Pokemon Loving Rabbit

This cake was made for a friend who loves Pokémon and was born in the Year of the Rabbit. It’s filled and decorated with silky Swiss meringue buttercream, and the rabbit and Pokémon figures are handcrafted from fondant for a playful, personalized touch.

Napa Cabbage Pork Belly Stew(大白菜炖五花肉)

Tender pork belly and soft Napa cabbage simmered in a savory, flavorful broth — a comforting classic of Chinese home cooking.

Ingredients

Napa cabbage - 1-2 lb
Pork belly - 1 lb

Ginger - 4-5 slices

Green onion - 1 stalk

Garlic - a few

Star anise - 1

Soy sauce - 1 TBSP

Dark soy sauce - 1 TBSP

Oyster sauce - 1 TBSP

Chinese five spice powder - 1 tsp

Optional: sticky rice cake, rice noodle, or Korean glass noodle 

Steps

1. Clean, dry and slices pork belly. In a frying pan, add some oil and then lay the pork belly to pan fry at middle heat until brown on both sides.

2. Add green onion, ginger, garlic, star anise, sir fry until fragrant.

3. Add napa cabbage, stir fry for a minute, then add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, five spice powder. 

4. Add water to cover all ingredients; bring stew to boiling; then turn to low heat to simmer.

5. Optional: you can some rice noodle, or sticky rice cake

Mystery Machine

Inspired by Scooby-Doo, this colorful treat brings the iconic Mystery Machine to life! The cupcakes are arranged in the shape of the van and then piped with Swiss meringue buttercream to create the design. This was made for Diablo Day Camp, whose theme this summer is “Mystery.”

Braised Wintermelon (家常烧冬瓜)

Wintermelon has a mild flavor and a soft, tender texture when fully cooked. It easily absorbs sauces, making it perfect for simple braised dishes like this one.

Ingredients

Wintermelon - about 2 pounds

Soy sauce - 2 TBSP

Salt - as needed

Chicken broth or water - 1 cup

Optional additions: minced garlic, oyster sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, or chopped green onions for garnish

Steps

1. Peel off the tough green skin and cut the melon into roughly 2x2-inch cubes. On the flesh side, carefully score a “#” pattern about halfway through the melon’s thickness—do not cut all the way through.

2.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the melon pieces skin side down and pan-fry until the bottom is golden brown

3.Add water or chicken broth and soy sauce to the pan. Cover and simmer gently until the melon becomes soft enough to pierce easily with a chopstick and has absorbed the sauce flavor (about 10–15 minutes).

4. Spoon the melon and sauce in serving bowl and enjoy warm.

Teriyaki Chicken without Teriyaki sauce

 If you don’t have bottled teriyaki sauce on hand, you can easily make this dish using basic seasonings.

Ingredients

Chicken legs or thighs - 2

Ground black pepper - 1 TBSP

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Ginger - a few slices

Cooking wine - 1 TBSP

Soy sauce - 2 TBSP

Dark soy sauce - 1/2 TBSP

Honey - 1 TBSP

Garlic - a few cloves, peeled

Water - 2 TBSP

Steps

1. Trim the bones from the chicken legs if desired. Season with salt, black pepper, and slices of ginger. Let sit for at least 5 minutes (longer if possible).

2. In a small bowl, mix together cooking wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, and water. Stir well.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add ginger slices and garlic cloves, then reduce to medium heat. Place the chicken pieces in the pan and fry until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes.

4. Pour in the prepared sauce. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce thickens slightly.

4. Slice the chicken, spoon the sauce over top, and serve with steamed rice and vegetables on the side.

BURN Tri-valley 10th Anniversary

 To celebrate my running club's 10th anniversary. 

Mango Sticky Rice

This is popular desert at Thai restaurant and easy to make at home. 

Ingredients

Glutinous rice - 1 cup
Coconut cream - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup  or to taste
Salt - 1 tsp

Fresh mango - 1-2, peeled and sliced
Topping

Coconut cream - 1 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Corn starch - 2 tsp

Steps

1. Rinse and soak glutinous rice for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

2. Drain water off rice; use a steamer, steam rice until cooked, about 20-30 minutes.

3. In a cooking pot, boiling the coconut cream, sugar, salt and set aside.

4. Mix the cooked rice and coconut cream well for a few minutes, and then let it rest for 10-20 minutes until the coconut cream is mostly absorbed the the rice. Plate it and arrange mango slices on or around it. 

5. In a cooking pot, mix and boiling the topping ingredients until the mixture thickens. Pour the topping over  rice and mango.