Matcha White Chocolate Panna cotta.

 

 Hello. It's been awhile. I am trying to figure out our Handol online store these days. (You can check my non-finished, but still working online store by clicking "SHOP" on top of this blog;D) Since I am using this e-commerce website that has no design at all and I am self-taught, it is pretty time consuming job to make it look pretty. Can anyone suggest me a nice (and cheap) e-commerce site?
Anyway, I needed some chocolate(YES!!) to fully operate my brain for this CSS, html, and whatever that is.

Green Tea Rice - Reusing leftover tea leaves.

 Hello. Here is another tip of leftover tea leaves.

 It is literally green tea and rice. I am using this method when I am too lazy to make something with leftover tea leaves, but they are too good to be my plants fertilizer.

Direction is so simple. (Embarrassing to call it recipe. haha)

 

Tea Deviled Eggs

Is everybody having a nice Easter?
I don't think I had ever really done egg painting since I was 5 years old.
But I felt like having some fun with eggs this Easter. 

Banana Cranberry Rice Cake + Chocolate Banana Rice Cake. "Ttuk"

 I know we generally use the word, "Rice cake" for this Korean sweets "Ttuk"; 떡, but I always feel weird calling "Cake" for the one made out of sweet rice flour.

 In Korea, there are two different types of rice cake,"Ttuk". One is made out of sweet rice flour and another one is made out of regular rice flour. Since sweet rice flour make "Ttuk" chewier, it is used for something smaller or bite size snacks, such as Mochi. And for regular rice flour, we normally make bigger "Ttuk" which is more like a cake. So that's why, I think I sometime we should just call them with their original name "Ttuk", like a Japanese word, Mochi.

 

Green Tea Shrimp Dumplings - Re-using Tea leaves

 When I visited Bohyang Dawon(보향다원), a beautiful organic tea farm, the owner kept told me to never throw leftover tea leaves away. Especially, since she feeds gold her plants fertilizer, the tea leaves are just so healthy for you.  (Check my older post for more information. Click)

There are many ways to reuse leftover teas. It depends on tea leaves (and your taste :D ).
If you had green tea or oolong tea, you can reuse them for food. However, you should always make sure that, you either remove moist from leftover tea leaves immediately and as much as possible, or you use them right after you brewed. The reason is because of bacterias may increase in wet tea leaves.


 I had been drinking HS's pan-fired tea for couple of days, so I had quite of leftovers and wanted to use them as soon as possible. Because HS's pan-fired tea is also from that gold tea plants and very mild, I decided to put the whole things in to dumpling dough.

Green Tea Dough

You will need

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup leftover green tea leaves

1/2 tablespoon Matcha (Green Tea Powder)

Directions

 

1. Blend green tea leaves and water with blender until the tea leaves becomes small enough to not bother you when you eat. Doesn't need to be very fine.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and green tea water.

 

3. Once they become one smooth dough, let it rest for more than 2 hours in room temperature. This is very important process, otherwise the dough will be too elastic and very hard to roll it.

 

4. Dust the board with flour. 

5. You can take a small piece of dough and roll one by one(Chinese style), take around quarter amount from entire dough each time, roll it, and use round cookie cutter or small dish(Korean style), or use the knife cut them into square. It depends on what you feel easier.  

Shrimp Dumpling

You will need

1lb uncooked shrimp

1 can water chestnut

2/3 cup edamame

1 cup soaked or fresh shitake mushroom
(2/3 cup dried shitake mushroom, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon soysauce)

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cooking wine

 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon good quality sesame oil (1 tablespoon regular one)


Dumpling dough

Directions

 

1. While waiting the dough is resting, soak the mushrooms with sugar,
soy sauce and water(just enough to cover the mushrooms)







2. Steam frozen edamame for 5 minutes







3. Chop all ingredients and mix all together

4. Put the mixture in refrigerator, while waiting for the dough gets soft






5. Put shrimp mixture in the dough, and fold it nicely :)
I found picture directions.

I made similar as third one, but using round dough.

6. Lay lettuce on steamer

I think Chinese style is using sliced lettuce, but just the whole things work fine. 

7. Steam uncooked dumplings for 4 minutes

(If you want to store the dumplings in freezer, make sure you steam them first.

Otherwise, they will all stick together)

Cocoa Cake and Marco Polo.

 I confess that I baked a cocoa cake in the middle of yesterday night and ate quarter of it before I go to sleep. I was very guilty, but satisfying at the same time. 

Every year, around this season, I think I become a bit nostalgic. Yesterday, for some reason, I was remembering the time when I used to live in Paris. I lived there for a bit when I was kid and before I came to US. I guess both times were one of the happiest moments of my life, not only because of the city, but also because I was innocent.
Ok. I think the post is getting too emotional. haha.

Anyway, my mom used to bake this cocoa cake on my birthday when I was kid. For some reason, that cake had unique aroma, and I have been missing it so much. (But my mom doesn't bake cakes anymore. Instead she asks for me to bake them.) That's why I baked the cake in the middle of the night. Of course, it wasn't same, but I was okay to have a happy time.

I don't have my mom's recipe, so I picked the one that seems similar. I normally adjust the recipe for my blog, but for this, I did what is written. So here's the link

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Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream

I didn't make butter cream, because I hate it. I had a caramel sauce that I made before.
If you do not want any cream or sauce, I think this recipe will be better with chocolate chips or some chocolate pieces in it. Even better with orange zests.

And I had afternoon tea time with "Marco Polo" by "Mariage Frères". "Mariage Frères" is also an element that reminds me Paris, and "Marco Polo" is one of its best selling items. Now I prefer Asian teas, but I used to love to drink this tea when I was in Paris.

Mariage Frères’ overwhelming success is a mysterious blend that will take you to distant lands and unforeseen territories. Fragrances of Chinese and Tibetan flowers lend it a uniquely velvety taste. Its extraordinary bouquet makes Marco Polo the most legendary of flavoured teas. - "Mariage Frères"

 This is what they describes about "Marco Polo". I think it is very fragrant, flowery, and sensual. 

I think you can get it at Dean & Deluca.

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"Marco Polo" by "Mariage Frères"

 And also, I am planning to serve the tea at Handol tearoom for fun. It's gonna be only non-Asian tea, other than Tahitian tea.

 By the way, after I finished them, I realized that aroma of the cake was probably from vanilla sugar and cocoa powder that my mom used to bought from French grocery store. So I need to wait until I can visit Paris again to taste my mom's cocos cake.   

Pebble Rice Cake, "Juahk".

"Juahk" literally means pebble stone. It used to be a decoration for other rice cakes, because of its pretty look like pebble stone. These days, it is more like a nice tea snack. "Juahk" is like between rice cake and doughnut. 

 Actually the reason that I decided to make this snack is because of this.

 

This is Korean rice drink, Makgeolli.
My husband requested for the new years party at Handol Martial Art school, but he completely forgot to bring it to the party.   So this whole pot of Makgeolli has been at our balcony since then. This drink has a short expiration date comparing to other alcoholic beverages , because it is made out of natural fermentation starter; Nourouk, and rice. After certain time, Makgeolli becomes a good rice vinegar. So before it becomes a vinegar, I used it as an yeast of Juahk; Some of Korean desserts use Makgeolli instead of yeast.

You will need

2/3 cup sweet rice flour

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons Makgeolli

2 cups Jochung syrup (grain syrup, glucose)

1/2 cup water

sliced ginger

Canola oil

Directions

Boil the syrup ingredient until it boil and cool it down.

 

1. Sift all ingredients except Makgeolli into large bowl

2. Mix Makgeolli and knead the dough until it becomes smooth

 

 

3. Cut the dough evenly into small pieces

4. Form it into round shape like pebble stone and press middle with something round

 

5. Heat oil to 210℉ 

6. Cook the doughs until they float

7. Heat oil to 355℉ 

8. Cook until they get brown (Doughnut color)

9. Soak cooked doughs into the syrup for 30minutes to 1 hour

10. Drain rest of the syrup on rack

"Juahk" on "Juak". :)

It's chewy and slightly crunchy outside. 

Make sure the syrup soak all the way in. 

 This is really good. 

It is like a different version of doughnut.

I should make with jam in it next time. 

Since Juahk is sweet, it goes well with light green tea or oolong tea.

 The oolong tea that I had with it, is called "Li Shan Oolong tea".

This oolong is one of Taiwan’s highest mountain teas, and kind of like in between green tea and oolong tea. 

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More about "Li Shan Oolong"

 

냠냠 

Mini Steam Bun Bulgogi Burger. - Reusing Tea Leaves Recipe

 When I am traveling, I like to try each country's or each state's famous fast food. For example, France has "Quick burger", Japan has "Mos burger", Australia has "Hungry Jack's", and New York has "Shake Shack". Sometimes when there are no famous fast food place, Global brands are also good options. Especially McDonald's makes different menu for different countries.



 

 

Lotteria's Bulgogi Burger

 In Korea, there has been Lotteria. Especially when I was kid, I could see it everywhere; Many other brands took over Lotteria these days. And one of their famous menu is "Bulgogi burger"; "Bulgogi" is a grilled marinated beef dish that is originated Goguryeo; Ancient Korean kingdom (37 BC – 668 AD). I know McDonald's in Korea also has Bulgogi burger, but that's not an original and honestly very bad. Lotteria's "Bulgogi burger" has been so famous, it was a mandatory menu for kid's birthday party or school events. I honestly didn't really like this burger, just because I don't like sauce on my meat and I had it too much. Still this burger reminds me my childhood.

 I used steamed buns that I made organic whole wheat flour, instead of regular burger buns, because I just feel like that's more Asian and I had bunch of buns from Pecking duck night.
You don't need to bother to make steamed buns. Regular burger buns or store-bought steamed buns are also great.

You will need

- Patties

2 pound ground Beef 

Black pepper

1/4 large white onion

1/2 scallion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons green tea leaves (Helps remove bad smell from meat)

1 tablespoon potato starch 

1/2 cup sliced rice cake (optional)

- Steamed buns

- Cheese, Tomatoes, Mayonaise

-10 tablespoon Bulgogi sauce 

+ Simple version

4 tablespoons soysauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cooking wine 

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

Black pepper

+ Always good sauce version  

Directions

Before making patties, soak sliced rice cake in water

1. Mix all patties ingredients with food processor or chop and mix them in a bowl.

   (I normally don't buy ground beef, 

so I roughly chopped the ingredients and blend with food processor.)

2. Chop soaked rice cake in whatever size you want. 

3. Mix starch powder, ground beef and 7 tablespoons of bulgogi sauce. Knead it as you make bread. 

  (I forgot my green tea leaves, so I put them later. )

4. Form your burger. (I push a half slice of rice cake in the middle of patties. If you don't put rice cakes, make a deep depression in the center with your thum)

5. Wait at least an hour to marinate the meat.

 

6. Start steaming the buns.

7. Heat a pan with a bit of oil. Once it shimmer, put patties. 3 minutes one side and flip them. 

8. Pour around one teaspoon of bulgogi sauce on top and cook for 4 minutes. 

Flip one more time to make sure the patties are covered with the sauce. 

9. Feel free to create your burger. (The original bulgogi burger has lettuce, mayo, and patty)

I recommend to put mayo. Bulgogi sauce and mayo make an interesting combination.

I actually made three sliders, but sneaky bad boy ate one.

This one. (Yes, I'm in trouble.)

 

I like milkshake with my burger instead of coke.

So I made green tea latte instead.

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More about green tea latte

 

I also like to eat them as they are. (With a bit of chopped pine nuts)