Langostino Tacos with Avocado Salsa Verde

I tried a new recipe this week, which I had to somewhat alter due to ingredient availability and the rain. I was supposed to use fresh prawns, which were to be grilled, but instead I found "langostino meat" at the store. I think this was a pretty good substitute. I sauteed the langostini instead of grilling them.

I made a nice salsa verde with cilantro, lime juice, chipotle, avocado and jalapeno.

I sauteed the langostino, placed them on warmed, corn tortillas and added a tablespoon of sauce. Sounds great, right? Wrong! Somehow, the recipes had called for way too much salt! My dish looked beautiful, but was inedible. I saved the day by ditching my sauce, placing langostino, avocado, cilantro and a bit of lime on the tortillas.

I have a question -- is kosher salt less salty than regular salt? My recipe called for kosher salt, which I substituted with regular salt. Big mistake.

One lesson I learned in preparing this dish is to try the recipe ahead of time! Do not make something for the first time when you are having guests. Figure out what can go wrong, fix the problems, and THEN make it for friends and family.

Cooking with Kids: Learning about the future of Chinese cuisine

Last night, I went to an event at the Chinese Cultural Center in San Francisco. There was a great panel discussion about the future of Chinese cuisine. One of my favorite chefs, Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook, was there! He and the other panelists discussed their favorite Chinese dishes, things they don't like about Chinese-American food, and dishes they would love to see in Chinese restaurants in America.

I feel really inspired now to learn more and more about cooking Chinese food. Most of what we get today in Chinese restaurants in the United States is nothing like what you would find in China. I'm trying to figure out a way to attend Chef Martin Yan's Culinary Art Center in Shenzhen, China.

Please let me know where you have found the best Chinese food in North America, especially Hainan chicken.

Cooking with Kids

I love to bake treats for my teachers, family and friends in February. By this team, all of the Christmas chocolate and cookies are long gone, and everyone is in the mood for something yummy.

This year, I'm especially looking forward to baking . I'm in my last year at an all girls' school and I want to make every month memorable. I have decided to make goodies from different countries this month.

I'm going to try one of my favorite desserts -- beignets! These are definitely a big step up from the gooey creations made at your local donut shop.

Kids definitely need help from parents to make beignets because you are working with hot oil. I actually know a lot more about cooking and kitchen safety than my mom, so I am usually the one who helps to supervise her.

An important and, in my view, necessary tool is a deep-fry thermometer. You need one of these to make sure the oil is right temperature so that the beignets are perfect!

Click to my recipe page to find my beignet recipe! beignet recipe

I really like to have a nice mug of hot chocolate with a beignet. My mom and dad like to have coffee with theirs.

If you're bringing your beignets to school, as I am, make sure to keep them warm by loosely wrapping them in aluminum foil. Serve them to your classmates as soon as you get to school! It's a great way to start the day!

Next week, check out my blog about Chinese Almond Cookies