Sesame-Garlic Stir Fried Brown Rice with a Fried Egg

This recipe was so easy, almost too easy that I felt like I had to make it more complicated. I adapted this from a Sesame-Garlic Soba Noodles with Fried Egg recipe on thekitchn.com. I had some left over brown rice in the fridge, and then other veggies that I could tell were almost past their prime - so, I decided to combine everything.
I baked some firm tofu to add some extra protein to the dish. Cooking tofu (as long as it is on the firm side) is almost impossible to mess up. I just threw the pieces onto a pan (note the small bite I took out of the upper left hand one, I couldn't resist!) and cooked for about 5-10 minutes on both sides or until the edges started to brown.While the tofu was baking, I started on the sauce by heating sesame oil and once really hot, added garlic, red pepper flakes, ginger and mixed for about 30 seconds until really fragrant - carefully because the garlic can burn really quick. I turned off the flame, and added soy sauce then set aside.
While the tofu was still baking, I began to cut up some veggies - I looked what was in the fridge, and began chopping and peeling away - red pepper, green pepper, zucchini, carrot, Chinese (snow) cabbage. I quickly stir fried this - first adding the peppers, onions and zucchini and then about 2 minutes later the cabbage and carrot. Then I added the brown rice and cooked for a few minutes on low because I wanted the vegetables to be crisp. Chopping up the tofu, I added it to the pot and set it all aside and poured the sauce over everything, stirring really well. Last step is the key: fried egg. Over low-middle heat, I cracked the egg in a pan - once the white set I flipped the egg super carefully with a spatula and removed from the flame. Plopped it on top of the rice, veggie, sauce combo.
Don't even think about not adding the fried egg, it is the highlight of the dish. I think next time I will leave out some of the vegetables, so the dish focuses around the runny delicious yellow yolk.

Ingredients
-Left over brown rice (about 1/3 cup)
-2 pieces of firm tofu
-Vegetables: 1/4 red pepper, 1/4 green peppers, 1/2 shredded carrot, 1/4 zucchini, 2 leaves(?) Chinese cabbage, 1 stalk green onion
-1 egg
Sauce:
-2 teaspoons sesame oil
-2 gloves minced garlic
-1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger
-red pepper flakes (thekitchn says 1/4 teaspoon, I added much more - about 1 teaspoon)
-2 tablespoons soy sauce

Russian Pelmeni Dumplings

I was first introduced to dumplings at Pel'meni in Madison, Wisconsin. For US$5, you could get a styrofoam container filled with the delicious pillows of meat or potato dumplings, with spice or no spice, sour cream, and a piece of rye bread. Oh, how I craved these dumplings... when the glorious day arrived when I was back in Madison, I hit State Street to stuff my face. I walked up the 7 block street about 3 times, from the Capital to Library Mall, where could it be? I hadn't been away THAT long... finally, after my 4th pace, I gave up, went home, googled Pel'meni, and it was true. It was closed. Sad, sad, sad day.

Photo found on a random Flickr page

The Onion and an order of dumplings at Pel'Meni, doesn't get much better.

I had an intense craving that I needed to satisfy, and after making dumplings a few months back with a skilled partner, I thought I would embark on my own and give it a try with my own spin. First, I cheated. I bought the wrappers. Second, it was cheap - AR$10 (US$2.50) for about 50 dumplings. Third, it was damn good. Fourth, it was sooo easy, here's how I did it:
First, I plopped 4 large peeled potatoes (quartered) in a big pot of salted water and brought it to a boil and cooked until they were soft. This took about 20 minutes, so while I was waiting, I melted 2 teaspoons of butter to a pan and sauteed chopped garlic and onionDrain and put the potatoes in a bowl, MASH EM! If I was Paula Deen, I would have added lots of butta.. but last night I showed some restraint and instead just added the garlic onion mix, and happened to have a left over ear of sweet corn so I just added some kernels. If I had access to a wide selection of cheese, I would probably add some sharp cheddar - but the best I could do was a few ounces of port salut (or something like that) soft cheese. Salt, pepper, and voila, almost done!
The dough is simple, water, flour, egg, that's it. I'm still really lazy and didn't feel like getting my hands dirty so I bought the dough pre-made in Barrio Chino, 50 for AR$4. I guess they are technically won-ton wrappers, but I wonder if empanada dough would work too...
I took each one, stretched it out a little, and added a spoonful of fillingConstructing things and making them look pretty was never my thing, I'm too sloppy. I started to fold each one and make crescents, half circles, demented pockets etc.
Aren't they cute?
Then I tossed them into a pot of boiling water and once they floated to the top, I waited for 2 more minutes and transfered to a greased dish to prevent sticking -I used cooking spray, but if I were a real cook I'd use butter.Almost ready to eat... Last step is in the spice and is what really gives it a kick... sprinkled a little bit of curry powder, white vinegar, sriracha spicy sauce and a massive dollop of non-fat queso crema (like sour cream). If I close my eyes, I can picture myself sitting in Pel'Meni shoveling dumplings into my mouth.

Ingredients
4 large potatoes
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 ear of corn
3 tablespoons of cheese
salt
black pepper
dough (Check out Martha's recipe if you are feeling crafty)
Spices: Curry powder, sriracha, vinegar, sour cream

Banana Bread

After inheriting a lovely loaf pan from a dear friend, I have wanted to bake some sort of loafy sweet bread. This simple recipe was easy to make, ingredients cheap, and was mmmm mmmm good. I adapted this recipe from the great Smitten Kitchen food blog
First, I smashed 4 ripe bananas - not too ripe with fruit flies hanging around, but not bright yellow either.. somewhere in the middle with a few black specks. If brown mushy spots gross you out, just don't look... mash the bananas with a masher if you are fancy, or if you are ghetto like me, a fork will do.
Add the melted butter and then stir in yogurt, egg, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, salt. Not the most appetizing picture...
Then, slowly stir in the flour. Again, not appetizing.. this is the type of batter that you won't want to lick the spoon.
Pour into a greased pan and put in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees, then do the knife trick once time is up to make sure it is done
I didn't add enough sugar, so to make it a little sweeter I sprinkled some on top
You can't really tell from the picture, but you can see little strawberries from the yogurt I used... I added this to make it more moist, but I think I would take it out next time, maybe add oat bran for some extra fiber and chocolate chips for sweetness.

Banana Bread Recipe
4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted salted butter
3/4 light brown sugar
1/3 cup strawberry yogurt
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup of flour

As for my next loaf... I think it will be this Lemon Poppy Seed recipe..

Fresh Feesh

Mikado Sushi in Las Cañitas (Arévalo 2870) is pretty good and not ridiculously expensive. The Combinado Sapporo (AR$85) comes with 30 pieces and despite the unfortunate rolls with cream cheese and that gloop of guacamole, the salmon was fresh, and the rolls were tasty. Plus, the meal came with complimentary glasses of champagne.. not too bad.

Who doesn't love a cupcake?

Photo from Muma's cupcakes facebook page

Sitting in Muma's, a tiny cupcake (and muffin) bakery in the overly trendy Palermo Soho area, is one of the most pleasant experiences I've had in a while (What a fat girl thing to say...) But in all seriousness, it is purely enjoyable to sit facing the window and watch people's faces light up when they walk by. Both the cupcakes and interior decoration are so visually stimulating, it is like an eye-catching anti-depressant...

There are about 20 different kinds of cupcakes and every day the selection changes. Above is the Café Ole (Tiramisu) and a Pasión de Frutilla y Crema (strawberries and cream). There are so many good flavors I want to try them all! In addition to cupcakes, they also sell muffins and then "healthy," celiac, and diabetic cupcakes.
Ate this one too quick, I forgot to get a picture... half of a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting, café con leche.
The cupcakes range from AR$8-AR$9 pesos, and the mini cupcakes (bite size) are AR$4. Muma's Cupcakes is located at 1680 Malabia in Palermo Soho