How to make horseradish from scratch


Date Published: Jan 26th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 26th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: basics, how-to, <15 mins, easy, sauces, vegetarian
Serves: 1 jar | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 minute

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I’m not a fan of horseradish, but recently I needed a small amount for a new recipe I was trying out and for whatever reason I couldn’t find any jarred horseradish at the bodegas near me. Surprisingly, I did manage to find fresh horseradish root instead. I’ve never used fresh horseradish before (I thought the shop worker was giving me a parsnip 😅), but a quick google search showed how easy it was to make my own prepared horseradish. So here I am, sharing another recipe with everyone on what I’ve learned and to document it incase I’m ever in the same situation again in the future. Preparing your own horseradish is actually super easy and you can tailor it to how spicy, mild, or salty you like. The best part is that it keeps in the fridge for months, which perfect if you go through a jar of horseradish super slowly like me.

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:

  • 240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop up the horseradish root.

2. Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup). Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.

3. Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Done!

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Summarized Recipe:

How to make horseradish from scratch

Date Published: Jan 26th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 26th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: basics, how-to, <15 mins, easy, sauces, vegetarian
Serves: 1 jar | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 minute

Ingredients:

  • 240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. Wash, peel, and chop the horseradish root.
  2. Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup).
    • Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.
  3. Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

French Onion Mac & Cheese with Garlic Toasts


Date Published: Jan 11th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 11th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 8 as a main | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hours

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French Onion soup + Mac and Cheese. This is it. The ultimate comfort food. There are no short cuts here and no low-calorie nonsense this time. This is the real deal – pile on that butter and pack on the cheese because it’s time to indulge.

This mac and cheese recipe incorporates the essence of a French Onion soup: the sweet caramelized onions, tons of gruyère cheese, and topped with slices of toasted garlic bread. There’s just no better way to marry these two classic comfort dishes. This recipe does take a bit of time to caramelize the onions, but do it slow and low and you won’t regret it!

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

Happy cooking!

This recipe is adapted from the NYT version.

Ingredients you’ll need: *This recipe makes a LOT of mac and cheese (8-10 servings), halve the recipe if needed.

  • Caramelized onions:
    • 3 Tbsps butter
    • 900g/2 lbs (about 3 large) yellow or sweet onions, sliced
    • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 1 large bay leaf
    • Splashes of beef stock as needed
    • 2 Tbsps sherry vinegar
  • Pasta:
    • 1 box (1lb/16oz/454g) of elbow pasta/macaroni
  • Baguette toasts:
    • 1 baguette, sliced to 2.5cm thickness
    • 1 garlic clove, peeled
    • 1 cup (4oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
  • Béchamel Cheese Sauce:
    • 2 Tbsps butter
    • 3 Tbsps all-purpose flour
    • 4 cups whole milk
    • 4 cups (170g/6oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
    • 4 + 1 cups (200g/7 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
    • Salt & pepper
  • Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Directions:

Caramelize the onions (you can do this the day before):

In a large deep oven-safe skillet (I use a 5.5 qt braiser enamel cast-iron pot) on MED heat, add in 3 Tbsps of butter, sliced onions, 6 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cook until the onions soften (3-4 minutes), then turn the heat down to LOW and slowly continue to cook the onions until they’re a deep brown colour (~45 minutes to 1 hour).

Stir frequently, every 4-5 minutes to ensure the onions don’t burn and scrape the brown bits off bottom regularly. If it seems like it’s about to burn, add a splash of beef stock to loosen everything.

Once the onions are done, add in 2 Tbsps of sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any remaining bits for 30 seconds. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig stems. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

Make the pasta:

While the onions are caramelizing, cook the pasta according to package instructions with a pinch of salt in the water, but stop cooking 2 minutes before it’s finished. Strain the pasta but reserve the pasta water for later in case needed and run the pasta under cold water until ready to be used.

Make the baguette toasts:

While the pasta cooks, arrange the baguette slices onto a baking tray and broil for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast them until they’re just firm (you don’t need to brown them). Cut the end off of one clove of garlic and rub one side of each toasted baguette slice and set aside.

Make the cheese sauce:

Preheat the oven to 450˚F/230˚C.

In the same pan that was used for the onions, melt 2 Tbsps of butter on MED heat. Once melted, sprinkle in 3 Tbsps of flour. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour is incorporated, bubbles, and turns a light golden brown.

Slowly add in the 4 cups of milk while whisking at the same time to ensure the flour and milk mixes well together without clumps. Let the sauce come to a simmer.

Add back in the caramelized onions (from step 1) and mix together.

Next, add in 4 cups of gruyère and 4 cups of cheddar cheese. Continue to whisk until all the cheese has melted, then add in the cooked pasta (from step 2). Mix it all around, then add salt and pepper to taste.

If you prefer your mac & cheese on the runnier side, add some reserved pasta water (from step 2) to the pot until you reach the desired consistency. Turn off the heat.

Assemble & Bake!

Arrange the garlic-rubbed baguette toasts over the mac and cheese and sprinkle the 1 cup grated cheddar cheese over the top of the toasts.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end until the cheese is golden brown.

Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately!

Summarized Recipe:

French Onion Mac & Cheese with Garlic Toasts

Date Published: Jan 11th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 11th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 8 as a main | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • Caramelized onions:
    • 3 Tbsps butter
    • 900g/2 lbs (about 3 large) yellow or sweet onions, sliced
    • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 1 large bay leaf
    • Splashes of beef stock as needed
    • 2 Tbsps sherry vinegar
  • Pasta:
    • 1 box (1lb/16oz/454g) of elbow pasta/macaroni
  • Baguette toasts:
    • 1 baguette, sliced to 2.5cm thickness
    • 1 garlic clove, peeled
    • 1 cup (4oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
  • Béchamel Cheese Sauce:
    • 2 Tbsps butter
    • 3 Tbsps all-purpose flour
    • 4 cups whole milk
    • 4 cups (6oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
    • 4 + 1 cups (7 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
    • Salt & pepper
  • Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Directions:

  1. Caramelize the onions (you can do this the day before):
    • In a large deep oven-safe skillet (I use a 5.5 qt braiser enamel cast-iron pot) on MED heat, add in 3 Tbsps of butter, sliced onions, 6 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cook until the onions soften (3-4 minutes), then turn the heat down to LOW and slowly continue to cook the onions until they’re a deep brown colour (~45 minutes to 1 hour). Stir frequently, every 4-5 minutes to ensure the onions don’t burn and scrape the brown bits off bottom regularly. If it seems like it’s about to burn, add a splash of beef stock to loosen everything.
    • Once the onions are done, add in 2 Tbsps of sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any remaining bits for 30 seconds. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig stems. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
  2. Make the pasta:
    • While the onions are caramelizing, cook the pasta according to package instructions with a pinch of salt in the water, but stop cooking 2 minutes before it’s finished. Strain the pasta but reserve the pasta water for later in case needed and run the pasta under cold water until ready to be used.
  3. Make the baguette toasts:
    • While the pasta cooks, arrange the baguette slices onto a baking tray and broil for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast them until they’re just firm (you don’t need to brown them). Cut the end off of one clove of garlic and rub one side of each toasted baguette slice and set aside.
  4. Make the cheese sauce:
    • Preheat the oven to 450˚F/230˚C.
    • In the same pan that was used for the onions, melt 2 Tbsps of butter on MED heat. Once melted, sprinkle in 3 Tbsps of flour. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour is incorporated, bubbles, and turns a light golden brown.
    • Slowly add in the 4 cups of milk while whisking at the same time to ensure the flour and milk mixes well together without clumps. Let the sauce come to a simmer.
    • Add back in the caramelized onions (from step 1) and mix together.
    • Next, add in 4 cups of gruyère and 4 cups of cheddar cheese. Continue to whisk until all the cheese has melted, then add in the cooked pasta (from step 2). Mix it all around, then add salt and pepper to taste.
      • If you prefer your mac & cheese on the runnier side, add some reserved pasta water (from step 2) to the pot until you reach the desired consistency. Turn off the heat.
  5. Assemble & Bake!
    • Arrange the garlic-rubbed baguette toasts over the mac and cheese and sprinkle the 1 cup grated cheddar cheese over the top of the toasts.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end until the cheese is golden brown.
    • Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately!

Colcannon (Irish Kale Mashed Potatoes)


Date Published: Jan 1st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy
Serves: 8 (1 large bowl) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

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Happy New Year everyone!!!!🥳 I hope everyone had a great 2024, if not, here’s to a better 2025! To kick off the new year, here’s a twist to an old staple.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish mashed potato dish that incorporates kale (or cabbage). It sounds weird, but trust me, it actually works. Think of the kale as an excuse to pile on that butter. 😉

I learned of this dish when I found myself with a large bunch of kale taking up half the space in the vegetable drawer and some potatoes threatening to sprout. A quick search of these ingredients led me to this dish and now this is my go-to mashed potato dish to serve at any occasional to make an interesting twist to a classic.

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:

  • 1kg Yukon gold potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled depending on how like it)
  • 6 Tbsps (85g) unsalted butter
  • 1 large bunch (~6-8 cups, semi-packed) of kale (curly or lacinato), stems removed and chopped small
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 spring onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover and a sprinkle of salt. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let the water come to a boil, then turn it down to MED and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (~15-20 mins). Drain and set aside.

In a medium sized pot or deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and add in the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the leaves are wilted. Add in the garlic and spring onions and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the spring onions have softened.

Add in the cooked potatoes (from step 1) and milk into the pan and mix it all together. Once everything is heated through, turn off the heat and mash the potatoes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Colcannon (Irish Kale Mashed Potatoes)

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy
Serves: 8 (1 large bowl) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1kg Yukon gold potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled depending on how like it)
  • 6 Tbsps (85g) unsalted butter
  • 1 large bunch (~6-8 cups, semi-packed) of kale (curly or lacinato), stems removed and chopped small
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 spring onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover and a sprinkle of salt. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let the water come to a boil, then turn it down to MED and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (~15-20 mins). Drain and set aside.
  2. In a medium sized pot or deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and add in the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the leaves are wilted. Add in the garlic and spring onions and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the spring onions have softened.
  3. Add in the cooked potatoes (from step 1) and milk into the pan and mix it all together. Once everything is heated through, turn off the heat and mash the potatoes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference. Done!
  4. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and drizzle on top with green onion garnish before serving.

Herb-Crusted White Fish with a Lemon Cream Sauce


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

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

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

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

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

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summarized Recipe:

Herb-Crusted White Fish with a Lemon Cream Sauce

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

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

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

Aloo Gobi Masala (Saucy Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)


Date Published: July 21st, 2024 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, healthy, low-cal, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as a main) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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If you’re unfamiliar with aloo gobi, it’s a vegetarian Indian dish that is made up of cauliflower, potatoes, and onions, all cooked in a mixture of fragrant spices. This masala version is a saucy version of the traditional aloo gobi dish. Not only is it a great dish, but it’s also healthy and relatively low calories for something so flavourful. Although I do prefer the masala version because I like a good saucy curry, but if you prefer the OG aloo gobi without sauce, try the original recipe here.

Aloo Gobi Masala (left) vs Regular Aloo Gobi (right)

This recipe is originally from: Indian Healthy Recipes but with a few tweaks.

A Quick Note on Chilli Powder

This recipe uses Kashmiri chilli powder, which is an Indian chilli powder variety that’s not too spicy and it is what gives the dish its orangey/red colour. It can be a bit hard to find unless you’ve got an Indian grocer near you, but if you can’t find it, a good substitute is gochugaru, which is a Korean chilli powder. Do NOT substitute with cayenne pepper which is a MUCH spicier chilli powder. If you absolutely can’t find Kashmiri chilli powder nor gochugaru, then you can substitute with 1 part cayenne powder: 3 parts paprika.

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
  • 2 medium (500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced to 1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • Spice mix:
    • 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
    • 1.5 tsp garam masala
    • 1.5 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1.25 cups (265g) tomato purée (or purée 3 medium-sized tomatoes in a blender)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup cashew cream (or blend 20 cashews + 1/3 cup water using a high speed blender until smooth)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 220C/450F.

Prepare two lined baking trays. Place the diced cauliflower onto one tray and the diced potatoes on the other. Add a small drizzle of oil, 1/2 tsp of garam masala, and a pinch of salt to each tray. Use your hands and massage the spices and oil into the potatoes and cauliflower respectively. Bake in the preheated oven with the potatoes on the lower rack and the cauliflower in the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes until both the potatoes and cauliflower are fully cooked – you want them to be fork-tender, but want the cauliflower to still have a bit of crunch.

Be careful not to overcook them or they’ll be too soft. Once they’re done, remove them from the oven and set aside until ready to be used.

While the potatoes and cauliflower are baking, make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.

Make the sauce/gravy: In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the cumin seeds and cardamoms. When they start to sizzle, add in the ginger and minced garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Next, add in the diced onions and continue to sauté until the onion is translucent and softened. Add in the tomato purée and spice mix (from step 3) and mix everything together. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the spices turn fragrant.

Make the cashew cream if you haven’t already by blending 20 cashew nuts with 1/3 cup of water. Add in 1/2 cup water, cashew cream, and a big pinch of salt.

Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to LOW. Let the sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.

Add in the baked potato, baked cauliflower (from step 2), and crush the fenugreek leaves into the pan. Stir it around and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Taste again and adjust salt if needed. Done! Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.).

Summarized Recipe:

Aloo Gobi Masala (Saucy Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)

Date Published: July 21st, 2024 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, healthy, low-cal, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as a main) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
  • 2 medium (500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced to 1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • Spice mix:
    • 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
    • 1.5 tsp garam masala
    • 1.5 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1.25 cups (265g) tomato purée (or purée 3 medium-sized tomatoes in a blender)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup cashew cream (or blend 20 cashews + 1/3 cup water using a high speed blender until smooth)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 220C/450F.
  2. Prepare two lined baking trays. Place the diced cauliflower onto one tray and the diced potatoes on the other. Add a small drizzle of oil, 1/2 tsp of garam masala, and a pinch of salt to each tray. Use your hands and massage the spices and oil into the potatoes and cauliflower respectively. Bake in the preheated oven with the potatoes on the lower rack and the cauliflower in the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes until both the potatoes and cauliflower are fully cooked – you want them to be fork-tender, but want the cauliflower to still have a bit of crunch.
    • Be careful not to overcook them or they’ll be too soft. Once they’re done, remove them from the oven and set aside until ready to be used.
  3. While the potatoes and cauliflower are baking, make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.
  4. Make the sauce/gravy: In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the cumin seeds and cardamoms. When they start to sizzle, add in the ginger and minced garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
  5. Next, add in the diced onions and continue to sauté until the onion is translucent and softened.
  6. Add in the tomato purée and spice mix (from step 3) and mix everything together. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the spices turn fragrant.
  7. Add in 1/2 cup water, cashew cream, and a big pinch of salt. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to LOW. Let the sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.
  8. Add in the baked potato, baked cauliflower (from step 2), and crush the fenugreek leaves into the pan. Stir it around and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Taste again and adjust salt if needed. Done! Serve with your choice of carb (ie. naan, roti, rice…etc.).

Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes)


Date Published: July 21st, 2024 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, healthy, low-cal, vegetarian
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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What better way to use up cauliflower than to make it into a delicious and flavourful aloo gobi! If you’re unfamiliar with aloo gobi, it’s a vegetarian Indian dish that is made up of cauliflower, potatoes, and onions, all cooked in a mixture of fragrant spices. Not only is it a great dish, but it’s also healthy and relatively low calories for something so flavourful – in fact, I’ll often make this when I’m on a diet but don’t feel like a week of salads.

This recipe is originally from: Indian Healthy Recipes but with a few tweaks.

A Quick Note on Chilli Powder

This recipe uses Kashmiri chilli powder, which is an Indian chilli powder variety that’s not too spicy and it is what gives the dish its orangey/red colour. It can be a bit hard to find unless you’ve got an Indian grocer near you, but if you can’t find it, a good substitute is gochugaru, which is a Korean chilli powder. Do NOT substitute with cayenne pepper which is a MUCH spicier chilli powder. If you absolutely can’t find Kashmiri chilli powder nor gochugaru, then you can substitute with 1 part cayenne powder: 3 parts paprika.

Aloo Gobi Masala (left) vs Regular Aloo Gobi (right)

This is a dry dish (no sauce). If you prefer something saucy and more curry-like, try the recipe for aloo gobi masala here (slightly more in calories, but with even more flavour)!

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:

  • Spice mix:
    • 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder (or gochugaru – Korean chilli powder)
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
  • 1 medium brown onion, diced fine
  • 2 medium (~500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
  • 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • Serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

Directions:

Make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.

In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add in the grated ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add in the onions and continue to sauté until the onion softens and turns translucent (3-4 minutes). Add in the diced potatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until they’re halfway cooked (slightly softened).

Once the potatoes are halfway cooked, add in the cauliflower florets with another pinch of salt and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes.

Then add in the spice mix (from step 1) and 1/2 cup of water. Mix well and cook with a lid on until both the potatoes and cauliflower are ALMOST fork-tender (5-8 mins) – the cauliflower should have a slight crunch. Be sure to stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Add a small amount of water if the dish gets too dry.

Add in the diced tomatoes and crush in the fenugreek leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked down a little and the potato and cauliflower are fork-tender and fully cooked. Taste and adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat and serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

Summarized Recipe:

Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower)

Date Published: July 21st, 2024 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, healthy, low-cal, vegetarian
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

  • Spice mix:
    • 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder (or gochugaru – Korean chilli powder)
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
  • 1 medium brown onion, diced fine
  • 2 medium (~500g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 large cauliflower head, cut into 1.5 inch florets
  • 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • Serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

Directions:

  1. Make your spice mix by mixing chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and cumin powder in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add in the grated ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add in the onions and continue to sauté until the onion softens and turns translucent (3-4 minutes).
  4. Add in the diced potatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until they’re halfway cooked (slightly softened).
  5. Once the potatoes are halfway cooked, add in the cauliflower florets with another pinch of salt and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes.
  6. Then add in the spice mix (from step 1) and 1/2 cup of water. Mix well and cook with a lid on until both the potatoes and cauliflower are ALMOST fork-tender (5-8 minutes) – the cauliflower should have a slight crunch. Be sure to stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Add a small amount of water if the dish gets too dry.
  7. Add in the diced tomatoes and crush in the fenugreek leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked down a little and the potato and cauliflower are fork-tender and fully cooked. Taste and adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat and serve with carb of choice (rice, roti, naan…etc.).

Roasted Garlic Dal (Yellow Lentil Curry)


Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, vegetarian, easy, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 4 as a main | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 2 hours

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Dal (or dahl, daal, dhal) is a delicious vegetarian Indian curry made of lentils. You’ll find it on the menu at any Indian restaurant and there is a huge variety of ways you can make dal. It’s both flavourful and healthy!

In the past I’ve always found dal to be good, but never comparable to the infamous butter chicken, however that all changed during our recent trip to London. Toby took me to a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant called Trishna for my birthday and holy moly, of the entire tasting menu, the roasted garlic dal blew me away! I was thinking about it for days after and hoped I would be able to recreate it when I got home. After some trial and error testing different dal and roasted garlic recipes, I’m glad to report that I’ve done it! I’ve recreated that magical garlic dal from ‘Trishna’. The main base dal recipe is from RecipeTinEats but with a few little tweaks and with the addition of the roasted garlic.

Although this recipe is not difficult to make, there are a few ingredients required and it takes a little to let everything simmer – I promise it’s well worth the wait!

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:

  • Roasted garlic:
    • 2 garlic bulbs
    • Drizzle olive oil
    • Pinch of salt
    • Pinch of black pepper
  • Dal:
    • 1 cup chana dal/yellow split lentils
    • 2 Tbsps ghee (or 1 Tbsp oil + 1 Tbsp butter)
    • 2 long green chillies, deseeded & diced small
    • 1 small onion (red or yellow), diced small
    • 6 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1.5 Tbsps ginger, minced
    • 8 dried (or 10 fresh) curry leaves
    • 1 tomato, diced small
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 4 cups (1L) water
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/8 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp kosher/cooking salt (or more to taste)
  • To serve: basmati rice or naan

Directions:

Rinse the chana dal/yellow split lentils and let it soak in water for at least 1 hour, then strain and set aside.

While the lentils are soaking, roast the garlic:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).

Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil. Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 mins, take it out of the oven, remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer and set aside.

In a skillet on HIGH heat, melt the ghee (or butter/oil). Then add in the green chillies and sauté for 2 minutes until starting to soften. Next add in the onions and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes until the onion softens.

Once the onion has softened, turn the heat down to MEDIUM and add in the minced garlic, ginger, and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.

Add in the diced tomatoes and cumin and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes break down and you’re starting to get a paste.

Add in the water, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix everything around and bring the heat up to HIGH to let it come to a boil, then turn the heat down to LOW and simmer the dal with the lid on for 1 hour, stirring intermittently.

(You can make the basmati rice or whatever side you like in this time.)

After 1 hour take off the lid and let the dal continue to simmer for 30 minutes to reduce the liquid. The dal has finished cooking when it looks like a porridge-consistency and the liquid has reduced to your liking.

Mash the roasted garlic cloves (from step 1) and add it into the dal. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Done! Serve over a bed of basmati rice or with naan.

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Garlic Dal (Yellow Lentil Curry)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, vegetarian, easy
Serves: 4 as a main | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

  • Roasted garlic:
    • 2 garlic bulbs
    • Drizzle olive oil
    • Pinch of salt
    • Pinch of black pepper
  • Dal:
    • 1 cup chana dal/yellow split lentils
    • 2 Tbsps ghee (or 1 Tbsp oil + 1 Tbsp butter)
    • 2 long green chillies, deseeded & diced small
    • 1 small onion (red or yellow), diced small
    • 6 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1.5 Tbsps ginger, minced
    • 8 dried (or 10 fresh) curry leaves
    • 1 tomato, diced small
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 4 cups (1L) water
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/8 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp kosher/cooking salt (or more to taste)
  • To serve: basmati rice or naan

Directions:

  1. Rinse the chana dal/yellow split lentils and let it soak in water for at least 1 hour, then strain and set aside.
  2. While the lentils are soaking, roast the garlic:
    • Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
    • Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil. Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.
    • Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
    • After 40 mins, take it out of the oven, remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer and set aside.
  3. In a skillet on HIGH heat, melt the ghee (or butter/oil). Then add in the green chillies and sauté for 2 minutes until starting to soften. Next add in the onions and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes until the onion softens.
  4. Turn the heat down to MEDIUM and add in the minced garlic, ginger, and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
  5. Add in the diced tomatoes and cumin and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes break down and you’re starting to get a paste.
  6. Add in the water, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix everything around and bring the heat up to HIGH to let it come to a boil, then turn the heat down to LOW and simmer the dal with the lid on for 1 hour, stirring intermittently.
  7. (You can make the basmati rice or whatever side you like in this time.)
  8. After 1 hour take off the lid and let the dal continue to simmer for 30 minutes to reduce the liquid. The dal has finished cooking when it looks like a porridge-consistency and the liquid has reduced to your liking.
  9. Mash the roasted garlic cloves (from step 1) and add it into the dal. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Done! Serve over a bed of basmati rice or with naan.

Roasted Garlic (a how-to guide)


Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: how-to, easy
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

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Roasted garlic is one of those magical ingredients that’s packed with so much flavour and yet so easy to make. It’s so versatile and easy to use – you can put it in so many things to easily add an extra depth of flavour or just spread it over plain toast with a drizzle of olive oil for a quick snack. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to make and the best part is that it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week covered in olive oil so you can make a bit extra and continue to use it throughout the week without putting in the effort. 🙂

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:

  • Garlic bulbs – however many you’d like to roast
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).

Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil.

Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 mins, take it out of the oven, carefully remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Garlic (a how-to guide)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: how-to, easy
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

  • Garlic bulbs – however many you’d like to roast
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
  2. Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil.
  3. Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.
  4. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
  5. After 40 mins, take it out of the oven and carefully remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer. Done!

Korean Sweet Pickled Radish (“Chicken-mu”)


Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, easy, sides, vegetarian, quick, healthy, low cal, vegetarian
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: marinate for 2 days

Jump to recipe |

Toby and I are obsessed with Korean Fried Chicken. Whenever we move to a new town, we are always on the lookout for a good Korean fried chicken spot (and also a good ramen spot). Throughout our travels around Australia, our favourite Korean chicken spot still remains to this day, 7 Grams Chicken in Perth, Western Australia. It’s just so damn good and the chicken is always cooked perfectly – there’s no comparison. With every serving of Korean fried chicken, a little bowl of sweet cold pickled radishes always accompanies it. This little bowl of radishes is the perfect accompaniment to cut the grease – it’s not too sour and not too sweet, and the refreshing crunch of the perfect little white cubes makes you forget that you’re gorging on oily fried chicken and that somehow you’re still being healthy by eating your vegetables. We love our pickled radishes so much that we always get extra orders, but now that I’ve learned how to make this, I can stop paying extra for the pickled radishes and make it myself ahead of time!

We’ve never been to Korea, but when I was researching this recipe I found that it is also often called “Chicken-mu”. ‘Mu’ means radish in Korean and this specific pickled radish dish is pretty much only served with fried chicken, which is why they call it ‘Chicken-mu’!

What type of radish?

It is no surprise that a Korean radish is used to make this recipe. It is generally smaller and rounder than the common Chinese style daikon radish and has a green colour on the top half. A Korean radish has a little less water content which results in a crunchier texture and holds up well in the pickling liquid. If you can’t find a Korean radish, substitute with daikon instead, but results may differ a little.

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:

  • Pickling liquid:
    • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 2/3 cup white vinegar
    • 2/3 cup water
    • 2 tsps kosher salt
  • 450g (1lb = 1 small) Korean radish, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes

Directions:

In a large glass container (with a lid), add in the sugar, vinegar, water and salt. Shake the container until the sugar and salt have dissolved.

Rinse the radish and peel it, then chop it into 1.5cm cubes.

Add in the cubed radishes. Ensure all of the radish is submerged into the pickling liquid – if not, double the amount of pickling liquid. Close the lid and let it marinate for at least 24 hours (flavours will be better after 48 hours). Store up to 10 days, flavours will be best if eaten within 4 days.

Summarized Recipe:

Korean Sweet Pickled Radish (“Chicken-mu”)

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, easy, sides, vegetarian, quick, healthy, low cal, vegetarian
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: marinate for 2 days

Ingredients:

  • Pickling liquid:
    • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 2/3 cup white vinegar
    • 2/3 cup water
    • 2 tsps kosher salt
  • 450g (1lb = 1 small) Korean radish, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes

Directions:

  1. In a large glass container (with a lid), add in the sugar, vinegar, water, and salt. Shake the container until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
  2. Add in the cubed radishes. Ensure all of the radish is submerged into the pickling liquid – if not, double the amount of pickling liquid. Close the lid and let it marinate for at least 24 hours (flavours will be better after 48 hours). Store up to 10 days, flavours will be best if eaten within 4 days.

Taiwanese Pickled Garlic Smashed Cucumber


Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: asian, quick, easy, Taiwanese, vegetarian, sides, healthy, low cal
Serves: 1 large jar, about 6 portions as sides | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: marinate for 4 hours

Jump to recipe

Pickled smashed cucumber is a common side dish in Taiwan that pairs well with almost anything. You can find it in pre-packed lunch boxes or in self-serve portions in small restaurants in the market. It cuts the grease and cleanses your palate. This mildly spicy and very garlicky version is super easy and you can make it in 5 minutes (after soaking the cucumbers in salt for 1 hour 🤫). You can serve it immediately, but it’s best served after marinating for at least 4 hours or overnight.

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:

  • 2 large (450g/1lb) cucumbers
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • Pickling liquid:
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
    • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Directions:

Cut the cucumbers 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 tsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 1 hour at room temperature to allow excess water to be released. After 1 hour, discard the released cucumber water and rinse the salt off the cucumber. Set aside in a colander.

In a large glass jar (with a lid), add in the pickling liquid ingredients: garlic, chilli, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar. Put on the lid and shake until the sugar has dissolved. Add in the smashed cucumbers (from step 1), ensuring all the cucumber is submerged in the pickling liquid. Close the lid and let it marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight. Done! Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week, best eaten within 3 days.

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Pickled Garlic Smashed Cucumber

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: asian, quick, easy, Taiwanese, vegetarian, sides, healthy, low cal
Serves: 1 large jar, about 6 portions as sides | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: marinate for 4 hours

Ingredients:

  • 2 large (450g/1lb) cucumbers
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • Pickling liquid:
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
    • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Directions:

  1. Cut the cucumbers 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 tsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 1 hour at room temperature to allow excess water to be released. After 1 hour, discard the released cucumber water and rinse the salt off the cucumber. Set aside in a colander.
  2. In a large glass jar (with a lid), add in the pickling liquid ingredients: garlic, chilli, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar. Put on the lid and shake until the sugar has dissolved. Add in the smashed cucumbers (from step 1), ensuring all the cucumber is submerged in the pickling liquid. Close the lid and let it marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight. Done! Keeps in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.