nyc days of fried chicken with yellow rice and black beans

Rice Ingredients

1. •4 Tablespoons canola oil
   

2. •1 Yellow onion, chopped
   

3. •3 Cloves garlic, minced
   

4. •2  3/4 Cups chicken stock
   

5. •1 Teaspoon turmeric
   

6. •1 Teaspoon ground cumin
   

7. •1  1/2 Teaspoons salt
   

8. •1/4 Teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
   

9. •1  1/2 Cups long-grain rice
   

10. •1 Bay leaf
    

11. •1  2/3 Cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
    

12. •1 Red bell pepper, chopped
    

13. •2 Tomatoes, diced
    

14. •1 Tablespoon wine vinegar
    

15. •1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley
    

16. •1 Lime, quartered, for serving (optional)
    

Rice Directions

Heat a medium size saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of oil, onions and garlic. Cook until onions are soft.

Add 3 tablespoons of chicken stock, turmeric, cumin, 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper and rice. Stirring frequently, cook for 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the chicken stock and bay leaf and give it one final stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover.  Let it simmer undisturbed for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done. Remove the bay leaf.

In the meantime, heat a skillet and add 1 tablespoon of oil and bell pepper. Saute for about 2 minutes and add beans. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, add the rice, beans, bell peppers, beans, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of oil, vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss until combine. Don’t over mix or the rice will get mushy and gummy. Squeeze lime over the rice. Top with fried chicken (recipe below).

Fried Chicken Ingredients

1. •1 1/2 Pounds chicken breast
   

2. •2 Cups buttermilk
   

3. •1/4 Cup water
   

4. •2 Teaspoons red pepper sauce
   

5. •3 Cups flour
   

6. •1 Tablespoon kosher salt
   

7. •Black pepper to taste
   

8. •1 Tablespoon granulated garlic
   

9. •1 Teaspoon onion powder
   

10. •1 Teaspoon paprika
    

11. •1 Teaspoon cayenne
    

12. •4 Cups peanut oil, for frying
    

Fried Chicken Directions

Line a plate with paper towels. Set aside.

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 2-inch strips.

In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water and red pepper sauce. Add the chicken and swirl it around to make sure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Cover it and let it soak for at least 4 hours. For best results, refrigerate overnight.

In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Dredge 2 or 3 chicken strips at a time in the flour mixture until thoroughly coated. Shake off excess and dip it in the buttermilk mixture.  Dredge again in the flour mixture. Place on wax paper. Repeat with the rest of the strips.

Pour oil into a large skillet and heat to 350 degrees F.

Add the chicken strips in a single layer. Don’t fry too many at time. The oil temperature will drop. Fry for 4-5 minutes, then turn the piece over and fry for another 4-5 minutes. Fry until golden brown.

Drain the chicken on the plate lined with paper towels.

Putting It All Together

Place the fried chicken on top of the yellow rice with black beans and serve.

umma’s comforting omu rice

Omelet Ingredients

1. •1 Teaspoon of vegetable oil
   

2. •2 eggs
   

3. •1 Tablespoon milk
   

4. •Salt and pepper
   

Rice Filling Ingredients

1. •2 Teaspoons canola oil
   

2. •2 Cloves garlic, minced
   

3. •1 Chicken breast, cut into half-inch strips
   

4. •2/3 Cup cooked brown rice (for best results, use cold leftover rice)
   

5. •1/2 Cup onion, diced
   

6. •1/4 Cup frozen peas
   

7. •1/2 Cup mushrooms, sliced
   

8. •1/4 Cup tomatoes, diced
   

9. •1 Stalk scallions, chopped
   

10. •3 Tablespoons ketchup
    

11. •1 Teaspoon sriracha sauce (optional)
    

12. •Salt and pepper to taste
    

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Heat a medium-size skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon oil and gently swirl to coat the pan. Add half of the egg mixture and gently swirl for even coating, like a crepe. Lower the heat and cook until the egg is no longer runny but still soft, about 1-2 minutes. You don’t want to brown the eggs. Shake the egg loose from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Repeat with the rest of the egg mixture.

Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet and add garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is slightly brown. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add half of the rice and mix with chicken and onions until combined. Add rest of the rice and mix. Cook for 3 minutes.

On medium heat add peas, mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook the mixture for about 3 minutes. Add ketchup, salt, pepper and sriracha sauce (optional) and mix well. 

Putting It All Together

Scoop half of the rice mixture onto a plate. Layer it with the egg and tuck in the sides under the rice mixture. Drizzle ketchup on top. Repeat with the rest of the rice mixture and the other egg.

umma’s unpronounceable kahdee lice (kare rice – japanese curry)

Ingredients

1. •1/2 Pound chicken breast, shredded
   

2. •2 Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small wedges
   

3. •2 Carrots, peeled and diced into large cubes
   

4. •5 Okra, chopped
   

5. •1 Onion, cut into small wedges
   

6. •1 Tomato, diced into large cubes
   

7. •3-4 Cups water
   

8. •1 Block of Japanese curry (I use S & B Golden Curry sauce mix spicy just because this is what my mom uses.)
   

9. •4 Cups white sticky rice (Cook according to package directions)
   

Directions

Soak the potatoes in water. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil. Stir in the chicken breast and cook until it’s no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain the potatoes and add to the pot. Stir for 2 minutes. Add carrots and onions and mix so that all ingredients are combined.

Add enough water to submerge all ingredients. Add tomatoes and okra and give it a quick stir. Cover and let it simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. Periodically skim off the froth that rises to the top.

Add 1/2 of the curry block and simmer for 10 minutes. If this is your first time making kare rice and don’t know how strong you like your curry, add the curry a bit at a time. Start off with 1/4 of the curry block. Let it simmer for 3 minutes and taste it. If you want the sauce to be stronger, add more.

Once you get the taste you want, let it simmer for 10-20 minutes or until the potatoes are done. Be sure to pierce a potato to check for doneness. You don’t want mushy potatoes.

Serve the curry over steamed rice.

umma’s “we’re coming home” bi bim bop (bi bim bap)

Ingredients

1. •4 Cups gosari (Fernbrake stems)
   

2. •4 Cups doraji (Bellflower roots)
   

3. •1 Pound shitake mushrooms
   

4. •2 Bunches spinach
   

5. •3 Carrots
   

6. •4 Cups bean sprouts
   

7. •1 Package ground turkey
   

8. •3 Cucumbers
   

9. •1 Cup mushrooms
   

10. •Garlic
    

11. •Ginger root
    

12. •Soy sauce
    

13. •Chili sauce
    

14. •Dark sesame seed oil
    

15. •Kochu garu (Korean red pepper powder)
    

16. •Sugar
    

17. •Korean red pepper paste
    

18. •Rice wine vinegar
    

19. •Honey
    

20. •2-3 Sheets of dried roasted nori (Seaweed)
    

21. •6 Eggs, crepe style and julienned
    

22. •6 Cups white sticky rice (When I’m feeling fit I make bi bim bop even healthier by using brown rice)
    

Seaweed Directions

Using kitchen shears, snip into thin strips. Set aside.

Gosari Directions

1. •4 Cups gosari
   

2. •1/3 Cup soy sauce
   

3. •1 Tablespoon honey
   

4. •2 Tablespoons dark sesame seed oil
   

5. •4 Cloves of garlic minced
   

6. •1/2 Cup of onions, diced
   

7. •1 Tablespoon of black pepper
   

8. •2 Scallions, chopped
   

9. •1 Tablespoon of sesame seeds
   

Gosari is sold dried and needs to be soaked in warm water overnight. Once the gosari is plump and moist, drain the water using a colander. Squeeze out all of the water and run a knife through them once or twice. Gosari is long and you want bite-size pieces.

Whisk together the soy sauce and honey. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet and add sesame oil, garlic and onions. Saute for 3 minutes. Add gosari and stir for 3 minutes. Pour the soy sauce mixture evenly over the gosari and season with black pepper. Stirring often, cook until stems are soft and wilted, about 7-10 minutes. Add scallions and thoroughly mix. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Set aside.

Doraji Directions

1. •4 Cups doraji
   

2. •3 Tablespoons salt
   

3. •1 Teaspoon vegetable oil
   

4. •4 Cloves garlic minced
   

5. •2 Tablespoons dark sesame seed oil
   

6. •Salt and pepper taste
   

7. •2 Scallions, chopped
   

Doraji is sold dried. Like gosari, it needs to be soaked overnight. 

Once the doraji is plump and moist, drain the water using a colandar. Doraji is wide and long so you want to cut them in half in width and length once they are plump and moist.

To cut them in half in width, using a pairing knife with the blade facing up, make an incision on the wide side a quarter way down, slice up and pull apart. This is a tedious job. If I buy pre-made veggies for bi bim bop, I always buy doraji. It’s a real time saver.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of salt and using your hands, scrub the vegetable. This takes out the bitterness of the root. After a good scrubbing, rinse in cold water at least 3 times.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the doraji. Boil for 3 minutes. Rinse in cold water and drain. 

In a large skillet, sauté the garlic in vegetable oil for 2 minutes. Add doraji. Stirring frequently, season with sesame seed oil, salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until doraji is wilted. Add scallions and toss until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Set aside.

Shitake Mushrooms Directions

1. •1 Pound shitake mushrooms*
   

2. •1 Teaspoon canola oil
   

3. •3 Cloves garlic
   

4. •1/2 Cup onion, diced
   

5. •2 Tablespoons soy sauce
   

6. •1 Tablespoon sugar
   

7. •2 Scallions, chopped
   

8. •Pepper to taste
   

*You can use either fresh or dried shitake mushrooms. If you’re using the dried mushrooms, be sure to soak it in water for at least for 10 minutes. When it’s plump and moist, snap off the stem and slice the cap into thin strips.

In a large skillet sauté the garlic and onion in canola oil until onion is soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Add scallions and thoroughly mix. Transfer to a serving bowl. Set aside.

Spinach Directions

1. •2 Bunches spinach
   

2. •6 Cups ice water
   

3. •4 Cloves garlic, minced
   

4. •3 Scallions, chopped
   

5. •2 Tablespoons dark sesame seed oil
   

6. •1 Tablespoon sugar
   

7. •1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
   

8. •Salt and pepper to taste
   

Slice off the roots.

Put six cups ice water in a large bowl. Set aside. You’ll need this to cool the spinach after it’s blanched.

In a large pot soak the spinach in cold water for 3 minutes to loosen the dirt. Rinse and drain at least three times.

Thoroughly rinse the pot used to soak the spinach and add about 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Put the spinach in the boiling water, stems first. Cook for 10 seconds. Drain using a colander and quickly dunk them in the ice water.

Grab a handful of spinach and squeeze as hard as you can to get all the water out and form into a tight ball. Cut the ball of spinach in quarters.

In the same pot used to boil the water. Add the spinach, garlic, scallions, sesame seed oil, salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined. I use my hand as mixing any other way doesn’t help the spices soak into the spinach. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Set aside.

Carrots Directions

1. •3 Carrots, julienned
   

2. •1 Tablespoon dark sesame seed oil
   

3. •1 Tablespoon salt
   

4. •2 Cloves garlic, finely minced
   

5. •Pepper to taste
   

In a large skillet, sauté the oil and garlic until the garlic is soft. Add carrots, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl. Set aside.

Mung Bean Sprouts Directions

1. •2 Cups mung bean sprouts
   

2. •2 Cloves garlic, minced
   

3. •2 Tablespoons kochu garu (Korean red pepper powder)
   

4. •1 Tablespoon dark sesame seed oil
   

5. •2 Scallions, chopped
   

6. •Salt and pepper to taste
   

Blanch the sprouts for about 1 minute. Grab a handful of sprouts and squeeze as hard as you can to get all the water out and form into a tight ball. Cut the ball of sprouts in half.

Add all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a serving bowl. Set aside.

Cucumbers Directions

1. •3 Cucumbers, julienned
   

2. •3 Tablespoons salt
   

3. •2 Cloves garlic, minced finely
   

4. •2 Tablespoons dark sesame seed oil
   

5. •1 Tablespoon sugar
   

6. •1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
   

7. •2 Scallions, chopped
   

8. •2 Tablespoons kochu garu (Korean red pepper powder)
   

In a mixing bowl, add cucumbers and sprinkle with salt. Toss until thoroughly coated. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Rinse the cucumbers in cold water. Repeat three times. Grab a handful of cucumbers and squeeze out all of the water.

In the same mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, sesame seed oil, sugar and vinegar. Add the cucumbers, scallions and kochu garu. Mix until thoroughly combined and the kochu garu is pasty. Transfer to a serving bowl. Set aside.

Turkey Directions

1. •1/4 Cup soy sauce
   

2. •2 Tablespoons
   

3. •1 Teaspoon rice wine vinegar
   

4. •1 Teaspoon ginger, grated
   

5. •2 Tablespoons of canola oil
   

6. •4 Cloves of garlic, minced
   

7. •1 Small onion, diced
   

8. •1 Pound ground turkey
   

9. •1 Cup mushrooms, sliced
   

10. •3 Scallions, chopped
    

11. •1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
    

Whisk the soy sauce, honey, vinegar and ginger. Set aside.

In a large skillet, add the oil, garlic and onions and sauté until the onion is soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until no longer pink. Add mushrooms and soy sauce mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add scallions and fold until mixed thoroughly. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Set aside.

6 cups white sticky rice

Cook according to package directions

Sauce Directions

1. •1/3 Cup Korean red pepper paste (Kochu jahng)
   

2. •1/2 Teaspoon sesame seeds
   

3. •1/2 Teaspoon honey
   

4. •1 Teaspoon white wine vinegar
   

5. •1 Teaspoon dark sesame seed oil
   

In a small mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Putting It All Together

Scoop about 1 cup of hot rice into a large bowl. Add the vegetables side by side on top of the rice. Add about 2 tablespoons of turkey in the middle and the red pepper mixture on top of the turkey. Sprinkle the egg on top and then the seaweed on top of the egg.

The best thing about bi bim bop is that you can add or omit ingredients according to your taste. You don’t have to make all of the vegetables listed and it will still taste great. You can also control the spiciness by the amount of red pepper sauce you use. Be sure to taste your bi bim bop before adding more sauce.

Serves 6

Sooth My Soul Jook

Ingredients

1. •1 Cup white rice, uncooked
   

2. •5 Cups water
   

3. •1 32-ounce carton chicken broth
   

4. •3 Cloves garlic, smashed
   

5. •1 1/2-inch ginger, peeled
   

6. •1 Tablespoon salt
   

7. •1 Tablespoon sesame oil
   

8. •1/4 Cup frozen peas
   

9. •2 Eggs, fried and julienned
   

10. •2 Sausage patties, grilled and diced (You can top it off with a
    

11. meat of your choice. I use Jimmy Dean’s breakfast sausage.)
    

Directions

Rinse the rice until the water is clear. In a large pot, add all the

ingredients except the peas and mix gently.

Bring the pot to boil over medium heat. Turn the heat to low and cook

covered for an hour and half. Add the peas and cook for another 30 minutes.

Top with eggs and sausage.

Serves 6

Back to Basics Chicken Fried RIce is a great dish when you need dinner fast. Recipe coming soon.

HJ’s Veggies and Tofu Vermicelli Extravaganza

Umma’s Special Occasion Japh Che (Jap Che)

Grandma’s Old Country Dang Jahng Jigeh (Dang Jang Jigae)

Umma’s 10-hour Shift Gehran Jhim