Pumpkin Squash & Seafood Veggie Bowl

Forget about slicing through those hard-shelled pumpkins, have Delicata Squash on-board and breeze through pumpkin season. As it is a relatively smaller squash, you do not have to think hard about storing unused portions. Buy it fresh, use it up, then buy it again.

Though Kabocha Squash remains my favorite squash in terms of versatility and flavor (check these recipes: Kabocha Squash Pumpkin Rice, Kabocha Squash, Okra, Green Beans Stew, Kabocha Squash Millet Congee), Delicata Squash is a convenient choice when preparing one or two servings meals.

With vegetables and roasted pumpkin squash (Pumpkin Squash Veggie Salad Bowl) as the base, I have prepared similar veggie bowls to pair with chicken Pumpkin Squash Veggie Bowl with Chicken and roasted salmon (below) - choice of Pesto Salmon or Dijon Mustard Salmon.

Delicata Squash Veggie Bowl with Roasted Salmon

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Sake-Steamed Lobster Tails 姜葱酒蒸龙虾

Happy Lunar New Year everyone! Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Did you have a sumptuous reunion meal yesterday? Or what "auspicious" dish did you prepare/cook? Here in the USA, Chinese New Year is usually a quiet affair for most of us. Most importantly, there are no official holidays (unlike in Asia where the first and second days of Lunar New Year are official "off" days), so we do not have much opportunities to get together.

No, I did not cook this yesterday on the eve of Chinese New Year. We had dinner at a friend's place. But this lobster dish do have its tie-in to auspicious Chinese New Year food, is it not? Lobsters 龙虾 and in Cantonese language, 虾 pronounced HAR  symbolizes laughter 笑哈哈 (happiness).


I gave in to these wild-caught previously frozen Canadian lobster tails when I spotted them in Costco. Well, I COULD have waited to buy a fresh "live" whole lobster (in the tank) from the Asian grocery store.

Could have, should have, would have.

You can say I am not much of an adventurer when it comes to seafood. I have made steamed lobsters tails with frozen lobster tails before, so I am going to do similar again. This time, it is just going to a tad different using Japanese sake instead of Chinese cooking wine.

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Steamed Maine Lobsters with Ginger, Green Onions 姜葱蒸龙虾

I usually give those lobsters (imported from Brazil) in Costco a pass, especially when I see sulfite preservatives used.

However, on the left, are some lobsters that I could not resist when I saw them in Costco two weeks ago. Wild-caught Maine Lobsters - frozen and wild (without preservatives), these are Claw Island lobsters that some Costco stores are carrying.

It cost about $19 for two uncooked lobster tails (already cleaned); and no matter what, always cheaper to buy them and cook them at home rather than to order restaurant lobsters which easily cost up to $50-60.

To savor the sweet umami fresh lobster flavors, I turn to minimally prep. and cooked technique - STEAM method, with ginger, green onions and dash of cooking wine.

To me, steaming is the best way to go. Some lobsters how-to also suggest boiling the lobsters (just like how they prefer to boil Dungeness crabs and serve it chilled) but in my opinion, the process of boiling removes some good flavors from the lobsters. Steaming, on the other hand, cooks the lobster gently and retains most of the "juice", moisture and flavors.

Of course, there are other methods of cooking lobsters such as stir-frying with ginger and green onions (Chinese style) or baking with butter and/or cheese. Steaming happens to be my preferred go-to delicious and fuss-free route

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