melonoat

San Tung (山东小馆) is a restaurant in San Francisco that serves chicken wings that are just delicious. Ever since my first visit, I have been curious how they are made. After eating many orders, talking to insiders and reading a few books, I have uncovered their secret; the wings are actually a fusion of Chinese [...]

My favorite vegetable is the Chinese dish 空心菜 (pinyin: kong xin cai) or in Cantonese, On-Choy. The literal translation is hollow heart vegetable. It totally makes sense once you take a look at the green stems…which are hollow on the inside! I always ask for this dish in any Chinese restaurant- even [...]

I’ve already blogged about a simple vinaigrette dressing here previously.  However, my friend Sohee sent me another recipe called ” Sohee’s Emoe’s Delicious Salad Dressing Recipe” which I just had to try.  Since the recipe didn’t specify whether to use a dark vinegar such as balsamic or a lighter vinegar such as white vinegar [...]

This is one of my favorite Taiwanese meals (滷肉飯).  Usually it takes hours to simmer, but I’ve got it down to less than an hour. Just make a pot of rice (or if you have a Zojirushi rice cooker, just set it for when you get home from work), make this.. and viola- Taiwanese dinner!
Prep [...]

I got this recipe from an old coworker (Thanks Ziad!). It’s a classic recipe and never fails to appease the crowds.  You can eat hummus on its own (with some pita or naan), on sandwiches, with falafel, or some fresh veggies.
Ingredients

2 cans of garbanzo beans
3 Tbsp Tahini sauce (Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s [...]

This is a recipe from my dad, modified to be a little healthier and cooked in a crock pot instead of over a flame. You will need:
6 tomatoes

1.5 to 2 onions
2 green bell peppers
1 garlic clove
1 lb of ground beef or turkey
1 pack of mushrooms
olive oil
salt
optional: tomato paste
Ready?
Start cooking the ground [...]

“Mom? Can you tell me how to make ground pork with noodles?” I asked, living away from home for the very first time back in 2000, and feeling like some food from home. I needed step-by-step instructions to cook anything beyond eggs, noodles or rice at the time. I already had the ingredients, because of [...]

Remember the good ole days at Cal? Remember all the good food? Remember Brazil Cafe on Shattuck? If you haven’t had their tri-tip sandwich, you’ve been missing out. Get in your car and go there right now. Go.
I think the best part of that sandwich is the cilantro yogurt sauce. Tao and I remember [...]