Sheila's Channa Masala

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Large pot

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans of chickpeas
• Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• 1-2 Jalapenos

STEPS:

1. In a large pot, start with a few teaspoons of oil and heat, and add a bit (like a half tsp) of mustard seeds, a few curry leaves. simmer.
2. Split 1-2 jalapenos in half (depending how spicy you want it) and clean out seeds. add to the simmer. keep it simmering on medium heat for about one minute.
3. Lightly fry it. it can burn fast so it's like just on the heat for 30 sec to a minute max
4. Add in crushed/chopped/food processed tomatoes (blending them is easiest)
5. Add in cans of strained chickpeas
   
6. Let it sit on the heat for 15 minutes, salt to taste (at least a teaspoon)
7. Enjoy with naan or over rice

Co Mai's Soy-Sauce Baked Tofu

Prep time: 20 minutes (+ 6 hours inactive prep time)
Cook time: 3 hours

YOU WILL NEED:

• Baking pan
• Saran wrap

INGREDIENTS:

• Medium firm or firm tofu
• 2/3 cup light sodium soy sauce
• 2/3 cup cooking oil (olive oil is best)
• 1 dash of five star powder
• 1 tsp seasoning mushroom
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

STEPS:

1. Blanch tofu for 1 minute and drain. (Blanching = plunge into boiling water, remove after a short time interval, and plunge into iced water or placed under cold running water to halt the cooking process)
2. Slice and layer on bottom of baking pan.
3. Mix soy sauce, oil, five star, mushroom, water, and pepper.
4. Pour water mixture over the tofu and allow it to soak at least 6 hours in the fridge. Cover it with saran wrap. The longer you allow it to soak, the better. Make sure the tofu is submerged or keep basting.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the tofu until all the liquid has evaporated. Keep flipping the tofu so that it does not harden or yellow. Make sure both sides are even. (about 3 hours)

The Chewy

From Alton Brown

Makes 2 dozen cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes (+ 1 hour inactive prep time)
Cook time: 30 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Large mixing bowl
• 2 quart saucepan
• Standing mixer
• Paper plate
• Sifter
• Cookie sheets
• Parchment paper

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 12 ounces bread flour (2 1/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 ounces granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• 8 ounces light brown sugar (1 1/14 cup)
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 ounce whole milk (2 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

STEPS:

1. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda onto a paper plate. Pour the butter into your stand mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the whole egg, the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup. Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add the egg mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Using the paper plate as a slide, gradually integrate the dry ingredients, stopping a couple of times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once the flour is worked in, drop the speed to "stir" and add the chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and place racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven.
6. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-ounce portions onto parchment lined half sheet pans, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake 2 sheets at a time for 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven, slide the parchment with the cookies onto a cooking rack and wait at least 5 minutes before devouring.

Homemade Dill Pickles

From the Kosher Pickle Factory

Makes 1-2 servings (3-4 pickles)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 days

YOU WILL NEED:

• Deli container or other tall container

INGREDIENTS:

• Water
• 2 oz kosher salt
• 2 oz pickling spices (you can get these at any supermarket)
• 3 cloves peeled garlic
• 3-4 Persian cucumbers
• Sprig of dill

STEPS:

1. Fill 16 oz water in a deli container or other tall container.
2. Add 2 oz kosher salt and swirl to dissolve.
3. Add 2 oz pickling spices. (Include only one hot pepper maximum)
4. Add 3 cloves of peeled garlic to the water and swirl.
5. Add 3-4 Persion cucumbers.
6. Put a sprig of dill on top.
7. Leave out uncapped for 24 hours in rom temperature. Check to see if it is pickled enough. If not, leave out for another 1-2 days. If you will be gone, put the container into the fridge uncapped to stall pickling. Will last up to two weeks.

Tiffany and Vickie’s Tiramisu

Courtesy of Roberto and his Mama from Rome

Makes 10-12 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: none

Note: 1 kg is about 35 oz

YOU WILL NEED:

• A hand mixer
• A cake or brownie pan with tall walls
• Sifter, optional

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kg Marscapone cheese
• 10 fresh eggs (1 egg per 100 g of Marscapone)
• 10 tsp sugar (1 tsp sugar 100 g of Marscapone)
• ~ 2 packages ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian)
• Espresso or fresh brewed coffee (enough to soak the ladyfingers)
• Cocoa powder
• Brandy or cognac, optional

STEPS:

1. Make the coffee and pour it out on a flat plate for dipping. Let the coffee cool. If the coffee is hot, the ladyfingers fall apart once dipped.
2. Separate the egg yolks and whites into large bowls.
3. Add the sugar to the yolks and beat until white and you cannot feel the sugar granules anymore. Look for bubbles.
4. Beat the whites in a separate bowl until whipped.
5. Pour the Marscapone cheese into the yolks and mix well with the beater.
6. Add in the foam of the egg whites slowly, mixing regularly.
7. Dip the ladyfingers quickly into the coffee (both sides) and lay into the pan. Make sure there are no spaces between the ladyfingers and between the ladyfingers and the walls (so the cream does not fall through).
8. Cover the first layer of ladyfingers with the cream mixture and smooth evenly.
9. Add another layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers on top of the cream.
10. Add a second layer of cream.
11. Use a sifter and sift the cocoa powder on the top of the second layer of cream. Cover completely.
12. Place in the fridge overnight for 24 hours. Best after 2 days. Goes bad after 4 days. Buon appetito!

Vickie’s Chicken Enchiladas

From the SwayLaw Kitchen

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• Oven-safe glass dish
• Oven

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 24 tortillas (corn)
• 1 large jug of Pace Picante salsa
• 2 lbs shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend)
• Optional 2 red onions

STEPS:

1. Cut chicken breasts into small pieces. Cook chicken in olive oil under done, add 1 cup Pace Picante sauce per 2 chicken breasts.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from stove.
3. Cut onions into small pieces and combine with cooked chicken.
4. Set up assembly line with chicken, shredded cheese and a cup of picante sauce.
5. In a glass dish or pie plate place tortilla, add about 1/4 cup cheese, a few pieces of cooked chicken and 2 tablespoons Pace Picante saue (either from the cooked chicken pan or from your cup of sauce). Roll tortilla and place toward end of dish (you might need to put a spoon on top of it so it will stay rolled and if the tortilla cracks don't worry as we will fix it later). Continue until dish is filled.
6. Spread shredded cheese on top to cover tortillas with light layer or more if you like lots of cheese
7. Drizzle about 1 cup (or to taste) of picante sauce on top (here is where you can cover or repair the cracked tortillas, just use sauce and cheese)
8. Take a little of the sauce left from the chicken pan and put around the sides of the tortillas where there are spaces if they seem dry: the spaces near the sides of the glass.
9. Cook in pre-heated oven 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until cheese melted (you have to experiment with how you like them, but I usually cook refrigerated ones for 30 minutes and freshly made ones for 20 or 25 minutes.

   

Co Mai’s Cai Lan Xao

Sautéed Chinese Broccoli

Makes 3-4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• One bunch (~ 1 lb) of Chinese broccoli
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 slices of ginger, julienned
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 3 drops of vodka

STEPS:

1. Cut the Chinese broccoli pieces in half and wash all the pieces
2. Boil a pot of water and put the stems in first. After 1 minute, add the rest of the leafy parts. When the water begins to boil again, remove it and drain until cold water.
3. Put everything in a large bowl of ice water for 2-3 minutes, remove, and let dry.
4. Put the oil in a large sauté pan and add the ginger.
5. Add the Chinese broccoli and stir-fry with the oyster sauce and vodka for 1-2 minutes.

Tiffany’s Kahlua Cake

Makes 1-2 cakes (see the cake box)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30-40 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

• A cake pan

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box instant yellow cake mix
• 1 cup oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup Kahlua
• 4 eggs
• 1 small instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 package buttercream frosting
• Butter, for the pan

STEPS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F
2. Mix the cake, oil, water, Kahlua, eggs, and vanilla pudding mix together until uniformly mixed
3. Butter a bundt/breadpan/other container and pour the batter in.
4. Cook in oven on middle/upper rack for 30 mins, then 5 minute increments.
5. Check with toothpick to see if it’s done. It shouldn't jiggle that much when it's done.
6. When it's cooked, take out the pan and put it in a water bath to shrink the cake. Fill sink with water and plug. Put the hot pan with cake into the sink floating so the cake doesn't get wet.
7. Use a knife/spatula to push the cake sides away from the pan.
8. Flip the cake upside-down onto a plate (works especially well for a bundt).
9. Scoop up 3 big spoons of frosting into a ziplock bag and microwave for 10 seconds at a time, until melted.
10. Keeping the top zipped, cut off bottom corner of the ziplock bag and use that to drizzle melted frosting onto the cake in a pattern. Make sure to cover the sides. Top with berries or any other toppings if desired.
11. Slice and enjoy.

   

Bac Thoa’s Thit Kho

Braised Pork with Eggs

Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2-4 hours

YOU WILL NEED:

• A large pot
• A colander

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 pounds of boneless pork leg skin on (dui sau co da khong xuong)
• ~10-12 eggs
• Ginger, optional
• 2-3 cans Coco Rico
• Nuoc mau dua (coconut thin sauce), ~1-2 tsp, for color
• Salt, 1-2 large tsp or to taste

STEPS:

1. Cut the pork into 3-finger sized pieces. You should end up with about 10-12 pieces.
2. Put all the pork and the eggs into the large pot and fill with cold water. Everything should be submerged in the water.
3. Throw a few slices of ginger in the pot to remove the pork smell.
4. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the eggs are hardboiled.
5. Wash the pork very well and peel all the hardboiled eggs.
6. Remove the ginger and wash the pot very well.
7. Put the eggs and pork back into the clean pot with the eggs on the bottom.
8. Put on the stove on high and add the nuoc mau dua, salt, and Coco Rico. You should have enough broth to just barely cover all of the contents. If not, add water or more Coco Rico until all the pork is covered.
9. When boiling, skim the fat off the top of the broth and turn the stove to low-medium for 2-4 hours with the lid on.

   

Bac Thoa’s Ca Kho

Catfish in a Clay Pot

Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2-4 hours

YOU WILL NEED:

• Claypot

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium catfish (about 3 lbs each)
• Ginger, julienned
• 2 cans Coco Rico
• Nuoc mau dua (coconut thin sauce), ~1-2 tsp, for color
• Salt, 1 large tsp or to taste
• Whole black pepper, 1 tsp

STEPS:

1. Cut catfish width-wise into ~1.5 inch thick pieces
2. Remove the head and the tail (save for Canh Chua)
3. Wash the fish pieces very well with hot water, optionally with a little white vinegar
4. After cleaning, put a little bit of oil in the bottom of the clay pot and cover the bottom of the pot with the julienned ginger
5. Layer the fish on top of the ginger
6. Put on the stove on high and add the nuoc mau dua, salt, pepper, and Coco Rico. You should have enough broth to just barely cover all of the fish.
7. When boiling, skim the fat off the top of the broth and turn the stove to low-medium for 2-4 hours.
8. Toward the end, remove the lid off the clay pot to condense the broth further.