Food bites

Moro de guandules rice cooker recipe (pigeon pea rice)

This moro de guandules rice cooker recipe is an easier alternative to the traditional Dominican cooking method that yields the same results in flavor and texture (minus the concón). At home, we eat rice almost every day. White rice is my one guilty pleasure and many of the Chinese dishes we cook are served on plain rice. So, we own a rice cooker or two. I also own the Dominican "rice pot" that makes good "concón," and although I enjoy making rice the Dominican way, I have to admit that I have succumbed to the convenience of using a rice…

Tofu and vegetables in black bean sauce

This recipe for tofu and vegetables in black bean sauce includes sliced carrots, soy bean sprouts and green onions. Easy print recipe included. Black bean sauce is one of my favorite condiments in Chinese cuisine. The earthy taste of the salted black beans and the rice wine add savory flavor to your meals. Black bean sauce can be found at most Asian markets and specialty food stores. Tofu vegetables black bean sauce 1 tub of medium to firm tofu3 eggs3 cups bean sprouts1 big or two medium carrots1 bunch green onions1/4 cup vegetable oil (peanut oil works great for stir-frying)1…

Dominican black beans recipe – Slow cooker version

This Dominican black beans recipe (a.k.a. stewed black beans or "habichuelas negras guisadas") adapts the Dominican black beans recipe to the slow cooker. This results in the same delicious black beans, without the hassle of stove-top cooking. The calabaza squash and potato add thickness and complexity to this dish. Slow-cooking the beans allows you to set and be worry-free for a few hours. Those who have boiled beans on the stove-top before are familiar with the issues of foaming and boiling over. I like to cook my legumes from scratch and only use canned beans when the dry ones are…

Tofu broccolette stir fry recipe

This tofu broccolette stir fry recipe includes red bell pepper. Ground annatto seeds are added to the tofu to achieve an enticing, all natural color. "Your tummy likes a rainbow" is a great new teaching for kids in preschool. This is true for adults, and I would add that our eyes like a rainbow too. Start with medium to firm tofu. If your spice rack does not include ground annatto seeds (achiote, or bija), I highly recommend you get a jar. Bija can be used for coloring in many dishes from meats to grains. It is an all natural spice…

Maiz con dulce – Dominican sweet corn recipe

"Maiz con dulce" is a traditional Easter-time Dominican sweet corn dessert. Along with "habichuelas con dulce", pots of sweet corn are cooked and shared among family and neighbors in Dominican towns during Lent and Semana Santa (Holy Week). Because my mother had a preference for "habichuelas con dulce" or sweet beans, she rarely made maíz con dulce at home. So, I eagerly awaited the mug full of maíz con dulce from my aunt. Pictured here is her very own chacá, made this year. My aunt is a great cook. I will be sharing more of her recipes in this site.…

Seafood pasta recipe

This seafood pasta recipe uses a traditional red sauce, red bell pepper and the option to add artichoke hearts. A restaurant owner once told me that pasta was one of the most profitable items on a restaurant's menu. This because it costs them cents to make, and they can charge at least $7 for a plate of plain pasta. Add seafood, and you could be paying as much as $25, depending on the restaurant. Being that seafood pasta was the one thing I liked to order every time I went to an Italian restaurant, I learned to make it for…

Pot sticker dipping sauce recipe

This pot sticker dipping sauce recipe will teach you how to make your own pot sticker dipping sauce. I have two other posts that teach you how to make the filling and the wrappers for the pot stickers. Pot sticker dipping sauce recipe 1/3 cup of light soy sauce1 tea-spoon of sesame oil1 table-spoon black rice vinegar1 tea-spoon of brown sugar3 big garlic cloves (crushed and thinly sliced) Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, except for the garlic.Taste. Add more of the same ingredients to suit your taste.When the sauce tastes the way you like, add the garlic and…

Chinese inspired sirloin tip roast

This recipe was inspired by the exotic flavors in Chinese beef jerky, which my mother in law makes from time to time. The enticing tastes and aromas of anise seed and sesame oil combine with the beef to delight your palate in this sirloin tip roast recipe. Get your slow-cooker ready. One of my favorites! Chinese inspired sirloin tip roast 3 lbs. sirloin tip roast2 table-spoons of rice cooking wine1 table-spoon of light soy sauce1 teaspoon of salt1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper1 teaspoon of sesame oil6 start anise1/2 tea-spoon of ginger powderOptional: vegetables of your choice. Place the sirloin…