We were craving curry for Easter. I took two recipes plus a spice recipe for curry and came up with my own multicultural bowl of comfort. The cilantro and lime add a Thai twist and are not necessary. I had never tried Japanese kabocha squash and loved the mild taste. Though buy a small squash because they are difficult to cut up.

MULTICULTURAL PERSONALITY CURRY
14 oz. or 1 package of tofu, baked
2 Tbsp. sunflower oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic, chopped
sea salt
2 Tbsp. ginger, grated
5 carrots, sliced
3 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and diced
2 handfuls green beans, chopped
1 kabocha squash, peeled and diced
2 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk, Native Forest
½ cup water
1 bouillon cube, Edward & Sons Not-Chick’n
4 cloves
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. coriander
1 Tbsp. turmeric
½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. cayenne
black pepper

For serving:
1 cup basmati rice for 3 to 4 servings
lime
cilantro

Curry serves about a family of three or four for about two or three days.

Directions:
Buy two 13.5 cans of Native Forest Unsweetened Organic Coconut Milk Simple. Originally, I used both cans of milk with no water or bouillon, but felt something was missing. So now I use only one and a half cans of milk and add water and a bouillon cube. I cooked tofu in a Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill the night before. You can buy baked tofu, or grill it on an outdoor grill or you can freeze tofu to give it a spongy texture. Or leave out tofu . Sauté onion add garlic then sea salt. I threw in the rest of the veggies then the coconut milk. Add spices. Let simmer in pot for 45 minutes. Cook basmati rice. I use Lundberg’s rice, but with the current situation, the stores are running out of rice so I tried Lotus Foods rice and loved it. Don’t forget to buy organic and non-gmo when possible.

Recipe from blog of melissacrismon.com

Hello!

Anyone who follows my blog knows I love Hello Kitty. After the HK Convention in Los Angeles back in 2014, I heard a café was going to open in Orange County, California. It’s been open at the Irvine Spectrum for about a couple of years.

For years I have driven on the 5 and saw the lit up Ferris wheel. Turns out that is the same courtyard where the Hello Kitty Grand Café is. There are tons of beautifully decorated, upscale restaurants in the outdoor shopping mall. Many are very inviting with oversized plush seating. Brio, an Italian restaurant, has a glassed in patio with wicker furniture and right next to free parking. This mall seems too fancy for free parking. You can drive up to the valet. I feet like I am on a mini UCSD university campus. There is also a Dim Sum restaurant. It’s mostly seafood. I doubt there is anything vegan. There is a new Japanese restaurant called Robata Wasa that is glassed in and looks like a bank, but we head to Kabuki. Kabuki’s service is slow because a waiter didn’t show. The Green Roll with kale sauce is good.

Hello Kitty Cafe Irvine — Hello Kitty Cafe. Photo by M.C.

After the meal we head to The Hello Kitty Café since it only has dessert. I order iced tea. It is so hot outside at 85 degrees, which makes for crabby people. A guy maybe twenty-eight years old in striped red shorts and hairy legs with flashy sunglasses whisked in with some beautiful gal his age—probably his sister. He keeps whining about not wanting to sit down or something. She ignores him and orders. When she sit down to eat her tiny blueberry pie and tea, he is gone. Goodbye cranky Richard Simmons.

Hello Kitty Cafe Donuts — Hello Kitty Donuts Neon Lighting. Photo by M.C.

The store is tiny and cute like you would expect anything Hello Kitty. There is a big Hello Kitty kinda like a Bob’s Big Boy statue. Then there is a window where you can watch a guy make tiny donuts. They roll them in sprinkles, crushed cookies, or cinnamon and sugar. On the corner are some shelves with mugs, T-shirts, tote bags, and pillows. I refrained from buying anything. Behind the glass are all the baked goods. There are tons of butter cookies of the friendly kitty’s face, the donuts in a cute cup, tiny cakes, and pies. You can get a mini, sprinkles birthday cake with a red bow. Personally, I’d never eat any of the food. But the tea is good and it’s in a to go cup with Kitty’s face, which I’ll keep.

I’m not the only one taking photos. People pan their cell phones inside the pretty café and at the food.

I wish I had stopped at the Spectrum sooner. It’s right off Alton Parkway next to the 5 freeway. Also it’s super close to the Musical Theatre Village where I saw the Music Man this summer. You could go out to eat at the Spectrum then go see live theatre over the bridge to Mauchly road.

Hello Kitty Café • 670 Spectrum Center Dr. • Irvine • CA • 92618

Tag: Food

Multicultural Personality Curry

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Hello Kitty Cafe

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