Cheng Can Cook Baked Garlic Shrimp Recipe ★★★

Easy to Make Dish. Shrimps are only $6.99 per pound at Little Tokyo Market Place. For $3.98, I can get 10 shrimps.

Ingredients:
Shrimp
Garlic, minced
Butter

Recipe:
1. Clean & devein shrimp (check YouTube).
2. Butterfly shrimp (cut in center), spread small thin slice of butter, sprinkle minced garlic on top.
    (optional to add grated Parmesan Cheese for extra flavor)
3. Bake shrimp at at least 375°F until garlic turn golden.
Tip: Next time I will try detaching middle part of the shrimp from the shell for easier eating.

Cheng Can Cook: Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe ★★★

Came Up with My Own Recipe. Brussels Sprouts is my all-time favorite appetizer. It could go $8-$15 at restaurants. It is about $4 at grocery stores. Perfect snack. Can explore with different toppings such as Pancetta and chopped Macadamia Nuts.

Ingredients:
Brussels Sprouts – about 8 pieces
Shaved Cheese (such as Parmesan, Ricotta, Blue Cheese, Cheese Blend, etc.)
Oil – about 2.5 Tablespoons
Vinegar – a light splash
Salt – a big pinch
Furikake (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to Broil (High-heat baking)
2. Wash, dry, and halve Brussels Sprouts
3. Toss Brussels Sprouts with Oil
4. Top with Vinegar and a pinch of Salt, then Broil with the inside faced up
5. Broil till it turns brown, then turn and have the outside faced up (so that outside skin cures up and creates nice texture)
6. When the outside turns brown like picture above, it's done. Add cheese and can bake for 1-2 minutes additional for the cheese to melt
7. Serve and add Furikake on top (optional)

Cheng Can Cook: Kimetsu No Yaiba Yamakake Udon ★★★

Tanjiro's Asakusa Hot 月見 Yamakake Udon from 鬼滅の刃 Kimetsu No Yaiba (Demon Slayer). 1st try. It tasted really good. I usually have Yamakake cold, but hot is very tasty too. I got the Nichirin Sword chopsticks from Lawson Japan. Recipe below.

Hot Yamakake Udon I made based on the anime

Actual Noodles from Kimetsu No Yaiba Episode 7

The Udon I like. Got from Tokyo Central. (Not all Udon brands are good. Some are too salty.)

Ingredients:
Udon – 1 bunch for 1 person
Noodle Soup Base (available at Japanese grocery stores)
Yamaimo
Egg Yolk
Green Onions
Sliced Seaweed
Wasabi

Directions:
1. Follow directions on package to cook Udon.
2. Heat up Soup Base.
3. Peel Yamaimo skin and grate finely.
4. Place Udon and Soup Base in a Bowl.
5. Pour Grated Yamaimo (Yamakake) flatly in the middle of the bowl of noodles.
6. Garnish with egg yolk (center), green onions, sliced seaweed, and wasabi as pictured. Enjoy!

Notes to self:
• I need to make more soup base next time
• Green Onions need to be closer to the edge of the bowl

Cheng Can Cook: Raku Poached Egg & Eggplant Recipe ★★★

Great Flavor of Raku. Because I won't be going to Vegas for a while, I replicated Raku Las Vegas's recipe for their Poached Egg with Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe. I made a mistake by cracking the Onsen Tamago instead of peeling it. I am such an amateur home cook. Japanese recipes are complicated. Everything needs to be heated up and cool down.
For the Broiled Miso Eggplant, I invented the recipe myself. Both dishes are great with sake and/or rice. Recipes below.

My Replica of Raku's Poached Egg with Sea Urchin & Salmon Roe

Original from Raku Las Vegas $9

Raku's Poached Egg with Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe Recipe:

Dashi Broth:
1/4 cup Bonito Flakes
1-1/4 cup Water
6 inches of Kombu Seaweed

Directions:
1. Simmer water & Kombu in a small pot over medium heat.
2. Remove from heat and add Bonito Flakes. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Discard Kombu (or keep for 2nd batch) and Bonito Flakes.
Dashi can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Onsen Tamago Sauce:
1/4 cup Dashi
1/2 Tbsp Mirin
3/4 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Directions:
Heat up everything in a small pot and cool down.

Onsen Tamago:
4-1/4 cups Water (measure 4-1/4 cups and remove 4 teaspoon) (water needs to cover egg completely)
3/4 cup Cold Tap Water (3/4 cup + 4 teaspoon)
1 large Egg, refrigerated

Directions:
1. Add water to small sauce pen, cover with fitted lit and bring to boil.
2. Once boil, remove pot from heat. Take egg out from refrigerator, add cold tap water to pot, gently place egg in the water. Cover and leave it for 15-16 minutes. (Timing might require trial and error testing & adjustment)

Garnishes:
Bunashimeji Mushrooms (just need the heads, boiled)
Okra (boiled, a few thin slices)
Chopped Yamaimo

Directions:
1. Plate Garnishes and Onsen Tamago as pictured.
2. Add the Onsen Tamago Sauce.
3. Tastes best when slightly refrigerated. Serve cool.


Notes to self:
• Chop the yamaimo finer next time
• I cracked open the onsen tamago egg shell instead of peeling it. I am such an amateur home cook.
• I made a mistake of putting the sauce in the serving bowl first – DON'T DO IT! Garnishes will not hold in place and will be all over the place. I ended up pouring the sauce out, plated everything dry, and added the sauce last.
• May need to marinate the mushroom with the Onsen Tamago Sauce.

Broiled Miso Eggplant I invented

Broiled Miso Eggplant Recipe:
A Few Eggplants
About 1.5 Tbsp oil
About 1 Tbsp Miso
About 1.5 Tbsp Mirin
About 1.5 Tbsp Cooking Sake
Spring Onion for Garnsih, chopped
Bonito Flakes for Garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to broil (high-heat baking).
2. Quarter Eggplant in cross section and slice into 1" lengthwise.
3. Mix all the liquid and miso.
4. Mix or brush mixture with Eggplant. Set to broil until it turns slightly brown on the edges. Could be about 25 minutes.
5. Plate Eggplant and garnish with chopped Spring Onion and Bonito Flakes.

Note to self:
• Can think about adding minced ginger to add a kick of spice to the dish next time.

Both dishes are great to pair with sake!

Cheng Can Cook: Black Garlic Tokotsu Noodles ★

Cheng Can Cook: 出前一丁 Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu Flavor Instant Noodles. I upgraded it with Wagyu Beef, Mushroom, Onion, Fried Bean Curd, Crisp Lettuce, & Scallions. The garlic flavor is nice but not worth the hype.

Cheng Can Cook: Japanese Thinly Sliced Grilled Beef Recipe ★★★

Tested Japanese Thinly Sliced Grilled Beef Recipe. Missing this dish I had in my childhood from Unkai Teppanyaki at Sheraton Hotel in Hong Kong. Tried to recreate it from memory. It came out great, just as I remembered.

Ingredients:
Thin Beef Slices
Garlic - Thinly Sliced
Bean Sprouts – A Handful
Garlic Chives (Chinese Chives) - A Few Bunches, Sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt
Pepper
Soy Sauce (optional)
Ponzu (Chopped Green Onions and Grated Radish optional)

Directions:
1. Grease grill with a rubber brush and cook sliced garlic. Brush garlic with oil. Grill until garlic became garlic chips and set aside.
2. Grill garlic and garlic chives together. Brush will oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add a drizzle of soy sauce (optional). Set aside when cooked.
3. Grill beef slices. Brush with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Plate flat when cooked. Wrap with bean sprouts and garlic chives and garlic chips.
4. Serve with ponzu sauce and enjoy.

Potato Chips Recipe ★★★

Homemade Fried Potato Chips. My first time. Pretty good. Got 10 lbs. of potatoes from Vons for free, so trying different potato recipes everyday. Instead of using olive oil, I saved the oil from baking bacon and used it for this. It gives the chips a bacon aroma. Some people also add white vinegar to it. Recipe below.

Ingredients:
2 Medium Potatoes
1.5 Tablespoon Olive Oil (I used oil from bacon)
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven at 425°F.
2. Skin potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1/8" thickness. (I will try using a peeler next time too)
3. Grease baking sheet, toss chips with Olive Oil. Place chips in single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Additional spices optional.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crispy. (Can also Air Fry for 15 minutes or until crispy)
Tip: After baking or air-frying, line plate with paper towel to absorb extra oil

Taiwanese Sliced Noodles Recipe ★★

Taiwanese Comfort Food. The thick Taiwanese Sliced Noodles are available in the Chinese supermarkets. I modified my recipe a bit after learning how to cook Hong Kong Style Soy Sauce Noodles. Recipe below.

Taiwanese Sliced Noodles

Japanese Chili Oil with Garlic
secret seasoning that tastes good on almost anything
tip: get it on sale from the Japanese market

Ingredients:
Pork, Chicken, or Beef (Pork has the best flavor for this)
1/4 - 1/2 Onion
Vegetables – I used Eggplant, Napa Cabbage, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Lettuce
1 Tablespoon Oil
1.5 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
Cilantro (optional)
Sliced Spring Onions for Garnish (optional)
Sesame Seeds for Garnish (optional)
Japanese Chili Oil with Garlic on the side

Directions:
1. Wash and slice all vegetables.
2. Cook noodles in a pot of boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Turn off heat and drain.
3. Heat oil on pan. Add Onions and Eggplant until slightly browned. Add rest of vegetables and a little bit of water. Add meat.
4. When meat is cooked, add noodles. Add Sesame Oil, Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, and Oyster Sauce on noodles and mix well. Add Cilantro and turn off heat.
5. Serve and garnish with Spring Onions and Sesame Seeds. Serve with Japanese Chili Oil with Garlic on the side.

Ludo's Omelette Recipe ★★★

Chef Ludo Lefebvre's Classic French Omelette. Fluffy. Perfect Breakfast. Chef Ludo has been very generous to share his recipes on his Instagram during the pandemic. I am very excited to try this with the new The Rock by Starfritt non-stick pan I bought. Considering it my first time, it's quite successful. This takes practice to perfection. I paired it with Sunrise Tequila Shot (tropical juice + tequila). Recipe below.

I asked Ludo if I can use a fork instead

Recipe Source: @chefludo https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_I22s5p2ZG/
*Watch Ludo's video first before making, as cooking the egg gets quite technical.
I wrote a recap of the directions below.

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
2 scoops of Cream Cheese or any Soft Cheese (eg. Ricotta or Parmesan)
Salt
White Pepper
Chopped Chives for garnish (optional)
Non-stick Pan (around 9 inches)
Rubber Spatula
Whisk
Bowl

Directions:
1. Crack 4 eggs. Add a pinch of salt and white pepper.
2. Beat the eggs. Mix very well evenly until you don't see any eggwhites.
3. Heat a chunk of butter in pan in low heat. Pour eggs when butter begins to sizzle. Make sure that it doesn't sizzle after. Scramble eggs. Make sure to stir and mix everywhere. Occasionally lift away from heat. (Medium heat?) Stir fast as egg hardens a bit. Let set. Set sides.
4. Add 2.5 tablespoons of cream cheese on 1/2 of the side inside omelette.
5. Roll like sushi. Massage with butter.
6. Lift end and slide onto a plate.
7. Wet towel with hot water. Remold omelette with towel on top so it looks more like a crepe. Massage with butter.
8. Add a bit more salt and white pepper. Add chopped chives for garnish (optional).

Chow Mein & Oxtail Soup Recipe ★★★

Lovely Taste of Hong Kong. I got Taiwanese noodles and made it into Chow Mein. It tasted great. Oxtail Soup is easy to make. It's tasty and healthy. Recipes below.

Hong Kong Style Soy Sauce Chow Mein

 

Chinese Ox Tail Soup

Soy Sauce Chow Mein
Ingredients:
Dry Noodles for 2 people (I used Taiwanese)
120 g Bean Sprouts (I used napa, lettuce, and mushroom instead – sliced)
1/2 Onion
Ginger – Sliced (I used ginger powder instead)
1 Spring Onion – Sliced
Sesame Seeds for garnish

Sauce: (can premix or add on the spot)
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2.5 teaspoons Dark Soy Sauce
1.5 teaspoons Raw Sugar (I used regular sugar)
2 teaspoons Oyster Sauce
A drizzle of Sesame Oil

Directions
1. Follow package directions to cook dry noodles and drain. (Tip: Don't cook for too long, or else it will be soggy)
2. Add oil to wok (or large frying pan). Cook ginger, spring onions, and onions until soft. Add vegetables. Set vegetables aside and add drained noodles. Add sauce in circular motion and stir for even tone. Taste.
3. Garnish with sesame seeds.


Oxtail Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb. Oxtail
3-4 Medium Tomatoes – Roughly Diced
1 Large Potato, peeled – Roughly Diced
1/2 Onion – Roughly Sliced
Celery – optional
A lot of water

Directions
1. Boil water in a pot. Cook oxtail for 1-2 minutes. Discard water.
2. In a larger pot, fill pot with a lot of water and bring to boil. Add everything into the pot of water and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Soup is ready to serve.

Cha Traop Dot Recipe ★★★

Cambodian Stir-Fry Eggplant with Pork. One of my favorite Cambodian dishes. Amazing. Great with rice.

Recipe Source: Food.com
Ingredients:
3 large Eggplants
2 Tablespoons to 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
5 Garlic Cloves (smashed and coarsely chopped)
3/4 lb. Ground Pork
3/4 lb. Shrimp (shelled, deveined, and chopped) (optional)
1/4 cup Fish Sauce
1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper (freshly ground)
3 Spring Onions (thinly sliced)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prick eggplants with a fork, then put on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes (or until soft). Allow to cool slightly, then peel and discard the skins (optional). Mash the flesh with a fork until smooth. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic until golden (about 10 seconds). Stir in the pork and shrimp, breaking up any clumps.
3. Add the fish sauce, sugar and ground pepper.
4. When well mixed, add the eggplant and continue stir-frying until warmed through (about 3 minutes).
5. Add the spring onions, stir well, and remove from heat and serve over rice.

Pasta Carbonara Recipe ★★★

Chef Ludo Lefebvre's Pasta Carbonara. Chef Ludo has been very generous to share his recipes on his Instagram during the pandemic. I baked the bacon instead and saved the egg whites for sandwiches. I mistakenly used a pot instead of a pan, so the sauce looked a bit thick. Still delicious.

Picture with Chef Ludo at Trois Mec in 2016.

Recipe Source: @chefludo https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7fRHgpX0C/
Ingredients:
360 grams Penne Pasta (approximately 4 cups)
4 egg yolks
8 slices of smoked bacon
160 grams grated parmesan or pecorino cheese (approximately 1 ½ cups)
touch of salt
touch of black pepper

Directions:
1. Slice bacon in to ½ inch pieces. Cook bacon until soft. Meanwhile, boil water for pasta.
2. Add 4 egg yolks in medium sauce pan.
3. Add ½ of the parmesan to egg yolks. Whisk together. Add remaining parmesan to yolk/cheese mixture whisk.
4. Drain bacon fat into egg/cheese mixture.
5. Warm egg/cheese/fat mixture over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add in ½ cup of pasta water and fully incorporate.
6. Drain pasta. Add pasta to egg/cheese/fat mixture, stir in bacon, salt & pepper to taste and serve.

Mickey Chocolate Waffle Recipe ★★★

Chocolate Waffle for Breakfast. Used a mixer this time for smoother consistency. Can't be lazy. Cocoa powder is causing cracks tho. May try to use real chocolate chips next time. Best with fruits, cream cheese, and chocolate syrup.



Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of cocoa powder
chocolate syrup

1. Beat eggs in large mixing bowl with beater until fluffy. Put in the rest of the ingredients and beat altogether.
2. Let the batter rest. Preheat waffle maker for 4-5 minutes.
3. Pour batter into waffle maker and heat for 3-4 minutes.
4. Serve with chocolate syrup on the side.

Baked Potato and Cream of Asparagus ★★★

Baked Potato with Real Bacon Bits and Cream of Asparagus. I love the baked potatoes from Super Sandwiches in Hong Kong. Finally decided to make it. Recipes below.

Baked Potatoes:
Ingredients:
1 Large Potato
1/2 piece of BaconSpring Onion
Cheese
Sour Cream
Butter
Salt

Directions:
1. Wash potato, prick holes with a fork 5-6 times, rub with salt, and bake at 375° for 60 minutes. Can add bacon to baking after 45 minutes and bake bacon for 12 minutes. Cut bacon into small pieces.
2. Cut open potato, spread butter and sprinkle cheese inside. They will melt perfectly.
3. Spread a lot of sour cream (more than picture above), add bacon, and garnish with spring onions.


Cream of Asparagus: (from epicurious)
Ingredients:
Green Asparagus – 1 lb.
1/2 Large Onion – chopped
Butter – 1.5 Tbsps
Chicken Broth – 2.5 cups
Heavy Cream – 1/4 cup
Fresh Lemon Squeeze – A few drops

Directions:
1. Cut asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces. Reserve some tips for garnish.
2. Cook onion with 1 Tablespoon of butter and in a large pot with low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add 2.5 cups of broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, for 15-20 minutes.
3. Boil asparagus tips in salted water for 3-4 minutes and drain.
4. Purée soup in batches in blender until smooth. (caution with hot soup) Return to purée to pan. Stir in whipped cream. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to boil and whisk in remaining butter.
5. Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.

Jack Jack's Disneyland Num Num Cookies Recipe ★★★

Jack Jack's Num Num Cookies at DCA. Released by Disneyland. Studying the recipe led me to undiscover Disneyland's trade secrets. If you follow their recipe, there is no way it will look like the ones at Disney's California Adventure. I added a few steps to achieve the look. Tips in captions below. I used Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Premium Baking Chips for this. Worth the premium. My first time baking cookie.

The one I baked. Final product.

The one I had at Disney's California Adventure last year

Extra Step – Pre-melt and stir chocolate chips in warm water in a square container

Refrigerate a little bit and cut into square chucks
also cut some smaller squares

  

  

  

I would not add the chocolate chips until after placing the cookie dough on baking sheet

Scooping into balls might not be necessary

  

Need to double the time to bake for 20 minutes for thicker cookie in a Pyrex

What it will look like if you mix the chocolate chips in the batter before

A mixture of large chocolate squares and smaller squares or chocolate chips

1st Try Baked – cookie flattens without a container

2nd Try – bake with 950 mL cylindrical Pyrex to hold its shape
Line with parchment paper beforehand

Success

Spicy Scallop Mayo Rice ★★★

My Favorite. Made Spicy Scallop by chopping Jumbo Scallop Sashimi and mix it with mayo, chili oil, sesame oil, and masago. Garnish with spring onions. I made the California Roll with avocado, cucumber, intimation crab, masago, and spring onions.

Pikachu Omelette Curry ★★★

Super Fun but Harder than I thought. Used egg for the face, carrots for cheeks and mouth, seaweed for eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and cheese for eye reflection. Added Fatty Kobe Style Sukiyaki Beef, Onions, Carrots, and Potatoes to Japanese Curry mix. Very cute. Delicious too.

Avocado Toast Recipe ★★★

Avocado Toast. My all-time overpriced brunch favorite.  Recipe below. Had it with Pomegranate Orange Vodka. Just mix Pomegranate Orange Canned Soda with Vodka.

Avocado Toast
Ingredients:
Bread – 1 piece
Butter
1/2 Avocado
1 Egg
Parmesan Cheese
Chives or Basil for granish
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Spread butter on bread and toast until golden brown
2. Fill tiny pot 2" high of water and boil. Add a drop of vinegar in water. Crack egg in a bowl, add to boiling water and simmer in low heat for 3-5 minutes. Drain water.
3. Smash avocado in a bowl or inside its skin. Spread on toast. Add poached egg on top. Sprinkle cheese. Add salt and pepper.
4. Toast until cheese melt. Garnish with chives or basil.

Chinese Boiled Shrimp Recipe ★★★

Shrimps 2 Ways. Boiled Shrimps are my favorite at Chinese restaurants. Recipe below. Soy Sauce Ketchup Shrimp is just made with sliced garlic, soy sauce, and ketchup.

Boiled Shrimps

Soy Sauce Ketchup Shrimps

Boiled Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients:
Shrimps
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Spring Onions – 1-2 stalks, cut 1 inch lengthwise
Ginger – 2 sliced
Rice Wine – 1 teaspoon
Water – 1/2 cup

1. Wash & clean shrimps
2. Add water, spring onions, ginger, and salt in wok. Cook until boiling.
3. Add rice wine and shrimps
4. Cook until shrimps turned orange
5. Plate shrimps. Can make dipping sauce with minced garlic, soy sauce, oil, cilantro, and chili.