Homemade Chorizo Chili

Ingredients

• 2 lb smoked chorizo sausage, sliced
• 1 large onion, finely minced
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cans (15 oz each) red kidney beans or black beans, undrained
• 1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Heat 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Add bell peppers, garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, red pepper and coriander; cook and stir 1 minute.
2. Stir in diced tomatoes, broth, beans and chocolate. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 1 hour.

Spinach Rice

Ingredients

• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 500 g baby spinach leaves, washed and finely chopped
• Bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
• 300 g long-grain rice
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice 1-2 lemons

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and gently cook until softened but not colored. Add the spinach and half the dill. Cook on a high heat, stirring regularly, until the spinach has wilted down and all the liquid has evaporated.
2. Stir in the rice, garam masala, cumin seeds, salt, and add 600 ml water, then bring to the boil. Turn the heat right down again to a very gentle simmer, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 25-30 mins or until the rice has cooked and absorbed all the water. Give it a stir after 15 mins to ensure even cooking, adding a drop more water as required.
3. When the rice is cooked, stir in the remaining dill, season well, squeeze over the lemon juice to taste, and serve.

Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if you don't like heat)
• Zest from one lemon
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any excess fat and cut into large bite-sized pieces (or 2 pounds chicken breasts)
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• Vegetable oil, for greasing the grill

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
2. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating occasionally with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You'll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kebabs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spoon or brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kebabs until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve.

Note: I've specified chicken thighs as opposed to boneless chicken breasts for this recipe because they are more flavorful, and less likely dry out. Additionally, the lemon juice in the marinade will make boneless chicken breasts tougher when cooked.

Katsudon

Ingredients (for 1 serving)

• 50 ml water
• 1/4 tsp. hondashi powder
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. mirin
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1/4 small yellow onion, thickly sliced and slices separated
• 1 Tonkatsu cutlet
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Scallions, sesame seeds, or peas for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a small skillet or wok, mix together the water, hondashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar until combined. Heat over medium-low heat until simmering, then add the onion pieces and cover with a lid. Cook until onion softens, about 2-3 mintues.
2. Add the sliced tonkatsu on top of the onions, and pour the beaten egg over the pork cutlet. Cover and cook again until egg is set, about 1-2 minutes.
3. In a serving bowl big enough in diameter to hold the tonkatsu, add the cooked rice. Pour the tonkatsu-egg mixture over the top of the rice (so that the tonkatsu still stays aligned) and garnish with green onion.
4. Serve immediately.

Tonkatsu

Ingredients (per 1 serving)

• 1 lean pork loin chop (1/2-inch thick)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 egg + 1/2 tsp. oil + 1 Tbsp. water (for egg coating)
• Flour
• 1/3 cup panko crumbs (fresh or "nama" panko preferred, but you can also spray dry panko with water and let sit for 15 minutes)
• Oil for deep frying
• Tonkatsu sauce (optional)
• Shredded cabbage (optional)

Directions

1. Remove extra fat from the pork chop and make a couple of slits on the connective tissue between the meat and fat. This prevents the meat from curling during frying (since meat and fat have different elasticity and therefore expand/shrink at different rates).
2. Pound meat with a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin. You can also use the back of a knife to crisscross the surface of the meat.
3. Season the meat with salt and pepper
4. In a large bowl or plate, whisk together the egg coating ingredients.
5. Dredge the pork chop in flour and remove excess flour.
6. Dip in egg mixture
7. Dredge in the panko crumbs. Remove excess panko, and press the crumbs into the meat so that they stick well.
8. Heat oil in a wok (or enamel-coated Dutch oven or other deep fryer or large pot) over medium high heat and wait until oil reaches 340 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, stick a chopstick in the oil and see if tiny bubbles start to appear around the tip of the chopstick. Alternatively, you can drop one piece of panko into the oil, and if it sinks down to the middle of oil and comes right up, then that’s around 340 as well. When the oil reaches to that temperature, gently lower Tonkatsu into the oil. Keep watching the oil’s temperature and make sure it doesn’t go over 340F or else it will burn.
9. Deep fry the tonkatsu for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. (Fry for more or less time depending on how thick your pork chop is.)
10. Remove tonkatsu from oil and let drain on wire rack (or paper towels) for 4 minutes. Do not cut while it rests, otherwise you will lose the juices. Meanwhile, remove crumbs and clean oil from the fryer with a mesh strainer.
11. Cut the tonkatsu into 6 pieces. Use a large knife and press straight down so the breading is not disturbed. Transfer to a plate and serve with cabbage and sauce immediately.

Notes:

• You can store tonkatsu after it's completely cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven before serving.

Grilled Spicy Pork Belly

Ingredients

• 2 lb. pork belly

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. red pepper flakes 
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce 
• 2 Tbsp. mirin 
• 3 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 3 Tbsp. corn syrup 
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 
• 1 tsp. minced ginger
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil 
• 2 Tbsp/. Minced apple
• Ground pepper

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients above.
2. Marinate pork belly with sauce mixture. Store in a refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. On a grill or a medium-high pan, broil the pork belly until they turn crispy and soaked with sauce completely.
4. When you finish cooking the meat, enjoy with grilled onion and sliced green onion. Don’t forget lettuce to wrap all the goodness!

Potato Bacon Chowder

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb. bacon, diced
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 4 russet potatoes, diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup flour, divided
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup half & half
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels (optional)

Directions

1. In a large pot, saute the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside, but leave 1/4 cup fat in the pot. Add the butter and heat until melted. Saute the onion in the fat until translucent, then add the garlic and saute until fragrant. 
2. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook until slightly softened. Season with salt and pepper, Add the flour and mix in the vegetables to make a roux. 
3. Very slowly add in the broth, a little at a time, so as to mix it into the roux and not create clumps. Simmer soup until potatoes are softened, about 20 minutes.
4. Add the half and half and heat again until simmering. Add the corn and heat through. Serve.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients

• Salt
• 2 large eggs and 2 large yolks, room temperature
• 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated pecorino Romano, plus additional for serving
• 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated Parmesan
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 1/2 ounces of slab guanciale, pancetta or bacon, sliced into pieces about 1/4 inch thick by 1/3 inch square
• 12 ounces spaghetti

Directions

1. Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot water, and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and pecorino and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.
3. Set the water to boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet, if needed. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute or so.
5. Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture. Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated pecorino and pepper.

Vegan Chickpea Sweet Potato Tofu Curry

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 large sweet potato, diced
• 1 (14 oz.) package extra firm tofu, water drained, and diced
• 1 14-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 14-oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup baby spinach, packed
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• lime wedges, for serving
• steamed brown rice, for serving
• chopped cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. In a deep pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the salt, sweet potato, tofu, chickpeas, tomatoes, and coconut milk, and stir to combine.
5. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
6. Add in the spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook until spinach is wilted.
7. Serve over steamed brown rice, and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Bibimbap

Ingredients

• 5 cups cooked short-grain rice
• 12 ounces soy bean sprouts, washed and drained
• 8 ounces of spinach blanched and washed with the excess water squeezed out by hand
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 English cucumber
• 3 to 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ pound fresh lean cut of beef (filet mignon, flank steak)
• 4 ounces fernbrake (gosari), fresh or soaked from ½ ounce dried gosari (details below)
• 1 ounce dried bellflower roots (doraji), soaked in cold water for 18 to 24 hours.
• 4 eggs
• salt
• vegetable oil
• sesame oil
• sesame seeds
• garlic
• soy sauce
• honey (or sugar)
• Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)

Directions

1. Prepare dried fernbrake (gosari) for use: If you have presoaked or fresh fernbrake you can use it straight away, but if you have dried fernbrake you’ll need to get it ready to eat. It’s fast if you have a pressure cooker, but if you don’t it will take some time.
• With a pressure cooker: Wash ½ ounce of dried gosari and boil it with 5 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water a couple of times. Drain. It should make 4 ounces.
• In a pot on the stove: In a large saucepan add ½ ounce of dried gosari to 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 30 minutes. Cover and let stand until cool, about 2 to 3 hours. Rinse the fernbrake a couple of times, drain and put in a bowl. Cover with fresh cold water and let soak for at least 8 hours or overnight in a cool place, changing the water 2 or 3 times during the soaking. Taste the gosari: It should be soft. If it’s tough, boil it again in a fresh pot of water for about 20 minutes and then let it sit, covered, until soft. Drain. It should make 4 ounces.
2. Make rice: Rinse 2 cups of rice in cold water and scrub the wet rice with your hand. Rinse and drain until the drained water is pretty clear. Put the rice in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add 2 cups of water, cover, and soak for 30 minutes. Cook over medium high heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the surface is covered with abundant bubbles that are spluttering noisily and look like they’re about to overflow the pot. Turn the rice over a few times with a spoon and cover the pot again. Turn the heat to very low and simmer for another 10 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy. Remove from the heat. Fluff the rice with a spoon to release excess steam. Let the rice stand, covered, at room temperature to keep it warm.
3. Prepare and cook the ingredients for bibimbap;
• Soybean sprouts: Put the soy bean sprouts in a pot and add 4 cups water and 2 or 3 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat. Take out the sprouts with tongs and put them into a bowl, leaving about ½ cup of sprouts in the pot with the water you used to boil them. This is the soup to serve with bibimbap later. In a bowl, mix the sprouts by hand with ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Put them on the large platter.
• Spinach: Cut up the blanched spinach a few times and put it in a bowl. Mix by hand with 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Cover and put it next to the soy bean sprouts on the platter.
4. Other fresh vegetables:
• Cut the carrot into matchsticks, put them in a bowl, and mix with a pinch of salt. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until sweating.
• Cut the zucchini into matchsticks and mix with ½ teaspoon salt.
• Cut the cucumber into halves lengthwise and slice thinly crosswise. Mix with ¼ teaspoon salt.
5. Beef: Cut the beef into matchsticks and put them in a bowl. Mix with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds with a spoon. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
6. Mountain vegetables: Cut the fernbrake (gosari) a few times into bite size pieces. Set aside. Put the bellflower roots (doraji) in a large bowl. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons salt. Rub for a minute to wilt slightly and release some of the bitterness. Rinse them in cold water a couple of times and drain. If you find some roots are too thick, split them lengthwise. Set aside.
7. Let’s cook!
• Heat up a pan over medium high heat. Squeeze out excess water from the carrot. Add a few drops of cooking oil to the pan and sauté the carrot for 1 minute. Put it on the platter next to the soy bean sprouts and spinach. Clean the pan with wet paper towel or wash it.
• Heat a few drops of cooking oil in the pan and squeeze out the excess water from the cucumber. Sauté with ½ teaspoon minced garlic and a few drops of sesame oil for 30 seconds. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan with a few drops of cooking oil. Add the red bell pepper and sprinkle a pinch of salt over top. Sauté for 30 seconds. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan and squeeze out excess water from the zucchini. Add a few drops of cooking oil and sauté with 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, a drop of sesame oil for 1 minute until slightly softened. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan with a few drops of cooking oil. Add the bellflower roots and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium so as not to brown them. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and a drop of sesame oil. Stir for another minute until a little softened. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan. Add a few drops of cooking oil. Stir the gosari for 2 minutes until a little softened. Add ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons sugar, and keep stirring for another minute. Put it on the platter.
8. Serve: Here are a couple of ways to serve: bibimbap in a regular, shallow bowl, and dolsot-bibimbap in a stone or earthenware bowl.
• In a regular, shallow bowl: Reheat the soybean sprout soup. Divide the cooked rice into 4 portions. Each portion will be a little more than 1 cup of rice. Put the rice in each of 4 bowls and arrange the vegetables and beef on the rice. Top with the egg yolk and gochujang. If you prefer your eggs and beef cooked, make sunny side up eggs and slightly pan-fry the beef before putting them on the top of rice. Sprinkle the bibimbap with the sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil to taste. Ladle the soup to a small bowl and sprinkle some chopped green onion over top. Serve right away with more hot pepper paste on the side.
• Dolsot-bibimbap in an earthenware bowl (ttukbaegi) or stone pot (dolsot): Reheat the soybean sprout soup. Put a few drops of sesame oil in the bottom of each of 4 earthenware bowls. They should be big enough to hold 4 to 6 cups each. Divide the rice among the bowls. Arrange the vegetables and beef on the rice. Top each serving with an egg yolk and 1 tablespoon gochujang. If you prefer your eggs and beef cooked, make sunny side up eggs and slightly pan-fry the beef before putting them on the top of rice. Set each pot on a burner. Heat over medium high heat until you hear a ticking, crackling sound coming from the rice. Sprinkle the bibimbap with the sesame seeds, drizzle with sesame oil to taste. Ladle the soup to a small bowl and sprinkle some chopped green onion over top. Serve right away with more hot pepper paste on the side.
9. Eat: Gently but firmly mix everything together in the bowl with your spoon. Try not to crush the more delicate ingredients. Eat with your spoon.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken stock (NOT low-sodium)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in hot butter until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, carrots, and the celery. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Set aside.
2. Whisk 1/4 cup melted butter and flour together in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until flour loses it's granular texture, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if necessary to keep the flour from burning, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Gradually pour milk into flour mixture while whisking constantly. Stir chicken stock into milk mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until flour taste is gone and mixture is thickened. Add broccoli, carrots, sauteed onion, and celery; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir cheddar cheese into vegetable mixture until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Shepard's Pie

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
4. Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Jjajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce)

Ingredients

• 2-3 servings of jjajangmyeon noodles (boil and drain according to package instructions just before serving)
• 1/2 pound pork belly, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups’ worth) 
• 1 cup Korean radish (or daikon), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup’s worth) 
• 1 cup zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
• 1 cup potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
• 1 1/2 cups onion chunks 
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1/4 cup and 1 Tablespoon black bean paste (chunjang)
• 2 Tablespoons of potato starch powder (or cornstarch), combined with 1/4 cup water and 1 Tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl, set aside 
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 
• 1/2 cup cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks for garnish 
• *Water for boiling the noodles 

Directions 

1. Make the jjajang sauce: Stir-fry the pork belly in a large, deep wok with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil for about 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
2. Pour out the excess pork fat. 
3. Add radish and stir fry for 1 minute. 
4. Add potato, onion, and zucchini and keep stirring for about 3 minutes until the potato looks a little translucent. 
5. Clear a space in the center of the wok by pushing the ingredients to the edges. 
6. Add 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil to the center of the wok, then add 1/4 cup of black bean paste and stir it with a wooden spoon for 1 minute to fry it. Then mix everything in the wok and keep stirring.
7. Add 2 cups of water to the wok and let it cook with the lid closed for about 10 minutes. 
8. Open the lid and taste a sample of the radish and potato. If they’re fully cooked, stir in the starch water little by little. Keep stirring until it’s well mixed and thick.
9. Add the sesame oil and remove from the heat.
10. Serve with noodles (jjajangmyeon) or steamed rice (jjajangbap). 

Make jjajangmyeon: (Noodles for jjajangmyeon can be found at Korean grocery stores. The noodles are thick and chewy.) 

1. Boil and drain the noodles. Rinse and strain in cold water. 
2. Put one serving of noodles onto a serving plate and add the jjajang sauce over top. Garnish with cucumber strips and serve immediately with kimchi or yellow pickled radish. 

Make jjajangbap (Rice in Black Bean Sauce)

1. Make one serving of rice, and add the jjajang sauce over top.
2. Garnish with cucumber strips on top of the jjajang sauce and serve it with kimchi or yellow pickled radish.

Okonomiyaki (Kansai-Style)

Ingredients

• 8 cups cabbage (about half a large cabbage), finely diced
• 1 cup squid, shrimp, or other ingredients (optional), chopped into small pieces
• Oil
• 1/2 lb sliced pork belly or bacon, cut into 3 inch pieces

Okonomiyaki Batter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2-3 inch Nagaimo/Yamaimo, grated (or 4 Tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch with 4 Tablespoons water)
• 3/4 cup dashi, or 3/4 cup water with 1 tsp. Hondashi powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup tempura scraps
• 1/4 cup pickled red ginger (Kizami Beni Shoga)

Toppings

• Okonomi sauce
• Mayonnaise (preferably squirt-able)
• Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
• Dried greem seaweed powder (Aonori)
• Green onions, finely chopped
• Pickled red ginger (Kizami Beni Shoga) for garnish

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
2. Grate Nagaimo in the bowl and add dashi stock.
3. Whisk well and keep in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, remove the core of the cabbage and finely dice the cabbage (finer the better).
5. Take out the batter from the fridge and prepare the rest of ingredients on the kitchen counter.
6. In the bowl, add eggs, tempura scraps, and pickled ginger, and mix well. Then add squid or other ingredients and mix again.
7. Stir in the cabbage.
8. In a non-stick frying pan heat oil on medium to medium high heat. Scoop one ladle of batter and place on the pan. Do not flatten the mixture because it will easily break when you turn it over.
9. Place 2-3 sliced pork belly or bacon on top of Okonomiyaki and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
10. When the bottom side is nicely browned, turn it over and cook, covered, for another 5 minutes.
11. Turn over one more time and cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
12. To serve: Apply Okonomi Sauce and mayonnaise, and sprinkle katsuobushi. You can also put dried green seaweed, green onions and pickled red ginger on top for garnish.

Notes

• Okonomiyaki freezes well. Once it cools down (no toppings or sauce), wrap each okonomiyaki in aluminum foil and put it in a Ziploc bag. When you want to eat it, defrost first and put it in a toaster oven to warm it up.

Crispy Baked Peanut Tofu

Ingredients

• 12-16 ounces extra firm tofu

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce 
• 3 1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. peanut butter

Veggies (optional):

• Broccoli
• Baby bok choy
• Green onion

Directions

1. Begin by draining tofu for 1 1/2 hours before you want your meal ready.
2. Roll tofu in an absorbent towel several times and then place something heavy on top to press for 15 minutes.
3. Near the end of draining, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and cube tofu. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 25 minutes to dry/firm the tofu. Once baked, remove from oven and let cool.
4. Prepare sauce by whisking together ingredients until combined. Taste and adjust flavor as needed.
5. Add cooled tofu to the sauce and stir to coat. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes to saturate the tofu and infuse the flavor.
6. Prepare any veggies you want to add to the dish (optional).
7. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, and if adding any veggies to your dish, cook them now in a bit of sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce. Remove from pan and set aside and cover to keep warm.
8. Use a slotted spoon to spoon tofu into the preheated pan. Add a few spoonfuls of the sauce to coat. Cook, stirring frequently for a few minutes until browned. It will stick to the pan a bit, so don't worry. Remove from pan and set aside and cover to keep warm.
9. Rinse your pan under very hot water water and scrape away any residue. 
10. Serve veggies and tofu with any leftover sauce. Leftovers reheat well and will keep covered in the fridge for up to a couple days.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 lb. pork roast (shoulder or butt), rinsed and patted dry
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar, packed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 18 oz. your favorite barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Directions

1. Place the pork roast in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH setting until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 5 to 6 hours or on LOW setting for 11 to 13 hours. (Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker.) 
2. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard cooking liquid and return pork to slow cooker. Stir in lemon juice, brown sugar, onion, and barbecue sauce and continue to cook on HIGH for 1 hour or LOW for 2 hours.
3. Serve over hamburger buns.

Tteokbokki (Ramen version)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• Small onion, chopped into large chunks
• 2 scallions
• 1 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean pepper paste)
• Pinch red pepper powder or gochugaru
• 1 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• Dehydrated vegetables
• 1/2 ramen seasoning packet
• 1 (4.2 oz) package ramen noodles
• 2 boiled eggs

Directions

1. Put the water and the onion in a small wok and cook until water begins boiling. Add scallions, gochujang, red pepper powder, corn syrup, soy sauce, dehydrated vegetables and the seasoning from the ramen packet. Stir until fully mixed. Add ramen noodles and cook until noodles are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add boiled egg and serve.
2. Serves 2.

Easy Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 1 can (12 oz.) cola
• 1 bottle (10 oz.) chili sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 1/2 lb. boneless beef chuck roast

Directions

1. Combine cola, chili sauce and garlic in slow cooker. Add beef, and turn to coat. Cover; cook on LOW heat of slow cooker 6 to 8 hours. Serve with sauce.

Chicken and Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas and carrots
• 1 recipe Biscuits (or refrigerated biscuit dough)

Directions

1. Place chicken pieces in slow cooker. Pour soups over chicken. Season with thyme, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover; cook on LOW heat of slow cooker for 4 hours or until the chicken is tender and no longer pink the center.
2. Stir in frozen vegetables. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer until vegetables are heated through.
3. Bake biscuits accordingly. Spoon chicken and vegetable mixture over biscuits and serve.

Chorizo Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
• 8 ounces raw chorizo sausage
• 1 can (16 oz.) chili beans in chili sauce
• 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place beef and chorizo in slow cooker. Break up with fork to form small chunks.
2. Stir in beans and tomatoes and juice. Cover; cook on LOW heat of slow cooker for 7 hours. Skim off and discard excess fat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.