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Nearly Instant Dal Bhat

2018 July 28

लगभग तत्काल दाल भट

Dal Bhat was a staple meal in Nepal. While trekking in the Himalayas, it was often the meal we had twice a day. Every teahouse in the mountains had their own version which was served with sautéed vegetables grown in the nearby garden. This version is much more flavorful than anything we had in Nepal and very easy since the Instant Pot shortens the cooking time by about half. If you use your Instant Pot to cook rice, be sure to do that prior to cooking the Dal Bhat. To mince the carrots and celery, I use a food processor with a standard blade for about one minute. To make this recipe gluten-free, use arrowroot or potato starch to thicken the broth. read more…

Braised Short Ribs with Black Bean Sauce in the Instant Pot

2018 July 28

黑豆炖牛肋骨 (Gluten-free)

 

You’ll won’t see this dish at most Chinese restaurants. This is a recipe similar to a dish I remember my mother making. Since beef ribs were expensive and her recipe took hours to make, she only made this for special occasions or when we had guests over for dinner. The remaining sauce was saved and reused in the next batch along with fresh ingredients. Over time, the saved sauce developed a richness that is nearly impossible to duplicate. This recipe comes close to what I remember. It doesn’t require old sauce, nor hours of cooking because of the Instant Pot. It has been tested and refined. read more…

Wine Storage Services

2015 January 12

My collection is getting out of hand. Why do I say that? I’m almost out of storage space and my thoughts turn to offsite storage. If you’ve been collecting wine for a while, you probably have encountered this problem and also started entertaining the idea of wine storage services. However, wine storage isn’t just about having a temperature controlled location. Whether you’re collecting wine as an investment or simply keeping wine for your own enjoyment, there are several things you should consider before storing your investment anywhere.

Light

Whether you store your wine at home or at an offsite facility, wine needs to be stored in the dark. Light is one of several factors why cellars are in basement locations. A wine storage facility doesn’t have to be located underground, but it would be the most logical place to have one. If the storage facility you’re considering isn’t underground, then it shouldn’t have windows, or at least have all light from exterior windows blocked throughout the space. read more…

Bœuf Bourguignon

2014 October 26
by Eric Hwang

Bœuf BourguignonI’m not a fan of recipes that are overly complicated, especially when it comes to rustic French cooking. Bœuf Bourguignon or beef burgundy was originally a peasant dish first described by Auguste Escoffier and later popularized by Julia Child. However, over time, rustic cooking was transformed in haute cuisine with fancier methods of cooking and more sophisticated equipment. Unfortunately, so many of the cookbooks that had a recipe for bœuf bourguignon made it into a much bigger production than I thought it should be. The technique and the basic ingredients are still the same, but  I just simplified the process to dirty only one pan. The cooking method probably owed to the inexpensive cuts of beef available and braising is particularly good for tough gristly meat. The ingredients were those readily available—beef, salt pork, wine, herbs, onions and mushrooms. When these ingredients are added depends on the recipe you follow. Some make a bouquet garni sachet of the onions, carrots and herbs and some omit the carrot, sauté the onions with the mushrooms and add it when it’s nearly done. I found that mincing the onions and carrots and adding it in the beginning works just as well and is the least complicated. In the end, it still basically tastes the same. read more…