Cooking: Many Trials and Tribulations

Trying to do some easy prep food and the last few times, I tried to pickle vegetables and reserve tofu and eggs. Success rate is so far around 70% but HOW did we live and survive without the Internet? LOL

1. Leftover rice

I don't know about other households but in this one, we try really hard not to waste food and we feel really good when we clean as many things up. These few months, I've got my MoJo back a little and not only are not wasting food (rice, especially) but also simple stuff like marinades and sauces. 👍

2. Microwaved chic breasts - Soy, Honey, Sriracha sauce

The chicken breasts were cooked in the oven beforehand and these are leftovers too but they were still good. All we needed was a bit of a re-cook and good sauce. Removed the chicken breasts and cut them into bite-sizes and placed aside. In the pan, remade the sauces with light soy sauce, sriracha and honey. Goddamn delicious. 

3. Steamed eggplants with chili and onions

I finally learned how to cut the eggplants in such a way that is REALLY bite-sized so that you can easily predict the steaming time. When you cut it the right way, you can set the steam time and they're squishy but still has a bit of bite. You make the sauce, mix it in, and there you have it, a good side dish.

4. Soy, tomato sauce, garlic fish cakes

Fish cakes absorb a lot of flavor depending on how you want it to taste and in this instance, I wanted it to be a little salty but mostly sweet and sour. I microwaved the fish cakes because I want consistency. Drain and dry. and set aside. In goes the garlic in the sauce pan (please prepare the sauce ahead of time so that you don't panic like I usually do), then add fish cakes and then later sauce. And that's it. Serve. 

5. Wood Ear Mushrooms cooked with Fish Cakes

Basic ingredients were garlic (stir-fried), mushrooms soaked or microwaved, dried, squeezed-dried for absorption) and placed into a clean, dry plate/bowl. 

1. Prepped mushrooms (microwave or hot soaked and squeeze-dried)
2. Prepped garlic
3. Prepped fish cakes
4. Heat oil -> Saute garlic -> 30 seconds
5. Hit the fish cakes into the pan -> Toss -> Cover and Cook for 1 minute (maybe)
6. Hit the mushrooms -> Add sauce -> Cover and Cook for 2 minutes
7. Serve

I am not a professional cook but I think over the 20 years of feeding ourselves, I've learned a thing or two about heat demonstration and management. And in a household, a lot of us don't know about cutting techniques because we are not taught in elite schools...but we still need to feed people. Primitive, isn't it?

It was enlightening but I was told that I should learn how to cook recently and I think I should.