All posts filed under: Side Dishes

Holiday White Bean Salad

Published by Lydia Wong

It’s certainly been a while! How have you all been? My family and I travelled to France at the end of June for two weeks and after we came back to Berlin, I still felt like I needed a little bit more time to settle into our new way of life, so I took another three weeks off, hardly any activity on social media either. I am feeling great after this long break and am immensely grateful that we could get out of our apartment after being ‘home-bounded’ for many months, a change of scenery surely helped us eliminated some of the anxiety and uncertainty that were built up in the past few months. We feel a lot better than a month ago and we certainly have found a new rhythm for our everyday life. Although our lives will still be affected by Coronavirus for some times to come, but we are learning everyday to better adapt to this unfortunate situation, hopefully to restore some sort of normalities. That said, our lives will never be the same …

Simple Braised Cannellini Beans with Preserved Lemon

Published by Lydia Wong

How are you all doing this week? We are fine and well on our side and hope you are too. This week, I would like to share a simple and versatile recipe with you – Simple Braised Cannellini Beans with Preserved Lemon. It is piquant, smoky, velvety and absolutely addictive! I have been making this weekly and we haven’t got tired of it at all, in fact, my daughter asks me regularly if we have some of these delicious ‘baked beans’ in the fridge, so she can top her toasts with it in the mornings! It really is one of the best protein rich dishes you will ever want to have regularly in your fridge. Please don’t be discouraged if you don’t have any preserved lemon, and don’t let it stop you making this, you can simply substitute it with freshly grated lemon zest, its taste won’t be as piquant, but it will still be delicious! I have written down several serving suggestions for this dish in the ‘Notes’ section below, so take your pick or …

Sweet Potato Fries with Thai Mango Curry Dip recipe

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Thai Mango Curry Dip

Published by Lydia Wong

Sorry for being absent for the last two weeks. I was busy working on a photoshoot for Ajinomoto Germany’s new marketing campaign. The photoshoot took place exactly a week ago but there were much preparation leading up to the actual shoot. A lot of hard work but it was so much fun at the same time. I can’t wait to tell you more and show you some pictures (I have been showing few on my Instagram account). Anyway, there are still follow-up work to do but I am delighted to be able to write up a simple yet absolutely delicious recipe with you this week. This Thai mango curry dip was one of the recipes which I created for the latest Ajinomoto’s campaign. This sauce/dip is so versatile, you can use it for many different dishes: sweet potato fries (like this recipe here), grilled chicken or prawn skewers, spring rolls or gyoza which I have done for the photoshoot. It consists of only 5 ingredients, so easy to make, it is rich, spicy, umami. Try …

Mung Bean Pancakes with Spring Vegetables

Published by Lydia Wong

This spring vegetable pancake is inspired by one of my favourite Korean dishes – Bindaetteok, which is usually made with pork and kimchi. I used to eat Bindaetteok a lot when I lived in London, with my Korean friends in my favourite Korean restaurant on Tottenham Court Road. A bottle of Shoju (Korean version of Sake) and an endless supply of Bindartteok, together with a bowl of hot kimchi tofu stew, it was one of the most enjoyable times in my student life. I forgot how much I love this type of pancake until I had it again on Chinese New Year evening, my family and I went to a Korean restaurant in the neighbourhood and they offered pancakes to us as a complimentary snack for our drinks. The girl who served us said that no Korean will be drinking without these pancakes on the side. We were of course happy to accept her offer and those pancakes were delicious. I have been thinking of making these pancakes at home for a while, and finally, …

Crispy Tofu with Szchuan pepper and chilli / chinese pickled cucumber recipe

Crispy Tofu with Szechuan Pepper and Chilli / Pickled Cucumber with Ginger and Chinese Vinegar

Published by Lydia Wong

Happy Chinese New Year! Gung Hei Fat Choi! I wish you all prosperity and a healthy Year of the Dog! I used to love Chinese New Year when I was a child (I still love it but in a different way since I have been living in Europe for so long), because it is the time when the whole family will get together and spend some quality time with one another, share and enjoy wonderful traditional Chinese food, play games and watch some spectacular firework by the ocean. It is the time when everyone wishes everyone happiness and prosperity, everywhere you go is full of festive atmosphere. I do miss that feeling of being surrounded by my sisters, nephews and nieces, family time is priceless. Anyway, I hope those of you who celebrate Lunar New Year have a wonderful time and a lucky year ahead. Today, I have prepared two recipes for you. Crispy Tofu with Szechuan Pepper and Chilli, and Pickled Cucumber with Ginger and Chinese Vinegar. The crispy tofu recipe has a wonderful …

Sautéed Chinese Sausage with Garlicky Kale

Published by Lydia Wong

Chinese sausage is also known as ‘Lap Chong’ in Cantonese, a type of dried sausage made with mainly pork, but some also made with duck or pork liver. These sausages are sweeten, seasoned and then smoked or sun/wind-dried. They are mainly sold in dried goods store in Hong Kong and Macau food market. Bunch after bunch of sausages hanging on hooks in the shop front (they usually came in pair and connected with a kitchen string, my mother used to hang them on a hook on the kitchen wall where she stored her dried food in plastic bags) alongside with some dried bacon and dried duck. I remember when I was little, standing in front of the shop, admiring the wonderful (but odd) sight of hanging sausages while my mother was selecting our family favourite ones. The sweet and smoky aroma always made me hungry. The favourite way of cooking them is to lay a couple of sausages onto the washed uncooked rice with the right amount of water, then turn the rice cooker on, once …

Brazilian Cheese Bread – Pão de Queijo

Published by Lydia Wong

These Brazilian cheese bread are crispy on the outside, cheesy and gooey on the inside, almost elastic, such texture reminds me a little of Mochi (a type of Japanese rice cake which is made with glutinous rice flour), one of my childhood favourites. Technically, they are not really ‘bread’ as it requires neither yeast, nor proofing which normally a must for bread making. The recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients and it takes about half an hour to three quarters of an hour to make. These little fluff balls are light as feather, freckled with golden brown spots from the cheese, are best served warm straight from the oven. Slather a couple of them generously with velvety butter and a pinch of flaky sea salt, that’s exactly the way I like to eat them! Alongside with a cup of warm matcha latte and a good book (or a Netflix series!) would be a real treat for me. I imagine it will be absolutely delicious if served with a hearty soup or stew where …

Tamari Peanut Tofu with Courgette Ribbons recipe

Crispy Tamari Peanut Tofu served with Courgette Ribbons

Published by Lydia Wong

I know tofu is not everyone’s cup of tea, some insist that it is bland and flavourless, but if you cook it right, tofu is wonderfully delicious and pack full of protein. The key is to pair it with a sharp and well-seasoned sauce/dressing and it will absorb all the flavours like a sponge. This recipe here calls for firm tofu and my favourite way to cook it is to dust it first with seasoned corn starch or potato starch, then pan-fry it until crispy and golden brown, follows by coating them generously with the silky and flavourful Tamari Peanut sauce just before serving. The second you sink your teeth into a piece of these luscious jewels, you will change your mind about tofu forever. Ingredients: Serves 2 200g Organic Non-GMO firm tofu 3/4 – 1 cup Potato starch (or corn Starch) 1-2 tsp. garlic powder 1 medium courgette Sesame seeds (for garnish) Vegetable oil for frying For the peanut sauce: 2 tbsp. pure peanut butter 1 tbsp. tamari or regular soy sauce (if gluten …

Teriyaki King Oyster Mushroom with Snow Peas

Published by Lydia Wong

This wonderful teriyaki sauce is one of the easiest sauces to make, it is deliciously piquant and so versatile that it can be used on nearly anything: meat, vegetables, noodles or grains. I always turn to this sauce when I am not sure what to cook. My favourite one is teriyaki salmon or chicken served on steamy hot rice with a side of nori seaweed and green leafy vegetables. But today, I opt for a vegetarian version with my new found favourite king oyster mushroom. This mushroom has the most meaty texture with the least water content compares to all of its other contemporaries. It holds its shape beautifully when cooked which makes it a brilliant replacement for meat. In this dish, the powerful flavour of the teriyaki sauce is complimented with refreshing and naturally sweet snow peas. The snow peas are barely cooked to retain its freshness and crunchiness, it goes perfectly well with the piquant teriyaki sauce and add a lovely contrast to the tender velvety mushroom. Serve with pipping hot rice as a comforting and satisfying meal. …

Baba Ganoush with Pink Peppercorns

Published by Lydia Wong

I didn’t intend to be absent from the blog for so long, I had planned for a mere three weeks break but it turned out to be an ongoing journey of self- (re)discovery, and somehow I didn’t want it to stop. During the break, I returned to my drawing board, literally, and my sketch book, doing sketches of all kinds; things that surround me, people who passing by, or even just ideas in my head. And I realised that I have forgotten how much I enjoyed drawing when I was growing up. I also spent a lot of the time reading novels and writing short stories, and I met some amazing people through a fiction writing class. I hope I can share some of the stories with you soon. I haven’t stopped cooking though, as you know if you are following my Instagram account, and can’t wait to share the recipes that I have created during the break. All in all, it has been a relax and inspiring time for me and I am glad that I had made this decision. …