02/10/2011

I have been bad girl. I went to class without reading the chapter we were suppose to for homework for technical writing. I faked it with the best of them on the test though. I got 100. What can I say? I am just that good. : D

Now I have to write a 3-4page instruction paper. I have to write a step by step on how to do something. I am toying with the idea of doing a video on how to make sugar cookies or how to set up outlook. (Betty Corker of the 22nd century who me?) I promise my best friend a video on how to make sugar cookies so it would be killing two birds with one stone. I could write up the paper & include the video as a link. Its really tempting. I like the idea & it would make me stand out in the class. I might just get higher marks for it. Tempting, so very tempting.

I did make Kinpira for dinner tonight.

Serves 4

Kinpira is one of the classic Japanese home-cooked dishes, featuring two great root vegetables, burdock and carrots. In this sauteed dish the burdock combines beautifully with the sweet carrots, red peppers and roasted sesame seeds. Crunchy, soft, sweet and hot, no wonder this Japanese recipe is a popular winter dish in Japan.

Burdock, or gobo, is a fiber-rich Japanese root vegetable with a delectable earthiness. Look for burdock at Japanese markets or gourmet supermarkets.

Ingredients :

1 medium (8 ounce) burdock root
1 tablespoon canola oil or rice bran oil
2 dried Japanese (or Thai chili, Santaka or Szechuan) red peppers
1 cup carrot, cut into matchstick-sized slivers
1 tablespoon sake (rice wine)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons mirin (a cooking wine made from glutenous rice)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon toasted and ground sesame seeds

1. Scrub the exterior of the burdock root with a vegetable brush to remove excess dirt and the skin. Cut the burdock root into 2½ to 3-inch-long matchsticks, and rinse quickly under cold water. You will have approximately 2 cups of burdock root matchsticks.

2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red peppers and saute for 30 seconds. Add the burdock root and saute until tender, about 3 minutes; it will appear translucent on the surface. Stir in the carrot and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the sake, soy, mirin, and sugar. Stir the vegetables for 1 minute more to allow them to absorb the sauce. Remove and discard the red peppers and arrange the vegetables in a mound in the center of a serving bowl and garnish with the sesame seeds.