Appa's x Delici-owh-so

I recently got the opportunity to partner with a local pop-up in Atlanta! A couple friends of mine invited me to join them as they bring sushi burritos and poke bowls to Atlanta. They will be popping up behind Irwin Street Market in Atlanta every Sunday 5:30pm-8:30pm for all of June and July (minus July 4th weekend). Everything is super delicious, made with love, and worth the wait!

I'll be featuring a different dessert (maybe two) every week. They'll have delici-owh-so macarons and cream puffs, alternating. The flavors will be different every time, so you should come out and try them!

This week, I featured a green tea cream puff. They were topped with a crispy craquelin, which brought a fun texture and a sweetness that accompanies the choux pastry perfectly. They were filled with a light green tea filling that makes for a perfect ending to the sushi meal.

If you're local, this place is a MUST-TRY!!! The bowls and burritos are perfectly seasoned, and they're even better with the appa and umma sauces. Appa is spicy, and umma is sweet. It's a perfect topping for the fresh fish and crispy veggies. "Appa" is father in Korean, and "Umma" means mother. It's a cute and clever way to describe the sauces, and the flavors do not disappoint!

You can definitely tell that all of the food is made with a lot of love, effort, and passion by this one adorable family! I love that I get to take part in bringing great food to our city, and hope that everyone gets the chance to make it out! We put a lot of thought into every element of what we're sharing, and we look forward to the weeks to come! Follow @appasatl and @deliciowhso to see more updates on the featured desserts!

Stuffed Shrimp

Stuffed shrimp is a fun, flavorful way to spice up your dinner (or lunch). Not only is it pretty, it's simple to make and takes less than half an hour! It's a perfect quick dinner item, or a great appetizer for a potluck.

I prepared the shrimp as a bowl. It's a great lunch item, and the avocado is a perfect way to complete the dish. The creaminess of the avocado compliments the tangy shrimp superbly. Rice is a necessity with this dish- I can't imagine eating it without it. The rice balances the saltiness from the shrimp and just adds another dimension of flavor.

Stuffed Shrimp (Makes 20 shrimp)
1 lb Large Shrimp
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
4 sticks Imitation Crab Meat
1/4 cup Masago
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
3 Green Onions
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

1. Peel, devein, and clean shrimp.
2. Cut the back of the shrimp toward the belly to butterfly the shrimp. ensure that the halves stay intact.
3. Lay the shrimp out onto a sheet pan and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Chop green onions and imitation crab meat into about 1/4 inch pieces. Place into a bowl with masago, mayonnaise, and mozzarella cheese.
5. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
6. Generously spoon the mixture onto the shrimp, making sure the portions are even.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the shrimp is completely cooked.

If you are a rare person who doesn't like shrimp, you can put the stuffing on any fish to bake. It's great on salmon. Another alternative is to bake the stuffing in a casserole dish and mix the stuffing with rice. It is amazing!

Korean Vegetable and Rice Porridge (죽)

죽 (Jook) is one of my favorite foods. It's a simple, comforting korean-style rice porridge. Whenever I was sick, my mom would always make it for me. It's the perfect food to get over being sick, but is great for whenever you want something plain but flavorful. It's very simple to make- you only need one pot! 

Korean Vegetable and Rice Porridge (Makes 2-3 servings)
1 cup Cooked Short Grain Rice
2 cups Water
1 tsp Beef, Dashi, or Vegetable Bullion
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Carrot
1 Scallion
1 Egg 
1tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

1. Place cooked rice and water in a pot and add all of the seasoning. 
2. Finely dice the carrot and scallion. You only need a handful of each. 
3. Add the carrot and scallion to the pot and then bring it to a boil. 
4. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, and cook until about a third of the moisture is left. 
5. Add the egg and stir quickly so that the egg gets mixed into the porridge. Remove from heat.
6. Pour into serving bowls and then garnish with sesame seeds. 

The porridge is best served immediately, so that a film doesn't develop. I like to eat it with a little kimchi. The spicy and sour flavor provides a wonderful contrast to the simple flavor of the porridge. 

If you want, you can add chicken as well. If you are using uncooked rice, add another 1.5 cups of water so that the rice will cook through completely. If you do not want to add the egg, simply reduce the mixture further, so that the moisture will evaporate out, creating a thick porridge.

If you have a friend who's sick, make them some! It'll definitely make them feel better :)

Spicy Chicken Stew (닭도리탕)

Happy Mother's Day! This recipe is another one of my mom's.When I was making this dish, it reminded me of home- the scent of the stew filled my kitchen and brought back memories of watching my mom make this exact dish. When I was little, I wouldn't ever want to eat this dish, because it was spicy. My mom would always make a separate, non-spicy one for me. This is one example of my mom's selflessness. She wanted to make food that I enjoyed, even if it was inconvenient for her. She was always willing to sacrifice time or anything else to care for her children. This day, this post celebrates all the things that our mothers do for us, and the love they share with us.

Spicy Chicken Stew (닭도리탕- Dak Doh Ri Tang)
6 Chicken Drumsticks
1 Onion
1 Carrot, peeled
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp Salt
1 cup Water
4 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Red Chili Flakes (고추가루- Go Chu Ga Ru)
2 tbsp Sugar
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Ginger, minced 

1. In a large pot, place chicken drumsticks. 
2. Large-dice the onion, carrot, pepper, and potatoes, and add them to the pot. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, and stir gently to incorporate. 
4. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil on high heat. 
5. Reduce to medium, and continue to cook about 30 minutes.
6. As the chicken cooks, use a heat-resistant serving spoon or ladle to pour sauce over the chicken as it cooks. You should do this every few minutes, to ensure that the chicken gets coated with sauce as it cooks. 
7. After about 30 minutes, the sauce will begin to thicken from the starch of the potatoes. When the potatoes are tender, the sauce has thickened, and the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and serve immediately. 

This dish is best served with short grain rice- the sticky rice. You can separate them as pictured, or you can enjoy the stew over the rice, like curry. This dish is homey, delicious, and simple to make. You only need one pot and it takes less than an hour start to finish! Make this for your friends and family, especially for mom :)

Omu-rice (Omelette Fried Rice)

I love rice. It's so filling, and so delicious. Omu-rice is one of my favorite rice-based dishes (besides just eating rice by itself). The dish originated in Japan, but has since then been adopted by the Korean culture. It's often referred to as a children's food because kids love it (but, I mean, who doesn't like fried rice and egg?). It's flavorful, and unlike your typical fried rice because it is finished with ketchup! It's best to use day-old rice because it's not as sticky. I also use some frozen vegetables so that I am able to use smaller portions of each vegetables / more kinds of vegetables. You can always buy fresh vegetables and freeze them as well. There are many variations of omu-rice, and it's very simple to put in whatever you'd like. Here's how I like to make my omu-rice:

Omu-rice (Makes 4 small omelettes)
1 Small Potato
1/2 Onion
1 Small Carrot
2 Green Onion
Small Handful Frozen Broccoli, slightly chopped
Large Handful Frozen Corn
Small Handful Frozen Bell peppers, chopped (the frozen variety tends to have more colors)
3 cups Short Grain Rice (uncooked amount)
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 tbsp Butter
4 Eggs
Ketchup

1. Rinse and cook the day before. Store overnight.
2. Peel and small dice the potatoes and onions to about 1/2" cubes. Keep them separate.
3. Peel and cut the carrots to about 1/4" cubes.
4. Cut the green onion to 1/4" slices as well. Set aside 1 chopped green onion for garnish.
5. Roughly chop the frozen vegetables. Be careful when doing this, and only do it if the pieces are too large.
6. In a large saute pan, wok, or pot, pour oil. Allow the pan to heat up on medium heat before adding any vegetables.
7. Add the potatoes and allow them to cook 3/4 of the way. You can tell by tasting the potatoes. They should still have a slight bite to them. Then, add the carrots.
8. Allow to cook slightly, then add the remaining vegetables.
9. When onions are translucent, add rice and seasonings.
10. Lower heat to low-medium. Mix the rice into the vegetables thoroughly. Taste and add more salt/sesame oil if needed.
11. Once completely incorporated and rice is heated through, turn off heat.
12. Crack one egg into a bowl and beat so that the yolk and the white are completely incorporated.
13. In a small saute pan, pour oil to cover the sides and bottom of the pan. Remove excess with a paper towel. Heat on medium heat. 
14. When hot, add the egg at once. Gently turn the pan to cover the entire pan with egg.
15. When mostly cooked, add about 1 cup of the rice in a pile on one half of the egg.
16. Fold one side of the egg over the rice. Then, shift the open side to the edge of the pan.
17. When the open side is on the edge, bring it up to the plate, then gently turn the pan to put the edge under the rest of the omelette.
18. Repeat the process with each egg to create each individual omu-rice.
18. Drizzle with ketchup, garnish with scallions, and serve!

You can easily add chicken, or anything else you'd like to this dish. Substitute any vegetables or just use whatever you have. Sometimes, I like to add zucchini or mushrooms; or take out the potatoes. You can put in anything you like. It's a great way to use produce before it goes bad. The different colors of each ingredient makes a beautiful dish. Make some today for your friends and family!

Sushi

 ^ Salmon Sashimi

 ^Salmon Sushi

^ Unagi (eel) sushi wrapped in nori

^Tamago sushi wrapped in nori

 Last winter, I watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi with one of my good friends, Michelle. I was instantly inspired by his passion, his finesse, and his extreme attention to detail. Of course, I was not able to get into making sushi right away, but when I finally got the time, I tampered with it (this was back during Mother's Day, when my dad bought some sashimi grade salmon for dinner). Eventually I got a chance to try making tamago.

My mom made some delicious grilled eel a few weeks ago, and craving it a few days later, I went and bought a pack, along with some sashimi grade salmon, and some rice vinegar. After my grocery trip, I went home to make some delicious sushi! Though it is time consuming, it does not take too many ingredients to make. I was able to feed a family of four for less than $30 that night! (Plus, we didn't have to leave a tip!)

Sushi Rice
Short Grain White Rice, Cooked
Rice Vinegar
Small Bowl of Water

1. For every 2 cups of cooked rice, add about a teaspoon of vinegar.
2. If you feel that the vinegar is too strong, add more rice. If the flavor is not strong enough, add more vinegar very gradually.
3. Allow to cool before rolling into rice balls.
4. Dip hands in bowl of water and shake off the excess.
5. Grab about 1.5 tbsp of rice in your hands. Place it in your weaker hand and make a fist to form it.
6. Use your strong hand's middle finger and thumb to square the rice.
7. Then, take your index and middle finger and place over the top of the rice ball to create a slight arch over the top.
8. Repeat until you get your desired shape.
(If this process is hard to picture, here's a link to Jiro's technique)

Salmon Sashimi/Sushi
Package of Sashimi Grade Salmon
Sharp Knife

1. Take out the filet of sashimi grade salmon. Only buy sashimi grade, because it is safe to eat raw.
2. Slice the fish to the size that will fit the rice ball. Look at the side of the filet to see where you are cutting.
3. Then, slice each large piece into pieces about 1cm thick. Place over the rice ball.
4. Arrange the remaining slices onto a plate with wasabi and pickled ginger.

Nori Wrap
1 sheet of nori. 

1. Use a very sharp knife to cut the nori into 1 cm thick slices.
2. Then, cut each of the slices in half to get a strip that is about 1cm x 7cm

Unagi Sushi
1 Package of Frozen Unagi
Aluminum Foil
Large Frying Pan with a Cover

1. Cut the fish in half lengthwise while it is frozen.
2. Wrap each half in foil.
3. Over medium heat, heat the fish thoroughly. Put the fish wrapped in foil into the frying pan and cover. Allow to cook for about 7 minutes on each side.
4. Allow to cool slightly and cut into pieces about 2.5 cm wide.
5. Place each piece on top of the rice ball and wrap with the nori strip.
6. Put the finished pieces onto a platter and serve with wasabi and pickled ginger.

Tamago Sushi- adapted from allrecipes.com
1/4 cup Water
1/2 tsp Dashi
4 Large Eggs
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Cooking Sake
1/2 tsp Vegetable Oil
Paper Towel
Tamago Pan (I used a rectangle pan)
Spatula

1. Mix water with dashi bullion/seasoning (I used anchovy dashida)
2. Add eggs, sugar, and sake.
3. Beat mixture until the egg is completely broken up.
4. Heat your pan to low-medium heat. Use a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil to grease the pan.
5. Pour a thin layer of egg so that the bottom of the pan is covered.
6. When the egg cooks most of the way, and the top of the egg is still wet, fold the bottom portion about 1 inch up. Then, roll to about 3/4 of the way.
7. Oil the pan where there is no egg.
8. Use the spatula to release the remaining egg that is not rolled, and then move the entire egg to the back of the pan.
9. Grease the other portion of the pan with the paper towel.
10. Pour another thin layer of egg on the bare areas of the pan.
11. Allow it to set up slightly, then roll again.
12. Repeat until there is no more egg mixture.
13. Remove from the pan onto a piece of plastic film, and wrap with a nori roller (the ones made of bamboo). Wrap to make a rectangular shape.
14. Allow to cool, then unwrap onto a cutting board and cut into 1.5 cm pieces.
15. Place onto rice balls and wrap with the cut nori.
16. Serve on a platter with wasabi and pickled ginger.
Here is an illustrated recipe on this process from momofukufor2, in case it is difficult to follow :)

I would highly recommend watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It's a truly inspirational documentary to any artist or anyone who loves their job. Jiro is truly passionate about his work, and it is amazing to watch the cinematography and technique of his craft.