11/7/2012

In the bento: steamed brown rice, sauteed Chinese broccoli, bacon stirfried with cabbage, pan-fried miso salmon, sauteed onion with egg.

10/24/2012

In the bento: pasta with squash sauce, sauteed long bean, mushroom with red pepper, braised pork belly, sauteed fennel.

Peanut Squash with Gemelli

Fall is the season for squash. When hiking several weeks ago, I picked a peanut squash on the way back from a local farmer's market. I like to roast squash and use it as a sauce for pasta. If you have never tried use squash as a pasta sauce, it is a pity that such a delicious food you have missed.

10/23/2012

In the bento: brown rice+spelt, pipian squash with red pepper, broccoli with mushroom, braised pork belly, miso egg.

10/22/2012

In the bento: rice with spelt, sauteed mushroom with pipian squash, red pepper, braised pork belly, shiitake mushroom, miso egg.

10/11/2012

In the bento: brown rice with black sticky rice, sauteed cabbage with carrots, broccoli, red pepper, pan-fried miso thigh.

10/10/2012

In the bento: brown rice with spelt, sauteed cabbage, green pepper, broccoli, pan-fried pork shoulder, miso egg.

Taro Porridge with Dried Scallop

With the weather feeling cooler and cooler, a bowl of hot porridge is comforting to both stomach and soul. Dried scallop is used a lot in making porridge to add a taste of the sea. Adding taro is a trick I learned from a friend. The creaminess of taro provides texture for the simple porridge. When serving, drizzle some soysouce and green onion on the top. A comfort food in the fall.

10/9/2012

In the bento: dried scallop and taro porridge, sauted green bean, broccoli, miso egg, pan-fried pork shoulder.

10/2/2012

In the bento: black sticky rice+brown rice, pan-fried salmon, sauteed cabbage, yellow pepper, and green bean.

10/1/2012

In the bento: steamed rice, sauteed green bean, pan-fried salmon, sauteed okra, sauted cabbage, sauted red pepper.

9/27/2012

In the bento: steamed brown rice, pork belly with rice powder, steamed taro, sauteed cabbage, carrots sauteed with bacon.

Pork Belly Steamed with Rice Powder

It's a very traditional dish which uses the most humble ingredient but produces the most delicious flavor. And it is also one of the family staple dish always reminds me of home. Nowadays, I don't have to make the rice powder, or more correctly, the crushed rice. In most of the Asian grocery store, the pre-made powder is easy to get. All I did is to marinate the pork overnight with soy sauce, cooking wine and some spice, and steamed the meat the next day.

9/26/2012

In the bento: rice powder steamed pork belly, sauteed cabbage, sauteed onion with egg, sauteed red pepper, steamed brown rice.

9/25/2012

In the bento: sauteed bitte melon, sauteed red pepper, dumpling with shrimp and pork.

9/24/2012

In the bento: sauteed shrimp, onion stir fried with egg, sauteed okra, braised pig feet, shiitake mushroom, sauteed green pepper, steamed brown rice.

Homemade Bread w/ Cream Cheese, Avocado and Smoked Salmon

I also made some fresh soy milk to drink together with the sandwich.

9/21/2012

In the bento: steamed brown rice, tamagoyaki, sauteed okra, lamb steak, sauteed cabbage with shiitake mushroom.

9/20/2012

In the bento: steamed brown rice, sauteed pepper, sauteed cabbage with shiitake mushroom, pan-fried lamb steak, eggplant.

9/17/2012

In the bento: leftover pasta from restaurant, sauteed cabbage, bitter melon, okra, potato with seaweed, braised shiitake mushroom, pan-fried miso salmon.

9/14/2012

In the bento: orecchiette with carrot and fungus, sauteed potato with seaweed, pan-fried miso salmon, caramel onion with mushroom.

9/13/2012

In the bento: stir-fried rice noodle, panfried salmon, sauteed cabbage, mushroom sauteed with shiitake mushroom, carrot sauteed with pepper, potato sauteed with seaweed.

9/12/2012

In the bento: leftover carrot and shiitake mushroom rice, basil sauteed with eggplant, sauteed cabbage, steamed fish, braised pork belly, tempeh sauteed with bitter melon.

Braised Pork Belly

A staple dish from Shanghai, my sweetest memory of home. I have been craving this dish since I came to the States years ago. But I never manged to cook once like what sits in the memory. However, I was inspired by the blog "Anthropologist in the Kitchen" which has a video showing how to make another staple dish called sweet and sour rib. The principle is the same. So I tried again during the weekend of this mighty meat dish...And I nailed it. It was exactly what I have been craving for. I was so excited and bought more pork belly hope to make more.

9/10/2012

In the bento: steamed rice with carrot and shiitake mushroom, sauteed bitter melon, steamed white fish, braised pork belly, sauteed cabbage.