Raw

I know many people are squeamish about eating raw meat and raw eggs. The fears are various--salmonella, mad cow, random bacterial infections. I get it it. Ewwwww raw stuff! Germs! Non-heat-induced sterility!

But it is possible to safely enjoy a delicious steak tartare. Just take a few obvious precautions:

-only use fresh meat
-ask your butcher to grind up a steak for you, rather than buying commercial ground beef--beef from chain supermarkets can contain the meat from ~ 1,700 cows! Slightly disturbing.
-prepare the meat in sanitary conditions

So...do you dare?

Steak Tartare

2 egg yolks
1 lb steak, ground or minced finely
1 scallion, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp sriracha
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
salt
pepper

~Mix ketchup, sriracha, and mustard in a bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in oil, then lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
~Add steak and scallions to the sauce and mix gently with a spoon until combined. Adjust seasonings.
~Divide between two plates, place an egg yolk in the center of each portion, and serve with toast points or fries. Before eating, mix in the egg yolk.

Dim Sum Saturday

I must admit that I am usually not much of a breakfast person...it's not that I don't love breakfast foods (bacon!) or enjoy cooking it, but being a student means that I rarely have the time to putter about my kitchen in the early hours of the morning which more often than not are spent putting the finishing touches on whatever project is consuming my energy and attention at that moment.

But every now and then, I like to treat myself. When the mood strikes, I take the N train down to Chinatown and make a trip to my favorite dim sum place, Jing Fong.

Two things to keep in mind when visiting just about any dim sum place:
1. Be Aggressive. The cart ladies have no mercy. I've often had to chase down a cart with my favorite offering because the cart lady had passed my table by. Exercise with breakfast...it's part of the experience.
And 2. Arrive Before Noon, especially on weekends, when all the Asian families will be getting together for their weekend dim sum brunch and all the hungover NYU students will be flooding in for cures to their Friday night of overindulgence. Speaking a bit of Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin) can help too, even if your accent is atrocious. As a last resort, point.

Above: Steamed vegetable dumplings

Green tea

Har gow (shrimp dumplings)

Beef tripe

Deep fried taro

Sesame seed balls


Egg custard tarts

Coconut mochi filled with peanut sugar

Sweet Osmanthus jelly

Sushi Palace

There is a place, a place of magic and wonder, in Princeton, NJ. This place is called Sushi Palace, and here you can go and have all the sushi you can eat for $20. Long story short, my friends and I go a lot--every time we return home for holiday, and several times a summer.

Fluffy

Frittatas are an awesome breakfast option for someone like me who doesn't have time to cook every morning: they can be made in advance and refrigerated, and are easy to heat up. Plus, they can be a fully balanced meal, as well as being delicious. What's not to like?

Breakfast For Everyone Frittata

8 eggs
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups baby spinach
1 large potato, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
5 basil leaves, chopped
salt
pepper

~Beat eggs in a mixing bowl, salt and pepper to taste.
~Heat olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Add garlic, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, salt and pepper; cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
~Use a slotted spoon to scoop potato mixture to a bowl; leave the oil in skillet.
~Pour beaten eggs into the pan and cook until bottom is golden and edges have begun to set, ~5 minutes.
~Add potato mixture to the pan, sprinkle cherry tomatoes on top. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
~Place baby spinach on top, and cover the pan to wilt. Cook until eggs are completely set.
~Serve in slices.