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

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

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:

  1. Mix all the ingredients of the dumpling filling in a bowl: chicken mince, sweet corn, soy sauce, chicken stock powder, white pepper, and sugar.
  2. Wrap the dumplings.
  3. 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.

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!

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:

  • 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)

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.

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:

  1. Finely chop the beef until desired consistency. You can also put it through a grinder if you’ve got one.
  2. 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).
  3. Toast the slices of rye bread and spread on butter, or alternatively you can pan-fry it with some oil or lard.
  4. 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!

Abby1 Comment

Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms


Date Published: Sept 5th, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 5th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15mins, appetizer, asian, sides, healthy, low-cal, snacks
Serves: depends on how much you make | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins per batch

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This recipe is simple, so easy, and cooks up quickly! King Oyster mushrooms are perfect for grilling due to its texture and also has a great chew. It makes a super quick appetizer, side dish or a snack. There’s not much to this recipe other than slicing the mushrooms and grilling or pan-frying with some salt and pepper. Done!

You can make as much or as little as your want. The mushrooms shrink a little when you cook them so keep that in mind. I always double the amount I plan to serve because I snack on them as I wait for the next batch to cook because they’re so damn delicious.

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:

  • Olive oil
  • King oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise to 1.5cm thickness (in any amount you want)
  • Salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet or grill top on MED-HIGH heat, add a small drizzle of olive oil. Make sure the pan is very hot. Add the sliced king oyster mushrooms to the pan in a single layer (you may have to do this in multiple batches if you have a lot of mushrooms). Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Cook each side for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden brown. Remove from pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, adding in another small drizzle of olive oil each time. Serve immediately.

Summarized Recipe:

Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms

Date Published: Sept 5th, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 5th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15mins, appetizer, asian, sides, healthy, low-cal, snacks
Serves: depends on how much you make | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins per batch

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • King oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise to 1.5cm thickness (in any amount you want)
  • Salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet or grill top on MED-HIGH heat, add a small drizzle of olive oil. Make sure the pan is very hot. Add the sliced king oyster mushrooms to the pan in a single layer (you may have to do this in multiple batches if you have a lot of mushrooms). Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Cook each side for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden brown. Remove from pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, adding in another small drizzle of olive oil each time. Serve immediately.

Abby1 Comment

Savoury Spiced Oat Cluster “Croutons”


Date Published: Aug 16th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 16th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: sides, salads, snacks, easy, healthy
Serves: 2 cups (enough for 4 salads) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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WARNING: THESE ARE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.

Time is ticking down to our wedding date and our diet is in full swing. I’m always on the hunt for interesting recipes or ways to sneak in oats and cut down on carbs (such as the steel cut oats risotto recipe). When I first came across the original recipe from Grazing Kayne, I was skeptical. How can oats replace croutons? The ingredient list didn’t even seem like it would surmount to anything close to a crouton, but I gave it a try anyway – boy was I glad I did! These things are SO addicting. It’s deliciously salty, sweet, with a mild spicy kick. I nearly ate the first batch in one sitting! I tried a couple of other oat crouton recipes after but this recipe had the best flavours so of course they had to be an addition to the Polyphagic Abby collection.

“Croutons” – do they really taste like croutons?

If you’re looking for something that’s light and crunchy with a buttery garlic flavour like a regular crouton, then the answer is no. These taste nothing like a bread crouton, BUT these oat clusters are super crunchy and is a good replacement for traditional croutons in salads to achieve the same crunch factor and healthier with whole ingredients and fewer carbs. These are sweet, salty, and a little spicy which gives it a completely different flavour profile and in my opinion, way more addicting.

How to achieve clusters:

The first time I made these they didn’t cluster at all and I ended up with a loose granola. They flavours were still good which didn’t stop me from eating them by the handful, but it took a couple of tries to finally achieve the clusters. A few features of this recipe helps create clusters:

  1. The frothy egg white adds protein which helps it alls tick together.
  2. Press down the oat mixture into the pan before baking.
  3. GENTLY toss every 15 mins. I tend to scoop and flip large parts of the baked oats with a spatula and gently breaking it up into large clusters before continuing to bake.
  4. Once done baking, let it cool COMPLETELY to allow it to solidify before storing it. If you tamper with it while it’s warm, the clusters will break easily.

The serving size for the recipe is enough for 4 salads, but if you’re like my and can’t stop snacking on them, I suggest you double the recipe. It keeps really well in the pantry in an air-tight container for a couple weeks.

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 cup (95g) rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup (38g) sunflower seeds, hulled
  • 1/4 cup (34g) pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cooking salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 Tbsps (113g) maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsps olive oil
  • 1 egg white, whisked until frothy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C and prepare a lined baking sheet.

Dry ingredients
frothy egg white
All mixed together

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix together: rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, salt, pepper, rosemary, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, and egg white.

Spread mixture evenly on a baking tray
Try to keep it compact
After 15mins, toss gently in chunks
Try not to break it up too much when tossing
Bake again for another 15mins and gently toss again to ensure even baking
Bake until deep golden caramelized brown

Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet and press down flat. Bake in the preheated oven. GENTLY toss every 15mins until deep golden brown (~45 mins). Try to toss it in chunks to encourage clustering. Don’t toss too much or else it will break up the clusters. Let it cool completely. Store in an air tight container.

Summarized Recipe:

Savoury Spiced Oat Cluster “Croutons”

Date Published: Aug 16th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 16th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: sides, salads, snacks, easy, healthy
Serves: 2 cups (enough for a big salad) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (95g) rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup (38g) sunflower seeds, hulled
  • 1/4 cup (34g) pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cooking salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 Tbsps (113g) maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsps olive oil
  • 1 egg white, whisked until frothy

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C and prepare a lined baking sheet.
  2. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix together: rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, salt, pepper, rosemary, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, and egg white.
  3. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet and gently press down. Bake in the preheated oven. GENTLY toss every 15mins until deep golden brown (~45 mins). Try to toss it in chunks to encourage clustering. Don’t toss too much or else it will break up the clusters. Let it cool completely. Store in an air tight container.

AbbyLeave a comment

Quick and So Easy 2-Ingredient Naan


Date Published: Aug 17th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 17th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: <15mins, easy, appetizers, sides, breads, quick and easy, snacks
Serves: 6 pieces | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 4 mins per piece x 6

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This two-ingredient naan is easy, fuss-free, and makes a quick side dish to any saucy dish or soup. I originally found the recipe from a Coles weekly magazine and was amazed that it actually turned out well (after a couple tweaks)! It has a beautiful fluffy texture with the classic chewiness of naan. It’s super quick: no yeast, no resting time, no proofing, and minimal kneading. It’s great for a last minute on-the-go side dish. All you need are two ingredients: Greek yogurt and self-raising flour in a 1:1 ratio by weight.

You’ve got to give this simple recipe a try – you’ll be amazed by how quick and easy it comes together!

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:

  • 280g Greek yogurt
  • 280g self-raising flour + more for kneading
  • 1 Tbsp cooking salt (optional to leave out if you’re pairing it with a salty dish)
  • For brushing: 100g melted butter (or olive oil)
  • Garnish: 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Mix the flour, yogurt and salt in a bowl
Knead until you get a smooth ball
Divide into 6 even pieces and roll each one to 2-3mm thickness.
Make sure it’s not too thick since they puff up and double in thickness once cooked.

In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt and self-raising flour until you get a loose sticky dough. Turn the dough over on a floured surface and knead by hand until you get a smooth ball of dough (~5mins). Add more flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky.

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and use a rolling pin to flatten each one into 1cm thickness round or oval shapes. Make sure it’s not too thick since they puff up and double in thickness once cooked.

Brush one side with melted butter/olive oil
Placed the oiled side down on the hot pan. It’ll bubble when it’s almost ready to be flipped.
Brush more melted butter/oil to the other side before flipping.
Flip and cook for another 1-2 mins until golden brown.

Heat up a flat pan/skillet on MED-HIGH heat. Brush the melted butter (or olive oil) on one side of the naan and cook oiled side down for 2 mins until it puffs up and bubbles. Brush the other side with butter/oil before flipping and cook for another 1-2 mins or until golden brown then remove from the pan. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. Brush with a bit more butter on each side before serving.

If making garlic naan, brush the naan with a butter/garlic parsley mixture instead.

Summarized Recipe:

Quick and So Easy 2-Ingredient Naan

Date Published: Aug 17th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 17th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: <15mins, easy, appetizers, sides, breads, quick and easy, snacks
Serves: 6 pieces | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 4 mins per piece x 6

Ingredients:

  • 280g Greek yogurt
  • 280g self-raising flour + more for kneading
  • 1 Tbsp cooking salt
  • For brushing: 100g melted butter (or olive oil)
  • Garnish: 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt and self-raising flour until you get a loose sticky dough.
  2. Turn the dough over on a floured surface and knead by hand until you get a smooth ball of dough (~5mins). Add more flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky.
  3. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and use a rolling pin to flatten each one into 1cm thickness round or oval shapes. Make sure it’s not too thick since they puff up and double in thickness once cooked.
  4. Heat up a flat pan/skillet on MED-HIGH heat. Brush the melted butter (or olive oil) on one side of the naan and cook oiled side down for 2 mins until it puffs up and bubbles. Brush the other side with butter/oil before flipping and cook for another 1-2 mins or until golden brown then remove from the pan. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. Brush with a bit more butter on each side before serving.
    • If making garlic naan, brush the naan with a butter/garlic parsley mixture instead.

AbbyLeave a comment

Easy Healthy French Onion Meatballs


Date Published: Aug 9th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 9th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: < 15mins, appetizers, easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, quick and easy, snacks
Serves: 24 meatballs | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Jump to recipe |

This meatball recipe will probably not be the best meatballs you’ve ever had, but they will probably be the most healthy and without compromising on flavour! High cholesterol runs in my family so I’m always looking for ways to lower fat, cut the grease, and sneak in some veg or oats – this meatball recipe does just that, by incorporating zucchinis, rolled oats, and 95% lean beef mince as the bulk of the meatball.

The one down side about a healthy minimal fat meatball is that it has a tendency to become dry when cooled, therefore they must be served asap when hot or tossed in a sauce or soup to absorb extra moisture. I like to add it to a pasta sauce and serve it with zoodles (zucchini noodles).

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:

  • French Onion Seasoning:
    • 1/4 cup onion flakes
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed into a powder
    • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
    • 1/4 tsp celery salt
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 500g extra lean beef mince (95%)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 zucchini, grated with liquid squeezed out

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the seasoning ingredients (onion flakes, onion powder, garlic, beef bouillon, dried parsley, celery salt, black pepper). Next add in the rolled oats, beef mince, egg, and zucchini to the bowl and combine.

The cooked meatballs will be darker when cooked in the oven.

Form the mixture into even-sized meatballs – any size you like, as long as they’re all the same size. Makes about 50 x 3cm meatballs, or 24 x 5cm meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20mins or until cooked (the timing will depend on how large your meatballs are). Serve immediately, toss in a sauce, or add into a soup.

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Healthy French Onion Meatballs

Date Published: Aug 9th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 9th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: < 15mins, appetizers, easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, quick and easy, snacks
Serves: 24 meatballs | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

  • French Onion Seasoning:
    • 1/4 cup onion flakes
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed into a powder
    • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
    • 1/4 tsp celery salt
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 500g extra lean beef mince (95%)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 zucchini, grated with liquid squeezed out

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
  2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the seasoning ingredients (onion flakes, onion powder, garlic, beef bouillon, dried parsley, celery salt, black pepper). Next add in the rolled oats, beef mince, egg, and zucchini to the bowl and combine.
  3. Form the mixture into even-sized meatballs – any size you like, as long as they’re all the same size.
    • Makes about 50 x 3cm meatballs, or 24 x 5cm meatballs.
  4. Arrange the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20mins or until cooked (the timing will depend on how large your meatballs are). Serve immediately or toss in a sauce.

Abby2 Comments

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

Jump to recipe |
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.

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:

  • 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:

Simmer the marinade on low for 10 mins

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.

Carefully lower the eggs into the water
Set a timer once they’re all in the pot

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.

More cracks = more marbling

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
24 hours later (oops I already ate 2)

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)

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

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Let the eggs marinate in the fridge overnight, or best for 24 hours (or longer!).
  7. Serve the eggs either cold, room temperature, or slightly warmed. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Easy Beef Curry Puffs


Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: appetizers, snacks, easy, pastry
Serves: 14 curry puffs | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

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Who doesn’t love a good curry puff??? This super quick and easy version is adapted from Sarah Tiong’s (my favourite Masterchef contestant) recipe. All you need are a few basic ingredients, 10 mins to stir-fry, then wrap it up and bake. Easy!

You can use either thawed pre-made puff pastry dough or make your own rough puff dough.

This recipe is meant to be a quick and easy version of a curry puff. Feel free to add in your own veg or extra seasonings to your liking. Sometimes I like to toss in some cooked diced potatoes and peas with the beef to bulk it up.

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 small brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
  • 250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
  • 2 Tbsps curry powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins). Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.

Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.

When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.

Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).

Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.

Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Beef Curry Puffs

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: appetizers, snacks, easy, pastry
Serves: 14 curry puffs | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 small brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
  • 250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
  • 2 Tbsps curry powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

  1. In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins).
  2. Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.
  3. Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.
  4. When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.
  5. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
  6. Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.
  7. Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).
    • Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.
  8. Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

AbbyLeave a comment

Smoked Salmon Spread


Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15 mins, appetizers, on the go, quick, dips, snacks
Serves: 1 large bowl or 6 bagel spreads | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 2 mins

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This is one of my all time favourite dips. I’m surprised it has taken me this long to write it up! A good cream cheese bagel has always been one of my weaknesses. When I did a vet student placement in New York years ago, there was a bagel cart parked outside of the American Medical Centre. Every morning I’d get an ‘everything bagel with cream cheese’ and it was always the best part of my morning because he loaded it with so much cream cheese 😛. One day I walked up to the cart and before I even spoke, he already started apologizing that he had sold out of the ‘everything bagel’. Although I was disappointed, I was more surprised that he actually remembered me and it was nice the have a bagel guy that knows my “usual”. (Don’t worry guys, I got a plain bagel instead, and it had just as much cream cheese 😜). Aaaaanyways, I digress. The point of that story is that I really fucking love bagels and cream cheese – but what’s even better? Smoked salmon and cream cheese! You’ll commonly find “lox” on the menu of a bagel shop in New York (lox and cold smoked salmon are often used interchangeably, although lox isn’t always smoked). It’s usually served on a toasted bagel with cream cheese, capers, dill, and red onion. Mmmmmmmmm. This recipe is essentially all of those ingredients blended together to make a quick and easy salmon spread.

This dip is perfect to serve as a dip at a party served with some fancy crackers, or as a quick and easy snack or breakfast spread over a warm toasted bagel.

What type of salmon?

I prefer to use cold-smoked salmon for this recipe (the fancy pieces of sliced pink heaven). I usually buy them in big packages from Costco so it’s a little cheaper and it’s also a great way to use up the remainder of the smoked salmon before it goes off. Blending it with the cream cheese and other ingredients preserves it a little longer. It also gives you a break from eating straight up smoked salmon because you bought too much from Costco because it was so cheap… You can also use smoked trout which is a little cheaper and to me, they taste very similar.

You can also used canned smoked salmon instead which will make this recipe even cheaper to make, however the canned version will have a more robust fishy taste so you’ll either have to use less of it in this recipe or increase the rest of the ingredients. It also won’t have the pretty pink colour so your dip won’t have the blush pink colour, but flavour wise is similar.

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!

Recipe originally adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/233564/the-best-smoked-salmon-spread/

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1 package (8oz/226g) cream cheese, softened
  • 150g smoked salmon (cold smoked sliced or canned*)
  • 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
  • 3 Tbsps fresh dill, (leaves only, no stem)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 drops hot pepper sauce (ie Tabasco) OR 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsps green onion, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy/smooth.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best overnight before serving. Enjoy!

Serve spread on a toasted bagel or as a dip with crackers.

Notes:

  • Halve the recipe if you’re making it for yourself for breakfast. It’s a large portion and you’ll end up eating it for a week trying to finish it before it goes off. Speaking from my own experience 😜.
  • *If you’re using canned smoked salmon, the fish flavour will be more robust and you may have to use a little less of it or increase the other ingredients to adjust.

Summarized Recipe:

Smoked Salmon Spread

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15 mins, appetizers, on the go, quick, dips, snacks
Serves: 1 large bowl or 6 bagel spreads | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 2 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 package (8oz/226g) cream cheese, softened
  • 150g smoked salmon (cold smoked sliced or canned*)
  • 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
  • 3 Tbsps fresh dill, (leaves only, no stem)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 drops hot pepper sauce (ie Tabasco) OR 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsps green onion, chopped (optional)

Directions:

  1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy/smooth.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best overnight before serving. Enjoy!
    • Serve spread on a toasted bagel or as a dip with crackers.

Notes:

  • Halve the recipe if you’re making it for yourself for breakfast. It’s a large portion and you’ll end up eating it for a week trying to finish it before it goes off. Speaking from my own experience 😜.
  • *If you’re using canned smoked salmon, the fish flavour will be more robust and you may have to use a little less of it or increase the other ingredients to adjust.

AbbyLeave a comment

Avocado Fries


Date Published: Oct 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, snacks, appetizers, low-cal, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 35 mins

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I could eat these all day everyday! Avocado fries are a great way to snack healthy. They’re easy to make, but I’ll admit a little time-consuming since you have to bread each one separately, but they’re SO worth it. You can change up the spices for different flavours but I prefer to keep them simple and let the dipping sauce create the extra flavour. They’re crunchy on the outside and soft & creamy on the inside. Serve it as an appetizer, a snack, or a side to a burger.

To keep with the healthy profile, these fries are baked in the oven instead of deep-frying. The secret to keeping them crispy and crunchy is to bake them on a wire rack so both sides get evenly cooked without any liquid pooling and softening the breading. You can also cook them in an air-fryer but I find it easier to make large batches in the oven. Pair it with any dipping sauce you like! Our favourite is sriracha mayo or toum mixed with Greek yogurt. Mmmmmm. To change it up, you can make zucchini fries using this exact same recipe too – in fact, the steps are identical so I’ve just duplicated the blog post and changed up the ingredients.

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:

  • 5 large hass avocados
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups panko
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
  • 1.5 tsps paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200˚C (425˚F). Prepare a greased cooling rack over a baking sheet (see photo).

Slice each avocado in half. Remove the seed and use a spoon to scoop out the avocado from the skin. Then slice the avocado halves into strips.

I made zucchini fries at the same time and forgot to take a photo with avocado instead so pretend the zucchinis are avocados 😅

Prepare 3 bowls and put the following in each bowl: 1) Flour, 2) Beaten eggs, 3) Panko, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and paprika.

Bread the avocado strips one at a time by first covering it in flour, then dredging it into the beaten eggs, then finally tossing it in the panko/parmesan mixture and pressing down so the coating sticks well to the avocado strip. Place the breaded avocado strip onto the greased cooling rack prepared earlier. Repeat for the rest of the avocado.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let them cool slightly on the rack before transferring it to a serving plate. Enjoy!

You can alternatively put them in the air fryer at 200˚C for 8-10 minutes.

Summarized Recipe:

Avocado Fries

Date Published: Oct 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, snacks, appetizers, low-cal, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

  • 5 large hass avocados
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups panko
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
  • 1.5 tsps paprika

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 200˚C (425˚F). Prepare a greased cooling rack over a baking sheet (see photo).
  2. Slice each avocado in half. Remove the seed and use a spoon to scoop out the avocado from the skin. Then slice the avocado halves into strips.Prepare 3 bowls and put the following in each bowl:
    1. Flour
    2. Beaten eggs
    3. Panko, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and paprika
  3. Bread the avocado strips one at a time by first covering it in flour, then dredging it into the beaten eggs, then finally tossing it in the panko/parmesan mixture and pressing down so the coating sticks well to the avocado strip. Place the breaded avocado strip onto the greased cooling rack prepared earlier. Repeat for the rest of the avocado.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let them cool slightly on the rack before transferring it to a serving plate. Enjoy!
    • You can alternatively put them in the air fryer at 200˚C for 8-10 minutes.

AbbyLeave a comment