Healthy Food

SUSHI

• 4 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
• 1 roasted or fresh red bell pepper*, sliced (~135 g)
• 1 cup (122 g) thinly sliced carrots
• 1 cup (104 g) thinly sliced cucumber
• 1 cup (18 g) sprouts (Alfalfa is best)

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil then add rice, swirl to coat, and lower heat to low and cover. Simmer until water is completely absorbed and rice is tender – about 18-25 minutes. Drain off any excess water if there is any.
• In the meantime, add vinegar, sugar and salt to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat stirring occasionally until sugar and salt are dissolved. Place in a jar or dish and cool in the fridge until rice is ready.
• Once the rice is done, kill the heat and add the cooled vinegar mixture and stir with a rubber spatula or fork as to not overmix. It will appear wet but will dry up as you lightly stir to release heat. It should be sticky and completely dry once it’s ready.
• While the rice finishes cooking, prep your veggies by chopping them into thin pieces. If they’re too bulky they won’t allow the sushi to roll well.
• Now it’s time to roll: Grab your sushi mat and top with a sheet of nori. Using your hands dipped in water (to avoid sticking), pat a very thin layer of rice all over the nori, making sure it’s not too thick or your roll will be all rice and no filling (see photo).
• Then, arrange a generous serving of your veggies or preferred filling in a line at the bottom 3/4 of the rice closest to you (see photo).
• Start to roll the nori and rice over with your fingers, and once the veggies are covered, roll the mat over to mold and compress the roll. Continue until it’s all the way rolled up. I find slicing with a very sharp serrated knife yields the best results. Repeat until all rice and fillings are used up - about 5-6 total rolls.
• Serve immediately with pickled ginger, tamari or soy sauce, and wasabi. Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

Instructions

• Heat sesame oil in a pot or stove-top casserole dish. Add pork and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add onion and stir fry for another minute.
• Add garlic, gochujang, and napa cabbage kimchi. Continue to stir fry for 3 minutes.
• Pour in kimchi juice and 1½ cups (360ml) water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add sliced tofu and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
• Turn off heat. Add sliced green onions.
• Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)-6
• Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Sambal Ikan Bilis

• 4 oz ikan bilis / dried anchovies, trimmed and peeled (100g)
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
• ¼ cup water (60ml)
• 1 tsp sugar (sliced)
• ¼ tsp salt

Spice Paste

• 6 dried chilies
• 4 red chilies
• 1 lemongrass (white part only, sliced)
• 1 onion or 6 shallots
• ½ inch cube belacan

Instructions

• Wash and drain rice 4 to 5 times in rice cooker insert. Cover washed rice with water and allow it to soak together with knotted pandan leaves for 20 minutes. Drain rice and add pandan leaves, ginger, and salt. Pour in coconut milk. Place pot on the stove over medium heat. When coconut milk comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and allow rice to cook until all coconut milk is absorbed. This will take about 10 minutes. Turn heat down to the lowest possible setting and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Let rice sit for 10 minutes before fluffing rice with a pair of chopsticks or a fork before serving.
• Break dried chilies in half and shake off seeds. Soak in warm water for 15 minutes. Wash and soak ikan bilis separately for 15 minutes. Drain and blot dry with paper towels.
• Blend all spice paste ingredients until fine, adding a tablespoon of water if needed. Remove and set aside. • Heat oil in a medium sized pan. Add ikan bilis and fry till golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Add remaining tablespoon of oil and spice paste in the same pan. Fry spice paste until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Mix tamarind paste and water in a small bowl. Pour into pan and stir to get spices and tamarind juice well mixed. When it comes to a boil, add sugar and salt.
• Finally, return fried ikan bilis** to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove.
• Place a bowl of rice on plate with half and egg, a few slices of cucumber, some peanuts, and sambal ikan bilis pile on top of rice.
• Alternatively, place warm nasi lemak portion on a piece of newsprint lined with banana leaf. Banana leaf should be slightly longer but narrower than newsprint. Bring both long edges of banana leaf and newsprint to meet in the center with the one edge overlapping slightly on one end. Criss-cross the flaps in the center by placing bottom flap on the top on the opposite end. Fold both ends under to form a pyramid shape package.
• Let package of rice sit for 10 minutes before serving so that rice will absorb some of the banana leaf fragrance.