Spicy Numbing Cauliflower Fry

Loosely inspired by the Sichuan Cauliflower dish from MCCB restaurant in Chicago, this one is a staple in our house during cauli season. It comes together pretty quickly for a weekday lunch or dinner. The Taiwanese variety of cauliflower can be found in Asian Supermarkets and have slender, light green stems with small flower buds. When cooked, it tastes sweeter than regular variety! I highly encourage you to make an effort to find this variety to make this dish as is at least once.

Ingredients (serves 2 as Main)
500g or 1 Head of Taiwanese or Chinese Cauliflower (substitute regular cauliflower)
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
6 Dried Red Chilies (optional but highly recommend), snipped into small pieces
1 small red onion, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, whole
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (optional)
1/2 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns

1.5 tbsp Doubanjiang Paste
1/2 tsp Ground White Pepper (substitute with black pepper)
1 tsp Ground Coriander Seeds

Sauce
60ml Water
2 tbsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine (substitute with Dry Sherry to keep it GF)
1.5 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
2 tsp Maple Syrup

Garnish
2 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped (substitute with 1-2 tbsp chopped chives)

Directions
💥 Remove tough parts of cauliflower stems, cut into long florets if using Chinese / Taiwanese variety. For regular cauliflower, cut into bite size florets. Rinse well, pat dry and keep it aside

💥 In a bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients and keep it aside. Now add oil into a large wok or skillet and put on medium high flame

💥 Once hot, add onion, chilies and ginger (if using), fry for 2 mins. Then add coriander, Sichuan peppercorns and Doubanjiang fry for 60-90 seconds (if the aromatics start sticking then splash 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine or water to deglaze)

💥 Add garlic cloves and cauliflower into the wok and fry for 2 minutes. Now add the sauce, cover and let it cook for 8-10 mins or until cooked through with a bite (if using regular cauliflower then 5-6 mins). Check at 3 mins mark to see the doneness - if too dry then splash some shaoxing cooking wine or water and if too wet then cook on high heat uncovered

💥 Once done, serve right away with finishing touches of sesame seeds, oil and fresh cilantro. Best eaten with Jasmine Rice

Pillowy Wrap Bread

Utilizing my mum’s OG mashed potato bread recipe, here I have ridiculously easy recipe for super soft flatbreads that can work to mop up dips and curries or act as the perfect wrap bread. The dough can be made ahead upto 3-4 days in advance and refrigerated - perfect to make fresh bread anytime! A quick step by step can be found here.

*Note: Once you feel comfortable in making these, you can swap upto 20% of the Plain flour in the Dough with Whole Wheat or Spelt Flour.

Ingredients (makes 4)

Base mix
120g All Purpose or Plain Flour (if in the US, I recommend using King Arthur brand with relatively higher protein%)
142g Boiling Water

Dough
60g All Purpose or Plain Flour (substitute with Gluten-free Plain Flour)
21g Instant mashed potatoes flakes
3g Fine Sea Salt
2g Sugar
1 tbsp Neutral Oil
3/4 tsp Instant Yeast (less fluffy results with Active Dry)

2/3 tbsp Neutral Oil
1-2 tsp Nigella seeds (optional)

Directions
1. Combine first 2 ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a smooth paste is formed. Let it cool and come to room temp - about 25 mins

2. Meanwhile, combine rest of the ingredients and mix well. Once the base mix 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

3. Now use 1/2 tbsp oil to grease a clean work surface and 1/2 tbsp oil to grease your hands. Transfer the sticky dough to the work surface and start kneading until a smooth & elastic dough is formed. About 12-13 mins

4. Cover & let it rise for 90 mins. Divide equally into 4 pieces, roll into balls, cover with a wet towel & let it rest for 20 mins

5. Roll out each ball into an 8-9” circle (keep remaining balls covered while working on one). Sprinkle Nigella seeds (if using) on top. Heat up a cast iron skillet, add remaining oil to grease the pan. Transfer the rolled-out dough disc onto the skillet, cook on high heat for 2 mins each side - or until you observe puffing, brown splotches all over

6. Repeat the process for remaining 3 balls. Make sure to stack on top of each other so that remain soft!

*Make-ahead Notes: Refrigerate in an air-tight container after the 90 min rise (Step-4). Whenever ready to make, bring out the dough to room-temperature, divide into portions, rest, roll and enjoy hot flatbreads. I typically double the recipe and refrigerate upto a week.

*Note: if you don’t want to use instant mashed potatoes then just use leftover boiled potato starchy water instead of regular water in first step. Sometimes I use spinach blanching water to give it a green hue and a bit of nutrition.

Cardamom and Lime Poached Apricot Clafoutis

Adapting a French classic to make it glutenfree and infusing my favorite flavors! You can substitute any stone fruit of equal weight and the poaching time will vary based on the type, size and ripeness of the fruit. Serving with Crème Fraîche is a MUST, if you can’t find it then try freshly whipped cream instead of ice-cream.

*Note: by using plant based milk, butter and cream you can absolutely adapt it into a Dairy Free dessert

Directions
1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a saucepan, on a low flame bring it to light simmer. Once simmering add apricots then gently cook for 3 mins. Turn-off heat, let apricots poach for additional 2 mins in the warm liquid then transfer them out. Pat dry & keep them aside

2. Now add 10g of granulated sugar to the poaching liquid & bring it back to heat. Cook until reduced to a runny syrup, discard peels & pods and keep it aside. Pre-heat oven to 415F & grease a medium baking dish with melted butter

3. Combine sugar, zest & cardamom. Using finger tips massage sugar with aromatics - to release the essential oils & flavor the sugar (About 5-7 mins)

4. In a blender, combine flavored sugar with everything else & pulse for 90 secs. Arrange poached apricots (cut side down) in the baking dish & pour batter. Bake for 35-40 mins or until the batter is risen & edges look golden

5. Cut a slice, dust with powdered sugar, top with dollops of crème fraîche and generously drizzle the syrup. Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp saffron (optional)
45g granulated sugar
80ml dry white wine
170ml water
2 tbsp lime juice
2 strips of lime peel
350g Ripe Apricots, pitted & halved

Batter
55g granulated sugar
1 tbsp lime zest
1 tsp ground cardamom
50g 1 to 1 GF flour (that already includes Xantham Gum)
10g Rice flour (sub any ground nuts)
Pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
200ml Whole Milk
80ml Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted at room temp

Serve with 3-5 tbsps of Crème Fraîche

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

Pomelo Herb Salad with Sweet Spicy Coconut Chips

Pomelo, Blood orange, Mint and Basil are perfumed with orange blossom then mixed with Sweet & Spicy Coconut Chips and pickled jalapeño & scallions! Everything is tossed in a Toasted cumin, Chile de Árbol & lime dressing. Feel free to substitute with seasonal citrus and give it a go!

Ingredients (serves 2-4 as a side)

Coconut Chips
35g Unsweetened Coconut Flakes - I love the ones from Trader Joe’s (substitute with flaked almond slivers or peanuts)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt (if you can get hands on Maldon then it would be the best!)
1/4-1/2 tsp ground Chile de Árbol (adjust based on spice tolerance) ; substitute with Gochugaru
1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Maple Syrup

Pickled Stuff
1 Scallion, whites halved length wise cut into 1” pieces and greens thinly sliced at an angle
1/2 Jalapeño, thinly sliced into rounds
Pinch of Granulated Sugar
2 tbsp Lime Juice

1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp Chile de Árbol flakes
1/2 tsp Raw Brown Sugar Crystals or Demerara Sugar
1.5 tsp Orange Blossom Water (reduce to 1 tsp if you find the perfume too strong)
1.5 tbsp Avocado Oil
350g Pomelo, pulp (you could substitute with good quality Ruby Grapefruit or Navel Orange but it’s not the same)
25g Blood Orange, pulp
4 sprigs of Basil, tough stem removed and leaves separated
4 sprigs of Mint, tough stem removed & leaves separated
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Roasted Sesame seeds or Peanuts for garnish

Directions
🥗 Prep Coconut Chips - Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180C. Combine all ingredients and make sure the coconut flakes are very well coated. Spread them out on a parchment lined baking sheet & bake for 5 mins. Let them cool completely

🥗 Prep Pickled Stuff - Combine all ingredients and let them pickle for 20-30 mins (do this while peeling Pomelo)

🥗 Prep Spices - dry roast cumin, chile de Árbol and sugar for 2 mins then roughly crush them into a coarse powder

🥗 Make the Salad - Combine Pomelo, Blood orange pulps with 3/4 qty of herbs, orange blossom and 1 tbsp oil with 1/4 tsp sea salt in a medium bowl. Transfer the pickled stuff into the bowl, while reserving the lime juice. Now whisk the coarse spice powder with reserved lime juice and 1/2 tbsp oil until well combined. Add this spiced dressing to bowl and mix everything

🥗 Serve - transfer the salad to a lipped platter, scatter a handful coconut chips on top , finish with some sesame seeds or peanuts and remaining sea salt. Serve right away.

*Note: the coconut chips will get soggy if left with the dressing for long. So do not mix them from the beginning. Serve the chips on the side so that you can top it on demand!

Umami Sauce

Here I’m sharing a quick spicy, tingly and hyper-addictive sauce that works with noodles, rice cakes or any fried or roasted seasonal veg.

Ingredients (makes enough for 150g Rice Cakes or Noodles)
Chili Oil
2 tbsp Sunflower / Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced (reserve 1 tbsp sliced scallion greens)
1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
1 tsp chile flakes (Gochugaru preferred)
1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Umami mix
2 tbsp dark soy sauce (substitute with Tamari or Coco Aminos for GF & Soy free respectively)
1/2 tbsp Hoisin
1 tsp black vinegar (substitute with balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp coconut sugar (substitute with light brown sugar)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Directions
💥 Cook rice cakes/noodles or veg according to the recipe or package instructions. Whisk the umami mix ingredients and keep it aside

💥 Now combine first 4 ingredients of Chili Oil in a pan and put it on medium flame. Fry for 3 mins until sizzling and beginning to change color. Now add next 3 ingredients & fry for 2 mins. Followed by umami mix into the pan and fry for another 3 mins

💥 Transfer cooked noodles or rice cakes to the pan with chili sauce and mix everything on high heat for a minute. Transfer to a platter, garnish with reserved scallion greens and happy snacking!

*NOTE: you can just execute Step-2 and keep the sauce to use whenever. Store in a cool dark place for 5-7 days or refrigerate upto a month

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.

Sichuan Potato Pepper Salad

Have you tried green Sichuan peppercorns? If not, then highly recommend you do - as it’s citrusy & floral aroma with more potent numbing kick makes a dish quite unique! Here’s presenting Potato Batons & Peppers dressed in spiced numbing oil tempered with soy-vinegar duo - a house favorite that we often have it alongside dumplings or cold noodles.

Ingredients (serves 6-8 as a side)
500g Yukon Gold/Yellow Potatoes (waxy variety), julienned or super thin batons
1 small red bell pepper, julienned
2 Jalapeño, de-seeded & julienned
4 scallions, thinly sliced
15g Cilantro (including stems), finely chopped

Numbing Oil
1/2-3/4 tsp Green Sichuan Peppercorns, (sub Red Variety); adjust based on your tolerance for numbing sensation
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 pod Black Cardamom or 4 Green Cardamom pods, seeds removed
1 tsp Chili Flakes
1.5 tsp Sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
45ml Neutral Oil

Dressing
3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce (substitute with Tamari for GF and with Coco Aminos for Soy-free)
1.5 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil

Garnish
1 tsp Toasted Green Sichuan Peppercorns (optional)
1 tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds
Chopped Cilantro

Directions
🥗 In a small pan, add first 7 ingredients of Numbing Oil. On medium flame, dry roast for 3-4 mins. Now transfer everything on to mortar pestle or spice grinder to coarsely grind the aromatics. In a large heatproof bowl, add scallions & ground aromatics & heat up oil until shimmering. Pour the hot oil onto the aromatics, mix well & cover. Keep it aside

🥗 Bring a large pot of water to boil. Set up an ice bath in a large bowl or fill a large strainer with ice. Line a large baking sheet or your kitchen work surface with paper towels. Once vigorously boiling add potato batons. Cook for 5 mins then transfer them straight into the ice bath or ice lined strainer to stop the cooking. Transfer them on to the paper towel lined sheet/surface, to remove as much moisture as possible

🥗 Now add julienned peppers & half quantity of cilantro to the bowl with aromatic oil. Add dried potato batons into the bowl, give everything a gentle mix. Now add all dressing ingredients with remaining cilantro. Mix, mix & mix (but gentle enough to not to break the potatoes). Let it sit & flavors come together for 1-2 hrs

🥗 Garnish with Sichuan peppercorns, sesame seeds & cilantro. Serve right away!

Leeky Harissa Pasta with Labneh

I have been asked many times what’s one thing that will always be found in my fridge, well it’s not one but four - 1 lb of leeks, 2 Fennel Bulbs, one head of confit garlic and a tub of Greek Yoghurt…No kidding, literally always! However my amnesiac partner keeps forgetting this rule and buys leek in every produce run to make me happy. So one time I had 3lbs leeks to finish & this quick Pasta dish was born! Clearly, we need to work on our communication, and you all need to try this easy umami laden pasta dish.

Ingredients (serves 2)
2.5 tbsp Olive Oil
190g thinly sliced Leeks
6 garlic cloves, crushed
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small sweet peppers, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
2 tbsp harissa paste (Spicy kind); increase to 3 tbsp if using mild variety
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp Miso paste
80ml water
225g dried pasta (any kind)

Topping (per serving)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3-4 tbsp Labneh (substitute with Greek Yoghurt or Vegan Yoghurt)
1 tbsp chopped chives
1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes

Directions
💥In a deep bottomed pan, heat up oil, add leeks, peppers & garlic. Cook on low flame for 7 mins or until soft & caramelized. Add tomatoes & cook for 11 mins or until tomatoes have almost broken down

💥Now add tomato paste, harissa, sugar & spices; increase heat to medium flame & cook for 2 mins. Add miso, water & cook for 5 mins or until it’s thick & saucy

💥Cook pasta according to package instructions & reserve 60ml cooking water. Now transfer both pasta alongwith reserved cooking water into the sauce & increase heat to high. Mix everything well & cook on high heat for 2-3 mins or until the sauce is at your desired consistency

💥Divide into 2 serving bowls - add lemon juice, spoon Labneh on top & finish with chives & Aleppo. Give it a good mix before eating, enjoy!

*Notes:
- Preferably use Red Miso
- No chives, try parsley; No Aleppo, try chile flakes
- I have used yoghurt, crème fraîche, sour cream & all works great so use whatever is in your pantry however Labneh is my personal favorite

Gochujang Glazed Radish

A quick & fun twist on the classic roasted root vegetables. Korean White Radish (조선무, Joseon-mu)) cubes are roasted until golden outside and tender inside. Then quickly tossed in a sweet & spicy Honey-Gochujang glaze, broiled for a sticky finish and garnished with sesame seeds & cilantro. Perfect for gluten intolerant or avoiding party guests!

Ingredients (serves 4 as Side)
1 lb Radish, cut into 16 large cubes -approximately 3 cm each (substitute with Turnips and adjust the baking time accordingly - upto 35-40 mins)
1.5 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Sugar

Glaze
1 tbsp Gochujang Paste (I prefer the hot variety from Haechandle Brand)
1.5 tbsp Tamari (substitute with Coco Aminos to keep it Soy free)
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp Mirin
1/2 tsp Honey (sub Maple Syrup to keep it vegan)
1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tsp water

Garnish
1.5 tsp roasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (substitute with chives)

Directions
💥Pre-heat oven to 400F. In a high sided baking pan combine first 4 ingredients. Give it a good mix, tightly cover with aluminum foil & bake for 20-22 mins . Then increase oven temp to 425F, uncover & bake for additional 17 mins or until light golden in color & fork-tender in texture

💥Meanwhile combine all glaze ingredients & microwave for 20 seconds. Pour this on the baked Radish. Give a good mix so that every Radish piece is well coated. Broil (put it under the Grill) on high setting for 4-5 mins

💥Garnish with toasted sesame seeds & cilantro. Serve at room temperature

Chile Bean Tomato Breakfast Eggs with Salsa and Tortilla Chips

Born from my partner’s love for red chilaquiles and mine for shakshouka! The sauce is built with a chipotle spiked roux that’s cooked with charred poblano and onion then bulked up by broth, cannellini beans and tomatoes. A good sprinkling of Cotija cheese then followed by eggs being cracked into sauce pockets, cooked until whites are set and finally topped with lots of fresh cilantro. Served with a hyper addictive bean-jalapeño salsa that is an absolute must to complete the dish. We typically dunk tortilla chips, grilled tortillas or the @traderjoes bean chips (shown in the photo). Don’t get bogged down by the long list of ingredients, trust me it’s all worth it!

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
Salsa
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
4 breakfast radishes, diced
1/2 jalapeño, diced (de-seed to reduce heat)
125g canned Canellini beans (roughly half can)
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1/2 tbsp lime zest
1.5 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Pinch of sugar
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2-3 stalks (both leaves & stem) of cilantro, finely chopped

Sauce
2 tbsp Plain or All Purpose Flour
2.5 tsp ground Chipotle Chile Pepper
2 tsp ground Cumin
1 tsp dried Oregano
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Poblano Pepper, slit
1/2 shallot, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
200ml vegetable stock (substitute with just water or any stock of your choice)
160g canned Tomato Sauce
1 tsp fine sea salt
150g canned Canellini Beans (roughly half can)
8-10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
4-5 tbsp crumbled Cotija Cheese

4-5 eggs, at room temp
2-3 stalks (both leaves & stem) of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lime cut into wedges
Avocado Slices (optional)

Directions
🥣 Make salsa - combine everything except tomatoes & cilantro, let it marinate for at least 30 mins

🥣 Charring - Heat up a skillet, once smoking lay out poblano and quartered shallot. Using tongs char until both are aromatic & soft (about 9-10 mins). Once cool enough, roughly chop & keep it aside

🥣 Make Sauce - whisk flour, chile, cumin & oregano until well combined. Heat up olive oil in a skillet, add flour-spice mix into it & cook gently for 3 mins or until smells smoky/toasty. Quickly transfer chopped poblano & shallot and cook for 2 mins. Now splash some stock to deglaze & add tomato paste, cook for 1 min

🥣 Gradually add stock & cook for 4 mins or until the contents are beginning to thicken, now stir in the tomato sauce. Mix well, season with salt & cook for 2 mins

🥣 Add remaining canned beans & halved cherry tomatoes into the skillet, give it a good mix & cook for 2 mins. Sprinkle cheese, lower the flame & make 4-5 indentations. Crack Eggs into each cavity & generously mix the whites into sauce. Let them cook uncovered until whites are set (about 9 mins)

🥣 While eggs are cooking, add quartered tomatoes & cilantro into the salsa bowl & give it a good mix (season if required). Now sprinkle cilantro on top of eggs and serve with tortilla chips, bean salsa & lime wedges

Persimmons with Whipped Ricotta, Rose-Lemon Maple

A side effect of my endeavor to come up with wacky flavor combos is - we eat the same dish everyday until I get the fine balance between bold flavors right! So after eating this one for seven days straight …. here I’m with my latest obsession - “Rose-Lemon Maple” drizzled on fresh Persimmon wedges nestled in creamy aromatic whipped ricotta laced with dried Mint and lemon zest….mmmm then the finishing touch of a heady exotic oil - Urfa Biber, fresh herbs, rose petals & sesame seeds. The key to this dish is simplicity and delicate balance of bold flavors - it’s quite magical indeed!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2 as side)

2 Ripe Fuyu Persimmons, peeled & each cut into 8 wedges

Whipped Ricotta

100g Whole Milk Ricotta (substitute with Vegan Ricotta)

50g Plain Whole Milk Greek Yoghurt (substitute with your go to vegan yogurt)

3/4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (top quality)

1/2 tsp Maple Syrup

1 tbsp Lemon Zest (if you can get your hands on Meyer Lemon then it will be quite special)

1 tsp dried Mint

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Rose Lemon Drizzle

25ml Lemon Juice (again Meyer Lemon preferable)

45ml Maple Syrup

1 tbsp water

1/2 tsp Rose Water

Mint Urfa Oil

4g Fresh Mint Leaves, finely chopped

2g Sweet Basil Leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Urfa Biber

3/4 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

1/2 tsp crushed dried rose petals

1 tbsp good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of salt

Garnish

1-2 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

1 tbsp Dried Rose Petals

Directions

💥Combine all Mint Urfa Oil ingredients & keep it aside

💥Combine all whipped ricotta ingredients and whisk well until smooth & luscious (about 12 mins by hand; 5 mins by electric whisk) & keep it aside

💥In a saucepan combine lemon juice, water & maple syrup. Cook on high heat stirring constantly, turn off heat as soon as it starts to bubble (~ 4 mins). It should be like runny syrup consistency. Let it cool for 2 mins then stir in rose water & keep it aside

💥To plate - divide and dollop the whipped ricotta into two lipped plates . Make a dip in the middle, arrange persimmon wedges, spoon mint oil & generously drizzle the rose lemon syrup. Enjoy!

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!

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!

White Shakshuka with Garlicky Herb Topping

Loosely inspired by the Turkish Çilbir , here I have my white Shakshouka with a flavorful herby topping - eggs cooked on a bed of thick Greek-yoghurt & Feta sauce then finished with a fried garlic, spices & soft herbs concoction. This one has been voted by several friends and family as the “Breakfast of Champions”

Ingredients(serves 3-4)
Base
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
530g (2 cups), full-fat thick Greek Yoghurt
165g crumbled Feta
4-5 large eggs

Topping
1-1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp Coriander Seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp Cumin Seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes
Pinch of salt
50g (1/2cup) Green Peas
3g Basil Leaves, shredded
2g Mint Leaves, shredded

Garnish
3g Sweet Basil, shredded (adjust to taste)
2g Mint, shredded (adjust to taste)
1 tsp Rose Harissa (optional)

Directions
🍳 Heat up 2 tbsp oil in a skillet, add onions sauté for 5 mins then add salt & sauté for one more minute. Add yoghurt, using a silicone whisk give it a good mix and reduce the flame to low. Let it cook for 5 mins

🍳 Now sprinkle feta on top (don’t mix) and let it cook on low flame for 18 minutes. Make 4-5 indentations in that yoghurt-feta base, crack eggs into those. Using a fork or spatula generously mix the whites into the base.

🍳 While the eggs are cooking, combine all topping ingredients in a small pan. Fry everything on low heat for 5 mins

🍳 The eggs should be done in 9-10 mins, add the topping & garnish with fresh herbs (dot it with some Rose Harissa, if using) and serve with a side of crusty bread.

Umami Oats

The perfect vegan breakfast porridge that’s very very close to my heart! Stick to the porridge recipe and use your favorite toppings such as chopped kimchi, chili oil, hot sauce, pea shoots, fried egg, the list is endless indeed.

Ingredients (serves 2)
Porridge
15 g ginger, finely chopped
8 scallions, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Thai green chile, finely chopped
80g old fashioned oats (do not sub with quick cooking oats)
4 tbsp sunflower oil
160 ml hot water
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 baby bok choy, separated (sub choy sum)

Umami Mix
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dark Soy (sub Tamari)
1 tbsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine (substitute with 1/2 tbsp Mirin and increase lemon juice quantity to 2 tsp)
1 tbsp White Miso

Topping
1 breakfast radish, thinly sliced
1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Ramen eggs, with jammy yolks (optional)
Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
1 tbsp Furikake (sub toasted sesame seeds)
1 tsp shichimi togarashi (sub chile flakes)

Directions
🥣 In a small bowl combine radish, cucumbers, sugar & vinegar. Let it pickle for 20 mins. In a cup, combine umami ingredients & keep aside

🥣 Heat up oil in a deep bottomed pan - once sizzling, add chile, ginger, garlic & scallions. On low heat, fry for 6 mins (until lightly golden); then add oats & fry for 2-3 mins (stirring continuously)

🥣 Add water, season with salt & bring it to boil. Then reduce heat, cover & let it simmer for 15 mins. After 15 min mark, add 2/3 umami mix into porridge. Give it a good mix & let it simmer uncovered for 10 more mins

🥣 While the porridge is cooking; heat up 1 tsp sunflower oil in a small pan, add bok choys followed by 1/3 umami mix. Give it a good toss & cook on high heat for 3-4 mins

🥣 Divide the porridge into two bowls, top it with equal amounts of bok choy & pickled radish & cucumbers. Garnish with a ramen egg, furikake, shichimi & drizzle some toasted sesame oil

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!

Butternut Squash, Miso and Lime Risotto

A lime spiked vegan risotto gets umami punch from Roasted Spiced Butternut Squash, Miso & Maple concoction and served with an addictive crispy Kale on the side. It’s a fantastic seasonal dish that’s both comforting and posh at the same time!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

Umami Squash

1.5 tbsp Avocado Oil

350g Butternut Squash, skin removed & cut into 2cm cubes

1 Jalapeño, chopped (de-seed to reduce heat)

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1/2 tsp Gochugaru (sub chile flakes)

1/2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp Miso

1 tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tbsp water

Risotto

2 tbsp Avocado Oil

1 medium Shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 leveled cup Arborio Rice

1/2 cup White Wine

3.5 cups vegetable stock, hot

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

2 tbsp Lime Juice

1 tbsp Lime Zest

2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast or Nooch

Crispy Kale

1.5 tbsp Avocado Oil

1/2 lb Tuscan Kale Leaves

1/2 tsp flaky sea salt

DIRECTIONS

🥬Make crispy kale: Pre-heat oven to 350F. Mix oil and leaves, then lay them out in parchment lined baking trays (do not over-crowd). Bake for 14 mins, toss them in salt & keep it aside

🍂Umami Squash Prep: Pre-heat oven to 400F. Combine first 7 ingredients in a baking tin, give it a good mix & bake for 25-30 mins or until brown & caramelized. Once cooled, transfer contents into blender, add last 3 ingredients & blend until thick glossy purée

🍚Make Risotto: Combine shallot & Oil in a deep bottomed pan, on medium flame fry for 5 mins. Add garlic, fry for 1 min, followed by rice. Add rice, salt & pepper; fry for 4 mins. Add wine & cook for 2 mins or until evaporated. Now add hot stock, a ladleful at a time, waiting until each addition has been fully absorbed before adding the next & stirring constantly. When rice is cooked to your desired texture, turn-off heat & stir in squash purée alongwith lime juice, zest and nooch. Mix thoroughly until well combined

💥Divide into serving bowls. Top with a few kale chips and Enjoy!