Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup 麻油雞

Date Published: July 23rd, 2024 | Last Updated: July 23rd, 2024
Author: Abby | Category: soups, asian, Taiwanese, mains, easy, healthy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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This is a classic Taiwanese dish that my wai po (maternal grandmother) used to make. This was one of her specialties and she’d often make it every time she came to visit because it is one of my mom’s favourite dishes. I must admit, I didn’t like it when I first had it as a child because she would put in a BUTTLOAD of alcohol (no joke, one entire bottle of rice wine), but over the years I’ve come to really crave it and it’s become a very nostalgic dish. It’s often made for postpartum women as a healing soup and is also a good winter soup that is said to improve circulation, warmth and health (just don’t ask me how, probably from all the alcohol, lol). Over the years, this dish has become a comfort food for me and will always remind me of my wai po.

A photo of my late wai po and wai gong in 2016 ❤️

This soup may not be for everyone – it has a strong taste of alcohol and sesame oil (which is why it took me a while to warm up to it), but it’s savoury and full of flavour. You can have it on its own, but my favourite is when it’s served with thin noodles with a side of stir-fry leafy greens.

This recipe is a combination of my dad’s and my grandmother’s recipe, tweaked to have less alcohol.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/2 cup of dried longyan fruit (optional)
1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsps + 1/4 cup black sesame oil
50g ginger, unpeeled and sliced to 2mm thickness
900g chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on, chopped into 5cm pieces
2 cups cooking rice wine/michu (19.5% alcohol – red label)
2 cups (480ml) of water
1 Tbsp dried goji berries (lycii fructus)
Salt to taste
Optional: thin noodles, 4 portions (I only had thick noodles on hand for the photos)

Directions:

Optional step if using longyan: soak the longyan in 1/2 cup of rice wine and set aside.

In a medium pot on MED-HIGH heat, add in 1 Tbsp of black sesame oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add in the sliced ginger and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the edges of the ginger curls and the ginger is lightly browned. Remove the ginger onto a plate and set aside.

In the same pot, add in 2 Tbsps of black sesame oil and sear the chicken thigh pieces until browned on both sides (3-4 minutes) – you may have to do this in two batches to not overcrowd the pot.

Add back in the ginger and all the seared chicken

Once the chicken has browned, add back in all the browned chicken and cooked ginger (from step 1), along with the rest of the rice wine, water, (and the soaked longyan with the soaking alcohol (from step 1), if using). Let the soup simmer for 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat down to LOW so it’s at a gentle boil (we don’t want to reduce the soup, but to slowly cook the chicken). Cook with the lid on for 25 minutes.

Optional: cook the noodles according to package instructions while the soup is boiling. Drain and divide evenly into the soup bowls.

Once the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (if not, continue to cook for longer). Add in 1/4 cup black sesame oil and goji berries. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately or poured over cooked noodles if using. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup 麻油雞

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried longyan (optional)
1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsps + 1/4 cup black sesame oil
50g ginger, unpeeled and sliced to 2mm thickness
900g chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on, chopped into 5cm pieces
2 cups cooking rice wine/michu (19.5% alcohol – red label)
2 cups (480ml) of water
1 Tbsp dried goji berries (lycii fructus)
Salt to taste
Optional: thin noodles, 4 portions

Directions:

Optional step if using longyan: soak the longyan in 1/2 cup of rice wine and set aside.
In a medium pot on MED-HIGH heat, add in 1 Tbsp of black sesame oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add in the sliced ginger and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the edges of the ginger curls and the ginger is lightly browned. Remove the ginger onto a plate and set aside.
In the same pot, add in 2 Tbsps of black sesame oil and sear the chicken thigh pieces until browned on both sides (3-4 minutes) – you may have to do this in two batches to not overcrowd the pot.
Once the chicken has browned, add back in all the browned chicken and cooked ginger (from step 1), along with the rest of the rice wine, water, (and the soaked longyan with the soaking alcohol (from step 1), if using). Let the soup simmer for 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat down to LOW so it’s at a gentle boil (we don’t want to reduce the soup, but to slowly cook the chicken). Cook with the lid on for 25 minutes.
Optional: cook the noodles according to package instructions while the soup is boiling. Drain and divide evenly into the soup bowls.
Once the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (if not, continue to cook for longer). Add in 1/4 cup black sesame oil and goji berries. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately or poured over cooked noodles if using. Enjoy!

July 23, 2024July 20, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Zuppa Toscana – Creamy Sausage, Kale, Bacon, Mushroom Soup

Date Published: July 22nd, 2024 | Last Updated: July 22nd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, soups, sides
Serves: 4-6 (as a main) | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Zuppa Toscana is a deliciously indulgent soup that consists of sausage, kale, and bacon. In this version I add in mushrooms and corn, two of my favourite produce!

This soup is an adaptation of a copycat version of the one at Olive Garden, but I have no idea how close this is because I’ve never actually been to Olive Garden 😅. Let me explain. There weren’t many near me in Canada growing up and there aren’t any in Australia where I’ve spent a good chunk of my adult years. Now that we live in New York City, there’s one in Times Square, however with so many amazing restaurants in NYC, the list of restaurants to try are never-ending and forever getting longer and Olive Garden is sadly on the bottom of the list since I hear so many mixed reviews about it. Perhaps if we ever leave New York and head to somewhere with fewer exciting restaurant options, we’ll hit up the local Olive Garden. Despite the mixed reviews, one item I do hear about time and time again (apart from the breadsticks) is their Zuppa Toscana soup. I had no idea what kind of soup it was, but I knew it had to be something good for it to be so popular! I found a copycat version from GimmeSomeOven and it turned out AMAZING the first time. I’ve made this a few times now and tweaked it a little to suit my liking by changing the proportions and adding in mushrooms and corn (two of my favourite produce). I must say, this is now one of my top comfort soups!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

6 strips of bacon
450g (1 lb) spicy Italian ground sausage (without sausage casing)
1 large yellow onion, diced
350g white or portobello mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large (~800g) Yukon gold potato, peeled & diced to 1″ cubes
6 cups chicken stock
4 packed cups kale, stem removed and leaves chopped
1 can (430g) of sweet whole corn kernels, drained (optional)
1.25 cups heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a stock pot on MED-HIGH heat, cook the strips of bacon in batches on both sides until crispy then set aside on a plate. Once cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into small pieces.

In the same pot, add in the ground sausage and continue to cook until the outside is browned, chopping up the ground sausage into small pieces as you sauté (~3-5 mins). Remove the sausage into a bowl and set aside.

Remove all but 1 Tbsp of oil from the pot and add in the diced onions. Cook for 5-7 mins until the onion softens.

Add in the sliced mushrooms and garlic. Continue to sauté for another 3 minutes until the mushrooms soften.

Next, add in the diced potato, chicken stock, and the ground sausage (from step 2) (avoid adding in any pooled oil from the ground sausage).

Bring the heat up to HIGH and let the soup come to a boil, then turn the heat back down to low and let it simmer until the potato is nearly cooked (~8-10 minutes). Stir in the kale, corn kernels, and heavy cream and continue to let the soup simmer until the potato is fully cooked (about 5 more minutes).

Mix in the bacon (from step 1) and then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Zuppa Toscana – Creamy Sausage, Kale, Bacon, Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

6 strips of bacon
450g (1 lb) spicy Italian ground sausage (without sausage casing)
1 large yellow onion, diced
350g white or portobello mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large (~800g) Yukon gold potato, peeled & diced to 1″ cubes
6 cups chicken stock
4 packed cups kale, stem removed and leaves chopped
1 can (430g) of sweet whole corn kernels, drained (optional)
1.25 cups heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a stock pot on MED-HIGH heat, cook the strips of bacon in batches on both sides until crispy then set aside on a plate. Once cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into small pieces.
In the same pot, add in the ground sausage and continue to cook until the outside is browned, chopping up the ground sausage into small pieces as you sauté (~3-5 mins). Remove the sausage into a bowl and set aside.
Remove all but 1 Tbsp of oil from the pot and add in the diced onions. Cook for 5-7 mins until the onion softens.
Add in the sliced mushrooms and garlic. Continue to sauté for another 3 minutes until the mushrooms soften.
Next, add in the diced potato, chicken stock, and the ground sausage (from step 2) (avoid adding in any pooled oil from the ground sausage). Bring the heat up to HIGH and let the soup come to a boil, then turn the heat back down to low and let it simmer until the potato is nearly cooked (~8-10 minutes).
Stir in the kale, corn kernels, and heavy cream and continue to let the soup simmer until the potato is fully cooked (about 5 more minutes). Mix in the bacon (from step 1) and then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Done!

July 22, 2024July 20, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Aloo Gobi Masala (Saucy Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)

Date Published: July 21st, 2024 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, healthy, low-cal, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as a main) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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If you’re unfamiliar with aloo gobi, it’s a vegetarian Indian dish that is made up of cauliflower, potatoes, and onions, all cooked in a mixture of fragrant spices. This masala version is a saucy version of the traditional aloo gobi dish. Not only is it a great dish, but it’s also healthy and relatively low calories for something so flavourful. Although I do prefer the masala version because I like a good saucy curry, but if you prefer the OG aloo gobi without sauce, try the original recipe here.

Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)

What better way to use up cauliflower than to make it into a delicious and flavourful aloo gobi! If you’re unfamiliar with aloo gobi, it’s a vegetarian Indian dish that…

Keep reading

by Abby July 21, 2024December 24, 2024

Aloo Gobi Masala (left) vs Regular Aloo Gobi (right)

This recipe is originally from: Indian Healthy Recipes but with a few tweaks.

A Quick Note on Chilli Powder

This recipe uses Kashmiri chilli powder, which is an Indian chilli powder variety that’s not too spicy and it is what gives the dish its orangey/red colour. It can be a bit hard to find unless you’ve got an Indian grocer near you, but if you can’t find it, a good substitute is gochugaru, which is a Korean chilli powder. Do NOT substitute with cayenne pepper which is a MUCH spicier chilli powder. If you absolutely can’t find Kashmiri chilli powder nor gochugaru, then you can substitute with 1 part cayenne powder: 3 parts paprika.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
2 medium (500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced to 1 inch cubes
1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp garam masala
Spice mix:
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1.5 tsp garam masala
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 green cardamoms
1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
1 large onion, finely diced
1.25 cups (265g) tomato purée (or purée 3 medium-sized tomatoes in a blender)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cashew cream (or blend 20 cashews + 1/3 cup water using a high speed blender until smooth)
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 220C/450F.

Prepare two lined baking trays. Place the diced cauliflower onto one tray and the diced potatoes on the other. Add a small drizzle of oil, 1/2 tsp of garam masala, and a pinch of salt to each tray. Use your hands and massage the spices and oil into the potatoes and cauliflower respectively. Bake in the preheated oven with the potatoes on the lower rack and the cauliflower in the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes until both the potatoes and cauliflower are fully cooked – you want them to be fork-tender, but want the cauliflower to still have a bit of crunch.

Be careful not to overcook them or they’ll be too soft. Once they’re done, remove them from the oven and set aside until ready to be used.

While the potatoes and cauliflower are baking, make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.

Make the sauce/gravy: In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the cumin seeds and cardamoms. When they start to sizzle, add in the ginger and minced garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Next, add in the diced onions and continue to sauté until the onion is translucent and softened. Add in the tomato purée and spice mix (from step 3) and mix everything together. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the spices turn fragrant.

Make the cashew cream if you haven’t already by blending 20 cashew nuts with 1/3 cup of water. Add in 1/2 cup water, cashew cream, and a big pinch of salt.

Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to LOW. Let the sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.

Add in the baked potato, baked cauliflower (from step 2), and crush the fenugreek leaves into the pan. Stir it around and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Taste again and adjust salt if needed. Done! Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.).

Summarized Recipe:

Aloo Gobi Masala (Saucy Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)

Ingredients:

1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
2 medium (500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced to 1 inch cubes
1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp garam masala
Spice mix:
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1.5 tsp garam masala
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 green cardamoms
1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
1 large onion, finely diced
1.25 cups (265g) tomato purée (or purée 3 medium-sized tomatoes in a blender)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cashew cream (or blend 20 cashews + 1/3 cup water using a high speed blender until smooth)
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 220C/450F.
Prepare two lined baking trays. Place the diced cauliflower onto one tray and the diced potatoes on the other. Add a small drizzle of oil, 1/2 tsp of garam masala, and a pinch of salt to each tray. Use your hands and massage the spices and oil into the potatoes and cauliflower respectively. Bake in the preheated oven with the potatoes on the lower rack and the cauliflower in the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes until both the potatoes and cauliflower are fully cooked – you want them to be fork-tender, but want the cauliflower to still have a bit of crunch.
- Be careful not to overcook them or they’ll be too soft. Once they’re done, remove them from the oven and set aside until ready to be used.
While the potatoes and cauliflower are baking, make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.
Make the sauce/gravy: In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the cumin seeds and cardamoms. When they start to sizzle, add in the ginger and minced garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Next, add in the diced onions and continue to sauté until the onion is translucent and softened.
Add in the tomato purée and spice mix (from step 3) and mix everything together. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the spices turn fragrant.
Add in 1/2 cup water, cashew cream, and a big pinch of salt. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to LOW. Let the sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.
Add in the baked potato, baked cauliflower (from step 2), and crush the fenugreek leaves into the pan. Stir it around and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Taste again and adjust salt if needed. Done! Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.).

July 21, 2024December 24, 2024

Abby2 Comments

Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)

Date Published: July 21st, 2024 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, healthy, low-cal, vegetarian
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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What better way to use up cauliflower than to make it into a delicious and flavourful aloo gobi! If you’re unfamiliar with aloo gobi, it’s a vegetarian Indian dish that is made up of cauliflower, potatoes, and onions, all cooked in a mixture of fragrant spices. Not only is it a great dish, but it’s also healthy and relatively low calories for something so flavourful – in fact, I’ll often make this when I’m on a diet but don’t feel like a week of salads.

This recipe is originally from: Indian Healthy Recipes but with a few tweaks.

A Quick Note on Chilli Powder

This is a dry dish (no sauce). If you prefer something saucy and more curry-like, try the recipe for aloo gobi masala here (slightly more in calories, but with even more flavour)!

Aloo Gobi Masala (Saucy Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)

This masala version is a saucy version of the traditional aloo gobi dish. If you’re unfamiliar with aloo gobi, it’s a vegetarian Indian dish that is made up of cauliflower,…

by Abby July 21, 2024December 24, 2024

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Spice mix:
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder (or gochugaru – Korean chilli powder)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
1 medium brown onion, diced fine
2 medium (~500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
Salt to taste
Serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

Directions:

Make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.

In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add in the grated ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add in the onions and continue to sauté until the onion softens and turns translucent (3-4 minutes). Add in the diced potatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until they’re halfway cooked (slightly softened).

Once the potatoes are halfway cooked, add in the cauliflower florets with another pinch of salt and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes.

Then add in the spice mix (from step 1) and 1/2 cup of water. Mix well and cook with a lid on until both the potatoes and cauliflower are ALMOST fork-tender (5-8 mins) – the cauliflower should have a slight crunch. Be sure to stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Add a small amount of water if the dish gets too dry.

Add in the diced tomatoes and crush in the fenugreek leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked down a little and the potato and cauliflower are fork-tender and fully cooked. Taste and adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat and serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

Summarized Recipe:

Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower)

Ingredients:

Spice mix:
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder (or gochugaru – Korean chilli powder)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
1 medium brown onion, diced fine
2 medium (~500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
Salt to taste
Serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

Directions:

Make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.
In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add in the grated ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add in the onions and continue to sauté until the onion softens and turns translucent (3-4 minutes).
Add in the diced potatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until they’re halfway cooked (slightly softened).
Once the potatoes are halfway cooked, add in the cauliflower florets with another pinch of salt and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes.
Then add in the spice mix (from step 1) and 1/2 cup of water. Mix well and cook with a lid on until both the potatoes and cauliflower are ALMOST fork-tender (5-8 minutes) – the cauliflower should have a slight crunch. Be sure to stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Add a small amount of water if the dish gets too dry.
Add in the diced tomatoes and crush in the fenugreek leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked down a little and the potato and cauliflower are fork-tender and fully cooked. Taste and adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat and serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

July 21, 2024December 24, 2024

Abby1 Comment

Roasted Garlic Dal (Yellow Lentil Curry)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, vegetarian, easy, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 4 as a main | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 2 hours

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Dal (or dahl, daal, dhal) is a delicious vegetarian Indian curry made of lentils. You’ll find it on the menu at any Indian restaurant and there is a huge variety of ways you can make dal. It’s both flavourful and healthy!

In the past I’ve always found dal to be good, but never comparable to the infamous butter chicken, however that all changed during our recent trip to London. Toby took me to a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant called Trishna for my birthday and holy moly, of the entire tasting menu, the roasted garlic dal blew me away! I was thinking about it for days after and hoped I would be able to recreate it when I got home. After some trial and error testing different dal and roasted garlic recipes, I’m glad to report that I’ve done it! I’ve recreated that magical garlic dal from ‘Trishna’. The main base dal recipe is from RecipeTinEats but with a few little tweaks and with the addition of the roasted garlic.

HIGHLY recommend going to Trishna if you’re in London!

Although this recipe is not difficult to make, there are a few ingredients required and it takes a little to let everything simmer – I promise it’s well worth the wait!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Roasted garlic:
- 2 garlic bulbs
- Drizzle olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Dal:
- 1 cup chana dal/yellow split lentils
- 2 Tbsps ghee (or 1 Tbsp oil + 1 Tbsp butter)
- 2 long green chillies, deseeded & diced small
- 1 small onion (red or yellow), diced small
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 Tbsps ginger, minced
- 8 dried (or 10 fresh) curry leaves
- 1 tomato, diced small
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 4 cups (1L) water
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/8 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kosher/cooking salt (or more to taste)
To serve: basmati rice or naan

Directions:

Rinse the chana dal/yellow split lentils and let it soak in water for at least 1 hour, then strain and set aside.

While the lentils are soaking, roast the garlic:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).

Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil. Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 mins, take it out of the oven, remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer and set aside.

In a skillet on HIGH heat, melt the ghee (or butter/oil). Then add in the green chillies and sauté for 2 minutes until starting to soften. Next add in the onions and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes until the onion softens.

Once the onion has softened, turn the heat down to MEDIUM and add in the minced garlic, ginger, and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.

Add in the diced tomatoes and cumin and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes break down and you’re starting to get a paste.

Add in the water, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix everything around and bring the heat up to HIGH to let it come to a boil, then turn the heat down to LOW and simmer the dal with the lid on for 1 hour, stirring intermittently.

(You can make the basmati rice or whatever side you like in this time.)

After 1 hour take off the lid and let the dal continue to simmer for 30 minutes to reduce the liquid. The dal has finished cooking when it looks like a porridge-consistency and the liquid has reduced to your liking.

Mash the roasted garlic cloves (from step 1) and add it into the dal. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Done! Serve over a bed of basmati rice or with naan.

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Garlic Dal (Yellow Lentil Curry)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, vegetarian, easy
Serves: 4 as a main | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

Roasted garlic:
- 2 garlic bulbs
- Drizzle olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Dal:
- 1 cup chana dal/yellow split lentils
- 2 Tbsps ghee (or 1 Tbsp oil + 1 Tbsp butter)
- 2 long green chillies, deseeded & diced small
- 1 small onion (red or yellow), diced small
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 Tbsps ginger, minced
- 8 dried (or 10 fresh) curry leaves
- 1 tomato, diced small
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 4 cups (1L) water
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/8 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kosher/cooking salt (or more to taste)
To serve: basmati rice or naan

Directions:

Rinse the chana dal/yellow split lentils and let it soak in water for at least 1 hour, then strain and set aside.
While the lentils are soaking, roast the garlic:
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
- Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil. Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.
- Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
- After 40 mins, take it out of the oven, remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer and set aside.
In a skillet on HIGH heat, melt the ghee (or butter/oil). Then add in the green chillies and sauté for 2 minutes until starting to soften. Next add in the onions and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes until the onion softens.
Turn the heat down to MEDIUM and add in the minced garlic, ginger, and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
Add in the diced tomatoes and cumin and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes break down and you’re starting to get a paste.
Add in the water, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix everything around and bring the heat up to HIGH to let it come to a boil, then turn the heat down to LOW and simmer the dal with the lid on for 1 hour, stirring intermittently.
(You can make the basmati rice or whatever side you like in this time.)
After 1 hour take off the lid and let the dal continue to simmer for 30 minutes to reduce the liquid. The dal has finished cooking when it looks like a porridge-consistency and the liquid has reduced to your liking.
Mash the roasted garlic cloves (from step 1) and add it into the dal. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Done! Serve over a bed of basmati rice or with naan.

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Roasted Garlic (a how-to guide)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: how-to, easy
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Jump to recipe |

Roasted garlic is one of those magical ingredients that’s packed with so much flavour and yet so easy to make. It’s so versatile and easy to use – you can put it in so many things to easily add an extra depth of flavour or just spread it over plain toast with a drizzle of olive oil for a quick snack. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to make and the best part is that it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week covered in olive oil so you can make a bit extra and continue to use it throughout the week without putting in the effort. 🙂

If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Garlic bulbs – however many you’d like to roast
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).

Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil.

Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 mins, take it out of the oven, carefully remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Garlic (a how-to guide)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: how-to, easy
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Garlic bulbs – however many you’d like to roast
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil.
Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.
Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
After 40 mins, take it out of the oven and carefully remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer. Done!

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment