All posts tagged: healthy

gluten free sweet potato gnocchi recipe

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi

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Please excuse my absence in the last two weeks, I have been doing a lot of thinking, reading and reflecting about what has been happening in the world, the pandemic, the racism, the inequality in our society as a whole. What we need to do to make the changes that we desperately need. For me as a person of colour living in a white society, being a target of racism is inevitable, and it has been (at time) a difficult learning curve. I have grown used to the fact that there is this constant subtlety of racism around me, and so sad that I became used to it after more than two decades of living in the white predominated society. However, my unpleasant experiences can hardly be compared with our black sister’s and brother’s. I can’t even start to fathom how it is like for the black community all over the world to live their lives under constant threats of discrimination. Having said that, I am aware that, the majority of white people are kind …

Courgette and Halloumi Waffles recipe

Courgette Halloumi Waffles

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I always make sure I have Halloumi in the fridge, grilled or pan-fried brings out the best flavour of this cheese; I love its curious squeaky texture and its beautiful golden brown colour when fried, that’s why it is my favourite cheese of all time! And it makes a wonderful meat substitute for those who wants to cut down on their meat consumption. Apart from frying them as it is, I love to grate them and add them into a mixture of grated vegetable, egg and chickpea flour to make fritters or pancakes (it is a dish that is on our weekly meal plan rotation). My favourite veggie mix are courgette and potato, I used to fry the mixture like fritters, but since I was given a waffle maker last Christmas, plus it does make the cooking process a lot easier, I have been making them as waffles ever since! But you can definitely just fry them in a frying pan like pancakes or fritters, it will be just as tasty! Notes: 1. I like these …

Veggie Quick-Fried Noodles Street Hawker Style recipe

Quick-fried Noodles with King Oyster Mushroom and Spinach – Street Food Style

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Sometimes I have massive craving for fried noodles, the one that I could get from street vendors back in Macau. I remember we often had a plate of smoky, straight-out-of the wok, burn-your-tongue-hot delicious noodles after movies or a night out. The sound of the blazing fire tuned in with the noises of the metal spatula clanged with the iron wok, the scene of the cook skilfully tossing the noodles with the wok like a circus performer, the relaxing atmosphere and the delicious smell that surrounded us on the street, the taste of my favourite noodles; all these beautiful segments of my childhood memory often reappear vividly whenever I crave for this noodle. So when the craving strikes, I make my own street food hawker style noodles! The key to achieve the similar smoky taste to the street food one is to use a very hot wok, best will be a well seasoned iron one, but since I don’t have one, I use a non-stick wok instead. But still, cooking it on high heat is …

Thai Inspiried Coconut Mushroom Soup with Crispy Turmeric Aubergine recipe

Thai Style Coconut Mushroom Soup with Crispy Turmeric Aubergine

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Autumn is the best season to whip up some tummy-warming soups. I often cook pumpkin and squash soup as they are in season and bountiful around this time of the year. Such as my Miso Butternut Squash Soup (this and this one), or this coconut pumpkin lentil soup. These velvety soups somewhat soothing for the stomach and satisfying at the same time. All of these soups are super easy and take relatively little time to prepare and can be made in a large batch for freezing as well (it is handy for a busy weeknight when you are too tired to cook). They are some of my favourite soups to make. Today recipe though does not include pumpkin nor squash, but I find it equally comforting in this season – a Thai style coconut soup that is creamy, umami and full of goodness. The coriander, lemongrass and ginger perfume the soup in a subtle yet uplifting way, a classic trio in Asian (especially Thai) kitchen, infused in coconut milk, gives the soup base a unique …

Roasted Gochujang Cauliflowers Rice Bowl recipe

Roasted Gochujang Cauliflower Rice Bowl

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Since I have been cooking regularly for my vegan friend, I am always on the search for new way of cooking vegetables. Cauliflower is one of them which is on our regular rotation. I love to cook them in curry, make cauliflower tempura with chickpea flour, baked them with sumac and za’atar for a middle eastern style salad, or chop them finely and add them into my favourite fried rice. Today, I fancy adding some heat to my usual baked cauliflowers, so I use my all time favourite spicy sauce – Gochujan miso sauce as a marinade. The result is out of this world (yes, if you love spicy umami food!)! Of course this delicious creation has to go on top of steamy hot rice, well, if you are not a fan of rice, any other grains such as quinoa, millet, or even polenta would go really well with it. To make this rice bowl much healthier and more appealing, I chose a few other toppings to compliment the fiery hot cauliflower: avocado gives the …

Steamed Sea Bass with Ginger and Spring Onions recipe

Steamed Sea Bass with Ginger and Spring Onions

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My mother used to make this dish at least once a week when we were kids, as fresh fish and seafood are abundance in Macau’s market. Majority of the fishes and shellfish for sale in the market live in large tanks or buckets of water with plastic tubes pumping in oxygen for the day. Once you decided which one to buy, the fishmonger will scale and clean the fish for you right there and then. With such fresh ingredient, it is best to cook it in the most simple way possible, to allow the freshest taste shines. In this case, steamed with ginger and spring onion – the most popular allium/herb/spice mix in Chinese cuisine. The fragrance of the ginger and spring onions infuses the slightly sweet flesh of the fish beautifully. There is a special step to take after the fish came out of the steamer – just before serving, pour hot oil onto the fish and fresh sliced spring onions, then drizzle sweet soy sauce all over. I learned this method from my …

Spicy King Oyster Mushroom and Green Bean Stir-Fry recipe

Spicy King Oyster Mushroom and Green Bean Stir-Fry

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It’s been a good while since I last published a recipe here, sorry I have been absent lately but I am finally back on my writing track and I am looking forward to sharing with you more of my beloved recipes! Today recipe is a simple one, with good time management, you can put this dish together from scratch in just under 15 minutes. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Like any other stir fry dishes, it is best to have all ingredients prepared beforehand so that once you start adding your first drop of oil in the hot pan, you will finish the entire dish in merely minutes. Another key point is to act fast and use the right equipment, I always recommend to use a wok for any stir-fry dishes, but a wide heavy bottomed frying pan will do a good job too. Be flexible with the ingredients, you can use any types of mushroom you like or available, such as fresh shiitake, oyster mushroom, chestnut mushroom or a combination of all. But I love …

Mung Bean Pancakes with Spring Vegetables recipe

Mung Bean Pancakes with Spring Vegetables

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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, …

Tamari Peanut Tofu with Courgette Ribbons recipe

Crispy Tamari Peanut Tofu served with Courgette Ribbons

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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 recipe

Teriyaki King Oyster Mushroom with Snow Peas

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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. …