#main dish

MUSHROOM CURRY

(From AWL)

https://ministryofcurry.com/mushroom-masala/

Ingredients:

• 1 pound white mushrooms rinsed, dried and sliced
• 2 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil for vegan version
• 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ginger grated
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• ¾ cup tomato puree or 2 fresh ripe red tomatoes pureed
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ to 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder or any other mild red chili powder
• ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup cashews
• 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
• cilantro leaves chopped for garnish

Directions:

1. Soak cashews in ½ cup warm water for 10 minutes and set aside. Drain all the water and blend the cashews with ¼ cup of water to make smooth paste and reserve.
2. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat add ghee. Add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes with a glass lid on, stirring a few times. Add ginger and garlic paste, cook for 30 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot off.
3. Add tomato puree, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala salt, and mushrooms. Mix well, deglazing the pot to remove any browning on the bottom of the pot. Close the Instant Pot, and pressure cook(Hi) for 4 minutes followed by Quick Release.
4. Stir in dried fenugreek leaves, cashew paste, and chopped cilantro. Mix well and serve with Basmati Rice and parathas. For a low-carb meal, serve mushroom masala over cauliflower rice. Add a side of cucumber salad for a delicious meal.

SUMMER MELON SALAD (Tomamelo Salad)

(From AWL)

https://sweetphi.com/summer-melon-salad/

Ingredients:

• ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber
• ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 cups cantaloupe, cubed or scooped with melon baller
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, lightly chopped
• 3 oz. feta cheese

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Add cucumber, tomato, red onion, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to a bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
2. Prepare the dressing by adding lime juice maple syrup and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Slowly add olive oil while constantly whisking to create an emulsion.
4. Add cantaloup to a large serving bowl and top with dressing. Gently toss to combine.
5. Incorporate the cucumber-tomato mixture (leaving excess liquid behind) and fresh mint by folding gently. Top with crumbled feta cheese and enjoy!

FISH STEW (”Best Soup”)

(From AWL)

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fish_stew_with_ginger_and_tomatoes/

This game is making my life difficult with the recipes :P This is my best stab at “best stew” since it calls for 1. Fish 2. Root vegetables, and 3. some hybrid cops that have any 2 of potato, sweet potato, and carrot.

Ingredients:

• 4 small (15 ounces, 443 g) red potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 can (14 to 16 ounces, 400 to 453 g) diced tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 cups (700 ml) chicken stock
• 2 pounds (.90 kg) boneless firm-fleshed white fish, such as haddock, halibut, hake, flounder, pollock, whiting, or other local fish (it’s okay if the skin is still on)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Without peeling, slice the potatoes into ¼-inch rounds. Steam them over boiling water in a vegetable steamer, tightly covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, In a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and add the ginger, garlic, tomatoes and their liquid, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the flavors mellow.
3. Add the potatoes and return the sauce to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes.
4. Cut the fillets into 3-inch pieces. Add them to the sauce and press them down into the pan to submerge them in the liquid. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with the tip of a knife.
5. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper, if you like. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

FRIED BUCKWHEAT NOODLES (Fried Soba Noodles)

(From M/FoMT)

https://www.pccmarkets.com/recipe/soba-noodle-stir-fry/

Ingredients:

• 1 (9 ½-ounce) package soba noodles
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon white pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons high-heat oil
• 1 (10-ounce) package firm tofu, cubed
• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen stir-fry vegetable mix OR 4 cups fresh vegetables of choice (onions, bok choy, carrots, broccoli, peppers)

Directions:

1. Boil 2 quarts water in large pot. Cook noodles until al dente, about 4 minutes. Strain and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, molasses, mirin, rice vinegar, salt, ginger, garlic, white pepper and red pepper flakes.
3. Heat wok over high heat; add oil. Add tofu cubes and stir-fry until browned. Add vegetables and cover for 3 minutes. Add cooked noodles and sauce mixture to vegetables and tofu. Stir until coated evenly by sauce. Serve hot or cold.

TEMPURA RICE

(From M/FoMT)

https://www.japancentre.com/en/recipes/354-tendon-tempura-rice-bowl

Ingredients:

• 300g cooked rice
• 75g tempura flour
• 4 shiitake mushrooms
• ½ peeled renkon lotus root
• 80g shelled king or tiger prawns - tails on
• ¼ aubergine
• sunflower or vegetable oil

sauce

• 6 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp prepared liquid dashi
• 2 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. When making a donburi it is better to start with the rice preparation as this takes the most time.
2. While the rice is cooking, let’s get our tempura ingredients ready to be fried. Begin by cutting the renkon and aubergine into slices of no more than a centimetre thick to ensure fast frying and removing the shell of the prawns leaving the tail attached.
3. The next step is to pat the ingredients dry with a piece of kitchen paper and to place on a plate in the fridge prior to cooking. Chilling ingredients is the secret to a nice and crispy tempura batter.
4. Now grab a heavy bottom pan and fill it approximately 2/3 with oil before heating it to 160-170°C (you could use a deep fat fryer to regulate the temperature). A thick pan is good for retaining heat but an iron wok is even better for this job. Check the oil is at the right temperature by dropping a splash of batter into the oil, if it sizzles then the oil is ready.
5. Whilst the oil is heating up make sure to keep an eye on it whilst mixing 75g of tempura flour with 110ml of ice cold water to make the batter. The colder the batter and ingredients before frying, the lighter and crispier your tempura will be. You can use ice cubes to keep your batter extra cold.
6. Now you’re almost ready to deep-fry. Dust the ingredients with a little flour, then dip into the batter, covering completely before placing the battered ingredients with your chopsticks into the oil and cooking for a minute or so on each side until the batter turns golden. Try not to cook too many pieces at one time as this will lower the oil’s temperature. Once cooked, remove from the pan and place on a wire rack before placing on kitchen paper to soak up the remaining excess oil.
7. Finally let’s prepare the sauce. Put the mirin to boil on high heat and let all the alcohol dissolve. When you can no longer smell the alcohol just add the soy sauce, dashi and sugar and let the mix simmer for a few minutes. Then grab a donburi bowl and add the rice and tempura before covering with the tasty sauce. Enjoy.
   

TOASTED RICE BALL

(From M/FoMT)

https://www.justonecookbook.com/yaki-onigiri-grilled-rice-ball/

Ingredients:

• 2 rice cooker cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (360ml; 1 rice cooker cup (180ml) of uncooked rice will make 3 rice balls.)
• Water
• kosher/sea salt
• neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
• soy sauce

Directions:

1. Gather all the ingredients. Cook the rice in the rice cooker, pot over the stove top or pressure cooker.
2. Let the cooked rice cool a little bit until you can hold rice without burning your hands. Do not let the rice completely cool down.
   
3. Make Onigiri into triangle shapes. First wet both of your hands with water so rice won’t stick.
4. Then put some salt in your hands and rub to spread all around.
   
5. Scoop about a half cup of rice onto your palm.
   
6. Cover the rice with the other hand and gently form the rice into a triangle.
   
7. Make sure covering hand (my right hand) should be forming a triangle shape. When forming the onigiri shape, your hands should be just firm enough so the onigiri doesn’t fall apart. You don’t want to squeeze the rice too tight.
   
8. I use three fingers (thumb, index finger, middle finger) to cover the area to make a nice triangle shape. Then rotate onigiri to make a perfect triangle.
   
9. While you squeeze onigiri firmly with both hands, one of your hand (my left hand) has to press onigiri to keep a nice form. 
   
10. Gently squeeze the center of triangle on both sides so there is a slight indentation (for grilling onigiri). Now onigiri is ready!
    
11. Lightly oil a cast iron skillet and put it on medium heat.
    
12. Grill onigiri until all sides are crispy and lightly browned. Don’t turn it around. Just work on one side at a time and avoid turning over frequently.
    
13. Lower heat to medium low and brush all sides with soy sauce. Rotate to make sure all sides become crispy. Be careful not to burn onigiri after you brush it with the sauce.
    

MOUNTAIN STEW

(From M/FoMT)

https://harvestmoon.fandom.com/wiki/Cooking_Recipes_(FoMT)

Ingredients:

• About 1kg/2¼ lb scrag end or neck of lamb on the bone
• 2 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 leek
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 large sprig fresh thyme
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150g/5oz small carrots
• 150g/5oz baby or pickling onions
• 1 large floury potato, about 300g/10oz weight, peeled and diced finely
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• A little fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Using a sharp thin boning knife, remove as much meat from the lamb bones as possible. Chop finely and set aside.
2. Put the bones into a large pot. Roughly chop the carrots, large onion, celery and leek then place in the pot with the garlic and herbs. Cover with at least 4 litres/7 pints cold water.
3. Bring to the boil, season lightly, then simmer gently, uncovered for up to two hours.
4. Skim with a large tablespoon if necessary. Let the liquid simmer down until reduced by nearly two thirds. You need about 1.2 litres/2 pints of lovely sweet stock.
5. Strain and discard the bones etc. Ideally, cool and chill the stock then you can scrape off any fat that has settled on top.
6. Place the lamb meat into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to the boil, skim off any scum, then immediately drain into a colander and rinse in cold running water. This scalding removes fat.
7. Return the meat to the pan and cover with the stock and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer partially covered, for about 30 minutes, or until tender.
8. Meanwhile, peel the carrots and cut into small chunks or shape into neat ‘barrels’. Peel the baby onions, it helps to blanch them in boiling water for a minute for easy peeling. Add the small carrots and baby onions to the soup and cook for another five minutes.
9. Then add the diced potato and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until it starts to dissolve into the soup and thicken it. Finally check the seasoning, adding lots of aromatic black pepper and a little sea salt.
10. Garnish with sliced spring onion and parsley.

TEMPURASOBA(Soba Noodle Soup, Tempura Buckwheat Noodles)

(From M/FoMT)

https://www.justonecookbook.com/soba-noodle-soup/

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (4" x 3” = 10 cm x 8 cm)
• 1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (1 cup = 10 g)
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp sake
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp kosher/sea salt 
• 7 oz dried soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) (7 oz = 200 g)

Toppings:

• 1 Kamaboko (fish cake)
• 2 frozen shrimp tempura
• 1 bunch komatsuna (or spinach)
• 1 green onion/scallion (or Tokyo negi) (1 scallion = 3" Tokyo negi)
• Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (or Ichimi Togarashi) (See Notes)

Directions:

1. [Optional] Soak kombu in water overnight (if you have time).
   
2. Transfer kombu and water into a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil. When it’s almost boiling, remove kombu from water and discard.
   
3. Add katsuobushi and simmer for 30 seconds. Then turn off the heat and let katsuobushi sink to the bottom of pan. Let Katsuobushi steep for about 10 minutes.
   
4. Strain the dashi over a large strainer lined with a paper towel set over another saucepan. Gently twist and squeeze the paper towel to release any remaining dashi into the saucepan.
   
5. Add mirin, sake, soy sauce, and salt in the dashi and bring the soup to a boil. Set aside until warming up later.
   
6. Insert a knife at the bottom of kamaboko to separate it from the wooden board. Then cut the kamaboko into ¼ inch slices.
   
7. Slice green onion thinly and cut komatsuna into 2 inch pieces.
   
8. Boil the komatsuna in salted water. I first boil the hard bottom parts of komatsuna since they take longer to cook. Then add the leafy part later. Once they are tender, take them out and soak in ice water to stop cooking. Drain well.
   
9. Bake shrimp tempura at 400F (200C) for 15 minutes, or according to the package instructions.
   
10. Meanwhile boil two large pots of water (See Note). One for cooking soba noodles and the other pot for warming up the noodles after washing them. Cook soba according to the package instructions less 30 seconds*. Mine says cook for 4 minutes, so I cook 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Unlike pasta, you do not need to add salt to the water.
    
11. Drain the soba noodles and wash the noodles with hand under cold water to get rid of slimy texture.
    
12. Then transfer the soba noodles into the other pot of boiling water to warm up the noodles again. Once they are warm, drain and place them into a serving bowl.
    
13. Pour hot soup over the noodles and place toppings. Sprinkle shichimi togarashi or ichimi togarashi if you like it spicy. Serve immediately.

Notes:

You can use Ichimi Togarashi or Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven spice)

If you want to save time, just boil one pot of water, cook according to the package instructions (4 minutes), rinse under cold water, and then put the noodles directly into a bowl.

If you have Mentsuyu, you can dilute it with hot water to make a soup broth.

Adjust the seasoning as you like - to make it saltier or sweeter. I intended to bring out good dashi flavor so my seasonings may be too light for some of you.

EGG OVER RICE

(From M/FoMT)

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/04/tamago-kake-gohan-egg-rice-tkg-recipe-breakfast.html

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked hot white rice (about 12 ounces cooked rice; 340g)
• 1 egg (plus 1 optional egg yolk)
• Soy sauce
• Kosher salt
• MSG powder, such as Aji-no-moto or Accent (optional)
• Mirin (optional)
• Hondashi (optional)
• Furikake (optional)
• Thinly sliced or torn nori (optional)

Directions:

1. Place rice in a bowl and make a shallow indentation in the center. Break the whole egg into the center. 
2. Season with ½ teaspoon soy sauce, a pinch of salt, a pinch of MSG, ½ teaspoon mirin (if using), and a pinch of Hondashi (if using). Stir vigorously with chopsticks to incorporate egg; it should become pale yellow, frothy, and fluffy in texture. 
3. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Sprinkle with furikake and nori (if using), make a small indentation in the top, and add the other egg yolk (if using). Serve immediately.

ROASTED RICE CAKES

(From M/FoMT)

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/12/roasted-rice-cake-recipe.html

Ingredients:

For the roasted onions:

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt

For the roasted rice cakes:

• ¼ cup mirin
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 pound rice cake sticks
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 scallions, ends trimmed, green parts thinly sliced

For the Korean Red Dragon Sauce:

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup ssamjang (fermented bean and chile sauce)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sherry vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

1. Heat oil in 12-inch cast-ion skillet over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until richly caramelized, about 30 minutes longer. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning. Transfer cooked onions to bowl.
2. Meanwhile, make the dragon sauce. Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved then remove from heat. Let cool for one minute, then stir in ssamjang until dissolved. Add soy, sherry vinegar, and sesame oil.
3. For the rice cakes, pour mirin and broth into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium-high and cook until lightly thickened, about two minutes. Add red dragon sauce, reduce heat to medium, and cook until glossy and thick, about six minutes. Add roasted onions and stir well.
4. Meanwhile, clean out iron skillet, and return to stove. Add two tablespoons canola oil and heat over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Add rice cakes and reduce heat to medium. Cook until light brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
5. Toss rice cakes with sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.

SOBA NOODLES (Buckwheat noodles)

(From M/FoMT)

https://sweetandsavorymeals.com/soba-noodles-recipe/

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces soba noodles dry
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger grated
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil
• ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced

Garnish:

• Green onions
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• Chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water, drain and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger.
3. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until shimmering, once hot, add the chopped green onions. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds or until just softened.
4. Add the soy sauce mixture and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add the noodles and toss until heated through.
6. Garnish with the sesame seeds, green onions and chopped peanuts.

RICE PORRIDGE (Rice Gruel)

(From M/FoMT)

https://www.rotinrice.com/top-commenter-chinese-comfort-food-and-award/

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice (400g)
• 10 cups water (2.4 liters), and a little more to dilute
• 2 bone-in chicken breasts (skin removed)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 inch ginger (finely julienned) (30g)
• 3 green onions (finely sliced)
• Sesame oil
• Soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a large pot, rinse rice till water runs clear, about 3 to 4 times, drain.
2. Add 10 cups (2.4 liters) water to the rice and set it on the stove to boil. When water comes to boil, remove lid, add chicken breasts. As soon as water comes back to a boil, add salt and pepper and reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes. If porridge gets too thick at any point, stir in ½ cup (120ml) water to dilute.
3. Remove chicken breasts from pot with tongs. Shred the chicken breasts and return shredded meat to the pot.
4. Add ginger and one to two teaspoons of sesame oil to the porridge. Turn off heat.
5. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of green onions, pepper, and soy sauce. Add a few drops of sesame oil if desired.