Quick and Easy Shrimp & Egg Tofu Bites


Date Published: Sept 24th, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 24th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: appetizer, snacks, asian, <30 mins, easy, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 1 plate as an appetizer | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

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This shrimp and egg tofu bites dish is a super easy Asian appetizer/snack that cooks up quickly and looks impressive. If you’re in a pinch for a dinner party or just feeling snacky, this is the recipe for you! It’s made of homemade shrimp paste and soft egg tofu, finished off with a simple savoury sauce.

A note on egg tofu:

If you’re unfamiliar with egg tofu, it is a soft tofu (not quite silken) that has a yellow-tinge in colour and is often packaged in a plastic tube, like the picture on the right. You can find it in the tofu section of most Asian supermarkets.

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!

Equipment you’ll need:

  • Food processor (optional but it will make your life easier)
  • Large steaming basket or a metal trivet in a wok with a lid

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • Shrimp mixture:
    • 6 large (140g) raw shrimp, deshelled and deveined
    • 1 Tbsp (13g) ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
    • 2 green onions (white and green parts separated)
    • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
    • 1/2 tsp corn starch
    • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
    • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 package egg tofu
  • Sauce:
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 1/2 tsp soy sauce
    • 1 tsp oyster sauce
    • 1/4 tsp sesame oil
    • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    • 1/8 tsp granulated sugar
    • 1/2 tsp corn starch

Directions:

Slice the egg tofu into 2.5cm thick rounds and place on a heat-proof plate.

In a food processor, add in your shrimp mixture: raw shrimp, 1 Tbsp ginger, 2 green onions (white part only), 1 tsp Shaoxing wine, 1/2 tsp corn starch, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/8 tsp ground white pepper, and 1/8 tsp salt. Blend until you get a smooth paste.

Carefully spoon a tablespoon of the shrimp mixture onto each egg tofu round. Place the plate in a steaming basket and steam for 10 minutes until the shrimp is set and cooked all the way through. If you don’t have a steaming basket, you can add a few centimetres of hot water into a wok and place the plate of shrimp tofu on an elevated plate or tray in the centre and add the lid over (as pictured).

Make the sauce: While the shrimp and tofu steams, make the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients (1/3 cup water, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sesame oil, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1/8 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp corn starch). Whisk until there are no lumps, then heat the sauce in a small pan on MED heat until it simmers and thickens (3-5 minutes) then turn off the heat.

When the shrimp/tofu finishes steaming, remove the lid and use a papertowel to remove any collected water on the plate. Pour the sauce (from step 4) onto the plate around the shrimp/tofu and garnish with chopped green part of the green onions on top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Quick and Easy Shrimp & Egg Tofu Bites

Date Published: Sept 24th, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 24th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: appetizer, snacks, asian, <30 mins, easy, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 1 plate as an appetizer | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

  • Shrimp mixture:
    • 6 large (140g) raw shrimp, deshelled and deveined
    • 1 Tbsp (13g) ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
    • 2 green onions (white and green parts separated)
    • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
    • 1/2 tsp corn starch
    • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
    • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 package egg tofu
  • Sauce:
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 1/2 tsp soy sauce
    • 1 tsp oyster sauce
    • 1/4 tsp sesame oil
    • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    • 1/8 tsp granulated sugar
    • 1/2 tsp corn starch

Directions:

  1. Slice the egg tofu into 2.5cm thick rounds and place on a heat-proof plate.
  2. In a food processor, add in your shrimp mixture: raw shrimp, 1 Tbsp ginger, 2 green onions (white part only), 1 tsp Shaoxing wine, 1/2 tsp corn starch, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/8 tsp ground white pepper, and 1/8 tsp salt. Blend until you get a smooth paste.
  3. Carefully spoon a tablespoon of the shrimp mixture onto each egg tofu round. Place the plate in a steaming basket and steam for 10 minutes until the shrimp is set and cooked all the way through. If you don’t have a steaming basket, you can add a few centimetres of hot water into a wok and place the plate of shrimp tofu on an elevated plate or tray in the centre and add the lid over (as pictured).
  4. Make the sauce: While the shrimp and tofu steams, make the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients (1/3 cup water, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 1/4 tsp sesame oil, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1/8 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp corn starch). Whisk until there are no lumps, then heat the sauce in a small pan on MED heat until it simmers and thickens (3-5 minutes) then turn off the heat.
  5. When the shrimp/tofu finishes steaming, remove the lid and use a papertowel to remove any collected water on the plate. Pour the sauce (from step 4) onto the plate around the shrimp/tofu and garnish with chopped green part of the green onions on top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Green Curry Mussels


Date Published: Sept 21st, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 21st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Asian, <15mins, <30 mins, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes

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This Green Curry Mussel recipe has been on the back burner since I started this website during COVID. I’m glad to finally be able to publish it! Back during the lockdown pandemic era (seems like so long ago now!), like many, I was really into experimenting in the kitchen and I had just recently discovered how to make my own Thai Green Curry Paste from scratch! From that recipe, I became more and more adventurous in ways I could use up that curry paste. Toby’s favourite recipe from that adventure is the fried prawn toasts (see the posts below). Mine is this recipe. I would have never thought to pair green curry and mussels together until I saw it on the menu at the mussel stand in Queen Victoria Market one day and it was mind-blowingly delicious!

This is my take on green curry mussels. This recipe uses the bold and rich flavours of a traditional Thai Green Curry paste, cooked together in coconut milk, then tossed together with fresh mussels to give an aromatic and creamy mussel dish. I hope you enjoy!

Thai Green Curry Paste


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Green Curry Prawn Toast


These prawn toasts are so easy to make! You can serve it as an appetizer or a snack for a party. They make good use of the homemade Thai green…

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This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly!

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:

Directions:

Heat a large pan or wok on MED heat and sauté the green curry paste in a drizzle of oil until the paste dries out a bit and turns slightly brown (2-3 minutes). Add in the can of coconut milk and mix it all together. Let the sauce simmer until you get a thickened sauce.

Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and let the mussels steam for 4-5 minutes until they all open up. Turn off the heat and serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Green Curry Mussels

Date Published: Sept 21st, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 21st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Asian, <15mins, <30 mins, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Heat a large pan or wok on MED heat and sauté the green curry paste in a drizzle of oil until the paste dries out a bit and turns slightly brown (2-3 minutes).
  2. Add in the can of coconut milk and mix it all together. Let the sauce simmer until you get a thickened sauce.
  3. Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and let the mussels steam for 4-5 minutes until they all open up. Turn off the heat and serve!

Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Soup)


Date Published: April 12th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 12th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: soup, asian, easy, healthy, low cal, mains, quick
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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What is Soondubu/Sundubu Jjigae?

Soondubu or Sundubu or Soon tofu is an extra soft type of tofu that is very fragile when handled, but has a lovely soft texture.

Soon tofu

Jjigae = Korean style stew usually made with meat, seafood, or vegetables. There are a variety different ‘jjigae’ out there, named according to what their ingredients are. This dish is called a ‘soondubu jjigae’ because it’s made with the classic soft tofu.

A Soondubu jjigae is a healthy and easy to make Korean soup made with bonito soup stock (fish based) and kimchi (fermented Korean cabbage) as the main flavours of the dish which results in a savoury but slightly acidic soup. The ingredients of the soup can vary from place to place but commonly you’ll find tteok (Korean rice cakes), seafood or meat (or both in this case), and of course the soft tofu. I’ve also added two types of mushrooms to mine for added texture but feel free to leave them out.

Bonito Soup Stock

Bonito is a type of fish that is in the same family as mackerel and tuna. One of the most common forms of bonito is bonito flakes which are the thin brown flakes sprinkled on top of okonomiyaki or takoyaki. Bonito stock, also known as dashi, is a Japanese soup stock made from bonito flakes, kelp, and other ingredients. It packs tons of umami flavour and is a key component of many Japanese dishes, including miso soup. HonDashi is the most popular brand of bonito soup stock/dashi that you’ll find in most Asian grocery stores and it comes in a powder/fine pellet form packaged in small glass jars (as pictured), or in packets. They usually need to be kept refrigerated once opened.

What are Garaetteok/Tteok (Korean rice cakes)?

Garaetteok/tteok are Korean rice cakes that are made from non-glutinous rice flour and come in skinny long cylinders. On their own they don’t have much flavour so they’re often added to a flavourful saucy dish (such as this dak galbi recipe) or a soup. They have a soft and chewy texture once cooked and make a great textural addition to many dishes. You’ll most commonly see garaetteok/tteok served in a dish called tteokbokki which is a spicy rice cake dish.

You can find these vacuum-sealed in the refrigerated section of most Asian grocery stores. They will be very hard coming out of the package and need to be soaked for at least 10 minutes in warm water to slightly soften before cooking them. If you’re lucky and your Asian grocer have these fresh, you can put them directly into the dish without soaking.

Don’t worry if you can’t find any garaetteok/tteok. Simply omit them from the recipe altogether. It won’t change the flavour of the dish. It’s mainly to add an extra textural component.

A Quick Note on Gochugaru – Korean Chilli Powder

This recipe uses Gochugaru, a Korean chilli powder, which is not too spicy and it gives the dish a deeper orangey/red colour. It can be easily found in most Asian grocery stores, but if you don’t have any, a good substitute is Kashmiri chilli powder (an Indian variety). Do NOT substitute with cayenne pepper which is a MUCH spicier chilli powder. If you absolutely can’t find Gochugaru or Kashmiri chilli powder, then you can substitute with 1 part cayenne powder: 3 parts paprika, or consider skipping it altogether.

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:

  • 300g chuck steak, sliced into 3-4 cm long strips
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 cup (~250g) kimchi, chopped with juices
  • 1 Tbsp Korean chili powder
  • 400g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bunch enoki mushrooms (optional)
  • 2.5 tsps Hondashi bonito stock powder
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 handful of tteok (Korean rice cakes), rinsed
  • 150g raw shrimp, deveined and deshelled, cut in half width-wise
  • 2 x 313g/11oz packages of soft soon tofu (extra soft Korean tofu), halved and sliced
  • For garnish: 1 green onion, sliced fine

Directions:

In a medium sized soup pot (enough to accommodate 6 cups) on HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and quickly sauté the steak until just browned on the outside – do not cook all the way through (2-3 minutes). Remove from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot on MED-HIGH heat, add another drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then add in the 1 cup chopped kimchi, 1 Tbsp chili powder, button mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms. Continue to sauté for another few minutes until the onion softens.

Dissolve the 2.5 tsps bonito stock powder into 2 cups of water and add it to the pot along with the tteok. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add in the shrimp, tofu, and sautéed steak (from step 1) into the pot and carefully mix it around without breaking the tofu. Let the soup simmer until the shrimp is cooked and the tteok is soft (~another 3-4 minutes), then turn off the heat.

Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed (the amount of adjustment will depend on the type of kimchi you’ve used). Garnish with chopped green onion. Enjoy! Serve with a side of white rice.

Optional: crack an egg at the surface while the shrimp is cooking at the same time for 3-4 minutes, or otherwise poach an egg separately and add it to the bowl when serving.

Summarized Recipe

Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Soup)

Date Published: April 12th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 12th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: soup, asian, easy, healthy, low cal, mains, quick
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

  • 300g chuck steak, sliced into 3-4 cm long strips
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 cup (~250g) kimchi, chopped with juices
  • 1 Tbsp Korean chili powder
  • 400g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bunch enoki mushrooms (optional)
  • 2.5 tsps Hondashi bonito stock powder
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 handful of tteok (Korean rice cakes), rinsed
  • 150g raw shrimp, deveined and deshelled, cut in half width-wise
  • 2 x 313g/11oz packages of soft soon tofu (extra soft Korean tofu), halved and sliced
  • For garnish: 1 green onion, sliced fine

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized soup pot (enough to accommodate 6 cups) on HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and quickly sauté the steak until just browned on the outside – do not cook all the way through (2-3 minutes). Remove from the pot and set aside.
  2. In the same pot on MED-HIGH heat, add another drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then add in the 1 cup chopped kimchi, 1 Tbsp chili powder, button mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms. Continue to sauté for another few minutes until the onion softens.
  3. Dissolve the 2.5 tsps bonito stock powder into 2 cups of water and add it to the pot along with the tteok. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes then add in the shrimp, tofu, and sautéed steak (from step 1) into the pot and carefully mix it around without breaking the tofu. Let the soup simmer until the shrimp is cooked and the tteok is soft (~another 3-4 minutes), then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed (the amount of adjustment will depend on the type of kimchi you’ve used). Garnish with chopped green onion. Enjoy! Serve with a side of white rice.
    • Optional: crack an egg at the surface while the shrimp is cooking at the same time for 3-4 minutes, or otherwise poach an egg separately and add it to the bowl when serving.

Creamy Pistachio Spread


Date Published: March 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: March 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dessert, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 2-3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins

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This recipe for pistachio spread came from my own attempt at trying to recreate the Pisti Pistachio Cream – which became my new obsession when I discovered it while having a go at making the viral Dubai Chocolate Bars. Although I haven’t been successful at making a duplicate, the end result was still fantastic inside the chocolate bars and I figured I’d share the recipe here incase I can’t get my hands on the Pisti Pistachio Cream in the future. You can use this spread on toast, in baked goods, or filled in a Dubai Chocolate Bar!

Although this recipe is pretty basic and there’s not many ingredients you need, but one important piece of equipment is a good high speed blender such as a Vitamix to get the smoothest results.

Pistachio Butter vs Pistachio Cream vs Pistachio Spread?

Pistachio butter is just pistachios blended until you get a paste. This is the same way you’d make any kind of nut butters such as peanut butter. The consistency tends to be a bit more grainy and with or without added sugar.

Pistachio cream is blended pistachios (pistachio butter) with added milk products and sugar to give it a creamy and smoother consistency.

Pistachio spread is a broad term that can be used interchangeably with any spreadable pistachio product. Since my recipe is neither that creamy nor as simple as just blended pistachios, I’ve elected to label mine as a ‘pistachio spread’.

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:

  • 450g pistachios, shelled, unsalted, unroasted
  • 1.25 cups whole milk powder
  • 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
  • 7 Tbsps neutral oil (ie. canola or a light tasting olive oil)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 115g condensed milk

Directions:

In a high speed blender, add in the pistachios. Blend on HIGH until you get a paste.

Add in the rest of the ingredients: 1.25 cups milk powder, 2 Tbsps sugar, 7 Tbsps oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 115g condensed milk. Continue to blend on HIGH until you get a smooth paste. Drizzle in more oil if your paste is becoming too thick and difficult to blend.

Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Store in an air tight container until ready to use. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy Pistachio Spread

Date Published: March 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: March 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dessert, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 2-3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

  • 450g pistachios, shelled, unsalted, unroasted
  • 1.25 cups whole milk powder
  • 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
  • 7 Tbsps neutral oil (ie. canola or a light tasting olive oil)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 115g condensed milk

Directions:

  1. In a high speed blender, add in the pistachios. Blend on HIGH until you get a paste.
  2. Add in the rest of the ingredients: 1.25 cups milk powder, 2 Tbsps sugar, 7 Tbsps oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 115g condensed milk. Continue to blend on HIGH until you get a smooth paste. Drizzle in more oil if your paste is becoming too thick and difficult to blend. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Store in an air tight container until ready to use. Done!

Asian Chicken Rice


Date Published: March 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30 mins, Asian, easy, quick, sides
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

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What is Chicken Rice?

If you’ve ever had Hainanese Chicken Rice, you’ll know that it’s a poached chicken dish served with a flavourful savoury chicken flavoured rice. This recipe is for that rice, which is so damn good that I decided that it needs a separate recipe post for itself and unlike the Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe, you don’t need to cook a whole chicken just to make this rice. This rice is packed with chicken flavour by using chicken fat (or schmaltz), chicken stock, and chicken stock powder.

Why is the rice yellow?

Short answer: I have no idea. Possible answer: aesthetics? In some Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants, the chicken rice is yellow in colour due to the additional of turmeric powder. Some places will even add turmeric to their chicken poaching liquid so the skin is also tinted yellow. I can’t find an exact reason for this, but my guess is due to the aesthetics of the dish 🤷🏻‍♀️. The turmeric here is purely optional and does not add any additional flavour, so feel free to leave it out if you wish!

Stove top vs Instant Pot?

In this recipe I’ve included instructions for both stove top and Instant Pot cooking methods. There’s not much difference between either – if anything, the stove top is actually a little faster, but the Instant Pot saves you the effort from having to constantly keep an eye on it so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

What is Schmaltz?

Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat that is commonly used in Jewish cooking. It typically comes in a glass jar and you should be able to find it at Whole Foods (labelled as rendered chicken fat) or jewish grocery stores. I found a large container of it at my local farmer’s market and froze them in ice cube trays for easy use. It keeps for ages.

If you can’t find rendered chicken fat, you can render it yourself. Ask your local butcher if they have any chicken fat or chicken skins and let it slowly cook down on the stove until you get a clear oil.

What is Asian Chicken Powder 雞粉?

Asian Chicken Powder 雞粉 is a flavourful chicken bouillon powder that usually has the addition of MSG. It’s a common ingredient used in many dishes to enhance the flavours in a pinch and add a boost of chicken aroma. I like the Lee Kum Kee Brand, but Knorr makes one that’s pretty good as well. If you can’t find it Chicken Powder, you can use regular chicken bouillon instead.

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:

  • 4 Tbsps rendered chicken fat/schmaltz
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional, for colour)
  • 4 cups chicken stock (3 cups if using Instant pot?)
  • 2.5 tsps Asian chicken stock powder 雞粉
  • 2 green onions, trimmed and sliced to 4cm pieces
  • 2 slices of ginger

Stove Top Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED heat, melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz and sauté the minced garlic in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat.

Next, add in the 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 4 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix it all around, let the liquid come to a simmer, then turn the heat down to LOW and put a lid on. Let the rice cook until soft (~10-15 minutes), stirring occasionally and making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add more chicken stock if the rice is getting too dry before it finishes cooking.

When the rice is done, fluff it up with a fork. Let the rice sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Directions:

In an Instant Pot, start the sauté setting on MED heat and melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz. Add the minced garlic and sauté it in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat.

Cancel the Instant Pot sauté setting and add in the rest of the ingredients: 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 3 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix well, put on the lid, and set it to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes and a 15 minute natural release.

Once finished, carefully release the rest of the steam, then open the lid. Fluff up the rice with a fork and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Asian Chicken Rice

Date Published: March 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30 mins, Asian, easy, quick, sides
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbsps rendered chicken fat/schmaltz
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional, for colour)
  • 4 cups chicken stock (3 cups if using Instant pot?)
  • 2.5 tsps Chicken stock powder – ASIAN BRAND
  • 2 green onions, trimmed and sliced to 4cm pieces
  • 2 slices of ginger

Stove Top Directions:

  1. In a medium sized pot on MED heat, melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz and sauté the minced garlic in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat.
  3. Next, add in the 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 4 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix it all around, let the liquid come to a simmer, then turn the heat down to LOW and put a lid on. Let the rice cook until soft (~10-15 minutes), stirring occasionally and making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add more chicken stock if the rice is getting too dry before it finishes cooking.
  4. When the rice is done, fluff it up with a fork. Let the rice sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Directions:

  1. In an Instant Pot, start the sauté setting on MED heat and melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz. Add the minced garlic and sauté it in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat. Cancel the Instant Pot sauté setting and add in the rest of the ingredients: 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 3 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix well, put on the lid, and set it to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes and a 15 minute natural release.
  3. Once finished, carefully release the rest of the steam, then open the lid. Fluff up the rice with a fork and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots


Date Published: Feb 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

Jump to recipe |

I’m obsessed with anything brown butter. Seriously. What’s not to love? It’s nutty, umami, complex, flavourful, and is just such a unique flavour that it can’t be substituted anyway else. Any time there’s mention of brown butter on a menu, I’m all over it. This dish came to me at our friend Amy’s wedding in Melbourne a few years ago. It was a beautiful wedding in an intimate venue and although the weather could’ve been better, the heartfelt speeches and the amazing family-style food made it a wonderful evening. This roasted brown butter carrot dish was my absolute favourite of the night and I’m pretty sure I had more than my fair share 🤫. After the wedding I obsessed until I was able to recreate this dish myself. So here I am again, sharing the fruits of my labour. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

This dish tastes luxurious and is actually so easy to make. It’s a perfect side dish to serve when you’re wanting to impress! The nutty butter carrot purée paired with the roasted carrots are the perfect combination.

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:

  • 113g/1 stick unsalted butter
  • 500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
  • 500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 190˚C/375˚F.

Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.

While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.

You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.

When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots

Date Published: Feb 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 113g/1 stick unsalted butter
  • 500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
  • 500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C/350˚F.
  2. Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.
  3. While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.
    • You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.
  4. When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  5. To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (a Panera copycat)


Date Published: Feb 20th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 20th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, soup, vegetarian, mains, quick
Serves: 6 as a main | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Jump to recipe |

There’s something about Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup that just spells out warm and cozy. This recipe is a copycat version of said soup. It’s quick, easy, and in no way light on the calories. It packs in the butter, cream, milk, and cheese. This soup is to be made for those indulgent meals where you just don’t give a f*ck. It’s an easy crowd pleaser and a big pot can be whipped up in no time. Feel free to add in shredded chicken and extra chicken to round out this soup.

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!

This recipe is adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups (1L) chicken broth
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 large head (500g) of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 large (~2 cups) carrot, julienned or grated large through large holes
  • 500g cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, melt the 1 stick of butter then add in the diced onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften.

Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of flour over the onions and mix well. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring.

Pour in the 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of heavy cream, and 2 cups of milk. Mix well, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down LOW-MED.

Add in the broccoli and carrots and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.

Add the cheddar cheese and ground nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has fully melted then taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Done! Serve with some bread and an additional sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.

Optional step: to make the soup thicker, you can remove 4-5 ladles of soup into a separate bowl and blend until thickened then pour it back into the pot.

Summarized Recipe:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (a Panera copycat)

Date Published: Feb 20th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 20th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, soup, vegetarian, mains, quick
Serves: 6 as a main | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

  • 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups (1L) chicken broth
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 large head (500g) of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 large (~2 cups) carrot, julienned or grated through large holes
  • 500g cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large pot on MED heat, melt the 1 stick of butter then add in the diced onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften.
  2. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of flour over the onions and mix well. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring.
  3. Pour in the 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of heavy cream, and 2 cups of milk. Mix well, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down LOW-MED.
  4. Add in the broccoli and carrots and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
  5. Add the cheddar cheese and ground nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has fully melted then taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Done! Serve with some bread and an additional sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.
    • Optional step: to make the soup thicker, you can remove 4-5 ladles of soup into a separate bowl and blend until thickened then pour it back into the pot.

Easy Focaccia Bread


Date Published: Jan 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: breads, how-to, easy, <30 mins, appetizers, basics, pastry, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 1 pan | Prep time: 1.5 hours | Cook time: 25 minutes

Jump to recipe |

Making your own focaccia bread is incredibly easy and so customizable. With this recipe, you can make any flavour of focaccia you like and you can be as creative and artistic as you like. Go crazy with your focaccia art!

This recipe uses my basic dough recipe, which can be used for so many other things as well – think halloumi cheese pie, za’atar manakish (Lebanese flatbread), pizza dough, flat bread! You can follow the recipe for the basic dough here, but I’ve also outlined the gist of the recipe in a series of photos in this post.

My Go-To Basic Dough


This is my go-to recipe for a basic bread-based dish (ie. flatbread, pizza, manakish, cheese pocket…etc). It only requires 5 ingredients + water and comes together so easily. Make it an hour or two ahead of time and…

Keep reading

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:

  • One ball of basic dough, after proofing: follow the instructions here
    • 1 Tbsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
    • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1 cup (250ml) warm water
    • 3 cups (432g) all purpose flour + extra for dusting/kneading
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
  • 3 + 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
  • + Any toppings you want (tomatoes, black olives, caramelized onions, feta cheese, parmesan, basil, honey…etc.)
    • I like to infuse the olive oil with rosemary, lemon zest and garlic as a topping

Directions:

Make one basic dough ball (you can double the recipe for a thicker focaccia): follow the instructions here, I’ve summarized the process in a series of photos below.

Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Place a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a 9″x13″ pan and spread it around to coat the entire pan, including the sides and edges. Place your dough ball in the pan and gently spread it out to the edges ensuring even thickness. If your dough is difficult to spread out to the edges and is tearing, wait 5-10 mins and try again (letting the dough rest relaxes the gluten).

Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for another 20 minutes to relax the dough.

Use your fingers and make indents all over dough to release any air pockets.

Brush 3 Tbsps of olive oil over the bread then add your choice of toppings (I used caraway seeds and salt in the photos). Gently press down on the toppings into the bread and use your fingers to make indents again.

Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 mins until the top is golden. Rotate your pan halfway through so the top cooks evenly.

After baking, brush on another 2 Tbsps of olive oil over the top. Let it rest for a few minutes then transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Focaccia Bread

Date Published: Jan 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: breads, how-to, easy, <30 mins, appetizers, basics, pastry, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 1 pan | Prep time: 1.5 hours | Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • One ball of basic dough, after proofing:
    • 1 Tbsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
    • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1 cup (250ml) warm water
    • 3 cups (432g) all purpose flour + extra for dusting/kneading
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
  • 3 + 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
  • + Any toppings you want (tomatoes, black olives, caramelized onions, feta cheese, parmesan, basil, honey…etc.)
    • I like to infuse the olive oil with rosemary, lemon zest and garlic as a topping

Directions:

  1. Make one basic dough ball (you can double the recipe for a thicker focaccia)
  2. Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
  3. Place a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a 9″x13″ pan and spread it around to coat the entire pan, including the sides and edges.
  4. Place your dough ball in the pan and gently spread it out to the edges ensuring even thickness. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 20 minutes to relax the dough.
    • If your dough is difficult to spread out to the edges and is tearing, wait 5-10 mins and try again (letting the dough rest relaxes the gluten).
  5. After 20 minutes, use your fingers and make indents all over dough to release any air bubbles.
  6. Brush 3 Tbsps of olive oil over the bread then add your choice of toppings (I used caraway seeds and salt in the photos). Gently press down on the toppings into the bread and use your fingers to make indents again.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 mins until the top is golden. Rotate your pan halfway through so the top cooks evenly.
  8. After baking, brush on another 2 Tbsps of olive oil over the top. Let it rest for a few minutes then transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

Drunken Chicken (a Chinese cold dish)


Date Published: Jan 6th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 6th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <30 mins, Asian, appetizers, healthy, low cal, sides, Taiwanese
Serves: 1 plate | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 28 mins (+ 2 hours marinating)

Jump to recipe |

Drunken Chicken is a traditional Chinese savoury appetizer dish served either cold or at room temperature. Fair warning, if you don’t like alcohol, you’re not going to like this dish. I grew up with this dish and I absolutely hated it when I was a kid because of how strong the alcohol flavour was. It was almost always served as part of a 10 course prix-fixe meal at fancy Chinese restaurants during get-togethers with extended families, work dinners, or wedding banquets. Any time there’s any occasion to celebrate, drunken chicken makes an appearance. Now as an adult and being more accustomed to alcohol, I found a new appreciation for this dish. It’s unique and is a nice way to open your palate before the hot stir frys come out, and the salty cool alcohol flavours gives a good break from hot spicy foods.

This recipe is ridiculously easy and cooks up quickly. Make sure you use good quality Shaoxing Wine for this dish since it’s 50% of the marinade – you’ll taste the difference. You’ll need to marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or better if overnight, so make sure you give yourself enough time before serving.

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:

  • 4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone in or out
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt flakes + more to taste
  • 4x 3mm slices of ginger
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and cut 4cm lengths
  • Ice water bath
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1.5 cups (375ml) Shaoxing Wine (Chinese cooking wine)
  • 1 Tbsp goji berries

Directions:

In a pot or a deep pan (with a lid), arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer and add in 1 Tbsp salt, ginger slices, and spring onions. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Put the lid on and turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to LOW to let the chicken simmer for 8 minutes.

After 8 minutes, turn the heat off and let the chicken sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on (do not open the lid until the timer is up or else you’ll let the heat escape). Prepare an ice water bath for the chicken in this time.

When the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (internal temp should be at least 165˚F/74˚C). If it hasn’t cooked, simmer it for a bit longer, otherwise remove the chicken and place it in the prepared ice water bath. This will allow the skin to firm up with a bouncy texture.

With the remaining broth, turn on the heat again to MED-HIGH and let the broth simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 1.5 cups (15-20 mins).

While the broth is reducing, once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the ice bath and remove the bone with your hands (if present). Slice the chicken and place it in a glass or non-reactive bowl with a lid.

Once the broth has reduced, strain it into a measuring cup and add in the equivalent amount of Shaoxing wine into the measuring cup (ie. if you have 1.5 cups of broth, you will add to it 1.5 cups of the wine), 1 tsp sugar, and the goji berries. Stir until the sugar dissolves and taste. You should have a very savoury alcohol-tasting broth.

Pour the alcohol/broth mixture into the bowl with the sliced chicken and cover. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

When serving, strain the liquid from the chicken and serve chilled. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Drunken Chicken (a Chinese cold dish)

Date Published: Jan 6th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 6th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <30 mins, Asian, appetizers, healthy, low cal, sides, Taiwanese
Serves: 1 plate | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 28 mins (+ 2 hours marinating)

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone in or out
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt flakes + more to taste
  • 4x 3mm slices of ginger
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and cut 4cm lengths
  • Ice water bath
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1.5 cups (375ml) Shaoxing Wine (Chinese cooking wine)
  • 1 Tbsp goji berries

Directions:

  1. In a pot or a deep pan (with a lid), arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer and add in 1 Tbsp salt, ginger slices, and spring onions. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Put the lid on and turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to LOW to let the chicken simmer for 8 minutes.
  2. After 8 minutes, turn the heat off and let the chicken sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on (do not open the lid until the timer is up or else you’ll let the heat escape). Prepare an ice water bath for the chicken in this time.
  3. When the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (internal temp should be at least 165˚F/74˚C). If it hasn’t cooked, simmer it for a bit longer, otherwise remove the chicken and place it in the prepared ice water bath. This will allow the skin to firm up with a bouncy texture.
  4. With the remaining broth, turn on the heat again to MED-HIGH and let the broth simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 1.5 cups (15-20 mins).
  5. While the broth is reducing, once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the ice bath and remove the bone with your hands (if present). Slice the chicken and place it in a glass or non-reactive bowl with a lid.
  6. Once the broth has reduced, strain it into a measuring cup and add in the equivalent amount of Shaoxing wine into the measuring cup (ie. if you have 1.5 cups of broth, you will add to it 1.5 cups of the wine), 1 tsp sugar, and the goji berries. Stir until the sugar dissolves and taste. You should have a very savoury alcohol-tasting broth.
  7. Pour the alcohol/broth mixture into the bowl with the sliced chicken and cover. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When serving, strain the liquid from the chicken and serve chilled. Enjoy!

Herb-Crusted White Fish with a Lemon Cream Sauce


Date Published: Dec 17th, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 17th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins, healthy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Jump to recipe |

Get ready to save this to your repertoire, because this easy one pan herb-crusted baked fish recipe is so simple and quick to put together that you’ll end up with a 5 star dish with loads of flavour in very little time! There’s also minimal clean up, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner (or just those days you just don’t feel like putting in much effort).

The fish is cooked in a rich lemony creamy sauce that melds perfectly with the juices released from the fish while baking and the crust provides the aroma of herbs while giving a crunchy texture that contrasts the soft fish. Feel free to pair it with whatever side you like – I’d recommend something with a crunch such as asparagus or broccolini.

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:

  • 4 portions (roughly 750g/1.6lbs) of fillets of any mild white fish, cut to the same size, skinless & boneless (ie. cod, tilapia, halibut, barramundi, sole…etc.) – I use cod but any white fish will do
  • Salt & pepper
  • Herb Crust:
    • 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • Sauce:
    • 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely minced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
    • 2 Tbsps lemon juice
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp mayonnaise over each fillet
  • To garnish: fresh parsley, chopped
  • Serve with: any crunchy vegetable side dish (ie. green beans, cabbage, roasted fennel…etc.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Rinse and pat dry your fish fillets then salt and pepper both sides and set aside.

Make the crumb mixture: In an oven-proof wide base pan*, mix the crumb mixture together: 1/2 cup panko, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp olive oil, pinch of salt. Toast the mixture in the pan on LOW-MED heat for 3-5 minutes until golden brown then transfer it to a shallow bowl or plate and set aside to let it cool.

Make the sauce: In the same pan you used to toast the breadcrumbs, melt the 1 stick of butter on LOW-MED heat. Then add in the minced onion, and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Next add the 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 Tbsps Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsps lemon juice, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix everything around and taste to adjust salt, pepper, and lemon as needed. Turn off the heat. Don’t worry if your sauce tastes a bit too strong at this point, it will mellow out once you bake it with the fish.

Crumb the fish: Apply a thin layer of mayonnaise onto one side of each fish fillet (~1/2 – 1 tsp of mayonnaise depending on the size of your fillet), then place the fillet mayonnaise-side down into the toasted crumb mixture (from step 3) and gently press down to get the crumb mixture to stick to the fish. Place the fillet crumb side up into the sauce in the pan (from step 4). Repeat with the rest of the fillets until they are all crumbed.

Bake in the preheated oven until the fish is fully cooked (~10-15 minutes for a 2cm thick fillet). The fish is done when it is no longer translucent and flakey, or the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 145°F/63°C.

While the fish is baking, you can prepare a quick side dish such as blanched green beans or steamed broccoli. I recommend something crunchy to contrast the soft texture of the fish.

Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley overtop the fish before serving and pair with the vegetable side dish of choice. Enjoy!

*Note: if you don’t have an oven-proof pan, make everything in a regular pan and pour the sauce into a 9×13″ baking dish and lay the fish overtop.

Summarized Recipe:

Herb-Crusted White Fish with a Lemon Cream Sauce

Date Published: Dec 17th, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 17th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins, healthy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

  • 4 portions (roughly 750g/1.6lbs) of fillets of any mild white fish, cut to the same size, skinless & boneless (ie. cod, tilapia, halibut, barramundi, sole…etc.) – I use cod but any white fish will do
  • Salt & pepper
  • Herb Crust:
    • 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • Sauce:
    • 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely minced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
    • 2 Tbsps lemon juice
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp mayonnaise over each fillet
  • To garnish: fresh parsley, chopped
  • Serve with: any crunchy vegetable side dish (ie. green beans, cabbage, roasted fennel…etc.)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
  2. Rinse and pat dry your fish fillets then salt and pepper both sides and set aside.
  3. Make the crumb mixture:
    • In an oven-proof wide base pan*, mix the crumb mixture together: 1/2 cup panko, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp olive oil, pinch of salt.
    • Toast the mixture in the pan on LOW-MED heat for 3-5 minutes until golden brown then transfer it to a shallow bowl or plate and set aside to let it cool.
  4. Make the sauce:
    • In the same pan you used to toast the breadcrumbs, melt the 1 stick of butter on LOW-MED heat.
    • Then add in the minced onion, and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
    • Next add the 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 Tbsps Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsps lemon juice, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix everything around and taste to adjust salt, pepper, and lemon as needed. Turn off the heat.
    • Don’t worry if your sauce tastes a bit too strong at this point, it will mellow out once you bake it with the fish.
  5. Crumb the fish:
    • Apply a thin layer of mayonnaise onto one side of each fish fillet (~1/2 – 1 tsp of mayonnaise depending on the size of your fillet), then place the fillet mayonnaise-side down into the toasted crumb mixture (from step 3) and gently press down to get the crumb mixture to stick to the fish.
    • Place the fillet crumb side up into the sauce in the pan (from step 4). Repeat with the rest of the fillets until they are all crumbed.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven until the fish is fully cooked (~10-15 minutes for a 2cm thick fillet). The fish is done when it is no longer translucent and flakey, or the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 145°F/63°C.
    • While the fish is baking, you can prepare a quick side dish such as blanched green beans or steamed broccoli. I recommend something crunchy to contrast the soft texture of the fish.
  7. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley overtop the fish before serving and pair with the vegetable side dish of choice. Enjoy!

*Note: if you don’t have an oven-proof pan, make everything in a regular pan and pour the sauce into a 9×13″ baking dish and lay the fish overtop.