Numbing Char-siuIsh Eggplants

This has been the MOST popular recipe on my Instagram feed - more than 100 saves of the post from 2021 and tested by many of my followers and connections. It still blows my mind! Originally developed with Trumpet Mushrooms to create a deeply flavorful vegan Chinese BBQ style dish at home, in later iterations I realized Eggplants are better suited to absorb that umami bomb marinade and transform magically when roasted or deep fried.

This has converted many eggplant haters and believe it or not when I served it at a dinner party to all my meat loving friends, they couldn’t tell it’s vegan?! So this LNY , I present you an easy side that might change your perspective about eggplants.

Ingredients (serves 4 as side)

1 lb Eggplants, cut into large 2-3” chunks (preferably Chinese or Japanese variety - easily found in produce section of Asian specialty markets)

Marinade

3 tbsp Hoisin Sauce (substitute with Oyster Sauce if you’re are not Vegan/Vegetarian or you have it on hand)

4 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (substitute with Tamari or Coco Aminos to suit your dietary restrictions. You can use Light Soy Sauce as well , just increase it to 5 tbsp)

2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar (substitute with white vinegar you have on hand, but do try to scout rice vinegar - it’s pretty great and versatile)

1.5 tsp Pomegranate Molasses (substitute with 1 tsp Maple Syrup and increase the rice wine vinegar to 3 tsp)

1.5 tsp Maple Syrup (extra 1 tbsp for glaze)

5-7g Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated

6-7 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder

1-1.5 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns (preferably green variety but the red ones are fantastic too)

1 tsp Gochugaru (substitute with red pepper flakes of your choice)

1-2 Star Anise, whole

Neutral Oil for cooking

Garnish

2 tbsp finely chopped Chives

2 tsp toasted Sesame Seeds

1/2 tsp Gochugaru (substitute with red pepper flakes of your choice)

Directions

🍆Salt eggplant chunks and let it sit on a colander for 20-25 mins (skip this if using Japanese/Chinese Eggplants). Meanwhile, whisk all marinade ingredients until smooth (don’t worry about the whole star anise , it’s for the most amazing aroma)

🍆Transfer drained eggplant chunks and marinade into a large ziplock bag. Make sure it’s sealed properly, shake well until eggplants look well coated. Let them marinate for at least 4 hrs or upto overnight. Soak up all the deliciousness!!

🍆 Fish out eggplant cubes and transfer marinade (alongwith the whole star anise) to a saucepan. At this stage, you can either bake or deep-fry the marinated eggplants - 

Baking: pre-heat oven to 425F, toss marinated eggplants in 2.5 tbsp Neutral Oil. Bake on a parchment lined sheet for 25 mins or until the outside is golden crisp and inside is soft. I recommend dividing into large sheets to avoid crowding in the oven

Deep fry: heat 200ml neutral oil. Once shimmering, fry eggplants for about 7-8 mins in three batches

🍆 Make glaze: add 1 tbsp maple syrup and about 1/4 cup (40ml) water into the saucepan with reserved marinade. Give it a good mix and cook on medium heat for 10-12 mins or until syrupy consistency

🍆Toss fried/baked eggplants in the sticky glaze so that everything is well coated. Transfer sticky golden eggplants to a serving platter and garnish. Chives and chile pepper. Enjoy!

Black Sesame Holiday Star Bread with Citrus Glaze

A fluffy tear & share bread with hot chocolate for breakfast is a special memory during Christmas holidays and I wanted to create something that would capture the spirit of Christmas along with my love for bread and that memory! A two-tone milk bread dough perfumed with cardamom and citrus zest. Filled with the sesame crunch butter and finished with a sweet aromatic glaze. It’s soft, nutty, aromatic, tangy and quite special…

I created this recipe for Rooted Fare ‘s Holiday Bakes contest however due to my nut allergy I couldn’t taste it, so obviously I made a simple sweetened sesame paste version and loved the contrast of slight bitterness from black sesame with the floral tang from both cardamom and the glaze. Making it again tomorrow!

*Note: you can totally skip the food coloring and make it as is and use a beaten large egg for the shine.

Prep time: 25-30 mins
Proving time: 75 mins 1st proof & 35 mins second proof
Bake time: 16-20 mins
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
Dough
200g Bread Flour (I used King Arthur Brand)
40g Cake Flour (substitute with Plain Flour)
45g Instant Mashed Potato Flakes (I use the generic Idahoan Brand)
3g Fine Sea Salt
29g Milk Powder / Dried Milk
2 tsp Ground Cardamom
1/2 tbsp Meyer Lemon Zest (substitute with any citrus)
8g Instant Yeast
28g Granulated Sugar
205g Lukewarm Water
55g Salted Butter, softened
Tubes of Red & Green Gel Food Colors (either Wilton or Betty Crocker brand is fine)

*Note: don’t recommend using natural or artificial powdered food colors as they make the bread dry and the post bake color won’t be quite vibrant

Filling
120g Black Sesame Crunch Butter (Rooted Fare)
for a nut free alternative :
150g Toasted Black Sesame Seeds
2 tbsp Floral Honey or Agave Syrup
2 tbsp Salted Butter

For shine
2 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tsp Maple Syrup

Citrus Glaze
1/2 tbsp Meyer Lemon Zest (substitute with any citrus)
1/2 tbsp Orange Juice + 1/2 tbsp Meyer Lemon Juice (substitute with any citrus)
110g powdered sugar

Directions

🌟 Make sesame paste: If going for the nut-free version then, using a food processor grind the toasted sesame seeds until they release oil and start forming into a coarse paste (about 5-6 mins in short bursts to avoid over heating). Then stir in honey and butter and run the processor for 1-2 mins until a smooth spreadable paste is achieved. Keep it refrigerated until 15 mins before spreading and assembling the loaf.

🌟 Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all dough ingredients except butter & using dough hook attachment, knead on medium speed for 7-8 mins. Now gradually add butter bit by bit while the mixer is running. Continue kneading for about 15 mins until it’s turned into a smooth ball of dough. Divide equally into 2 portions (by weight), add several drops (adjust the quantity based on your brand) of red gel color to one and green to other. Knead the colors into each piece of dough until fully incorporated. Adjust the quantity of colors based on your desired shade of red & green. Transfer each dough into separate bowls, cover & let them rise until roughly doubled in size (about 75-90 mins)

🌟 Shaping: Divide each risen dough into 2 equal portions (2 red & 2 green). Roll each into balls, cover & let it rest for 10 mins. On a lightly oiled surface, roll out one red ball into a 25cm circle.  Transfer it onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Transfer 40g sesame crunch butter or the sesame paste (from Step 1) & using an offset spatula evenly spread filling leaving at least 0.5cm border. Now roll out the second red ball into same size & place it on top of filling covered disc. Repeat the layering process with filling & green dough discs - leaving the top green disc bare (*note: 40g filling in each layer)

🌟Shaping contd.: Place a 7.5cm circular guide (I use a cookie cutter) in the center & using a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut 16 equal strips through all layers. Pick up 2 adjacent strips & twist them away from each other 3 times then pinch the ends to form a pointy end. Repeat this for remaining strips so that you have an 8-point Star. Cover & let it rise until puffy, about 35-40 mins.

🌟 Baking: Pre-heat oven to 415F (or 205C) and whisk heavy cream & maple syrup until homogeneous. Brush the puffy loaf with the heavy-cream maple syrup mixture. Bake for 16-20 mins or until the center records 200F temp. Meanwhile, whisk the glaze ingredients and keep it aside.

🌟 Finishing: Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack & let it cool for few mins before brushing it with the citrus glaze. Let the glaze set for 15 mins before tearing and sharing! Highly recommend some good Oolong Tea to go with it

Noodle Soup of my dreams

It’s that time of the year. Chilly weather calls for heartwarming comforting meals. Soups, stews and several beige foods rule the roost of this genre. In my sincere attempt to liven up the dreary 4pm sunset Chicago winters I got into experimenting with lots of colorful toppings on a light flavorful broth. While doing that, I went down a rabbit hole of perfecting a vegetarian pho base which honestly was hard to find here in Chicago (so far I like Pho 888 in the Argyle area the most, if you are visiting then make sure to check them out. Their tofu banh mi is pretty rad IMO). I wouldn’t say I have succeeded but if I have to pick Noodle Soup of dreams then this it!!!!

Thick Rice Udon is served in a smoky spicy broth where charred alliums and toasted dry spices form the base and shiitake mushrooms add the Umami kick. Finished with fresh herbs, fried shimeji mushrooms, chiles, pickled cucumbers, lime and a dash of fiery (homemade) chili sauce.The broth is the real star here so feel free to switch up toppings and try with different noodles …but highly recommend try my way at least once.

Incredibly grateful to many many of my Instagram followers and friends for taking out time to test and share feedback in perfecting it! You all are the reason I’m still going…

Ingredients (serves 2 as Main)

For Charred base

1 medium Red Onion, quartered

10g Ginger, roughly cut in chunks

2 Scallion Whites, roughly cut in chunks

1 tbsp Dark Soy (1.5 tbsp if using Light Soy)

1 tsp Brown Sugar

2 tsp Neutral Oil

For spice mix

1 tbsp Coriander Seeds

1/2 stick of Cinnamon

1 Star Anise

4 Cloves

2 Black Cardamom Pods

1 tsp hot Red Pepper Flakes

1 tbsp Neutral Oil

3 Garlic Cloves, crushed

1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

5 lime leaves (substitute with 1 tbsp lime zest)

15g Dried Shiitake Mushrooms soaked in 250ml boiling water (reserve this please) for 20 mins then thinly sliced

600ml Vegetable Stock or Water - if not committed to keeping it vegan then feel free to use Chicken stock

2 tsp Mushroom/Chicken Bouillon (optional)

2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce ( increase to 3.5 tbsp if not using dark soy)

420g cooked noodles of your choice, preferably thick rice noodles but regular Udon or Instant Ramen Noodles are fine too

Topping (all optional but highly recommended)

Reserved scallion greens, thinly sliced

7g Thai Basil, torn (substitute with a mix of cilantro and Italian sweet basil)

1/2 Chile (either Jalapeño or Fresno), thinly sliced

1 small Breakfast Radish thinly sliced into rounds and 1 Persian Cucumber sliced into matchsticks and pickled in 2 tbsp lime juice

Fried Shimeji Mushrooms, handful (optional)

Lime Wedges (an absolute must!)

Directions

🍜Turn the oven Broiler on HIGH. Toss all charred base ingredients in a small baking pan (should be snug). Put the pan under broiler for 10mins or until well charred. Once cool enough to handle finely chop everything and keep it aside. Reserve any leftover soy reduction

🍜Combine spice mix ingredients in a small pan, toast on medium flame for 2 mins or until very aromatic. Then using spice grinder / mortar pestle, whiz these toasted spices into fine powder

🍜In a deep bottom pan heat up oil,  then add chopped charred base ingredients. Sauté for 2 mins then add garlic and fry for a minute. Add ground spice mix and fry everything for 3-4 mins on medium flame

🍜Add sugar and fry for 2 more minutes. Add any leftover soy reduction from step-1, then add lime leaves (if using; don’t add zest at this point), both dark and light soy sauces. Cook for 1 min

🍜Now add mushrooms with soaking liquid, followed by stock. Bring it to boil then reduce the flame to let it simmer for about 18-20 mins

🍜Divide cooked noodles into two bowls. STRAIN and ladle broth into noodle bowls. Now finish with all toppings, add lime zest (if using), finish with a hearty squeeze of lime and slurp right away!

Fall Shakshouka

After Green, White & Red…. Here I am with a seasonal twist on my brunch staple Shakshouka - Poached Eggs on a Coconutty Orange and Butternut Squash Sauce with Sambal Vinaigrette and a delectable Curry Leaf Oil.

Half moon autumnal squash slices are braised in spices and orange juice until soft then thickened with coconut cream to form the base. Poached eggs are nestled in that rich aromatic sauce. Finished with a Sambal paste infused zingy vinaigrette for the acidity kick and Curry Leaf Mustard infused oil for the pizzazz. Tested and raved by many of my Instagram followers and friends, this one will soon become your fall favorite 🧡

Ingredients (serves 3-4 as Main)

Sauce

2.5 tbsp Coconut Oil (substitute with Olive Oil)

1 lb Butternut Squash, thinly sliced as half moons

1 Jalapeño, de-seeded and thinly sliced

4 scallions, julienned; whites and greens separated

3 garlic, finally chopped

1.5 tsp ground Cumin

1/2 tsp ground Cayenne 

1/2 tsp ground Turmeric

1 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Tomato Paste

150ml Fresh Orange Juice (increase the quantity if looking for a looser consistency)

75ml Coconut Cream (NOT coconut milk)

Sambal Vinaigrette

2 tbsp Fresh Orange Juice

1 tbsp Lime Juice

1/2 tbsp Lime Zest

1 tbsp Sambal Oelek (substitute with sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, but it won’t be the same)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Curry Leaf Oil

1/2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Mustard Seeds (substitute with caraway or cumin seeds)

8-10 Curry Leaves (substitute with Basil)

4-5 eggs

*Fried Shallots (optional)

Directions

💥Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients until well emulsified. Keep it aside

💥Heat up coconut oil in a large skillet (I have cast iron here but nonstick or stainless steel are fine too); add jalapeño, scallion whites and garlic. Fry for 1 min, then add Butternut Squash, salt and spices. Stir everything until really so that the squashes look well coated. Continue frying on a medium flame for 15-16 mins or until it starts caramelizing and sticking to the pan

💥Now add tomato paste and cook for a minute. Then add half quantity of Orange Juice (to deglaze the pan) and continue cooking for 5 mins. Add coconut cream and give it a good mix. Tip remaining orange juice while stirring everything so that the base sauce looks relatively homogeneous. Add more juice at this stage for a looser consistency. Cook for 2 mins, then make 4-5 indentations in the Sauce

💥Crack Eggs into each cavity and generously mix the whites into sauce (use a fork to do that). Let them cook uncovered until whites are set (about 9 mins). Meanwhile, combine all curry leaf oil ingredients in a small pan.  On medium flame fry for 1 min to 90 seconds (until it starts sputtering)

💥Once the eggs are done - Drizzle curry leaf oil and scatter reserved scallion greens on top. Divide into serving bowls, spoon some vinaigrette on top and serve alongwith Flatbreads (Scallion Pancakes are my favorite with this) or Rice. Enjoy!

Cheesy Daikon, Chives and Caraway Flatbreads

In my opinion, recipe development can be equally daunting and effortless. There are times when I put in a lot of effort to come up with something very unique and it takes several rounds of testing to get to the desired vision and it misses the mark! And there are times when I just combine some of my favorite ingredient combos together and it’s perfect at one go - these ones belong to latter category. I have been in love with chives and caraway seeds flavor combo since forever and equally obsessed with spiking grated daikon with different spice blends but combining with a sharp melty cheese is what makes the whole thing quite different and memorable. First, I tried with a regular paratha style dough (replicate Mooli Paratha nostalgia) but in order to maintain the crispiness I had to sacrifice the filling quantity which I wasn’t willing to! Then I tried with my go-to mashed potato flatbread dough and it just hit the bull’s eye. With slight adaptation of the OG recipe, here I present you your new favorite Sunday Brunch.

*Note: by using dairy-free cheddar you can totally veganize this

Ingredients (makes 4)
Flatbread Dough
120g Plain Flour
142g Boiling Water
60g Whole Wheat Flour
24g Instant mashed potatoes flakes
3g Fine Sea Salt
2g Sugar
2 tbsp Neutral Oil (extra for finishing)
1.5 tsp Instant Yeast

Filling
350g Daikon, peeled and coarsely grated (feel free to substitute with carrots and follow the first step to remove moisture)

1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1 Jalapeño, de-seeded & finely chopped
15g Chives, finely chopped
15g Cilantro including stems, finely chopped
2 tbsp Caraway Seeds
1 heaping tbsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder (substitute with red pepper flakes or paprika)
100g Sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated

1-2 tbsp Fennel Seeds (I like heavily seeded but use your judgment)
1-2 tbsp Nigella Seeds

Directions

💥 Add 1/2 tsp salt to the grated Daikon, massage thoroughly and leave it for 15-20 mins. Then squeeze out all the water out - as much as possible. Critical step for removing moisture to achieve perfect results

💥 Make the dough - Combine first two ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a smooth paste or a roux is formed. Let it cool and come to room temperature (about 25 mins). Then combine rest of the ingredients and mix well. Once the flour paste is cool enough, transfer the yeast mixture into the large bowl. Mix everything well, it will be sticky but resist the urge to add any extra flour and rather use some extra oil to knead into a smooth bell of dough. Cover and let it rise for 90 mins

💥 Resting and Filling - Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll into balls; cover with a wet towel and let it rest for 20 mins. Meanwhile prep the filling - in a medium bowl combine all filling ingredients, with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and mix gently until everything is well combined

💥Shaping and cooking - Pre-heat oven to 250F. Heat up a lightly oiled cast iron skillet on medium flame. Now roll out each ball into an 6” circle (keep remaining balls covered while working on one). Put 1/4 qty. of the filling in the middle, then bring the edges to the center to completely encase the filling, pinch and seal. Now gently roll it out into a 7-8” circle, don’t worry if theres any tearing or leakages. Sprinkle Fennel and Nigella seeds on top. Transfer the filled and rolled out dough disc onto the skillet, cook on high heat for 2-3 mins each side (no need to add any extra oil) - or until you observe puffing, brown splotches all over. Repeat the process for remaining 3 balls

💥 Serving - transfer the flatbreads on to a baking sheet and keep it warm in the pre-heated oven until ready to serve. These are very tasty as is but I like to serve with some tomato chutney or some some fresh pico di gallo. Enjoy!

Crispy Taro Cake Bowl

Whether it was the influence of several friends and colleagues being Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Taiwanese or just my very deep-rooted love for the flavors from East Asia - we celebrate Lunar New Year every year. Other than making Nian Gao (the New Year cake) from scratch we do try to make most of the traditional dishes such as dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, pickled veggies, turnip and taro cakes. Along with some non-traditional ones such as Baozi or Gua Bao, Steamed Eggs, Rice Paper Rolls, Wontons, etc. The spirit of eating a lot of food with friends and family being intact!

For this year’s celebrations, I made this salad with leftover Taro Cake pieces and was a massive hit at the party! I made the cakes from scratch but you can find them in specialty stores such as H-mart or Park to Shop. If not then, substitute with Tteok or Tofu for similar textural delight or else go with boiled baby potatoes or cauliflower florets. Add some chopped up omelette or boiled eggs for extra richness. Gong Xi Fa Chai!

Ingredients (serves 2 as Main)

Vegetable Base
2 Persian Cucumbers, de-seeded and cut into 2” chunks. Salted and drained after 10 mins
2 Baby Carrots, thinly sliced into batons
1 Celery, cleaned & thinly sliced (optional)
1/2 Jalapeño, thinly sliced
1 small garlic, crushed
1 tsp Chili Oil (Homemade or Lao Gan Ma)
1 tsp light Soy Sauce (substitute with Tamari or Coco Aminos based on your dietary preferences)
1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Doubanjiang or Fermented Broad Bean Paste(optional but highly recommended)

Sauce
2 tbsp Neutral Oil
4 Scallions, finely chopped (Handful greens Reserved)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder

1 tsp Brown Sugar or Agave or Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (substitute with Tamari or Coco Aminos based on your dietary preferences)
2 tsp Black Vinegar (substitute with equal parts of Balsamic and any White Vinegar)

10-12 pieces of rectangular Taro Cakes, cooked (substitute with 100-120g sliced rice cakes/Tteok or soft tofu)

12g Cilantro, roughly chopped (substitute with basil)
1 tsp Black Roasted Sesame Seeds
1 tsp White Roasted Sesame Seeds

Directions
🧧 In a large bowl, combine all vegetable base ingredients and mix thoroughly. Keep it aside for 15-30 mins or while you prep rest.

🧧 In a non stick skillet - add oil, scallions, garlic and spices. Turn on heat on the lowest setting/flame. Fry the aromatics until they begin to color and become very aromatic (about 4-5 mins on low flame). Fish out the fried aromatics into a small bowl and increase the heat to medium.

🧧 Now gently fry the cooked Taro cakes or any of the substitutes until golden and crisp on both sides. Be patient for this step as it will take about 15-20 mins of attentive frying - but when you achieve that crisp exterior and jelly like soft n chewy interior it will be all worth it! If using rice cakes, then it will be much faster but keep an eye as it’s easy to over cook and make it rubbery. If using tofu, then gently coat with some cornstarch (about 1 tbsp). Adjust the timing if using Potatoes or Cauliflower. Once fried, transfer the Taro cakes to a paper towel lined plate to get off any excess oil

🧧 Now add rest of the sauce ingredients to the bowl with fried aromatics. Give it a good mix and transfer into the large bowl with vegetables. Transfer the crisp Taro cakes into the large bowl, add fresh cilantro, give everything a gentle mix and let the flavors meld for 15 mins

🧧 Divide into serving bowls, finish with roasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Blistered Green Beans with Garlicky Sesame Dressing

I’m a huge fan of green bean casseroles on Thanksgiving table, so obviously I had to bring in my umami game for my dream holiday spread! Loosely based on the classic Sichuan cooking style for Green Beans here I have blistered beans with fried garlic and chile infused soy-sesame oil dressing. A very few humble ingredients come together to make this ridiculously addictive side that I guarantee you won’t make just once!

Ingredients (serves 4-5 as a side)
1 lb Green Beans, de-stringed & whole
2 tbsp Sunflower Oil (sub any neutral oil)
Pinch of salt

Dressing
1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil
12 Fat Garlic Cloves, whole & lightly crushed by blunt edge of knife
1 small Jalapeño (or Fresno), thinly sliced into discs
1.5 tbsp Soy Sauce (use Tamari to keep it GF & Coco Aminos to keep it Soy-free)
1 tsp Black Vinegar (even though it won’t be the same substitute 1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar + 1/2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar)
3 tbsp finely chopped Chinese Chives (substitute with 2 scallions)

1/2 tbsp Toasted Sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

💥Combine first 3 Dressing ingredients in a small pan. On medium flame, fry for 4 mins or until light golden. Turn-off heat, add soy sauce, chives & vinegar to the pan. Give everything a good mix & let it sit for 15-20 mins

💥Heat up sunflower oil in a large skillet, arrange all beans in a single layer (do it in batches if using small pan to avoid overcrowding). Let it cook on high heat for 3 mins UNDISTURBED. Now flip the beans, add salt & fry on medium-high flame for 4-5 mins. All should look blistered with brown spots & the texture will be slightly soft with a bite

💥Transfer beans into a large serving platter. Pour the dressing & toss until beans are well coated. Let the flavors meld for at least 10 mins

💥Scatter toasted sesame seeds on top & serve right away. I typically serve it with some steamed Jasmine Rice & Mapo Tofu!

Gochujang Sweet Potato Baozi

Roasting and steaming sweet potatoes are more prevalent and for a good reason, however I do like frying them up every now and then. With a good hot sear, you can achieve the caramelization while keeping the melt in the mouth texture. To honor my mum’s love for Chinese bread and sweet potatoes, I made these for her during her long vacation with us this summer. Even though the shaping didn’t turn out perfect, the fluffy steamed baozi with sweet n spicy filling was a massive hit! Once steamed it can be refrigerated or frozen in an air-tight container for up to 7 days to a month respectively - making it a perfect weekend project for a rewarding breakfast or lunch during the busy week.

Ingredients (makes 12)
Baozi
250g Plain or All-Purpose Flour
50g Cornstarch
2g Baking Powder
5g Granulated Sugar
2g Fine Sea Salt
5g Instant Yeast
30g Neutral Oil (I use either Vegetable or Sunflower Oil)
150g Lukewarm Water

Filling
180-200g or 1 large Japanese Murasaki sweet potato, finely diced (substitute with regular sweet potato)
1/2 Jalapeño, de-seeded & finely chopped
1 tbsp Neutral Oil
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tbsp Gochujang Paste
2 tbsp Soy Sauce (use Tamari or Coco Aminos for GF and Soy-free respectively)
1/2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1.5 tsp Mirin
1.5 tsp Cornstarch
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Serve with
Chili Oil & Fresh Cilantro

Directions
🥣 Make Filling: heat up oil in a skillet, once hot add sweet potatoes and jalapeño. Fry for 6-8 mins or until caramelized & cooked through. Transfer into a bowl, add scallions & cilantro. Now whisk remaining ingredients well and microwave for 90 seconds. Pour this concoction into bowl and mix thoroughly. Keep it aside

🥣 Combine first six ingredients of Baozi in a large bowl. Give it a good whisk so that everything is well combined. Make a well in the center and add oil and water. Start kneading (either using stand mixer or by hand); continue until it comes together into a smooth and elastic ball. Should take about 25 mins by hand and 15 mins in a mixer. Cover and let it prove until doubled in size (about 60-90 mins)

🥣 Now de-gas the risen dough and gently pick up one edge of the dough and pull lightly to fold it toward the opposite edge. Repeat this stretch and fold motion around the bowl, about 4 folds total, then flip dough upside down so that the seam side is facing down and smooth side is facing up. Let it rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat the “stretch and fold” action two more times, resting 30 minutes after each fold

🥣 Now divide the dough into 12 equal portions (each roughly 40g). Form each piece into a dough ball and lightly flour your work surface. Roll out each ball into a 6” circle with thick Middle and thinner edges

🥣 Now place 2 tbsp of filling in the middle of the dough round, then pleat edges together. Using your thumb, middle, and index finger of one hand to hold all the pleats in one spot while the other hand "feeds" the dough into the fold: gather and pinch together ¾” of dough, repeating this motion all around the edge of the round, between 12 and 15 pleats total. Gently twist counter clockwise to create a swirl pattern with your pleats, then pinch to firmly seal the pleats together. Don’t worry if it’s not neat or perfect, I’m still learning!

🥣 Fill a large pot with 500ml of cold water, then lay a steamer basket lined on top. Brush some oil in the basket & place a parchment inside the steamer. Place the baozis at least 2” apart from each other in the steaming basket. Let them rise, uncovered, until the dough increases about 50% in size and springs back very slowly when poked, about 30-45 mins

🥣 Now cover the pot with a lid lined with a paper towel (to prevent condensation), then turn heat to medium. Once water is up to a boil, reduce heat to low and steam buns for 10-12 minutes. Turn off heat and let them stand with lid on for 5 more minutes. Remove the lid and let buns cool until safe to touch

🥣 Serve with Chili oil, fresh cilantro and your favorite dipping sauce.

New York I Love You Ramen

Here I present you a meat-free Ramen that I have been working on for almost a year - Soy-Sesame-Miso Based Broth with a very special topping of blistered scallions, corn and Jammy cherry tomatoes tossed in a dressing. It’s a recipe that I’m incredibly PROUD of and may have shed happy tears over…

It’s my humble homage to three of my favorite shops in NY Mr Taka Ramen, Nishida Shoten and Ivan Ramen where I have spent hours to just get a spot, always returning happy & content! The eggs in the picture are completely optional, without those the dish is completely Vegan.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

250g Dry Ramen Noodles
3-4 Ramen Eggs
6 Roasted Nori Sheets (packaged)
2 tsp Toasted Black Sesame Seeds
Shichimi Togarashi (optional)

Dashi: combine everything & keep it aside for an hour. Discard mushrooms to repurpose for something else
Two 2” x 2” pieces of Kombu
10g Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
500ml warm water

Umami Sesame (toast everything for 2-3 mins and grind into fine powder)
1 tbsp white sesame seeds

1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
2 tsp Chile Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Demerara Sugar (turbinado sugar, if not available then use light brown sugar)
1 tsp Sea Salt

Broth
1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil
15g ginger, grated
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 scallion, finely chopped
Full qty. of Umami Sesame
1 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 tbsp Doubanjiang (Spicy Broad Bean Paste mostly used in Chinese cooking)
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Mirin
2 tbsp White Miso
750ml Unsweetened Soy Milk, room temp (substitute with Oat or Sesame Milk)

Topping
3 scallions, cut into long 3cm pieces
55g steamed corn kernels
12 Cherry Tomatoes
1.5 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (1.5 tbsp Light Soy)
1 tsp Mirin

Directions
🍜 Make sure to prepare Dashi and Umami Sesame beforehand. Prepare the topping by heating up a nonstick skillet. Once smoking, add scallions and char for 2 mins then add corn and keep charring. Transfer both to a small bowl, now add tomatoes to the very hot skillet and char until each of them is bursting and jammy (about 6-7 mins). Now toss all of these charred toppings with rest of the ingredients and keep it aside

🍜 Now to make the broth - combine first 4 broth ingredients in a deep-bottomed pot and cook on medium flame for 4 mins. Then reduce the heat to low, add next 3 ingredients sequentially at 1 min interval and cook for 5 mins in total

🍜 Deglaze using soy sauce for 1 min then once soy is slightly absorbed into the base, deglaze using mirin for 1 more min. Now remove kombu sheets (it will be slimy) and transfer dashi into the pot. Once lightly simmering, add 1 tbsp miso by slowly dissolving it into the broth

🍜 Add soy milk and keep stirring while it cooks for 2 mins. Add remaining miso by slowly dissolving in the broth and turn off the heat

🍜 Now assemble the bowl - divide cooked noodles into bowls, ladle some broth, add the toppings with a ramen egg and Nori Sheets. Finish with some chopped scallion greens, sesame seeds and a dash of shichimi

Persimmons and Mozzarella with Shaoxing Five Spice Dressing

Here’s my take on bitter sweet caprese salad - sweet and juicy Fuyu persimmons are served on top of bitter radicchio leaves , interspersed with creamy Buffalo Mozarella, sweet basil, gochugaru and pickled shallot rings. A zippy Chinese five spice spiked shaoxing cooking wine and pomegranate molasses dressing makes it special! Finishing touches of roasted sesame seeds and Shichimi Togarashi (a Japanese mixed spice Condiment) adds the final flourish and a nutty dimension. It’s vibrant, flavorful and unexpected, a salad that will wow everyone at the dinner party!

Ingredients (serves 2 as Main)
Pickled Shallots
1 small Shallot, thinly sliced
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1.5-2 tsp Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flakes) - feel free to substitute with Kashimiri Chili Powder or 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes)
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
Pinch of Sugar

Dressing
1.5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
1 tsp Maple Syrup
3/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
2 tsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine (substitute with Dry Sherry to keep it GF)

4 Fuyu Persimmons, cut into 3mm thick slices
1/2 head of small Radicchio, leaves separated
5g Sweet Basil Leaves
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Ground White Pepper

Topping
50-60g Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella or Burrata
2 tsp roasted Black Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Shichimi Togarashi (optional)

Directions:

💥Combine all pickled shallots ingredients and let it pickle for at least 30 mins

💥 Whisk all dressing ingredients until well combined and keep it aside

💥 In a large bowl, toss rest ingredients (except toppings) until well combined

💥 Now pick out dressed radicchio leaves & arrange on a large serving platter. Scatter persimmon along with basil on top of it. Dot with torn fresh Mozzarella or Burrata. Generously drizzle the dressing on the whole thing and top with pickled shallots. Finish with roasted sesame seeds & shichimi (if using)

*Note: For Vegan option substitute Cheese with Silken Tofu

Blistered Baby Carrots with Soy Butter, Lime and Shichimi

Sticky, sweet, salty and super smoky. These baby carrots definitely hit the Umami Jackpot! Friends from the US, if you haven’t yet discovered those Les Petit Carrots of Many Colors at Trader Joe’s then I urge you to run and pick up a bag stat! Hands down one of my top 5 TJ products. The technique of making the soy butter and pairing with lime can be used in other vegetables or even for Egg on Toast.

*I eat it with some sticky rice, roasted nori and silken tofu but feel free to stuff in a sandwich wrap or serve as a small plate in a dinner party spread.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)
1 lb Baby Carrots, whole & peeled
2.5 tbsp Vegan Butter (substitute with regular Unsalted Butter if not keeping vegan)
1 small garlic clove, grated or crushed
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce (substitute Tamari or Coco Aminos)
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 tbsp Mirin
1.5 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
Zest and juice of 1/2 Large Lime

1 tsp Shichimi Togarashi (substitute with 1/2 tsp chile flakes + 1/4 tsp+ toasted black sesame seeds + 1/2 tsp crushed toasted Nori)
1-2 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

1 tsp Finely chopped cilantro or scallion greens for garnish

Directions
🥕 Bring a large pot of water to boil, add carrots and let them boil/cook for 13-15 mins or until tender but firm enough to hold shape. Drain and keep it aside

🥕 Melt butter in a large skillet, then add garlic. Fry for 45 sec then add soy sauce, using a whisk or spatula keep stirring on medium or low heat so that it’s well emulsified. Immediately add carrots and turn off heat. Coat the carrots well with soy butter, then blow torch thoroughly so that it has black patches all over and very smoky. If not using blow torch then transfer into a baking dish and put it under grill / broiler for 2-4 mins while giving it shakes in every minute

🥕 Transfer the carrots onto a platter reserving the buttery juices. Now transfer those juices into a microwave safe bowl, add maple syrup, mirin, vinegar and lime juice into that. Give it a good whisk & microwave for 30-45 seconds and pour this concoction on top of the carrots.

🥕 Finish with lime zest, shichimi, sesame seeds & greens. Serve at room temp or straight away! Highly recommend alongside a sushi or soba noodle dinner spread.

Spicy Turmeric Udon with Smoked Tofu & Crispy Shimeji

I adore the chewy bouncy texture with a bite from Udon noodles. Invariably I always have a packet of cooked Udon in my freezer, no need to thaw straight into boiling water for 1 min and hot sear in the pan with the sauce for another minute or two and done. This version has both chile pepper and sriracha for the kick but feel free to adjust to suit your spice tolerance. Smoked tofu adds another layer of complexity which is hard to substitute so highly recommend procuring some from your local grocery store.

Ingredients (serves 2)
3 tbsp Neutral Oil
1 tbsp Ground Coriander Seeds
1.5-2 tsp Ground Turmeric (adjust based on your personal preference)
30g (4oz) Buna Shimeji Mushrooms (any petite cluster mushrooms should be okay), whole & separated tossed in 1/2 tbsp Corn or Potato Starch
1/2-1 tsp Chile Pepper Flakes (adjust to your spice tolerance)
1/2 tsp Flaky Sea salt
220g Cooked Udon (I prefer the frozen pre-cooked ones from the frozen Aisle in H-Mart)

4 scallions, whites finely chopped & greens thinly sliced for topping
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp Miso Paste well mixed with 2 tsp Sriracha & 1/2 tsp Water
120g Smoked Tofu, finely diced (if living in the US then the Trader Joe’s Sriracha Tofu could work)
1/2 head of roasted garlic - about 10 cloves (optional but highly recommended)
2 tbsp Light Soy (substitute Tamari or Coco Aminos)
1/2 tsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar (substitute with Apple Cider Vinegar)
40ml Water (I use reserved Noodle cooking water)

Generous squeeze of Lime (optional but kinda not!)

Directions
🍜 Heat up a wok or deep bottom pan, sprinkle some water to test if it sizzles. Once it does, quickly add oil, coated mushrooms, coriander and turmeric. Fry on high heat for 5-6 mins or until golden brown. Fish out mushrooms into a bowl and leave spiced oil in the wok. Add chile flakes and salt to fried mushrooms, toss well and keep them aside

🍜 Add scallion whites & garlic to the spiced oil. Turn on heat and fry them on low heat for 3-4 mins or until it’s aromatic. Now add miso-sriracha concoction and fry for 1 min then add Tofu & Roasted garlic (if using). Fry for 1 min then add remaining ingredients. Let it cook on medium heat for 2-3 mins or until begins to bubble a lot

🍜 Now transfer the Cooked Udon into wok, fry everything (while mixing well) on high heat for 2 mins. Divide and transfer into serving bowls, top with fried mushrooms & reserved scallion greens. Finish with a generous squeeze of lime!