La bandera, reinventada: Arroz, habichuelas negras, ensalada mixta y pollo guisado con un toque especial de zanahorias y papas. “The Dominican flag”, with a twist: Rice, black beans, mixed salad and braised chicken (recipe). The twist? Carrots and potatoes. Yum!
Mapo Tofu Rainbow
If you like mapo tofu, but wish you didn't have to cook an additional dish to get your vegetables, here's my original recipe for mapo tofu raimbow. Eat up! Mapo Tofu Raimbow 1 lb ground pork1 pack silken (soft tofu, cut into 1/2 inch squares)1 bunch garlic shoots (approximately 20)4 medium tomatoes cut into 1 inch squares1 tablespoon Minced fresh ginger1 tea-spoon minced fresh garlic1 medium jalapeno or other small hot pepper (cut into rings)1 tablespoon light soy sauce1 tea-spoon corn starch1 tea-spoon sesame oil1 tea-spoon brown sugar (1/2 tea-spoon if using refined sugar)1/2 tea-spoon salt2 tablespoons cooking oil In…
Arroz con pollo – Peruvian style
Peruvian cuisine is delicious. A mix of flavors with Native Peruvian, European, African and Asian influences appeals to many palates. Arroz con pollo is a common dish in many Latin American countries, each with its own seasonings and cooking method, but all equally delicious. The Dominican version, called "locrio de pollo", is said to be an adaptation of Spanish paella. It uses tomato sauce instead of the scarce and pricier zafron. In contrast, Peruvian arroz con pollo is green, calling for big amounts of cilantro. A friend recently introduced me to this dish and I loved it. See easy print…
How to make pot sticker wrappers from scratch: recipe and videos
This is a follow-up to my post Chinese pot stickers or dumplings where you can learn how to make fillings for your pot stickers. This post will explain how to make pot sticker wrappers from scratch, using a simple mixture of all-purpose flour, salt and water. Although time-consuming, there are many good reasons to make pot sticker wrappers from scratch: better taste, fresh wrappers are more malleable so they are easier to fold - and most importantly: you know what you are putting in them. If you are making 100 pot stickers or more to store, this method is…
Easy carnitas recipe – pork roast
Don't you just love carnitas? That tender, tasty pork that breaks with a fork and melts in your mouth? I do! It turns out you don't have to go to a Mexican restaurant to get a taste. This is my version of the pork carnitas recipe and it couldn't be simpler. If you decide to use bija or annatto seeds for this dish, see my related post. Easy slow cooker carnitas recipe - pork roast 2 lbs. of pork loin2 1/2 teaspoons ground salt (use 1/2 tea-spoon more if sea salt)2 teaspoons of oregano or oregano flakes1 teaspoon of…
Vegetarian comfort food for winter
Is there such a thing as healthy comfort food? This question comes to mind when I make stir-fried vegetables to eat with rice... probably high in calories but also high in fiber. The following two vegetarian comfort food dishes complement each other and make a delicious winter dinner. You can use ingredients left over from one to make the other. Fried eggplant Tofu vegetables black bean sauce recipe. Using the left over eggs from the eggplant egg wash, make this tofu stir fry with vegetables and black bean sauce. Use the links provided to access the recipes. Serve both dishes…
Braised chicken recipe (pollo guisado)
Dark poultry meat is specially tasty when braised. For this braised chicken recipe, I'm going to use all drumsticks (because I like them so much!) but you can use any part of the chicken. See easy print recipe at the end of the post! Braised chicken recipe (pollo guisado) 10 chicken drumsticks6 garlic cloves (peeled)1/2 of a red onion chopped in half inch squares1 tea spoon salt1/2 tea spoon ground oregano or 1 teaspoon oregano flakes1 tea spoon tomato paste1 tea spoon brown sugar2 table spoons vegetable oil4 green onions chopped (for garnish)1 1/2 cups water Garlic: mash garlic in…
Hearty Asian Noodle Soup Recipe
Asian noodle soup is great year-round, but particularly welcomed in winter and the chilly nights of spring and fall. I like my soup with noodles, a palette of colorful vegetables and a touch of protein. You can use left over vegetables and meat to prepare your soups, so the possibilities are endless. If you are working with Ramen noodles, you can make a healthier soup by making your own soup base and adding fresh vegetables. If you are using tofu instead of meat, cut it in cubes or as desired and stir-fry it on a skillet with vegetable oil, adding…