Not KFC: KBC – Korean Baked Cauliflower in a Sticky Sweet & Spicy Sauce

Date Published: June 24th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 24th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: sides, main, snacks, vegetarian, healthy, appetizer, asian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 60 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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In an attempt to eat healthier, I stumbled across this recipe by Chez Jorge. Toby has an undying love for Korean Fried Chicken so of course we had to try this recipe as soon as we saw it. The recipe turned out fantastic and the flavours were just like classic Korean fried chicken except we felt guilt-free eating the whole batch in one sitting. Even Toby’s parents were raving about it and asked for the recipe. I’ve made this a handful of times since and always find I run out of the breading ingredients way too early, so I’ve adjusted the recipe to double the coating, but the main recipe is essentially the same. I’d recommend checking out Chez Jorge’s original recipe and the beautiful food photography.

This recipe is on the spicy side so if you’re not a fan of spice, either get a mild gochujang or lessen the amount of it in the sauce. You can serve this as a side dish or eat it as a main with a small side of rice or cold noodles to break up the bold flavours.

I will warn you, this recipe does take some time to prepare and you’ll probably get really tired of breading all the cauliflower florets, but I promise it’s worth it! This recipe is also air fryer-friendly so you can get in a little extra crunch!

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 cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsps potato starch or corn starch
2 cups raw almonds
3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
3 Tbsps white sesame seeds, to finish (optional)
Buttermilk Brine
- 3 cups milk or any non-dairy milk (ie. soy milk, almond milk)
- 3 Tbsps lemon juice
- 3 tsps cayenne pepper
- 3 tsps white pepper
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 3 tsps garlic powder
- 3 tsps fine sea salt
Sticky Spicy Sauce
- 2 tsps sesame oil
- 1.5 tsps ginger, grated
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sriracha
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 tsps rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

Directions:

Make the brine: In a large wide-based bowl or pan, mix all the ingredients for the brine (milk, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, white pepper, ginger powder, garlic powder, salt) and add the cauliflower florets in and mix it around. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Place the raw almonds in a food processor and pulse until you get small coarse almonds pieces (do not blend – you don’t want it too fine or else you lose the crunch). Transfer the almonds to a bowl and mix with panko and set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch. Set aside.

Make the sauce: In a medium skillet on medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger in the sesame oil for 30 seconds then add in the rest of the ingredients (mirin, sriracha, light soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, gochujang). Simmer for a few minutes or until the desired consistency. You should have a sticky sauce. Tip: Don’t make it too thick or else it will be hard to evenly coat all the cauliflower.

Preheat oven to 215˚C (420˚F) and prepare two baking trays lined with parchment paper. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.

Bread the cauliflower: Separate the cauliflower from the brine. Bread your cauliflower in this order, making sure to cover all sides:

Dip into the flour/cornstarch mixture. Shake off excess.
Dip into the brine. Shake off excess.
Dip into the almond/panko and gently press it into the cauliflower to help it stick.

Place the breaded cauliflower on the baking trays and drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top. Bake at 215˚C for roughly 30mins or until golden brown. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.

When the cauliflower is almost done, heat up the sauce until it’s hot and immediately toss the cauliflower in the sauce when it comes out the oven. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Not KFC: KBC – Korean Baked Cauliflower in a Sticky Sweet & Spicy Sauce

Ingredients:

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsps potato starch or corn starch
2 cups raw almonds
3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
3 Tbsps white sesame seeds, to finish (optional)
Buttermilk Brine
- 3 cups milk or any non-dairy milk (ie. soy milk, almond milk)
- 3 Tbsps lemon juice
- 3 tsps cayenne pepper
- 3 tsps white pepper
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 3 tsps garlic powder
- 3 tsps fine sea salt
Sticky Spicy Sauce
- 2 tsps sesame oil
- 1.5 tsps ginger, grated
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sriracha
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 tsps rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

Directions:

Make the brine: In a large wide-based bowl or pan, mix all the ingredients for the brine (milk, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, white pepper, ginger powder, garlic powder, salt) and add the cauliflower florets in and mix it around. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Place the raw almonds in a food processor and pulse until you get small coarse almonds pieces (do not blend – you don’t want it too fine or else you lose the crunch). Transfer the almonds to a bowl and mix with panko and set aside.
In another bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch. Set aside.
Make the sauce: In a medium skillet on medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger in the sesame oil for 30 seconds then add in the rest of the ingredients (mirin, sriracha, light soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, gochujang). Simmer for a few minutes or until the desired consistency. You should have a sticky sauce. Tip: Don’t make it too thick or else it will be hard to evenly coat all the cauliflower.
Preheat oven to 215˚C (420˚F) and prepare two baking trays lined with parchment paper. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.
Bread the cauliflower: Separate the cauliflower from the brine. Bread your cauliflower in this order, making sure to cover all sides:
1. Dip into the flour/cornstarch mixture. Shake off excess.
2. Dip into the brine. Shake off excess.
3. Dip into the almond/panko and gently press it into the cauliflower to help it stick.
Place the breaded cauliflower on the baking trays and drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top. Bake at 215˚C for roughly 30mins or until golden brown. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.
When the cauliflower is almost done, heat up the sauce until it’s hot and immediately toss the cauliflower in the sauce when it comes out the oven. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

June 24, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Date Published: May 15th, 2021 | Last Updated: May 15th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: salad, sides, healthy, low calorie, easy, vegetarian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

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In an attempt to eat healthier, Toby and I have been cutting dairy out of our diets and as much saturated fats as possible. We’ve been on this new diet for about 3 weeks and I must say it has been much easier than expected, however the temptations in our new clinic have been a challenge. This new clinic is the most well-stocked clinic we’ve ever been to in terms of food. There are snacks and junk food in pretty much every drawer and cupboard in the lunch room and even a chocolates/Tim Tams drawer in the fridge! There have also been 2 catered meetings and one was KFC and the other was pizza 😭. Although eating healthy isn’t hard, but the temptations everywhere have been quite the challenge. Happy to report we’re still staying strong though!

One of the key things to eating healthy or staying on track is to plan your meals ahead of time. It’s so easy to just grab fast food on the way home or open up a bag of chips at the end of a busy work day when you’re too lazy to cook, but if your meals are planned ahead of time and you already have your groceries done, it’s easier to stay focused. It also gives you an extra push to use up the veg in your fridge to make sure it doesn’t goes off 😜. I’ve been researching lots of recipes that are low in saturated fats and calories and so far this is one of my favourite side dishes and it’s so easy to make. The original recipe is from BudgetBytes with a few adaptations.

This mediterranean-inspired dish is made of delicious roasted cauliflower in a blend of spices with chickpeas, red onions, and fresh parsley, drizzled with a tangy garlicky lemon tahini dressing. To make this a full meal, toss it over a bed of kale. This dish is packed with flavour and the fibre and will keep you full all day.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 can (420g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (skip if you don’t want it spicy)
3 Tbsps + 2 Tbsps olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Half bunch (~5 cups) curly leaf kale (optional – for a full salad)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F).

Roast the cauliflower: In a large bowl combine: paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, pinch of salt and pepper, and 3 Tbsps of olive oil (or more if it seems a little dry). Add in cauliflower, red onion, and chickpeas and mix everything around and spread it onto a lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked and browned on the edges.

(Tip: You can also put this through an air fryer for about 10-15mins, just remove the chickpeas first and put it in the air fryer in the last 5 mins, otherwise when the chickpeas cook too much they start to pop!).

Optional: Prepare the kale: While the cauliflower roasts, prepare the kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Wash and dry the leaves in a salad spinner and discard the stems. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the leaves and massage the kale with both hands until the leaves are soft and turn a darker shade of green (1-2 mins). Set aside.

Make the dressing: Add all the ingredients of the dressing together in a bowl and mix until combined and smooth: tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne, salt and sugar.

Assemble the salad: Once the cauliflower finishes, add it to the prepared kale along with chopped parsley and drizzle the tahini dressing over top to finish. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 can (420g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbsps + 2 Tbsps olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Half bunch (~5 cups) curly leaf kale (optional – for a full salad)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F).
Roast the cauliflower: In a large bowl combine: paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, pinch of salt and pepper, and 3 Tbsps of olive oil (or more if it seems a little dry). Add in cauliflower, red onion, and chickpeas and mix everything around and spread it onto a lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked and browned on the edges.
- (Tip: You can also put this through an air fryer for about 10-15mins, just remove the chickpeas first and put it in the air fryer in the last 5 mins, otherwise when the chickpeas cook too much they start to pop!).
Optional: Prepare the kale: While the cauliflower roasts, prepare the kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Wash and dry the leaves in a salad spinner and discard the stems. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the leaves and massage the kale with both hands until the leaves are soft and turn a darker shade of green (1-2 mins). Set aside.
Make the dressing: Add all the ingredients of the dressing together in a bowl and mix until combined and smooth: tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne, salt and sugar.
Assemble the salad: Once the cauliflower finishes, add it to the prepared kale along with chopped parsley and drizzle the tahini dressing over top to finish. Enjoy!

May 15, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Czech Bread Dumplings – Houskové Knedlíky

Date Published: March 28th, 2021 | Last Updated: Feb 11th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: basics, easy, breads, sides
Serves: 4 small loaves (6-8 serves)| Prep time: 1.5 hours | Cook time: 20 mins (per loaf)

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What are Czech Dumplings or Knedlíky?

Knedlíky or dumplings are a staple side dish in Czech food. I see it as THE carb in a Czech meal. Similar to noodles in Asian food or pasta in Italian food, if there’s something rich, saucy, or soupy, you bet it’ll be served with a knedlíky in Czech cuisine.

There are a few different kinds of dumplings, but the two most common ones I’ve seen in Czech are the fluffy bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) and the denser potato dumplings (bramborové knedlíky). The lighter bread dumplings are made with a yeast dough so it’s fluffy but still with a bit of structure and chew and best served with a saucy dish such as svičkova to soak up all the flavours whereas the potato dumplings are much more dense and is more like eating a side dish of potatoes that can balance the richness of a dish such as rajská or sauerkraut. Of the two, the bread dumplings are more commonly seen and you can very easily buy them at the supermarket instead of making them fresh. This recipe is for the bread dumplings. If you want to make the potato dumplings, you can find the recipe here.

Bread Dumpling / Houskové Knedlíky – lighter, fluffier

Not the type of dumplings I was expecting

As an Asian person, the term “dumpling” has always been known to me as pockets of meat wrapped in a thin dough so it confused me greatly when I learned the European definition of a “dumpling”. European dumplings can vary greatly in ingredients and textures and can be vastly different between different regions and countries. I was actually low-key disappointed when Toby first told me he was going to make Czech dumplings and it ended up being a bread dough 😂. Nevertheless, these dumplings came out super fluffy and was fantastic at absorbing all the delicious sauce on the plate.

Do I need to use a special type of flour?

These dumplings are traditionally made with ‘sharp flour’ or ‘continental flour’ which is a coarser flour made from hard wheat that is common in Europe, but actually super difficult to find in regular grocery stores. As a result, this recipe uses a 3:1 ratio mix of all-purpose flour and farina/cream of wheat to achieve the same texture.

If you can’t find farina or cream of wheat, just use more all-purpose flour instead. The texture will be much softer and fluffier but still does its job at soaking up sauces in a dish.

Made with all-purpose flour & farina – more structure and chew

How do I freeze leftover knedlíky?

Every recipe for knedlíky I’ve seen always makes WAY more than what you need. My guess is that since you’re going through all the effort of making them, you might as well make a bigger batch and freeze them to have on hand. This recipe is no different. If you follow the instructions, you’ll have enough knedlíky for 8 – 10 people. I had thought about halving the recipe when I was writing it, but then remembered how well they keep in the freezer and how easy it is to have dumplings in a pinch when you’re short on time or too lazy to put in the effort, so I left the proportions alone.

I find it best to freeze leftover dumplings in slices rather than a log so it defrosts quickly. You can either freeze them in single portions or altogether in a bag, but make sure you separate the slices a little so it’ll be easier to separate when you only want to defrost a few slices. I freeze them in a ziploc bag or you can wrap it up in cling wrap individually.

To defrost and reheat: The best way to get the best texture is to steam them, especially if you are reheating from frozen. However, I’m lazy and I take out my desired portion and leave it in the fridge the night before then microwave them with a sprinkle of water before serving.

Although these dumplings are pretty easy to make, allow enough time to cook them all. If you don’t have a big pot, you may have to cook them one or two at a time (which is what I always end up doing) and it takes 20-30 mins each time (allow 1.5 hours to cook all 4). If you’ve got extra pots and the stove space, boil them all at once in separate pots so they’re all ready at the same time! I don’t know why it took me so long to think of this.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1.5 cups (325ml) milk
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp (1 packet) instant active dry yeast
1 large egg
3.25 cups (425g) all-purpose flour
1.5 cups (210g) cream of wheat/farina
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Microwave the 1.5 cups milk until warm to the touch. Mix in the 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 Tbsp yeast and set aside for ~10 mins until frothy. Once the milk/yeast mixture is frothy, beat in one egg to the mixture.

Tip: Test the temperature of the milk by dipping your finger into the milk. If it’s too hot, let it cool down or else you’ll end up cooking the yeast. If it’s too cold, then the yeast won’t activate.
If your mixture doesn’t froth, then you’ll likely need fresh yeast.

In a large stand mixer bowl, add in the 3.25 cups/425g flour, 1.5 cups/210g farina and 1 tsp salt and mix it around. Turn on the stand mixer on medium speed and gradually pour in the milk/yeast/egg mixture to the flour mixture. Let it knead until you get a smooth elastic dough. If your dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. (You can also knead this dough by hand.)

(See tip on how to proof dough in the oven)

Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place to proof until doubled in size (~1 hr).

Don’t have a reliable warm place? See my method on how to proof your dough in the oven here.

Divide into 4 and roll into a long log (bottom of picture)

Once your dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl, knead it a couple of times on a lightly floured surface to release any excess air bubbles and divide it into 4 even portions (you can use a kitchen scale for this or just eyeball it). Shape them into skinny logs that are no longer than the diameter of your pot. Set them aside covered with a tea towel and let it rest for another 15 mins.

In a large pot, boil half a pot of water with 1 Tbsp of salt and drop in 1 to 2 dough logs at a time (do not crowd them. If you don’t have a large pot, you may have to cook one at a time). Boil for 10 mins, flip the dough and boil for another 10 mins (20 mins total). Remove the dough log from the water and use a toothpick or chopstick to poke lots of holes into the cooked dumpling to let the steam out. Repeat for the rest of the dough.

Let the cooked dough cool then slice. Ready to eat!

Tip: If you’re not using it right away, they freeze really well covered with some cling wrap. Steaming would be best when ready to use or microwave.

Summarized Recipe:

Czech Bread Dumplings – Houskové Knedlíky

Ingredients:

1.5 cups (325ml) milk
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp (1 packet) instant active dry yeast
1 large egg
3.25 cups (425g) all-purpose flour
1.5 cups (210g) cream of wheat/farina
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Microwave the 1.5 cups milk until warm to the touch. Mix in the 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 Tbsp yeast and set aside for ~10 mins until frothy. Once the milk/yeast mixture is frothy, beat in one egg to the mixture.
- Tip: Test the temperature of the milk by dipping your finger into the milk. If it’s too hot, let it cool down or else you’ll end up cooking the yeast. If it’s too cold, then the yeast won’t activate.
- If your mixture doesn’t froth, then you’ll likely need fresh yeast.
In a large stand mixer bowl, add in the 3.25 cups/425g flour, 1.5 cups/210g farina and 1 tsp salt and mix it around. Turn on the stand mixer on medium speed and gradually pour in the milk/yeast/egg mixture to the flour. Let it knead until you get a smooth elastic dough. If your dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. (You can also knead this dough by hand.)
Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place to proof until doubled in size (~1 hr).
- Don’t have a reliable warm place? See my method on how to proof your dough in the oven here.
Once your dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl, knead it a couple of times on a lightly floured surface to release any excess air bubbles and divide it into 4 even portions (you can use a kitchen scale for this or just eyeball it). Shape them into skinny logs that are no longer than the diameter of your pot. Set them aside covered with a tea towel and let it rest for another 15 mins.
In a large pot, boil half a pot of water with 1 Tbsp of salt and drop in 1 to 2 dough logs at a time (do not crowd them. If you don’t have a large pot, you may have to cook one at a time). Boil for 10 mins, flip the dough and boil for another 10 mins (20 mins total). Remove the dough log from the water and use a toothpick or chopstick to poke lots of holes into the cooked dumpling to let the steam out. Repeat for the rest of the dough.
Let the cooked dough cool then slice. Ready to eat!

Tip: If you’re not using it right away, they freeze really well covered with some cling wrap. Steaming would be best when ready to use or microwave.

March 28, 2021February 11, 2025

Abby6 Comments

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Date Published: March 26th, 2021 | Last Updated: March 26th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: soups, sides, mains
Serves: 1 big pot (6-8) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Toby and I have been relief veterinarians travelling around Australia for the past 6 months. We’ve spent the last two months in Grafton, NSW and we have quite enjoyed our time here with the great team we’ve been working with. Sadly it’s time for us to move on in a couple of weeks and once again we have to start the process of using up all the things in the fridge. I’ve had a few recipes lined up for the week to destock the fridge, most of them repeats of old dishes, but today I decided to make something new. I’ve had this ‘Hungarian Mushroom Soup’ recipe saved from Allrecipes.com for over a year and for whatever reason never got around to making it until today. It was the perfect recipe to get rid of leftover parsley and celery – which I always end up buying too much of because every recipe only ever needs a little bit (and I refuse to buy half bunches of celery for $3 when I can get a whole bunch for $3.50 even if I don’t need it – it’s the principle!) I’ve never been to Hungary (it’s on the bucket list) nor have I had authentic Hungarian soup so I have no idea how close this recipe is to the real thing but Toby confirms that the ingredients and the flavours of this soup is very Eastern European, so how far off could I be? 😜

I LOVE mushrooms and any kind of creamy rich soup so you can see why I was especially excited to try out this dish. This isn’t any ordinary creamy mushroom soup – in fact, there isn’t any heavy cream at all. The creaminess comes from a flour/milk mixture that thickens the soup and the addition of sour cream makes it even richer. Paprika adds a smokiness to the soup that pairs well with the fragrance of dill which are the two dominant flavours of the dish along with the tang of the sour cream. If you want to make this soup low calorie, you can substitute the butter with olive oil and skip the sour cream altogether and serve it on the side as a dollop. This soup can be served on its own as an appetizer or a side dish, or you can bulk it up with some diced potatoes or add in nokedli (Hungarian dumplings) for a full meal.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 Tbsps (50g) butter
1 large onion, diced (~4 cups)
3 sticks of celery, diced (~3 cups) (optional)
500g white button mushrooms, sliced
4 cups (1 litre) chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (or 1.25 Tbsp dried dill)
2 Tbsps paprika (sweet Hungarian or smokey – or 1 Tbsp of each)
2 Tbsps soy sauce
2 cups (500ml) milk
1/3 cup (100g) all-purpose flour
1.5 Tbsps lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 cup (250g) sour cream – to make this soup lower in calories, you can add in dollops of sour cream at the end instead of mixing it in
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
ground black pepper to taste
2 portions of Nokedli (optional)

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter then add the diced onion and celery. Sauté the veg for a few minutes then put the pot lid on and let it continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the celery softens and is easily broken with a wooden spoon.

Once the celery softens, add in the sliced mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Add in the chicken broth, dill, paprika and soy sauce. Mix it all together, turn the heat up until it comes to a boil, then turn the heat down to low to simmer with the lid on for 15 mins.

Mix the milk with the flour and pour it into the soup. Turn the heat up again until it comes to a boil, then turn the heat down to low to simmer again for another 15 mins. Your soup should be thicker and creamy.

(If using: while the soup simmers, you can make the nokedli (optional) and drain it until ready to use.)

Add the lemon juice, parsley, sour cream*, salt and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly and turn off the heat when the soup heats through. Do not let it come to a boil. Enjoy! Serve the soup on its own or poured over fresh nokedli.

*Tip: If you prefer to use less sour cream, you can skip it in the soup altogether and just serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream on the side instead.

Summarized Recipe:

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

4 Tbsps (50g) butter
1 large onion, diced (~4 cups)
3 sticks of celery, diced (~3 cups) (optional)
500g white button mushrooms, sliced
4 cups (1 litre) chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh dill (or 1.5 Tbsp dried dill)
2 Tbsps paprika
2 Tbsps soy sauce
2 cups (500ml) milk
1/3 cup (100g) all-purpose flour
1.5 Tbsps lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup (250g) sour cream
1 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 portions of Nokedli (optional)

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter then add the diced onion and celery. Sauté the veg for a few minutes then put the pot lid on and let it continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the celery softens and is easily broken with a wooden spoon.
Once the celery softens, add in the sliced mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Add in the chicken broth, dill, paprika and soy sauce. Mix it all together, turn the heat up until it comes to a boil, then turn the heat down to low to simmer with the lid on for 15 mins.
Mix the milk with the flour and pour it into the soup. Turn the heat up again until it comes to a boil, then turn the heat down to low to simmer again for another 15 mins. Your soup should be thicker and creamy.
(If using: while the soup simmers, you can make the nokedli (optional) and drain it until ready to use.)
Add the lemon juice, parsley, sour cream*, salt and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly and turn off the heat when the soup heats through. Do not let it come to a boil. Enjoy! Serve the soup on its own or poured over fresh nokedli.

*Tip: If you prefer to use less sour cream, you can skip it in the soup altogether and just serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream on the side instead.

March 26, 2021March 26, 2021

Abby2 Comments

Favourite Roasted Pumpkin Spinach Soup

Date Published: March 22nd, 2021 | Last Updated: March 22nd, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: soups, vegetarian, easy, quick, healthy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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Of all the soups I make, this is probably one of the top go-to soups that Toby and I put together the most often. Why? Because it’s damn delicious, damn easy, healthy, low calorie and and filling. It even makes for an easy clean up. Sounds too good to be true, eh? The best part is that you don’t need to follow this recipe to a tee. You can add whatever veg you like to the roasting pan – which is a perfect way to sneak in extra veg for picky eaters or an even better way to clear out the fridge. All you gotta do to make this delicious soup is to roast the veggies, add some chicken stock, and blend it all up. That’s all! No cream, no butter, just a buttload of veg that keeps you full. If you ever follow the NY Times Cooking Blog, they occasionally post “no recipe recipes” which I think is a term that perfectly describes this type of recipe.

I’ve written the recipe as a guide to the basic version of the soup but feel free to swap out or add in any of the ingredients – the combinations of this soup are endless. I’ve made it with cauliflower, red pepper, zucchini…etc. If you want to bulk up this soup even more, you can add in rice and chicken as well. To make it indulgent, add a cup of cream at the end.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1kg (~6 cups) pumpkin, peeled and diced
3 cups (3 large stalks) celery, diced
1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
1.5 tsps paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
4 cups loosely packed (120g) baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C (375˚F).

I snuck some carrots in there as well leftover in the fridge

Roast the veggies: In a large baking tray, add in: pumpkin, celery, onion, garlic, paprika, salt, and olive oil. Mix it all around and roast in the preheated oven until all the veggies are soft and breaks apart easily when cut with a wooden spoon (30-45 mins). Toss the veggies around halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Once the veggies are cooked, empty the contents of the baking tray into a pot and add in the chicken stock. Turn the heat on to MED-HIGH and let the soup come to a boil. Once the soup comes to a boil, turn the heat OFF and remove the pot from the heat*. Then use an immersion/stick blender and blend the soup until smooth.

*It’s very important that you remove the pot from heat before you start blending otherwise when the thickened soup starts boiling again it starts to splatter everywhere!

Add in the spinach and submerge it into the soup until the leaves become soft, then blend the soup again until everything is combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot!

(Tip: If you’re feeling indulgent you can add 1 cup of heavy cream at the end. I always leave out the cream to make it a healthy soup.)

Summarized Recipe:

Favourite Roasted Pumpkin Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

1kg (~6 cups) pumpkin, peeled and diced
3 cups (3 large stalks) celery, diced
1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
1.5 tsps paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
4 cups loosely packed (120g) baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C (375˚F).
Roast the veggies: In a large baking tray, add in: pumpkin, celery, onion, garlic, paprika, salt, and olive oil. Mix it all around and roast in the preheated oven until all the veggies are soft and breaks apart easily when cut with a wooden spoon (30-45 mins). Toss the veggies around halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Once the veggies are cooked, empty the contents of the baking tray into a pot and add in the chicken stock. Turn the heat on to MED-HIGH and let the soup come to a boil. Once the soup comes to a boil, turn the heat OFF and remove the pot from the heat*. Then use an immersion/stick blender and blend the soup until smooth.
- *It’s very important that you remove the pot from heat before you start blending otherwise when the thickened soup starts boiling again it starts to splatter everywhere!
Add in the spinach and submerge it into the soup until the leaves become soft, then blend the soup again until everything is combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot!

(Tip: If you’re feeling indulgent you can add 1 cup of heavy cream at the end. I always leave out the cream to make it a healthy soup.)

March 22, 2021March 22, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Warm Pumpkin Kale Pesto Bowl

Date Published: March 20th, 2021 | Last Updated: March 20th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: salads, easy, mains, vegetarian, healthy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Last weekend Toby’s parents came to visit us in Grafton, NSW and we took them for brunch at a local café called Heart & Soul, recommended by one of our nurses. Like many restaurants in the COVID-age, their menu was digital and after scrolling through a few options, this caught my eye: “Breaky Bruschetta Stack – Organic sourdough bread with sautéed mushrooms, tomato, kale, pumpkin, danish feta & H&S pesto. Can be made vegan & is also a great lunch option $17.90″. Usually when we eat out, I tend to get something hearty, meaty, and not at all healthy, but I wasn’t particularly hungry that morning so I decided to get something a little lighter from their limited menu. I wasn’t expecting too much since the ingredients seemed pretty basic but I was happily surprised! In a small town of pubs and cheap takeaway food, I was impressed by the wholesome food and myriad of hearty flavours that came through in this dish that not only made it super filling but it was damn delicious. If you’re ever in Grafton, NSW I’d recommend heading to this café.

True to my nature, of course I had to try and recreate the dish when I got home. This recipe is the result of my attempt at recreating the dish and I must say I’m pretty damn close. Even Toby, who’s not usually a fan of kale, enjoyed it! The feta and pesto flavours dominate this dish but are contrasted well by the sweetness of the warm roasted pumpkin and the juiciness of the sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes on a bed of soft massage kale. This hearty healthy dish is satisfying, filling, and a snap to put together. Serve it warmed or cooled.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

500g (~3 cups) pumpkin, diced into 2cm cubes
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 bunch (~5 cups packed) curly leaf kale
200g brown or white button mushrooms, cut into halves or quarters
Pinch of fresh or dried thyme
2 medium tomatoes, diced into 2cm cubes
150-200g soft Danish Feta (Greek Feta is okay too but will have a stronger taste and you may want to use less of it)
1/2 cup pesto
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped (for garnish)
2 poached eggs (optional)
2 slices of sourdough bread or rye (optional)

Directions:

Roast the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 180˚C (375˚F). In a bowl, mix together the diced pumpkin with a drizzle of olive oil, 1/4 tsp of paprika, and a pinch of salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 mins until golden. Set aside.

You can roast it in an air fryer as well to save some time.

Prepare the kale: While the pumpkin is roasting, prepare the kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Discard the stems. Wash and dry the leaves in a salad spinner. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the leaves and massage the kale with both hands until the leaves are soft and turn a darker shade of green (1-2 mins). Set aside.

Note: Massaging the kale well is KEY to this dish! Massaging it softens the kale and makes the flavour more subtle.

Poach 2 eggs (optional). Set aside.

In a skillet on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms with a pinch of thyme until golden brown. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and add the diced tomatoes to the hot pan. Cook the tomatoes for a few minutes until they start to soften then add back in the mushrooms and cooked pumpkin to the skillet and mix around until everything is warmed through. Turn off the heat.

Butter and toast the sourdough (optional).

Assemble the salad: Divide evenly between 2 large plates: sourdough (if using) + massaged kale + roasted pumpkin/mushrooms/tomatoes + 4-5 spoonfuls of pesto + 4-5 spoonfuls of feta + 2 poached eggs (if using) + sprinkle of flat leaf parsley. Top with fresh cracked pepper. Serve warm!

Summarized Recipe:

Warm Pumpkin Kale Pesto Bowl

Ingredients:

500g (~3 cups) pumpkin, diced into 2cm cubes
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 bunch (~5 cups packed) curly leaf kale
200g brown or white button mushrooms, cut into halves or quarters
Pinch of fresh or dried thyme
2 medium tomatoes, diced into 2cm cubes
150-200g soft Danish Feta (Greek Feta is okay too but will have a stronger taste and you may want to use less of it)
1/2 cup pesto
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped (for garnish)
2 poached eggs (optional)
2 slices of sourdough bread or rye (optional)

Directions:

Roast the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 180˚C (375˚F). In a bowl, mix together the diced pumpkin with a drizzle of olive oil, 1/4 tsp of paprika, and a pinch of salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 mins until golden. Set aside.
- You can roast it in an air fryer as well to save some time.
Prepare the kale: While the pumpkin is roasting, prepare the kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Discard the stems. Wash and dry the leaves in a salad spinner. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the leaves and massage the kale with both hands until the leaves are soft and turn a darker shade of green (1-2 mins). Set aside.
Poach 2 eggs (optional). Set aside.
In a skillet on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms with a pinch of thyme until golden brown. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and add the diced tomatoes to the hot pan. Cook the tomatoes for a few minutes until they start to soften then add back in the mushrooms and cooked pumpkin to the skillet and mix around until everything is warmed through. Turn off the heat.
Butter and toast the sourdough (optional).
Assemble the salad: Divide evenly between 2 large plates: sourdough (if using) + massaged kale + roasted pumpkin/mushrooms/tomatoes + 4-5 spoonfuls of pesto + 4-5 spoonfuls of feta + 2 poached eggs (if using) + sprinkle of flat leaf parsley. Top with fresh cracked pepper. Serve warm!

March 20, 2021March 20, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Nokedli (Hungarian ‘Dumplings’)

Date Published: March 19th, 2021 | Last Updated: March 19th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: basics, easy, < 30mins, sides
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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Get ready to make the quickest and easiest “pasta” you’ve ever made. Nokedli is a Hungarian “dumpling” which I can best describe as a gnocchi but slightly squishier and fluffy. It’s made with only 4 ingredients and takes 15 minutes to whip up and a few minutes to cook. It’s so easy and versatile, you may never want to buy pasta again. They may not be the most beautiful, but you just can’t beat the texture of a fresh pasta at such minimal effort. You can make them as big or as small as you like. It’s fantastic sautéed in a dish or tossed in something saucy to soak up the flavour. My new favourite way to have it is mixed in a rich creamy mushroom sauce. This recipe makes 2 servings but if you’re tossing it in a dish with lots of other ingredients such as meat or veggies, it will easily bulk it up to 4 portions.

As an Asian person, the term “dumpling” has always been known to me as pockets of meat wrapped in a thin dough so it confused me greatly when I learned that the European definition of “dumpling” is generally an overarching term for a dough without any filling. European dumplings can vary greatly in ingredients and textures and can be vastly different between different regions and countries. I was actually low-key disappointed when Toby first told me he was going to make Czech dumplings and it ended up being a bread dough 😂. I still find it weird to use the term ‘dumpling’ for anything else but Asian-style dumplings but I’m sure I’ll adjust.

I first came across the idea of making nokedli through my friend’s oma’s recipe for Pumble and Knockle which is a simple hearty Hungarian dish of paprika potatoes cooked in buttery bread. She made hers without any egg which I thought was a bit dense so I went hunting for more traditional nokedli recipes and put this one together (food.com and venturists.net had a couple good ones that I based this one off of).

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup (80ml) water
~1 cup (~150g) all-purpose flour (you may not need the whole cup)

Directions:

In a mixing bowl beat together the egg, salt and 1/3 cup water.

Add in the flour gradually to the bowl, mixing with a fork, until you get a thick sticky dough – it should be roughly thicker than cake batter (you may not need to use the entire cup of flour). Set aside to rest for 10 mins.

While the dough is resting, boil a medium pot of water with 1-2 teaspoons of salt. When the dough has rested, mix it around one more time and drop half a teaspoon of dough into the boiling water at a time. (Tip: lower the spoon into the boiling water for the dough to release from the spoon). When the dough floats to the top, it’s ready (2-3 minutes). Strain and ready to use!

Note: you may want to cook your nokedli in batches to not overcook them or get someone to help you spoon the dough into the pot so they all go into the pot faster.

If you’re not using them right away, rinse them in cold water to prevent them from sticking together. Otherwise if you’re serving it in a sauce, you can add them directly in the finished sauce and serve.

Nokedli served in Pumble and Knockle (Hungarian paprika potatoes with buttery bread)

Nokedli tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce 🙂 mmmm

Summarized Recipe:

Nokedli (Hungarian ‘Dumplings’)

Date Published: March 19th, 2021 | Last Updated: March 19th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: basics, easy, < 30mins, sides
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup (80ml) water
~1 cup (~150g) all-purpose flour (you may not need the whole cup)

Directions:

In a mixing bowl beat together the egg, salt and 1/3 cup water.
Add in the flour gradually to the bowl, mixing with a fork, until you get a thick sticky dough – it should be roughly thicker than cake batter (you may not need to use the entire cup of flour). Set aside to rest for 10 mins.
While the dough is resting, boil a medium pot of water with 1-2 teaspoons of salt. When the dough has rested, mix it around one more time and drop half a teaspoon of dough into the boiling water at a time. (Tip: lower the spoon into the boiling water for the dough to release from the spoon). When the dough floats to the top, it’s ready (2-3 minutes). Strain and ready to use!
- Note: you may want to cook your nokedli in batches to not overcook them or get someone to help you spoon the dough into the pot so they all go into the pot faster.
- If you’re not using them right away, rinse them in cold water to prevent them from sticking together. Otherwise if you’re serving it in a sauce, you can add them directly in the finished sauce and serve.

March 19, 2021March 19, 2021

Abby3 Comments

THE Best Mushroom Stuffing

Date Published: Feb 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Feb 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: sides
Serves: 1 large tray | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hrs

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Stuffing is definitely in my top 10 favourite things to eat. I could eat it all day everyday – just let me drown in the buttery goodness of the soft bread in aromatic herbs. Warning: this recipe makes quite a big batch for a party, so if you’re scaling down for dinner, feel free the halve the recipe. I always make the full recipe no matter the party size in hopes that there would be leftovers so I could keep eating it for the rest of the week 😜.

Stuffing is a classic side dish to any Thanksgiving dinner. There are many variations out there but the base ingredients are always the same: bread, celery, parsley, and onion cooked in butter and baked in a blend of herbs including poultry seasoning. Poultry seasoning doesn’t seem to exist on the supermarket shelves in Australia (then again, neither does Thanksgiving) so whenever I visit home in Canada I always bring back a bag with me. If you can’t easily access poultry seasoning, there are a few recipes floating online to make your own!

I’ve made this stuffing at least a dozen times over the years and it’s always a talking point. The trick that I learned the hard way is not to add too much liquid to the stuffing. You must mix things quickly and not let any liquids pool at the bottom or let it sit for too long before baking, otherwise the bread becomes too soggy and you end up with a really mushy stuffing and doesn’t bake as nicely. To limit the mushiness, you want your bread cubes to be as dry as possible before starting and you want to add only enough liquid so everything is just slightly wet.

Side story: One year at the food pavilion at the annual CNE in Canada, a food booth made stuffing WAFFLES! It blew my freaking mind. The waffle was made of delicious stuffing and then topped with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and gravy. It was like the perfect Thanksgiving dinner in waffle form! I’ve always wanted to try and recreate it, but never got around to buying a waffle maker.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 loaf of sliced plain bread (cheapest one will do) (or 12 cups dry bread cubes)
1 cup (227g) salted butter
1 large (2 cups) yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups celery, finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
500g mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1.5 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Chicken broth as needed (~2-3 cups) (you can use vegetable broth as well to make it vegetarian)
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Slice up an entire loaf of white bread into cubes

Tip: You can store the cubes in the bread bag until ready to use

Dehydrate your bread (skip this step if you’re using dry bread cubes): Preheat oven to 180˚C (350F). Slice the entire loaf of bread into cubes. Spread out the cubes evenly in a single layer on a baking tray (you will need to split it up between a few trays so they get evenly toasted) and bake until the cubes are dry and crunchy, flipping over once. This should take about 10mins. Once the bread cubes are dehydrated, set them aside to let cool.

Alternatively, if you plan ahead you can leave the bread cubes out overnight to air dry instead of baking them – but this may take longer depending on how humid your environment is. I like to store them in the bread bag once cooled.

Tip: This is probably the most time-consuming part of this whole recipe. You can do this step a couple days ahead of time to save time if you’re cooking a big dinner – just keep the bread cubes away from moisture until you’re ready to use.

Preheat oven to 180˚C (350F).

Melt the butter in a pot and cook the onion, celery, mushroom and parsley until they’re soft and break easily with a spoon. Once cooked, turn off the heat.

Place the dried bread cubes into a large bowl and season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Spoon the cooked vegetables over the bread without the butter liquid and mix everything together quickly, otherwise the bread will start getting soggy.

Pour in the remaining butter liquid from the pot and continue to mix well. Don’t let liquid sit on bottom of bowl! Add the eggs and ONLY enough chicken broth to MOISTEN the bread crumbs (too much will result in mushy stuffing, ~2-3 cups). Mix well.

Once everything is incorporated, transfer the mixture to a large baking tray and bake uncovered for 30-45mins, flipping and stirring once halfway through. The stuffing is done once it turns a toasty golden brown colour. Serve!

Alternatively, you can also cook this in a slow cooker: cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours.

Summarized Recipe:

THE Best Mushroom Stuffing

Date Published: Feb 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Feb 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: sides
Serves: 1 large tray | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hrs

Ingredients:

1 loaf of sliced plain bread (cheapest one will do) (or 12 cups dry bread cubes)
1 cup (227g) salted butter
1 large (2 cups) yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups celery, finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
500g mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1.5 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Chicken broth as needed (~2-3 cups) (you can use vegetable broth as well to make it vegetarian)
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Dehydrate your bread (skip this step if you’re using dry bread cubes): Preheat oven to 180˚C (350F). Slice the entire loaf of bread into cubes. Spread out the cubes evenly in a single layer on a baking tray (you will need to split it up between a few trays so they get evenly toasted) and bake until the cubes are dry and crunchy, flipping over once. This should take about 10mins. Once the bread cubes are dehydrated, set them aside to let cool (I like to put them back in the bread bag).
Preheat oven to 180˚C (350F).
Melt the butter in a pot and cook the onion, celery, mushroom and parsley until they’re soft and break easily with a spoon. Once cooked, turn off the heat.
Place the dried bread cubes into a large bowl and season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Spoon the cooked vegetables over the bread without the butter liquid and mix everything together quickly, otherwise the bread will start getting soggy.
Pour in the remaining butter liquid from the pot and continue to mix well. Don’t let liquid sit on bottom of bowl! Add the eggs and ONLY enough chicken broth to MOISTEN the bread crumbs (too much will result in mushy stuffing, ~2-3 cups). Mix well.
Once everything is incorporated, transfer the mixture to a large baking tray and bake uncovered for 30-45mins, flipping and stirring once halfway through. The stuffing is done once it turns a toasty golden brown colour. Serve!

February 10, 2021March 6, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Stir-Fry Black Pepper Beef & Carrot

Date Published: January 17th, 2020 | Last Updated: January 17th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, mains, sides, easy
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15mins | Cook time: 15mins

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I don’t tend to buy many pre-made sauces because I want to limit the amount of half opened jars in my fridge and also I haven’t found many pre-made sauces that I haven’t been able to re-create or liked enough to keep around. UNTIL my mom introduced me to the Lee Kum Kee black pepper sauce. She learned this recipe from one of her church friends. My mind was blown the first time she ever made this for us. I could eat this dish all day, everyday, the saucier the better! I always hoped she would double the recipe every time she made it. There were never any leftovers. This dish goes so well over rice or sautéed with some thick noodles. Mmm mmmm. You can even change it up and stir-fry it with some onion and bell peppers if you’re not a huge fan of carrots.

Because this recipe is based on a pre-made sauce, it’s incredibly easy and cooks up quickly – perfect if you haven’t got much time.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1kg (~3.5 cups) steak, sliced into strips (any stir-fry steak will do: rump, flank, skirt)
1.5 tsps cornstarch
6 cups (~4-5 large) carrots, julienned (or thickly grated to save time)
1/2 jar (~1/2 cup) of Lee Kum Kee black pepper sauce

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the steak strips and cornstarch together until combined.

In a wok, over medium-high heat, sear the steak strips until they’re browned on the outside (~1-2 mins). Remove the steak into a bowl and set aside.

In the same wok, still over medium-high heat, add the carrots and stir-fry it with the leftover oil from the steak for 4-5 mins until they’re slightly soft.

Turn down the heat to medium and add in the steak and black pepper sauce. Stir-fry until everything is combined for another 2 mins. Taste and add more black pepper sauce if needed or some water if too strong. If you have too much liquid or if you prefer the sauce to be thicker, remove a few tablespoons of liquid from the wok into a small bowl and mix in half a tablespoon of cornstarch then add the mixture back into the wok and stir it until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice, noodles or as a side dish. Enjoy!

You can also try stir-frying it with noodles instead of serving over rice

Summarized Recipe:

Stir-Fry Black Pepper Beef & Carrot

Date Published: January 17th, 2020 | Last Updated: January 17th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, mains, sides, easy
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15mins | Cook time: 15mins

Ingredients:

1kg (~3.5 cups) steak, sliced into strips (any stir-fry steak will do: rump, flank, skirt)
1.5 tsps cornstarch
6 cups (~4-5 large) carrots, julienned
1/2 jar (~1/2 cup) of Lee Kum Kee black pepper sauce

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the steak strips and cornstarch together until combined.
In a wok, over medium-high heat, sear the steak strips until they’re browned on the outside (~1-2 mins). Remove the steak into a bowl and set aside.
In the same wok, still over medium-high heat, add the carrots and stir-fry it with the leftover oil from the steak for 4-5 mins until they’re slightly soft.
Turn down the heat to medium and add in the steak and black pepper sauce. Stir-fry until everything is combined for another 2 mins. Taste and add more black pepper sauce if needed or some water if too strong. If you have too much liquid or if you prefer the sauce to be thicker, remove a few tablespoons of liquid from the wok into a small bowl and mix in half a tablespoon of cornstarch then add the mixture back into the wok and stir it until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice, noodles or as a side dish. Enjoy!

January 17, 2021February 10, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Flavour Bomb Beef

Date Published: August 29th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 29th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: mains, appetizer, Asian, sides
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 45 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

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At the start of the pandemic Toby and I started religiously watching Masterchef AU 2020. Neither of us had watched Masterchef before and neither of us watch much reality television. Perhaps it was the constant ads or perhaps it was the extra time we had on our hands from the pandemic, we got sucked in. At 7:30pm, 5 days a week, we were glued to the tv. We had a few favourite contestants on this show and Kanh is one of them. His dishes always looked so good with so much flavour on the show that I couldn’t wait to get his cookbook when it came out. His book definitely didn’t disappoint (although it’s a bit of a pain to navigate through the ebook version) and as expected, it’s full of amazing recipes with hilarious personal notes. This recipe is straight from Kanh Ong’s cookbook: A Gay Guy’s Guide to Life Love Food with a few tweaks in the methods and reorganizing of the ingredients. He calls it “Shaking Beef” in his book in reference to the shaking of the pan when you make it. We’ve made at least half a dozen dishes from his book but I think this may be our favourite!

This dish is a flavour BOMB. The beef tenderloin is marinated in a sweet dark sauce then seared on a hot pan for a caramelized outside and soft melt-in-your-mouth rare beef on the inside. The bold salty flavours of the beef is best paired with the pickled red onions and dipping sauce (also included in this recipe). I was skeptical at first, but the pickled red onions really makes a huge difference and brings the beef to the next level. This dish got rave reviews with our family and there were no empty plates!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Marinade:
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsps oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp caster sugar
- Pinch of salt & pepper
600g beef tenderloin/eye fillet, cut into 2.5cm cubes
2 cloves garlic, crushed and divided
1 red capsicum/red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 large tomato
Handful of leafy greens (like watercress or lettuce) – optional
Pickled Red Onion:
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 2 Tbsps caster sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) white vinegar
Dipping Sauce:
- 2 tsps sea salt
- 2 tsps freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice

Directions:

Marinate the beef: Combine the marinade ingredients into a large bowl (garlic, oil, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, pinch of salt and pepper). Mix and marinate the beef pieces for at least 30mins or ideally overnight.

Make the Pickled Red Onion: Mix the red onion, sugar and white vinegar in a glass or ceramic bowl. Set aside.

Make the Dipping Sauce: Add the salt, black pepper and lemon juice together in a bowl. Set aside.

Cook the beef: You want to cook the beef in two batches to not crowd the pan. Heat a wok or skillet (ideally use a wok because this dish will splatter!) on HIGH heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add in 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds until lightly brown then add in half the amount of marinated beef to the pan and toss for 2-3 minutes until seared. In the last 15 seconds, add in half of the capsicum pieces and sauté. Remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat with the second half of the garlic, beef, and capsicum.

We’re aiming for med-rare with these beef pieces. Remove it from the pan when the outside is just cooked and still soft on the inside.

Serving: Drain the pickled red onion mixture and discard the liquid. Serve the beef with some tomato slices, pickled red onion, dipping sauce, and some greens (like watercress or lettuce) for freshness. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Flavour Bomb Beef

Ingredients:

Marinade:
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsps oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp caster sugar
- Pinch of salt & pepper
600g beef tenderloin/eye fillet, cut into 2.5cm cubes
2 cloves garlic, crushed and divided
1 red capsicum/red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 large tomato
Handful of leafy greens (like watercress or lettuce) – optional
Pickled Red Onion:
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 2 Tbsps caster sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) white vinegar
Dipping Sauce:
- 2 tsps sea salt
- 2 tsps freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice

Directions:

Marinate the beef: Combine the marinade ingredients into a large bowl (garlic, oil, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, pinch of salt and pepper). Mix and marinate the beef pieces for at least 30mins or ideally overnight.
Make the Pickled Red Onion: Mix the red onion, sugar and white vinegar in a glass or ceramic bowl. Set aside.
Make the Dipping Sauce: Add the salt, black pepper and lemon juice together in a bowl. Set aside.
Cook the beef: You want to cook the beef in two batches to not crowd the pan. Heat a wok or skillet (ideally use a wok because this dish will splatter!) on HIGH heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add in 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds until lightly brown then add in half the amount of marinated beef to the pan and toss for 2-3 minutes until seared. In the last 15 seconds, add in half of the capsicum pieces and sauté. Remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat with the second half of the garlic, beef, and capsicum.
- We’re aiming for med-rare with these beef pieces. Remove it from the pan when the outside is just cooked and still soft on the inside.
Serving: Drain the pickled red onion mixture and discard the liquid. Serve the beef with some tomato slices, pickled red onion, dipping sauce, and some greens (like watercress or lettuce) for freshness. Done!

August 29, 2020August 29, 2020

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