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!

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

Radichhio Apple and Tarragon Salad with Dukkah

Inspired by the Apple and Tarragon cheesecake from the British Bake-off Season-6, this super easy bitter-sweet salad is my latest obsession! Whether serving with that an indulgent savory pie or alongside a creamy pasta dish or just for weekday lunch, during fall I make this simple salad almost every other week.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 medium head of radicchio (feel free to substitute with a couple Chicory or Belgian Endive heads), roughly torn
1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tbsp very good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1 tsp freshly cracked Black Pepper

Marinated Apples
2 medium Apples (I used a pink lady variety but either Honeycrisp or Red Delicious would be great), cut into 2 cm pieces
4 tbsp chopped fresh Tarragon leaves
1 small Shallot, thinly sliced
15g Golden Raisins (if you don’t like raisins then substitute with dried apricots thinly sliced)
4g flat-leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Lemon Zest
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Soy sauce (substitute with Tamari or Coco Aminos)
1.5 tbsp very good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp Dukkah , you can find in Middle Eastern Specialty store or even in Trader Joe’s in the US (substitute with crushed seeded crackers or you can make your own by following this)
4 tbsp Créme Fraîche (substitute with Sour Cream)
Flaky salt (optional)

Directions
🍎 In a large bowl toss first 5 ingredients & keep it aside. In a medium bowl, combine and mix all marinated apples ingredients & let it marinate for 15-20 mins

🍎 Divide the dressed radicchio into serving bowls, spoon the marinated apples and finish with 1 tbsp dukkah & 2 tbsp créme fraîche in each bowl. Enjoy!

Sambar Kewpie Egg Salad Tartines with Pickled Radish

My bold take on European egg salad tartines fusing the Japanese Kewpie with Indian Sambar Podi (aka Powder). It’s punchy, creamy, refreshing and full of surprises.

*for the vegan version use cooked butter beans instead of eggs & substitute kewpie with vegan mayonnaise

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

6-7 large eggs, boiled

3 Breakfast Radishes, thinly sliced

10g combo of chives & cilantro leaves, finely chopped

3 tbsp Lime Juice

Pinch of salt

Pinch of granulated sugar

1-2 tsp Gochugaru (substitute with any chile pepper flakes)

Dressing

2.5 tbsp Avocado Oil (substitute with Olive Oil)

4 scallions, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tbsp Sambar powder (I prefer Madras 777 or Aachi Brand)

3/4 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp Salt

90g Kewpie Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Lime Zest

6-8 slices of Sourdough, toasted with some olive oil or butter

Directions

🥣 In a bowl, combine radish slices with 1/2 qty herbs, lime juice, pinch of salt & sugar. Let it pickle

🥣 In a small pan, add first 6 dressing ingredients & start cooking on medium flame for 4-5 mins or until everything looks golden & very aromatic. Turn off heat, transfer into a large bowl, add rest of the dressing ingredients & give it a very good whisk until well incorporated

🥣 Now roughly chop up the boiled eggs, transfer straight into the bowl with dressing. Add remaining herbs & carefully mix until all egg pieces are well coated with the dressing

🥣 Lay out the slices of toasts, spoon some egg salad, arrange pickled radishes and finish with a dusting of Gochugaru. Enjoy!