Tutorial: Spicy Udon Stir-Fry :) + Update

WOW. The day I made my last post, I wasn't feeling too well--I had left the windows open that night `cuz it was so damn hot! and the next day, I had a bit of a cough in the morning...but it went away after about 15 min. The next days, the cough kept coming back for about.. +10 min more a day!

Then finally, it took over. I was so sick, I've been literally in bed for a week+. I don't think i've ever experienced anything like that! I couldn't get any rest because I wouldn't stop caughing..! what the heck? I couldn't eat anything, because I just had loss of appetite; but I needed to eat to take medicine!

Overall, it was HELL. I've been getting better, and I can actually get up and sit at my computer desk without coughing continuously :p I have the SYMF competition on the 25th of this month, and I just lost a week of practice, including all of practice/technique i've improved on in the past month...I'm so frustrated. I better do well this competition! The stupid organization removed the Lalo Concerto in D Minor from the category I was going to go into, so now I have to play some ridiculous Hayden in C Major -.- to top it off, my teacher put me in the Bach Suites division w/o telling me! jee. thanks. Just another piece to work off my arse.

well, enough rambling--here's a cool recipe that my oldest sister taught my mom for a church gathering, but turned out to be so awesome that she made it for me as dinner once =) I managed to get the camera and take tons of pictures of her making it x)

I don't have a list of ingredients and supplies this time, but just follow along the pictures ;)
Cut up different types/colors of bell peppers; they all taste very different!


Also, cut up some jalapenos, and half an onion.

Get a potato peeler, and use it to peel and cut up some ginger! (this is an important ingredient--I hate ginger, so I didn't use it once, but I didn't get the same taste..!)


Don't forget the garlic cloves!

Here's our finished plate:

Now take some defrosted chicken breast--I got this at Costco :)

And cut it up into fine thin strips--about an inch wide.

And.. here's Sebastian getting all in the way :) <3
Put the chicken strips into a bowl, add salt/pepper as well as an egg.
Take some potato starch powder, and add it until it becomes a gooey blob of chicken--you'll know when.


Now, take some udon--I used 2 because it was for 2 people. And Remove it from the plastic rapping.

And stick it in the microwave for 5-7min (depending on your microwave); we're not only defrosting it, but cooking it as well in the microwave, so that's why it's going to take a bit.


Now, taking a wok/deep, wide-set body frying pan, fill it up with a cup of vegetable oil.


Now, add and fry that chicken!

Next, take some oyster sauce, and dilute it with regular soy sauce. The amount will differ on how much you're making, but basically, keep in mind, there will be twice as much soy sauce than the oyster sauce. (ie. 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 6 tbsp soy sauce)

Add some sugar--I added 1 1/2 tbsp since it's just me and my mom; remember, always add more as you go on, since it's always easier to add, but harder to dilute it.

Add 2 tsps of minced garlic.

Some chili/red pepper powder...


Using a sesame seed grinder, put a good amount it. (It's okay if you don't have one, just add the seeds in whole)

Also, add a couple whole ones in there.

Mix it all up~

Now, let's get started! ...Well, finish it! By now, the udon should be cooked and brought out.

Once the chicken is cooked, add in the garlic & ginger.

Add the onion...

And add in all of the other ingredients!

Once it's all cooked, create a small circle in the pan...

Add the udon in the center...

And add the sauce, mix it all in, and cook it.


Finished! yumm :)



And.. a special thanks to my mom for cutting up all the veggies and doing the boring parts! =)


ROFL, he was getting upset that we weren't giving him any goodies to eat while cooking :p He refused to get up from that spot, lol.

I did make some Tiramisu, an Italian desert, but I couldn't find my camera, and didn't take any pictures--but i'll make sure to find some substituting pictures and post a tutorial on that~
Also, I've been trying out a DIY egg mask for a couple weeks, and i'm liking it so far, so i'll post that up too!


Till next time!
~Jinna

Tutorial: Homemade Brownies C:

Wooo! I'm on a roll today. 3 entries today so far :p
This is a tutorial: how to make homemade Brownies! This is definitely an easy recipe, and only takes about 20 min total. This is definitely a 'homemade' tutorial, because all of the ingredients can be found in your pantry and kitchen!

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
2 tbsp. water
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 baking cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (optional: if you want a moist dewy taste)
You can also add 3/4 cup of chopped nuts or candies; and if you want to make it look a bit fancier, garnish it with a sifter with 2 tbsp. of powder sugar!

Supplies:
1 wisk (optional: electric)
2 large bowls
1 small bowl
measuring spoons
measuring cup
wooden spoon
sifter (optional for powder sugar)
square/rectangle baking pan(s)


This recipe makes 2 dozen brownies, so go figure on the pans! I used two 8x8 square pans.
Go ahead and butter/grease your pan(s), and preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. The pictures are self explanatory, but if you have any questions, let me know.






Wisk the sugar and butter in one of the large bowls.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract.
Wisk all the ingredients together till they're completely blended; it'll still be a bit chunky from all the sugar, but you'll get it when its done.





Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
Mix all of the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
You're finished mixing when you can't see the whites of the flour in the mixture.
Now, add the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture, bit by bit--don't do it all at once, or it'll be impossible to mix, and the dry ingredients will fly everywhere!


If you want more of a moist chewy taste, go ahead and add your olive oil now, as well as the nuts or candies!
Next, take spatula, and scoop the mixture into the baking pan(s); in my case, I'm just splitting half & half since I have 2 baking pans that are the same size.

...and the other pan!

By now, the oven should be already pre-heated, so just pop your pan(s) in the oven, for ...10-15min.
Now.. insert a clean toothpick or something pointy to check if it's done cooking; I used a chopstick :p if it comes out clean, your're done! Try to poke near the middle, since that's where it takes more time to cook.
Remove from heat... let it sit for about 5-10 min.

And cut into bars! I ended up with one pan having more of the mixture, and the other being alittle short; so I ended up taking out the pan that was short of the mixture a bit earlier than the other one. Just keep checking to see if each of the pans are done (if you're using multiple pans)!
I cut the pan that had more mixture into 4x3 squares, and the one that was a little low on the mixture into 3x3 squares. Tell you the truth, the 3x3 ones are flatter (due to the lack of mixture, lol), and are actually prettier!
Garnish them anyway you'd like--I ran of time, because my mom and I had to prepare dinner :p and finally, serve!
yumm.

Enjoy eating your butts off!
~Jinna