Name: Turkey Congee in the Instant Pot
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Yield: 10 cups
Ingredients: 2 cups rice (long grain or jasmine); 10 cups water; 1 turkey carcass and neck (Some meat and fat left on is ideal.); 2 tbs sesame oil; 1 small piece ginger; 1 cup extra turkey meat (chopped or pulled into small pieces); salt to taste

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019

Planta Queen

Continuing on my eating tour, my sister recommended Planta. On Queen St. West. I’m interested in expanding my vegetarian repertoire. Planta Queen surpassed my expectations. They serve vegan food.

We started off with the spinach and shiitake, and potato truffle dumplings. I loved the richness of the black bean sauce that came with the spinach and shiitake dumplings. The potato truffle was very good, but I’m not a fan of truffle flavour. Next up was the spring rolls which had a very meaty taste even though there was no meat in it. The dosa with coconut lentil curry was sublime. I need to make that curry. The dan dan noodles had plenty of peanut flavour to go with the kamut. The Shanghai slaw reminded me of papaya salad with a chill bite and undertones of lemongrass.

This is vegan food that does not try to pretend that it’s meat is on another level. All their dishes had such rich flavours that you never knew that the meat was missing.

The bussing was lightening quick. No sooner had we plucked the last morsel off our plate did it get picked up. The service was really good.

Oh yes, the washroom decor was interesting. Whomever would have thought washroom photos belonged in a food blog.

SPINACH & SHIITAKE steamed dumplings, black bean & chili vinaigrette
POTATO TRUFFLE steamed dumplings, cabbage, coconut milk lemongrass broth
UNCLE BAM’S SPRING ROLLS chow mein noodles, coriander, five spice
DOSA Coconut lentil curry, pico de gallo
DAN DAN
noodles, gai lan, coconut milk, kamut, coriander
SHANGHAI SLAW green papaya, cabbage, lemongrass, coriander, shaved onion rings

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019

SOOS

I’m making what seems to be my annual trip to Toronto, the land of good eats. My sister suggested Malaysian, as she knows of my fondness for Pan-Asian food. SOOS fit the bill. It’s one of many restaurants that adds to the eclectic vibe of Ossington Street.

We started with the prawn crackers with peanut sauce. The star of the dish was definitely the peanut sauce. Next up was the murtabak. It was an Indian pancake stuffed with curry chicken. The garlic sauce was delicious and had overtones of tzatziki,. and went well with the side of curry gravy.

The classic char kway teow came bursting onto my taste buds with some fiery wok hay. The depth of flavour imparted by a seasoned wok was carried by the charred noodles. The laksa was a nice, spicy finish to the meal. I’ve never had laksa leaf, also known as Vietnamese coriander. It was a nice addition to the soup. Lemongrass and a rich curry broth was a good combination.

Service was attentive and the food came out fairly quickly. I would love to go back and try more of the menu.

KEROPOK house made prawn crackers, soos peanut sauce
MURTABAK stuffed roti, curry chicken, mamak curry dip, garlic sauce
CHAR KWAY TEOW tiger prawns, chives, sambal, beansprout, egg drop, charred rice fettuccine
LAKSA chicken, prawn, tofu ball, galangal, mee, vermicelli, curry broth, daun kesum

May 27, 2018

Eative Film Cafe

I wanted to try something different for breakfast. As my sister would say, funky breakfast. I was considering a south Indian place, but it turned out that they didn’t open until 11am even though they advertised a breakfast menu on their website. In our travels through Kensington Market the previous day, we noticed the Eative Film Cafe. Japanese cafes and such seem to be on trend in Toronto these days so we were eager to check it out. We noticed the Japanese breakfast options on the menu, in addition to the classic ones.

We arrived before the horde did at 10am. Order at the counter and they deliver to your table. I was intrigued by the purple rice balls. So I chose the Tokyo omelette. I added some extra avocado. It came with a side of miso soup. I also ordered an Americano. I was quite impressed with the rice balls. I prefer a healthy breakfast. The flavour was a subtle one of wild rice. It went well with the omelette.

My sister enjoyed the Sapparo breakfast. It came with a side of coleslaw and tangy mayo. It seemed like a good combination.

This cafe is also known for its 24K gold flake ice cream, which is another item that is trendy in Toronto. They also carry cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, which is in demand. The waits are up to 3 hours at their only location in Toronto.

They also have classic breakfast, weekend brunch and Japanese street food. Well worth another visit.

Tokyo Omelette
Roasted Seaweed, Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Mushroom, Sun Dried Tomato, Grilled Onion, Avocado served with Japanese Onigiri (Multigrain Purple Rice Ball) & Miso Soup

Sapporo Breakfast
Tamago Yaki (Rolled Scrambled Egg), 2 Sausages, 2 Onigiri (Purple Rice Ball with Seaweed), Miso Soup, House Salad

A selection of Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes

May 27, 2018

Lamesa Filipino Kitchen

I remembered walking by Lamesa Filipino Kitchen at least 4 years ago, at the tail end of my last trip to Toronto. I promised myself, that I next time I visited, it will be on my list. Well, I’m finally here.

I’m not too familiar with Filipino food as I’ve only have it a handful of times. But I’m fascinated by all Asian food. This is an elevated version of Pinoy cuisine.

We started with the Lamesa salad. The crispy 5 spice tofu partnered very well with the freshness of the salad and the tangy dressing. Next up was the pancit molo. It is traditionally wontons in a chicken broth soup. This version had pan fried dumplings with ginger laced broth. It reminds me of the sauce that accompanies Cantonese style steamed fish.

The chicken adobe came with crispy chicken and roasted garlic in a soy vinegar sauce. It was quite tasty. The veg pinakbet is a Filipino vegetable stew. The crispy polenta added some texture. Both of us really enjoyed the garlic fried rice. I will have to try to make that one at home.

Good service, great food. Definitely a must try.

LAMESA SALAD
5 spice tofu, mango, zucchini, cucumber, curry pinipig, coconut vinagrette

PANCIT MOLO
pork and shrimp dumplings, poached egg, spring dashi, ginger scallion oil

CHICKEN ADOBO
seared marinated chicken thighs, soy vinegar jus, confit garlic, chimichurri
VEG PINAKBET
crispy polenta, cashew “cheese”, tomato, spring vegetable ragu
GARLIC FRIED RICE

January 17, 2018January 17, 2018

Two Penny Chinese

It seems that going out to eat at a nice restaurant with friends is a rare occurrence these days. Let me clarify that. Nice, as in full service, not rushed, and finer dining. Not a compressed lunch date at a fast casual place, or a food court, or chain restaurant with my toddlers.

I was curious about Two Penny. My general perception of authentic Chinese restaurants is that the food is good, but the service is very subpar (read rude) if one doesn’t speak the language. Now before you get on your high horse and criticize me for my politically incorrect point of view, let me say this. I am Cantonese by heritage; and I do speak the language reasonably unwell enough to be spoken to in English when I was in Hong Kong. It’s refreshing to have good Chinese food with much better service.

I ordered jasmine tea to go with my meal. The tea service was quite fancy. It was steeped in a wine pitcher, strained into another wine pitcher and finally poured into a tea cup. I loved the hand selected tea as I could really taste the flavour of the jasmine flowers.

I’m not a fan of traditional dim sum. It’s mostly greasy with this its-still-sitting-in-my-bloated-stomach-hours-later-feeling. But I like the idea of dim sum, and the steamed dishes. We started off with a traditional soup dumpling and some char siu bao (steamed BBQ pork buns). I like traditional and I was happy that it was prepared that way. They were both very tasty.

Our next course was beef and broccoli. This is not your ho-hum Chinese takeout dish. The beef is Wagyu brisket. Melt in my mouth good.

The drunken fish was a nice twist on the traditional steamed fish. Less oily, but retaining the freshness of the spring onions with citrus undertones. Very elegant. The rice did a nice job of soaking up the sauce.

A little arm twisting was required to try an additional dim sum dish. The crispy mushroom dumplings had a subtle flavour which were perfect on their own. However, the accompanying truffle mayo was overwhelming. It might have been nice if it was paired with a stronger dumpling.

I found that all the dim sum options were portioned well for three people. I don’t know if that was intentional, but with three in our party it worked out really well.

Even more arm twisting was required to try the dessert course, a mandarin creamsicle as we were stuffed from the previous courses. It was built on three layers. I only had the one bite so I couldn’t truly appreciate all the tastes. I did however, enjoy the cardamom meringue.

I would love to try more of their dishes.

January 22, 2017January 22, 2017

Turkey Congee in the Instant Pot

After Christmas dinner was done, the remains of an 18 lb turkey were begging for some inspiration. Being a little lazy and needing a meal that could cope with frozen leftovers, turkey congee seemed like a suitable choice. I sort of defrosted the turkey carcass in the oven (at the same time roasting it) and it turned out beautifully.

Prior to roasting the turkey, I dried brined it for a few days and threw some kosher salt, black pepper and lemons into the cavity. I didn’t have to season the congee much after it was done cooking, as all the wonderful flavours from inside the carcass and the umami from roasting the bones did the job.

It seems to be, like all congee that I’ve made in the Instant Pot, a little thick. To make it less thick, add some hot water prior to serving or cold water before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop.

My toddlers were begging for seconds. I knew then, it was a winner!

IMG_20161225_135408_907 — Roasted turkey

Turkey Congee in the Instant Pot

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

90 minutes

Passive Time

75 minutes

Servings

cups

Ingredients

2 cups rice long grain or jasmine
10 cups water
1 turkey carcass and neck Some meat and fat left on is ideal.
2 tbs sesame oil
1 small piece ginger
1 cup extra turkey meat chopped or pulled into small pieces
salt to taste

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

90 minutes

Passive Time

75 minutes

Servings

cups

Ingredients

2 cups rice long grain or jasmine
10 cups water
1 turkey carcass and neck Some meat and fat left on is ideal.
2 tbs sesame oil
1 small piece ginger
1 cup extra turkey meat chopped or pulled into small pieces
salt to taste

Instructions

Add rice to pot.
Roast turkey carcass in the oven at 400 F for 30 minutes or until aroma develops. Let cool and break it up into pieces to fit the pot. Add to pot.
Peel and julienne ginger. Add to pot.
Add water and sesame oil.
Cover and set to porridge for 40 minutes. 15 minutes NPR and then vent if preferred or NPR until float drops.
Remove the carcass. Peel the meat off and add back to pot if desired. Stir in the extra turkey meat. Add salt to taste. Mind the bones that might be left!

Share this Recipe

April 23, 2016

Spaghetti Cafe Prairie

I keep a low profile as a food blogger. Only because I don’t have much time these days to pursue my passion. I was surprised to receive an invite from the restaurant owner to visit his cafe. I couldn’t visit in person, so I ordered from Skip The Dishes.

Food trends come and go all the time. Some have staying power, like ramen. Noodles for me are always a classic, never out of style. Asian cuisines doing a take on western cuisine is not new. But this is the first that I have heard of Japanese spaghetti. Intriguing. I’m all for fast, good quality and affordable food.

I ordered the Japanese chicken spaghetti, with a salad and the carrot and lemon zest soup. The spaghetti tasted like roasted chicken with a slightly asian style soy sauce flavour. Like home cooked food. The carrot and lemon zest soup had vibrant flavours and color. Pasta was done al dente. Hubby had the spaghetti carbonara. I had a taste, it was good. The portions are really generous and it is good value for the price.

I could see my old, super active self hitting this place after a session at the climbing gym or day out in the mountains. Now I can see myself halving the portion and saving it for lunch the next day.

I like it. I’ll be back. Thanks for the invite, Takeshi!

Japanese Chicken Spaghetti, Carrot and Orange Zest Soup, Salad

June 17, 2015

Ikemen Ramen Bar

It feels like it has been ages since I’ve been down to Kensington. Oh, it’s probably been just over a month now, but since then several new places have opened. One that I have been eager to try is Ikemen Ramen Bar. It has been open for about three weeks now. They were still putting the stickers on the windows.

I love ramen. Traditional, fusion, and even my homemade attempts. All good. Ikemen has sprung up where the old Tandoori Hut used to be. They have a small selection of traditional and fusion ramen. We started with the age dashi tofu and gyoza. I had the green curry seafood ramen and my sister-in-law the dynamite roll. The tofu was simmered in a delicious broth. Our server asked us to to describe the dish as she had not yet tried it. I said the broth was rich with overtones of dashi and bonito. With the bonito flakes blowing in the breeze.

I really enjoyed my ramen. The green curry was a tad on the medium spicy side, but full of flavour. They could have been more generous with the seafood, as it came with a whole shrimp, mussel and a couple of scallops. SIL had the dynamite roll which was beautifully presented. For dessert, we shared the organic corn ice cream which was on their daily special board. It tasted of sweet corn and vanilla. An interesting combination. Worth a return trip!

March 25, 2015

303 Fusion Kitchen

I had a chance to go out with my family for lunch. Five of us went to 303 Fusion Kitchen. I’ve always been interested in trying the few Taiwanese restaurants in town. This one caught my attention as a friend seems to visit frequently. Chinese food isn’t just one thing; there are many different areas in China with a subculture. Taiwan is one of them. My parents had visited Taiwan long ago, and still hold fast to memories of being there.

First up was the yam fries. For the sauce, a plum sauce from Taiwan was used. Crsip and sweet, the sauce went with the fries quite well. Next came the calamari, equally crisp and with a nice change up: tentacles instead of rings.

I wondered what the crystal dumplings were. They were pork and ginger potstickers pan fried in a flour paste to make the bottoms look extra crisp.

The oyster pancake was soft and fluffy with a rich gravy over top. Mom recalled that the oyster pancakes in Taiwan weren’t sauced, so this must be the fusion aspect.

The fried tofu with salted pork was really nice. I love how tofu can be accented with the taste of anything. The pork belly rice was full of flavour too.

All of the above were their specials. Next time I come back, I’ll have to try the beef noodle soup.

August 13, 2014

Goro + Gun

I went to Goro + Gun a while ago. Just a little behind on my blogging. Located in the former West Restaurant and Bar location, it is definitely the largest ramen serving restaurant in Calgary. It’s not exclusively ramen; there are other Japanese influenced Asian dishes on the menu.

Hubby and I started with the okonomiyaki. It is a traditional Japanese savoury pancake. I quite liked the taste and concept. There was pork belly topped with ginger, bonito flakes, mayo, and teriyaki style sauce over a fried green cabbage batter. It was a fairly substantial appetizer and something that I have not tried before.

I went with the Miso ramen for my main. The noodles are what I would expect with ramen; yellow, slightly curly with a chewy texture. The broth was tasty and more like creamy tonkotsu if compared to Shiki Menya’s. I liked the added flavour of the black garlic oil.

Hubby and I shared the dessert which was a black sesame creme brulee. It was served with what tasted like a rice cracker on the side and topped with what seemed to be deep fried crispy noodle. It was a very interesting and unique dessert. I love the richness of black sesame, which works well in this case.

OKONOMIYAKI green cabbage, green onion, pork belly — OKONOMIYAKI
green cabbage, green onion, pork belly

MISO RAMEN bbq pork, kikurage mushrooms, red ginger, green onions, shio — MISO RAMEN
bbq pork, kikurage mushrooms, red ginger, green onions, miso