Beef Bulgogi


Date Published: April 18th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 18th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, asian, quick, easy,
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 12 hours (marinate overnight) | Cook time: 10 minutes

Jump to recipe |

Bulgogi is a Korean dish that consists of thinly sliced meat (most commonly beef, but you can find pork and chicken variations too) marinated in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Once marinated, this dish is so quick to cook that it only takes a few minutes on the grill, perfect for a busy quick weeknight dinner if you marinate the meat the night before. Serve it over rice, lettuce wraps, or perilla leaves with a side of veggies. This flavourful dish will surely be a hit!

3 Methods for thinly sliced beef:

  1. For best and most uniform results: Freeze the raw steak for 20-30 minutes until semi-firm, then use a meat slicer to slice as thin as possible. I have this model of meat slicer that I chose for the decent price and its relatively small size.
Freeze until semi-firm

2. Freeze the raw steak for 20-30 minutes until semi-firm, then use a sharp knife to slice as thin as possible.

Freeze until semi-firm

3. Buy pre-sliced frozen beef from the hotpot section of most asian grocery stores. This will be the easiest method but will also likely be more expensive.

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • Marinade:
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tsps freshly grated ginger
    • 4 green onions, sliced to 4cm pieces
    • 1/2 small pear (80g), peeled and coarsely grated
    • 1/4 cup (66g) soy sauce (Kikkoman is fine)
    • 1/4 cup (40g) brown sugar
    • 2 Tbsps (30g) toasted sesame oil
    • 1.5 Tbsps (30g) gochujang (Korean red chilli paste)
  • 700g/1.5 pounds boneless rib eye steak, sliced thinly (for cheaper options, flank steak or skirt steak will also do)
  • Garnish: chopped green onion and sesame seeds

Directions:

Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well: 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsps grated ginger, 4 green onions sliced to 4cm pieces, 1/2 of a pear, grated (80g), 1/4 cup (66g) soy sauce, 1/4 cup (40g) brown sugar, 2 Tbsps (30g) toasted sesame oil, 1.5 Tbsps (30g) gochujang.

Add the thinly sliced steak into the marinade and massage well. Pour the contents into a resealable bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Take out the marinated steak 20 minutes prior to cooking to let the meat come to room temperature.

When ready to cook, use a flat skillet or grill pan on MED-HIGH heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the marinated steak and cook for roughly 2-3 minutes per side until slightly charred and cooked. Done!

Serve with rice. Garnish with more green onion and sesame seeds.

Summarized Recipe:

Beef Bulgogi

Date Published: April 18th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 18th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, asian, quick, easy,
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 12 hours (marinate overnight) | Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Marinade:
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tsps freshly grated ginger
    • 4 green onions, sliced to 4cm pieces
    • 1/2 small pear (80g), peeled and coarsely grated
    • 1/4 cup (66g) soy sauce (Kikkoman is fine)
    • 1/4 cup (40g) brown sugar
    • 2 Tbsps (30g) toasted sesame oil
    • 1.5 Tbsps (30g) gochujang (Korean red chilli paste)
  • 700g/1.5 pounds boneless rib eye steak, sliced thinly (for cheaper options, flank steak or skirt steak will also do)
  • Garnish: chopped green onion and sesame seeds

Directions:

  1. Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well: 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsps grated ginger, 4 green onions sliced to 4cm pieces, 1/2 of a pear, grated (80g), 1/4 cup (66g) soy sauce, 1/4 cup (40g) brown sugar, 2 Tbsps (30g) toasted sesame oil, 1.5 Tbsps (30g) gochujang.
  2. Add the thinly sliced steak into the marinade and massage well. Pour the contents into a resealable bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
  3. Take out the marinated steak 20 minutes prior to cooking to let the meat come to room temperature.
  4. When ready to cook, use a flat skillet or grill pan on MED-HIGH heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the marinated steak and cook for roughly 2-3 minutes per side until slightly charred and cooked. Done! Serve with rice. Garnish with more green onion and sesame seeds.

Abby1 Comment

Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Soup)


Date Published: April 12th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 12th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: soup, asian, easy, healthy, low cal, mains, quick
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Jump to recipe |

What is Soondubu/Sundubu Jjigae?

Soondubu or Sundubu or Soon tofu is an extra soft type of tofu that is very fragile when handled, but has a lovely soft texture.

Soon tofu

Jjigae = Korean style stew usually made with meat, seafood, or vegetables. There are a variety different ‘jjigae’ out there, named according to what their ingredients are. This dish is called a ‘soondubu jjigae’ because it’s made with the classic soft tofu.

A Soondubu jjigae is a healthy and easy to make Korean soup made with bonito soup stock (fish based) and kimchi (fermented Korean cabbage) as the main flavours of the dish which results in a savoury but slightly acidic soup. The ingredients of the soup can vary from place to place but commonly you’ll find tteok (Korean rice cakes), seafood or meat (or both in this case), and of course the soft tofu. I’ve also added two types of mushrooms to mine for added texture but feel free to leave them out.

Bonito Soup Stock

Bonito is a type of fish that is in the same family as mackerel and tuna. One of the most common forms of bonito is bonito flakes which are the thin brown flakes sprinkled on top of okonomiyaki or takoyaki. Bonito stock, also known as dashi, is a Japanese soup stock made from bonito flakes, kelp, and other ingredients. It packs tons of umami flavour and is a key component of many Japanese dishes, including miso soup. HonDashi is the most popular brand of bonito soup stock/dashi that you’ll find in most Asian grocery stores and it comes in a powder/fine pellet form packaged in small glass jars (as pictured), or in packets. They usually need to be kept refrigerated once opened.

What are Garaetteok/Tteok (Korean rice cakes)?

Garaetteok/tteok are Korean rice cakes that are made from non-glutinous rice flour and come in skinny long cylinders. On their own they don’t have much flavour so they’re often added to a flavourful saucy dish (such as this dak galbi recipe) or a soup. They have a soft and chewy texture once cooked and make a great textural addition to many dishes. You’ll most commonly see garaetteok/tteok served in a dish called tteokbokki which is a spicy rice cake dish.

You can find these vacuum-sealed in the refrigerated section of most Asian grocery stores. They will be very hard coming out of the package and need to be soaked for at least 10 minutes in warm water to slightly soften before cooking them. If you’re lucky and your Asian grocer have these fresh, you can put them directly into the dish without soaking.

Don’t worry if you can’t find any garaetteok/tteok. Simply omit them from the recipe altogether. It won’t change the flavour of the dish. It’s mainly to add an extra textural component.

A Quick Note on Gochugaru – Korean Chilli Powder

This recipe uses Gochugaru, a Korean chilli powder, which is not too spicy and it gives the dish a deeper orangey/red colour. It can be easily found in most Asian grocery stores, but if you don’t have any, a good substitute is Kashmiri chilli powder (an Indian variety). Do NOT substitute with cayenne pepper which is a MUCH spicier chilli powder. If you absolutely can’t find Gochugaru or Kashmiri chilli powder, then you can substitute with 1 part cayenne powder: 3 parts paprika, or consider skipping it altogether.

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:

  • 300g chuck steak, sliced into 3-4 cm long strips
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 cup (~250g) kimchi, chopped with juices
  • 1 Tbsp Korean chili powder
  • 400g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bunch enoki mushrooms (optional)
  • 2.5 tsps Hondashi bonito stock powder
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 handful of tteok (Korean rice cakes), rinsed
  • 150g raw shrimp, deveined and deshelled, cut in half width-wise
  • 2 x 313g/11oz packages of soft soon tofu (extra soft Korean tofu), halved and sliced
  • For garnish: 1 green onion, sliced fine

Directions:

In a medium sized soup pot (enough to accommodate 6 cups) on HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and quickly sauté the steak until just browned on the outside – do not cook all the way through (2-3 minutes). Remove from the pot and set aside.

Just browned

In the same pot on MED-HIGH heat, add another drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then add in the 1 cup chopped kimchi, 1 Tbsp chili powder, button mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms. Continue to sauté for another few minutes until the onion softens.

Dissolve the 2.5 tsps bonito stock powder into 2 cups of water and add it to the pot along with the tteok. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Bonito stock powder

Add in the shrimp, tofu, and sautéed steak (from step 1) into the pot and carefully mix it around without breaking the tofu. Let the soup simmer until the shrimp is cooked and the tteok is soft (~another 3-4 minutes), then turn off the heat.

Added 2 eggs to poach on top

Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed (the amount of adjustment will depend on the type of kimchi you’ve used). Garnish with chopped green onion. Enjoy! Serve with a side of white rice.

Optional: crack an egg at the surface while the shrimp is cooking at the same time for 3-4 minutes, or otherwise poach an egg separately and add it to the bowl when serving.

Summarized Recipe

Soondubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Soup)

Date Published: April 12th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 12th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: soup, asian, easy, healthy, low cal, mains, quick
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

  • 300g chuck steak, sliced into 3-4 cm long strips
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 cup (~250g) kimchi, chopped with juices
  • 1 Tbsp Korean chili powder
  • 400g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bunch enoki mushrooms (optional)
  • 2.5 tsps Hondashi bonito stock powder
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 handful of tteok (Korean rice cakes), rinsed
  • 150g raw shrimp, deveined and deshelled, cut in half width-wise
  • 2 x 313g/11oz packages of soft soon tofu (extra soft Korean tofu), halved and sliced
  • For garnish: 1 green onion, sliced fine

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized soup pot (enough to accommodate 6 cups) on HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and quickly sauté the steak until just browned on the outside – do not cook all the way through (2-3 minutes). Remove from the pot and set aside.
  2. In the same pot on MED-HIGH heat, add another drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then add in the 1 cup chopped kimchi, 1 Tbsp chili powder, button mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms. Continue to sauté for another few minutes until the onion softens.
  3. Dissolve the 2.5 tsps bonito stock powder into 2 cups of water and add it to the pot along with the tteok. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes then add in the shrimp, tofu, and sautéed steak (from step 1) into the pot and carefully mix it around without breaking the tofu. Let the soup simmer until the shrimp is cooked and the tteok is soft (~another 3-4 minutes), then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed (the amount of adjustment will depend on the type of kimchi you’ve used). Garnish with chopped green onion. Enjoy! Serve with a side of white rice.
    • Optional: crack an egg at the surface while the shrimp is cooking at the same time for 3-4 minutes, or otherwise poach an egg separately and add it to the bowl when serving.

AbbyLeave a comment

Dubai Chocolate Bars


Date Published: April 6th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 6th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, dessert
Makes: 6 chocolate bars (in the specified molds) | Prep time: 15 mins | Total time: 1 hour

Jump to recipe |

My coworker Joe was the one that put me on the viral Dubai Chocolate Bars. I’m not much of a TikTokker so I had never heard of them until he brought it up, and then suddenly within the next two weeks I was seeing these chocolate bars everywhere. An NYC nut shop was importing them from Dubai and was selling them for $16 for 1 bar! It was insane. It was ridiculous, but out of curiosity we got suckered into the hype and bought a bar. Not many things live up to the craze, but this chocolate bar was SERIOUSLY SO GOOD. I’m not sure if it was $16 good, but it was pretty close.

A Dubai Chocolate Bar is a milk chocolate bar with a crunchy pistachio paste filling. After some googling, I found a few vague copycat recipes and decided to try my own hand at it. It was a messy process (when is it ever not when working with melted chocolate 🥲) but after a few tweaks and portioning, it came out perfect! I had some leftover store-bought $16 Dubai Chocolate Bar and compared it with my own homemade version and in a blind taste test, Toby picked my version! 😁 I’d say that’s a pretty big win. So here I am, sharing the recipe with you all!

Some tools you’ll need:

Chocolate mold

Chocolate mold – you can use any kind of silicon chocolate mold you wish. I used this one from Amazon which makes 6 medium-sized bars at a time. If you choose to use a larger mold to make larger chocolate bars, keep in mind that you will have to increase the portions in the recipe to account for the difference.

Metal rack – to allow for excess chocolate to drip out of your molds. Any kind of rack will do.

A Breakdown of the Ingredients:

Kataifi pastry, milk chocolate melts, and pistachio cream

Kataifi pastry is essentially shredded or spun phyllo dough that gives a lovely crunch and holds its texture even when sitting within a paste for long periods of time. It actually looks just like dried rice vermicelli to me. It’s a common ingredient used in Middle Eastern desserts and can be found in specialty grocery stores. I used the Alkis brand that can be found here.

Pistachio Cream or Pistachio Spread is blended pistachios in a paste form with added ingredients to make it smooth and creamy. I like to use the Pisti Pistachio Cream that’s imported from Italy, but sometimes this can be a bit hard to find so I’ve also shared a recipe to make your own that can be found here. It’s not quite the same but will yield equally delicious results. Whichever kind of pistachio cream you use, make sure it’s good quality that’s strong in pistachio flavour.

Milk Chocolate – whatever brand you choose, treat yourself and get a higher grade milk chocolate. You can use chocolate chips, but I prefer chocolate melts for easier melting. My go-to brand for this recipe is the Ghirardelli milk chocolate wafers – it tends to be more expensive but it’s soooo good 😬.

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. It’s used in this recipe to add extra richness and fluidity of the filling due to the natural oils from the sesame seeds. It can be found in most grocery stores these days but if you can’t seem to find it, you can make it yourself by blending up toasted white sesame seeds with a neutral oil in a 2:1 ratio with a pinch of salt in a high speed blender until you get a smooth paste.

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!

Tools you’ll need:

  • Chocolate mold – I use this one
  • Cooling rack with a tray below

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 50g of kataifi pastry – I use this one
  • 20g unsalted butter
  • 400g of milk chocolate – I use this one
  • Pinch of salt
  • 120g Pistachio cream or spread – I use this one or you can make your own here
  • 7g tahini

Directions:

Prepare the kataifi pastry:

Place the kataifi pastry in a bowl and crush it by hand until you have small pieces, roughly 3mm long.

Melt the 20g of butter in a pan on MED heat and add in the kataifi pastry. Stir and toast the pastry until golden brown (~5 mins). Turn off the heat and place the toasted pastry in a bowl until cooled and ready to use.

Prepare the chocolate mold:

Melt/temper the chocolate by putting it on a double boiler: In a small sauce pan, fill up 1/3 of the pan with water and let it come to a boil. Fit a glass or heat-proof bowl over top the boiling water and add in the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate has completely melted and it reaches 100˚F/38˚C.

Set up double boiler by boiling 1/3 pan of water
Fit a heat-proof bowl over top with the chocolate
Whisk the chocolate until fully melted
Whisk until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C

Alternatively, you can also microwave the chocolate 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C.

Pour chocolate into the molds, making sure you cover all edges and the sides as well.

Make sure you cover all the edges with chocolate

Prepare a clean rack over a tray and flip the chocolate-coated mold upside down on the rack to let the excess chocolate drip out. Let it drip for a few minutes then turn back over. Keep the excess chocolate for the final step.

Make sure all the edges are covered and clean up the excess

Let the chocolate set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until solidified.

After setting in the fridge

Make the filling: In a mixing bowl, mix together the pistachio cream, tahini, and a pinch of salt. Then add in the cooled toasted kataifi pastry. Mix thoroughly.

Spoon the filling into the solidified chocolate molds, spreading it evenly to the edges.

Melt/temper the excess chocolate (from step 2) again by either putting it on a double boiler or microwave 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C. Pour it into the mold over the filling and spread out evenly. Lightly bang the mold on the table to release any air bubbles, then refrigerate until solid. (20-25mins).

Pour remaining chocolate overtop
Gently spread the chocolate evenly
Ready to refrigerate
After refrigerating

Once the chocolate has solidified, gently remove them from the molds. Clean up any edges with a knife.

Done! Eat immediately or keep refrigerated.

Summarized Recipe:

Dubai Chocolate Bars

Date Published: April 6th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 6th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, dessert
Makes: 6 chocolate bars (in the specified molds) | Prep time: 15 mins | Total time: 1 hour

Tools you’ll need:

  • Chocolate mold – I use this one
  • Cooling rack with a tray below

Ingredients:

  • 50g of kataifi pastry – I use this one
  • 20g unsalted butter
  • 400g of milk chocolate – I use this one
  • Pinch of salt
  • 120g Pistachio cream or spread – I use this one or you can make your own here
  • 7g tahini

Directions:

  1. Prepare the kataifi pastry: Place the kataifi pastry in a bowl and crush it by hand until you have small pieces, roughly 3mm long. Melt the butter in a pan on MED heat and add in the kataifi pastry. Stir and toast the pastry until golden brown (~5 mins). Turn off the heat and place the toasted pastry in a bowl until cooled and ready to use.
  2. Prepare the chocolate mold:
    • Melt/temper the chocolate by either putting it on a double boiler or microwave 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C.
    • Pour chocolate into the molds, making sure you cover all edges and the sides as well. Bang the mold on the table to release any bubbles and to ensure even distribution.
    • Prepare a clean rack over a tray and flip the chocolate-coated mold upside down on the rack to let the excess chocolate drip out. Let it drip for a few minutes then turn back over. Keep the excess chocolate for the final step.
    • Let the chocolate set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until solidified.
  3. Make the filling: In a mixing bowl, mix together the pistachio cream, tahini, and a pinch of salt. Then add in the cooled toasted kataifi pastry. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Spoon the filling into the solidified chocolate molds, spreading it evenly to the edges.
  5. Melt/temper the excess chocolate (from step 2) again by either putting it on a double boiler or microwave 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C. Pour it into the mold over the filling and spread out evenly. Lightly bang the mold on the table to release any air bubbles, then refrigerate until solid. (20-25mins).
  6. Once the chocolate has solidified, gently remove them from the molds. Done! Eat immediately or keep refrigerated.

AbbyLeave a comment

Creamy Pistachio Spread


Date Published: March 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: March 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dessert, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 2-3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins

Jump to recipe |

This recipe for pistachio spread came from my own attempt at trying to recreate the Pisti Pistachio Cream – which became my new obsession when I discovered it while having a go at making the viral Dubai Chocolate Bars. Although I haven’t been successful at making a duplicate, the end result was still fantastic inside the chocolate bars and I figured I’d share the recipe here incase I can’t get my hands on the Pisti Pistachio Cream in the future. You can use this spread on toast, in baked goods, or filled in a Dubai Chocolate Bar!

Although this recipe is pretty basic and there’s not many ingredients you need, but one important piece of equipment is a good high speed blender such as a Vitamix to get the smoothest results.

Pistachio Butter vs Pistachio Cream vs Pistachio Spread?

Pistachio butter is just pistachios blended until you get a paste. This is the same way you’d make any kind of nut butters such as peanut butter. The consistency tends to be a bit more grainy and with or without added sugar.

Pistachio cream is blended pistachios (pistachio butter) with added milk products and sugar to give it a creamy and smoother consistency.

Pistachio spread is a broad term that can be used interchangeably with any spreadable pistachio product. Since my recipe is neither that creamy nor as simple as just blended pistachios, I’ve elected to label mine as a ‘pistachio spread’.

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:

  • 450g pistachios, shelled, unsalted, unroasted
  • 1.25 cups whole milk powder
  • 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
  • 7 Tbsps neutral oil (ie. canola or a light tasting olive oil)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 115g condensed milk

Directions:

In a high speed blender, add in the pistachios. Blend on HIGH until you get a paste.

Add in the rest of the ingredients: 1.25 cups milk powder, 2 Tbsps sugar, 7 Tbsps oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 115g condensed milk. Continue to blend on HIGH until you get a smooth paste. Drizzle in more oil if your paste is becoming too thick and difficult to blend.

Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Store in an air tight container until ready to use. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy Pistachio Spread

Date Published: March 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: March 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dessert, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 2-3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

  • 450g pistachios, shelled, unsalted, unroasted
  • 1.25 cups whole milk powder
  • 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
  • 7 Tbsps neutral oil (ie. canola or a light tasting olive oil)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 115g condensed milk

Directions:

  1. In a high speed blender, add in the pistachios. Blend on HIGH until you get a paste.
  2. Add in the rest of the ingredients: 1.25 cups milk powder, 2 Tbsps sugar, 7 Tbsps oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 115g condensed milk. Continue to blend on HIGH until you get a smooth paste. Drizzle in more oil if your paste is becoming too thick and difficult to blend. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Store in an air tight container until ready to use. Done!

AbbyLeave a comment

The Ultimate Guide to Top Philly Cheesesteak Spots


Date Published: March 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 8th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA

Since moving to Brooklyn 2 years ago, Toby and I have made numerous weekend trips to explore the city of Philadelphia. There’s so much rich history and interesting things to see there, but of course being a foodie, the highlight of every trip for me is the Philly Cheesesteak. Every time we think about making a trip, the first thing on my mind is which cheesesteak are we going to try this time? You could call it an unhealthy obsession. To tide me over between our Philly trips, I’ve come up with my own Philly Cheesesteak recipe that you can check out here.

I’ve made it my personal mission to try as many popular cheesesteak spots as I can find through online research, word of mouth, and local reviews. This post is my personal take on these popular spots. I know there will be a lot of differing opinions and I’ve seen heated debates on who has the best cheesesteak, and at the end of the day the answer will depend on individual preference. There’s no one right answer – it’s like asking a New Yorker who has the best pizza. Everyone will have their own favourite and this post highlights some of my favourites and thoughts on these popular joints.

My go-to order: Whiz Wit with extra onions (cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and extra onions). I keep my order consistent every time (where I can help it) so I have a standard of comparison between cheesesteak shops.

To skip this long detailed post, here’s a summary of my preferences:

Keep checking back, I’ll be updating this post as we continue to eat our way through this great city!

Contents:

  1. What is a Philly Cheesesteak? What makes it so special?
  2. Dissecting the Philly Cheesesteak:
    1. Bread
    2. Steak
    3. Cheese: Provolone, Cheez Whiz, American Cheese, or Cooper Sharp?
    4. Optional Toppings
  3. Philly Cheesesteak Spots
    1. #1: Jim’s South St.
    2. #2: Dalessandro’s Steaks
    3. #3: Del Rossi’s Cheesesteak & Pizza CO.
    4. #4: Donkey’s Place (across the river in Camden, NJ)
    5. #5: Miller’s Twist – a pretzel cheesesteak
    6. #6: Angelo’s Pizzeria
    7. #7: John’s Roast Pork
    8. #8: Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop
    9. #9: Sonny’s Famous Steaks
    10. #10: Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop
    11. #11: Campo’s Philly Cheesesteaks
    12. Pat’s and Geno’s – #12 & 13
    13. A note on Fedoroff’s Roast Pork (Williamsburg, NYC)

What is a Philly Cheesesteak? What makes it so special?

A Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich that is essentially bread, cooked steak, and cheese. The combination of these 3 ingredients don’t sound like much, but it’s the quality of the bread, the tenderness and juiciness of the beef, and the cheesy goodness all combined together that makes this sandwich magical. There’s no fancy truffle aioli, or a complex combination of marinades and spices. It’s just simple ingredients made well. Also be prepared – a good cheesesteak tends to be pretty greasy so pack your wet wipes!

Dissecting the Philly Cheesesteak:

Bread:

The traditional sandwich bread for a cheesesteak is a long Italian roll. It should be soft and chewy on the inside but with a light crust on the outside. The bread roll should have enough structure to hold up your sandwich while absorbing the delicious dripping juices without it being too soggy. It also shouldn’t be too tough that it becomes difficult to bite through.

Steak:

Rib eye is usually the go-to meat for a cheesesteak. It’s tender, somewhat fatty, and flavourful all at the same time. It’s sliced super thin before cooking on a flat top grill and comes out looking almost like ground beef (depending on how thin they slice it) with little folds that hold in all the juices. The first sounds you hear when walking into a cheesesteak shop is usually the clanging and banging of the metal spatulas on the flat top grill as they cook up the steak.

Cheese: Provolone, Cheez Whiz, American Cheese, or Cooper Sharp?

For the readers that are unfamiliar to the cheesesteak life, when you order a cheesesteak, you have to choose what kind of cheese you want. The 3 options are usually Provolone, Cheez Whiz, or American Cheese. Of these 3, provolone is the only “real” non-processed cheese, but I find it to be the most subtle in flavour compared to the others. American Cheese is processed cheddar slices (ie. Kraft singles), and Cheez Whiz is a processed liquid “cheese” sauce that tastes like a melty version of American cheese to me. In more recent years, Cooper Sharp has entered the cheesesteak game which is also another type of processed cheese but has a sharp bold flavour and melts well. Of all these options, Provolone and Cheez Whiz seem to be the two most popular choices. I’m team Cheez Whiz all the way (with Cooper Sharp coming in at a close second), but lately Toby has been leaning towards the provolone. If you’ve never had a cheesesteak before, I’d recommend getting one of each and trying it out for yourself!

Fun fact: The local Philly slang for a cheesesteak with cheez whiz and onions is called a “whiz wit”.

My first cheesesteak side story: When Toby and I went to order our first ever Philly Cheesesteak, we had no idea that there were cheese options! The guy at Jim’s didn’t specifically ask us what cheese we wanted. He instead asked “Provolone?”. In a moment of panic, we just said “yes”. Surely provolone is the most popular option, otherwise he would’ve led with a different cheese choice, right? Sad to report, I was disappointed by the provolone because I couldn’t really taste it and I expected a cheesesteak sandwich to be cheese-forward in flavour – after all, it’s in the name. Maybe we chose the wrong cheese? Maybe we should get extra cheese? After polishing off our sandwich, Toby went right back in line and ordered another one, this time with Cheez Whiz – the gooey orange cheese that you see in so many iconic photos of a cheesesteak. After taking the first bite, we were in love! This was it. The Cheez Whiz made all the difference. This gooey fake cheese product penetrated through the layers of the beef and onions and melded the flavours together into a mess of greasy cheesy delicious goodness. Ever since that visit, Cheez Whiz has been my go-to, although I was also quite impressed by Cooper Sharp at Del Rossi’s.

Optional Toppings:

Onions are optional, but essential in my opinion. They’re usually cooked to just browned and softened with a bit of a bite. I prefer the cheesesteak joints that take it a little further and slightly caramelize the onions to add a bit of sweetness to contrast the heavy sandwich. Some places will offer fried or even raw onions.

Sautéed bell peppers are another popular add-on, but I find it too distracting from the rest of my sandwich so I tend to skip it.

Sautéed mushrooms are not as popular of a topping and not always offered, but I just love mushrooms in general and I find that it adds a nice texture to the sandwich. Toby prefers it without.

Other common toppings: hot banana peppers, relish, ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. Some places will have a side stand of these extra toppings to add on yourself. I prefer my cheesesteak with just onions and mushrooms, but Toby will sometimes add relish for a bit of sweet vinegary kick.

Philly Cheesesteak Spots

Without further ado, here’s a list of popular cheesesteak spots around Philly that we’ve tried and my honest opinions about them. With such limited ingredients in a cheesesteak, a good cheesesteak needs to be on point with all 3 ingredients: bread, steak, and cheese.

I’ve ranked them from our favourite to least. Keep checking back, I’ll be updating this list and re-ranking as we continue to check out more cheesesteak spots! I’ve also made a handy-dandy map for an overall view of where all these spots are located. 😊

#1: Jim’s South St.

Address: 400 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: https://jimssouthstreet.com/
Hours: 11am-12am most days (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak: $13.49 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Always consistent
  • Moist juicy cheesesteak
  • Good pricing
  • Good location for tourists, about a 15 minute walk from the Liberty Bell
  • Onions are lightly caramelized giving it extra flavour
  • Indoor seating available
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Smaller size sandwich (however $2-3 cheaper than most places)

Jim’s South Street is an easy local favourite. Throughout my research of finding the best cheesesteak in Philly, Jim’s came up again and again. It’s easily accessible and is located on the busy South Street with plenty of other restaurants and bars on this strip. Jim’s first opened up in 1939 and has been serving quality cheesesteaks since.

This was mine and Toby’s very first cheesesteak experience. It was everything I expected and more! We arrived at 12:45pm on a Monday in mid November and there was thankfully no line. Even if there was a line, I’m sure it’d move quick since they made our sandwich in record time. As soon as you walk in, you’re hit with the amazing aroma of caramelized onions and beef and the sounds of the banging and clanging on the flat top. Even if you weren’t hungry, watching the meat sizzle in front of you would get you salivating. The shop itself has a retro vibe with some seating available.

We got 2 cheesesteaks here: first with provolone which I struggled to find the provolone flavour, then with Cheez Whiz which made allllll the difference. The onions were perfectly cooked the way I like it – slightly caramelized for a bit of sweetness but with a bite and the steak was so juicy that it was a bit of a dripping mess, but the bread held up well without getting soggy. Delicious!

Update April 1st, 2025: After a string of disappointing cheesesteaks around Philly, we came back to Jim’s again to make sure I wasn’t overhyping this place since it was our very first cheesesteak afterall. I’m glad to report it was just as delicious as I remember it! I was watching the man behind the stove and noticed a few things that makes Jim’s stand out from the rest:

  1. They double layer their cheese – on the bread, then add the beef and toppings, and finish it with more cheez on top so you get a good amount of cheez whiz in every bite.
  2. Their onions are perfectly caramelized which adds so much more flavour with a slight sweetness. Most places will have softened onions without caramelizing them.
  3. This man has a literal kettle of melted beef oil that he pours on the beef while he cooks it to keep it moist and extra juicy as he cooks it.

#2: Dalessandro’s Steaks

Address: 600 Wendover St, Philadelphia, PA 19128
Website: https://dalessandros.com/
Hours: 11am-9/10pm most days (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $16.00 (cash only, ATM on site)

Pros:

  • Great sandwich size
  • Good amount of steak and cooked really well, not dry at all
  • No extra charge for onions

Cons:

  • Out of the way from downtown and old town/tourist areas
  • Onions very bland and not enough of it
  • Limited seating – only 4 picnic tables outside, no indoor seating
  • Cash only (ATM on site)
  • Limited street parking

Dalessandro’s was actually one of the first cheesesteak spots recommended to us from a Philly local but due to its location all the way on the other side of the city, it took us a while to make it here since it never seemed to fit into our Philly itinerary.

We came on a Saturday lunch hour in the first week of June and although it was busy, the line went relatively quickly and it took about 10 minutes to get our sandwich. It’s a window-order and pick-up set up that takes cash only (ATM on site). Once you place your order, there’s an automated voice over a speaker and a large screen that calls you when your order is ready and you pay on pick up. There are only 4 picnic-style tables outside and no indoor seating, but luckily we were able to snag a tablet just as someone left.

At first glance, the cheesesteak was pretty hefty with a good amount of meat. The bread was soft but held up well. The steak was super juicy and cooked really well (similar to Jim’s) and there was a good amount of cheese. However, the onions were the let down for me. Even with extra onions, there wasn’t much of it and the onions themselves didn’t have much flavour – wasn’t browned, kind of just soft and bland, almost like steamed onions. Honestly, if the onions were on point, Dalessandro’s would be at the #1 spot for me purely because their cheesesteak is larger than Jim’s and everything else was great!

#3: Del Rossi’s Cheesesteak & Pizza CO.

Address: 538 N 4th St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Website: https://delrossisrestaurant.com/
Hours: 11am-11pm most days (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $16.48 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Fantastic bread – unique sesame artisanal bun
  • Juicy meat cooked well
  • Indoor-seating and they bring the food to your table
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • No Cheez Whiz, they carry Cooper Sharp cheese only
  • Inconsistent cook with the meat between repeat visits
  • Out of the way from downtown and old town/tourist areas

We came here on our latest Philly trip in February on the recommendation of some Philly native internet strangers. It is a little out of the way from the main city centre and touristy things (~6 mins north of the Liberty Bell for reference) so you’d need to either drive or Uber to get here. Upon first glance, it looked like an ordinary pizza shop with a bunch of pizza boxes piled high near the front, no signs of the large flat top or smells of a cheesesteak.

We ordered our usual “whiz wit” (cheesesteak with cheez whiz and onions) but to our surprise they only do Cooper Sharp cheese! This was the first place we’ve been to that didn’t have Cheez Whiz. It was a little hard to understand the cashier, but I think he said they used to do Cheez Whiz but it got too busy so they stopped offering different cheese options? Either way, the cashier was confident that we’d love their cheesesteak so we ordered one to share. Y’all… this cheesesteak was PHENOMENAL. It instantly became our new favourite cheesesteak. The bread was flavourful with a fantastic golden brown crust speckled with white sesame seeds that reminded me of an artisanal sourdough. It was our first time trying Cooper Sharp cheese and it was so bold and flavourful that it knocked our socks off. It also perfectly melted between the layers of the meat, making it a top contender to my beloved Cheez Whiz. The steak was also cooked well and the combination of everything was perfection. *chef’s kiss*

July 29th update: Del Rossi’s was originally my #1 pick for best cheesesteak, however after a couple more visits, although still delicious, there was inconsistency with the cook of the steak, being a little dry at times, so it’s now my #3 after Jim’s and Dalessandro’s.

#4: Donkey’s Place (across the river in Camden, NJ)

Address: 1223 Haddon Ave, Camden, NJ 08103
Website: https://www.donkeysplacemenu.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, closed Sat & Sun (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $15.50 (before tax)

Pros:

  • AMAZING flavourful onions! The best onions in any cheesesteak sandwich I’ve had so far.
  • Generous portion sizes
  • Good amount of indoor seating in a pub setting
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Located in New Jersey, across the river in a slightly dodgy neighbourhood
  • Limited menu – cheesesteak, wings, fries, and onion rings (but there’s a full bar!)

Donkey’s Place was recommended by our Philly walking tour guide and claimed it to be just as good, if not better than the cheesesteaks in Philly. Although it’s not technically in Philadelphia, I’ve included it in this post anyway due to how close it is. Donkey’s Place is located in Camden, NJ, just across the river, a 10 minute drive from the Liberty Bell (the USS New Jersey is also nearby if you want to check out a battleship!). This little pub is located on a random street away from any main tourist areas in a bit of a run down neighbourhood. There’s a small parking area for 2-3 cars or street parking. There wasn’t any special advertisement or signs for their cheesesteak and just by looking at this place from the outside, you never would’ve guessed they served cheesesteaks. We hoped we were in the right place.

Upon walking in, it was a cozy bar with some friendly people. You can either grab a seat at the bar or at one of the dining tables for table service. Their little menu posted on the napkin dispenser mainly consists of pub food with the addition of a cheesesteak.

We ordered two cheesesteaks – one with American white cheddar and the other with cheez whiz (no provolone option). The cheesesteak came on an untraditional round poppy seed bun with a hefty amount of meat (I think the waitress said half a pound), and when we said ‘extra onions’, they REALLY piled on a side of caramelized onions which I’m so glad we did because it was the highlight. The sandwich was seriously SO GOOD. The bun was a bit soft for my liking, but the overall sandwich was incredible that I didn’t care. The onions were what made it for me. It had a robust rich flavour and held more moisture, not like your typical caramelized onions. My best guess is that they either cook it down with beef fat or beef stock for that flavour and moisture. I tried to ask the guy how they make their onions, but all he said was “seasoning” which seemed to be a secret. Maybe it’s beef bouillon powder 🤔.

They also had Birch beer – similar to root beer but made with birch sap and bark. A little lighter and less sweet than root beer which I appreciated.

Less traditional, but a good contender for top fave! It’s definitely worth making a trip over the bridge for this cheesesteak!

Update April 20th, 2025: I’ve recently learned that Donkey’s Place was Anthony Bourdain’s top cheesesteak pick!

#5: Miller’s Twist – a pretzel cheesesteak

Address: 51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (located in Reading Terminal Market)
Website: https://www.millerstwist.com/
Hours: Mon-Wed 8am-3:30pm, Thurs-Sat 8am-5pm, closed Sundays (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $7.50 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Unique little snack-sized cheesesteak in a pretzel dough
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Located inside Reading Market – paid street or garage parking only
  • Closes earlier than regular cheesesteak shops
  • Sells out depending on popularity

This place didn’t show up on my cheesesteak research, but it did come up during my Reading Terminal Market must-try places to eat. I’ve got a serious weakness for soft pretzels, so of course when I saw that they had a Cheese whiz and onion cheesesteak pretzel, I just had to have it. Although small, it packs a lot of flavour. It’s essentially Cheez Whiz, onions, and steak wrapped up and baked inside a soft buttery pretzel dough. It was honestly SO GOOD. Toby said it was his favourite cheesesteak that day! This place also makes pretty great regular pretzels as well – they’re soft, buttery, and everything right.

#6: Angelo’s Pizzeria

Address: 736 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: https://www.angelospizzeriasouthphiladelphia.com/
Hours: Wed – Sun 11am-7pm, closed Mon & Tues (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $16.04 for a cheesesteak (before tax, cash only, not sure if they charged for extra onions)

Pros:

  • Hefty sandwich
  • Nice sesame bun, baked fresh daily

Cons:

  • Cash only (unsure if there’s an ATM on site)
  • Long lines all the time, they can run out of bread during the day so come early
  • Long waiting time – it took an hour from ordering to pick up
  • No seating available
  • Average cheesesteak filling

Okay, unpopular opinion here, but I think Angelo’s cheesesteak is just okay. 🫣

Angelo’s Pizzeria opened in their current location in 2019. They’re known for their pizza, hoagies, and the cooper sharp cheesesteak. They are praised for their unique fresh-baked sesame bun that is used in their cheesesteaks and hoagies. They often run out of bread during the day and stop serving cheesesteaks altogether, so if you want to try Angelo’s, get there early! Angelo’s reached superstar status when Dave Portnoy (the one-bite pizza review guy and founder of Barstool Sports) gave them a glowing review on their pizza in 2019, calling it “the best pizza in Philly”. Since then they’ve had a line-up out the door from opening to close! They take phone orders, but that’s only if you can get through. Apart from their pizza, their cooper sharp cheesesteak is also highly recommended by so many people. In 2024, Bradley Cooper, a Philadelphia native, teamed up with the owner of Angelo’s, Danny DiGiampietro, and opened up a cheesesteak shop in NYC called ‘Danny and Coop’s Cheesesteaks’, bringing over that famous sesame bun (which we’ve yet to visit – I’m waiting for the lines to die down).

From all this hype and publicity around them, I was super excited to try Angelo’s. It took a while for us to make it here since they’re always closed Mondays and Tuesdays which are the only two days off we get off from work. We arrived here just before 4pm on a Saturday and there was already at least 20 people in front of us waiting to order. This is a takeaway shop only, which means there’s no seating anywhere. There is a park across the street with limited benches, but many people were sitting on a stoop, curb, or just standing to eat. Luckily we found a parking spot directly in front of the shop so we just ate in the car.

It was a 12 minute wait for us to get to the front of the line to put in our order (cash only, pay on pick up), and it was another 40 minutes until they texted us to pick up our order. This was definitely the longest we’ve ever waited for a cheesesteak! Good thing we weren’t starving. We went for a walk on the popular South Street until they texted us to let us know our order was ready – even then, it was another 8 minute wait in the food pick-up line.

Since it took us so long to finally get here and with such a long wait, we ordered 3 sandwiches to try it all: two cheesesteaks – my classic Cheez Whiz, but since people rave so much about the Cooper Sharp, we got that one too, and also an Italian hoagie since Toby was a little sick of cheesesteaks at this point (not me, I could eat it until my dying day!). Sadly, the cheesesteaks were not worth the hype in my opinion. Although the sesame bun was good and super jam packed with sesame seeds, it wasn’t life-changing (I actually prefer the bun at Del Rossi’s better, Toby disagrees). The meat was average – not dry but not overly juicy, there wasn’t enough cheez whiz, and even though I asked for extra onions, it wasn’t enough. The onions were also kinda bland and tasted steamed rather than fried or caramelized. It was a pretty hefty sandwich though. The hoagie was also okay. Overall it wasn’t a bad cheesesteak. I’d say it was average but their sesame bread brings them up a couple points. It definitely wasn’t worth the hour-long process from ordering to pick-up. Maybe their pizzas are more worthwhile 🤷🏻‍♀️.

#7: John’s Roast Pork

Address: 14 E Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Website: http://www.johnsroastpork.com/
Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, closed Sun & Mon (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $15-16 (I can’t remember exactly, prices weren’t posted, but we paid $18 with a soda)

Pros:

  • Hefty sandwich – lots of meat
  • Indoor and outdoor seating available
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • No cheez whiz or cooper sharp, only provolone or american cheese
  • Out of the way location in an industrial area with warehouses and strip clubs around

John’s Roast Pork is another popular local spot for cheesesteaks. They won a James Beard Award for their roast pork sandwich in 2006. It’s an unassuming shop located in the middle of nowhere amongst industrial buildings and strip clubs, but despite its location and it being the middle of winter, it was still pretty busy when we arrived. There was only window service with some indoor and outdoor seating available. They call their cheesesteaks “ultimate cheesesteaks” with 12oz of meat in each sandwich (I’m not sure how much meat they normally put on a cheesesteak, but it did feel more hefty compared to the others). Disappointingly they only offer sharp provolone cheese or American cheese. No whiz or cooper sharp. 💔

Overall I thought their cheesesteak was just okay – perhaps it was the lack of Cheez Whiz or perhaps we were following it straight after Del Rossi’s cheesesteak which is tough to beat. I thought the meat was decent but the sandwich wasn’t very cheese-forward in flavour probably because the provolone gets goopy when melted rather than the melty oozy cheese from Whiz or Cooper Sharp – I just don’t think I’m a provolone fan. It’s not a bad sandwich, but I thought it was just average. Toby liked it more than I did.

#8: Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop

Address: 1 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Website: https://www.joessteaks.com/
Hours: 11am-9pm most days, until 1am on Fri & Sat (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: Small $8.50 / Large $13.89 (before tax) (I can’t remember if they charged extra for onions)

Pros:

  • Offers both small and large cheesesteak sizes
  • Fantastic milkshakes
  • Table service
  • Good ambience, plenty of seating
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Good average cheesesteak, wasn’t overly excited by it, not bad but not great
  • Farther out away from the city
  • Can be difficult to find street parking

Interestingly, I didn’t hear about this place from any internet reviews or recommendations. We collect souvenir magnets for all the places we visit and on our first trip to Philly, we came across a cool Philadelphia magnet at the Christmas market at JFK Plaza. At the time I hadn’t even had an official cheesesteak yet, but here in the middle of the magnet was “Joe’s Steaks”. A quick Google search revealed Joe’s to be a locally loved and OG cheesesteak joint that’s been open for more than 70 years, so of course I had to add it to my list of cheesesteaks to try.

Opened since 1949! Originally called ‘Chink’s Steaks’ due to the non-asian owner’s nickname for having “almond eyes”, the current owner took over in 1999 and after much debate, he renamed it ‘Joe’s Steaks’ in 2013 to get with the times and drop the racial slur. Keeping the same recipe over 70 years, this place has been a local staple.

This shop is located in the Northern suburbs in Fishtown. We thought it’d be in a random quiet location like many other cheesesteak shops away from the city, but it was actually right smack in the corner of a pretty busy street with plenty of cool shops and restaurants. We actually struggled to find parking and had to park a bit farther away. Joe’s is in the theme of a vintage diner with retro colours and booths. It’s table service or take away and there are plenty of cheesesteak, hotdogs, and burgers on the menu. This was the first cheesesteak place in Philadelphia that we saw offer a smaller or large size, which was nice considered we weren’t that hungry.

The cheesesteak came out quickly and overall was good, but not spectacular. The meat, cheese, bread, onions were all good – cooked well, decent flavours, but nothing to write home about. The real star of the show was the milkshakes. Toby was OBSESSED with the cookies and cream malted milk shake. Overall, the servers were lovely and the ambience was great, but I probably wouldn’t make an extra trip just for Joe’s (I’m sure Toby would say otherwise just for their milkshakes 😅).

#9: Sonny’s Famous Steaks

Address: 228 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Website: https://sonnyscheesesteaks.com/
Hours: 11am-10pm daily (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $13.77 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Great location for tourists, right in old town across the street from many sites
  • Good amount of cheese
  • Nice flavour on the steak with a slight char

Cons:

  • Good average cheesesteak, wasn’t overly excited by it, not bad but not great

Sonny’s is located on Market Street, which is conveniently close to old down and just down the block from the Benjamin Franklin Museum. GQ magazine named it their top pick for Philly Cheesesteaks, however looking at the 10 places they tried, neither Del Rossi’s nor Jim’s was on their list, so did they really sample the best? 😜

We came on a Tuesday afternoon and there was no line. We ordered our usual whiz wit. The bread was average, the steak was cooked well with a nice char (not the juiciest, but still good), and the cheez whiz shone through the layers. Overall it’s a good sandwich with a great location, but there’s better out there. If you’re a visiting tourist without much time to travel further, then Sonny’s is a good choice for a cheesesteak and within walking distance to the heart of Phildaelphia Old Town tourism.

#10: Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop

Address: 630 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: http://www.woodrowsandwich.com/
Hours: 11am-8pm daily (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $15 (online QR code ordering already – careful it automatically adds 20% tip even if takeaway)

Pros:

  • Good location on the popular South Street
  • Unique truffle cheese with good truffle flavour

Cons:

  • Grainy texture of the truffle cheese
  • Only truffle cheese option – soz if you don’t like truffle
  • Steak was a little dry
  • QR code ordering only even if no one else is there and the staff are not doing anything
  • 20% tip default added on unless you change it

I’ve seen Woodrow’s occasionally mentioned here and there but not consistent enough to make it on the top 10 list, however I just HAD to try it when I heard that they have a truffle cheesesteak. I’m OBSESSED with truffle and I can never pass up anything truffle-related on a menu, so when you mention truffle and cheesesteak together, I’m there.

Located on South Street near Jim’s Steaks, we came on a Tuesday afternoon in April and there was no one else there at the time. Annoyingly, they only do QR code ordering. All 3 staff members there were standing around waiting for me to process my order before anything was started. Had I known, I would’ve just done this from my car instead of 3 people silently and awkwardly waiting for me. Be careful when checking out. My $15 sandwich suddenly jumped up to $19 as the total and I realized that they default add a 20% tip – I nearly missed it in my rush of checking out quickly. Even if you’re ordering for takeaway, 20% is added on (which is crazy because there’s literally zero service – they won’t even take your order at the counter 😂).

Ordering complaints aside, I was still excited to try my truffle cheesesteak. Interestingly they ONLY have a truffle cheese option, no regular cheese. The sandwich didn’t take long to make and we ate it in our car to save money on street parking, lol. Overall it was a tasty sandwich and the truffle flavour definitely comes through, BUT the cheese itself was grainy. They pride themselves on making their own truffle cheese in house and not from a can which I do commend and the flavour of the truffle cheese was actually quite nice, but the graininess was very distracting and kind of ruined it for me. It was kind of like the graininess you’d get from melting pre-shredded cheese that have added caking agents instead of using blocks of fresh cheese (pro-tip: you should never make mac & cheese with pre-shredded cheese for this exact reason). Apart from the grainy cheese, the meat was also a little dry. The bread and onions were average.

#11: Campo’s Philly Cheesesteaks

Address: 214 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Website: https://camposdeli.com/
Hours: 9am-10pm daily (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $14.85 (before tax, extra surcharge with card payment)

Pros:

  • Great location right near old town and all the touristy things

Cons:

  • Short and blunt counter service
  • Surcharge on credit card
  • Lack of cheese flavour – I can see it, but couldn’t really taste it
  • Average steak, cheese, and onions

Also located on Market Street just a few doors down from Sonny’s Famous Steaks, we visited on a Tuesday afternoon in April. There was no one else there at the time so our sandwich was made relatively quickly. The counter service was short and blunt and there was a surcharge if you’re paying with card.

I really wanted to like this place due to its great location next to old down, but unfortunately the sandwich let me down. We ordered our usual Whiz Wit. The bread was average, the onions were soft without much flavour, the beef was cooked well and juicy however there wasn’t much char or flavour on it, but the biggest disappointment was the lack of cheese flavour. I couldn’t taste it at all and actually thought maybe they forgot to put in the cheez whiz and was about to go back to the counter to check before Toby pointed out the opaque colour within the sandwich. Cheez Whiz has quite a strong flavour that’s hard to miss – perhaps they have a watered down version or a different brand or maybe they’re just skimping, but I couldn’t taste it at all and a cheesesteak is supposed to be cheese-forward in flavour – it’s in the name! If you’re looking for a convenient cheesesteak on Market Street, go to Sonny’s instead.

Pat’s and Geno’s – #12 & 13

Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks are two cheesesteak shops located across the street from each other at the south end of 9th Street in South Philly. Due to their location and how often they’re mentioned together, I’ve grouped them together here and compared them side by side. They both have impressive shop fronts with neon lights on the outside that make you think you’re in Vegas. When you research “Philly cheesesteaks”, undoubtedly these two shops will pop up again and again in travel guides, probably due to their close vicinity to the popular nearby Italian Market along 9th Street, but be warned, even though they both have 4+ stars on Google reviews with an impressive 10K+ reviews, they have a reputation of being tourist traps. I decided to try them both out to judge for myself – after all, a guide to Philly cheesesteaks wouldn’t be complete without at least mentioning these two places due to their popularity!

Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks in the background

Both shops have outdoor only seating with speedy window service and both are open 24 hours. In order to fit this into our packed Philly day, we ended up coming here at 8am. Although it wasn’t busy, we were surprised how many other people also got cheesesteaks for breakfast.

#12: Pat’s King of Steaks

Address: 1237 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: http://www.patskingofsteaks.com/
Hours: 24 hours (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak: $14.81 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Quick service
  • Lots of covered outdoor seating (no indoor seating)

Cons:

  • Slightly stale, tough, chewy bread

First up was Pat’s. The sandwich was made quickly and served hot. The flavours were actually decent and the meat was juicy and not overcooked. The big let down was the bread. It was a bit tough and chewy, almost a little stale. Overall it’s not bad a bad sandwich if you wanted a middle of the night cheesesteak, but if you’re looking for the best of Philly, this unfortunately doesn’t cut it. Next is Geno’s.

#13: Geno’s Steaks

Address: 1219 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: https://www.genosteaks.com/
Hours: 24 hours (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $13.89 (before tax) – cash only

Pros:

  • Quick service
  • Lots of covered outdoor seating

Cons:

  • Cash only
  • Meat very overcooked, dry, and tough

Geno’s is just across the street from Pat’s, also covered in neon lighting. It was a similar set up with window service and outdoor seating. The cheesesteak here is $1 less than at Pat’s, but they take cash only. Our sandwich was again made in record time, but sadly we did not like Geno’s at all. The meat was sliced thicker and was overcooked, making it dry and tough. The onions were not cooked enough for my taste with barely any browning. It was overall very disappointing and not worth the calories, making Geno’s last on my cheesesteak list.

Cheesesteak Spots on our list to try for our next Philly trip:

  • Shay’s Steaks
  • Cafe Carmela
  • Stella’s

I hope you enjoyed my rambling on cheesesteaks across Philly. Keep checking back for updates and let me know in the comments if there’s a cheesesteak spot you think we should try!

A note on Fedoroff’s Roast Pork (Williamsburg, NYC)

Address: 178 N 10th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Website: www.fedoroffs.com
Hours: Mon-Sun 10am-10:30pm (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $18.95 medium 6″; $21.95 large 8″ (before tax)

Although Philadelphia is only less than 2 hours away from NYC, I scoured online reviews to find a local fix between our trips and found Fedoroff’s Roast Pork in Williamsburg, NYC. Since this is a cheesesteak post, I figured that I should include it if not for other New Yorkers, but maybe more for myself to rant into the void of the internet. This is hands down THE unanimous go-to spot for cheesesteaks in NYC…according to everyone else.

I came with an open-mind, making the trek from Park Slope to Williamsburg (which is no easy feat considering how congested the BQE always is or how long the subway ride takes). I was craving a cheesesteak and I was excited. On first impressions, it’s a small shop with really old signage that made it seem like this place has been here for a long time (odd choice since they only opened in 2016).

This place is incredibly expensive. Cheesesteaks usually come in one size and often a 12 inch roll for about $13-16. At Ferdoroff’s you have a choice of “medium” (which is 6 inches) for $18.95, or “large” (which is 8 inches) for $21.95. First of all, it baffles me why a sandwich shop would even bother carrying two different sizes of bread that is only 2 inches in difference 🤨. Second of all, I get that NYC is expensive, but $19 for a sandwich that’s literally half the size as a regular cheesesteak in Philly that’s made of sliced meat, cheez whiz, and onions is beyond me. What’s even more annoying is that they don’t even post the prices on their try-too-hard-to-look-vintage sign. I had to ask the cashier when we went to order. Luckily we went on a Tuesday where they happened to have a cheesesteak special for $12.95 for a medium 6″ sandwich. The server bro asked us if we wanted to upgrade to a large 8″ for $21.95…An extra $9 for 2 inches of sandwich? – I’m good.

Despite this, I still kept an open mind and ordered my medium 6″ cheesesteak. Maybe this sandwich will be so incredible that it’ll be worth the money – after all, it’s so highly reviewed.

It definitely wasn’t worth the wait or the money. It sounds stupid, but I have seriously never been more annoyed eating a sandwich than at Fedoroff’s 😂. Their bread is so thin and soft, that it might as well not have been there. The filling was average, nothing special, but the bread was constantly falling apart and getting mushy. I couldn’t even hold onto it properly. With every bite I was dropping more and more food from my hands and by the end I felt like a child with cheese sauce all over my hands and face. It was a huge mess. It was ridiculous.

I really struggle to see why people like Fedoroff’s. They boast themselves on being the only cheesesteak shop in NYC owned by South Philadelphia natives, yet their website says they pay tribute and get inspiration to the great cheesesteaks in Philly including Pat’s and Geno’s…🤨. I’d rank Fedoroff’s even below Geno’s. At least with Geno’s you know what you’re getting at a fair price. Fedoroff’s make it seem like they’re the only legit spot for cheesesteaks in NYC, but the combination of the high prices, poor product, try-too-hard-to-look-old, and suspicious history makes this place just feel scammy. Highly do not recommend. /rant

Looking For More Ultimate Food Guides? Check out these below!

The Ultimate Guide to a Manhattan Chinatown Food Crawl – bring cash!


Manhattan Chinatown is full of amazing authentic Asian food but in a neighbourhood full of Chinese signage and shop keepers that barely speak English, it can be daunting to find the best food spots amongst the literal hundreds of restaurants in this neighbourhood. This food guide highlights some of my favourite places to eat in Chinatown…

Abby15 Comments

Asian Chicken Rice


Date Published: March 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30 mins, Asian, easy, quick, sides
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

Jump to recipe |

What is Chicken Rice?

If you’ve ever had Hainanese Chicken Rice, you’ll know that it’s a poached chicken dish served with a flavourful savoury chicken flavoured rice. This recipe is for that rice, which is so damn good that I decided that it needs a separate recipe post for itself and unlike the Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe, you don’t need to cook a whole chicken just to make this rice. This rice is packed with chicken flavour by using chicken fat (or schmaltz), chicken stock, and chicken stock powder.

Why is the rice yellow?

Short answer: I have no idea. Possible answer: aesthetics? In some Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants, the chicken rice is yellow in colour due to the additional of turmeric powder. Some places will even add turmeric to their chicken poaching liquid so the skin is also tinted yellow. I can’t find an exact reason for this, but my guess is due to the aesthetics of the dish 🤷🏻‍♀️. The turmeric here is purely optional and does not add any additional flavour, so feel free to leave it out if you wish!

Stove top vs Instant Pot?

In this recipe I’ve included instructions for both stove top and Instant Pot cooking methods. There’s not much difference between either – if anything, the stove top is actually a little faster, but the Instant Pot saves you the effort from having to constantly keep an eye on it so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

What is Schmaltz?

Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat that is commonly used in Jewish cooking. It typically comes in a glass jar and you should be able to find it at Whole Foods (labelled as rendered chicken fat) or jewish grocery stores. I found a large container of it at my local farmer’s market and froze them in ice cube trays for easy use. It keeps for ages.

If you can’t find rendered chicken fat, you can render it yourself. Ask your local butcher if they have any chicken fat or chicken skins and let it slowly cook down on the stove until you get a clear oil.

What is Asian Chicken Powder 雞粉?

Asian Chicken Powder 雞粉 is a flavourful chicken bouillon powder that usually has the addition of MSG. It’s a common ingredient used in many dishes to enhance the flavours in a pinch and add a boost of chicken aroma. I like the Lee Kum Kee Brand, but Knorr makes one that’s pretty good as well. If you can’t find it Chicken Powder, you can use regular chicken bouillon instead.

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 Tbsps rendered chicken fat/schmaltz
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional, for colour)
  • 4 cups chicken stock (3 cups if using Instant pot?)
  • 2.5 tsps Asian chicken stock powder 雞粉
  • 2 green onions, trimmed and sliced to 4cm pieces
  • 2 slices of ginger

Stove Top Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED heat, melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz and sauté the minced garlic in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat.

Next, add in the 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 4 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix it all around, let the liquid come to a simmer, then turn the heat down to LOW and put a lid on. Let the rice cook until soft (~10-15 minutes), stirring occasionally and making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add more chicken stock if the rice is getting too dry before it finishes cooking.

When the rice is done, fluff it up with a fork. Let the rice sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Directions:

In an Instant Pot, start the sauté setting on MED heat and melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz. Add the minced garlic and sauté it in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat.

Cancel the Instant Pot sauté setting and add in the rest of the ingredients: 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 3 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix well, put on the lid, and set it to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes and a 15 minute natural release.

Once finished, carefully release the rest of the steam, then open the lid. Fluff up the rice with a fork and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Asian Chicken Rice

Date Published: March 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30 mins, Asian, easy, quick, sides
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbsps rendered chicken fat/schmaltz
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional, for colour)
  • 4 cups chicken stock (3 cups if using Instant pot?)
  • 2.5 tsps Chicken stock powder – ASIAN BRAND
  • 2 green onions, trimmed and sliced to 4cm pieces
  • 2 slices of ginger

Stove Top Directions:

  1. In a medium sized pot on MED heat, melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz and sauté the minced garlic in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat.
  3. Next, add in the 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 4 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix it all around, let the liquid come to a simmer, then turn the heat down to LOW and put a lid on. Let the rice cook until soft (~10-15 minutes), stirring occasionally and making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add more chicken stock if the rice is getting too dry before it finishes cooking.
  4. When the rice is done, fluff it up with a fork. Let the rice sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Directions:

  1. In an Instant Pot, start the sauté setting on MED heat and melt 4 Tbsps of chicken fat/schmaltz. Add the minced garlic and sauté it in the fat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add in the Jasmine rice and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes until the rice heats up and is covered in the fat. Cancel the Instant Pot sauté setting and add in the rest of the ingredients: 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (if using), 3 cups chicken stock, 2.5 tsps chicken stock powder, green onion, and ginger. Mix well, put on the lid, and set it to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes and a 15 minute natural release.
  3. Once finished, carefully release the rest of the steam, then open the lid. Fluff up the rice with a fork and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavour. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Biryani (Kuska) Rice


Date Published: March 19th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 19th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, asian, mains, vegetarian
Serves: 6-8 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Jump to recipe |

I’ve only ever known “biryani” in the form of chicken biryani, an Indian dish that cooks the chicken and rice together in a mix of spices which results in a flavourful rice dish. I always thought you needed the meat to achieve the flavours of the rice but when we went to Cairo Cafe in Perth for the first time back in October 2021 during our big road trip around Australia, they had an option of plain biryani rice as a side and it blew me away! Their rice was smokey yet flavourful and I just couldn’t get enough of it! I’ve since tried to recreate it multiple times, but sadly I have not achieved a copycat version. However, I did find an alternative biryani/kuska rice recipe from IndianHealthyRecipes and after a few tweaks, it’s still not the same as Cairo Cafe, but also just as tasty so I decided to share it here anyway.

If you’re ever in Perth, I definitely recommend checking out Cairo Cafe in Canning Vale or Cannington. I always got the Chicken Shawarma platter with biryani rice (of course) and Toby would usually order the Gourmet Mixed Platter. This place does grilled meats REALLY well.

What is Kuska Rice?

Kuska rice is also commonly known as ‘plain biryani’ which is a South Indian dish that is made without any meat. It is a flavourful spiced rice dish that pairs well with grilled meats such as shawarmas or kebabs. This rice is packed with flavour and goes really well served alongside pita bread and a mint yogurt sauce or toum (Lebanese garlic sauce)!

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 cups basmati rice
  • 2.5 Tbsps neutral oil
  • Spice mix:
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 6 cloves
    • 6 green cardamom pods
    • 1 star anise
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 cinnamon stick (~3-4cm)
    • 1 tsp red chilli flakes
    • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
    • 6 curry leaves
  • 1 medium red onion, sliced
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic (~2 cloves), finely minced
  • 1/2 Tbsp ginger, finely minced
  • 1 large tomato (or 2 medium), diced small
  • 1/4 cup plain or Greek yoghurt
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
  • 1.5 tsps garam masala powder (or biryani masala)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Handful of mint leaves, chopped
  • 3.5 cups chicken stock

Directions:

Rinse and soak the basmati rice for 20 minutes then drain it (you can prep the rest of the ingredients while the rice soaks).

Heat up a medium pot or pan on MED-HIGH heat and add in the oil. Next add in the spice mix (2 bay leaves, 6 cloves, 6 cardamom, 1 star anise, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, 6 curry leaves). Sauté the spices in the oil until the cumin seeds start to sputter (~5 mins).

Next add in the red onion and continue to sauté until the edges of the onion turn golden brown (~5 mins). Add in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (~1 min).

Next add in the tomatoes, 1/4 cup plain yoghurt, 1/2 tsp salt, 1.5 tsps garam masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp paprika, and handful of mint leaves. Stir to combine and continue to sauté until the tomatoes break down and you end up with a thick mushy paste (~5-8 mins).

Once you have a mushy paste, pour in the 3.5 cups of chicken stock and mix. Turn the heat up to HIGH and once the liquid boils, add in the drained basmati rice and mix. Turn the heat down to MED and let the rice simmer uncovered until the liquid is nearly gone (~10-15mins – see photo) then turn the heat to LOW and put a lid on the rice to steam for a further 5-10 mins until fully cooked, then turn off the stove. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Add in the stock
Bring it to a boil
Add in the rice
Mix it all together and let it simmer uncovered
Once liquid is nearly gone, put the lid on
Steam the rice for another 5-10mins until cooked

Fluff up the rice and Serve!

Goes well with beef rendang!

Summarized Recipe:

Biryani (Kuska) Rice

Date Published: March 19th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 19th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, asian, mains, vegetarian
Serves: 6-8 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 2.5 Tbsps neutral oil
  • Spice mix:
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 6 cloves
    • 6 green cardamom pods
    • 1 star anise
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 cinnamon stick (~3-4cm)
    • 1 tsp red chilli flakes
    • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
    • 6 curry leaves
  • 1 medium red onion, sliced
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic (~2 cloves), finely minced
  • 1/2 Tbsp ginger, finely minced
  • 1 large tomato (or 2 medium), diced small
  • 1/4 cup plain or Greek yoghurt
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
  • 1.5 tsps garam masala powder (or biryani masala)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Handful of mint leaves, chopped
  • 3.5 cups chicken stock

Directions:

  1. Rinse and soak the basmati rice for 20 minutes then drain it (you can prep the rest of the ingredients while the rice soaks).
  2. Heat up a medium pot or pan on MED-HIGH heat and add in the oil. Next add in the spice mix (2 bay leaves, 6 cloves, 6 cardamom, 1 star anise, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, 6 curry leaves). Sauté the spices in the oil until the cumin seeds start to sputter (~5 mins).
  3. Next add in the red onion and continue to sauté until the edges of the onion turn golden brown (~5 mins).
  4. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (~1 min).
  5. Next add in the tomatoes, 1/4 cup plain yoghurt, 1/2 tsp salt, 1.5 tsps garam masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp paprika, and handful of mint leaves. Stir to combine and continue to sauté until the tomatoes break down and you end up with a thick mushy paste (~5-8 mins).
  6. Once you have a mushy paste, pour in the 3.5 cups of chicken stock and mix. Turn the heat up to HIGH and once the liquid boils, add in the drained basmati rice and mix. Turn the heat down to MED and let the rice simmer uncovered until the liquid is nearly gone (~10-15mins – see photo) then turn the heat to LOW and put a lid on the rice to steam for a further 5-10 mins until fully cooked, then turn off the stove. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Fluff up the rice and Serve!

AbbyLeave a comment

Taiwanese Oil Rice/Sticky Rice 油飯


Date Published: March 13th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 13th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, mains, Taiwanese
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: soak rice overnight + 30 mins | Cook time: 40 mins for rice + 10 mins for stir-fry

Jump to recipe |

油飯 (Yoú Fàn) is a Taiwanese dish comprised of glutinous rice sautéed in a sauce and various add-ons (most commonly pork, shiitake mushrooms and small shrimp). This is a dish that can be found served at special occasions, restaurants, or made at home for a fancy night in. The name directly translates to “oil rice” because the rice is sautéed in a decent amount of pork fat (1/4 cup, to be exact in this recipe), but don’t worry the end result won’t be overly greasy. The pork fat gives it extra flavour, but you can substitute it with another neutral oil if you wish. You can eat the rice on its own or serve it with a drizzle of sweet Haishan sauce.

The cooking process for this dish is quite quick, so before you turn on the heat, make sure all the ingredients and sauces have been prepped and portioned out, ready to go!

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 cups (400g) glutinous rice (sometimes called ‘sweet rice’)
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1.5 Tbsps small dried shrimp
  • Pork marinade:
    • 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 200g pork tenderloin, cut into thin 2cm strips
  • Sauce:
    • 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
    • 1 Tbsps granulated sugar
    • 2 tsps rice wine vinegar/michu
    • 1 tsp black vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) lard (or neutral oil)
  • 3 large (~1.5 cups) shallots, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 sticks (85g) of lap cheong (Chinese sausage)
  • 1 medium (~100g) carrot, peeled and julienned
  • 1 can (280g) sliced bamboo shoots, sliced into sticks
  • Optional: haishan sauce

Directions:

Soak the rice the night before: Wash the glutinous rice in a colander a few times then transfer to a large bowl and add enough water to cover 2-3 inches above the rice. Let it soak overnight.

Soaked rice the next day
Strain the rice
Prepare steaming baskets with moistened liners
Add the rice into the baskets
Poke holes into the rice
Add a lid on and steam for 30-40 mins
Cooked glutinous rice – should be chewy, not hard & not mushy

Cook the rice: The next day, strain the rice. Prepare a large steaming basket with a moistened liner. Add the rice into the steaming basket and use the back of a chopstick to create holes in the rice help it cook evenly. Note: I used two smaller bamboo steaming baskets stacked since I didn’t have a large one. Steam for 30-40 minutes until the rice is cooked (a little chewy but not too tough or mush). Once finished, turn off the heat and set the rice aside.

You can steam it however method you wish. I put my steaming baskets with a lid on into a wok with a couple inches of boiling water and let it simmer until the time is up. Add water as needed to the wok when it evaporates.

Prepare the mushrooms: In a bowl, add the dried shiitake mushrooms and enough warm water to cover. Let it soak for at least an hour (or overnight) until the mushrooms have softened. Once softened, reserve 1/3 cup of the mushrooms soaking liquid and strain out the rest. Cut off and discard the thick stems and slice the mushrooms thinly. Set aside.

Prepare the shrimp: Add the 1.5 Tbsp dried shrimp into a small bowl and soak in warm water for 10 minutes then strain.

Slice the pork thinly
Marinate the pork

Marinate the pork: Add all of the pork marinade ingredients into a bowl: 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, sliced pork. Mix together and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the sauce: Mix together the 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 tsps rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp black vinegar, and the reserved 1/3 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Set aside.

Putting it all together (make sure all of your ingredients are chopped and ready – this will be a quick process): In a wok on MED-HIGH heat, add the 1/4 cup of lard. Once it starts to sizzle, add in the shallots and sautée for 1-2 minutes until softened, then add in the garlic, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and lap cheong. Continue to sautée for another 1 minute until fragrant.

Add in the marinated pork (from step 5). Cook for 1-2 minutes until the edges of the pork turns opaque then add in the carrots and bamboo. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the carrots have softened and the pork is completely cooked. Add in the sauce (from step 6) and mix everything around for 30 seconds.

Adding in the cooked gllutinouse rice

Turn off the heat and add in the cooked glutinous rice (from step 2). Gently mix it all together until the rice absorbs all of the liquid. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately with an optional side of Haishan sauce.

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Oil Rice/Sticky Rice 油飯

Date Published: March 13th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 13th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, mains, Taiwanese
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: soak rice overnight + 30 mins | Cook time: 40 mins for rice + 10 mins for stir-fry

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (400g) glutinous rice (sometimes called ‘sweet rice’)
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1.5 Tbsps small dried shrimp
  • Pork marinade:
    • 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 200g pork tenderloin, cut into thin 2cm strips
  • Sauce:
    • 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
    • 1 Tbsps granulated sugar
    • 2 tsps rice wine vinegar/michu
    • 1 tsp black vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) lard (or neutral oil)
  • 3 large (~1.5 cups) shallots, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 sticks (85g) of lap cheong (Chinese sausage)
  • 1 medium (~100g) carrot, peeled and julienned
  • 1 can (280g) sliced bamboo shoots, sliced into sticks
  • Optional: haishan sauce

Directions:

  1. Soak the rice the night before: Wash the glutinous rice in a colander a few times then transfer to a large bowl and add enough water to cover 2-3 inches above the rice. Let it soak overnight.
  2. Cook the rice: The next day, strain the rice. Prepare a large steaming basket with a moistened liner. Add the rice into the steaming basket and use the back of a chopstick to create holes in the rice help it cook evenly. Note: I used two smaller bamboo steaming baskets stacked since I didn’t have a large one. Steam for 30-40 minutes until the rice is cooked (a little chewy but not too tough or mush). Once finished, turn off the heat and set the rice aside.
    • You can steam it however method you wish. I put my steaming baskets with a lid on into a wok with a couple inches of boiling water and let it simmer until the time is up. Add water as needed to the wok when it evaporates.
  3. Prepare the mushrooms: In a bowl, add the dried shiitake mushrooms and enough warm water to cover. Let it soak for about an hour (or overnight) until the mushrooms have softened. Once softened, reserve 1/3 cup of the mushrooms soaking liquid and strain out the rest. Cut off and discard the thick stems and slice the mushrooms thinly. Set aside.
  4. Prepare the shrimp: Add the 1.5 Tbsps dried shrimp into a small bowl and soak in warm water for 10 minutes then strain.
  5. Marinate the pork: Add all of the pork marinade ingredients into a bowl: 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, sliced pork. Mix together and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
  6. Prepare the sauce: Mix together the 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 tsps rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp black vinegar, and the reserved 1/3 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Set aside.
  7. Putting it all together (make sure all of your ingredients are chopped and ready – this will be a quick process):
    • In a wok on MED-HIGH heat, add the 1/4 cup of lard. Once it starts to sizzle, add in the shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened.
    • Add in the garlic, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and lap cheong. Continue to sautée for another 1 minute until fragrant.
    • Next, add in the marinated pork (from step 5). Cook for 1-2 minutes until the edges of the pork turns opaque.
    • Add in the carrots and bamboo and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the carrots have softened and the pork is completely cooked.
    • Add in the sauce (from step 6) and mix everything around for 30 seconds.
    • Turn off the heat and add in the cooked glutinous rice (from step 2). Gently mix it all together until the rice absorbs all of the liquid.
    • Taste and adjust salt as needed.
  8. Serve immediately with an optional side of Haishan sauce.

AbbyLeave a comment

Joons’ Dak Galbi – Korean Spicy Chicken Stir Fry with Cheese & Noodles


Date Published: Mar 7th, 2025 | Last Updated: Mar 7th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy, Asian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: overnight marinating + 20 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Jump to recipe |

In my high school years when I lived in Canada, my friends and I would often hangout in downtown Toronto on the weekends, either perusing Kensington market, browsing through record shops, shopping on Queen Street, studying for finals at Robarts, or just grabbing a bite to eat at one of the many restaurant options in Toronto. One of my favourite Korean restaurants was Joons on Bloor St. in Koreatown. It was a small dingy restaurant that you had to take a few steps down from street level to get to the front door. The decor wasn’t anything impressive and the table water was served in scratched up refillable rubbermaid bottles. Despite its appearance, it was often relatively busy with nearly every other table ordering their AMAZING dak galbi, including me! I would religiously order this same dish every time – in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever ordered anything else at Joons 🤔. Dak galbi is a stir-fry chicken dish in a spicy sauce that’s seen on most Korean restaurant menus, but Joons did it differently. A portable cook top is brought out to the table and the whole dish is cooked in front of you. It usually took at least 15-20 minutes to cook which is excruciating when you’re starving and this amazing aroma in front of you keeps wafting in your face every time the waitress lifted the lid to give it a stir, but the wait was always worth it. You had options of add-ins to the dish, but most people would get everything in it which is usually cabbage, instant noodles, chicken, and cheese 🤤.

An image of Joon’s Dak Galbi from the Yelp archives, taken in 2015.
A photo of their North York location on Yonge

Sadly, Joons has been closed for about 4-5 years now and I mourn that loss every time I pass through the area 💔. This recipe is a tribute to Joons’ dak galbi. I’ve scoured the internet for people’s old photos and videos of the dish to try and recreate it exactly as it was. I had some help from My Korean Kitchen with the chicken marinade portion and included everything else from the instant noodles to the mozzarella cheese on top. Although mine didn’t quite come out as saucy and red as theirs, I’d say the flavours are pretty damn close! But of course, I haven’t had Joons since before vet school which is nearly a decade ago now, so I could also be remembering it a little differently. Either way, this is still a pretty tasty dish. If you’ve had the dak galbi at Joons before, let me know how close I am in the comments!

What is Dak Galbi?

Dak galbi or dakgalbi directly translates to “chicken rib”. No actual ribs are used in this dish – the origin of this word is thought to be due to using chicken as a cheaper source of meat compared to pork 🤷🏻‍♀️. It’s a dish that is essentially chicken and vegetables stir-fried in a gochujang-based sauce. The vegetables are usually cabbage, sweet potato, and green onions. You can serve it along side perilla leaves as a wrap. In my recipe I’ve used carrots instead of sweet potato because it’s already a pretty carb-heavy dish with the noodles and rice cakes, but feel free to substitute! This dish is mildly spicy. If you prefer spicier, you can buy the spicier versions of gochujang or add in more gochugaru (Korean chilli powder).

What is Gochujang?

Gochukang is Korean red chilli paste. It’s savoury, sweet, and spicy all together. It’s a very popular condiment used in Korean cooking and is used as a base to many sauces, including in this dak galbi recipe. There really is no substitute to gochujang. You can usually find this in the Asian section of most grocery stores. They come in a variety of levels of spiciness, so choose carefully! I usually go for the mild one and add in chilli powder if I want more of a kick.

What are Garaetteok/Tteok (Korean rice cakes)?

Garaetteok/tteok are Korean rice cakes that are made from non-glutinous rice flour and come in skinny long cylinders. On their own they don’t have much flavour so they’re often added to a flavourful saucy dish (such as this dak galbi recipe) or a soup. They have a soft and chewy texture once cooked and make a great textural addition to many dishes. You’ll most commonly see garaetteok/tteok served in a dish called tteokbokki which is a spicy rice cake dish.

You can find these vacuum-sealed in the refrigerated section of most Asian grocery stores. They will be very hard coming out of the package and need to be soaked for at least 10 minutes in warm water to slightly soften before cooking them. If you’re lucky and your Asian grocer have these fresh, you can put them directly into the dish without soaking.

Don’t worry if you can’t find any garaetteok/tteok. Simply omit them from the recipe altogether. It won’t change the flavour of the dish. It’s mainly to add an extra textural component.

A Quick Note on Gochugaru – Korean Chilli Powder

This recipe uses Gochugaru, a Korean chilli powder, which is not too spicy and it gives the dish a deeper orangey/red colour. It can be easily found in most Asian grocery stores, but if you don’t have any, a good substitute is Kashmiri chilli powder (an Indian variety). Do NOT substitute with cayenne pepper which is a MUCH spicier chilli powder. If you absolutely can’t find Gochugaru or Kashmiri chilli powder, then you can substitute with 1 part cayenne powder: 3 parts paprika, or consider skipping it altogether.

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:
    • 600g chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
    • 7 Tbsps (160g) gochujang (Korean chili paste)
    • 1/4 cup rice wine
    • 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
    • 2 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
    • 2 tsps curry powder
    • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tsps minced ginger
    • 2 green onions, sliced to 4cm pieces
  • 1 medium carrot, julienned or grated on the large hole (optional)
  • 250g mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 1 medium brown onion, sliced
  • 1/4 small (6 cups) cabbage, chopped
  • 25 pieces (180g) Garaetteok/Tteok (Korean rice cakes)
  • 2 cups (230g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 2 packets of instant noodles
  • Garnish: 1 green onion, chopped

Directions:

Marinate the chicken: In a mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients of the chicken marinade: diced chicken thighs, 7 Tbsps gochujang, 1/4 cup rice wine, 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 2 Tbsps soy sauce, 2 Tbsps sugar, 2 tsps curry powder, minced garlic, minced ginger, and sliced green onions. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a resealable bag or container and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Slice the chicken into 2.5cm pieces
Add marinade ingredients
Mix thoroughly
Marinate in a resealable bag overnight or minimum 4 horus

Rinse and soak the garaetteok/tteok in warm water for 10 minutes (skip this step if you have freshly made garaetteok/tteok).

In a non-stick pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the carrots, mushrooms, onion, and cabbage. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

Sauté until the veg starts to soften

Next add in the garaetteok/tteok and the marinated chicken (from step 1) along with all of the marinade in the bag. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat down to MED, put a lid on, and continue to cook until the chicken is nearly done (~10 minutes). Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the pan.

Add garaetteok/tteok
Add marinated chicken with the marinade
Mix well and sauté for another 3-4 minutes
Add on the lid and cook for another 10 mins

When the chicken is almost ready, add in the instant noodles and submerge it into the ingredients and sauce. Put the lid back on and let it steam for 3-4 minutes until the noodles are soft enough to separate with chopsticks.

After 10 mins of cooking
Add in the instant noodles
Submerge the noodles in the ingredients and sauce
Lid on, steam until noodles are loose enough to separate

Once the noodles, chicken, and garaetteok/tteok are cooked, turn off the heat and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Mix it all togther, ensure everything is cooked and turn off heat
Add mozzarella to finish

Summarized Recipe:

Joons’ Dak Galbi – Korean Spicy Chicken Stir Fry with Cheese & Noodles

Date Published: Mar 7th, 2025 | Last Updated: Mar 7th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy, Asian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: overnight marinating + 20 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

  • Chicken Marinade:
    • 600g chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
    • 7 Tbsps (160g) gochujang (Korean chili paste)
    • 1/4 cup rice wine
    • 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
    • 2 Tbsps soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
    • 2 tsps curry powder
    • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tsps minced ginger
    • 2 green onions, sliced to 4cm pieces
  • 1 medium carrot, julienned or grated on the large hole
  • 250g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium brown onion, sliced
  • 1/4 small (6 cups) cabbage, chopped
  • 25 pieces (180g) garaetteok/tteok (Korean rice cakes)
  • 2 cups (230g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 2 packets of instant noodles
  • Garnish: 1 green onion, chopped

Directions:

  1. Marinate the chicken: In a mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients of the chicken marinade: diced chicken thighs, 7 Tbsps gochujang, 1/4 cup rice wine, 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 2 Tbsps soy sauce, 2 Tbsps sugar, 2 tsps curry powder, minced garlic, minced ginger, and sliced green onions. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a resealable bag or container and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
  2. Rinse and soak the garaetteok/tteok in warm water for 10 minutes (skip this step if you have freshly made garaetteok/tteok).
  3. In a non-stick pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the carrots, mushrooms, onion, and cabbage. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
  4. Next add in the garaetteok/tteok and the marinated chicken (from step 1) along with all of the marinade in the bag. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat down to MED, put a lid on, and continue to cook until the chicken is nearly done (~10 minutes). Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the pan.
  5. When the chicken is almost ready, add in the instant noodles and submerge it into the ingredients and sauce. Put the lid back on and let it steam for 3-4 minutes until the noodles are soft enough to separate with chopsticks.
  6. Once the noodles, chicken, and garaetteok/tteok are cooked, turn off the heat and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

AbbyLeave a comment

Avocado Salsa Verde


Date Published: March 2nd, 2025 | Last Updated: March 2nd, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dips, vegetarian, easy, healthy, snacks
Serves: 3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Jump to recipe |

Since moving to the US 2 years ago, Toby and I have had a lot more exposure to Mexican/Latin cuisine. There’s a severe lack of good Mexican food in Melbourne and Toby’s mind has been blown away by all the amazing choices within arms reach. Our South Slope neighbourhood is full of so many authentic Mexican restaurants that sometimes we need a Spanish translator app just to order our food (seriously, once we asked one of our Spanish-speaking co-workers to order our food for us 😅). We joke that every new shop is either going to be a cannabis dispensary, bodega, or Mexican restaurant.

We have had more than our share of amazing burritos, tacos, and empanadas in this neighbourhood and it often comes with a red, green, and sometimes orange sauce. These sauces tend to be a house-made chilli salsa in varying degrees of spiciness and no two sauces are the same between restaurants. I usually gravitate towards the green sauce which is made with a green chilli but on one occasion the green sauce had hints of avocado flavour and took me by surprise. It was so good that I went right back and ordered a large container of it just to keep in the fridge. This avocado salsa verde recipe is a result of that sauce. Although I haven’t been able to recreate it to exactly the same sauce, this end result came out so good that I’ve decided to share it anyway. I hope you enjoy!

What are Tomatillos?

A tomatillo is also known as a Mexican husk tomato. To me it looks exactly like a green tomato, but with a papery shell/husk on the outside. You must remove the shell/husk before using them and the underlying skin can have a slightly sticky residue that comes off with a quick rinse. Tomatillos can be used raw or cooked. The flavour of a tomatillo is a bit unique in that in can have a tartness to it when eaten raw, but it mellows out when cooked.

Avoiding a bitter salsa verde

A common complaint when making salsa verde is that it can turn out a bit bitter. I came across this in my first few batches and it took a bit of research to figure out why – the tomatillos! Before this recipe, tomatillos were foreign to me and I had to learn how to use them. They are the most common cause for a bitter salsa verde due to a number of reasons:

  • Unripe tomatillos – a ripe tomatillo should be:
    • Bright green under the husk
    • Have a tight husk (the fruit fills up the husk rather than a small and shrunken fruit within which can indicate that it was harvested too early)
    • Have some firmness but not too hard (under-ripe) nor mushy (over-ripe)
  • Overcooked tomatillos – tomatillos should be cooked until they just turn colour from a bright green to a more pale/army green colour. Overcooking your tomatillo is one of the most common causes for bitterness.
  • Remove the ribs and stem base – The stem base can be a cause of bitterness so I like to remove it before blending it in my salsa. Some people also claim that the seeds and ribs can also cause the bitter flavour and will scoop it out as well.
  • Taste! The best way to avoid a bitter salsa verde is to taste your tomatillos and its components after its cooked before blending it with the rest of your ingredients so you know if you need to make any corrections.

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:

  • 2-3 (200g) tomatillos
  • 1 medium (100g) avocado, deseeded and peeled (weight is after deseeding and peeling)
  • 1 large (90g) red shallot (or a quarter of a red onion)
  • 7g cilantro, leaves and stem
  • 1/2 (10g) fresh jalapeño, deseeded, for mildly spicy. Add more to your liking, you can also use serrano chili
  • 2 large (7g) garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Remove the outer husks of the tomatillos, rinse off the sticky residue, remove the rib/stem base, then place it on a baking tray. Add a drizzle of oil over the tomatillos and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft with a light golden brown on top (the colour will turn from a bright green to a lighter/army green).

Not pictured: remember to remove the rib/stem base before using in your sauce

While the tomatillos are roasting, prepare and add the rest of the ingredients to a blender: avocado, red shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt.

Once the tomatillos are done roasting, add them to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend on HIGH until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and jalapeños to your liking. Done!

Tip: If it’s too spicy, add more avocado.

Summarized Recipe:

Avocado Salsa Verde

Date Published: March 2nd, 2025 | Last Updated: March 2nd, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dips, vegetarian, easy, healthy, snacks
Serves: 3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 (200g) tomatillos
  • 1 medium (100g) avocado, deseeded and peeled (weight is after deseeding and peeling)
  • 1 large (90g) red shallot (or a quarter of a red onion)
  • 7g cilantro, leaves and stem
  • 1/2 (10g) fresh jalapeño, deseeded, for mildly spicy. Add more to your liking, you can also use serrano chili
  • 2 large (7g) garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp salt, or more to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
  2. Remove the outer husks of the tomatillos, give it a rinse, then place it on a baking tray. Add a drizzle of oil over the tomatillos and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft with a light golden brown on top (the colour will turn from a bright green to a lighter/army green).
  3. While the tomatillos are roasting, prepare and add the rest of the ingredients to a blender: avocado, red shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt.
  4. Once the tomatillos are done roasting, add them to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend on HIGH until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and jalapeños to your liking. Done!
    • Tip: If it’s too spicy, add more avocado.

AbbyLeave a comment