Wonton folding 元宝馄饨

You will find out how interesting to fold wonton with different stuffing. The stuffing I use is the most simple style and you can be creative, shrimp+corn, chicken+mushroom, mushroom+chinese cabbage ...
There are also so many different folding way, but this one is my favorite : looks like a shoe-shaped gold ingot!
包馄饨其实特别有意思，不同的馅儿随意添加，想怎么吃就怎么吃。当然啦，大部分的中国同胞都知道怎么包馄饨，下面的步骤和食材我就不啰嗦再写中文了，大家凭着吃货的直觉看图就会啦。馅儿是可以创新的，我包的就是最简单的猪肉小白菜馅，你可以试试虾仁玉米，香菇鸡肉，或者素食的香菇白菜也不错。馄饨的包法很多，我最喜欢的就是下面这种：像元宝啊！

Ingredients:
2 cups Pak choi (or cabbage, or any other green vegetable) chopped finely, 1.5 cup ground pork, 1tsp sesame oil, 1tsp salt, 1/8 ground white pepper, 1/4 ground black pepper, 1.5 tsp ground ginger paste, 1tbsp cooking wine, 1.5 tsp starch, thin wonton wraps (sefeway, salad dressing and tofu section)

Instructions:
1: In a big bowl add pork, pak choi, salt, sesame oil, white pepper, black pepper, ginger, cooking wine and starch mixing very very well.

2: Prepare a big pan dusted with flour and a small bowl of water. Use chopsticks or spoon wrapping wonton like the pictures shows. Tip some water on the corner of the wrapper where the chopsticks top stops in the pictures to make sure the wrapper sticks together well. Place Wonton in the pan with flour.

3: Boil wonton in water or chicken broth, serve with spring onion, salt, ground white peppercorn.
Tips: If you make too much, then freeze wonton in a pan for 10 minutes before removed to a Ziplock bag so that the frozen wonton won't be sticky together and still keep the perfect shape.

Fish soup with mushroom and yam 山药鲜鱼汤

  2013 is a snake year on Chinese calendar. Wish you all have a wonderful happy snake year! And I'm sorry for not updating for 2 weeks. I will make it up with better cooking receipts in the rest of the year, healthier, more testy, fresh cooking receipts for all of you.
  Based on the Chinese herb medical books, Chinese yam is a very useful food. Good for lungs and stomach. There are so many ways to make yummy yam and cook in a soup is one of it. In this soup, Chinese red dates, gouqi berry and dragon eyes are all optional.
 2013是中国的蛇年，在这里祝大家蛇年大吉。这两个星期都没有更新，实在是太抱歉啦。不过在接下来的一年里我会带给大家更多健康美味的烹饪构思当作补偿咯。山药在食疗中真的是大将一枚，滋阴润肺，健脾。山药的美味烹饪法太多了，煮烫就是其中一种。这款汤中的红枣，枸杞和龙眼肉都是可选食材，没有也不是太大问题。

Ingredients:  1.5 lb fish (with bones and skin) lean well, 6 mushroom sliced, 1 tomato diced, a little bit cilantro, 2 tbsp chopped spring onion, 4 small Chinese red dates, 2 dried dragon eyes ( fresh is better) or 2 fresh leechee, 10-15 Gouqi berry (optional), salt, ground white pepper, 6 slice fresh ginger,  2 cups yam peel and cut into 1 inch chunks (save in water) , 7cups water, 1 tsp whole black peppercorn    

食材：带骨带皮的鱼1条，6个香菇切片，1个西红柿切钉，香菜适量，2汤匙香葱末，4颗小红枣，2颗干龙眼肉（新鲜的更好）或2颗荔枝，10－15 枸杞，盐，白胡椒粉，6片生姜，2杯切块山药，7杯水，1茶匙整颗黑胡椒

Instructions 步骤：

1: Clean the fish, put 2 slices of ginger inside of fish. Medium heat heat up 1.5 tsp oil in a pan, add fish to slightly sear both sides. Transfer the fish to a soup bowl when both sides are a little bit brown.

1：鱼清理干净后在肚内放入2片生姜。中火在平底锅内热油，将鱼的两面煎至微黄后再将鱼转移至汤锅中。

2: In the soup bowl add 7 cups of water, whole black pepper, 3 slices of ginger, 1 piece bay leaf. High heat to bring the whole thing to boil then reduce to low heat. Slow cooking for 45mins with the lid 90% partially cover the pot.

2：汤锅中加入7杯水，黑胡椒，3片姜，1片香叶。大火煮开后转小火。加盖只留一条小缝，慢煮45分钟。

3: Add the rest of the ingredients in the pot. Add 1/8 tsp ground white pepper, add salt based on your own taste. Cook for 30mins on low heat with the lid 90% partially cover the pot. Add cilantro right before you turn the stove off.

3：将剩余食材加入锅中。加入1／8茶匙白胡椒末，根据自己口味加入盐。加盖后慢煮30分钟，起锅前加入香菜。

Tips: Yam can be oxidized very easily. The beautiful white color turns to tiny brown very fast after the skin is peeled. So try to peel the skin under a running tap water, and save in a bowl with water cover the whole thing.

窍门：山药极易被氧化，去皮后很短的时间内就会变色。试试在自来水下去皮，切块后立刻泡入水中。

Blog updating notice: Feb 6th to Feb 19th

Dear all,

I won't be able to update my blog from Feb 6th to 19th, but everyday regular updating will be back on Feb 20th.

Thank you.

TT

Healthy pineapple shrimp rice with citrus juice 橙香菠萝虾仁杂粮饭

This is just a such good looking dish, very colorful with different kind of vegetable and pineapple!
这到菜可以满足“颜控”的眼欲，颜色太好看了。各种蔬菜和菠萝搭配，好看又好吃。

Ingredients 食材: 150ml brown rice, 75ml black rice, 75ml pearl barley, 0.8 Lb small bay shrimp, 3 blood oranges, 300g pineapple diced, 14 baby bella mushroom sliced, 3/4 cup green peas, 1 tomato diced, 2tbsp finely chopped ginger, 2tbsp Aji-mirin sweet cooking rice seasoning or cooking wine, sesame oil, 1.5 tsp curry  powder,  ground black pepper, salt, 3 tbsp chopped green onion 1 carrot finely chopped.
150ml 糙米，75ml 黑米，75ml 珍珠薏仁，400g 小虾仁去壳去肠，3个血橙，300g菠萝切丁，14个小蘑菇切片，3／4杯豌豆，1个西红柿切丁，2汤匙碎姜，2汤匙味淋或米酒，芝麻油，1.5茶匙咖喱粉，黑胡椒粉，盐，3汤匙碎香葱，1根胡萝卜切碎。

Instructions 步骤:

1: Marinate shrimp with 2 tbsp Aji-mirin sweet cooking rice seasoning or cooking wine, 1.5 tsp curry powder, a pinch of salt, a pinch of ground black powder, 2 tbsp chopped ginger and 3 blood orange juice. Cover it up and leave it in the fridge for 20mins.

2：腌制虾仁，用2汤匙味淋或米酒，1.5茶匙咖喱粉，1小撮盐，1小撮黑胡椒粉，2汤匙碎姜和3个血橙的鲜榨汁水与虾仁混合，放入冰箱20分钟。

2: Mix 3 kinds of rice and cook the rice in a regular way with a tiny little bit more water. After the rice is done stir it well to let the hot steam go.

2：将3种米混合后，加入比平时稍微多一点点的水，煮饭。饭熟后翻拌一下让蒸汽蒸发。

3: In a large pan heat up 2 tsp sesame oil on medium-high. Add mushroom, tomato, peas, carrots stirring for 1min. In another pan, add all the shrimp with all the marinating juice and spring onion to cook on medium heat for 2mins.

3：大锅中热2茶匙芝麻油。加入蘑菇，西红柿，豌豆，胡萝卜翻炒2分钟。另起锅，倒入虾仁和腌制的汁水，碎葱，中火煮2分钟。

4: Transfer shrimp with all the juice to the vegetable large pan , add pineapple stirring until it's well mixed.  Reduce the heat to low. Add rice and salt ( I add a bit more than 1/2 tsp) into the large pan stirring well for about 1min. Turn the stove off and enjoy.

4：将虾仁连同汁水一起倒进翻炒蔬菜的大锅里，加入菠萝后翻炒均匀。调至小火后，加入米饭和盐（我放入比1／2茶匙多一点点的盐）翻炒1分钟左右。关火开饭。

Coca-cola chicken wings 可乐鸡翅

Very easy to make! And it's even easier to use the "short cut" which is a kind of "sweet soy sauce" (find in Safeway). In the "tips" I will briefly describe how to take the "short cut".
简单易操作！特别是国内的朋友可以直接用“可乐鸡翅”调料，直接用来腌制鸡翅无需使用其它任何调料。或者使用“甜酱油”也能使步骤更简便。当然啦，我们还是要训练基本功，就从传统可乐鸡翅工艺开始吧。

Ingredients 食材:
16 chicken wings (middle), 1 can coca-cola (regular), 1/8 tsp ground aniseed, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cumin, 2.5 or 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp cooking wine, 10 thin slices ginger, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1tsp sesame oil, 1tsp white sesame seeds.
16只鸡中翅，1听可口可乐（原味），1／8茶匙八角粉，1／8茶匙孜然粉，1／8茶匙桂皮粉，1／8茶匙小藿香粉，2.5或3汤匙酱油，2汤匙料酒，10片姜片，1／2茶匙黑胡椒粉，1茶匙芝麻油，1茶匙白芝麻。
Instructions 步骤:
1: Clean all the wings and use fork push into each piece of wing 3 times ( to make little holes for better marinating).
1：鸡翅洗净后用叉子在鸡翅是扎3次，以便腌制时更容易入味。

2: Put all the ingredients (except white sesame) in a big bowl mixing well. Add chicken wings into the ball mixing well. Transfer everything into a big ziplock bag and keep in refrigerator over 10 hours.
2：所有调料（芝麻除外）混合后与鸡翅再混合均匀，按摩几下后密封放入冰箱腌制10小时。

3: Place wings in a baking pan and cover with foil. Preheat oven to 375F.
3：将鸡翅放入烤盘并盖上锡纸，烤箱预热190摄氏度。

4: Bake the wings for 15mins under 375F. Then flip over each piece of wing and brush on some marinade sauce ( from "step 2), Spread some white sesame seeds on top the wings. Bake in the oven for another 15 minutes.
4：鸡翅入烤箱，用190摄氏度烤15分钟后取出翻面，并再次刷上一层腌制鸡翅的调料，将百芝麻少量撒上鸡翅。放入烤箱再烤15分钟。

Tips窍门:
Add some honey in the mixing if you like eating sweet stuff. With this sweet soy sauce itself you can make good wings for "lazy time". Ingredients: 16 wings, 3 sweet soy sauce, 2 cooking wine, white sesame, 1 can coca-cola. Keep the instruction the same.  And here is a picture of "sweet soy sauce"( look in Safeway).
如果喜甜的话，可在腌制时加一点蜂蜜。国内的朋友们可以直接用“可乐鸡翅”调料。或者用“甜酱油”，这时需加入可乐，芝麻和料酒，无需其它香料。

Spinach corn rice 菠菜玉米杂粮饭

This is best rice dish I ever had. I made it last night and everybody loves it! Very healthy, no butter, no cream with only a bit salt and olive oil!  For this dish I use organic black rice, organic pearl barley and brown rice (1:1:2) and this combination is just perfect! Of course you can use any kind of rice or just brown rice depends on what you have. 

这绝对是我吃过的最好吃的饭。昨晚上做了一次大家都超爱。这道米饭非常健康，无奶油，只有少量盐和橄榄油，完全到达我心目中少调料少油多纤维的目标啊！这道饭我用了有机黑米，有机薏米和糙米按照1:1:2来做。当然啦，如果家里只有白米，也是可以只用单一的米。

The pandas are so cute that I have to show one more picture!

Ingredients 食材: 2 bunch spinach, 2 ears corns husks removed, 150ml brown rice, 75ml black rice, 75ml pearl barley, olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp olive oil

2把菠菜，2个玉米，150ml 糙米，75ml 黑米， 75ml薏米，橄榄油，1／4茶匙盐

Instructions 步骤：

1: Mix the 3 kinds of rice and cook it in a regular way by using a little bit more water than usual and also add a couple of drops of olive oil..

1：将3种米混合后煮熟。煮饭时稍微加入比平时多一点的水并且加入两滴橄榄油。

2: Wash the spinach well and tear to smaller pieces. Stand 1 ear corn upright on cut end and carefully slice off kernels in a downward motion, repeat with another ear of corn.

2：菠菜洗净后随便撕成稍小块。将玉米竖起，用刀小心从上部末端将玉米粒刮下。

3: In a large pan heat up 1tsp olive oil on medium-high. Add corn stirring fast for 30 seconds. Add spinach stirring until spinach shrunk. Add salt (my receipt is usually extra light, so go ahead add more salt if you need)

3：在大锅中用中火热1茶匙橄榄油。加入玉米粒迅速翻炒30秒后加入菠菜，直到菠菜炒制缩水后加入盐（我的配方口味一般都偏淡，所以请根据自己的口味随意加盐）。

4: Add the cooked rice to the large pan. Stirring and mixing with low heat for 1min. 

4：将煮熟的饭加入大锅中，用小火翻炒混合1分钟。

Cilantro tofu meat balls 香菜豆腐丸子汤

The following is the basic style. If you like you can add any vegetable in such as carrots, radish, spinach. Be creative, it can be very colorful.

下面的方法是这道菜的基本款，你可以加入胡萝卜，冬瓜，白萝卜，菠菜等等。灵活多变的一道菜。颜色也可以更好看。

Ingredients 食材:
1/2 lb ground beef, 3 inch square Tofu, 1.5 cup finely chopped cilantro, 1tbsp ground ginger paste, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper,  1tsp salt, 2tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce (safeway, Asian food section), 2 tsp sesame oil, 1tbsp starch (I use sweet potato starch),  10 creamy mushroom sliced, 4 cups water, 1/8 tsp ground white pepper.
1／2磅牛肉糜，1盒老豆腐，1.5杯碎香菜，1汤匙姜泥，1／2茶匙黑胡椒粉，1茶匙盐，2汤匙酱油，1汤匙蚝油，2茶匙芝麻油，1汤匙芡粉，10个小香菇或其它蘑菇，4杯水，1／8茶匙白胡椒粉。

Instructions 步骤:
1: Steam the tofu for 2mins. Mash it very well to be tofu paste.
1：先将豆腐隔滚水上蒸2分钟。再压成豆腐泥。

2: Put beef, cilantro, 1/2 tsp salt, oyster sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, black ground pepper, starch, sesame oil and tofu paste into a big bow. Mix all the above very well and make meat balls.
2：在大碗中放入牛肉糜，香菜，1／2茶匙盐，蚝油，1汤匙酱油，黑胡椒粉，芡粉，芝麻油和豆腐泥。混合非常均匀后做成丸子状。

3: In a soup pot boil 4 cups of water. Add mushroom and meat ball when the water boiling. Cover the lid partially until all the meat balls are floating in boiling water then add white pepper and 1/2 tsp salt, 2tbsp soy sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes. (Big meat balls cook longer)
3：汤锅中加入4杯水。水沸腾时加入蘑菇和肉丸并加盖煮。当肉丸浮起至水面时加入白胡椒，1／2茶匙盐，2汤匙酱油。开盖再煮2－3分钟。（肉丸做得大就得煮久点）

Tips 窍门:
The amount of salt and soy sauce in the ingredients is based on my taste, so go ahead adjust the amount for your taste. I also add American ginseng in the soup (Add in with the 4 cups water ).
这道菜的咸度是根据我个人口味做的，亲的要根据自己的口味调试哦。另外我在这道菜里加了美国西洋参，在4杯水加热时便加入。