Lemon Cake

Desserts are what the people Westerners think about after a meal. They think about ice cream, pies, and, of course, cakes. There are so many choices for cakes, and it is hard to choose one or to make one to treat guests. Also, if you are living by yourself and having a couple of good friends stop by for afternoon tea or a light lunch, the dessert choices are even harder to make. Some people might think that it is best to buy one of the fine selections available from the grocery or a baker. However, if you are one of the people who love to treat your friends with your baking skills, then this is for you. This is another one of my series of small examples of baking, and it is extremely easy. If I can do it, then you can also.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

2 eggs at room temperature

1/2 cup soft butter at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk at room temperature

2 tbs vegetable oil

Zest and juice of one lemon ( about one tbsp of juice)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Supplies:

One 8” x 3” loaf pan

Parchment paper 

Directions:

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the cake pan. You can use a small amount of soft butter to grease the cake pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, and butter. You can use a whisk to beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, or you can use a hand-held beater, if available. This will make it easier to perform this task.

Add one egg at the time and beat well.

Add milk, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat well.

Add flour and beat to combine. Do not over beat the batter. You now can use a spatula to fold the flour with the egg-butter mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake in a preheated oven set to 350° for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

This cake can be served warm or cold with a scoop of ice cream. You can also sprinkle some powdered sugar on it before serving.

Tip:

If you do not have self-rising flour, you can add 1 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt to the flour.

Easy Vegan Beans Soup

 In the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the grocery stores did not allow customers to stroll between the aisles freely. Social distancing and food supplies were also inadequate. People tended to choose foods that could be stored for a long time, such as canned beans, tomatoes, or ready-made pasta sauces. This is a difficult time we are facing now. It does not mean that we have to stop living.  I will now introduce to you a special recipe to make a quick pot of soup using easy to find ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen. With a little imagination, this soup can be served for your family to Enjoy. I believe that every chef always has a creative sense when looking at available ingredients instead of having to search for ingredients that are hard to find especially during this period.

Ingredients:

1 can pasta sauce (any kind)

1 can black beans, washed and drained

1 cup frozen corn 

6 cups of vegetable broth or water

2 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 cup chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp of salt, cumin, and paprika

1 tsp of dried oregano and basil

2 tbs olive oil

Directions:

In a medium pot over medium heat, add oil, minced garlic cloves, onions, cumin, paprika, oregano, and basil. Cook for a few minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes, pasta sauce, and water. Bing to boil.

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d beans and corn. Bring back to boil and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. At this point, you can add 1 tbs sugar to balance the acidity in the soup because of the tomatoes. Cook for ten minutes and the soup is ready to serve.

Tips: if you have corn chips , break some of them on top of the soup, 

If you have fresh avocado, slice a few pieces on top.

Because I am Vietnamese, I like to pour this soup over a bowl of rice.

Thinking differently

 Thinking backwards and doing things differently is a way of life  that you can practice to hold the key to your happiness. That is, when others rush, we can still slow down; other people run after material things, we can live simply. When others may become malicious, let us remain compassionate. When people like to brag, we remain humble. Just like coffee can still be drunk with salt, bread can still be seasoned with fish sauce. There is no law of life that prevents us from being who we are.

In the book "Think Back and Be Different", the author tells a story that before the Mexican Olympics in 1968, the traditional jump of the crossbar jumper is the parallel body leaning toward the bar. But a little-known athlete has set a world record with the bar at 2.2415 meters, instead of facing down, he turned his back to the crossbar. He is Dick Fosbury, and his jump method is known to many as the "Fosbury Flop". He jumped higher than any previous athlete by thinking the opposite of everyone.”

Slowing down is the best way to stay happy and balance your energy. Meditating for 10 to 15 minutes a day will give you a sense of slowing down. Your quality of life will improve, you will feel relaxed when working, so your work also will be effective. This is also known as "Communication of mind and body".

Slow living helps us think of bigger things. Life’s goals and plans are also clearer. Focus more on what we want to do and live our lives for the same reason – to be more meaningful.

We often work continuously without taking time to consider what is right for us. Also, decisions in life sometimes do not come from one's own consciousness but are made as a default, or what people tell them to, easily leading to fatigue and inefficiency. It is not always easy to make decisions and go against the majority. It is easy to get frustrated when we are not understood, and tired of having to repeatedly explain our views and actions.

When life slows down like that, people's thinking changes, material needs also decrease, and we suddenly realize that we can focus on the things we love. It is important that we analyze what needs to be added and what to remove. Taking a moment to assess everyone's life circumstances is the best way to be sure we'll live a life with less uncertainty in the future.

Coincidentally in a "status" on Facebook, there is a sample story like this: A man lived without money for seven years in Western society, wrote books, and became famous. You can also do it if you know how to get rid of unnecessary things, such as luxury items. This is the beginning of the spirit of simplicity. You will probably have a few friends who comment negatively on your change. However, do the opposite because this is an act that inspires you to hold the key to happiness in your hands instead of giving it to someone else..

Around the world, "the less is more trend" has been adopted by many people and businesses. At the end of 2014, an article in USA Today said that restaurant chains around the world are reducing the number of dishes instead of expanding the menu to compete as before. In the unstable economic situation and the changing consumption habits of customers in the United States, cutting down on the number of dishes on the menu seems impossible, but it has become a new trend. The explanation is simple: less often than more, due to the increased quality of food, faster service and more hot dishes, attracts many diners. This is also the reason why a series of restaurant chains boldly cut their menus without worrying about customer reactions, such as the restaurant chain IHOP reducing the menu from 200 dishes to 170 dishes, the BJ restaurant chain only having 150 dishes. compared to 181 dishes before, or the Tony Roma's restaurant chain drastically cut 92 dishes on the menu down to 60 dishes.

The philosophy of “less is more” is spreading more and more widely in the restaurant industry. The vice president of market research firm Technomic, Mr. Darren Tristano, said that giving too many options will make it difficult for customers to make a decision as well as create a special memory about the restaurant.

Besides slowing down, minimizing material needs, many people are also aiming to create peace of mind. The first step is that you have to participate in charity work. Depending on your finances and skill level, you can contribute to charity programs. Going to the places of the victims of accidents or poverty, you will be grateful for what you have. In Buddhism, this is called the seed of compassion in your mind that is slowly growing .

Life can be simpler than we often imagine it to be. We should support a life without too many material things, ignore the focus on unconscious material expenditures, pay attention to connect with others, and participate in meaningful activities with the community. Most important is being aware of the decisions that affect our lives. To get on the path we've chosen, we need to make sure we're directing enough energy and attention to our priorities, as well as crossing out the things that don't keep us on that path.

Don't follow the path of the majority. It will make you very tired. Be yourself. Think differently, do differently, and take a different path to achieve the success and happiness you desire.

Chili Vegan Ramen Bowl

A lazy meal usually happens when the weekend comes and one does not go out to eat nor have friends visit. For that, a simple meal is a soup, and this recipe is for a kind of spicy soup that Japanese or Korean people often serve on the street or in restaurants with more fancy ingredients added to this bowl of soup.  I like to cook this soup with an easier way because it's very simple and the ingredients are usually found in most families’ kitchen. The spiciness of this soup can be according to each person's preference by adding or reducing it. There are also a few ways to make this soup, but I will know introduce an easy way to create this spicy soup that will make your stomach very happy after consuming it.

Ingredients:

1 or 2 packages of Ramen noodles (your choice of noodles)

2 cups of vegetables broth

1 small piece of kombu (a kind of seaweed)

Photo above shows ingredients below:

2 baby mushrooms or any kind of mushroom (your choice), sliced

1 cup vegetables, baby bok choy or napa cabbage, or brocolini (your choice)

1/2 cup cubed tofu

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp minced ginger

1/4 cup diced white onions

1/4 cup sake (Japanese rice wine)

2 pieces of fermented tofu

1 tsp Korean chilli flakes

2 green onions, sliced (green part only for garnish)

Sauce ingredients;

1 tsp chilli oil

1 tsp red vinegar

1 tsp soy sauce

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the Ramen noodles as per the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.

In a deep sauté pan, add 1 tsp sesame oil. Sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant. Add vegetables and mushrooms and stir well.  Remove to set aside.

Add sake and chilli flakes. Bring to boil and add kombu, vegetables broth, fermented tofu and tofu.  Bring to boil, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Remove kombu and save the kombu for making a salad. Season the broth with salt, soy sauce, and sugar to your liking.

To serve:

In a bowl, add all the sauce ingredients into the bowl. Place cooked noodles on top with sautéed vegetables and mushrooms. Then pour the broth on top to cover. Sprinkle with sliced green onions.

Vietnamese Meatballs xiu mai

Vietnamese meatballs are a popular comfort food. In Vietnam, there is no difference between breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  I guess that when people are poor, there is no choice. However, the meatballs are the combination of ground pork, shrimp, and jicama. The sauce is made with fresh tomato, onions, garlic, and chicken broth. There are some additional ingredients to the meatballs depending upon the creation of each chef. I have my own version of the meatballs using ground turkey. I also like to use oyster sauce as one of the seasonings for the Chinese meatballs recipe.  The popular way to eat these meatballs is with the Vietnamese baguette. I think this is the best way to have meatballs, but meatballs can be served over cooked rice or noodles.

Ingredients:

 2 lbs ground turkey

2 cups julienned jicama

4 garlic cloves, minced

5 shallots, sliced

2 tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)

1 cup diced white onion

3 green onions, chopped

2 tbs ketchup

1 cup chicken broth

Seasonings:

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbs oyster sauce (optional)

1 tsp mushroom seasoning or chicken powder

2 tbs potato starch or cornstarch

Other ingredients;

1/4 cup oil

1 tsp Korean chili flakes 

Equipment: steamer and large dish to hold the meatballs

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the jicama and cook the jicama for 2 minutes. Drain, let cool, and roughly chop.

In a sauté pan, add oil and cook the minced garlic and sliced shallots until golden brown. Drain and keep the oil to use later.

Combine the ground turkey, jicama, and the cooked garlic-shallots in a bowl. Add the seasoning ingredients and mix well.

Let the meat rest for 15 minutes and then afterwards form the meat into balls. You can use an ice cream scoop for measuring the size of the meatballs. The size should be like a golf ball. 

Bring the steamer to boil and steam the meatballs for 25 minutes. 

To make the meatball sauce:

In a large sauté pan, add the oil used to cook the shallots-garlic. Add the chopped tomatoes and onions. Stir and cook for 1 minute, and add the chili flakes and ketchup. Continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and use the same seasoning that was used for the meatballs earlier.

Bring to boil and slowly at the meatballs into the pan. Cook for anther 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning for your liking. Sprinkle the chopped green onion and serve.

Black Garlic Oil

I like to make stir-fried Ramen noodles, and this black garlic oil is perfect to add flavor into Ramen noodles dishes. This recipe is from the YouTube website, "Yeung Man cooking”. I like his demonstrations, and this is one of his recipes that I like. You can go to his website or buy his books.

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup of peeled garlic

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sesame oil

1 tsp salt

 Directions:

1. peel your garlic and have it ready.

2. heat up your oil to medium high.

3. add in your garlic and salt.

4. cook your peeled garlic until just turning black.

5. remove the pan from the heat and add your sesame oil.

6. transfer to blender and blend on high.

7. store in the fridge!

Chickpea & Oatmeal Tofu

This recipe is a mirror of the steamed rice cake recipe. I love rice cake for breakfast. I found this recipe to replace eating too much rice flour. This recipe is very healthy because it contains chickpea flour and oatmeal. I will share another recipe for making chickpea oatmeal tofu into a steamed rice cake for breakfast soon. Today, let’s make this recipe.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpea flour

1/2 cup oatmeal ground into a powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp mushroom seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

3 cups water

Directions:

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well until there are no lumps in the powder.

Pour the mixture into a sauce pan and bring to boil. Lower the temperature and stir and cook until thickened (about 10 minutes).

Pour the mixture into a mold (a glass mold with lid or a 5” x 8” plastic container with lid). Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. 

Use as a tofu or pan-fried rice cake with egg recipe

Steamed Banana Cake--Bánh chuối hấp

I know that when I look at the ripe bananas on the kitchen counter, but besides making Western banana bread, banana cake, muffins, or making banana ice cream. I always have the feeling that there must be something really delicious and simple to use these ripe bananas before the fruit flies make a home. Today, I will introduce a very popular Vietnamese street food: steamed banana cake. This cake recipe can be considered as a one bowl recipe because it does not need to use many measuring devices to measure accurately. I wanted to show you a smaller recipe so that you guys who live alone can make this when the banana peels already have many dark spots on them due to being busy. That way, this dish is even more delicious because it doesn't need to use a lot of sugar. Let's do it together now.

Ingredients: 

3 or 4 ripe bananas

2 tbs sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp yellow food color or 1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 tbsp rice flour

1/4 cup water

Pinch of salt

Coconut cream for topping

1 cup coconut cream

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

A few pandan leaves optional

Thickening ingredients:

2 tbs cornstarch + 1 tbs water

Others:

Chopped roasted peanuts and sesame seeds

Equipment : Steamer and 6x9 in. diameter cake pan 

Directions:

Remove the banana peels and slice the bananas.

Put the banana slices in a bowl and add the sugar and food color or tumeric and mix well.

Add tapioca starch and water to the bananas and continue to mix well.

Add vanilla and pinch of salt.

Pour the bananas mixture into a cake pan.

Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap to prevent the water from coming into contact with the bananas during steaming.

Place the bananas onto the steamer and steam for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool completely before serving.

To make a coconut topping:

In a sauté pan, add coconut cream, water, salt , sugar, and pandan leaves. Bring to boil and add the thickening. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust sugar and salt to your liking.

To serve:

Slice the bananas and place them into a serving dish. Pour coconut cream on top and sprinkle with peanuts and sesame seeds.