot of things out. Here are 27 of them:

I don’t really know how to celebrate my birthday. I often find big parties a little bit stressful, but I also feel like I should do something. Goldilocks problems.
And, I mean, aside from birthday celebrations, I also sort of don’t know what I want to do with my life.
Whenever I sit down and try to think about it, I literally fall asleep. It’s like my body is trying to protect me.
Sometimes I don’t feel like my body and I are on the same side, and it’s frustrating. This morning, when I went for my run, it felt like dragging my uncooperative legs through syrup.
My mood was not improved by my getting passed (aggressively) by a man who passed me while pushing a double stroller.
Speaking of strollers, it is freaking me out that my peers are having children, and I don’t know how to feel about it.
For this reason, I have tried to stop going on Facebook, but I literally can’t stop.
Other things I literally can’t stop doing: biting my nails/cuticles, eating these gross vanilla mints, shopping.
I’m ghost carting some shoes right now and don’t know if I should get them. How many pairs of heels do I have that I never wear? Many. But what if these are the ones?
… I bought the shoes. Whatever. I’m the worst at this.
How much casual abuse of return policies is normal and acceptable, and how much is just shameful and not okay?
I’m realizing now that 27 is a long list. I’m sorry.
I admit I don’t know how to get a gif on Instagram.
Or use Instagram effectively at all, for that matter, but I’m really trying to create a presence there to further food blog fame.
Food blog success, there’s another thing I don’t know how to achieve.
I suspect that in order to do so, I need a “schtick,” but much like the rest of my life (see #2), I have had a hard time defining my blog cooking aesthetic.
And, for that matter, the general theme also eludes me. I like making the occasional life update post, too, and I have had a weird urge to masquerade as a fashion blogger lately.
This is a bit ironic because, dressing like an adult, there’s an entire category of life that I am still figuring out.
Related to that, and, shopping, I’m on the lookout for outerwear that’s snuggly like a hoody but also acceptable to wear outside of the house.
Maybe this defies physics and does not exist.
You know what defies cake physics? This mochi cake. (See what I did there?)
It’s somehow both dense and light at the same time. It’s chewy and sticky, but also smooth?
It’s inscrutable, and you should try it, because it’s also delicious.
I made myself cupcakes out of them for my birthday, and I then had to give most of them away because they were very dangerous to have around.
Another thing I did for my birthday was go paint ceramics (like an 8 year old, yes), drink a lot of sangria, and chain eat these guys, strawberry rhubarb galette, and sourdough and cheese.
I also promptly forgot my real camera, so, let’s welcome the triumphant return of phone photos and a visual reminder of still figuring it out.
This recipe does have it figured out: matcha, coconut, a intriguing and enticing texture, and topped with whipped cream because birthday (or just day).

Matcha & Coconut Mochi Cupcakes
Adapted from Kendra Vaculin and black dog

1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons), at room temperature
4 tablespoons coconut oil
4 eggs
12 oz can evaporated milk
14 oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups glutinous rice flour, like Mochiko (available at Japanese markets)
1/2 to 1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoon matcha powder
1 big handful of shredded coconut

This recipe makes at least 24 cupcakes, so scale as needed.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In a large bowl, beat butter, coconut oil, and eggs together until smooth, using a whisk or electric mixer. Then add the milks and the vanilla, stirring to combine.

Then, add the rice flour, sugar, baking powder, and matcha, taking care to mix the dry ingredients in thoroughly to avoid clumps. The batter will resemble a very thick pancake batter. Scale the sugar and matcha amounts to taste — I liked a lot of matcha and less sugar.

Very generously oil or spray two cupcake cupcake pan, or, use liners. Scoop the batter into the tins, filling them just more than halfway. If you’d like smaller, flatter mochi, more like biscuits or cookies, use an additional cupcake pan and fill about 1/3 of the way.

Top with shredded coconut.

Bake for about an hour, until the edges are browned and pulling away. You may need to make a foil tent to prevent the coconut from browning too much while baking.

Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature, and add additional toppings (whipped cream?) if desired.

April Bloomfield’s Roasted Young Onion with Sage Pesto

Guys, full disclosure, this is going to sound like a sponsored post, but it is not. I just have a huge girlcrush on April Bloomfield right now, after having the can’t-believe-it luck to have attended a cooking demo of hers. There was a weekend not too long ago where I just cooked through as many of her recipes as possible, and then I made a reservation to eat at her one restaurant outpost on the west coast. If my eyes could be hearts, they would be.

So, her thing is nose-to-tail cooking, right? My slightly less classy version of it is… the one time that we got a rotisserie chicken from Costco, I made chicken jook with the weird bits leftover. Meat cooking is a confusing and baffling new territory, guys. But I am reasonably seasoned (hah) with root-to-leaf cooking, so I think that I am there, you know, in spirit.

Here’s what cemented my crush completely, from A Girl and Her Greens, on measuring herbs by handfuls and pinches instead of traditional measurements: “I hate the idea of calling for tablespoons and cups, because thinking about someone cramming delicate herbs in a cup measure makes my bum cheeks clench.”

I’ll leave you with that bit of genius.

Roasted Young Onions with Sage Pesto
Adapted lightly from A Girl and Her Greens by April Bloomfield

6 young onions
Maldon salt / kosher salt / sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons safflower or grapeseed oil
a big handful of sage leaves (1 bunch)
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons pine nuts
small handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Trim off the onion greens, leaving about 1/2 inch above the bulb. Peel off the outermost layer of the onion, but try to leave the nub at the bottom of the onion, which will keep it together while it roasts. If necessary, trim off the little root pieces.

Slice the onions in half lengthwise and season the cut sides with salt. (I went light on the salt, but Ms. Bloomfield recommends more.)

In an oven-proof skillet, heat up 1 to 2 tablespoons of safflower oil until it’s shimmering. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, cut side down, carefully. Let them cook, mostly undisturbed, for 10 minutes or so, until the bottoms are quite browned.

Move the pan to the oven, letting the onions continue to cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Check the under sides (cut side) of the onion periodically to make sure they are not burning.

While the onions roast, you can prepare the sage pesto by combining the sage, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan in a food processor. Pulse until a paste forms. Add the olive oil gradually until it becomes the desired consistency, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When you are satisfied with the browning, remove the pan from the oven and flip the onions. Crank up the oven temperature to 425˚F and return the pan to the oven, roasting for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are quite soft.

Serve with pesto (you’ll have extra pesto) and enjoy while still warm.

I smell fear on you.

I made a Louise Belcher bunny ear hat (using this Instructable)! Really, I’m more of a Tina, but everyone has their Louise moments… right?

Anyways, while that gif annoyingly and creepily loops above us: my thoughts on television, let me tell you them. Or, actually, let me just list some shows that I enjoy parking myself in front of.

So, obviously, Bob’s Burgers is on the list. It’s quick and lighthearted without sacrificing charm, featuring some voice actors who may sound familiar, small, family-owned businesses, and lots of puns. When to watch: those days that you feel like you should do something other than work and sleep, but you’re too wiped for even a 45-minute show. Yeah, we’ve all been there.

I’m also watching Broad City, which sounds like Girls in that it’s about women in their early twenties struggling in New York, but it’s less with the painful and more with the goofy and pretty feel-good. There’s a recurring Soulcycle joke, frequent celebrity cameos, and a frozen yogurt shop called 42 Squirts. When to watch: when you’re feeling ready to laugh at yourself and also bodily functions.

Speaking of ladies, I’m also sporadically but intensely watching The Good Wife, which is obviously really satisfyingly dramatic, featuring beautiful motorcycle jackets, commentary on modern politics, and a lot of the cast of the similar Scandal. When to watch: when you want to marathon a show and get pretty invested in a frustrating love triangle.

And, last in this batch (I mean, don’t you worry, I somehow watch even more television than this) is The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which is totally ridiculous but so likable, featuring horror dinner theater, women who are strong in different ways, and a math tutor romance.

Ottolenghi’s Spring Salad (ish)

Things that give me inordinate satisfaction:

book series whose spines make a picture when lined up on a shelf (Hank Green agrees.)
when an ordered list of titles ends up being in alphabetical order
anything in rainbow order
a well-named sequel

I feel like those are related, somehow. Is that crazy? They seem satisfying in the same way to me, which, I guess, is assurance that everything is planned out and fits neatly. I’m not really the sort of person whose life could be described by the words “planned out” or “fits neatly,” so maybe I just crave that in things like book titles. That said, I think the best example of a well-named sequel is the 2nd The Fast and the Furious movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious. So good.

A fair example (though, to be honest, it’s nowhere near as good) is the follow up to Ottolenghi’s Plenty, called Plenty More. Ottolenghi fans among you all may have picked up that I really like Plenty. I saw … More at Costco, so I obviously snatched it up, along with 8 things of dental floss. I also really like flossing.

As usual with Ottolenghi recipes, my versions are pretty revised, just because I don’t think it’s worth it to traipse around town looking for exact slightly exotic ingredients, but I like to think I capture the spirit of it all. I’ve made a few recipes out of Plenty More so far and like it a lot. It’s pretty much what I wanted, which is… more Plenty. Beautifully photographed recipes that embrace vegetables with a slight international flair? I mean, that’s more or less what I aspire to, right?

Here’s a spring salad, quite revised, from the book, which I served with his Fava Beans with Lemon and Cilantro, Zucchini “Baba Ghanoush”, and Shakshuka. And also homemade whole wheat pita.

Ottolenghi’s Spring Salad (ish)
Adapted from Plenty More (recipe)

1/2 bunch asparagus
handful green beans
daikon, approx palm sized piece
small handful cilantro
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
salt & pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, trim the asparagus and green beans. Cut the asparagus on a bias, making 3 or 4 slices per stalk.

Prepare a bowl of cold, or, preferably iced, water.

When the pot of water has come to an aggressive boil, dunk the asparagus and boil for three minutes or so, until barely done. Remove from the boiling water using tongs or a slotted spoon and submerge in the iced water to keep it from cooking more.

Repeat, dunking in the green beans and boiling for about five minutes, until barely done. Remove from the pot and move to the cold water as well, when done. Drain the vegetables well, and move to a serving bowl.

Cut the daikon into strips, adding to the serving bowl.

Combine sesame oil, olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, scatter cilantro on the vegetables and drizzle dressing over, tossing lightly. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

Banh Mi Salad with Five Spice Tofu

You guys, I have banh mi on my mind, and my mind on banh mi. I was giving a work presentation a few months ago (yes, it has been months), and I gave the example of a local search query [banh mi in Milpitas]. It’s been problematic since then. I have a lust for this delicious byproduct of French colonialism in Asia that cannot be satiated. Also, side note, there are some seriously good sandwiches in Milpitas, so, go forth and explore if you are so located and inclined. Or stay in your pajamas and eat quick-pickled veg on toast, I don’t judge.

While I would probably enjoy eating sandwiches all day long, in my usual spirit of salad-ing all the things, I’ve taken some highlights from banh mi and piled them atop greens. My new crowd-pleasing dish is, bafflingly, this five-spice tofu! It’s really stupidly simple to make, astonishingly virtuous, and it gives tofu a little toothsome bite and extra flavor without obliterating it. It’s the (vegetarian-ish hostess) dream, really. Combined with my other favorite trick of quick-pickling some veg that I’ve hacked at with a julienne peeler, this is a showy salad that’s pretty tasty. I won’t lie to you, it’s no replacement for a sandwich on perfectly crisp-chewy bread, but it’s a nice meal that’s both fresh and satisfying. Plus, you can probably fit in halo halo for dessert if you have a salad as your meal, right? And more coconut cream is always a win for me.

Five-Spice Tofu
Inspired by The Kitchn

1 package of firm (but still packed in water) tofu
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons Chinese five spice
(optional) pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Optional but definitely recommended — press the tofu to release some moisture. This seems like a pain but greatly decreases the bake time later. Just slice it into 4 or 6 even slices and place on a cutting board. Cover the slices with a couple pieces of paper towel and lay something heavy that won’t mind getting damp on top. I use a cast iron pan. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes. It will slowly press out liquid, leaving the tofu more able to pick up other flavors and also bake faster.

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. If you need the oven at a different temperature for something else, it’s fine. I’ve gone as high as 400˚F without noticing any huge differences in the finished tofu, so don’t worry too much about the exact temperature.

Cut the pressed tofu into small cubes. The cubes will shrink up when baked, so keep that in mind if you have a specific size you want to end up with. Toss the tofu with the soy sauce, Chinese five spice, and crushed red pepper, if using. Lay the tofu on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, arranging such that none of the pieces are touching. Bake until the tofu puffs up (they will deflate when cooled), at least 30 minutes for me and my oven, though time will vary based on the size of the cubes.

This recipe makes quite a lot — enough for several salads, but I find that it makes a good snack, too, so it never seems to stick around long enough for another salad!

Banh Mi Salad

Cilantro dressing:
big pinch cilantro
small knob ginger
1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1-2 teaspoons soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 medium carrot
1 piece of daikon, roughly carrot-sized
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 cup five spice tofu
2 cups salad greens of choice

Slice carrot and daikon into strips. A julienne peeler, mandoline, or spiralizer makes quicker work out of this, but they are not necessary. Place in a bowl and drizzle with the rice vinegar. Let them sit and “pickle” slightly while you prepare the other ingredients.

Prepare the cilantro and ginger for the dressing by chopping both finely. Or, I prefer to keep my ginger in the freezer and then grate/microplane it — negates the need for peeling, which I like. Combine with sesame oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Sorry about the vague amounts! Sometimes I want a lemony dressing, and sometimes I don’t! I’ll sweeten with honey or agave occasionally, too.

Arrange the carrots, daikon, and tofu on top of washed and spun salad greens. Drizzle the dressing on top immediately before serving.