*Satsuma-imo*

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Ohai! Guess that hiatus was longer than I imagined it to be... Not that I haven't been cooking or eating. I have, and quite a lot.
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Just seems that the way I eat has changed a lot lately. And its been steering into this direction:



Quite healthy? Quite tasty too... Stir-fried tofu, shitake mushrooms, carrots and string beans with peanut, onions and sesame on a bed of raw spinach and lettuce. By now I have learned to make my own kimchi... to the point I think it's time to graduate from the summer version to the real thing.
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It all came together with my farmers market find of the day: purple sweet potatoes or satsuma-imo. Mashed up with a little sesame oil and garlic, it was practically dessert. Pity I only bought a couple of these, along with enormously beautiful mushrooms... if I had only known. True, all the current "talk" about these babies got me craving them... lucky!
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A recipe? Well, it's been a while I don't use one, but I don't mind sharing the lovely sauce I dipped all of this into, based on this one:

1/4 cup water
2 tbspoons soy sauce
sugar to taste
1 tspoon rice vinegar
a few drops sesame oil
leeks or green onions

Simmer the sauce for a few minutes. Serve warm.
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I have big plans for that other sweet potato. Now excuse me, while I get my weekly fix of Pushing Daisies.
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*the super bowl*

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Maybe it's just because its practical. Maybe because it's fast and easy. Perhaps its all due to the ingredients I have at hand at the moment... Fact is I've been eating out of a bowl almost every single day, and loving it.

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Karê ramen with carrots? Check. Stir-fried shallots, snow peas and tofu? Check. Small salad on the side (with romaine lettuce, pickled ginger and peppers)? Check. And an extra spoon of soysauce for flavour.

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Wonder what lunch today will be.

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*a quick fix*

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A healthy meal in under 15 minutes?

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I just defrosted some of the roasted turkey meat and a portion of brown rice, while boiling an egg and chopping some celery, shitake, shimeji and tomatoes.

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Then I heated some sesame seed oil and stir fried the turkey with some tofu, the mushrooms and the rice. Finally, I added some tonkatsu and soy sauce and served it all in a bowl with the celery and tomatoes. And the egg and some pickled ginger, for good measure.

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Sometimes a girl needs it quick and easy.

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*scented*

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The smell of turkey stock simmering on the stove invades the apartment. Although it is time consuming, making a couple liters of stock is providencial and well worth it. Not to mention easy.
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With weather changes like these, an ounce of prevention is worth so much more than just a pound of cure these days.
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Speaking of cure, have you ever had a day when you throughly felt that if you didn't get some really delightful chocolate cake something horrible would happen? Yeah, this is one of those days.
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*Beware of Shark!*

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I mean it! And don't let the Chinese-market-bought platter fool you, there is nothing Asian about this dish. Mid-Eastern? Maybe, this one time, let's not classify flavors.


I finally bought fish at the Farmers Market this week and wanted to make something special for the Mister, as the official Fish-Eater in the house. Unfortunately, a quick griddle did not do the trick for him, as it did for me. He prefers his shark deep-fried. I prefer mine with a mint bite, soft and tender and just a bit edgy. Shark steaks have a firm flesh when raw, but become flaky quite quick over high heat.
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This is the recipe I used for the fish. I changed it a bit as for proportions, but only because I have the biggest loveliest mint bunch from the market right now. As for the sides, I cooked and then sautéed some potatoes with paris mushrooms, and fixed my staple salad of romaine and iceberg lettuce, roma tomato, raw onions and black olives. The dressing, going with the mint theme, was a concoction of chanclich (which I am guessing must be Jibneh Arabieh, but with zatar), mayo, salt, pepper, shredded mint and lime juice. Refrigerated, its now one of my favorite salad dressings of all times. Hell, I'd even eat that pure.
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Maybe the whole meal was too light and refreshing for the cold days we have been having. But its something I would definitely make again. And sorry, but I DO NOT deep-fry.
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In all honesty, cooking lunch is a big deal for me, something I rarely do, specially if I am alone. Usually, I'll just fix myself something like this:

Do you like? Thats organic peanut-butter, made with brown sugar, honey and banana on slightly toasted whole-wheat bread. Good enough to even chase away the rainy clouds. As long as you don't have to go outside, obviously.
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As for tonight, I decided to cook just for myself, as the Mister is not around. Something quick, with the mushrooms I have been craving for days. So what if its Ramen? Its ramen with sautéed shimeji and shitake mushrooms, a grilled chicken sausage, some garlic, lots of red pepper and some cheese. Oh yeah, and a beer, just because its Friday night.
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