Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken 鹽酥雞

Date Published: April 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: appetizers, Asian, easy, snacks, Taiwanese
Serves: 4 as a snack (1 large bowl) | Prep time: marinate for 12 hours | Cook time: 20 minutes

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Ohhh yesssssss! I’m so excited to share this recipe with you all because Taiwanese popcorn chicken is SUPER addicting and is one of my all time favourite Taiwanese street foods. There used to be quite a few night market food stalls in Taiwan that sell this, but for some reason in recent years it’s been harder and harder to find. My parents’ place in Taiwan is within walking distance to the Shih-lin night market and when we were kids, we used to visit every summer and would occasionally go to the shitty small movie theatre in the night market for a cheap late night flick. Instead of popcorn as the traditional movie theatre food, popcorn chicken was our weakness. We would always go to the same popcorn chicken stall and each order our own large portion for the movie, along with a few fried tempura fish cakes. It was a time of bliss – I’d look forward to the chicken more than the actual movie 🙃. Now every time I see Taiwanese popcorn chicken, I’m transported back to those days of my parents taking us kids to the movies and indulging at the night market. That shitty movie theatre has since closed down and that food vendor is no longer there 😢, but I’m glad I figured out how to recreate the recipe so I can have it on demand any time.

How does Taiwanese popcorn chicken differ from regular popcorn chicken, you ask?

First of all, the batter coating is made with sweet potato starch rather than just regular flour which creates a more delicate crisp. Secondly, the chicken is marinated in a mix of common Taiwanese ingredients such as cooking rice wine, white pepper, and 5-spice powder that gives it a distinct flavour. Thirdly, this is eaten without a sauce, but topped with ground white pepper, salt, and chilli powder (optional). Fourth and finally, it is served with deep fried Thai basil leaves which in my opinion is crucial and adds an extra layer of flavour between bites of chicken. I am a Taiwanese popcorn chicken snob and will only order from food stalls if they serve it with the basil leaves 😅.

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:

Chicken Marinade:
- 3 Tbsps soy sauce
- 1.5 Tbsps cooking rice wine/michu
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tsps white sugar
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder
- 3 large (~650g) chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, cut into 3-4 cm pieces
2 Tbsps all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1.5 cups thick sweet potato starch (if you can only find the fine powder, sprtiz some water to make small clumps)
4 cups oil for frying (ie. canola, vegetable)
1 large handful of Thai basil leaves, washed and throughly dried
Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp fine salt

Directions:

Marinate the chicken overnight: Combine all the chicken marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl: soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, sugar, salt, white pepper, 5-spice powder, and chicken thigh pieces. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight.

The next day, mix the chicken around in the marinade and add in the flour and baking powder. Mix well until combined.

Bread the chicken: Pour the sweet potato starch into a wide base bowl. Place a few pieces of the marinated chicken at a time into the sweet potato starch and coat the chicken in the starch and gently pressing the starch into the chicken so it sticks better. Remove the coated chicken and place onto a plate. Repeat until all of the chicken pieces are coated in starch.

Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a wide base pot. The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and immediately sizzle when you add a dust of flour or a drop of batter. Fry the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes at a time or until golden brown. Remove onto a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate.

Once you’ve fried all the chicken, fry it all again a second time for 1 minute, starting with the first batch. This double fry method will give you a crispier coating. Once all the chicken has been refried, add in the basil leaves to the oil and fry for another 10-20 seconds and remove onto a cooling rack or a paper towel-lined plate to crisp up.

Add the seasoning: In a small bowl mix together the chili powder, white pepper, and salt. Once the chicken has cooled a little, put them all in a big mixing bowl along with the basil, and sprinkle the seasoning over top. Toss so all the pieces are evenly coated with seasoning. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken 鹽酥雞

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:
- 3 Tbsps soy sauce
- 1.5 Tbsps cooking rice wine/michu
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tsps white sugar
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder
- 3 large (~650g) chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, cut into 3-4 cm pieces
2 Tbsps all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1.5 cups thick sweet potato starch (if you can only find the fine powder, sprtiz some water to make small clumps)
4 cups oil for frying (ie. canola, vegetable)
1 large handful of Thai basil leaves, washed and throughly dried
Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp fine salt

Directions:

Marinate the chicken overnight: Combine all the chicken marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl: soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, sugar, salt, white pepper, 5-spice powder, and chicken thigh pieces. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight.
The next day, mix the chicken around in the marinade and add in the flour and baking powder. Mix well until combined.
Bread the chicken: Pour the sweet potato starch into a wide base bowl. Place a few pieces of the marinated chicken at a time into the sweet potato starch and coat the chicken in the starch and gently pressing the starch into the chicken so it sticks better. Remove the coated chicken and place onto a plate. Repeat until all of the chicken pieces are coated in starch.
Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a wide base pot. The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and immediately sizzle when you add a dust of flour or a drop of batter. Fry the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes at a time or until golden brown. Remove onto a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate. Once you’ve fried all the chicken, fry it all again a second time for 1 minute, starting with the first batch. This double fry method will give you a crispier coating. Once all the chicken has been refried, add in the basil leaves to the oil and fry for another 10-20 seconds and remove onto a paper towel-lined plate to crisp up.
Add the seasoning: In a small bowl mix together the chili powder, white pepper, and salt. Once the chicken has cooled a little, put them all in a big mixing bowl along with the basil, and sprinkle the seasoning over top. Toss so all the pieces are evenly coated with seasoning. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

April 14, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Bakkwa – Chinese Pork Jerky (sweet and salty goodness)

Date Published: April 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, easy, snacks
Serves: 2 batches (20 pieces) | Prep time: 24 hours to marinate | Cook time: 1 hour

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Unlike a Western-style of jerky that’s usually tougher and dehydrated, Bakkwa is a Chinese-style pork jerky that’s much softer, has a very different flavour profile, and in my opinion, WAY more addicting. It’s made by marinating ground pork in sauces and spices then grilled or baked in a very thin layer. It kind of reminds me of lap cheong (Chinese sausage) but with a sweet glaze.

Because they’re made with fatty ground pork and are grilled, Bakkwa is considered an indulgent food item in Asia and is not eaten all the time due to health considerations (and also they can surprisingly get quite expensive). If you’re looking for Bakkwa in Asia, ‘Bee Cheng Hiang’ is the most popular (and common) place to get it. They’ve got multiple locations throughout in Asia and sell them either fresh as street food or in real fancy packages. They are very popular gift items as souvenirs and also during Chinese New Year. Many countries no longer allow foriegn pork products into the country so sadly we couldn’t stock up on it when we were in Singapore or Taiwan 💔😞.

I had always though Bakkwa was super difficult to make due to the high price point and the complex flavours, but I recently came across a homemade Bakkwa recipe that made it look so damn simple, that I had to try it myself. I googled a few different recipes, a after a bit of trial and error and tweaking, I’ve finally put together my own blend of sauces and spices that comes pretty close to what you get in the shops. The best part is that it really is very simple and SO MUCH cheaper than buying it in stores. You’ve definitely got to try out this recipe.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

600g ground pork
200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
2 Tbsps fish sauce
1.5 Tbsps oyster sauce
1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 tsps 5-spice powder
1 tsp ginger powder
Glaze: 2 Tbsps (40g) honey + 1 Tbsp water

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients of the bakkwa (except the glaze) together in a mixing bowl: ground pork, sugar, water, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, 5-spice powder, and ginger powder. Place in an airtight container or ziploc bag and let it marinate in the fridge overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 300˚F/150˚C.

Divide the pork into two equal portions and place each one on a liner.

Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Take the liner out from the trays and divide the marinated pork into two equal batches onto each liner. Use the back of a spoon and spread out the pork evenly. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the pork and use a rolling pin to further flatten the pork to a 2mm in thickness. You can use a butter knife to straighten the edges as best as you can to make it a clean rectangle (see photo).

Bake until the pork can be lifted in one piece without breaking

Bake the pork in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown and the pork is firm enough to lift up in one piece. Pour out any excess liquid that is released when baking. Use kitchen scissors and cut the pork into even pieces then flip them. Bake again for another 15-20 minutes so the other side is slightly browned.

While the pork is baking, make the glaze by mixing 2 Tbsps honey with 1 Tbsp of water.

Once both sides have been baked, turn the oven setting to BROIL. While the oven heats up further, brush the glaze over the top of each piece. Continue to bake on a broil setting for 1-2 minutes on the top rack to let the glaze caramelize – watch the bakkwa carefully so it doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven, flip each piece over and brush the glaze on top. Put it back in the oven on broil for another 1-2 minutes until caramelized.

Once finished, turn off the oven and let the pork pieces cool on a cooling rack. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Bakkwa – Chinese Pork Jerky (sweet and salty goodness)

Ingredients:

600g ground pork
200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
2 Tbsps fish sauce
1.5 Tbsps oyster sauce
1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 tsps 5-spice powder
1 tsp ginger powder
Glaze: 2 Tbsps (40g) honey + 1 Tbsp water

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients of the bakkwa (except the glaze) together in a mixing bowl: ground pork, sugar, water, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, 5-spice powder, and ginger powder. Place in an airtight container or ziploc bag and let it marinate in the fridge overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 300˚F/150˚C.
Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Take the liner out from the trays and divide the marinated pork into two equal batches onto each liner. Use the back of a spoon and spread out the pork evenly. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the pork and use a rolling pin to further flatten the pork to a 2mm in thickness. You can use a butter knife to straighten the edges as best as you can to make it a clean rectangle (see photo).
Bake the pork in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown and the pork is firm enough to lift up in one piece. Pour out any excess liquid that is released when baking. Use kitchen scissors and cut the pork into even pieces then flip them. Bake again for another 15-20 minutes so the other side is slightly browned.
While the pork is baking, make the glaze by mixing 2 Tbsps honey with 1 Tbsp of water.
Once both sides have been baked, turn the oven setting to BROIL. While the oven heats up further, brush the glaze over the top of each piece. Continue to bake on a broil setting for 1-2 minutes on the top rack to let the glaze caramelize – watch the bakkwa carefully so it doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven, flip each piece over and brush the glaze on top. Put it back in the oven on broil for another 1-2 minutes until caramelized. Once finished, turn off the oven and let the pork pieces cool on a cooling rack. Done!

April 14, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Asian Smashed Cucumber Tomato Egg Salad

Date Published: Mar 5th, 2024 | Last Updated: Mar 5th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, side dishes, salads, mains, <30 mins, easy, quick, healthy, low-cal, Taiwanese, vegetarian
Serves: 2 as mains, 1 large plate | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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This recipe came to me on a search to use up leftover salad ingredients to clear the fridge before our 2 week vacation overseas. It’s quick, easy, flavourful, and kept us on track of our healthy eating goals! This dish is like a cross between a smashed cucumber salad and a tomato egg stir-fry (番茄炒蛋).

In our efforts to be more healthy in this new year, we stocked up on fresh salad ingredients in bulk from Costco just over a week ago and have been slowly getting through it before our trip (it’s amazing how long cos lettuce keeps in the fridge!). It’s the night before our flight and we managed to finish all the leafy greens, but I still had one cucumber and a handful of cherry tomatoes left. Toby has not been a fan of this batch of cherry tomatoes and says they’re too tart for him (I think it’s fine), so instead of making a basic chopped cucumber and tomato salad, I looked for other options that might mask the tomatoes, but to also be quick and easy so I could start packing. I came across this recipe from Bon Appétit. It came out beautifully and so easy the first time. I’ve made some adaptations and added in exact measurements and ended up with this recipe to share!

What is Asian Smashed Cucumber Salad?

Smashed cucumber salad is a very popular Chinese starter/side dish. It’s served cold and in its essence is a mix of cucumber, salt, raw garlic, and some sort of acid (usually black vinegar). It’s supposed to light and refreshing, yet still have a punch of garlicky saltiness to be savoury. There are many variations out there and some people will add in sesame seeds, chilli, ginger, and/or cilantro. You’ll commonly see this dish not only in nice restaurants, but also in small street-side shops in Taiwan. It’s quick, easy, and takes minimal effort and ingredients. An Asian smashed cucumber salad does not traditionally have tomatoes nor eggs in it, so if you want to go the OG route, leave them out, but I prefer this version because it bulks it up and balances the dish out so it’s not so punchy in flavours and you can eat a whole bowl in one sitting as a main meal.

Smashing is important!

A key component to this dish is smashing the cucumbers. If your cucumbers look like they’ve been chopped, then you haven’t smashed them enough. You want the outside skin to crack and the inside to be crushed, but not flattened. Smashing cucumbers allow the marinating sauce to penetrate deeper and infuse the flavours better. It’s also a good way to relieve some stress 😜.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 cucumber (English hothouse – those long ones)
1/2 Tbsps cooking salt
A large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup black vinegar
2 Tbsps granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 green onions/scallions, sliced
1/4 tsp white pepper
Drizzle of sesame oil
2 Tbsps of chilli crisp (or more to your liking) – you can substitute with chilli oil instead

Directions:

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Use a large knife on its flat side to smash the cucumber until cracked then slice into bite sized pieces (see photo).

Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1/2 Tbsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 30 minutes to allow excess water to be released. After 30 mins, discard the released cucumber water and place the cucumber in a mixing bowl.

Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, black vinegar, and sugar to the cucumbers. Mix everything together and let it marinate for another 30 minutes.

Make the eggs: While the cucumber and tomatoes are marinating, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Mix in green onions and a pinch of salt. Heat a pan on MED HIGH heat and add in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Let the pan get hot (it’ll be ready when the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke) then add a drop of egg. The oil is hot enough if the egg drop puffs up right away. Add in the rest of the egg mixture carefully and the edges should start to puff within a few seconds. Once the edges are slightly browned, use a spatula to gently move the egg around to cook evenly. You want big chunks of scrambled eggs that’s slightly crispy on the edges but still soft and moist (see photo). This should take less than 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and scoop the egg into the bowl with the marinating cucumber and tomatoes.

Add white pepper, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a few spoonfuls of chilli crisp. Mix everything around, taste and adjust salt or sugar to taste. You should have a tangy, sweet, and salty dish. Serve immediately on a wide bottom dish so the liquid pools outwards.

Summarized Recipe:

Asian Smashed Cucumber Tomato Egg Salad

Ingredients:

1 cucumber (English hothouse – those long ones)
1/2 Tbsps cooking salt
A large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup black vinegar
2 Tbsps granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 green onions/scallions, sliced
1/4 tsp white pepper
Drizzle of sesame oil
2 Tbsps of chilli crisp (or more to your liking) – you can substitute with chilli oil instead

Directions:

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Use a large knife on its flat side to smash the cucumber until cracked then slice into bite sized pieces (see photo). Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1/2 Tbsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 30 minutes to allow excess water to be released. After 30 mins, discard the released cucumber water and place the cucumber in a mixing bowl.
Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, black vinegar, and sugar to the cucumbers. Mix everything together and let it marinate for another 30 minutes.
Make the eggs: While the cucumber and tomatoes are marinating, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Mix in green onions and a pinch of salt. Heat a pan on MED HIGH heat and add in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Let the pan get hot (it’ll be ready when the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke) then add a drop of egg. The oil is hot enough if the egg drop puffs up right away. Add in the rest of the egg mixture carefully and the edges should start to puff within a few seconds. Once the edges are slightly browned, use a spatula to gently move the egg around to cook evenly. You want big chunks of scrambled eggs that’s slightly crispy on the edges but still soft and moist (see photo). This should take less than 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and scoop the egg into the bowl with the marinating cucumber and tomatoes.
Add white pepper, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a few spoonfuls of chilli crisp. Mix everything around, taste and adjust salt or sugar to taste. You should have a tangy, sweet, and salty dish. Serve immediately on a wide bottom dish so the liquid pools outwards.

March 5, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Tomato Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Date Published: Feb 23rd, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 23rd, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <30 mins, vegetarian, healthy, snacks, low cal
Serves: 6 as a side | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Spanakorizo is a traditional Greek spinach rice dish. I had never heard of it until I came upon it through my weekly foodie email subscriptions that I use for inspiration in things to cook for the week. The version that I saw was a lemony version with dill, mint, and crumbled feta (check out the recipe here), but upon further research I found a tomato version of it as well that looked just as good. Both dishes are called ‘Spanakorizo’ = spinach rice and when you google recipes for spanakorizo, you’ll get a mix of some with tomato and some without. After lots of recipe comparisons, I went with the saucy tomato version by Mia Kouppa and it was DELICIOUS and so easy! This recipe is a direct adaptation from hers (it’s perfect, I didn’t change much other than added some extra measurements of ingredients and rewrote some directions to suit my brain) – I’d recommend checking out her website with more photos and explanations to the history of the dish.

Tomato Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Lemon Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Both versions of spanakorizo are great, so if you’ve got the time you should definitely try making both. The lemon version is more dry like a regular rice pilaf and pairs nicely as a side dish, but this version is saucy and more flavourful which is great when eaten with toasted bread.

This recipe uses a LOT of spinach, which is perfect if you find yourself in abundance over the growing season. You can use regular mature spinach or baby spinach. It’s currently winter time in NYC and fresh mature spinach is hard to come by, so I bought the big box of baby spinach from Costco for this recipe – it’s actually the perfect amount!

This recipe does make quite a bit, so if you’re only cooking for 2-3 people, I’d recommend halving the recipe.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/2 cup olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
450g (1 lb) of fresh spinach, chopped coarsely – I used the big box of baby spinach leaves from Costco, but if you’re using mature spinach, make sure to chop it into smaller pieces so you don’t get stringy cooked spinach in the end)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup (180g) medium grain rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups (500ml) tomato passata
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt + more to taste
Optional to serve: crumbled feta cheese, toasted bread

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED heat, heat a 1/2 cup olive oil then add in the spring onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Next, add in the spinach, parsley, and rice. If the pot is overflowing with the spinach, stir the spinach into the olive oil in small batches and let it wilt before adding more.

Pour in the tomato passata, chicken stock, and salt. Let it come to a boil then turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes with the lid on until the rice is cooked.

Done! Serve as a side dish or on its own family-style with toasted bread. Optional to sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese over.

Summarized Recipe:

Tomato Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
450g (1 lb) of fresh spinach, chopped coarsely – I used the big box of baby spinach leaves from Costco, but if you’re using mature spinach, make sure to chop it into smaller pieces so you don’t get stringy cooked spinach in the end)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup (180g) medium grain rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups tomato passata
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt + more to taste
Optional to serve: crumbled feta cheese, toasted bread

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED heat, heat a 1/2 cup olive oil then add in the spring onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Next, add in the spinach, parsley, and rice. If the pot is overflowing with the spinach, stir the spinach into the olive oil in small batches and let it wilt before adding more.
Pour in the tomato passata, chicken stock, and salt. Let it come to a boil then turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes with the lid on until the rice is cooked. Done! Serve as a side dish or on its own family-style with toasted bread. Optional to sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese over.

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024

Abby1 Comment

French Onion Spinach Dip ‘Cob Loaf’

Date Published: Jan 15th, 2024 | Last Updated: Jan 15th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, appetizer, <15mins, easy, sauces/dips, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 10 mins + chill overnight | Cook time: 20mins

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Toby has a bad habit of leaving the microscope on at work and the nurses kept calling him out on it. Eventually they started a tally and if he left the microscope on 5 times, he had to make the clinic a cob loaf. He actually lasted a good few weeks until he reached five 😂. We had no idea how to make a cob loaf and came upon this recipe from Taste.com.au when we were looking it up for the first time. The recipe was ridiculously easy and the results were SO GOOD. We’ve made it 5 more times since and it has become a part staple for us! I guess you just can’t beat a classic.

What is a Cob Loaf?

A “cob loaf” is a round loaf of bread. I had never heard the term ‘cob loaf’ until I came to Australia. The term cob loaf is used interchangeably here as the definition of the round bread loaf but also as a dish where a dip is served inside the round loaf of bread. So when someone says they’re bringing a “cob loaf” to the party, they mean that they’re going to bring a dip that is served inside a carved out round loaf of bread. It took me so much longer than I’d like to admit to figure all of this out 😂😂😂. Upon further research for this post, I’ve learned that a cob loaf has been consistently the most popular party food in Australia and has been around for 100 years! 😮

The traditional and most popular “cob loaf” dip is a spinach dip consisting of cream cheese, spinach, and french onion soup mix. The other common type I’ve seen is a bacon and cheese cob loaf. Cob loaves have evolved over the years and pretty much any type of dip served in a round bread bowl is considered a cob loaf. This recipe is a traditional cob loaf.

You can either buy the pre-made French onion soup mix powder from the shops, or make your own. I’ve done a blind taste test trial with Toby and he couldn’t tell the difference between the two. So if you’re feeling extra lazy, just buy the prepackaged mix. I prefer making my own mix for a number of reasons: A) more cost-effective if you already have all the pantry ingredients, B) there aren’t any preservatives or synthetic ingredients when you make the mix yourself, C) the flavour will be consistent time after time in case you can’t find your favourite french onion mix or if you’re travelling and it’s not a commonly available item in the shops, and D) you can tweak the ingredients easier for a personalized flavour.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Spinach Dip:
- French Onion seasoning mix (or you can buy a 40g packet pre-made French onion soup mix):
  - 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
- 250g frozen spinach, thawed
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 300ml sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
1 cob loaf (any round bread loaf)

Directions:

Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all of the water.

Put all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until completely mixed through, making sure you get rid of any clumps: french onion soup mix (or spice blend), spinach, cream cheese, and sour cream. You can put it all in a food processor to make it easier.

Place the mixture into an airtight container and chill for 4 hours, or best if overnight.

The next day, pre-heat oven to 180˚C (or 160 fan-forced).

Prepare the cob loaf by cutting the top 1/4 off and slicing it into large pieces. Then cut a hole into the remaining bread bowl and remove the bread inside. Tip: if you have a particularly large bread, don’t remove as much bread from the inside or else your dip won’t fill up the bowl nicely and it’ll look too ’empty’ when serving.

Pour the spinach dip into the bread bowl. Serve cold or warmed in the oven (I personally prefer it warmed so the flavours come out better).

To serve it warmed: Place the bread bowl with the dip inside on a baking tray and the sliced bread pieces around the bowl and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

French Onion Spinach Dip ‘Cob Loaf’

Ingredients:

Spinach Dip:
- 40g packet French onion soup mix OR:
  - 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
- 250g frozen spinach, thawed
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 300ml sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
1 cob loaf (any round bread loaf)

Directions:

Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all of the water.
Put all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until completely mixed through, making sure you get rid of any clumps: french onion soup mix (or spice blend), spinach, cream cheese, and sour cream. You can put it all in a food processor to make it easier.
Place the mixture into an airtight container and chill for 4 hours, or best if overnight.
The next day, pre-heat oven to 180˚C (or 160 fan-forced).
Prepare the cob loaf by cutting the top 1/4 off and slicing it into large pieces. Then cut a hole into the remaining bread bowl and remove the bread inside.
- Tip: if you have a particularly large bread, don’t remove as much bread from the inside or else your dip won’t fill up the bowl nicely and it’ll look too ’empty’ when serving.
Pour the spinach dip into the bread bowl. Serve cold or warmed in the oven (I personally prefer it warmed so the flavours come out better).
To serve it warmed: Place the bread bowl with the dip inside on a baking tray and the sliced bread pieces around the bowl and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

January 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Chicken and Sweet Corn Dumplings

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

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

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

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

Directions:

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

Wrap the dumplings.

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

Summarized Recipe:

Chicken and Sweet Corn Dumplings

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

September 14, 2022September 14, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)

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

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

What’s the best cut of beef to use?

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

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

How to prepare the beef?

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

This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

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

Directions:

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

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

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

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

Summarized Recipe:

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

September 13, 2022February 10, 2024

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.

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

Ingredients:

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.

September 5, 2022

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:

The frothy egg white adds protein which helps it alls tick together.
Press down the oat mixture into the pan before baking.
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.
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.

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.

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 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:

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

August 17, 2022August 17, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Quick and So Easy 2-Ingredient Naan

Date Published: Aug 17th, 2022 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
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 tsp cooking/kosher 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

In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, self-raising flour, and salt (if using) 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

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

Ingredients:

280g Greek yogurt
280g self-raising flour + more for kneading
1 tsp cooking/kosher 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:

In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, self-raising flour, and salt (if using) 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.
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.

August 17, 2022April 16, 2024

Abby1 Comment