When I realize the dishes I’ve been cooking are either starting to look the same every time or just backsliding into the boring (or actually I’m simply having cereal for dinner), I know it’s time to invest in a new cookbook/look into some older ones I’ve forgotten, or go grocery shopping for something good. Take-away is a sorry way out. Avoiding it also makes me feel like a better person, by some odd line of reason. So, grocery shopping was what I did last Friday at Borough Market – where there was lots to drink, taste, ogle at and buy of course. Foodies familiar with Borough Market will know that it’s not simply a fresh produce heaven, it’s also a mushroom heaven. I was so thrilled being able to find a couple of stores selling a wide range of wild and exotic mushrooms; indulging myself, I bought a lovely bag of assorted types – one of my favourites being the oyster mushroom and the king oyster (which my mum uses a lot in Korean cooking actually). I saw a stall selling a range of Japanese shimeiji mushrooms too which would be good for my miso soup. A little pricey but that comes with having to import them I believe.

With mushrooms, it’s always good to have them fresh as once they start to go mucky, it’ll affect the taste. Of course, it starts to look less visually appealing as well. So storing them in a dry part of your fridge is ideal. Make sure you haven’t put them next to anything wet or if you’ve left them in those supermarket plastic boxes with a clingwrap top, make sure no condensation has collected underneath the plastic wrap which could drip onto the mushrooms. This will mean they’ll start to decompose quite quickly in the fridge. You want them dry, smooth and springy to touch.

When I first bought the fresh pasta, I kept calling it ravioli and then tortellini which is a mistake. Ravioli – because I’ve been wanting to get a pasta machine and make giant ravioli filled with all sorts of weird wonderful fillings (like a little goblin, it’s been hiding in the back of my mind so much a lot of the stuff I talk about tends towards ravioli which leaves people around me very puzzled). Tortellini because I never knew there was a difference between tortellini and tortelloni. They both look the same. Apparently the sizes and weight differ, from 2g to 5g respectively and tortellini is more often served with broth and not tortelloni. Did you also know, according to the story behind tortellini/loni, that this lovely pasta was very likely inspired by a woman’s navel? Learn something new every day! The beetroot tortelloni is from La Tua Pasta (website is here) and I found its lovely stall, manned by 2 beautiful European men, next to the Empanadas one. To find it, just leave the Green Market, head to the bit selling all the chocolates and patisseries and then turn left which will bring you out into the open.

There’s another stall selling fresh pasta too but there didn’t seem to be much of a range in my opinion. If you’re feeling very decadent, try the squid ink tortelloni stuffed with cheese and crab meat. It looks positively divine and something very similar to one I tried in Spain (why Spain, I don’t know but it was a very good handmade pasta Italian restaurant) – careful though as it’s £9.50 a pop. So if you do try it, would love to hear from you how it is!

beautiful fresh handmade tortelloni that needs to be eaten within 3 days

This beetroot tortelloni has been stuffed with beetroot, ricotta and grana cheese, nutmeg and bread crumbs. I wanted something a little different from the usual sage and butter combo and so tried out marjoram which goes great with mushrooms. I used red onions as well because of its mildly sweet flavour which worked good with the almost citrusy tanginess of the beetroot. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to taste the mushrooms with the onions and the beetroot but thankfully it worked and I thought this dish was quite delicious. The final touch of butter definitely pulled it altogether.

Mushrooms and butter. Actually, butter to anything is always beautiful. I have a book about things to eat before you die. Can’t remember the author or the title right now. It’s sitting on my bookshelf at home and I can distinctly remember what it looks like but not who wrote it or what it’s called – which is really annoying! Anyhow, the writer visits this famous restaurant and talks about mashed potatoes and what is the secret behind getting it stiff but still creamy and amazing like cement paste. And what does the chef say? There’s no secret. There’s no mashing it up and pushing it through a sieve nonsense. It’s just a lot of butter.

Ah. There you go. Goodbye olive spreads, margarine and I can’t believe it’s not butter! nonsense. Butter’s good.

If you share my love of fresh pasta, mushrooms and real butter, why not try out this recipe? You don’t need specialty pasta just some fresh ingredients and you’ve got a quick and easy meal done.

•••

I’ve decided to submit this post to the food event Beet ‘n’ Squash YOU — a monthly food- fight wherein the stupendous virtues of vegetables are extolled. You all know how much I love my vegetables and how crazed I am about mushrooms. This month, the event hosted on Gourmet Fury, boasts 2 lucky winners who will receive a super cute Winner’s badge and some Gourmet, Wild Dried Mushrooms from Untamed Feast. Totally exciting event! Go round and have a little gander ~ this month’s veggie is MUSHROOMS.

Recipe serves 2.
Beetroot Tortelloni with Wild Mushroom Medley
Ingredients

1 packet of tortelloni (about 6 pieces/serving)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 large handfuls of various wild mushrooms, sliced
sprig of fresh marjoram leaves
1 tsp parsley
2 tbs butter
olive oil, for cooking
sea salt and ground black pepper, for seasoning

To prepare the mushrooms, I hear you should gently brush under water them to get rid of dirt and all that. I didn’t have a brush and I’m used to just lightly massaging the mushrooms under the running tap, making sure to get to the gills under the mushrooms. With the chanterells and oysters, simply trim off the ends, wash and dab off excess moisture before frying.

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan. Add garlic, sauté. Add the red onions next and give it a quick stir. Once it starts to soften a little, move to side of pan, add the mushrooms and cook. Stir fry everything for a few minutes then add the marjoram. Season well. Set aside whilst you cook the pasta.

For the pasta, simply cook for 4-5 mins in boiling water. Drain off and pour into the frying pan. Give it a good toss, season a little more if needed. Add the parsley and salted butter. Give it one final toss to mix everything well. Then serve and tuck in.

I’m fairly notorious for doing quirky, crazy things. Think balancing a bone china teacup and saucer on my head, applying red lipstick with precision, write a cheque without mistakes whilst picking up some rubbish off my bedroom carpet with my toes, that sorta thing. I mean I quite like multi-tasking.

Sadly, the Advocator of Multi-Tasking admits failure. And the end result is? —- Burnt chicken!

As you can see, the chicken pieces seem darker than they should be. Also, I covered them in too much flour before frying and they went a little strange and soggy. But I suppose, nothing should get you down near Chinese New Year and the marinade and sauce didn’t disappoint me one tiny bit despite my little hiccups. The lemon chicken was fantastic. Tasted so citrusy, sweet and yet savoury. Very very lovely. I would definitely make this again, and not balance too many tasks whilst making this now that I have lived and learnt.

Happy Chinese New Year to all!

恭喜发财，万事如意!

Gong xi fa cai, wan shi ru yi!

As I was starting to feel a little moody about not celebrating CNY with my family and missing out on a whole month’s worth of reunion dinners, light banter and drinking, I decided to whip up my own eve of the eve dish. Nothing exciting of course but enough to perk me up and chase away those damn blues. Also, to anyone mildly interested, Diva’s hair is getting much much longer! I’m absolutely thrilled. After chopping away my long black locks 3 years ago to get it more in sync with my jet black rock-chic style and I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude, the inner female was getting way too wistful. The chocolate brown & blonde to ginger-caramel highlights I started sporting a year ago is thankfully paying off as well.

Life is pretty smooth-sailing. Work-wise, it ain’t fantastic but I can honestly say I’m feeling all jittery about getting started on the first chapter of my dissertation. Apart from that, I’ve sent off applications to Royal Holloway and Birkbeck universities for 2 different MA courses – Postmodernism and Modernity, and Gender, Sexuality and Culture respectively. Thinking of the future is shit scary but I’m thrilled about being able to further my studies beyond the undergraduate level. All this, I’m praying will happen. Everything is balanced on funding right now from my sponsor. You can see how I might be bogged down with this massive burden on me back.

How have I solved this problem temporarily? EAT!

If you’re feeling moo-moo like I am, a little worried about the near future, stressed out? Go make yourself some food, buddy. CNY is all about feasting. Even if you’re not Chinese, pick up those chopsticks. Who says you only get to feast at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s? I’m keeping the ball rolling.

If anyone’s wondering how my Miso Yaki Udon is any different from Mum’s Yaki Udon with Shimeji & Shrimp, this is egg-free, chili-free and uses miso rather than soy sauce to flavour it. It is a slightly lighter version and the miso gives it a more interesting flavour I’d say, than using plain soy.

This recipe is good for 1.

Lemon Chicken
Ingredients

1 chicken breast
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp hot water
2 tsp clover honey
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 small garlic clove, chopped
a little flour to toss chicken in
salt and pepper, for seasoning
olive oil, for frying

Miso Yaki Udon
Ingredients

1 serving udon
1 tbs sake
1/2 tbs mirin
1 1/2 tsp fresh miso
1 tbs hot water
1/4 cup carrots, thinly sliced into strips
2 large shitakee mushrooms, sliced with stalks removed
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or minced
1 heaped tbs onion, finely chopped
1 spring onion, sliced
sprinkle of black sesame seeds
olive oil, for frying

To make the lemon chicken:
To prepare the marinade for the chicken, combine lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a deep bowl. Dissolve the honey in the hot water then mix into the bowl of sauce. Cut the chicken breast into cubes and then leave to soak in the marinade for at least an hour. In a deep dish, pour a little flour and season it with some salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the fridge, drain off the marinade but keep it to make the rest of the sauce for later.
Heat some oil in a frying pan. Toss chicken lightly in the seasoned flour. Don’t over do it. I did that and ended up having a really weird crispy outer layer. A little will be fine just to give the chicken a little crunch.
Once the oil in the pan is hot enough, fry the chopped garlic to flavour the oil. I usually fry it til golden brown then remove so it doesn’t turn black later. Add the chicken pieces and fry til golden brown. Remove and let sit on a paper towel.

In a saucepan over low heat, stir in the cornstarch into the remaining marinade until this thickens and attains a gooey sticky consistency. Set aside to cool for 1-2 minutes, then pour over the fried chicken pieces.

To make the miso yaki udon:
If you’re using dried udon, cook this first and set aside whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Heat some oil in a wok. Sauté the garlic and onions. Add the half the spring onions, mushrooms and carrots and sauté in the sake. Now add the cooked udon and the rest of the spring onions. Lower heat. Dissolve the miso in hot water then add, along with the mirin, to wok. You don’t want to burn the miso as miso should not be exposed to high heat.

Sprinkle some black sesame seeds and mix through. Serve.

Mid-week: I’ve finally got down to updating my iTunes library with the latest toon-age. I might have taken it a little too far and induced a banging headache that now pounds in tandem with my electro/house/rock beats. This sort of abated when I opened my dashboard to find a nice little tag from Deeba of Passionate About Baking.  I know bloggers may (or may not) be fearful of such tags but it’s fun and I’m really never too bothered when I get a little tagging-love from my fellow blogosphere friends. Spread a little lovin’, boys and girls.

This tagging thing demands 7 random facts about myself so here goes. Hear ye hear ye…

1) I hate pâté and think it is freaky shit.
2) Vivienne Westwood turns me on…like a lot.
3) I adore well-cut clothes, beautiful shoes and will go manic with nice eye make-up.
4) I am often mistaken for a dog-person but really am a cat-lover.
5) Definitely not a pyromaniac, just really like burning pretty candles.
6) I occasionally think I’m a rockstar – the urge to smack that shit hits me at the most random moments too.
7) I freak out if someone touches my wrist. Press hard and I feel faint.

If you’re not possibly disturbed by my random facts, you’re more than welcome to come back for future visits. Kid Diva’s positively delighted to have you sniffing round her food blog, especially if you’d like to share some gastro-knowledge, observe the hysterical foodie rants of a randomer and so forth.

Now, I’d like to pass this watcha-call-it to another 7 bloggers. How it works is just tag; 7 random facts; pass it on to another 7 by commenting on their blog; enjoy. To set forth the tag:

1) Ann of Velvet Lava
2) Manggy of No Special Effects
3) Celine of Black Salt
4) Laura of Hungry and Frozen
5) Toontz of Okara Mountain
6) Shari of Whisk Blog
7) Cakewardrobe of My Cake Wardrobe

A little lovin’ has been spread. Think it’s time to wrap up that M&S Advent Calendar and send it to my sister in the post. Maybe a little lazy nap thereafter? Sounds just about right! Here’s a recipe for yaki udon that my mum makes now and again. It’s definitely not as good as the way she makes it but she’s away holidaying in South Korea, so it was a bit of a toughie trying to figure out what exactly she puts in her lovely dish. My version was a little dry but nothing that a little more sauce couldn’t sort out.

Here’s a recipe for 1.

Mum’s Yaki Udon with Shimeji & Shrimp
Ingredients

1 serving of fresh or dry udon
1/4 fresh red chili, finely chopped
1 1/2 stalks spring onion, chopped
1/2 shallot, chopped
1/2 garlic clove, chopped
1 free range large egg
1/3 cup king prawns
1/4 cup bunashimeji mushrooms
1/4 cup bunapi shimeji mushrooms
2 tsp teriyaki marinade
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp mirin
olive oil, for cooking
black sesame seeds, for garnishing

If using dry udon, cook about 10 mins (or depending on your make) in hot water and a few drops of sunflower oil. Drain away water and set aside covered as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Or you could use fresh udon that come in sealed packets and which are always very handy to have.

Place mushrooms in a bowl with teriyaki marinade and let sit for a while.

In a hot wok, heat some oil. Add the shallots, garlic and half the prepared chopped chili to the oil and sauté. When shallots are brown, add the marinade and mushrooms and prawns. Now add the cooked udon and spring onions and fry on high heat, adding the rest of the chili and sauces to the wok, stirring quickly as you go. Turn down heat a little, make a well in the centre of the noodles. Crack the egg into the well. Now turn up the heat again and stir vigorously so the egg cooks almost immediately as it breaks and mixes into the noodles.

When the noodles have all come together and it looks well covered in the sauces, remove wok from heat. Serve and garnish with black sesame seeds and some Japanese ginger pickle if you’ve got any lying around.