Baked Sticky Rice Cake

Today was a good day to mess around in the kitchen so I decided to go with dessert (only ingredients I had >.<). I usually make steamed rice cake with the basic Japanese mochi recipe but today I decided to make it differently. I popped it in the oven! two different kinds came out, one with a caramel coating and a denser non sugary version. Both seem to me to be successful but for the one I baked without a cover and no sugar topping I'd recommend paring it with fruit or some nice green tea to add flavor. Of course the sugar topped one that i covered my baking pan while cooking came out sweet and light and has no need for accompaniment.

Caramel Like Topping(easier than making caramel sauce)

• 3 tbsp light corn syrup
• 3 tbsp malt corn syrup (can find in asian market)
• combine both in bottom of cake pan before adding batter to pan as if making flan(custard)
• cover cake with foil or a pyrex plate(foil will make a more evenly risen cake)
• bake for 15 minutes less than uncovered version of cake.

Sticky Rice Cake Mix

• 2 cups gloutinous rice flour
• 1 cup plain rice flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1.5 cups sugar

wet items

• 2 cups Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1-2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and make sure oven rack is in center

Combine dry ingredients while sifting into a large bowl;add 'wet' ingredients and combine slowly as to not make flour mixture fly out of bowl (has mind of its own); now whisk batter for about 5 minutes, you want it to be a smooth consistency no lumps; spray pam or coat pan with a cooking oil before pouring batter in; make sure you don't pass the half way point of the pan since cake will spill over; place pan in center of oven rack and set timer for 40 minutes, around 30 minutes into baking check your cake since oven temp may vary.

I use a small 6 in pan to bake my cakes in so that when cut you get cute small slices to accompany tea and fruit. This rice cake is heavy and no more than one or two pieces are needed to satisfy your sweet tooth...if you find yourself eating a whole small cake I do warn you that these are not low in calories ^-^

Any uneaten portion can be placed in a freezer ziplock bag and frozen for up to 2 weeks. In order to serve again let thaw and steam for about 3 minutes (best warm)

Spicy Doenjang glazed Red Potatoes

Doenjang is Korean fermented soybean paste. It has a very special flavor and I like to use it when I can...mostly in soups but if I'm not in the mood I use it as a sauce for veggies. This dish can be altered if you find deonjang to be too strong a flavor for you. Miso paste is a Japanese version of doenjang, it is milder and might be easier for people new to soybean paste to handle.

4 New / red Potatoes cut into bite size pieces

2 tbsp cooking oil

1/3 cup water

1 tbsp deonjang

two pinches chili pepper flakes(more if you like spice)

mix deonjang and water together, I usually mash up any chunks of beans that are in the mix just for a smoother appearance.

heat pan/wok and add oil. When hot add cut potatoes to pan, stir till somewhat crispy skin appears, add diluted beanpaste mix well with potatoes. Add chili flakes and cover pan with lid for a few minutes or until water is mostly absorbed into potatoes. turn off heat and let set with lid on to finish cooking by steam.

Good to eat as a side dish with meats or by itself. Quick and easy to make

Jap Chae/Chap Chae Korean noodle dish

I love watching korean dramas cause they are usually always eating something that makes me want to go...."I wonder what that tastes like...Im gonna cook it!". This evening (early morning for many others) I made it and another dish for a snack later in the day. For the most part I followed the recipe on the bag of sweet potato noodles a.k.a. chinese glass noodles.

1 small bag of noodles

1 yellow squash(can use a number of veggie combos)

1 handful of par-boiled spinach

1 large carrot julienned

1 handful bean sprouts

green onions cut lengthwise

Sauce:

few cloves of garlic minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp sugar(brown pref.)

Boil water and place noodles in to cook for 3-4 minutes until al dente , drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. set noodles aside.

stir fry carrots then add rest of veggies when they are somewhat soft. add noodles, if they stick to pan add some oil. stir for a minute then add sauce, continue cooking for 3 minutes. salt and pepper to taste.

Usually this dish uses meat but I opted not to use it, if you must use thinly sliced beef and cook before all other steps add during sauce stage.

can be served hot or cold....cold noodles in the summer taste the best!