Miso Pumpkin Mini Cakes with Kahlúa Tahini Sauce

May sound a bit too dramatic, but the whole flavor combo works! These dainty little cakes with an umami spark from the Shiro Miso in the Genoise Sponge and the delicious boozy kick from the Kahlua in the rich Tahini Sauce are very easy to put together. A true delight for all my fellow sesame lovers.

*If you don’t have mini Bundt pans then mini muffin or madeleine pans are perfect. Additionally, these can be refrigerated in an air-tight container upto 3 days - just bring it to room temperature before serving.

Makes 10-12 Mini Cakes

Wet Ingredients
70g Unsalted Butter, melted
36g Pumpkin Purée
16g White Miso Paste
2 large Eggs (100g)
36g Granulated Sugar
25g Maple Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
1/2 tbsp Orange Zest

Dry ingredients
85g Plain Flour
11g Cornstarch
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
Scant 1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
1-2g Ground Cardamom (upto taste)

Kahlúa Sauce
40g Tahini (the tahini I used is quite thick so increase the quantity if your’s is runnier)
75g Maple Syrup
8g Dutch Processed or Black Cocoa Powder
2g Instant Espresso Powder or Instant Coffee Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 tbsp Kahlúa Or Coffee Liquer (more to adjust the consistency)

*Sesame Brittle (Optional)

In a saucepan, melt 100g granulated sugar with 2 tbsp water until it turns amber colored caramel. Now add 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract, 27g of roasted sesame seeds (both black & white) & 1g sea salt - stir until well combined. Spread this mixture evenly on a silicone mat, let it set for 15-20 mins. Break into different shapes & keep it ready to use in desserts or as candy snacks

Roasted Sesame seeds or Crushed Sesame Brittle for garnish

Directions
🧡 Sift and whisk all dry ingredients in a bowl. Keep it aside. Whisk melted butter, miso and pumpkin purée and keep it aside

🧡 Pre-heat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, zest and sugar vigorously for 5 mins or until it begins to start turning pale & frothy. Add maple syrup and vanilla and continue whisking until it reaches ribbon stage or very frothy

🧡 Now fold 1/3 dry ingredients mixture into the large bowl with beaten eggs mixture. Once fully incorporated, add 1/3 pumpkin Miso butter and continue folding until everything is homogenous. Continue this alternate dry and wet additions twice until a well mixed (with no dry floury spots) batter is achieved

🧡 Grease a 12 hole mini Bundt or cake pan with cooking spray or melted butter. Fill each hole 2/3 level and bake in the middle rack for 10 mins. Let it cool in the pan for 8 mins then invert to release the cakes. Let them cool completely

🧡 Whisk all sauce ingredients until thick, glossy and smooth. We are looking for a thick drip glaze - so based on the quality of Tahini, Maple Syrup and Liquer please adjust the quantities to achieve the desired consistency. While the cakes are on cooling rack, put a baking sheet or parchment underneath. Generously drizzle about 2 tsp sauce on top of each cake, let it drip and set for 5 mins or so. Finish with roasted sesame seeds or blitz the optional sesame brittle to resemble praline and sprinkle on top.

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.

Boozy Chocolate Pear Pudding with Bailey's Fudge Sauce

Pear quarters are baked in a blanket of cocoa sponge batter spiked with ground ginger & spiced rum. Served with a warm luscious chocolate sauce that has a generous dose of Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur! This is an indulgent and fuss-free spinoff of a classic British dessert called “Eve’s Pudding“ where apples are baked underneath Victoria sponge batter.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Pudding
60g AP flour
40g granulated sugar
12g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
56g (4 tbsp) softened unsalted butter
1 large egg, room temp
4 1/2 tsp dark rum
2 medium Pears, cored & quartered

Fudge Sauce
60g dark chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp granulated sugar
30 ml instant coffee
30 ml heavy cream
40 ml Bailey’s Irish Cream

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Combine & pulse all pudding ingredients in a food processor, for 2-3 mins or until its thick & glossy

2. Grease a 1 qt. baking dish & arrange pears (cut side down). Transfer the batter into baking dish, smooth off the top & bake for 30 mins

3. Meanwhile in a small saucepan heat up coffee, add sugar followed by chocolate. Once the chocolate melts, add butter & turn off the heat. While warm, whisk in the heavy cream & Bailey’s. Keep it aside

4. Cut a slice of the pudding and serve with a generous helping of the warm boozy fudge sauce. Enjoy with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or just like that 🙃

Sweet Potato Feta Mini Galettes with Harissa Honey

The delectable trio of Sweet, Salty & Spicy. These are like my pantry staples but surprisingly I never thought about combining in one dish!!! Right off the bat, I thought about taking this opportunity to showcase my love for making savory galettes from scratch. I started exploring these rustic freeform tarts back in early 2020 and have been hooked - I realized that even though I make these often my Insta feed has been remiss of them!

So here I’m sharing my all-time favorite Spelt & Crème Fraîche pastry wrapped around a herby ricotta feta filling topped with fanned out Sweet Potato discs. Finished with a generous drizzle of sticky and vibrant Rose Harissa infused Honey and Orange Juice caramel sauce.

*Note: I have successfully tested the vegan pastry dough with Super Cold Earth Balance brand Vegan Butter sticks and Tofutti Brand Sour Cream with 1:1 substitution for Salted Butter and Crème Fraîche. And for egg wash whisk 2 tbsp Oat Milk with 2 tsp Maple Syrup.

Ingredients (makes 8 mini galettes)
Spelt Pastry Dough
170g Plain Flour or All Purpose Flour (I have successfully used 320g King Arthur GF Measure to Measure flour for 100% GF crust)
150g Spelt Flour or Whole Wheat flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill Spelt Flour)
20g Polenta or Coarse Cornmeal (I use Quaker Oats brand)
12g Granulated Sugar
2g Fine Sea Salt
3g Crushed Black Pepper
125g Super Cold Salted Butter cut into small cubes (for best results freeze for 30 mins)
2 large ice cubes
4-6 tbsp Super Cold Créme Fraîche (substitute with cold sour cream)

Filling
120g Ricotta (I prefer whole milk but part skim works fine)
55g Crumbled Feta
Oregano leaves from 3 sprigs
Sweet Basil leaves from 2-3 sprigs
1 tsp Chile Flakes
1/2 tbsp dehydrated Harissa Powder (totally optional, or else a hot spice blend of your choice)
1 large egg beaten (plus leftover egg wash if using beaten egg to glaze the pastry)
1 tsp Olive Oil
Pinch of salt and sugar

245-250g Sweet Potato, sliced into 1/8” thick discs (I used Mandoline but knife is fine too. If you end up with thicker slices then just fry them in a skillet for 10 mins with a bit of oil and covering every now and then so that they are par-cooked)

Drizzle
1/2 tbsp Rose Harissa (regular harissa is fine too)
1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
4 tbsp Orange Juice(OJ)
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Runny Honey (sub Maple Syrup)

1 Egg, Beaten or 4 tbsp Milk for glazing

Chopped scallion greens or Picked Oregano leaves for garnish

Directions
🥧 Dump first 6 dough ingredients in a food processor, give it a whiz for 30 seconds so that all dry ingredients are well mixed. Then add remaining dough ingredients (start with 4tbsp créme fraîche & increase to get the dough to come together) and whiz until a playdoh like mass is formed


🥧 Make a rough ball of dough (don’t worry if it’s breaking too much, a bit of patchwork goes a long way in Pastry crusts). Roll it out into a rough rectangle of 1/2” thickness. Now fold it into half, another fold in clockwise direction and one more fold in that direction to get a rough square piece. Now pat into a disc (doesn’t have to be perfectly shaped). Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 mins to 3 days. Can be frozen at this stage for upto months

🥧 If making these galettes then, bring the dough out and let it come to a state where it can be easily manipulated. Divide equally into eight pieces & form into balls. On a clean work surface, roll each ball into a 4-5” disc, transfer onto a silicone baking mat or parchment (I prefer using bench scrapers to pick up & transfer)

🥧 Dump all filling ingredients into blender and pulse until smooth & creamy. Whisk All drizzle ingredients with 3 tbsp OJ & 1 tbsp Honey, microwave for 2 mins

🥧 Pre-heat oven to 420F. Spread 2 tbsp of filling in the center of each rolled out pastry disc. Top with 10-12 pieces of sweet potato discs overlapping each other, fold the pastry edges so that it’s encased properly. Brush the sweet potatoes with drizzle and exposed pastry with either beaten egg or milk. Bake for 25-35 mins or until golden brown

🥧 Meanwhile, add 1 tbsp OJ and 1 tsp Honey to the leftover drizzle and microwave for 2-3 mins or until it’s slightly sticky & red colored caramel like. Once baked, top the galettes with this sticky drizzle and garnish with greens. Enjoy!