Czech Tomato Gravy (over Sliced Beef) – Rajská Omáčka

Date Published: May 28th, 2024 | Last Updated: May 28th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Czech, easy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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I’m told that “Rajská Omáčka” (pronounced: rays-ka oma-ch-ka) directly translates to “tomato sauce”. This is one of Toby’s childhood dishes that his grandmother used to make him. Every time he says it, all I hear is “racecar” 😅. To me, this sauce pretty much tastes like a tomato soup without the herbs, but it’s served over slices of beef or pork and some knedliky (Czech dumplings – potato or bread). There are other versions of this sauce that vary in tartness and sweetness (like my original attempts), but I’ve written this recipe to be as similar to babička’s as possible.

You have no idea how hard it is to get a picture of babička standing still and smiling 😅

To be honest, this is not my favourite dish, but its got nostalgic value for Toby so I set out to try and make it for him. After a couple of attempts from online and cookbook recipes, he said it “just wasn’t like babička’s” but he couldn’t tell me what was wrong with it 😒. So I put it on the back burner up until our recent trip to Czech a couple weeks ago and we asked babička to show us how she makes it. Her version was a little less tomato-y than the versions I made and although it’s still not my favourite dish, seeing Toby’s happy face slurping down his second helping of the tomato sauce was enough reason for me to add this recipe to the collection.

This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly. You can pair the sauce with whatever meat you wish including a vepro, but for a quick lunch or dinner with minimal effort, I’ve included the instructions to cook a rump roast in a pressure cooker in 30 minutes and it’ll be ready around the same time as the 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!

Recipes that pair well together with this sauce:

Vepřová Pečeně – Czech-style Pork Roast

Czech Potato Dumplings – Bramborové Knedlíky

Czech Bread Dumplings – Houskové Knedlíky

Ingredients you’ll need:

Beef:
- 900g (2 lbs) rump roast/chuck steak
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- Enough water to cover the beef
Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp pork lard
- 2 medium (~800g) onions, diced
- 1 large can (793g/28oz) diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (1L) beef broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 5 black peppercorns
- 3 allspice berries
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-4 Tbsps heavy cream (to taste)
To serve: with slices of knedliky/Czech dumplings (potato or bread)

Directions:

A. Cook the beef: in a pressure cooker/instant pot: *This step is optional. You can serve this tomato sauce with whatever type of meat you like, but if you’re looking for a quick cooked beef, the instant pot will be the fastest.

Add the beef, salt and enough water to cover the meat. Put the lid on and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes, then quick release. Remove the beef from the liquid and let it rest for 10 mins before slicing.

Alternatively if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can boil the beef in water over the stove until the beef is tender. This will take about 2 hours.

B. Make the sauce while the beef is cooking:

In a small pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt the pork lard and sauté the onions for 5-8 minutes until softened.
Add the salt, sugar, black peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Stir for 2 mins until the sugar has fully dissolved.

Next, add in the flour and stir for 2 minutes until well incorporated and the flour cooks a little. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so nothing sticks.

Pour in the beef broth and stir everything together. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let it come to a boil then back down to MED heat and let it boil for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens into a gravy-like consistency.

Once it has thickened, pour in the can of diced tomatoes including all of the liquid. Bring the sauce to a boil again, then simmer on MED heat for 20 minutes.

Note: Make sure to stir and scrape the bottom of the pot every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom.

After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and discard the bay leaves and all spice berries.

Next, use a stick blender (or transfer the sauce to a blender) and blend the sauce until you get a smooth texture. If you want an extra smooth sauce, strain it through a fine sieve.

Add 2 Tbsps of heavy cream then taste and adjust salt, sugar, or more heavy cream as needed. (Babička will sometimes add in some ketchup if she wants it more tart and tomato-y 🤫.)

Serve the sauce ladled over the cooked sliced beef and a few knedliky. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Czech Tomato Gravy (over Sliced Beef) – Rajská Omáčka

Date Published: May 28th, 2024 | Last Updated: May 28th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Czech, easy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Beef:
- 900g (2 lbs) rump roast/chuck steak
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- Enough water to cover the beef
Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp pork lard
- 2 medium (~800g) onions, diced
- 1 large can (793g/28oz) diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (1L) beef broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 5 black peppercorns
- 3 allspice berries
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-4 Tbsps heavy cream (to taste)
To serve: with slices of knedliky/Czech dumplings (potato or bread)

Directions:

A. Cook the beef: in a pressure cooker/instant pot: Add the beef, salt and enough water to cover the meat. Put the lid on and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes, then quick release. Remove the beef from the liquid and let it rest for 10 mins before slicing.

Alternatively if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can boil the beef in water over the stove until the beef is tender. This will take about 2 hours.
*This step is optional. You can serve this tomato sauce with whatever type of meat you like, but if you’re looking for a quick cooked beef, the instant pot will be the fastest.

B. Make the sauce while the beef is cooking:

In a small pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt the pork lard and sauté the onions for 5-8 minutes until softened.
Add the salt, sugar, black peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Stir for 2 mins until the sugar has fully dissolved.
Next, add in the flour and stir for 2 minutes until well incorporated and the flour cooks a little. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so nothing sticks.
Pour in the beef broth and stir everything together. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let it come to a boil then back down to MED heat and let it boil for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens into a gravy-like consistency.
Once it has thickened, pour in the can of diced tomatoes including all of the liquid. Bring the sauce to a boil again, then simmer on MED heat for 20 minutes.
- Note: Make sure to stir and scrape the bottom of the pot every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom.
After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and discard the bay leaves and all spice berries. Next, use a stick blender (or transfer the sauce to a blender) and blend the sauce until you get a smooth texture. If you want an extra smooth sauce, strain it through a fine sieve.
Add 2 Tbsps of heavy cream then taste and adjust salt, sugar, or more heavy cream as needed. (Babička will sometimes add in some ketchup if she wants it more tart and tomato-y 🤫.)
Serve the sauce ladled over the cooked sliced beef and a few knedliky. Enjoy!

May 28, 2024May 28, 2024

Abby1 Comment

F*cking Good Butter Chicken (Chicken/Murgh Makhani)

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, main
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Butter chicken is no doubt the most popular dish at most Indian restaurants. It’s creamy, full of flavour, and has the perfect amount of sweetness. It’s an indulgent dish and I can never get enough of it. I’ve tried a LOT of different butter chickens in my life and I’ve come to realize that my favourite butter chickens have been on the sweeter side. I’ve tried to make this dish multiple times in the past with different recipes and methods, but it was never quite right to my liking. There is a lot of variation out there between recipes in terms of level of heat, salt, sweetness, tomato flavour, and even blend of spices. I was beginning to give up on my quest, until someone mentioned trying the Youtube recipe by Chef Varun Inamdar. I’m not a big youtube person when it comes to recipes (which is probably why I never came across it on my own), but this video had 47 MILLION views and has been deemed THE most popular butter chicken recipe on the internet. With a reputation like that, of course I had to try it. As you can probably guess, it was fucking amazing! It’s rich, buttery, and on the sweeter side. You can even taste the flavours of the aromatics that elevate this dish. The only complaint I had was that it was TOO sweet for my liking so I’ve cut down the sugar level by 1/3. I also decreased the amount of butter used (don’t worry, there’s still plenty in this dish to make it deliciously unhealthy) and swapped out cream with cashew cream. OH, and lastly I also doubled his original recipe because it was so damn good that I’d finish it all in one sitting on my own, so i figured I should make enough to share 😜.

A Quick Note on Chilli Powder

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

Check out my easy naan recipe to serve with this butter chicken!

Quick and So Easy 2-Ingredient Naan

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Chicken marinade:
- 600g (3 medium-sized) chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, diced to 2.5cm pieces
- 1 Tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
- 2 Tbsps kashmiri chilli powder (or gochugaru/Korean chilli powder)
- Pinch of salt
Sauce:
- 1 large brown onion, diced
- 2 Tbsps (30g) + 1 stick (115g / 8 Tbsps) butter
- 1kg (~5 large) tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 100g raw unsalted cashews
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsps garlic, finely minced
- 3 Tbsps white vinegar
- 1/4 cup (53g) sugar
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup kashmiri chilli powder (or gochugaru/Korean chilli powder)
- 1 cup cashew cream (or blend 40 raw cashews (90g) with 2/3 cup water)
- 2 tsps dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- Salt to taste

Directions:

Marinate the chicken: in a mixing bowl, add the ginger paste, garlic, chilli powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.

In a large pan or pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and sear the marinated chicken pieces on both sides for 1-2 minutes. Do not crowd the pan, have the chicken in a single layer. You will have to do this in 2-3 batches depending on the size of your pan/pot. Once finished, remove the chicken and set aside in a bowl.

In the same pan, add another drizzle of oil then add in the diced onion and 2 Tbsps butter. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent.

Next add in the tomatoes and cashews and mix well. Add in 1 cup of water, garlic, vinegar, sugar, garam masala, chilli powder, and a big pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to LOW-MED and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes. Mix it around every 5 minutes to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

(While you wait, you can make any sides you wish to serve this with: ie. basmati rice, naan.)

After 20 minutes, turn the heat OFF and use a stick blender or a high speed blender to purée everything in the pot until smooth (a high speed blender will get you smoother results than a stick blender).

Return the blended sauce back into the pan. Turn the heat back on to MED and add in the chicken (from step 2), 1 stick of butter, cashew cream*, and crush the dried fenugreek leaves into the pot. Mix it all around and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and sugar as needed. Done! Serve with basmati rice or naan.

*Note: if you don’t have cashew cream, you can simply blend 40 raw cashews (90g) with 2/3 cup water in a high speed blender until smooth.

Summarized Recipe:

F*cking Good Butter Chicken (Chicken/Murgh Makhani)

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, main
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Chicken marinade:
- 600g (3 medium-sized) chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, diced to 2.5cm pieces
- 1 Tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
- 2 Tbsps kashmiri chilli powder (or gochugaru/Korean chilli powder)
- Pinch of salt
Sauce:
- 1 large brown onion, diced
- 2 Tbsps (30g) + 1 stick (115g / 8 Tbsps) butter
- 1kg (~5 large) tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 100g raw unsalted cashews
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsps garlic, finely minced
- 3 Tbsps white vinegar
- 1/4 cup (53g) sugar
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup kashmiri chilli powder (or gochugaru/Korean chilli powder)
- 1 cup cashew cream (or blend 40 raw cashews (90g) with 2/3 cup water)
- 2 tsps dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- Salt to taste

Directions:

Marinate the chicken: in a mixing bowl, add the ginger paste, garlic, chilli powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.
In a large pan or pot on MED heat, add a drizzle of oil and sear the marinated chicken pieces on both sides for 1-2 minutes. Do not crowd the pan, have the chicken in a single layer. You will have to do this in 2-3 batches depending on the size of your pan/pot. Once finished, remove the chicken and set aside in a bowl.
In the same pan, add another drizzle of oil then add in the diced onion and 2 Tbsps butter. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Next add in the tomatoes and cashews and mix well. Add in 1 cup of water, garlic, vinegar, sugar, garam masala, chilli powder, and a big pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to LOW-MED and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes. Mix it around every 5 minutes to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
(While you wait, you can make any sides you wish to serve this with: ie. basmati rice, naan.)
After 20 minutes, turn the heat OFF and use a stick blender to purée everything in the pot until smooth. To get a smoother sauce, you can put everything in a high speed blender instead. Return the blended sauce back into the pan.
Turn the heat back on to MED and add in the chicken (from step 2), 1 stick of butter, cashew cream, and crush the dried fenugreek leaves into the pot. Mix it all around and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and sugar as needed. Done! Serve with basmati rice or naan.

April 16, 2024June 26, 2024

Abby1 Comment

Taiwanese Pickled Garlic Smashed Cucumber

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

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

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

Directions:

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

Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1 tsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 1 hour at room temperature to allow excess water to be released. After 1 hour, discard the released cucumber water and rinse the salt off the cucumber. Set aside in a colander.

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

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Pickled Garlic Smashed Cucumber

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Use a large knife on its flat side to smash the cucumber until cracked then slice into bite sized pieces (see photo). Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1 tsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 1 hour at room temperature to allow excess water to be released. After 1 hour, discard the released cucumber water and rinse the salt off the cucumber. Set aside in a colander.
In a large glass jar (with a lid), add in the pickling liquid ingredients: garlic, chilli, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar. Put on the lid and shake until the sugar has dissolved. Add in the smashed cucumbers (from step 1), ensuring all the cucumber is submerged in the pickling liquid. Close the lid and let it marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight. Done! Keeps in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.

April 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Haluski – a yummy buttery cabbage & noodle dish

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy, Czech, <30 mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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I’ll be honest, I had never heard of Haluski before until one day I was googling recipes for inspiration on how to use up my week old leftover cabbage in the fridge, so there’s no heart felt nostalgia or travel memory associated with this dish to fill up this post. I simply saw it, tested a few recipes, and decided on this version that I’m sharing today because it’s tasty.

From my Google research, Haluski is a central/eastern European dish with arguable origins of either Poland, Solvakia, Hungary, or Ukraine – Toby thinks there’s even a Czech version too. It’s essentially bacon, onions, and cabbage cooked in butter and bacon fat, then mixed with fresh cooked egg noodles. It’s quick and easy, a little oily (from the butter and bacon fat), and definitely delicious. Give it a try!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

3 Tbsps butter
400g (~6 strips) of thick cut bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med cabbage (~1kg), cored and diced
4 portions (~10oz) of egg noodles – or alternatively nokedli
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter until it starts to lightly brown – you’ll smell the aroma of brown butter.

Then add in the bacon and sauté until browned and lightly crispy.

Next, add the garlic and onions. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent and lightly browned.

Next, add in the diced cabbage and sauté for 8-10 minutes until the cabbage has softened and lightly browned.

While the cabbage is cooking, cook the egg noodles in salted water according to package instructions. When cooked, drain and set aside.

Once the cabbage has cooked, add in the cooked egg noodles, freshly ground black pepper, and a big pinch of salt. Mix it around and taste to adjust salt as needed. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Haluski – a yummy buttery cabbage & noodle dish

Ingredients:

3 Tbsps butter
400g (~6 strips) of thick cut bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med cabbage (~1kg), cored and diced
4 portions (~10oz) of egg noodles – or alternatively nokedli
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter until it starts to lightly brown – you’ll smell the aroma of brown butter, then add in the bacon. Sauté the bacon until browned and lightly crispy.
Next, add the garlic and onions. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent and lightly browned.
Next, add in the diced cabbage and sauté for 8-10 minutes until the cabbage has softened and lightly browned.
While the cabbage is cooking, cook the egg noodles in salted water according to package instructions. When cooked, drain and set aside.
Once the cabbage has cooked, add in the cooked egg noodles, freshly ground black pepper, and a big pinch of salt. Mix it around and taste to adjust salt as needed. Done!

April 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Garlic Soy Sauce Paste/Dressing

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, Asian, quick, Taiwanese, <15 mins, sauces
Serves: 1.5 cups of sauce | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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Soy sauce paste is one of the most popular sauces you’ll find in Taiwanese street food, often drizzled over a wide variety of dishes including fried fish cake tempura, century egg with silken tofu, dan bing, sautéed vegetables…the list goes on! It’s so versatile, yet so difficult to find outside of Taiwan.

Soy sauce paste is more than just thickened soy sauce – it’s lightly sweetened but still maintains the umami profile. It’s a little similar to oyster sauce – in fact, some people use it interchangeably with vegetarian/mushroom oyster sauce if soy sauce paste is not readily available.

This recipe is a garlic version of the classic soy sauce paste which in my opinion makes it even better! It’s quick and easy, and the sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week – just give it a shake each time you’re about to use it!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Garlic puree:
- 4 cloves (25g) garlic, peeled with fibrous ends cut off
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
Soy sauce paste:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (ie. kikkoman)
- 1/4 cup (60ml water)
- 2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 Tbsps cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar

Directions:

Make the garlic purée: Add the garlic with 1/2 cup of water into a high speed blender. Blend until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.

Add the soy sauce paste ingredients to a saucepan

Make the soy sauce paste: In a small saucepan on MED heat, add in the soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let the sauce come to a light simmer. While you’re waiting, in a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2 Tbsps of water. When the sauce has come to a simmer, add in the cornstarch/water mixture and continuously whisk for about 1 minute or until the mixture comes to a gloopy paste. Turn off the heat and set aside to let cool.

Once the soy sauce paste has slightly cooled, add in the garlic purée (from step 1) and 2 Tbsps of sugar. Mix it all together and taste to adjust salt or sugar. Done! Keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Summarized Recipe:

Garlic Soy Sauce Paste/Dressing

Ingredients:

Garlic puree:
- 4 cloves (25g) garlic, peeled with fibrous ends cut off
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
Soy sauce paste:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (ie. kikkoman)
- 1/4 cup (60ml water)
- 2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 Tbsps cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar

Directions:

Make the garlic purée: Add the garlic with 1/2 cup of water into a high speed blender. Blend until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
Make the soy sauce paste: In a small saucepan on MED heat, add in the soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let the sauce come to a light simmer. While you’re waiting, in a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2 Tbsps of water. When the sauce has come to a simmer, add in the cornstarch/water mixture and continuously whisk for about 1 minute or until the mixture comes to a gloopy paste. Turn off the heat and set aside to let cool.
Once the soy sauce paste has slightly cooled, add in the garlic purée (from step 1) and 2 Tbsps of sugar. Mix it all together and taste to adjust salt or sugar. Done! Keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.

April 16, 2024April 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Kapow! Popcorn Shrimp (a Montana’s copycat)

Date Published: April 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: <30 mins, appetizers, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 4 as an appetizer (1 large plate) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Montana’s is a restaurant chain in Canada that I used to go quite frequently with my friends in high school and undergrad years. My two favourite things to order was the apple chicken goat cheese salad (see my copy cat version here) and the “KAPOW! Shrimp” appetizer. It’s deep fried shrimp in a lightly crunchy batter with a sweet creamy sauce drizzled over top. It was always served in a skillet on a bed of lettuce and it was SO addicting, albeit a little pricey at $14 for a small portion. I never considered trying to make it myself until one day I was browsing through the cooking subreddit and someone that used to work there said that their sauce was simply sweet chilli sauce mixed with caesar dressing (specifically the Diana’s brand sweet chilli sauce and the Renées mighty cesar dressing). This blew my freaking mind. I had always imagined the sauce to be so unique and difficult, which is why I never attempted it – until now. They didn’t have a recipe for the shrimp batter but someone said frozen pre-made popcorn shrimp was good enough, but I found a decent shrimp batter on Damn Delicious and put the two together for this recipe. The results weren’t perfect, but it was very close – so close that I’ve published this recipe anyway! I suspect the difference is due to the specific brands of sauces that I used. I tried, but I couldn’t find Diana’s or Renées brand in NYC. I guess I’ll just have to pick up a couple bottles during my next trip to Canada and test it out!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Kapow Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps sweet chilli sauce (ie. Diana’s)
- 1/4 cup caesar dressing (ie. Renées mighty caesar)
Batter:
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice)
Breading:
- 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups of oil for deep frying (ie. canola, vegetable)
500g (~1 pound) raw medium-sized shrimp, peeled & deveined, pat dry
Serve with a wedge of lime

Directions:

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chilli sauce and caesar dressing. Set aside.

Make the batter: In another bowl, mix together all the batter ingredients: cornstarch, flour, sriracha, egg, and buttermilk. Set aside.

Make the breading: In a wide-based bowl, mix all the breading ingredients together: panko, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano. Set aside.

Bread the shrimp: Add the shrimp into the batter (from step 2). Working with one piece at a time, shake off excess batter and coat in the breading mixture (from step 3). Gently press the breading into the shrimp so it sticks better. Place the coated shrimp onto a tray.

Cook the shrimp: Heat the oil in a wide base pot. The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and immediately sizzle when you add a dust of flour or a drop of batter. Fry the shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes at a time or until golden brown. Remove onto a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate. Once you’ve fried all of the shrimp, turn the heat off.

Sauce it up: Once the fried shrimp have cooled a little, add in the sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately!

Summarized Recipe:

Kapow! Popcorn Shrimp (a Montana’s copycat)

Ingredients:

Kapow Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps sweet chilli sauce (ie. Diana’s)
- 1/4 cup caesar dressing (ie. Renées mighty caesar)
Batter:
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice)
Breading:
- 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups of oil for deep frying (ie. canola, vegetable)
500g (~1 pound) raw medium-sized shrimp, peeled & deveined, pat dry
Serve with a wedge of lime

Directions:

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chilli sauce and caesar dressing. Set aside.
Make the batter: In another bowl, mix together all the batter ingredients: cornstarch, flour, sriracha, egg, and buttermilk. Set aside.
Make the breading: In a wide-based bowl, mix all the breading ingredients together: panko, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano. Set aside.
Bread the shrimp: Add the shrimp into the batter (from step 2). Working with one piece at a time, shake off excess batter and coat in the breading mixture (from step 3). Gently press the breading into the shrimp so it sticks better. Place the coated shrimp onto a tray.
Cook the shrimp: Heat the oil in a wide base pot. The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and immediately sizzle when you add a dust of flour or a drop of batter. Fry the shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes at a time or until golden brown. Remove onto a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate. Once you’ve fried all of the shrimp, turn the heat off.
Sauce it up: Once the fried shrimp have cooled a little, add in the sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately!

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken 鹽酥雞

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

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

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

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

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

Directions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken 鹽酥雞

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

April 14, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Bakkwa – Chinese Pork Jerky (sweet and salty goodness)

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

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

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

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

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

Directions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summarized Recipe:

Bakkwa – Chinese Pork Jerky (sweet and salty goodness)

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

April 14, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Asian Smashed Cucumber Tomato Egg Salad

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

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

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

What is Asian Smashed Cucumber Salad?

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

Smashing is important!

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

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

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

Directions:

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

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

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

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

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

Summarized Recipe:

Asian Smashed Cucumber Tomato Egg Salad

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

March 5, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Sausage Mushroom Zucchini Tian (kinda like a risotto but easier)

Date Published: Feb 28th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 28th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 40 mins

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‘Tian de Courgettes au Riz’ is a recipe from the great Julia Child. I came across this recipe randomly through my search for healthier meals in this new year and found many adaptations of it. From those adaptations, I played around with the recipe, added in mushrooms and sausage (because why not) to make it a more rounded and hearty meal, and out came yet another adaptation of her recipe 😛. According to the internet, a “tian” is a French word used to describe a shallow baking dish but also the name of a baked vegetable dish (Martha Stewart compares the wordplay to a casserole and a casserole dish).

In its essence, this dish is pretty much rice cooked in zucchini liquid mixed with mushroom, meat, and cheese. It’s kind of like a risotto, except much easier to achieve. This recipe seems long, but I promise it’s just wordy and not difficult at all. Once you get into it, you’ll realize that it’s quite easy and not at all intimidating unlike other Julia Child recipes.

This recipe is a fantastic way to use up an overflow of zucchinis in the summer season. For 6 portions, it uses up about 6 large zucchinis. I wish I discovered this recipe sooner when Toby and I were staying on the farm. His dad grew sooooo many zucchinis that we were gifting them to everyone we see (he was seriously harvesting at least 6-8 a day at peak season!).

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

*You will need an oven-proof pot or dutch oven with a lid – I used a 5 1/4 quart dutch oven.

1.5kg zucchinis (roughly 6 large ones)
500g portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Roughly 1/2 a cup of milk (amount will vary depending on how much liquid is released from your zucchini and mushrooms)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium brown onions, diced
3 Tbsps all purpose flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated + extra for sprinkling
Salt & pepper to taste
3/4 cup medium grain rice (I use arborio/risotto rice, but any medium grain will do)
300-400g kielbasa (Polish sausage), diced
- You can use any protein you like (ie. sausage, ground beef, shredded rotisserie chicken…etc.), but make sure your protein is cooked, dry, and doesn’t add any extra liquid or else it’ll throw off the liquid ratio to cook the rice.

Directions:

Cut the fibrous ends off the zucchinis and grate each one using a large hole grater (this is a whole lot quicker if you have a food processor with a grating function). Place a colander over a bowl and put the grated zucchini into the colander with 3 tsps of salt. Use your hands and massage the salt through the zucchini, making sure its mixed well. Set aside for 1 hour, allowing the liquid from the zucchini to release and collect in the bowl below.

After 1 hour, squeeze out as much zucchini liquid as you can and save this liquid. Rinse the grated zucchini under cold water to remove any excess salt and squeeze until dry and set aside (do not save this liquid).

While you’re waiting for the zucchini to release its liquid, cook the mushrooms: in a large pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the mushrooms until cooked (4-5 minutes). Place the cooked mushrooms in a strainer and reserve any liquid.

Measure out the amount of collected zucchini liquid from step 2 and add in the released liquid from the mushrooms in step 3 until it makes 3.75 cups. If the combined liquid is not enough to make up 3.75 cups, then add enough milk to make up the rest of the amount. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and heat it up on the stove until warmed. Do NOT let it come to a boil, otherwise it may split. Only heat it up until warmed. Keep on LOW heat until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F.

In an oven-safe pot or dutch oven (make sure there’s a lid, I used a 5 1/4 quart size dutch oven) on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion together for 3-4 minutes until the onion turns translucent. Then add in the grated zucchini and continue to sauté for another 5-6 minutes.

Add in the cooked mushrooms and 3 Tbsps of flour to the pan and continue mixing for 2 more minutes until everything is well combined then turn off the heat.

Mix in the Parmesan cheese, rice, and kielbasa (or your choice of cooked protein).

Pour in the warmed zucchini/mushroom/milk liquid over top. Mix it all together then cover with the lid and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Add Parmesan and bake uncovered for another 20-25 mins

After 20 minutes, remove the lid and add a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese over top and continue baking without the lid for another 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the top is slightly golden brown. Once it’s done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes for any remaining liquid to absorb before serving. When dishing it out, add another sprinkle of Parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Sausage Mushroom Zucchini Tian (kinda like a risotto but easier)

Ingredients:

*You will need an oven-proof pot or dutch oven with a lid – I used a 5 1/4 quart dutch oven.

1.5kg zucchinis (roughly 6 large ones)
500g portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Roughly 1/2 a cup of milk (amount will vary depending on how much liquid is released from your zucchini and mushrooms)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium brown onions, diced
3 Tbsps all purpose flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated + extra for sprinkling
Salt & pepper to taste
3/4 cup medium grain rice (I use arborio/risotto rice, but any medium grain will do)
300-400g kielbasa (Polish sausage), diced
- You can use any protein you like (ie. sausage, ground beef, shredded rotisserie chicken…etc.), but make sure your protein is cooked, dry, and doesn’t add any extra liquid or else it’ll throw off the liquid ratio to cook the rice.

Directions:

Prepare the zucchini: Cut the fibrous ends off the zucchinis and grate each one using a large hole grater (this is a whole lot quicker if you have a food processor with a grating function). Place a colander over a bowl and put the grated zucchini into the colander with 3 tsps of salt. Use your hands and massage the salt through the zucchini, making sure its mixed well. Set aside for 1 hour, allowing the liquid from the zucchini to release and collect in the bowl below. After 1 hour, squeeze out as much zucchini liquid as you can and save this liquid. Rinse the grated zucchini under cold water to remove any excess salt and squeeze until dry and set aside (do not save this liquid).
Cook the mushrooms: While you’re waiting for the zucchini to release its liquid, cook the mushrooms: in a large pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the mushrooms until cooked (4-5 minutes). Place the cooked mushrooms in a strainer and reserve any liquid.
Prepare the liquid: Measure out the amount of collected zucchini liquid from step 2 and add in the released liquid from the mushrooms in step 3 until it makes 3.75 cups. If the combined liquid is not enough to make up 3.75 cups, then add enough milk to make up the rest of the amount. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and heat it up on the stove until warmed. Do NOT let it come to a boil, otherwise it may split. Only heat it up until warmed. Keep on LOW heat until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F.
In an oven-safe pot or dutch oven (make sure there’s a lid) on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion together for 3-4 minutes until the onion turns translucent. Then add in the grated zucchini and continue to sauté for another 5-6 minutes.
Add in the cooked mushrooms and 3 Tbsps of flour to the pan and continue mixing for 2 more minutes until everything is well combined then turn off the heat.
Mix in the Parmesan cheese, rice, and kielbasa (or your choice of cooked protein).
Pour in the warmed zucchini/mushroom/milk liquid over top. Mix it all together then cover with the lid and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and add a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese over top and continue baking without the lid for another 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the top is slightly golden brown. Once it’s done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes for any remaining liquid to absorb before serving. When dishing it out, add another sprinkle of Parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy!

February 28, 2024February 28, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment