Spicy Kimchi

I miss home. Nothing makes me miss home more than the people and the food. But since I can't enjoy the company of my family and friends throughout the year, I'll recreate memories using food.

Kimchi is a fermented cabbage creation that is unmistakably and quintessential Korean. You may be thinking, "Ugh, fermented cabbage? Pass!," but don't knock it til you try it. Imagine cool and refreshing, with an amazing crunch and a complex but potent spice than you never thought would be reasonable. The combination of textures and flavors is like nothing "'round these parts." Korean food is amazing and kimchi is definitive Korean food.

Can't wait to add it to my fried rice, on sandwiches, with eggs or grilled meats and rice.


Spicy Kimchi via inspired by All Recipes post

2 head Napa cabbage
1 1/4 cup sea salt
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 small white onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp dried ground ginger
5 tbsp Korean chili powder

Cut heads of cabbage lengthwise and remove stem (about 1 inch). Cut remainder of cabbage into 2 inch pieces.

Place in resealable bags with salt and shake bags to evenly incorporate cabbage and salt. Seal bags and leave at room temperature for 6 hours.

Rinse the salt from the cabbage leaves and then drain and squeeze out any excess liquid. 

Place the cabbage in a large container with a tight fitting lid. Stir in the fish sauce, green onions, white onion, garlic, sugar and ginger.Sprinkle the Korean chile powder over the mixture. Mix the chili powder into the cabbage leaves with wooden spoon until evenly coated. Seal the container and set in a cool dry place. 

Leave undisturbed for 4 days. Refrigerate before serving, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. 

I can't wait to open this container of awesomeness up and be transported back home. With this sitting in our kitchen staring me in the face every day, it's been like my own version of "The Hunger Games," except no violence or children. Just desire and hunger. When It's time to open, it's on! "May the odds be ever in your favor!"

-Akemi-chan

Pampered Sunday- Oxblood/ Black Bean Chili

This season I was determined to get a pair of colored jeans. The trend was all over the mall in Summer featuring turquoise, highlighter yellow and fuchsia. Transitioning into Fall the trend has transpired in darker hues such as forest green, plum and Fall's it color "oxblood" red. Perfect pairings for Fall's neutrals: camel, grey, navy, black and ivory.

After hours of online research and a tiring search at the mall, I found the perfect pair of maroon skinnys. Not only was a hue perfect, but it was the perfect length, which is unheard of for my 5'2" frame. In honor of the oxblood craze of Fall 21012, I decided to match my nails to my new found acquisition.

As cheap as it sounds, I didn't want to spend $3-5 on another bottle of a slightly different shade of red. So it was time to be resourceful. Introducing my make-shift oxblood: Pure Ice's "All Nighter" under Sephora by O.P.I.'s "I'm with Brad".

Makeup retro today with winged cat-eye, red lips, heavy eyebrows and a side bun for some flair. Pair with maroon jeans, black and white striped t-shirt, black blazer, my favorite metallic, zippered flats and we're set. Oh and puppy dog is ready for Fall too.

And speaking of dark reds....

Nothing better than Sunday football and chili!


Black Bean Chili

1/4 lb ground beef

2 &1/4 cup chicken broth, divided

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 medium onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

3 cups cooked black beans, rinsed

2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes

2 tbsp garlic, chopped

2 tbsp honey

4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried Italian blend seasoning

2 beef bullion cubes, chopped

1 tsp liquid smoke

salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

shredded pepperjack cheese (optional)

chopped raw onion (optional)

cilantro (optional)

sour cream (optional)

Start by breaking up and browning ground beef in dutch oven over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. After meat is browned, remove from dutch oven and place on plate. Add remaining olive oil and chopped onions to saute for 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth, celery, carrots, bell pepper and more salt and pepper. Saute mixture for 5 minutes. 

Add remaining ingredients, including ground beef and juices (not toppings) and bring to a boil, stirring to combine. After boiling, bring heat down and simmer for 45-60 minutes. 

Ladle into bowls and add toppings of your choosing. Enjoy!


-Akemi-chan

Saturday Afternoon Hobby- Geocaching

A year or two ago, boyfriend took me to a local business to snoop around the property because a website gave him the GPS coordinates. I thought he was crazy. Immediately I thought this "geocaching" was a far-fetched, silly hobby.

I am a naturally fearful and paranoid person. If I get anywhere near feeling uncomfortable I unwillingly play scenarios in my head in which I fall and hurt myself or get caught by police for some offense I didn't know existed. Therefore, going onto a private business' property and suspiciously looking under rocks and in trees only spiked my feelings of trespassing. 

Recently, we decided to revisit the notion and it ignited a buried flame brought on by childhood scavenger hunts and treasure hunting.

Geocaching is a great way of exploring an area with a alternate agenda: finding a hidden log and make your mark to subsequently say "I was here." There are many types of "caches" including ones that are rolled up and smaller than a miniature pencil. Others as large as a camo-lock box with knick-knacks for trading. There's a website and even an app to track your GPS coordinates in reference to local caches.  

Boyfriend and I have made geocaching our weekly Saturday afternoon hobby and a great way to explore the town we live in and any other towns we may visit. I highly recommend trying it. May your inner treasure hunter flourish. 

Meadowbrook park: spotted beaver dam and deer

Random park: wildlife exploring

PS: great opportunity for pictures of architecture, landscape and nature.

-Akemi-chan

Sweet Potato Fries with Sriracha Mayo

One morning I was craving something starchy. I've been eating breakfast on a regular basis, but I eat Coconut Raisin Granola every morning. Since I woke up around noon, I wanted lunch for breakfast and what better way to make the most of fall ingredients than sweet potato fries.

Sweet Potato Fries & Sriracha Mayo

2 sweet potato fries
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp mexican chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup mayo
2 tbsp sriracha
2 tbsp lemon juice


Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Slice potatoes into strips and coat with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder. Spread evenly in one layer on baking sheet.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crisp. Turn potato slices over at half way point if desired.

For sriracha mayo, add mayo, sriracha and lemon juice into a small bowl and combine. Dip fries into mayo and enjoy.

-Akemi-chan

Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples

I surprised myself with this one. This meal was last minute but full of flavor.


Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 bone-in rib pork chops
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 large Napa cabbage head, shredded 1 inch
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 small Jonathan apples, sliced
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp water
• Apple BBQ sauce (optional)

In a dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt, pepper and rosemary. Sear chops in oil until lightly browned (around 3 minutes on each side). Remove chops and set aside.

Add remaining oil to pot with onion, cabbage and garlic. Toss and saute until cabbage starts to wilt (around 5 minutes). Add cider vinegar and water to pot to deglaze the bottom of pot. Toss vegetables to coat in liquid.

Nestle chops in liquid and vegetables and add apples to mixture. Cover pot with lid and simmer until pork is cooked, cabbage is tender and liquid is reduced. 

Boyfriend and I enjoyed this dish with our favorite BBQ sauce from a local orchard. Delicious! Enjoy.

-Akemi-chan

Hawaiian Kalua Pork and Cabbage

The previously posted Slow Cooker Kalua Pork recipe is extremely versatile. But it all stems from a childhood and homeland favorite.

Kalua pork can be served on it's own, on a bun with BBQ sauce, on nachos or the way I had it in school lunch, which is what I will demonstrate today. 

Kalua Pork and Cabbage


1/4 cup kalua pork
1 cloe garlic, minced
1/4 onion, sliced
1/4 cup cabbage, sliced
1-3 tbsp water
1/4 cup rice
1 tsp sriracha hot sauce

Start with the Kalua pork and juices and place in a pan over medium heat. Saute until pork is heated through. Add garlic to pan and saute for 2 minutes.

Add cabbage and onions to pan and mix with other ingredients. Gradually add water to deglaze pan and steam cabbage. Saute for 5 minutes or until cabbage is tender and onion is cooked. Pour over rice and enjoy. I also love putting some sriracha for a little extra kick.

-Akemi-chan

Kalua Pork aka Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I've spent a little over three years in Illinois and gone through numerous recipes and homemade meals. But no other recipe has been so shared, versatile or craved as Kalua pork. This Hawaiian dish has been a staple of my home state. We ate it at family gatherings, school lunches, even weddings.

Traditionally, the process includes digging a hole ("imu") in the ground, lining the hole with hot coals and banana leaves, lowering a whole pig into the imu, covering the pig with more hot coals and dirt for several hours to cook in the ground. Thanks to modern production, Kalua pork is now packaged in ready-to-go containers in the freezer section of most grocery stores in Hawaii.

Due to a wonderful appliance called the slow cooker, even Mainland (what Hawaii residents call the continental US) dwellers like me can make Kalua pork. This recipe has high payoff for minimum effort. All you need is a slow cooker and 10-13 hours.

This recipe can feed a small army. My first Thanksgiving in Illinois, we fed roughly 15 people and they went for seconds. Kalua pork is also perfect for freezing in small batches and breaking out for individual portions during the work week.


Kalua Pork

1 6-7 lb pork butt/ pork shoulder
1-2 tbsp sea salt/ Hawaiian salt
1-2 tbsp liquid smoke
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4-6 garlic cloves to taste, crushed or minced (optional)


Place pork butt in slow cooker. Pierce pork with sharp knife on all sides to tenderize and allow flavors to penetrate the meat. Salt and pepper pork on all sides massaging into meat. If garlic is minced, massage into meat on all sides. If garlic is crushed/ whole, insert into holes made by knife. 

The long list of ingredients

Place meat with fat side facing up. The liquid smoke is very potent so be careful when covering meat. Pour liquid smoke over pork. If you like, you can massage the liquid smoke into the roast. I recommend gloves if you are going to massage the pork at this point. If you touch the liquid smoke with your hands, they'll smell like jerky for a day or two. Cover slow cooker and set to low for 12-20 hours, depending on size of roast.

Cooking in juices

When the pork is done, the fat at the top of the roast will have either melted or become soft. The pork will be so tender it will shred with a fork. The meat will be cooking in it's own juices, there will be a lot. (PS: I keep the juices to cook the pork in)

Professional shredder, not the Ninja Turtle kind

Pull pork with fork and store for future use or heat up in saute pan with juices, salt, pepper and garlic.

Traditionally, the pork is either served on it's own with some white short-grain rice or sauteed with chopped green cabbage, sliced onions and rice. But this Hawaiian pulled pork goes with everything.


Additional Kalua pork recipes to come.

-Akemi-chan