Lydia Likes It

Let's get saucy

My name is Lydia, and I'm an addict. I admit it; I'm addicted to Japanese barbecue sauce, to this one in particular. If you haven't tried Bachan's, be warned: this is the stuff of which the most yummy dreams are made. Bachan means "granny" in Japanese, and that's the first hint that this is a tried-and-true family recipe. Judy Yokoyama, known as "Bachan", was born in California, sent to an internment camp as a young girl, and worked on an apple farm. Later her family ran a landscaping business, and every year at the holidays, they would brew up a batch of her barbecue sauce and gift it to their customers. By 2019, they turned that sideline into a business, which now sells four sauces: original (salty with lots of umami flavor); hot and spicy (oh yes, it is -- we often mix it 50/50 with the original); yuzu (salty and citrusy); and a gluten-free version of the original recipe. Bachan's contains authentic ingredients, no preservatives, and is non-GMO certified. It's available in Asian markets and some supermarkets, and online, in various sizes. Stock up now; later this month, I'll share a super-easy recipe, using this sauce, that I make every week.

Moroccan beef stew (tagine) with apricots and cinnamon

The first time I made this stew, perhaps 20 or more years ago, I cooked it in a ceramic tagine hand made by my potter friend Bob Fishman. I shared the recipe on The Perfect Pantry in 2015, and made it again recently with my friend Liz. We cooked it in a heavy pot on the stovetop, and swapped cumin, which I always have on hand, for ras el-hanout. As a treat, we used turmeric that Liz had brought from a recent trip to Dubai. Yum.

Serves 4-6. The recipe can be doubled easily, and can be frozen.

Ingredients

1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1-1/2 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1/4 tsp ras-el hanout (if you don't have it, use cumin instead)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried apricots, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes, drained
3-4 Tbsp agave nectar
Sliced scallions and/or sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions

Spread the onion and garlic slices in a Dutch oven or heavy 6- or 8-quart pot.

Dry the cubes of beef with paper towels, and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss in the cinnamon, salt, pepper, turmeric, saffron, ras el hanout, and olive oil. With your very clean hands, mix everything together, making sure the spices are distributed throughout the meat. [Note: your hands will get a little bit yellow from the saffron and turmeric, so if you don't like that, wear gloves.]

Add the meat to the pot, cover, and set the heat to the lowest possible simmer. Cook for 1 hour. If the meat is sticking to the pan, pour in a few tablespoons of water.

In a glass measuring cup, place 1 cup of dried apricots. Cover with water, and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove, and set aside to let the fruit rehydrate a bit.

After the dish has been cooking for 1 hour, drain the apricots and add them to the beef, along with the agave nectar. Stir, cover, and continue to cook for 1-1/2 hours, until the beef is completely falling-apart tender.

At that point, uncover the pot, and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Stir frequently to keep the stew from sticking. Taste, and adjust as needed with more agave nectar, salt and pepper.

Serve hot, over couscous or rice.

Pocky Sticks

The Glico Man, resplendent in neon (now LED) running shorts, towers above the Ebisu Bridge that leads to the Dotombori entertainment and dining district in central Osaka, Japan. Since 1935, both locals and tourists have met for a night out at the Glico Man and, more recently, taken their requisite selfies with him. Glico, based in Osaka, is one of Asia's most famous confectionery companies, and their most famous product, Pocky Sticks, have been a favorite of ours since we first discovered them in our local Chinese market many years ago. Pocky Sticks are a kind of thin pretzel dipped in chocolate, and they come in several flavors: cookies and cream, matcha, strawberry, banana, and plain milk chocolate. They're great for picnics and parties, and because they come in small packages, they're perfect for school lunch boxes. You'll find Pocky Sticks in most Asian grocery stores.

Chicken ratatouille {Instant Pot recipe}

On a visit to Deb and Ray's huge vegetable garden, Ted harvested a couple of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and peppers -- and a handful of cherry tomatoes that I couldn't resist eating in the car on the way home. A package of defrosted chicken breasts sat in the fridge, waiting for me to remember why I'd defrosted them in the first place. I added an onion, some spices, a bit of POMI chopped tomato that's always in my pantry, a few leftover baby red potatoes, some black olives, and voila! Chicken ratatouille, ready to serve hot over rice or pasta or couscous, or cold in a sandwich or wrap with a slice of cheese. This is a dump-and-go recipe, almost too easy, perfect for this busy time of year.

CHICKEN RATATOUILLE

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs chicken breast, cubed
1 small or medium eggplant, cubed (do not peel)
1 medium zucchini, cubed
1 medium yellow squash, cubed
1 small onion, peeled and cubed
2 plum tomatoes, cubed
10 baby potatoes, cubed (use red or yellow)
2 cups chopped POMI tomatoes (or canned chopped tomatoes), with the liquid
1 Tbsp dried oregano (or 2 Tbsp fresh)
1 Tbsp dried thyme (or 2 Tbsp fresh)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil (optional)

Directions

Add everything except the basil to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on HIGH for 18 minutes. Turn the pot off and release the pressure. If there is more liquid than you'd like, set the pot to Sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil, and serve hot, room temperature, or cold.

Dim sum pocket guide

When I walk out the front door of my apartment building, the first thing I see is the red-and-gold marquee of Empire Garden, a dim sum palace on the second floor of a former kung-fu movie theater. (Actually, one side reads Empire Garden, and the other side Emperor's Garden; I'll bet there's a good story in that.) Dim sum is a traditional Chinese meal made up of small plates of sweet and savory dumplings, sticky rice, chicken feet, buns, vegetables, pastries and other snack dishes, often served from carts that come around to each table. For tens of years, I would point to food on the carts that I thought I might like because I didn't know how to ask for them. Then, on a Boston Chinatown tour, our guide Jackie showed us a tiny pocket book that had pictures of the most popular items, along with how to pronounce the names in English. I bought a copy of Dim Sum right away. Now, although I've learned the names of some of my favorite dim sum treats, I always stash the little book in my bag, in case I need an assist.