Fried Rice with Ham and Shrimp

中文：火腿虾仁蛋炒饭

Fried rice is such a traditional Chinese dish that there are so many variations and so many different ways to cook it.  Two principles remain the same no matter whichever version of fried rice you are making.  One, fried rice is the best when made with day old cooked rice.  Two, fried rice always comes with eggs in it.

As for the rest, there is no rule.  Sky is the limit.  You can add whatever ingredients you like to the rice as long as they go well with cooked rice.  Eggs and chopped green onion are the two must have ingredients in my version of fried rice.

And today I am making fried rice with ham and shrimp.

Ingredients：

1 bowl of cooked rice (about 2 cups)
3 large eggs
1 to 2 egg yolks (optional)
1 cup diced ham
12 to 14 jumbo shrimps
2/3 cup frozen or fresh green peas
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice cooking wine
1/2  to 1 teaspoon soy sauce
chopped green onion
salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Directions：

Like I mentioned earlier, fried rice is the best when made with day old cooked rice.  Refrigerate 1 bowl (about 2 cups) of cooked rice overnight.  10 minutes before making the fried rice, remove it from refrigerator.  With a wood spoon or spatula, break apart any large clumps of rice.

In a bowl, add eggs, yolk and a pinch of salt.  Whisk them together with a wooden spoon or chopsticks.

Microwave the frozen or fresh green peas on high for 1 to 2 minutes.  Drain any extra juice or water.

Blanch the shrimp in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat; peel; and then cut each shrimp into 3 or 4 pieces.

Heat a wok over high heat.  Add oil.  Swirl the wok a little bit so that the oil can grease the whole wok. 

Add egg mixture to the wok.  The high heat will cook the egg very fast.  But you need to act faster.  Add rice to the wok before the eggs are fully cooked.  Stir fry the rice with a spatula and try to gently break apart any clumps of rice.

When the rice and eggs are cooked, add shrimps, salt, sugar, rice cooking wine and soy sauce.

Stir fry until everything comes together.  Add diced ham, green peas and chopped green onions.  Stir fry for another couple minutes.

Serve immediately.

You can eat it with a spoon or chopsticks. (∩_∩)O~

purple sweet potato and taro cakes

中文：紫薯芋泥糕

I never understand why purple sweet potatoes haven’t been widely popular in America like potatoes do.  They are sweet, nutritious, and so pretty to look at. And there are so many ways to enjoy them.  You can steam them, deep fry them, and bake them like any regular sweet potatoes. They are sweeter and have a tenser texture.  I load up with purple sweet potatoes whenever I go shopping in an Asian grocery store. 

A lot of Asian dessert involves purple sweet potatoes too.  What I am making today is a really simple and fast snack. 

Ingredients：

2 small / or 1 medium size sweet purple potatoes
1 large piece of taro root (about 1 cup when cut into cubes)
5 to 6 tablespoon whole milk / heavy cream
4 to 5 tablespoons honey (use more if you have a sweet tooth)
water for steaming

Directions:

Steam the purple sweet potatoes until a fork can easily piece through them.  Peel and puree in a food processor with whole milk or heavy cream.

Peel the taro root and cut into half inch cubes.  Steam them over medium high heat for about 10 minutes.  Puree in a food processor with milk, honey, and a little water.  Taro root is very starchy after steamed.  Water will help to make it smooth.  But don’t add too much water.  We need taro paste here, not soup. O(∩_∩)O~

Spray a mooncake mold with oil.  Add 2 tablespoons purple sweet potato paste to the bottom, 1 to 2 tablespoons taro paste in the middle and then top with another 2 tablespoons purple sweet potato paste. 

Flip the mold; press it tightly for a couple seconds and then release.

If you have a mooncake mold handy, a mousse ring will do the work just fine. 

Top with honey and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Banana Pecan Cake

中文：香蕉山核桃蛋糕

What would you do with a couple overripe bananas?  I always make banana pecan cake with them.  This recipe is from foodnetwork: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe/index.html . It calls for 3 ripe bananas.  It is quite interesting that I always have 2 bananas left, so I adapt it a little bit.

Ingredients：

2 ripe bananas
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 stick butter（6 tablespoon, room temperature）
2 small eggs（ or 1 1/2 large eggs, room temperature）
2/3 tablespoon milk
2/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions：

Preheat the oven to 325F/ 163.  Spray the baking pan or line it with parchment paper.

In a clean large bowl, add butter and sugar.  Beat with a hand mixer until the sugar melts; butter became pale color and volumes increase a little bit.  Add eggs while beating.  Mix until well combined before adding the next one.

In another bowl, add peeled bananas.  Smash with a fork.  Add milk and ground cinnamon. Mix well.

Shift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add banana puree to egg and butter mixture, mix well.  Add flour.  With a spatula or wood spoon, whisk just until the flour is cooperated.  Don’t over whisk.  Fold in chopped pecans.

Pour the batter into greased baking pan.  Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer can pierce into the center and comes out clean.

A cup of freshly brewed coffee is perfect with the cake!