First the spicy, then the sweet

Daiku and I finally acquired a proper wok last month. Before then, I'm ashamed to say, we were making all our stir-fries in a big pan. But no more! This week, we finally broke in the new wok for a stir-fry.

• The veggies: snap peas, mushrooms, cabbage, celery, carrots, tomatoes, tofu, and a few fennel fronds
• The noodles: cellophane
• The spices: star anise, cinnamon, a clove, salt, pepper, and red pepper ground together with a mortar and pestle
• And, a tiny bit of corn starch, hot sauce, and soy sauce to bring everything together

It's true, stir-frying in a wok is so quick and painless, and the spices and veggies played off of each other very well. Yum!

And now, a little dessert. Remember the rhubarb I got at the farmer's market back in June? Well, since time was short back then, I cooked and froze the rhubarb, and finally got around to making something with it this week.

Daiku made a simple crust using whole wheat pastry flour and almond meal, and we baked it and filled it with the rhubarb, which had a touch of sugar and orange. We reserved the rhubarb liquid, reduced it over medium-high heat until it had the thick consistency of syrup. Then, we poured the liquid over the fruit and let the tart set overnight.

Unfortunately, the freezing and thawing had dissolved the rhubarb a little bit, but the slightly diminished texture did not affect the tangy sweet taste one bit. This dessert was worth waiting for!
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First the spicy, then the sweet