Combining two of my favorite things, roasted sweet potatoes and kimchi, into one dish! I love having roasted sweet potatoes as a snack or side but when I’m feeding them to someone else for dinner, I feel like there should be a little something extra, and that’s where the kimchi-churri comes in! Chimichurri is traditionally a Southern American (roots in Argentina and Uruguay) sauce that’s herbaceous and zesty, loaded with things like parsley, cilantro, vinegar, and garlic. This uses that as a base with an asian twist! I used: 2 medium sweet potatoes 1/4 cup kimchi 1 tbsp cilantro, roughly ..read more

I maintain that clams are one of the easiest things to make that just feels faannccy, and this spring-y brothy clams + soba combines the bright, crispness of spring produce with the savory oceanic essence of clams in a way where all the flavors get to shine. Plus, it comes together easily for a simple weekday meal! i used (serves 2):  2 servings of soba (japanese buckwheat noodles) 1 lb manila clams 3 cups water 2 slices of ginger 2 tbsp cooking sake 2 tsp soy sauce 1/2 tbsp mirin handful of sugar snap peas, blanched togarashi to prep the clams: remove any clams that are already op ..read more

Umami mushroom oats combines two things that people have been very excited about lately in my comments: savory oatmeal and my giant box of dried mushrooms from costco. I never ever throw away mushroom stock and this incorporates it right into the oatmeal giving it a nice umami boost! I try to remember to soak my mushrooms the night before so I know they’ll be fully rehydrated and softened in the morning. I used (serves 2): 1/2 cup dried mixed mushrooms, rehydrated in 1 cup hot water 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup chicken broth salt toppings: soft-boiled egg, blanched sugar snap pea ..read more

I maintain that clams are one of the easiest things to make that just feels faannccy, and this spring-y brothy clams + soba combines the bright, crispness of spring produce with the savory oceanic essence of clams in a way where all the flavors get to shine. Plus, it comes together easily for a simple weekday meal! i used (serves 2):  2 servings of soba (japanese buckwheat noodles) 1 lb manila clams 3 cups water 2 slices of ginger 2 tbsp cooking sake 2 tsp soy sauce 1/2 tbsp mirin handful of sugar snap peas, blanched togarashi to prep the clams: remove any clams that are already op ..read more

Osmanthus is a fragrant flower that has a sweet, apricot-like scent. In shanghai, it’s used in teas, desserts, and perfumes. Osmanthus-goji jelly Osmanthus-goji jelly blends the fragrant floral notes of osmanthus flowers with the sweet tang of goji berries, creating a beautiful, refreshing dessert! I love making these in fun molds, like this mooncake mold — it’s an easy way to give the dessert a fun twist. If you don’t have molds you can make these jellies in a tupperware and cut them into rectangular or square bites. where can i get osmanthus flowers? i get mine from ranch 99 but i’ve also se ..read more

If there’s one thing I’m know for, it’s my dislike for Brunch. And by Brunch, I mean the activity of brunch — going out and spending $30 on some eggs and a cup of coffee. Hence the start of my series, “we have brunch at home!!”. The first edition of this series feature a kimchi lapcheong potato hash that has all the flavors profiles: spicy, sweet, umami, tangy, salty, and comes together with relatively few ingredients. The stars of the show are the kimchi and lapcheong. Lapcheong (also called xiang tsang) is a slightly sweet and savory Chinese sausage, that’s usually made from pork, though som ..read more

My go-to soup to make because it’s just *that* easy. This miso soup recipe starts off with a dried shiitake stock but you can also use dashi packets. If using dashi powder, I’d use half the recommended amount because the full amount can feel overpowering with the miso imo. But play with it and make it your own! I used: 2 dried shiitake 2.5 cups boiling water 1/4 block soft tofu, cubed small 1.5 tbsp miso paste 1 tbsp dried seaweed flakes 1/2 tsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp shaoxing wine garnish: scallions To make: add dried shiitakes to a small pot or bowl, and add with boiling water. cover t ..read more

TBH creamy miso oats are my hyperfixation breakfast at the moment. I love using part shiitake stock for the base of these oats to give it a little extra flavor and umami notes but I’ve also done it without, and it’s still yummy! If I ever need rehydrated shiitakes for a recipe and don’t end up using the leftover stock right then and there, I always place it in the fridge for later. You can also use some dashi powder instead. Just watch your stove so you don’t over-toast your oats like I did this time! I used: 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup hot-brewed shiitake stock (water left over ..read more

These buns combine the ever-beloved cinnamon roll with the flavor profiles of tang yuan (a chinese mochi-like dumpling dessert) — black sesame on the inside and a slightly salty peanut caramel on top! Do these count as breakfast or dessert? IMO they’re both! For the dough, recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction: 2 3/4 cup AP flour (344g) 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g) 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup whole milk 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 1 large egg Black sesame filling: 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 3 tbsp brown sugar 3 tbsp toasted black sesame powder (you can find ..read more

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, steamer meals are underrated and steamed fish, is probably the most underrated of them all. One of my go-tos is a one-steamer-meal situation that includes fish and veggies like this steamed snapper with bok choy. It takes under 10 minutes to make and I finish it off with a simple, fragrant soy-scallion sauce that I keep in the fridge. Thank you to Filippo Berio for sponsoring this recipe! Does this work with other kinds of fish? I used a red snapper fillet but any white fish fillet would work — cod, sablefish, or if you’re feeling fancy, chilean seaba ..read more