KkinionKKINION JOURNAL
Stories for everyday home cooking
From ingredients in your fridge to a meal you can make.
Everyday home cooking
Lemon Olive Dressing: Mix Equal Parts Lemon Juice and Oil
This small-batch dressing starts with equal amounts of lemon juice and olive oil. Stir the salt into the lemon juice first, then mix in the oil in portions. If the layers become visible again after a while, stir once more just before using. The goal is not a thick, mayonnaise-like texture.
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Mushroom Spinach Rice Bowl for One: Add the Next Ingredients When Liquid Reduces
Cooking for yourself? Cook the mushrooms and garlic first, then add soy sauce and spinach when the liquid has reduced and the edges are lightly browned. Serve the vegetables from the pan over warmed rice for a simple rice bowl. The key is not to cook the spinach for too long from the start.
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Mashed Pea Pasta for One: A Fork-Made Sauce Without a Blender
Boil frozen peas and garlic together, then mash them roughly with a fork to make this pasta. The small pieces of peas pair well with the noodles, so there is no need to blend them into a smooth cream. Loosen the sauce with pasta water before adding the cooked noodles to make it easier to mix.
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Cucumber Soy Sauce Noodles for One: Prepare the Sauce Before Boiling the Noodles
Cooking for yourself? Cold-rinsed somyeon is easier to toss when transferred straight into a bowl of prepared sauce. Julienne the cucumber and mix the sauce first, until the sugar has almost dissolved. A small tip: don’t start looking for ingredients after the noodles are cooked.
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Eggplant Tomato Pasta for One: Cook the Sauce First
Cooking for yourself? Cook the eggplant and tomato in a pan to make the sauce, then boil the pasta. Don’t judge the eggplant by its color alone; check whether it presses easily with a spoon. The water used to make the sauce and the pasta water reserved at the end are used at different stages.
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Kabocha and Walnut Salad for One: Mash the Steamed Squash After Cooling Slightly
Cooking for yourself? Steam trimmed fresh kabocha, then mash it while leaving some small pieces. Mix in the yogurt after the steam has escaped, and sprinkle the walnuts on last. Enjoy the contrast between the soft cooked squash and the texture of the crushed walnuts.
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Seared Tofu and Cabbage Salad for One: Warm Tofu over Fresh Vegetables
Cooking for yourself? Sear the tofu until golden, then serve it over fresh vegetables. Since the ingredients are not all stir-fried in the pan, the seared tofu and finely cut vegetables retain distinct textures. Mix soy sauce with lemon juice and drizzle the dressing evenly over the vegetables.
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Apple, Carrot, and Cabbage Salad, Finely Sliced and Lightly Tossed
Cooking for yourself? Finely slice the three ingredients and lightly coat them with yogurt dressing. Unlike a salad with large apple pieces on top of the vegetables, this version lets you taste apple, carrot, and cabbage together in one bite. Remove the firm cores and seeds before slicing.
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Potato, Egg, and Yogurt Salad for One: Toss After the Steam Escapes
Cooking for yourself? This salad combines boiled potatoes and eggs with a yogurt sauce. Check that the potatoes are tender in the center and the egg yolks are firm. Let both ingredients cool until the steam escapes before adding them to the sauce, then toss gently.
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Mushroom Spinach Pasta for One: Sauté the Mushrooms First
Cooking for yourself? Add the cooked pasta and spinach to the pan with the sautéed mushrooms at the end. This recipe checks separately for lightly browned mushroom edges and for when the spinach wilts. There is no need to cook the vegetables from the start while the pasta boils.
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Chickpea Cucumber Salad for One: Drain and Measure the Canned Beans
Cooking for yourself? Instead of pouring chickpeas straight from the can, drain and rinse the beans before measuring them for the salad. In this simple mix of tomatoes, cucumber, and lemon dressing, moisture and measurement make a difference. Plan your prep steps instead of turning on the stove.
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Broccoli Lemon Pasta for One: Add Vegetables in the Last 3 Minutes
Cooking for yourself? Add broccoli to the pot with the pasta, but not at the start. Cook it with the broccoli during the final 3 minutes of the pasta package's cooking time. Prepare garlic oil briefly in a separate pan, then stir in lemon juice after turning off the heat.
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