For the second year in a row, I want to experiment more with my cooking. I want to try new recipes, use interesting ingredients, and venture down unknown flavorful paths. I want to cook 52 new recipes this year, one new recipe a week on average. Last year I lost count of how far I made it (definitely not to 52), but I still pushed myself more than ever before. One aspect I do regret is not chronicling the recipes I tried. This changes that.
I’ll look to update this post throughout the year as I cook and bake new recipes.
Ma-yi Shang Shu / “Ants Climbing a Tree”
From the Szechwan cookbook I received for Christmas alongside a Wok. Easy weeknight dinner easily adaptable with whatever stir fry vegetables you want to add.
Yu-xiang qie-zi
Eggplant dish. Lots of oil makes the eggplant - which I’m not usually a fan of - a lot more enjoyable.
Made for lunch because I had potatoes to use up. Easy, good, goes well with bread.
Made this for a small dinner with friends. They liked it, but I found the pistachio filling a bit too dense and chewy. Probably won’t make again, though I definitely need to work on my tarte pastry.
Palak Paneer
The classic Indian spinash dish, made easy in the Instant Pot. First time using paneer in anything. Very good, very easy. Just need a bucket load of spinash. Will make again.
For the parents’ brief visit to Baltimore. I want to cook more fish this year, this was a good and easy start using frozen fish. Very tasty, also very easy. Fast to make, which was good because I didn’t give myself lots of time while I also made another Black Forest Cake.
Technically Sarah made this, but I helped clean and cut the chards. This was surprisingly delicious. The flavors just worked so well together. On a good roll with the NYT Cooking recipes right now.
I’ve always been impressed when I see friends making these. Turns out bagels are super easy to make and better than store (or even bakery) bought ones. And they don’t require hours upon hours of proofing, like most bread products I’m used to making. Made ham and egg sandwiches. Oooooh so good.
To be continued…