Spicy Cucumber Curry Soup

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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With an abundance of cucumbers on the Homolka farm lately, I’ve been experimenting with different ways of using it up. This recipe uses up 4 cucumbers at a time, however full disclaimer, the actual flavour of the cucumber is masked by the spices, but it’s still a delicious and hearty soup nonetheless, and also healthy and low in calories! (If you’re looking for a cucumber soup full of cucumber flavour, check out the Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup recipe.)

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 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
1.5 Tbsps curry powder
2 tsps red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer it spicier)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsps sesame oil
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 cup milk
4 cups of cooked shredded chicken (optional)
1 cup Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).

Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for another minute until the spices are fragrant, then add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and milk. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins with the lid on, until the cucumbers are soft.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.

Put the soup back on the stove on MED heat and add in the shredded chicken. Once heated through, stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Spicy Cucumber Curry Soup

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
1.5 Tbsps curry powder
2 tsps red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer it spicier)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsps sesame oil
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 cup milk
4 cups of cooked shredded chicken (optional)
1 cup Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).
Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for another minute until the spices are fragrant, then add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and milk. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins with the lid on, until the cucumbers are soft.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.
Put the soup back on the stove on MED heat and add in the shredded chicken. Once heated through, stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy!

January 1, 2023January 1, 2023

Abby1 Comment

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup

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Happy New Year everyone!

Summer is upon us which means the Homolka farm is once again in full swing with an array of fresh home-grown veggies! Of these veggies, zucchini and cucumber seem to always be in abundance with Toby’s dad at least harvesting 4-6 per day! There’s only so much cold cucumber salad you can make, so I was on the hunt for cooked cucumber recipes. I’ve always been a sucker for soups so when I came upon a hot cucumber soup recipe from EatingWell.com, I just had to try it! It was delicious right from the start but I made a few little adjustments and doubled the recipe amount so I can have this as a main dish instead of a small appetizer portion. This recipe can be served hot, warm, or chilled – cold soups never seem satisfying and hearty for me, so I always like to have it hot.

This is only part of the cucumber mania on the farm! ❤️

This soup is so quick and easy to make. It’s also fantastic for using up an abundance of cucumbers and best of all it’s creamy and low in calories at the same time! Sounds too good to be true, eh?

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsps lemon juice
4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tsp cooking salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 avocados, diced
1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).

Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.

Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.

Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

Summarized Recipe:

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsps lemon juice
4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tsp cooking salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 avocados, diced
1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).
Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.
Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.
Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

January 1, 2023

Abby2 Comments

Creamy White Wine and Garlic Mussels

Date Published: Dec 28th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 28th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, appetizers, mains
Serves: 2 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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I LOVE mussels. I could eat them all day everyday. It is physically impossible for me to not order mussels if it’s on a menu. I prefer them in a white wine broth like this recipe, whereas Toby prefers it in the a tomato sauce base. Either way, mussels are one of my favourite seafood items and I could eat a whole kilo of them all on my own – ask Toby 😜. We’ve travelled around Australia and have tasted the freshest seafood available but my favourite is at the Queen Victoria Market mussel van where they have the plumpest mussels farmed in Port Arlington and they offer them cooked in a variety of flavours. You gotta try the blue cheese mussels. Seriously. (It’s on my to-do list to try and recreate them.)

I’ve spent a few months trying to perfect this recipe and we’ve also tasted a lot of disappointing white wine garlic mussels in my research. I’m glad to finally be able to share my version of a classic mussel dish! This recipe has a buttery garlic and onion broth base and finished off simmering in cream for that perfectly flavourful indulgent broth. They’re a breeze to whip up and add a touch of fanciness to dinner parties.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 Tbsps + 1 Tbsp (43g) unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 cup dry white wine (ie. sauvignon blanc – I’ve used Chinese cooking wine successfully as well 😅)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 kg live mussels, washed and debearded
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt 2 Tbsps butter then add in the garlic and onion. Sauté until the onions are soft.

Add in the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, and white wine. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and cook for 5-7 minutes until the mussels all open up.

Once all the mussels have opened up, take them out with a slotted spoon and divide evenly amongst serving bowls. Leave the sauce in the pot and add in 1 Tbsp of butter and the heavy cream. Let it simmer for 10 mins to let the flavours infuse and until the sauce thickens a little. Turn off heat and pour sauce over the mussels. Serve with slices of toasted bread. Enjoy!

Other mussel recipes:

Mussels in a Rich Tomato White Wine Sauce

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy White Wine and Garlic Mussels

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps + 1 Tbsp (43g) unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 cup dry white wine (ie. sauvignon blanc – I’ve used Chinese cooking wine successfully as well 😅)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 kg live mussels, washed and debearded
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt 2 Tbsps butter then add in the garlic and onion. Sauté until the onions are soft.
Add in the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, and white wine. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and cook for 5-7 minutes until the mussels all open up.
Once all the mussels have opened up, take them out with a slotted spoon and divide evenly amongst serving bowls. Leave the sauce in the pot and add in 1 Tbsp of butter and the heavy cream. Let it simmer for 10 mins to let the flavours infuse and until the sauce thickens a little. Turn off heat and pour sauce over the mussels. Serve with slices of toasted bread. Enjoy!

December 28, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Creamy and Tangy Czech Mushroom & Dill Soup (Kulajda)

Date Published: Dec 25th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 25th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: soups, appetizers, <30mins, easy, mains, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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What is Kulajda?

Kulajda (pronounced “koo-lie-duh”) is a creamy and tangy mushroom, dill and potato soup that is traditional to Southern Czech. We first came upon it on our trip to Prague this past summer. Apart from all the nostalgic Czech dishes that Toby wanted to have (including steak tartare), we also googled some famous must-have Czech dishes that led us to the historical Michelin-guided restaurant, Café Imperial. There were SO many delicious things at this restaurant but my all-time favourite was the kulajda. In fact, I liked it so much that I was on the lookout for it at every subsequent restaurant we went to on our trip around Czech! The flavour combination of savoury and tangy and highlighting the ingredients of mushrooms and dill were out of this world. It was a combination that was new to me and I loved it!

Also a big fan of their svičkova and steak tartare!

After googling recipes and experimenting with a few, I’ve come up with this version that is a mix of a couple of different recipes that resulted in a soup just like the one at Café Imperial. 😊 The soup was surprisingly easy and straightforward to make. If it wasn’t so heavy, I’d probably make this all the time 😜.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

40g dried porcini mushrooms
5 bay leaves
4 whole allspice berries
2 cups (480ml) water
40g (1/3 stick) unsalted butter
4 Tbsps (40g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720ml) beef or chicken broth
500g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
3/4 cups (180ml) heavy cream
2-3 Tbsps white wine vinegar (start with 2 Tbsps and add more if you prefer it more tart)
1/4 cup (50g) sugar (or more to taste)
3 Tbsps fresh dill leaves, chopped (no stems) + additional for garnish
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
4 eggs

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the dried porcini mushrooms, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 mins. After 15 mins, turn off the heat and set aside.

While the mushrooms are simmering, make a basic roux: In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, melt the butter, then gradually sprinkle in the flour bit by bit while stirring until it’s all incorporated and you end up with a thick paste. Don’t add in the flour all at once or you’ll get a big clump of dough.

Once you get a thick paste, slowly pour in the beef broth while continuously stirring to ensure no clumps form.

Strain the mushrooms from the saucepan in step 1 and pour the mushroom-soaked water into the beef broth pot. Bring to a boil and simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside and discard the bay leaves and allspice berries.

After 10 mins, add the potatoes and soaked mushrooms to the soup and continue simmering for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes soften.

Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, and dill. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar to your liking. Let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving.

While the soup is resting, poach 4 eggs.

When serving, add a poached egg to each bowl and pour the soup overtop. Sprinkle extra dill leaves on top to finish. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy and Tangy Czech Mushroom & Dill Soup (Kulajda)

Ingredients:

40g dried porcini mushrooms
5 bay leaves
4 whole allspice berries
2 cups (480ml) water
40g (1/3 stick) unsalted butter
4 Tbsps (40g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720ml) beef or chicken broth
450g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
3/4 cups (180ml) heavy cream
2-3 Tbsps white wine vinegar (start with 2 Tbsps and add more if you prefer it more tart)
1/4 cup (50g) sugar (or more to taste)
3 Tbsps fresh dill leaves, chopped (no stems) + additional for garnish
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
4 eggs

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the dried porcini mushrooms, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 mins. After 15 mins, turn off the heat and set aside.
While the mushrooms are simmering, make a basic roux: In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, melt the butter, then gradually sprinkle in the flour bit by bit while stirring until it’s all incorporated and you end up with a thick paste. Don’t add in the flour all at once or you’ll get a big clump of dough.
Once you get a thick paste, slowly pour in the beef broth while continuously stirring to ensure no clumps form.
Strain the mushrooms from the saucepan in step 1 and pour the mushroom-soaked water into the beef broth pot. Bring to a boil and simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside and discard the bay leaves and allspice berries.
After 10 mins, add the potatoes and soaked mushrooms to the soup and continue simmering for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes soften.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, and dill. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar to your liking. Let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving.
While the soup is resting, poach 4 eggs.
When serving, add a poached egg to each bowl and pour the soup overtop. Sprinkle extra dill leaves on top to finish. Enjoy!

December 25, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Chicken and Sweet Corn Dumplings

Date Published: Sept 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Sept 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, low-cal, healthy, asian, quick, mains, snacks
Serves: ~100 dumplings | Prep time: 15 mins + time to wrap | Cook time: 10 mins

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When Toby and I took a trip to Alice Springs early last year, a local dumpling house called Confucius Palace Dumpling Restaurant came up on our radar when looking for places to eat. I’m always skeptical of asian restaurants located in a predominantly non-asian town but we were both pleasantly surprised by how good the dumplings were! Our favourites were the lamb and onion dumplings and the chicken and sweet corn dumplings which is the recipe I’m publishing today! Both dumplings are actually quite simplistic in their ingredients and super quick to make which is fantastic for a quick and easy meal. Dumplings also store very well in the freezer so you can whip up a big batch and save them for a rainy day when you don’t feel like cooking.

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:

Dumpling Filling:
- 1kg chicken mince
- 2 cans of super sweet corn
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce
- 3 Tbsps chicken stock powder
- 3 tsp white pepper
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Two packets of dumpling wrappers

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients of the dumpling filling in a bowl: chicken mince, sweet corn, soy sauce, chicken stock powder, white pepper, and sugar.

Wrap the dumplings.

You can either cook the dumplings right away or store them in the freezer. Make sure the dumplings aren’t touching when you freeze them or else they’ll all stick together in a block. Once they’re frozen you can transfer them into a container or plastic freezer bag. Check out this post on how to cook dumplings – 2 ways.

Summarized Recipe:

Chicken and Sweet Corn Dumplings

Ingredients:

Dumpling Filling:
- 1kg chicken mince
- 2 cans of super sweet corn
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce
- 3 Tbsps chicken stock powder
- 3 tsp white pepper
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Two packets of dumpling wrappers

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients of the dumpling filling in a bowl: chicken mince, sweet corn, soy sauce, chicken stock powder, white pepper, and sugar.
Wrap the dumplings.
You can either cook the dumplings right away or store them in the freezer.
- Check out this post on how to cook dumplings – 2 ways.
- Make sure the dumplings aren’t touching when you freeze them or else they’ll all stick together in a block. Once they’re frozen you can transfer them into a container or plastic freezer bag.

September 14, 2022September 14, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)

Date Published: Sept 13, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 13, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: <15 mins, appetizers, mains, easy, quick, low cal, snacks
Serves: 2 (as an appetizer/snack) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 0! No cooking required.

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Steak tartare is a dish served in many different countries and in many different ways. I’ll admit I was never a fan of raw meat, but Toby grew up with it when he would visit Czech Republic to see his grandparents. It became a nostalgic dish and watching him enjoy this dish with such excitement of course tempted me to give it another try. We spent 3 weeks in Czech a couple months ago and during that time the dish really grew on me. A Czech steak tartare is traditionally served with slices of crispy rye bread that is panfried in lard and a garlic clove. You’re meant to rub the garlic on the crispy rye bread for that extra garlicky flavour and spoon the steak tartare over the bread and eat it together. Yum! The basic ingredients are usually steak, mustard, salt, pepper, and onion, but you’ll find many different variations. This dish can be found everywhere in Czech Republic, from basic rural pubs to fancy high-end Michelin-guided restaurants. You can request to have it served with the ingredients all mixed together, or unmixed and you can mix it yourself to adjust the flavours to your liking (see photo). However you have it, it’s always best served with a cold Pilsen beer!

What’s the best cut of beef to use?

Since you’ll be eating the beef raw, it’s very important to choose the best and freshest cut, and of course you also want to get it from a reputable clean butcher that knows their stuff. Usually when I buy my meats I get it either from the regular supermarket or a nearby butcher, however we went specifically to a higher end fancy butcher shop specifically for a steak tartare. It might be a bit more expensive, but it’ll be worth it.

You want a lean piece with little to no fat and connective tissue. The most popular choice is usually a tenderloin (or eye fillet/fillet steak) which is the most tender cut of meat available, but you can also use sirloin/porterhouse as well. If you’re not sure which cut to use, ask the butcher and let them know you’re intending on eating the steak raw for a tartare and they should be able to point you in the right direction.

How to prepare the beef?

Once you’ve selected your perfect cut of beef for the tartare, it’s time to prepare it to your desired consistency. If you like the texture chunkier with more bite, you can finely dice it into cubes. Put your steak in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up prior to dicing – this will make it much easier to cut. For a softer texture, you can put your steak through a meat grinder or ask your butcher to grind it for you. I get a little weary of getting someone else to grind it for me since I’m not sure how well the grinders are cleaned between each order. I like my texture somewhere inbetween so I prefer to chop it up finely with a knife. The texture isn’t quite as mushy as a ground beef and has a little more bite to it.

This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

200g high quality lean steak (ie.tenderloin/eye fillet), trim off any fat and connective tissue
- If you’re unsure which cut to get, ask your butcher for the freshest cut and let them know you’re intending on eating it raw for a tartare. Buy one a little heavier to equate 200g after trimming
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup (1/4 of a large) yellow onion, finely minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground paprika
2 Tbsps Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
To serve:
- 2 slices of rye bread, either panfried in lard or toasted and buttered
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half

Directions:

Finely chop the beef until desired consistency. You can also put it through a grinder if you’ve got one.

Add in the rest of the ingredients (egg yolk, onion, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce) to the chopped steak and mix. Taste and adjust flavours to personal taste. You can also serve it pre-mixed and lay out the ingredients separately on a plate (see photo).

Toast the slices of rye bread and spread on butter, or alternatively you can pan-fry it with some oil or lard.

Serve the steak tartare with toasted bread and a garlic clove sliced in half. When eating, rub the garlic over the toasted bread and spoon the steak tartare over the bread. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)

Ingredients:

200g high quality lean steak (ie.tenderloin/eye fillet), trim off any fat and connective tissue
- If you’re unsure which cut to get, ask your butcher for the freshest cut and let them know you’re intending on eating it raw for a tartare. Buy one a little heavier to equate 200g after trimming
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup (1/4 of a large) yellow onion, finely minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground paprika
2 Tbsps Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
To serve:
- 2 slices of rye bread, either panfried in lard or toasted and buttered
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half

Directions:

Finely chop the beef until desired consistency. You can also put it through a grinder if you’ve got one.
Add in the rest of the ingredients (egg yolk, onion, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce) to the chopped steak and mix. Taste and adjust flavours to personal taste. You can also serve it pre-mixed and lay out the ingredients separately on a plate (see photo).
Toast the slices of rye bread and spread on butter, or alternatively you can pan-fry it with some oil or lard.
Serve the steak tartare with toasted bread and a garlic clove sliced in half. When eating, rub the garlic over the toasted bread and spoon the steak tartare over the bread. Enjoy!

September 13, 2022

Abby1 Comment

Healthy “Creamy” Chicken Thyme Mushroom Spinach Soup

Date Published: Sept 5th, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 5th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, appetizers, soups, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as a main) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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The countdown is on to our wedding and thus our wedding diet is in full swing which means healthy, low-calorie meals that cut out the fat without compromising on flavour. This recipe ticks all the boxes. I love a good soup and I love a good mushroom dish. When you put two together, I’m loving life! This soup is PACKED full of mushrooms – 600g of mushrooms, to be exact; and it’s creamy without actually using any cream! The creaminess comes from a bit of flour to thicken it all up and soy milk.

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:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
3 large enoki mushrooms, sliced (optional for extra texture)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
2 Tbsps fresh thyme leaves
2 cups soy milk (optional, for extra creaminess)
4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
2 cups shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms and enoki mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.

In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and turn a deep brown colour. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed. Pour in a few splashes of chicken stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining stock and add in the bay leaves and thyme leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender). Add in the soy milk and bring to a simmer again. Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1, kale/spinach leaves, and/or shredded chicken (if using). Warm through and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Healthy “Creamy” Chicken Thyme Mushroom Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
3 large enoki mushrooms, sliced (optional for extra texture)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
2 Tbsps fresh thyme leaves
2 cups soy milk (optional, for extra creaminess)
4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
2 cups shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms and enoki mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.
In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and turn a deep brown colour.
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed. Pour in a few splashes of chicken stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining stock and add in the bay leaves and thyme leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender).
Add in the soy milk and bring to a simmer again. Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1, kale/spinach leaves, and/or shredded chicken (if using). Warm through and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Done!

September 5, 2022

Abby3 Comments

Guilt-Free “Creamy” Mushroom Soup

Date Published: Aug 8th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 8th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, appetizers, soups, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as a main) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Original recipe adapted from: AustralianMushrooms.com.au – this is a fantastic website chocked full of beautiful mushroom recipes. I highly recommend checking it out.

Happy cooking!

We move house quite a bit and it’s not always easy to find the perfect sunny spot for food photography. Often times Toby will be holding the plates of food for me to get that perfect light. Here, he’s concentrating holding the pose and trying not to move to dirty the edges of the bowl. It looks like he’s praying to the soup gods. 😂 Always my #1 supporter. ❤️

Ingredients you’ll need:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
1 onion, diced
1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
2cm ginger, peeled, minced or finely grated
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock (chicken stock is fine too)
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
Optional: 2 Tbsps heavy cream
Optional add-ins to bulk up the soup:
- 4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
- Roasted butternut squash
- Shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.

In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion, ginger, and red chili for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed.

Pour in a few splashes of beef stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining beef stock and add in the bay leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender). Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1 and cream (if using). Salt and pepper to taste. Done!

Optional for a bulkier soup: Once the soup is smooth, return to the stove and add in any additional add-ins you’d like to bulk up the soup (ie. spinach, squash, roast chicken). Stir until the leaves are wilted or the veg or chicken is warmed. Turn off the heat and serve. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Guilt-Free “Creamy” Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
1 onion, diced
1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
2cm ginger, peeled, minced or finely grated
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock (chicken stock is fine too)
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
Optional: 2 Tbsps heavy cream
Optional add-ins to bulk up the soup:
- 4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
- Roasted butternut squash
- Shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.
In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion, ginger, and red chili for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed.
Pour in a few splashes of beef stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining beef stock and add in the bay leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender). Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1 and cream (if using). Salt and pepper to taste. Done!
Optional for a bulkier soup: Once the soup is smooth, return to the stove and add in any additional add-ins you’d like to bulk up the soup (ie. spinach, squash, roast chicken). Stir until the leaves are wilted or the veg or chicken is warmed. Turn off the heat and serve. Enjoy!

August 8, 2022

Abby1 Comment

Unintentionally Amazing Soft Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Date Published: Aug 8th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 8th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, sides, snack, appetizers, healthy, low cal
Serves: 8 eggs | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 5-10 mins + resting overnight

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The empty bottle of the brand of sweet vinegar I used. Any sweet vinegar should be fine.

I’ve had a bottle of Chinese sweet black vinegar in the back of my pantry for the past 2 years that has gone untouched and collecting dust. I have no idea what I originally bought it for but whatever it was, I only ever used a small amount. Toby says I bought it originally because I couldn’t find regular black vinegar and tried to use this as a substitute and failed – I have no recollection of this 😅🤷🏻‍♀️. I’ve tried to look for recipes to use up this bottle over the years but I can only ever find it used in a very specific Chinese pork knuckle dish. This bottle has become an eye sore and in a desperate attempt to clean out my pantry before we hit the road again, I decided to try adding it to a marinade for tea eggs. I had very low expectations for this – I just wanted to make something somewhat edible so I’m not wasting it. The end result turned out so much better than I could have ever hoped for! It gave the egg a subtle sweetness along with the saltiness. In fact, it was so good that I ended up buying another bottle of sweet black vinegar just so I can keep making these tea eggs, which is now my favourite way to eat them.

Chinese sweet black vinegar isn’t as tangy as regular vinegar. It’s more subtle and has a light sweetness with a star anise/liquorice flavour. When mixed with the rest of the marinade ingredients, it makes a slightly sweeter tea egg that’s lighter on the palate compared to the classic tea egg that’s usually only soy sauce based. Soft boiled eggs are my favourite style of eggs and perfect for this recipe. The yolk remains soft and jammy which allows some of the marinade to penetrate through giving it more flavour. Make sure you set a timer to cook them perfectly. I’ve included cooking times for medium and hardboiled eggs as well if that’s your thing.

What is a tea egg?

If you’re unfamiliar with tea eggs, it’s a classic Chinese side dish commonly made of hardboiled eggs marinated in a soy-sauce based concoction with black tea leaves. The eggs are cracked before marinating and as a result you get a beautiful marbled appearance on the eggs with a savoury umami flavour with a hint of tea. I remember getting a few of these in a baggie from the local 7-11 in Taiwan before hopping on a train and having these as a snack. I’ve never had them soft-boiled until I started playing around with this recipe. It’s a total game changer and I think this will be the only way I’ll be having my tea eggs from now. 😛

Tips for using up leftover marinade:

Sauté with garlic, cabbage, splash of shaoxing wine until the cabbage cooks down, then stir in chilli paste like lao gan ma or leftover red chilli oil wonton sauce.
Reuse the marinade again! Make sure you reboil the liquid and let it cool before using it again.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Marinade:
- 1/2 cup Sweet Black Vinegar
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
- 2.5 Tbsps soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 Tbsps (or 2 tea bags) extra strong black tea leaves
- 1 cup water
8 large eggs

Directions:

Make the marinade: Mix all the ingredients of the marinade (vinegar, soy sauces, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, tea leaves, water) in a saucepan and heat on MEDIUM until it boils, then turn the heat down to LOW-MED and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.

Make the eggs: While the marinade cools, boil a pot of water (use a pot large enough to allow all the eggs to submerge in the boiling water without crowding). Once the water boils, carefully lower the eggs into the water – be careful not to crack them. Start a timer and boil for 5 minutes and 30 seconds for soft-boiled eggs, 7 minutes for medium eggs, or 10 minutes for hard boiled eggs.

Dunk them in an ice bath or under cold running water until cooled

Prepare an ice bath for the eggs while they are boiling. Once the timer goes off, immediate transfer the eggs to the ice bath to cool. If you don’t have any ice, run the eggs under cold water until completely cooled.

Once the eggs are cooled, use the back of a spoon and gently crack the egg shells around the entirety of the egg. You want the egg shells to be cracked and broken without breaking the actual egg. This allows the marinade to get through the shell and create a marbled effect. Be careful not to hit them too hard, especially for soft-boiled eggs.

If your container doesn’t immerse the eggs, rotate the eggs 6 hours later or next morning for even marinating

Once the marinade has fully cooled, transfer the marinade with the ingredients to a container or a large ziplock bag and add in the cracked eggs. Ensure the eggs are submerged in the marinade. Choose a container or a bag big enough to fit all the marinade and eggs. It’s better to use a deeper container than a wider one so the eggs submerge better.

Let the eggs marinate in the fridge overnight, or best for 24 hours (or longer!).

Serve the eggs either cold, room temperature, or slightly warmed. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Unintentionally Amazing Soft Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Ingredients:

Marinade:
- 1/2 cup Sweet Black Vinegar
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
- 2.5 Tbsps soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 Tbsps (or 2 tea bags) extra strong black tea leaves
- 1 cup water
8 large eggs

Directions:

Make the marinade: Mix all the ingredients of the marinade (vinegar, soy sauces, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, tea leaves, water) in a saucepan and heat on MEDIUM until it boils, then turn the heat down to LOW-MED and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
Make the eggs: While the marinade cools, boil a pot of water (use a pot large enough to allow all the eggs to submerge in the boiling water without crowding). Once the water boils, carefully lower the eggs into the water – be careful not to crack them. Start a timer and boil for 5 minutes and 15 seconds for soft-boiled eggs, 7 minutes for medium eggs, or 10 minutes for hard boiled eggs.
Prepare an ice bath for the eggs while they are boiling. Once the timer goes off, immediate transfer the eggs to the ice bath to cool. If you don’t have any ice, run the eggs under cold water until completely cooled.
Once the eggs are cooled, use the back of a spoon and gently crack the egg shells around the entirety of the egg. You want the egg shells to be cracked and broken without breaking the actual egg. This allows the marinade to get through the shell and create a marbled effect. Be careful not to hit them too hard to break the eggs inside, especially for soft-boiled eggs.
Once the marinade has fully cooled, transfer the marinade with the ingredients to a container or a large ziplock bag and add in the cracked eggs. Ensure the eggs are submerged in the marinade. Choose a container or a bag big enough to fit all the marinade and eggs. It’s better to use a deeper container than a wider one so the eggs submerge better.
Let the eggs marinate in the fridge overnight, or best for 24 hours (or longer!).
Serve the eggs either cold, room temperature, or slightly warmed. Enjoy!

August 8, 2022August 8, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Taiwanese Style Beerhouse Clams (台式九層塔炒海瓜子)

Date Published: Feb 16th, 2022 | Last Updated: Feb 16th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: Taiwanese, Asian, easy, mains, sides
Serves: 2-4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

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This was one of my all-time favourite dishes growing up in Taiwan. My brother once got mad at me when we were kids when I ate them too fast, lol. The sauce is SO good, you MUST serve it over white rice to soak up all the delicious flavours. This recipe is commonly found in the beerhouses of Taiwan or seafood shops.

The clams that are traditionally used are called hai gua zi (海瓜子) which roughly translates to ‘ocean melon seeds’ – I think it has to do with the oval shape of them that resembles melon seeds? 🤷🏻‍♀️ They’re small oval clams with a patterned shell that are commonly found in the region. Any small species of clams can be used in this recipe as long as they’re fresh! I actually had a bit of a hard time finding fresh small clams for this recipe in Australia – even the local seafood shops didn’t have them. Surprisingly they were available at the Costco in Adelaide, SA however were a bit pricy at $20/kg for pipis (it was totally worth it though 😜).

Note the patterned shell and the oval shape of the hai gua zi –>

Image source: https://inf.news/en/nature/b6dd63ea2ba851d1cda05f356fb35732.html

What is a Taiwanese Beerhouse (啤酒屋)?

A Taiwanese beerhouse is a place where locals like to go afterwork to unwind, drink beer and eat hot stir-fry dishes. They’re not breweries, they’re just a place to drink and eat. If you’re a foreign visitor to Taiwan, chances are your host wouldn’t bring you to one of these beerhouses. They’re usually noisy, loud with drunk people, and no doubt lots of cigarette smoke. It’s frequented by people of lower socioeconomic classes and call girls as well as the average working man with their coworkers. It’s kind of like taking a guest to a rowdy grungy bar – it’s not for everyone, but the food is usually damn good. These beerhouses are becoming a dying culture and it’s getting harder to find them in Taiwan – possibly due to an attempt to elevate the social status of the area or maybe from the years of economic downturn and less availability of disposable income, or maybe it’s from Westernization 🤷🏻‍♀️. I remember my dad taking us out afterwork when I was a kid and getting out of the cab to see a long street of back to back beerhouses lit up with flashing neon lights (although in hindsight, beerhouses definitely aren’t the best place to bring children 😅). The last time I visited a couple years ago there were only two left on the street – the food was still just as good though!

What is beerhouse-style food?

Taiwanese beerhouses usually serve food that is made quickly over a high heat that packs a ton of flavour. These dishes are commonly very salty and/or spicy which goes great with a bowl of rice and a bottle of cold beer. Common dishes you’ll find are “three-cup” based recipes, which involve the triple threat for a lip-smacking combination: soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine. It is often sautéed with ginger, garlic, and Thai basil – the basis of classic Taiwanese beerhouse flavours. This clam recipe doesn’t diverge far from the beerhouse basics.

Thai Basil vs Italian Basil?

There are no substitutions for basil in this recipe. You MUST use Thai basil which is a lot stronger in flavour. Basil is a key component of this dish and without a good strong basil, the flavours just won’t be right. You’d have to probably at least double the amount of Italian basil to get similar results.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1kg fresh small clams (ie. Pipis)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4cm ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into matchsticks
2-3 long Thai red chilis, sliced (remove the seeds if you want it less spicy)
Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps Chinese cooking wine (ie. Shaoxing)
- 1 Tbsp of black vinegar
- 2 Tbsps oyster sauce
- 3 tsps white granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
1 LARGE handful (~3 cups) of Thai basil leaves
1 Tbsp sesame oil for drizzling

Directions:

*This recipe cooks QUICKLY on HIGH HEAT! Make sure all your ingredients are chopped, prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.

Rinse the clams thoroughly under running water. Optional: soak in salty water 15mins before.

Prepare the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients in a bowl: cooking wine, black vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside.

In a wok on HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic, ginger, and chilli for 2-3 mins until fragrant.

Add the clams to the pot and sauté for 30 seconds then drizzle in the sauce ingredients: cooking wine, black vinegar, oyster sauce, and white pepper. Mix around and let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes then put the lid on. Let the clams steam for 3-4 minutes or until they all open up. Careful not to steam them for too long or else the clams will get tough and chewy.

Once the clams have opened up, add in the basil leaves and drizzle the sesame oil over the clams. Sauté for another minute and turn off the heat. Serve! Best served over white rice.

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Style Beerhouse Clams (台式九層塔炒海瓜子)

Ingredients:

1kg fresh small clams (ie. Pipis)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4cm ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into matchsticks
2-3 long Thai red chilis, sliced (remove the seeds if you want it less spicy)
Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps Chinese cooking wine (ie. Shaoxing)
- 1 Tbsp of black vinegar
- 2 Tbsps oyster sauce
- 3 tsps white granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
1 LARGE handful (~3 cups) of Thai basil leaves
1 Tbsp sesame oil for drizzling

Directions:

*This recipe cooks QUICKLY on HIGH HEAT! Make sure all your ingredients are chopped, prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.

Rinse the clams thoroughly under running water. Optional: soak in salty water 15mins before.
Prepare the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients in a bowl: cooking wine, black vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside.
In a wok on HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic, ginger, and chilli for 2-3 mins until fragrant.
Add the clams to the pot and sauté for 30 seconds then drizzle in the sauce ingredients: cooking wine, black vinegar, oyster sauce, and white pepper. Mix around and let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes then put the lid on. Let the clams steam for 3-4 minutes or until they all open up. Careful not to steam them for too long or else the clams will get tough and chewy.
Once the clams have opened up, add in the basil leaves and drizzle the sesame oil over the clams. Sauté for another minute and turn off the heat. Serve! Best served over white rice.

February 17, 2022February 17, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment