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Showing posts from April, 2023

Gojuchang Glazed Kimchi Cheese Rice Balls aka Yaki Onigiri

These Yaki Onigiri, aka grilled rice balls, are the perfect love child between Korean food and Japanese food. They are like kimchi fried rice stuffed with melty vegan cheese, pan-grilled till golden brown and crispy, then glazed with a sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce, they are quite literally a flavor bomb that delivers layers of different textures and tastes. When is 1 plus 1 greater than 2? When you combine the best Korean flavors - Gochujang and Kimchi and the iconic Japanese snacks - Yaki Onigiri. You've probably had or seen Yaki Onigiri at Izakaya restaurants, aromatic, earthy rice balls grilled to form a golden crispy crust, then glazed with a sweet and savory soy sauce mixture, they are a fabulous little snack to have with a few drinks. I also love them for a picnic or lunch box as they are so convenient to eat. Traditionally, Yaki Onigiri is often made plain, without any stuffing, but sometimes can be stuffed with pickled plum, kombu, salmon, etc. For this fusion version wi

Honeycomb Steamed Tofu with Chili Oil

This steamed tofu embodies beauty in simplicity, it is super easy to put together, there is nothing "fancy" or too technical about the dish, and yet it does not lack one bit in nutrition, flavors, or that wow visual effection when you bring it to the table. It can be served as one protein main dish or even as a power snack. As much as I love cooking, I get lazy from time to time as well. But I've spoiled myself too much with my own cooking to want to settle for anything bland or boring even on the days I don't feel like cooking. So here is a dish that's super easy to put together but still visually exciting and palate-titillating.  I've made steamed tofu many times in the past but this "honeycomb" prepping method is a new technique I recently learned, and what a difference it makes! Not only it makes the dish more interesting and appealing to look at, the holes really help the flavors in the sauce and chili oil to penetrate through the entire block o

Nori Yuba (Tofu Skin) Veggie Rice Rolls

These nori tofu skin rice rolls are so fun and easy to make! They pack so many flavors, colors, and nutrients in one bite and they are naturally vegan and gluten-free. Your next lunchbox, finger food, or power snack is only 15 minutes away! Ever so often I'd make something completely out of a whim and don't even know what to call it, this dish is a prime example of that. They are kind of like a play on sushi rolls but much, much easier to make. Perfect for when you want a little nosh but don't wanna bother too much. I used dried tofu skin for these rolls, also labeled as beancurd skin, or Yuba at Asian grocery stores. There are as many different types of tofu skin as there are tofu, fresh tofu skin, dried tofu skin, fried tofu skin, smoked tofu skin, fermented tofu skin, and more. You can use whichever kind you like as long as it can be shaped into a thin, flat sheet. Dried tofu skin, like the ones I'm using, needs to be rehydrated before using. You can simply soak them

Hanami Dango - Regular & Bunny Shaped!

If the "coquette" aesthetic can be a dessert, the Hanami Dango would be IT. They are soft, chewy, bouncy, and just sweet enough but not too much. You only need TWO main ingredients to make them and they are high in protein, sugar-free, and naturally gluten-free! Hanami Dango is a traditionally Japanese dessert typically made and enjoyed during the cherry blossom season (which is right about now). Hanami, or 花見, literally means flower viewing in Japanese. And it is said that the three colors are to represent the life cycle of cherry blossoms - pink buds, white bloom, and eventually green leaves. So poetic isn't it? ^^ This recipe is a simplified method, traditionally, Hanami Dango is made of TWO types of rice flour - shiratamako, aka glutinous rice flour and joshinko, short grain rice flour. But it’s kinda hard to find both these flours in regular grocery stores so I used only glutinous flour plus silken tofu. Using silken tofu is a great trick to keep the dango soft and m

Easy Vegan Madeleines in Miffy Bunny Shapes!

These super easy vegan madeleines are fluffy and moist inside while maintaining a golden crusty exterior, and you can make them in under 30 minutes from beginning to end! And I used a miffy bunny mold to make them into these precious bunny shapes ^^ Madeleine hardly needs any introduction, it is a classic French mini cake that is as adorable as it is delicious. I love the iconic seashell shape and it's one of my favorite treats to have at a tea party. But in this recipe specifically, I really wanted to try out this miffy bunny mold I recently got so this is a bunny twist on a French classic ;) And the one crucial and must-have feature we need to see on madeleines, I bet you already know the answer, is the HUMP, or BUMP, in the middle, signifying a satisfying and successful rise. The secret to guarantee that hump every single time? It's actually really easy - thermal shock, that's the fail-proof science behind the hump. To create the thermal shock and therefore ensure a good