Far From Home

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When it comes to cooking, this gives you the breathing room to be creative.

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Just a quick update, I’ve fallen two days behind on my NanoWrimo count because of assignments. Four in four days is not a pleasant sight. I’m not a robot, though I can function on the most miniscule amounts of sleep. Hopefully, I will rally back over the weekend. If you haven’t had a chance to check out my profile on NanoWrimo make sure you do check out my story entitled “An Organized Mess” with my character Beatrice Evans, a feisty female Holden Caulfield who works in an ice cream truck: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/128030

I’d like to add that I am not the most delightful person to be around when I’m sleep deprived. Back to the main topic though, in previous posts I’ve mentioned that my cookie repertoire isn’t very deep, so I cannot wait to try something new over the weekend. TGIF will be so much sweeter when this is all over pumpkin spiced cookies with a hint of frosting and pecans who could ask for more really. How are you guys managing your time at school and other various activities?

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Yesterday, I featured a simple dumpling recipe — a perfect appetizer when you’re in the company of others. Today, I’ll be continuing with this theme and sharing the results of my interpretation of Jamie Oliver’s Black Bean Stirfry. Remember, I’d love to hear your feedback. You can find me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/memorexia.

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The process of making dumplings is one where it’s essential to get your hands dirty. Firstly, the key to making a good dumpling is that the dough needs to be thin so when you bite into it you really taste the delicious filling. To flatten the dough, you can use the palm of your hand in a semi-circle motion or a cleaver on a cutting board. Secondly, don’t be afraid to put hearty amount of filling into your dumpling (so long as it closes you are safe). A general rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of filling per dumpling.

You’ll need a frying pan, a bowl for your dipping sauce, flour or water on hand. For the filling, you’ll need 3/4 lb. of Shrimp, 1/2 lb Ground Pork, 3 Scallions (chopped finely), 2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch, 1 Tablespoon of Rice Wine, Sesame / Canola Oil, 1/2 Cup of Bamboo Shoots, 2 Tablespoons of Light Soy Sauce, Salt. For the sauce, it’s 1:4 ratio of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce to Soy Sauce, 1/4 Teaspoon Sugar, 2 Teaspoons of Sesame Oil, 1/2 Rice Wine Vinegar

*The Holy Trinity of Asian Cooking = Ginger, Scallions, Soy Sauce

Prep: Make sure you wash, dry and de-vein your shrimp before you blitz it in the food processor. To de-vein shrimp, you need to cut two slits down the back of the shrimp in order to remove the black vein. The time you spend cleaning up the gunk now, will pay off later on. All your ingredients are put into a food processor until you get a thick, well-mixed filling that is moist. Likewise, when handling raw meat always remember to wash your hands.

1. Use an eggwash around the edges of the dough, which will act as the glue holding the dumpling together.

2. Bring the opposite sides together and pinch in the middle.

- To make the intricate pleats, start from one side using your pointer finger and your thumb, fold the dough over your nail. Then repeat until you have a total of 6 pleats. Another way to describe this step is rubbing your thumb and pointer finger together like you are opening a garbage bag. Essentially what you want to have by the end is a cresent moon with 6 pleats.

3. Put one lug (1 Tablespoon) of Sesame Oil into a pre-heated pan. You can tell if a pan is preheated right when it begins to smoke. Start putting the dumplings flat side down and away from you to avoid splatter. Fry for a minute then pour 1/4 Cup of Water into the pan and let the dumplings steam for 3 minutes with the lid on and another minute with the lid off.

4. Before serving, cut into a dumpling to ensure that the filling is fully cooked.

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NanoWrimo has begun and writing a cookbook has proved far more challenging then writing a creative novel. Day 1 of NanoWrimo recipes: Potstickers, Apple Latkes, Making the perfect burger, Apple Crumble, Succulent Stirfry (2,664 of 100,000 words). You can follow my progress on Twitter as well as my Profile. Don’t let me fall to the three-month curse, which says most blogs don’t remain active after three months. Help me keep my streak alive by giving me your feedback or suggestions. I would love to hear them. Are there any recipes that you would like to see in the cookbook?

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I think the next thing I want to learn how to make is bread. If you’ve ever seen french or tuscan bread, you’ll understand why they can it artisanal. Sweet to the tongue by itself, but lovely with jam adding an extra oomph to morning breakfast. Have you ever wondered how they create a crisp outer shell and still manage to keep it soft, fluffy inside?

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11 days until NanoWrimo begins and I couldn’t be more excited. Even have my thinking glasses on. The twist? I’m going to be writing a creative novel alongside the cookbook for a grand total of 100,000 words this year. And for proof that I’m actually writing and not taking a month’s break from blogging I’ll be posting the good ones here over the course of November and December. In preparation I’ve read a tower of cookbooks from The Foodie Handbook to John Besh’s My New Orleans (and even some in French). Lastly, if you want to drop me a line of encouragement, which I’m bound to need, send me an e-mail at b3n3v0l3nt@gmail.com

P.S. For the smartypants out there, how many words will I have to write a day to reach 100,000 words by the end of the month?

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I made chili for the first time in a long time and here are some key tips. Chili powder gives chili its remarkable red color. Without the added heat to excite the tongue, your chili will be bland mound of brown. Many of the ingredients that are found in chili are typically the same barring one or two ingredients. I love having mushrooms and corn in mine to make it a little more hearty. Likewise, chili doesn’t have to be a meat lover’s paradise, instead, you can easily turn it into a vegetarian or vegan dish by substituting the meat for garbanzo beans, lentils and tofu/tempeh. On the other hand, sprinkling on freshly grated cheese as well as a garnish of scallions (green onions) also adds great texture and eye-popping color. Lastly, your chili should be soupy not watery. Be aware that the medley of vegetables in addition to your turkey or ground beef needs time to simmer in order to develop its flavor.