Pan-fried pork dumplings (Potstickers)

May21

I find any food that’s comprised of dough stuffed with meat – be it a pork bun, wonton or Russian pirozhok (chewy yeast dough stuffed with minced meat and deep-fried) – irresistible. Foods like this allow you to have your protein and starch in one bite and I’m all about that efficiency. I wonder who was first to try this cooking technique because frankly, she/he deserves a monument.

Store-bought dumpling skins and a few pantry staples make this recipe a breeze. If you have kids, feel free to recruit them to help fill the potstickers.

(Yield: 30 dumplings)

Ingredients:

2 scallions, chopped

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sriracha sauce (optional)

1 garlic clove, crushed

A pinch of salt

1 lb ground pork

About 30 store-bought dumpling skins

Vegetable oil

Procedure: In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Stir and add pork. Using your hands, gently mix all the ingredients until homogenous. Do not over-mix. To form a dumpling, place skin on a flat surface and add a heaping teaspoon of filling into the center. Dip an index finger into water and moisten half of the circumference of the dumpling skin (like a half moon). Then fold over and seal edges, making sure to seal out all air from the dumpling.

Repeat with remaining ingredients.

To cook, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. Place 6-8 dumplings into skillet at once – do not overcrowd the pan. Fry 1-2 min, until dumplings are starting to brown. Then add about 1/4 c water into skillet, reduce heat to low and cover tightly with a lid. Let steam for about 5 min. When the water is almost entirely evaporated, remove lid and turn heat back up to medium. Cook 1-2 extra minutes, until the bottoms are brown. Remove dumplings from skillet and repeat with remaining pieces. Serve immediately.

What I ate in Boston

May16

Just a week or two before Boston was faced with the awful marathon ordeal, I spent a few days there with my friend Michelle (clearly this post is way overdue). We felt like getting out of New York for a bit and frolicking elsewhere, and for its close proximity and saturated amount of awesomeness, Boston was the perfect place. Here are some of the restaurants we visited that I recommend:

Gourmet Dumpling House in Chinatown: After settling down at the hotel after a nearly four hour bus ride, we were starving. So before setting out to explore, we stopped by this casual Chinese restaurant. Judging by the fact that there wasn’t an open table in sight, this place is pretty popular. We didn’t try the dumplings but we did pig out on noodles. Their serving sizes are superbly generous – easily feeding two people – and so are the prices. One order comes in at less than $8!

Noodle satisfaction.

Sonsie on Newbury Street: We stumbled onto this place around brunch time on our walk back from the Fine Arts Museum and fell in love at first sight. The front of the restaurant was entirely open to face the sunny street and all the little marble tables faced forward, Paris-style. There was a 20-minute wait for a table but we didn’t mind. Their menu is eclectic and has something for everyone, from pork belly tacos to a beet salad to delicate brick oven pizzas. After much debate, we settled on the cheeseburger pizza to share. Although the pizza was distinctly not New York-an (too crispy, not chewy, no burns), I enjoyed it thoroughly, which may or may not have been influenced by the stiff espresso martini photographed above (isn’t day drinking the best?!)

For dessert, we had their divine, award-winning chocolate bread pudding, that was so heavenly and decadent that I’m still thinking about it a month later. I can’t wait to attempt to recreate it at home!

Russell House Tavern in Cambridge: My first impression of this place was that the swank factor was really high – dim lighting, people sipping on specialty cocktails at the bar, a 40-minute wait. But when we were seated, I looked around and realized some people were watching the game on the TV and some were even dressed in sweats. I realized that the place only looks swanky but is actually quite casual. Had it been in New York though, it would be chock full of snotty attitudes.

I ordered the crispy pork belly sandwich that was served on a ciabatta roll with spicy mayo and pickled vegetables and a side salad. The pork was tender and juicy, and well complimented by the crisp carrots. It was also enormous. For dessert, we had an olive oil cake with vanilla ice-cream. The cake tasted as clean as it did rich – we loved it.

North 26 in the Millenium Hotel near Quincy Market: I had been to this place for brunch years prior and absolutely loved it so I could not resist going back this time around. They serve a classic American menu in an elegant setting. What I love most about this place (besides the assortment of mini jams and ketchup that they serve you with your meal, which you can be sure I took home with me ) is that the whole restaurant is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows so you get to bask in natural light while eating. I had the corned beef hash with poached eggs, and yes, it was great.

Genius AND adorable!

P.S: Many thanks to Boston native Nicole for her suggestions!

How I learned to bake, and the best brown sugar cookies you’ll ever have

May14

When I was a kid, my mom baked all the time. There were layered cakes, crispy cookies, sweet breads to accompany our tea, and so much more. But when I watched her bake, I never once saw her measure a single ingredient – we didn’t even own measuring cups or a scale. She would just scoop ingredients into a bowl with a little ceramic teacup, stir them while balancing the bowl between her hip and forearm, put whatever it was into the oven and soon, the smell emanating from the oven alone would leave us speechless and drooling. I don’t remember her ever messing up a dessert so I assumed she was some sort of magician with a sixth sense.

So, when I started baking, I didn’t take measuring seriously, especially since I’ve been cooking for a while already and had gotten used to eyeballing ingredients. I understood recipes and directions like, “butter at room temperature” and “gradually add flour” to be guidelines. I guess I thought I could outsmart the recipe and if my intentions were good, the dessert would somehow just work out. But unsurprisingly, it didn’t. I couldn’t make a single edible cookie. I remember how my mom would stand next to me, scraping the burnt bottoms of cookies with a butter knife after yet another failed attempt, comforting me and saying that next time, I would certainly do better.

It wasn’t until I started reading and re-reading the recipe before baking and following measurements and directions exactly that anything worked out. I learned that if a lemon bars were advised to be cooled before being cut, I should do just that, and that if a recipe calls for brown sugar, substituting with white just won’t do. It is now that I realize that despite how amazing my mother is, she is no magician. She’s just made so many cakes and cookies by the time she had me, that baking became second nature to her – she, as they say, just felt it.

Whereas cooking is about intuition, instinct and pleasure, it is careful attention, precision and patience that matter in baking. I’ve still a long way to go til I can flawlessly frost a cake, but these cookies (and these!) are proof that I have finally mastered at least one type of dessert.

This recipe from Epicurious (click HERE for the recipe) is incredible. The cookies are quick to prepare and bake, and they don’t dry out, even days after baking. They’re soft, chewy, fragrant and ideal for minimalist dessert lovers like me. I strongly advise you to make them!

What is your experience with baking like?

Roasted garlic bean dip: take 2

May9

Almost exactly three years ago, I posted a recipe for roasted garlic white bean dip. That dip is not unlike hummus except that hummus calls for chick peas instead of beans. Last week, I was craving that dip again but wanted to change things up. I added tomatoes for tang and sriracha for heat, and thus, this fragrant, irresistible hors d’oeuvre was born. I’m not going to go as far as saying that this recipe will replace guacamole in your party snack repertoire but it will certainly make a valiant try. And I assure you, no one will even miss that green standby if you serve this.

The best part is, served alongside some Finn Crisps, this is a healthy vegan snack, full of fiber, protein and other essential nutrients.

(Yield: 1 bowl will serve about 4 people)

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 head of garlic, roasted*

3/4 tsp sriracha

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divide

1/2 c finely diced tomatoes

1 tbsp finely chopped shallot (red onion also ok)

Salt + pepper

*How to roast garlic: Heat oven to 400F. Peel the papery outer layer of garlic head, leaving the cloves intact. Cut off 1/3″ off the top of the head and discard, exposing the flesh of the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil, and using your hands, coat the head evenly. Wrap in foil and roast for 35 min. Cool completely before handling.

Procedure: Squeeze garlic cloves out of the head and add to food processor along with 2/3 of beans (reserve 1/3 beans for later). Puree. With the motor running, add sriracha and oil. When fully incorporated, stop motor and remove the blade. Using a spoon, stir in tomatoes, shallot and remaining beans. Add salt and pepper to taste.

What is your standby party snack?

Bunker Vietnamese in Ridgewood, NY

May7

While Sofya and I were dining at Hunter’s, we had the chance to chat with out waiter-slash-bartender. I told him I was a blogger and he asked me the inevitable question, “What is your favorite restaurant right now?” This question is always a bit mind-boggling since it is practically impossible to choose just one answer, so I ran off a few favorites, like Nom Wah, Co., and Momofuku Noodle Bar. Then I asked him the same and he told me there’s an excellent Vietnamese place that just opened by his girlfriend’s house in Ridgewood, Queens named Bunker. Coincidentally, Rene lives right next to Ridgewood so I wrote ‘Bunker Vietnamese’ into my iNotes and a month later, there we were.

Bunker is located on industrial Metropolitan Avenue, right where Brooklyn ends and Queens begins. Looking around the area, one definitely wouldn’t say it’s a foodie hot spot, but (hint, hint!) that’s typically where the best food hides. The place is small and very casual. None of the furniture matches and random paraphernalia lines the walls. If you lived next door to a hip-hop loving hipster in Vietnam, I suspect their kitchen would be reminiscent of this restaurant.

Bunker’s menu is short and to the point – a handful of appetizers, bahn mi sandwiches, pho and a few meaty entrees. Here is what we had:

Pork bahn mi: sweet and spicy shredded pork, a layer of pate, cucumber slices and shredded carrots enveloped by a fresh, crispy baguette and served with crunchy crab chips. This sandwich was made with the freshest ingredients, had balanced flavors and was not overstuffed, which is a common feature amongst American-style sandwiches.

Five mushroom vegan pho: a variety of meaty mushrooms, silky noodles and baby bok choy in a deliciously umami broth. The soup was satisfying but light, and fun to eat. It would delight vegans and carnivores alike.

Lastly, we split a side of garlic tomato fried rice. The unexpectedly sweet rice was thoroughly infused with the aroma of garlic, but was slightly bland. It would have greatly benefited from a drizzle of soy sauce. However, since it is meant to be a side, I’m sure it would’ve been perfect if served with one of their saucy entrees.

Dining at Bunker was satisfying, inspiring and super affordable, and I look forward to going back there to sample the rest of their menu. And I love the story of how I learned about Bunker’s existence. Local word-of-mouth is definitely one of the best ways to get restaurant recommendations – how do you get your insight on restaurants?

The Liebster Blog Award!

May2

I am honored to announce that Chez Sasha has been nominated by three fellow food bloggers for the Liebster Award. Thank you Eyechow, Kitchen Notes and Other Sundries and Food:Digested!

“Liebster” is German for favorite and the award is given by bloggers to other bloggers who have 200 or less followers. Now, the rules of the award are a bit fuzzy as some of ya’ll include questions for your nominees to answer and some don’t. Also, some bloggers nominate five and some nominate eleven blogs. To be fair, I will follow the rules posted by Eyechow because Valerie was the first to nominate me. Thanks again and here we go!

The Rules of the Award:

1. Post eleven facts about yourself. (I’m gonna go ahead and skip this one. I talk about myself all the time so I’m sure you already know plenty!)
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create eleven questions for people you’ve nominated.
3. Choose eleven people (with fewer than 200 followers) to give this award to and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. Remember, no tag backs.

Valerie’s Questions:

1. What’s the last place you’ve traveled to? Traveled with an actual suitcase and passport via plane was Paris. More recently though, I visited Boston with my friend Michelle and Bear Mountain in upstate NY with Rene.

2. And the next trip you have planned or place you wish to visit? No plans yet but I am dying to go to Rome, Buenos Aires and San Francisco.

3. What’s your favorite TV show? Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Homeland, Dexter, Sex and the City – can’t choose one :/

4. What music are you listening to now? Pink Martini Pandora station

5. Favorite restaurant where you live? Los Mariachis

6. What dish or item was your biggest cooking or baking fail? The first batch of chocolate chip cookies I ever made came out to be burnt crackers.

7. Where were you born? Odessa, Ukraine

8. Coffee or tea? Coffee, coffee, coffee! Can I have some more coffee, please?! Ah, coffee!!!

9. Book or magazine? There’s a time and place for each.

10. What do you do during plane rides? Reminisce.

11. What book do you think we should all read now? Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

11 Questions For My Nominees:

1. Name one food you find irresistible.

2. Name one movie you never get sick of watching.

3. Describe your favorite childhood memory.

4. If your personality were an animal, which would it be?

5. Name six people (dead or alive, famous or not) you’d invite to your fantasy dinner party.

6. What kind of clothes do you enjoy wearing most?

7. Of the five Breakfast Club characters (the brain, the jock, the princess, the basket case or the criminal), which one were you most like in high school?

8. Three favorite musical artists:

9. Describe your most memorable travel experience.

10. Where are you dying to travel to?

11. What would you say the strangest thing about you is?

And the blogs I nominate are (not sure how many followers these have, though):

1. A Palate Transcribed

6. Curious Cuisiniere

7. Cooking in College

8. Liberty on Less

9. The Porto Bellas

10. Savory Simple

11. Quiche-a-Week

Strawberry basil hard lemonade

Apr29

My life situation since the “Musings of a post-grad life…” post has, unfortunately, not changed – I am still on the hunt for employment. Spending weekdays at home in front of one’s computer, browsing, filling out applications and sending emails may sound harmless and optimistic but it is far from it. It is tedious and nerve-wrecking. What’s more is that being alone with one’s fridge is dangerous. Not only am I making constant trips to the kitchen for snacks (my thighs are already starting to resent me) but I also find myself peeking into the fridge and cabinets with the desire to put my chef’s hat on. Why spend yet another hour staring into the computer when I can be in the kitchen working on my next creation?

This cocktail recipe is the result of me ditching my computer for my kitchen. Don’t judge me – it was past 5pm.

(Yield: 1 cocktail)

Ingredients:

1 tsp granulated sugar

2 strawberries, chopped

2 basil leaves, chopped

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 shots vodka

Seltzer water

Procedure: Place sugar, strawberries, basil and lemon juice into a glass. Muddle together for 1 min with a muddler/back of a wooden spoon. Add a few ice cubes, vodka and top with seltzer.

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