General Chao's Sizzling Rice Soup

This recipe is Sizzling Rice Soup, but I just added the General Chao part to grab your attention. It seems like everyone I know (when I say everyone I know, I really mean maybe a handful of people, preferably of Caucasian descent) is always asking me who exactly "General whats-his-name" is. To be honest, I don't think he exists. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Would you believe me if I said this was an ancient Chinese recipe salvaged from Confucius's grave. Yeah, I wouldn't either. In any case, for those of you out there who are worried that there are "exotic meats", birds nest or shark fin in this soup, and you know who you are. Fear not. If you're a vegetarian, this might just be your type of meal....sans chicken broth and the beef.

But the main point I want to make is that what makes this soup so good is really the sizzling rice. No, really...I'm not even joking this time.

Sizzling Rice Soup
adapted from Mommy Chao's Recipe

• 4-6 bunches of baby bok choy (substitute similar qty of any bok choy-like veggies)
• 1 large handful of snow peas (not sugar snap peas)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 0.5-1 lb of flank steak (in this case I used chuck steak)
• 1 large daikon root (chinese radish - go to any asian market)
• 1 qt of chicken broth (vegetable broth may be substituted)
• Soy sauce (to taste)
• 1-2 cups dried out white rice
• ~2 cups of vegetable oil

First things first: Drying Out Your Rice

Preface - Chinese/East Asian people have been known to eat rice fairly often. If you find yourself making rice or have left over rice from last night at Pei Wei, don't throw it away. This is the dish you need it for.

1. Lay out your rice on to tin foiled baking sheet and cover it with a paper towel.
2. Wait for the rice to dry out and harden completely
3. This may take a day or two....or three?

Now, that your rice is ready, it is time to make soup.

1. Pour 1 qt of chicken broth into a large pot (one that you cook spaghetti in) on high heat to boil. If you don't have chicken broth boullion cubes will work too.
2. Add the olive oil to this. Stir
3. Chop your bok choy into 1-1.5 in squares
4. Peel your daikon like a potato and cut it into small squares too
5. Clean your snow peas (Here's How).
6. Next cut your beef into long thin strips (1 in long and 0.25 in wide....eyeball it.
7. Once the broth is boiling, drop all of these ingredients into the water.
8. Bring heat down to medium heat and simmer.

Now it's time to make the sizzling rice. Never fry the rice before you make the soup. The key to a good sizzle is to add your rice to your soup as you take it out of the oil.

1. Pour your vegetable oil into a sauce pan on high heat
2. When is your oil hot enough? Test by throwing a little grain of dry rice into it. If it is ready it will puff up and look similar to a rice cracker.
3. Portion out your soup into bowls.
4. Once your oil is up to temperature you want to add your dried rice. Use just enough to cover the bottom of the sauce pan.
5. Stir the rice around to get an even fry.
6. Once they are puffed up like a rice cracker place them on a plate.
7. Immediately add the rice to the soup.
8. Watch it sizzle. Oooohhh....Ahhhhhhhhh. Wave your hands around it like you're a chinese chef/magician.
9. Eat it now. The soup is the best when the rice is still crunchy.

And now for pictures.

Before:

Gone From My Sight

No food writing today, just a poem to reflect on:

I am standing at the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There she is, gone!" There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"

And that is dying.

-Henry Van Dyke

What Surprised You Today?

When I was a kid, I had a friend whose mom would always make spicy pretzels. It was one of my favorite snacks and I still make it today. I made this last year for the Superbowl and they were the perfect party snack. They take less than a minute to make (plus some time to let them sit), and turn out absolutely delicious. These will disappear in no time. The ingredients seem simple, but when you combine them all together it makes a kickbutt snack. Over the years I have played with the recipe, trying different seasonings, baking it, etc but I think I've finally perfected it. A friend discovered the secret--lemon pepper and Hidden Valley ranch dressing packet. Lemon pepper is a very interesting seasoning to have in this mix, but it really gives the pretzels exactly what they were missing. Also, make sure you buy Hidden Valley ranch packets. I have tried to store brands and other brands and they just do not taste as good. I don't know what they do over at Hidden Valley, but they know their ranch and they do it perfectly. Make this snack whenever you have a craving for something salty and spicy, you won't regret it.

On a separate note, today was our last session of the Healer's Art. I cannot tell you how much I got out of this course. My oath to myself is "May my patients trust me. May I trust my patients. May I trust myself." This is something that I will hopefully stay true to the rest of my life. Moreover, I promised to myself that I will be surprised everyday. One of my favorite things from the course is to reflect on what surprised me, what inspired me, and what moved me everyday. You don't realize it until you actually consciously think about it. For me, it is my dog. No matter how his day was, he is always excited to see me when I get home. No questions asked, his tail is always wagging and he is so happy. Because of this, he exudes his positive energy upon me and I am then happy as well. No other human is ever like this. No questions asked, every single day, he is always so incredibly happy to see me. I had never noticed this small action before, but after opening my eyes and mind I notice these little surprises. 

Since it was our last day of the course, we were given the book Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen. It is a collection of short stories that heal. I am so excited to start reading it.

Now, make these pretzels to snack on and curl up with a good book!

Spicy Pretzels

• 1 bag pretzels
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch mix
• 3/4 c. vegetable oil

In a small bowl, mix cayenne pepper, garlic powder, lemon pepper, ranch mix, and vegetable oil. Pour pretzels into a large ziploc bag. Pour seasoning/oil mix over pretzels. Seal bag and gently shake to mix. Let sit for at least 2 hours.