I Am... Authentic (and easy!) Mapo Tofu Recipe
I'm addicted to the magical combination of silky soft tofu and saucy spicy pork. If you're in the know, you know what I'm talking about: mapo tofu.
What is mapo tofu?
Mapo tofu is a famous Sichuan tofu dish that has plenty of mala, the signature numbing spiciness of good Sichuan food. If you haven’t had Sichuan food before, you might be scared of its fire-y red color, but once you get past that heat, you’ll be coming back for more! If you love tofu and you love spicy, you’re going to love mapo tofu too. And, if you’re not so big on spicy, the good thing about this dish is that you can adjust the spiciness level by altering how big of a pinch of Sichuan pepper you finish it with. If you’re not familiar with it, here’s a quick breakdown: mapo tofu is a super popular Chinese dish from the Sichuan province. It has soft tofu in a spicy bright red sauce with a bit of ground pork. The name of the dish roughly translates to “pockmarked grandma’s tofu,” kind of like old grandma’s tofu. There are lots of mapo tofus out there but this is a traditional, authentic mapo tofu recipe.How to make real deal mapo tofu
Once you have your ingredients in hand, it’s a pretty simple recipe. You start off by blanching your tofu in salty water. Then, it’s just a question of frying the pork and doubanjiang, adding some chicken stock and thickening it up. Frying the doubanjiang and releasing the oils is what makes everything super tasty and fragrant. The sauce gets a bit of thickening up with cornstarch and everything is glossy and golden and clings perfectly to your tofu cubes. It’s a match made in heaven for rice.- Blanch the tofu. Gently simmer the tofu over low heat in salted water, then remove the pot from the heat and let it hang out in its salty bath.
- Fry. Brown the pork so it crisps up a bit then add the doubanjiang and fry it so that the heat releases its spicy red oils. Stir in the garlic and ginger.
- Sauce. Add the chicken stock and soy sauce and bring everything up to a bubble. Add the drained tofu cubes and stir in a cornstarch slurry. Simmer until the sauce is thick and gloss then you’re ready!
Key Ingredients
There are two key ingredients to this tofu: chili bean paste (doubanjiang) and Sichuan peppercorns. You can find both of them at your local Asian grocery store. The other ingredients are pretty standard fare.- Doubanjiang. Doubanjiang is the hardest (or second hardest) to find ingredient for real deal authentic mapo tofu, but it's worth it. If your local Asian supermarket doesn't have it, you can find it online. Read more about doubanjiang here or below.
- Sichuan peppercorns. In regards to Sichuan peppercorns, you can buy pre-ground Sichuan peppercorn powder, but if they’re available, go for whole Sichuan peppercorns and toast and grind them yourself. The spice will be much more fresh and apparent if you do.
- Soft tofu. Soft tofu is key to authentic mapo tofu. The tofu should be smooth, creamy, and soft.
- Ground pork. There’s just a bit of ground pork in this dish, just enough to compliment the tofu.
- Ginger and garlic. Ginger and garlic add a punch of aromatics.
- Chicken stock. Chicken stock is what makes up the bulk of the sauce.
- Cornstarch. We’ll use cornstarch as a thickener to make the sauce silky and smooth.
- Soy sauce. Just a touch of soy for some extra umami.
Doubanjiang
Sometimes, with authentic recipes, there’s that one ingredient that you have to search far and wide for. You’ll be searching the aisles wondering, is this worth it? I’m here to tell you that it is! Doubanjiang is a spicy fermented mix of soy and broad beans. It’s been called the soul of Sichuan cooking and it’s what will give your mapo tofu that glorious red hue. When shopping, you want to look for the Pixian (an area in China) variety if you can. It’s kind of like how, if you can, you want to buy champagne from the Champagne region in France. But, like champagne, if you can only find sparkling wine, don’t sweat it, Lee Kum Kee also sells a serviceable easier to find Cantonese style doubanjiang that they call chili bean sauce/toban djan. You can also always find it online. Read more about doubanjiang here.What does mapo tofu taste like?
Mapo tofu tastes spicy: both conventionally spicy with heat on your tongue, and málà, a numbing kind of spicy that is characteristic of Sichuan food. The sauce is pleasingly oily, which ampliflies the spiciness and flavor. It also has a deeply savoriness to it thanks to the umami from the doubanjiang. Also key is the texture play mapo tofu has going on: the silky creaminess from the soft tofu coats your tongue and the crispy-ish bits of pork add a pleasing contrast to the overall softness and sauciness of the dish. Mapo tofu is soul food and maybe the best comfort food out there, especially when paired with perfectly fluffy rice.How spicy is mapo tofu
The pleasant numbing spice of mapo tofu comes from Sichuan peppercorns, which have a pleasant numbing effect which makes it so you can eat more and more spice until you realize that you’re entirely spiced out. It’s called “málà” in Chinese and is prized in Sichuan cooking. Málà literally means numbing (ma 麻) hot/spicy (la 辣). Spicy hot fiends love Sichuan peppercorns because they’re fragrant and have a specific flavor. Warning: Sichuan peppercorns are very spicy. If you have high quality or fresh peppercorns, they're more numbing and powerful. In this recipe, we’re not going to cook the peppercorns because they have a tendency to get over toasted if you’re not careful and can lead to bitterness. Instead, you’ll finish your dish off with a generous sprinkling, which is perfect for adjusting spice levels right at the table.On tofu
I have to say, the most frequently asked questions about mapo tofu are of the following variety: What kind of tofu for mapo tofu? Can you use firm tofu in mapo tofu? It seems like everyone needs to know: which tofu is it? Lots of recipes out there say you can use firm or medium tofu and of course, you can, but if you’re going for an authentic mapo tofu, go for soft tofu. The tofu should be smooth and jiggly and almost break apart the moment your chopsticks touch them. I think a lot of recipes recommend firm or medium firm tofu because soft tofu is notoriously difficult to work with. But I believe in you. Do the soft tofu. It’s worth it! Pro tip: to help your tofu stay together when you toss it into the sauce, blanch it. To blanch tofu: simply place in just simmered salted water for a couple of minutes and let it sit. Blanching tofu in salted water will season it and help firm it up. The tofu will become even more creamy and supple while retaining its shape when you mix it into the mapo sauce. It also has the bonus of making the tofu warm so that you don’t have to heat it up as much in the sauce.Can mapo tofu be vegetarian/vegan?
Yes! You can skip out on the ground pork and it will be vegan. If you have some dried shiitake mushrooms on hand, soak them, drain them, chop them up and give them a fry in place of the pork. Switch the chicken stock out for vegetable stock.What do you eat mapo tofu with?
Traditionally mapo tofu is served with rice. You can also have mapo tofu with noodles (or zoodles), bread, you name it. Essentially it goes with any carb. We’ve even made mapo tofu pizza and mapo tofu poutine. And of course, it goes great with wonton. [caption id="attachment_26331" align="alignnone" width="1450"] Tastes good on zoodles too![/caption]Frequently asked questions
- Can I make this vegan/vegetarian? Easily! Just substitute in finely diced mushrooms for the ground pork. The ground pork isn’t really the star of the show, so using rehydrated shiitakes or even button mushrooms works at adding umami.
- Substitutes for doubanjiang To be honest, if you’re looking to make an authentic mapo tofu you can’t skip out on the doubanjiang. If you don’t want to order doubanjiang online (buy this brand: Pixian broad bean paste)
- Substitutes for Sichuan peppercorns There are no substitutes for the málà of Sichuan peppercorns. If you’re spice adverse, you can definitely leave them out. Between doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns, doubanjiang is infinitely more necessary.
- Substitutes for ground pork If you want to use another ground meat, that’s perfectly alright. Ground chicken or turkey or even ground beef (make sure to use a slightly fattier percentage) will all work.
- How do I make mapo tofu not spicy? Reduce the amount of doubanjiang to 1/2 tbsp and leave out the Sichuan peppercorns.
Mapo Tofu
You might be scared of it’s fire-y red color, but once you get past that fear of heat, you’ll be coming back for more, more, more.
- 14 oz soft tofu (1 block)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/4 lb ground pork
- 1.5 tbsp doubanjiang (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tsp ginger (grated or finely chopped)
- 1 cup chicken stock (sodium free/unsalted preferred)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (whisked into 2 tbsp water)
- 1/2 tsp ground sichuan pepper (or to taste)
- green onions (thinly sliced, to finish)
Cut the tofu into small cubes and set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer then add the tofu and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let soak in the salted water while you prepare the rest of the dish.
In a wok, heat up the oil over medium heat. Add the pork and cook, breaking up, until the fat renders out and the pork is cooked through. Turn down the heat and add the doubanjiang and cook, stirring, until the oils release from the doubanjiang and everything looks bright red.
Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and soy sauce and bring the heat up so everything comes up to a simmer.
Drain the tofu and add it to the wok, pushing it around gently so you don’t break it. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and bring up to a gentle simmer, until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 1 minute.
Turn off the heat and scoop the tofu with sauce into a serving dish. Finish with a sprinkle of ground Sichuan peppercorn and sliced green onions.
I Am... Your last chance to ski the OG Revelstoke
If you know snow, you know Revelstoke.
Steph and I have been going to Revelstoke for years and it's always been a highlight, and maybe the highlight, of our ski season. Revelstoke is a skier’s mountain filled with huge terrain and endless snow. But, if you haven’t heard of Revelstoke, this might be your last chance to experience the original feels before it explodes in popularity. We may not be coming back after next year (never say never though). If you've skied long enough, you'll hear old timers reminisce wistfully about the good ol' days when you could just walk up to the lift even on a powder day. And if you wished you could experience the same kind of magic before it's too late, the time is now to hit up Revelstoke.Revelstoke is blowing up
Historically, Revelstoke was kind of a poorly-kept secret, but still a secret. Being many hours away from the nearest major city and with a reputation of extremely difficult terrain meant that most skiers skipped the mountain in favor of other better known resorts like nearby Lake Louise or Banff Sunshine, but this year something changed. For reasons such as Revelstoke recently winning awards for the best powder snow in the world (deservedly, imo) and poor snow at other resorts, as well as geopolitical issues, Revelstoke has been showing up on a lot of radars. This year, during an otherwise normal powder day, there were hours-long lineups that snaked all the way back to the parking lot (below). This was unheard of even a couple of years ago. But the crowd size doesn't change the fact that Revelstoke is seriously one of the best resorts in the world. It's like nothing else on the planet in terms of expert terrain, deep, deep snowfall, (usually) low crowds, and the best tree skiing in the world. Other ski resorts have some of this, but Revelstoke has it all. If you've never been or even if you have, you owe it to yourself to book a trip here asap.Why you should go to Revelstoke
If you like big mountain lines, great powder, and well spaced glades, Revelstoke is the place to be. It's got the most vertical in North America and tons of space per skier. If you want to drop cliffs from 5ft to 50ft, go steep and deep in a giant bowl of pow, or do a 45º tree run, you'll find it here. Outside of Whistler, Revelstoke seems to get the most snow in BC, and some of the most in North America. You can also just come here to watch the talent on display, as some of the best riders around come to Revelstoke, including for the Natural Selection Tour and other freeride events.Skiing at Revelstoke
Like it's spiritual sibling Kicking Horse, Revelstoke is mainly accessed via one gondola. If that gondola goes down, the entire mountain is shut down. Furthermore, the vast majority of Revy's terrain is accessed via one main lift, which can cause huge lineups or if it breaks, can close half the mountain. Revelstoke is majority expert and advanced runs. Officially it's designed as 45% expert, but even the blue runs at Revy are both pitchy and tend to be filled with experts that go way too fast. I would rate a lot of the blue runs at Revy to be equal to black diamond runs elsewhere. However, there's a whole beginner area called Stellar that caters to those newer to skiing. It also happens to be a great area even if you're not a beginner. There's been mini-powder days where Steph and I will lap the stellar chair because it's all fresh untracked lines while the rest of the mountain is waiting in line for the main Stoke chair. If you love tree runs, you owe it to yourself to try the glades of glory (above), especially after a big storm. The powder pillows and tree spacing make it the best designated glade run in North America, at least at any resort we've been to (which is a lot of them). The north bowl (below) is not to be missed, but of course that's where you'll head first, so not much needs to be said about that area.Revelstoke apres and on mountain eats
Like most serious mountains in BC, there isn't much of an apres scene at Revy. The same is true for on mountain dining, with Mackenzie Outpost really being your only option. Luckily, Mackenzie Outpost happens to be a great eatery that sells reasonably priced & fantastic smash burgers, bags of fries, and local beer on tap. They also, strangely, sell $175 bottles of champagne. If you're early you can snag a spot inside, but most of the time the seating will be outside in the cold. On sunny days there are beach chairs set up outside near the french fry sculpture made out of skis and snowboards. We love enjoying a giant bag of crispy, perfectly cooked fries and taking in the stunning views of the Monashee mountains. If you're very lucky, you might get a pine marten begging for a fry or two.Where to stay in Revelstoke
There is one ski-in ski-out hotel at the base of the village but honestly it's expensive and you'll end up going to town as the on mountain dining is pretty limited. If you don't love waking up early to fight for parking, this might be a good choice. Airbnb is a better option for most people. If you are searching on Airbnb, the location to look for is Mackenzie Village. It's a new build masterplan community with underground parking and modern condos, many featuring private hot tubs. Mackenzie Village is only a 5 minute drive from the parking lot at Revelstoke (and has bus/shuttle service as well), so it's an ideal location even if you like to sleep in.Revelstoke village base
Revelstoke only opened 20 years ago and consequently, its village is very underdeveloped. There's not much more than the usual ski rentals and service, guest services, and a basic restaurant or two. Your best bet is to stick to town, where things are more lively.Where to eat in Revelstoke
There are a lot of great restaurants in Revelstoke, these are three of our faves:The Taco Club
For whatever reason, combining skiing and Mexican food has always hit. The taco club has a great vibe, legit food, and a decent drink selection. It's unfortunately a little on the pricier side, but you can't beat tacos after a long day on the hill.La Baguette
La Baguette is a cafe/restaurant/bar that specializes in sourdough, espresso, and pretty much every local beer in Revy on tap. The bakery part does both takeaway and eat in and if you choose to eat in, there’s a warm and cozy inviting space with a fire place, couches, booths, local art on the walls, and huge windows to let in the light. There’s a huge amount of viennoiserie, or what you might think of as croissant pastries, and they are all amazing. They also do breakfast platters, wraps and sandwiches, and really, there is no wrong order here. It’s such a cozy space and we've spent many hours here, working remote and enjoying the vibes.Kawakubo
Like Mexican, there's something about combining a long day of skiing and sushi, or in Steph's case, a whole order of prawn tempura for herself only. Revelstoke has always attracted a lot of Japanese ski bums and many end up opening up shop here. Kawakubo is a very authentic, very old school Japanese restaurant serving sushi and sake. It's the kind of place where the menu looks 1990s basic but the daily specials can include otoro and chutoro.Revelstoke parking
The parking at Revelstoke used to be pretty easy and free. While it's still free (for now) these days it's taken to filling up fast, especially on weekends. Your best bet is to show up before 9am on most days or 8:30am on weekends to get a reasonable spot. There is one paved lot and one semi paved lot and one very unpaved lot. If you have a high tolerance for mud and dirt, the unpaved lot is the best bet. There's very little walking as you can just ski the 100ft down to the gondola. The downside is that you definitely need to ski down to it rather than download, and that can be an issue depending on snow coverage that day.Facts
- Avg 415″ of snowfall per year (Compare to 400″ for Whistler or 550″ for Alta)
- Longest run: 9.5miles (15.2km, it's a green run though)
- 3121 acres of skiiable terrain (Compare to 8171 acres for Whistler or 2614 acres for Alta)
- 13 lifts
- Base elevation: 1680ft
- Summit: 7677ft (you need to do a 15min bootpack to reach this)
- Vertical drop: 5620ft (highest in North America, if you do the bootpack)
- On the Ikon pass
Things to do
If you or someone in your group doesn't love skiing, Revelstoke is a whole town filled with art, gift shops, a distillery, and many cute bakeries. That's it, I hope you make it out before it becomes crazy. -Mike Read More →
I Am... These Cute Miffy Sprinkle Cookies are Perfect for Easter
I am obsessed with sprinkle cookies. I'm also obsessed with Miffy, the cute Dutch bunny with the x mouth. These are my ultimate go to cookie. Soft and chewy middles, slightly crisp edges, layers of colorful sprinkles. Dare I say that sprinkle cookies are my all-time favorite cookie? I think yes. If I had to choose between chocolate chip and sprinkle cookies, I would choose sprinkle cookies each and every time. I love sprinkles and sprinkle cookies so much that Mike buys giant bags of rainbow sprinkles on the regular. It’s a little absurd, but rainbow sprinkles make me so happy.
What are sprinkle cookies?
Call them funfetti, confetti, birthday cake, or sprinkle cookies, essentially they’re all the same: a soft and chewy cookie studded with colorful sprinkles. I like to think of them as chocolate chip cookies, sans chocolate chips, plus sprinkles. This recipe in particular has both brown sugar and white sugar for that classic chocolate chip cookie taste. Most of the sprinkle cookie recipes on the internet have a higher percentage of white sugar to brown sugar resulting in pale sugar cookie looking sprinkle cookies. Those cookies are good too, but I love the round caramel notes that more brown sugar adds. This sprinkle cookie is my magnum opus, my pride and joy, may all-time favorite cookie. Even Mike likes them and he’s kind of a cookie snob. We’ve taken to ending our nights sweetly, with one freshly baked sprinkle cookie each.How to make sprinkle cookies
- Melt. Melt the butter in a pot over low heat just until liquified. Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl, scraping down the sides, and set aside to cool.
- Measure. In another mixing bowl, measure out and whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Whisk. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl with the melted butter and stir until smooth. Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Stir. Stir the dry ingredients in, until about 80-90 percent mixed.
- Fold. Fold in the sprinkles, making sure not to leave any dry spots, but also not over-mixing.
- Scoop. Use a medium cookie scoop (or a spoon, you’ll want about 1.5-2 tbsp of dough per cookie) to portion out the cookies. If you’re making Miffys, divide 1 cookie dough ball into 8 and shape into short logs for the ears, adhering 2 per each ball of dough.
- Bake. Bake in a 350°F until the edges set and the tops are golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Decorate. If you’re making Miffy cookies, use some melted chocolate to pipe on her eyes and an x for her mouth. Enjoy your bunnies!
Sprinkle cookie ingredients
- butter - butter straight from the fridge because we’re going to melt it, more on that below.
- flour - regular all purpose flour. If you don’t already have a kitchen scale, I recommend it, you’ll wash less dishes, you won’t have to sift or fluff your flour, and your baking will come out so much better.
- baking soda - baking soda is what’s going to give our cookies just a little bit of lift and puffiness.
- salt - just a bit of salt to contrast with the sweetness.
- brown sugar - a higher ratio of brown sugar to granulated means a more caramel tasting cookie as well as a softer, chewier bite.
- granulated sugar - a bit of granulated sugar helps with the crisping up of the cookie edges.
- egg - typically I only ever buy large eggs, but for these cookies, I like to use an extra large egg for the extra liquid. This helps the cookies spread a tiny bit more than if you just went with a large egg. If you only have large eggs on hand, simply break open two eggs, whisk them well, and measure out 64 grams of whisked egg, or 4 tablespoons.
- vanilla - warm and toasty, a splash of vanilla makes these cookies extra cozy.
- rainbow sprinkles - the sprinkles you use matter more than you think, so make sure you get ones that taste good! More on that below.
The sprinkles
The sprinkles you use affect the overall taste of your cookie a lot. For me, I like rainbow jimmies, which are the sprinkles that look like little colorful sticks, instead of nonpareils/hundreds-and-thousands, which are little balls. Nonpareils are super cute, but too crunchy for mixing into cookies. Rainbow jimmies are just soft enough, don’t bleed, and have a specific sprinkle flavor that is hard to describe. It’s important that your sprinkles are fresh and tasty because they are a large portion of your cookie. For me, I like the Canadian brand, Yupik. You can get them on amazon, both in Canada and the US. They’re sweet and just the right amount of crunchy. Make sure you select the “rainbow sprinkles,” not the nonpareils.The secret for the best cookies is melted butter
I think the best part about this recipe is the fact that it uses melted butter. Almost all cookies (aside from brown butter cookies) use room-temp butter that is creamed with sugar until light and fluffy. The goal of creaming butter and sugar is to increase the volume of the baked goods: emulsifying and coating each sugar crystal in fat (aka butter) ensures that tiny air bubbles form when baking, making your cookies and cakes soft, tender, and fluffy. But, when you switch from using room temp butter to melted butter, you get a chewier, fudgier cookie that isn’t puffy or cakey. If you have problems with cookies that are too tall or cookies that don’t spread, melted butter is the way to go. When you use melted butter to make cookies, they tend to deflate and densify after cooling, resulting in a perfectly crisp on the outside, perfectly cooked on the inside cookie.How to melt butter for cookies
Simply put your butter in a small pot and melt over low heat just until it turns liquid. Pour the butter out of the pot into a bowl, to encourage cooling, and you’re ready to make cookies, no more waiting for the butter to come to temp.The perfect bunny for Easter
I love Miffy even more than I love sprinkle cookies. She is the MOST iconic bunny and I just love her blank look with her x nose-mouth combo. Now that Easter is coming up, it’s all bunnies, all the time for me. Bunny cupcakes, bunny tuna onigiri, bunny buns, just give me ALL the Miffy bunnies. Anyway, making Miffy shaped cookies is super easy, even easier than rolling and cutting them out.How to make Miffy cookies
- Shape her head. Her head is simply a ball of cookie dough. My favorite way of portioning out cookie dough is by using a cookie scoop, specifically a size 40, 1.5 inch cookie scoop. I find that this makes the perfect sized cookie after baking, not too big and not too small. Just right for when you want to have one or two cookies.
- Shape her ears. 1 cookie dough ball is perfect for 8 ears. Simply divide evenly into 8 and shape the dough into short logs/ears. Add the ears to the top of a cookie ball, pressing the cookie dough together slightly to adhere. I prefer my Miffy’s to have short ears because they bake and travel better; you don’t have to worry about her ears breaking off.
- Bake and decorate. Bake until the Miffy’s are golden and crispy on the edges but soft in the centers. Let cool completely on the baking sheet then use melted chocolate and a piping bag (or a toothpick) to add here eyes and x mouth.
Sprinkle Cookies
Soft and chewy middles, slightly crisp edges, layers of colorful sprinkles, sprinkle cookies are the perfect cookie.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1.5 cup all purpose flour ((200g))
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar ((150g))
- 1/4 cup sugar ((50g))
- 1 egg ((extra large, 64g))
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
Add the butter to a small pot and melt over low heat, stirring, until the butter liquifies. Remove from the heat and pour the butter into a large mixing bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.
In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
When the butter is slightly cool to the touch, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in the egg completely and stir in the vanilla.
Use a silicone spatula to fold the whisked dry ingredients into the butter batter until about 90 percent mixed.
Gently fold in the sprinkles, ensuring no floury dry spots remain.
Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out the dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking or freeze (see notes)
To bake, heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops are golden, turning the cookie sheet halfway if needed. Remove from the oven, let cool, and enjoy!
Makes about 16 Miffys
If you aren't baking all of them right away, freeze the cookie dough balls until firm, then transfer to an air-tight container.
I Am... A Breakdown of the Full English Breakfast
Bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, and beans all on one plate: is a Full English breakfast the most ultimate breakfast ever? Confession: I've never had a real full English. At least not in England or anywhere in world in fact, except right here, at home. But a couple of weeks ago, Mike and I were chatting with a dude that moved here from England and the thing he said he missed the most was breakfast, specifically a Full English breakfast. He waxed poetic about the deliciousness for a good five minutes, but I wasn't sold. Mike was nodding along, agreeing with him because he's eaten many a full English in London, but me? Nope. I really wasn't interested until Mike showed me a photo a couple days later. It was a giant plate and it looked AMAZING. I mean, it might have been because I was very hungry, but at the time, nothing looked better to my eyes. Thus started the Full English Obsession. Mike and I took a casual look around town to see what ingredients we could find and here's what we came up with!
What is a full English breakfast?
Sometimes called a fry up, a full English is a hearty, hefty breakfast plate served in the UK and Ireland. Full English breakfasts are so popular that they’re pretty much offered throughout the day as all-day breakfast. Full English breakfasts contain: sausages, back bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried bread, and beans.According to the internet, full English breakfasts need:
- Sausages - I think everyone just goes with whatever sausages they like, but sometimes there are 2-3 kinds on a plate. We went with regular breakfast sausages and we also got a bit of black pudding, which seems like most people insist on having as well.
- Back Bacon - This isn't your regular bacon, which is made from pork belly, nope, back bacon is bacon that includes a little bit of the loin, kinda like a super thin pork chop but smoked. From what I can see, this kind of bacon isn't really crispy.
- Eggs - Pretty straight forward, all the full English plates I've seen have sunny side up eggs.
- Tomatoes - These guys are cut in half along the equator and then seared in the pan and seasoned with salt and pepper. They aren't really cooked, just given a little bit of color.
- Mushrooms - Seems like a take or leave it item, but we're going all out here so of course mushrooms are needed. They're cooked in the usual way, nicely browned and caramelized
- Toast - Don't call it toast because I've seen some internet fights break out about the bread. You can't just use a toaster and call it a day. The bread has to be FRIED, either with butter or oil.
- Beans - You have to have beans! I mean, I've never really had beans at breakfast, but it's classic. We went for Heinz because that's what they do in England and because their teal cans are too cute.
How to make a full English Breakfast
It takes a bit of juggling and two pans, because making a full English is mostly about multitasking. You can do it!- Warm the beans. Open the can of beans and warm in a small pot over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the sausages and bacon. While the beans are warming, cook the sausages over medium to medium low, until browned and cooked through, turning as needed. Push the sausages to one side and add the bacon and fry, flipping as needed.
- If you’re having black pudding, add it to the pan and fry, flipping once. Keep everything warm in the pan over a low flame.
- Cook the mushrooms and tomatoes. In another pan, sear the mushrooms until brown and caramelized. Move to one side. Add the tomatoes, cut side down and sear.
- Fry the bread and cook the eggs. Move the meats from the pan and fry the bread in the drippings until golden and crisp. Cook the eggs in the pan that the mushrooms and tomatoes were in.
- Plate and enjoy! Scoop the beans in the middle of the plate then add the bacon at 1-2 o’clock, add the sausages at 3 o’clock, then the eggs at 6. If you have blood pudding, pop that on at 8 o’clock and then fill the rest of the plate with the tomatoes at 11 o’clock and the mushrooms at 12. Fried bread can get tucked in wherever or placed on a side plate. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Sausages. Chose good sausages, preferably ones that are from your local butcher instead of supermarket sausages. Go for a fresh coarse ground pork sausage that’s seasoned simply. In the UK the sausages of choice are usually coarse ground Cumberland or Lincolnshire sausages.
- Black pudding. Not an absolute necessity but black pudding is super common and for black pudding lovers it’s a hill they will die on. You can get this when you’re buying sausages at your butcher. If they don’t have black pudding, ask for blood sausage.
- English Bacon. The bacon in the UK is not the bacon we know in North America. Back bacon is made from pork loin with a bit of belly. It’s the same cut pork chops, but thinner and smoked. Again, you can usually get this a good butcher.
- Eggs. All the eggs I’ve ever seen in a full English are sunny side up but you can go wild and cook them how you like. I don’t think the English breakfast police will come after you ;)
- Tomatoes. Classic field tomatoes, not romas, not cherry, not anything super fancy.
- Mushrooms. Simple brown (or cremini) mushrooms, halved.
- Fried bread. Thick cut bread fried in a pan with oil or drippings and never toasted. I think a standard supermarket white loaf is what’s needed, not a sourdough or country loaf. Definitely not brown!
- Beans. They’ve got to be Heinz!
Potatoes/hashbrowns
Any sort of potato is frowned upon on a full English. They’re seen as filler. If you even think of putting fries on, someone might get stabbed. You could do bubble and squeak (potatoes and cabbage mixed together and fried) but even then, some people are going to come after you.Do they serve hash browns with Full English breakfasts?
Some people serve hash browns with a full English and some people think it is sacrilegious. Hash browns are more modern addition and that’s why they are so contentious. When you do see hash browns on a full English, they typically tend to be the triangle frozen variety as opposed to home made shredded potatoes. If you want a potato product that isn’t hash browns, bubble and squeak (fried potatoes and cabbage) is probably much more traditional.Which kind of baked beans?
British baked beans are absolutely a key part of a full English. British style beans are made with beans and a tomato sauce seasoned with carrots, celery and Worcestershire. American style Southern baked beans are usually cooked with bacon and brown sugar, with a much more thick sauce. Go for British style Heinz baked beans. A reader suggested Branston Baked Beans. We haven’t tried them but they’re spoken of very highly on the internet!What to serve with a full English breakfast
Coffee or tea! Tea is traditionally English but coffee is perfectly acceptable too. Add milk, sugar, and/or cream based on personal preference. We made this on a snowy morning and it was perfect! Lots of hot tea, big fluffy flakes falling down outside, and ALL the fried bread. But, to be honest, I'm not sure if I'm a huge fan. Call me a savage, but I think I love regular breakfast more. Mike on the other hand, LOVED it! He said it was as good as the full English breakfasts he had while he was in London. Me on the other hand? I didn't eat for the rest of the day and went into a food coma – I was definitely full! Happy breakfasting! -StephHow to Make a Full English Breakfast
Bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, and beans all on one plate: is a Full English breakfast the most ultimate breakfast ever?
- 1 can beans (Heinz preferred)
- 4 links sausages (breakfast sausage preferred)
- 4 slices back bacon (or Irish bacon)
- 4 slices black pudding (optional... some say)
- 1 cup mushrooms (halved or sliced)
- 2 small tomatoes (halved)
- 4 slices bread
- 4 eggs
Heat up the beans over low in a small pot. Keep warm on low.
Cook the sausages over medium to medium low heat, turning occasionally, until brown and cooked through. In the same pan, cook the bacon, flipping as needed. Fry the blood pudding slices over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
In another pan, heat up a bit of oil and cook the mushrooms, without moving, until brown and caramelized. Remove from the pan, then sear the cut side of the tomato briefly. Remove from the pan, season everything with salt and pepper.
Wipe the pan down and heat up a bit of oil or butter over medium heat. Fry the bread until golden, flipping and adding more oil or butter as needed. Remove and set aside. Finally, fry the eggs to your liking. Plate everything up: sausages, bacon, black pudding, mushrooms, tomato, bread, and eggs. Enjoy immediately!
This is really more than enough food for 4 people, but nutritional info is done for the traditional full serving for 2.
I Am... Aspen Snowmass is the best ski season apres party
If you're lucky enough to live near (or can travel to) Aspen Snowmass, then it's never too early to plan your end of season trip. Because the best end of season party we've been to is at Aspen Snowmass. Bonus: it's a great deal to get to ski a mountain on the cheap(ish) that's otherwise super expensive. Steph and I are pretty serious skiers. You'll usually find us in an uphill hike, couloir, or mandatory drop-in. But when spring hits and the powder has turned to corn, it's time to pull out the little skis and head to the party and the after-party. It's time for apres, one piece ski suits, beach chairs, and loud music. And for us, Aspen Snowmass is the place to do it. We've been to a lot of end of seasons on a lot of mountains including Snowbasin, Alta, Mammoth, etc and while they all have some kind of celebration, most are limited to a small live band or pond skim for the few remaining locals. Our home mountain, Whistler, is great but the season basically just ends with just a sad "Thanks for a great season" sign. Colorado on the other hand does end of season right.
Why you should go to Aspen Snowmass
Are you one of those people who prefer skiing for the vibes and culture? Does the idea of dying in deep snow immersion or hucking yourself off a cliff hold no appeal? Then Aspen Snowmass is for you. The runs are easy, the vibes are plentiful, the party is bangin'. There are topless (male) DJ's and beachballs as well as pond skimming and free flowing alcohol. Basically it's a little piece of decadent European skiing. Even though I'm the opposite kind of skier (you'll find me deep pow run in the back bowl anyday) I think this is something everyone should do at least once. Grab a couple of hopefully free whisky shots and ski in a t-rex costume. Or bring shorts and sign up for a pond skim.Skiing at Aspen Snowmass
In spring, you're not here for the expert level skiing. But Aspen snowmass is a great mountain if you're not into that. 95% of the mountain's lodging is ski-in ski-out and the runs are wide open, just the right steepness not to have to pole but not too steep for beginners, and perfectly groomed each morning. Even the expert runs aren't all that expert-y. This is skiing on easy mode. You can get a great view of Maroon Bells and enjoy the easy endless and empty spring carving while you pose for nice pics for the socials.Apres and on mountain eats
On the mountain, we went to up4pizza which advertises that it's the highest elevation pizzeria in the USA. I'm not sure why you'd advertise that because baking works better at sea level. Regardless, Steph got their famous wood-fired cookie and thought it very much lived up to the hype. For apres, the upper village where the mall is was the place to be.Where to stay in Aspen Snowmass
95% of Aspen Snowmass's lodging is ski in ski out (although the actual ski-in/out part gets a little sketch around closing time) and the prices get much lower during spring, so you should stay on mountain if you can. Most of the housing that isn't stratospherically high priced is on the older side but also mostly newly renovated and clean. We had no issues with the average priced condo/timeshare we rented, which was in the Laurelwood. The only thing really telling the age of the condos is the lack of in-suite laundry (a very big deal if you're on a long ski trip).Aspen Snowmass Village
Aspen snowmass has one of the best villages I've ever seen, on par with Whistler and Vail, as expected. The village is separated into two parts, the base and the mall/upper village, and you get between them via a pulse gondola which is pretty unique and very cool looking. There are fires going everywhere and free smores in the upper village from 3-5, where they give you the marshmallow, chocolate, and graham crackers, and you make it yourself over one of the fires. Steph was a huge fan of this. At season end, when we went, a lot of shops were closed and the village was pretty empty. On the other hand, the upper village was still very bumping which is no surprise as that's where the housing is. I would avoid all the restaurants on mountain unless you are feeling very lazy. The town is much better from a food perspective. We tried the crepe shack and the acclaimed sushi restaurant on mountain and it was just serviceable while being quite expensive for what it was.Where to eat in Aspen
The nearby town of aspen has a lot of great restaurants but two of our favorites are ironically outposts of other cities. Clark's Oyster Bar, originally from Austin, is great especially for the 3-5pm happy hour where the restaurant is empty and seating is easy to get. The oysters are great even though you're in the mountains and the service is impeccable. We didn't get the oysters the first time we were there so this time we went all out and got the whole menu. All the oysters were great, very fresh with a wonderful texture and that hint of ocean brine I love. Home Team BBQ, originally from South Carolina is authentic BBQ and probably the best BBQ restaurants you can find in a ski town, though I'm happy to be corrected. We've had the specialty dry rub smoked wings with Alabama white sauce, the brisket, the chicken cracklings, and the ribs. All were amazing, especially the cracklings. Aspen is also home to a really great kitchen store.Parking
Everything at Aspen Snowmass is pay and usually expensive, and parking is no different. If you are staying on mountain and get in before your check-in time, be prepared to pay upwards of $40/day for parking. Once on the mountain, you can register your vehicle for free parking in the upper lots.If Aspen feels a little too expensive
Glenwood springs is not too far away and is a very cute little resort town that is much more affordable. We walked around town and ran into a pierogi truck and stopped in at the Pullman restaurant, a very good restaurant that feels set in the early 00's (in a good way). The pierogis, which seem to be a theme in town, were excellent, as was the pasta, oysters, beer selection, and the daily special dessert which was a bombolini.Facts
- Avg 300" of snowfall per year (Compare to ~400" for Whistler or 550" for Alta)
- 3342 acres of skiiable terrain (Compare to 8171 acres for Whistler or 2614 acres for Alta)
- 20 lifts
- Base elevation: 8110ft
- Summit: 12510ft
- Vertical drop: 4440ft
- On the Ikon pass (full pass only)
Things to do when you're not skiing
Even if (or especially if) you don't ski, Aspen Snowmass is definitely the place to be. You can take the gondola up in a cute ski outfit and enjoy the party anyway as it's right at the top of the gondola, no skiing needed. You can't say that about a lot of other mountains where the party is somewhere deep in the hill. Whistler's pond skim, for instance, is at the base of the alpine lodge and there is no way to get there without at least a blue run. Hope you get out there before the season ends! Mike Read More →
I Am... 7-Eleven’s Tamago Sando (Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe)
If you’ve ever been to Japan, you know the pleasure of biting into a soft and fluffy 7-Eleven tamago sando, aka an egg salad sandwich. There’s nothing quite like arriving bleary-eyed in Tokyo after a long flight. You’re hungry, you’re thirsty, your first stop is 7-Eleven for the classic: a tamago sando.
Some consider the tamago sando the perfect sandwich
Including me. I LOVE Japanese egg salad sandwiches. They’re literally perfection. Crustless slices of soft and squishy Japanese milk bread aka shokupan hug a savory, creamy egg filling. They’re incredibly addictive and I fear that I have eaten my weight in them while in Japan. The beautiful thing about 7-Eleven egg salad sandwiches is that they’re consistently good, every single time. You could be in the middle of the Japanese country-side, not a hint of English to be found, let alone a restaurant, and you’ll still find a 7-Eleven stocked with egg salad sandwiches. It’s truly miraculous.What is a Japanese egg salad sandwich?
A Japanese egg salad sandwich is essentially a Japanese interpretation of an egg salad sandwich. Hard boiled eggs are mixed with Japanese kewpie mayo and put between two soft slices of Japanese milk bread aka shokupan. Egg sandwiches are super popular in Japan. They sell them almost everywhere: at grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries – basically anywhere you would think you would buy a snack or quick lunch, egg salad sandwiches are there. If you ever stumble upon Japanese Konbini TikTok, you can easily find yourself going down a rabbit hole of konbini snack hauls featuring the humble egg salad sando.How to make 7-Eleven's tamago sando egg sandwich
- Boil the eggs. Start off by cooking your eggs. You’ll need 2 large eggs, hard boiled.
- Make the filling. Once the eggs are cooked, cooled, and shelled, make the filling. Cut the cooked eggs in half and pop out the yolks, like how you would if you were making deviled eggs. Mix the yolks with kewpie mayo, a touch of cream (or milk), salt to taste, and just a hint of sugar. Dice the whites then mix into the yolks.
- Butter the bread. Lightly butter the bread, all the way to the edges.
- Fill the sandwich. Spread the filling generously onto one slice of bread then top with the other buttered slice of bread.
- Slice. Use a very sharp knife or a bread knife to trim off the crusts (chef’s treat!) then cut the sandwich on a diagonal or into thirds. Enjoy!
Tamago sando ingredients
- Milk bread. If you’re going to make a Japanese egg salad sandwich, you need to go all the way and make it with Japanese milk bread. You can get Japanese milk bread/shokupan at Asian bakeries or you can try your hand and make your own. Shokupan are light and fluffy white bread loaves with a very slight sweetness and a tight crumb.
- Eggs. Get the best eggs you can, since this is a recipe that has so few ingredients.
- Kewpie mayonnaise. Kewpie is essential, more on that below.
- Cream. You need just a bit of heavy cream to pull everything together. If you’ve had egg sandwiches in Japan, you know how creamy their egg salads are. That being said, this is a very creamy filling and if you a more traditional egg salad filling, you can leave the cream out.
- Salt. Just enough salt to bring out the natural flavor of the eggs
- Sugar. There’s just a hint of sweetness in egg salad sandwiches to balance out all the umami.
- Butter. Sandwiches that don’t have buttered bread are a travesty. Plus if you’ve ever taken apart a sandwich from 7-Eleven, Lawson, or FamilyMart, you’ll notice that tell tale shine of butter on the bread.
American vs Japanese Kewpie Mayo
One of the key ingredients for a good Japanese egg salad sandwich is kewpie mayo. Kewpie mayo is Japan’s favorite mayonnaise and salad dressing brand and you’ll pretty much find it in every Japanese household. It’s rich, yet light, and incredibly delicious. You can find it, in its signature squeeze bottle with a red flip top at most grocery stores these days, but be aware that if you’re in America, you’re probably getting the American recipe version. Japanese Kewpie mayo, made in Japan, is golden, creamy and luxurious. It’s rich and full of umami. The difference between the Japanese version and American Kewpie mayo is in the ingredients, the main difference being MSG swapped for sugar in the American version. American Kewpie mayo also is a bit looser and not as thick. If you have an Asian grocery store nearby, I absolutely think it’s worth it to go and get the stuff made in Japan. You can also get it on Amazon. Just make sure your bottle is a product of Japan. Oh, and if you’re a fan of Kewpie mayo and you’re ever in Tokyo, be sure to visit the Kewpie mayo factory for a tour and tasting. Mike I went on a rainy day back in October and it was so much fun! We even got some only-in-Japan smoked Kewpie mayo as omiyage (souvenirs).What else can I make with Kewpie mayonnaise?
Kewpie mayonnaise is a major condiment used in a lot of Japanese dishes. If you have a bottle on hand, here are some things you can use it for:- ebi mayo/crispy shrimp with a spicy dressing
- California roll avocado toast
- takoyaki
- Japanese potato salad
- chicken karaage
- miso tuna salad
- California roll nachos
- okonomiyaki burger
If you’re on a Japanese sandwich kick, please check out these other Japanese sandwiches
- Japanese fruit sandwich: strawberry sando
- LA’s Kombi egg salad sandwich
- Japanese crispy chicken sandwich: chicken katsu sando
- Japanese crispy pork sandwich: tonkatsu sando
Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe - たまごサンド
A Japanese egg sandwich, also called tamago sando, is a classic Japanese sandwich: egg salad tucked between two fluffy slices of milk bread.
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp kewpie mayo
- 1 tsp milk (or cream)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 2 slices shokupan
- butter (room temp)
Remove the eggs from the fridge as you bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath with a large bowl of cold water and ice. Bring the water to rolling boil, then add eggs in, with a slotted spoon. Maintain a simmer for 10 minutes.
Plunge the eggs into the ice bath to cool them down. Peel the eggs: Gently tap the wide end of the egg on the countertop, then flip around and tap the pointed end. Gently roll the egg and peel, under running water, if needed.
Cut the eggs in half and separate the whites from the yolks. Dice the whites.
Place the yolks in a bowl and use a fork to mash together with the mayonnaise, cream, salt, and sugar until smooth.
Gently mix in the diced whites.
Butter the slices of bread then add the filling, all the way to the edges on one slice of bread.
Top with the other slice and press down gently. Trim the crusts (chef’s treat!) and slice in half on a diagonal or perpendicularly into thirds. Enjoy!
I Am... Dishoom Black Dal aka Dal Makhani
Dishoom's Black Dal is Creamy, luscious, and absolutely addictive I love dal. It’s warm and cozy, full of flavor, creamy, rich, and hearty. It can be an all day affair or a quick 1 hour in the instant pot. This particular dal recipe is a riff on the dal at popular London restaurant, Dishoom. Think: tender lentils in a rich and creamy tomato gravy seasoned with cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, fennel, garam masala, and more. Trust me when I say that it is the BEST vegetarian comfort food dish you’ll ever eat. Dishoom is a beloved Irani-style Bombay inspired cafe in London. Their most popular dish is the house special, black dal. When you go, you’ll see every table with a little pot of dal alongside warm naan. Dishoom is one of our go-to restaurants in London and we always, always get the dal. The rumor is that the iconic black dal made at Dishoom is cooked for over 24 hours. They have released the recipe for the dal in their cookbook, but it’s a scaled down, home-style recipe that simmers for 5-6 hours. I loosely based this recipe on that, but we went all out and cooked ours for 24 hours because we wanted it to taste as close to the real deal as possible. The result is a decadent, indulgent dal that you will not believe came from your own kitchen. For those not interested in waiting over 24 hours for an amazing dal, we have an instant pot version too.
What is dal?
Dal are dry pulses such as lentils, peas, and beans. The term refers to both the types of soups and stews made from the pulses and the pulses themselves. Dal is cozy, nourishing, and packed with plant-based protein and fiber. It’s an excellent choice for a satisfying meal, especially served along side rice or naan.What is dal makhani?
Dal makhani is a dish that originated in New Delhi, India. It’s a modern take on traditional dal but made with black beans or black lentils. What makes it different is the inclusion of butter and cream. Makhani means “buttery” and the butter is what makes this dal special.What does dal makhani taste like?
Think of a thick, flavorful soup made from lentils. This particular recipe’s flavor profile is deep and dark and full of savory flavors. The lentils hold their shape yet also burst in your mouth with the slightest pressure - tiny bursts of explosions of flavor. It’s thick and spiced with a hint of sweetness from the tomato and lush and rich from the butter and heavy cream.Dal ingredients
- black lentils: technically dal makhani uses urad dal, which are in the mung bean family. They’re not super common though and usually need to be special ordered, at least where we are. The black lentils that we usually see are black beluga lentils or petit black lentils. Most likely the black lentil you’ll find at the grocery store will be beluga black lentils which are perfect. Other lentils such as red, brown, or green lentils will work too, but their skins are thinner so they might break down more while cooking. French lentils have a slightly thicker skin so they won’t break down as much.
- spices: whole cloves, star anise, ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne, fennel seeds, garam a masala, cardamom, bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick. Whew! There’s a large amount of spices in this dish and I feel like they all contribute equally. That being said, I know that many people make their dal makhani with little to no spices and let the lentils, butter, and cream shine. Personally, I find that the warming spices add so much. Lightly toasting the spices in a dry pan will bring out their flavors and aromas, so don’t miss out on that.
- onion: finely minced onion adds sweetness, especially when slow cooked in butter.
- ginger: the warmth of fresh ginger cooks and mellows out deliciously. You’ll want to mince it very finely or use a grater. I like to use a Japanese style ginger grater and measure out 1 tbsp of the grated ginger and all of the ginger juice too.
- garlic: who doesn’t love garlic? Use a garlic press so the pieces of garlic are tiny and melt into the gravy.
- tomato paste: the tomato paste in this recipe condenses, sweetens, and adds so much umami. Again, the smoothness of tomato paste is key here. You want the texture focus of the dal to be the lentils so tomato paste is ideal compared to fresh tomatoes.
- butter: it wouldn’t be dal makhani without butter. I use unsalted butter I can control the salt content, but I must admit, when it’s time to serve, a pat of salted butter that melts down into the warm dal is amazing. cream: heavy cream adds a luscious creamy thickness.
What is the difference between black lentils/black beluga lentils and urad dal?
Urad dal, which are in the mung bean family, are larger and look like a whole mung bean. They’re about 1/4 inch in length and oval shaped with a small white speck on one side. Black lentils are smaller and disk-shaped. They’re about 1/8 inches in diameter and have a tiny yellow speck.How to make dal
This dal takes 24 hours to make, but I promise you, it is so worth it. It’s almost entirely hands off so you don’t actually do much. A covered pot just sits in a low oven and all you do is give it a stir every now and then. The results are incredible!- Soak. Give the lentils a rinse and then soak them in plenty of cold water, overnight. Lots of lentil recipes say you can skip this step and that might be true, but I always soak mine. I feel hydrating them makes them keep their shape even after cooking.
- Cook. The next day, rinse the lentils off and drain well. Place them in a large pot with cold water and bring to a hard boil, then lower the heat and simmer. Cook until the lentils are soft, but still hold their shape, topping up with water if needed. When they’re soft, drain and set aside.
- Toast. While the lentils are cooking, toast the spices in a dry pan to release their aromas. Crush or use a spice grinder to blend everything up and set aside.
- Sweat. Heat up a bit of oil and butter in a pan and slowly cook onion, garlic, and ginger until everything melds and melts into a soft paste. Stir in the spices, tomato paste, cooked lentils, and a bit of water to make everything come together in a thick soup. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat.
- Braise. Take a note of the time. Cover the pot tightly and place in a 325°F oven for 3-4 hours, checking every so often to see if the dal is dry and you need to add water.
- Overnight. Turn the oven to 200°F and let the dal cook overnight.
- Finish. The next day, turn the temperature up to 300°F until you’ve reached 24 hours in the oven. Stir in cream and butter and season with salt. Enjoy!
How to make Instant Pot dal
If 24 hours is much too long for your dal craving, Instant Pot dal is here for you. Here’s how you do it:- Lightly toast the spices in a dry pan over low heat to bring out the aromas, then crush or grind them.
- Add butter and oil to the Instant Pot insert. Turn on to sauté high and stir in diced onions, minced ginger, and minced garlic. Cook briefly. Stir in the spices then add uncooked rinsed black lentils, tomato paste, and 2 cups of water.
- Seal and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Quick release, carefully vent, and open the lid. Stir in butter and cream to finish. Taste and season with salt and enjoy!
Instant Pot dal vs stove top/oven dal
It’s really hard to choose, but if I had to choose, I would choose the 24 hour dal. The 24 hour dal has so much more depth of flavor! It’s smoky and rich and dark. The Instant Pot version is light and creamy. It definitely had something to do with the amount of time the tomato paste has to cook and condense down. The 24 hour dal has just a hint of tomato – you almost have to be looking for it to identify the flavor, where as the Instant Pot version has tomato as one of the first flavor notes. I love both so it’s hard for me to say if one is better the other, but if I’m in a dal-rush, the Instant Pot version is AMAZING. Also, sometimes you’re just hungry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯Tips and tricks
- Soak your lentils overnight. This is the number one thing you need to do for this recipe. It will help your lentils hold their shape and be tender after cooking. Many lentil recipes say that you don’t need to, but it’s not a difficult step and I’ve never skipped it.
- There’s a certain smokiness comes from the long braise in the oven. This isn’t a quick recipe, but the hands-off time comprises most of the time. Slow cooking in the oven gives you a smokiness that you won’t get if you just make this on the stove.
- A small pot is your friend. Use a small heavy bottomed cooking vessel with an oven-safe lid. I use our 1.5 quart petite Staub and the depth and width makes it the perfect dal pot. It’s about 5 inches across and 6.5 inches high. If you use a pot with too large of a base the dal will come up shallow and may lead to burning/drying out. If you don’t have small pot, transfer your dal to a taller oven safe dish and cover it with foil.
Extra smoke
If you’re looking for extra smoke you can complete this last step. You’ll need a small metal bowl, a piece of all natural hardwood lump charcoal, and a way to light the charcoal on fire.- When the dal is ready and you’ve stirred in your butter and cream, place a small metal bowl directly onto the surface of the dal. The thickness of the dal should hold it up.
- Safely light your charcoal outside and let it burn until it is hot and lightly covered with white-gray ash, about 4-5 minutes.
- Use a pair of tongs and carefully put the hot charcoal in the mental bowl and add 2 tablespoons right on top of the hot charcoal. It will instantly start to smoke.
- Quickly cover the dal with the lid and let smoke for 5 minutes then remove the lid and the bowl with the charcoal.
What to serve with dal
- Naan is always the right answer and fluffy, chewy, homemade naan is the perfect accompaniment.
- Cheesy naan or garlicky naan are good too!
- Creamy butter chicken
- Sweet and spicy ruby chicken curry
- Savory, hearty chicken biryani
Dishoom’s Black Dal Recipe
Creamy buttery lentils, zero effort.
- 1 cup black lentils (I used black beluga lentils)
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5.5 oz tomato paste (1 can)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- salt (to taste)
Soak the lentils in cold water overnight. The next day rinse and drain well. Place the lentils in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a hard boil over high heat for 5-10 minutes, skimming if needed. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft, but hold their shape, about 40 minutes to 1 hour. If needed, add water to the pot to prevent the lentils from drying out. Drain and set aside.
Heat the oven to 325°F. In a small dry pan, over low heat, lightly toast the cloves, star anise, coriander, cumin, cayenne, fennel, garam masala, and cardamom, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 30-45 seconds. Make sure not to burn! Remove the spices from the pan and add to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Crush/grind until fine. Set aside.
In an small, oven-safe heavy-bottomed pot, heat up 1 tbsp each of butter and neutral oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the spices, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Add the tomato paste and 1 cup of water to bring everything to a thick, soup-like consistency. Add the drained lentils to the pot, adding a bit of water to thin out, if needed.
Tightly cover the pot with foil (or the oven safe lid) and place in the oven for 3-4 hours, checking every 30 minutes or so to stir. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed, to maintain a soup-like consistency.
After 4 hours, take a note of the time and turn the oven to 200°F. The next morning, when you get up, turn the temperature up to 300°F, check if you need to add a tiny bit of water, stir, then continue to cook in the oven, covered, until you hit 24 hours from the time you started the dal in the oven.
Remove the pot from the oven and stir in 2 tbsp each of heavy cream and butter. Taste and season with salt. Enjoy with basmati rice or naan.
If desired, you can pull the dal after 4 hours in the oven at 325°F and finish with butter and cream.
I Am... Make a Porchetta this Easter
If you’re looking for an easy, impressive roast, porchetta is just what you need. Golden brown crackling, juicy meat, and fresh herbs are all tied up into a neat roll. Savory, delicious, and a mix of crunchy and tender, porchetta is everything you’ve ever wanted in a roasted pork dish.
What is porchetta?
Porchetta is a classic Italian roast pork. The word “porchetta“ literally means little pig in Italian. Traditionally, an entire deboned pig, rolled up with fresh herbs, roasts over an open wood fire. The resulting roast is incredibly savory and delicious. It’s beloved all across Italy, served at celebrations, as a main dish at home, and as street food. In North America, most porchetta is a cut of pork that consists of slab pork belly still attached to pork loin. It emulates the different cuts you find in a whole pig roast porchetta. You’ll also see porchetta made with pork belly and tenderloin or all pork belly.The best easter centerpiece?
If you're the kind of person that's always looking for a nice centerpiece for celebration or holiday dinners, porchetta is a great alternative to glazed ham, turkey, or expensive tenderloin. It's cheaper, more delicious, and pretty unique. Not to mention, it's lower in sodium and nitrates vs ham. Best of all, you can size it to your needs. Special anniversary for two? You can make a 2lb belly only porchetta. 16 people family reunion? Go all the way with a tenderloin stuffed full size porchetta.How to make porchetta
- Make two spice rubs. Toast fresh rosemary needles and whole fennel seeds in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant and toasty. Remove from the heat and chop into a rough spice mix. Mix together with flakey sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Divide the spice mix in two, then add fresh lemon zest and freshly chopped flat leaf parsley to one portion.
- Prep the pork belly. Scoring the meaty side of pork belly with a sharp knife helps it roll up into a neat, even log. Place the pork belly skin side down on a large cutting board and lightly score on a diagonal, about 1/4 of an inch deep, with lines 1 inch apart. Rotate the knife 90 degrees and score lines again, 1 inch apart, to create a diamond pattern.
- Season the meat. Rub the spice mix with the lemon zest and flat leaf parsley into the meaty part of the pork belly, making sure to rub into the scored cuts.
- Tie the porchetta. Lay out several pieces of string on the cutting board, 1-2 inches apart. Lay the pork belly on top of the string and place the tenderloin (if using), into the middle of the pork belly. If needed, trim the tenderloin in length so it fits neatly inside the belly. Roll the pork up tightly and use the strings to tie into a tight, neat roll.
- Season the skin. Use the remaining spice mix and evenly rub onto the skin of the pork belly.
- Roast. Place the rolled porchetta, seam side down, into a deep roasting rack. Slow roast, basting every so often, in a low oven, until the pork is tender, juicy, and yielding.
- Render. Blast the heat on high to render out some of the fat in the skin to create a crispy, crunchy, golden crackling.
- Rest. When the crackling is deeply golden and burnished, remove the porchetta from the oven. Let your golden porchetta rest for a minimum of 15 minutes. Resting will let the juices redistribute and remain in the roast. Enjoy!
Porchetta ingredients
- pork belly - a 3 to 3.5 lb square or rectangular slab of skin on pork belly is large enough to roll around a small pork tenderloin. You can also make an all belly porchetta and skip the tenderloin. Try to get a slab that is an even thickness throughout the entire pice so it cooks and rolls evenly. Most butchers or meat departments have larger slabs of pork belly in the back, so don’t be afraid to ask. Also, if you have an Asian grocery store nearby, they will most definitely carry large slabs of pork belly.
- pork tenderloin - if your going with a pork tenderloin, look for a small, thin, even diameter tenderloin so its easy to wrap the belly around it. Pork tenderloins come quite small, look for one that’s 1-2 lbs and around 3 inches in diameter. You might need to trim it if its too long to fit the length of your pork belly.
- seasoning and spices - a mix of classic Italian flavors is what is going to give your porchetta incredible flavor: fresh rosemary, toasted fennel seeds, lemon zest, fresh flat leaf parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, flakey sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Porchetta rub
Porchetta is classically seasoned with salt, pepper, fennel seed, rosemary, lemon zest, and fresh rosemary. Most use toasted fennel seeds, but if you have fennel pollen, this is the dish you’ll want to use it in.- To make a porchetta rub, start with fresh rosemary. Wash the sprigs, remove the needles and lightly toast them in a dry pan to release their piney aromatics. Chop the cooled rosemary pine needs to further release their flavor.
- Similar to the rosemary, whole fennel seeds should be lightly toasted for maximum toasty, warm, earthy anise flavor. Crush the cooled, toasted fennel seeds and mix with the chopped rosemary, flakey sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Divide the spice mix in two. Add fresh lemon zest and chopped flat leaf parsley for a bright citrusy green freshness to one portion. The lemon rub is for the meat side of the porchetta and the spice rub is for the skin.
What does porchetta taste like?
Think of the most amazing pork belly you’ve ever had. Now think of the best pork chop you’ve ever eaten. Add crispy, crunchy, golden pork crackling, savory pork juices, a hint of lemon, earthy rosemary, bright and fresh flat leaf parsley, and the warm and toasty flavors of fennel seeds. All those flavors, textures, and juices explode in your mouth in a symphony of salty, fatty, balanced flavor. A perfect bite of porchetta is simply amazing.What cut of meat is porchetta?
In Italy, there are still places where they make porchetta with an entire deboned suckling pig. In North America, most porchetta is a cut of pork that consists of slab pork belly still attached to pork loin. Most home cooks make porchetta with pork belly and tenderloin or just pork belly.What is pork belly?
Pork belly is just as the name implies, the belly of a pig. It’s a boneless, fatty cut of meat sold in a slab.What is pork loin/tenderloin?
Pork loin is a tender, lean cut of meat cut from the loin muscle of a pig. Loin is large and rectangular, cut from the near the back, mid section of the pig. Tenderloin, or pork filet, is a thin, long, boneless rectangular cut from the same loin muscle as pork loin. Tenderloin comes from near the spine and is especially tender and lean.All belly porchetta
It’s definitely more common to see porchetta made from just pork belly. The reason being, its much simpler to make an all belly porchetta, both in regards to sourcing and rolling/tying.Mini porchetta for 2-3
If you trim off the excess, you can make a super cute, mini 2-3" porchetta for 2-3 people that bakes faster and has a higher crisp to meat ratio, perfect for those last minute get togethers (or just the best snack).Easy unrolled porchetta
If you don’t have kitchen string or don’t want to roll your porchetta into a roll, make a flat all belly porchetta. Rub the belly with the salt and herbs and roast the belly flat. Since you’re not rolling, you can make a smaller roast as well, making this ideal for smaller eaters. Find a small baking vessel that’s about the same size as your belly and snuggle it in, so its a tight fit. The fat will render out and surround the meat, much in the same way rolling the belly together protects and bastes the meat at the same time. Essentially its a cheater’s pork confit. Roast the belly in a 275°F for 2 hours or until the pork reaches 160°F and is tender and yielding. Blast the heat up to 450°F for 20-30 minutes or until the sling becomes crisp, golden, and crackly. Let rest, slice, and enjoy.How to serve
Typically, porchetta comes sliced, chopped, and served on a crusty soft bread roll. A porchetta panino is one of life’s perfect sandwiches. Non traditionally, you can also serve porchetta as a roast with sides, with pasta, on pizza, anything you can dream — just don’t tell the Italian nonni! Here are some sides you can make alongside with:- soft and fluffy garlic rolls - there’s no garlic in porchetta and Italians feel like garlic is incredibly overpowering, but my North American tastebuds LOVE porchetta tucked into a soft and fluffy garlic butter roll.
- red wine spaghetti - ubriachi is rich and creamy and so good. Some chopped up porchetta on to would be amazingly delicious.
- roasted potatoes - you can never go wrong with pork and potatoes and these roasties are crisp and crunchy on the outside and creamy and fluffy on the inside.
- burrata and kale - sale quickly sautéed with tomatoes and topped with burrata makes a fast yet luxe side.
Porchetta
Golden brown crackling, juicy meat, and fresh herbs are all tied up into a neat roll.
- 2.5 tbsp fresh rosemary (needles only)
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 lemon (zest only)
- 2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (roughly chopped)
- 3-3.5 lb pork belly (skin on, ~approx 12in x 12in)
- 1-2 lb pork tenderloin (~approx 3 inches in diameter, optional)
In a small frying pan, lightly toast 2 tsp of rosemary needles along with the fennel seeds over low heat, shaking constantly, until fragrant, about 30 second to 1 minute. Let cool and roughly chop into a rough spice blend. Add the fennel and rosemary to a small bowl along with the sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using). Mix well. In another small bowl, mix the lemon zest and flat leaf parsley together.
Place the pork belly skin side down on a cutting board and lightly score the meat in a diamond pattern. Sprinkle on half of the salt rub. Top generously with all of the herb rub. If using, place the tenderloin in the centre of the belly.
Tightly roll the belly, skin side out, around the tenderloin and tie together with kitchen twine. Rub the skin generously with the remaining salt rub. Make ahead: tightly wrap the porchetta in plastic wrap, place in a dish, and put in the fridge overnight.
Heat the oven to 275°F. Make sure the surface of the porchetta is dry; pat with paper towels if needed. Lightly rub with neutral oil. Place the roll on a rack in a deep roasting pan, seam side down. Roast on the centre rack of the oven for 2-3 hours, basing with pan drippings every 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the belly reaches 160°F, which is optimal juicy pork belly temp.
Blast the heat up to 450°F and continue to roast for 20-25 minutes, until the crackling turns golden brown and crispy, checking every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, let rest for 15-20 minutes, slice and enjoy!
I Am... Tiktok’s Viral One Pan Dumpling Bake
The coziest one pan dinner is this viral one pan dumpling bake from Tiktok: juicy dumplings nested in a creamy, sweet-n-spicy sauce, perfect for scooping onto rice. I’m a sucker for viral recipes. I don’t know, there’s just something about my personality that is easily influenced by hype. It’s a curse because I’ve been burned more times than I want to recall. But, I can’t help it, in the words of Ariana Grande, “I see it, I want it, I like it, I got it.” In this case, it’s the TikTok viral dumpling bake. I resisted for so long — the dumpling bake went viral several months ago near the beginning of the year. I saw it and immediately thought that I would never make it. Ever. I love love love dumplings and they’re already super easy to cook in a multitude of classic ways so my brain thought, why would I do a silly baked dumpling trend? Then, I kept seeing it and seeing it and we had a can of coconut milk in the pantry and a tub of red curry paste in the fridge and it was inevitable.
What is the viral one pan dumpling bake?
A one pan dumpling bake, as the name implies, is a dish of baked dumplings, specifically gyoza or potstickers. Aromatics, coconut milk, curry paste, and dumplings all get put in an oven safe dish and bake. The flavorful curry paste mixes with the coconut milk into a creamy, spicy sauce that thickens slightly in the oven while the dumpings become plump and juicy on the bottom and slightly crispy on top.Where did the viral dumpling bake trend come from?
As with most trending recipes, it’s a little hard to trace the original source, but from what I can tell, Danielle Brown, from Heathy Girl Kitchen came up with the idea on TikTok.Ingredients for viral dumpling bake
- Dumplings - frozen dumplings are the best for this dish because, really, it’s all about getting dinner on the table quick. Save those homemade dumplings for another day. Bags of frozen dumplings, specifically potstickers or gyoza, can be found at most grocery stores, so buy a bag of your favorites. More on dumplings below.
- Red curry paste - red curry is the backbone of all the flavor in this dish. Red curry paste combined with coconut milk is a weeknight superstar. A little bit spicy, super aromatic, and delicious. You can get this is at all Asian grocery stores and in most major grocery stores in the Asian foods aisle. It’s also on amazon! It comes shelf-stable in a little tub or a can and keeps in the fridge once opened for future use.
- Coconut milk - a can of coconut milk is going to bring so much richness and creaminess to this dumpling bake. Coconut milk can sometimes be confusing. What you want is the one that comes in a can in the aisles, not the tetra packs you find in the fridges.
- Aromatics - grated ginger and minced garlic are going to add a layer of freshness, but let’s be real, if you don’t want to break out the cutting board, you don’t have to because the red curry paste is going to be plenty flavorful. That being said, I’m always going to champion grating fresh ginger and mincing garlic because fresh is best.
- Toppings - finish off the dumpling bake with a generous sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro, thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili crisp. To be honest, these toppings are completely optional, but they add a bit of pizzaz and make your dumpling bake super pretty, so I think they’re well worth it!
What size pan for viral one pan dumpling bake?
You want a pan or dish that’s not too big and not too small — the dumplings need to be half submerged in the sauce. A square 9x9 casserole dish works perfectly as does an 11x7 rectangle or a 12 inch oval or circular pan. You can play around here, what you’re looking for is a big enough dish to accommodate all of your dumplings in a single layer.Which frozen dumplings are the best?
There are SO many frozen dumplings out there, so the best is definitely a personal preference sort of thing. But, that being said, I do have some favorites and some tips on how to find good frozen dumplings. First off, go to your local Asian grocery store. There, in the frozen section, they’ll have an entire aisle of frozen dumplings. In the case of the viral dumpling bake, I think the best dumplings are gyoza or potstickers. They come in that classic curved moon dumpling shape and bake up nicely because they typically have thinner dumpling skins. The fillings are endless, so just go with what sounds good to you. Classic is pork and cabbage/vegetable and chicken with cabbage is just as tasty. If you dont want to go to the Asian grocery store, you’re in luck because you can pretty much find frozen dumplings everywhere these days. Two of our favorites are new-ish dumpling brands: MìLà and Lao Ban. You can find both brands at major grocery stores, Whole Foods, and Costco (depending on location). They both make a variety of dumplings, so be sure to pick up the potstickers for this particular recipe. Also, shout out to Trader Joe’s frozen gyoza potstickers which always hit in a pinch. You can even make your own, it's easier than you think!How to make the viral one pan dumpling bake
- Prep - preheat the oven to 375°F. While the oven is warming up, mince up some garlic (or use a garlic press) and grate some fresh ginger.
- Assemble - In a baking dish, whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Scatter in the leafy greens and stir to coat. Add the dumplings, straight from the freezer, nestling them in, then spooning some sauce on the tops.
- Bake - cover the dish and bake until the dumplings cook through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes, depending on the dumplings. If you like you can take the foil off for the last 5 minutes to get some extra browning on the tops of the dumplings.
- Top - finish with freshly chopped cilantro, thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame oil, and a bit of extra chili crisp.
- Enjoy - enjoy hot either on its own or spooned over rice or noodles.
What to serve with the viral dumpling bake
Any sort of saucy dumpling goes great with simple steamed rice https://weightloss-update.fit/how-to-make-fluffy-white-rice-perfectly-every-single-time/If you want to go all out and make a feast
That’s it! Are you going to succumb to the siren song of viral dumplings? Or do you have more self-control? I was on the fence but I have given in to the dark side of baked dumplings and I’m not coming back :) xoxo stephViral Dumpling Bake Recipe
The coziest one pan dinner
- 1 bag frozen gyoza (/ dumplings of choice~ 1lb)
- 1 can coconut milk (~ 14oz)
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tsp ginger (grated)
- 3 cups spinach (or leafy greens of choice)
- green onions (sliced, to finish)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
While the oven is heating, in a baking dish, add the coconut milk, curry paste, minced garlic, and ginger. Whisk the ingredients until combined.
Add the vegetables to the dish and toss to coat.
Nestle in the frozen dumplings (no need to defrost), spooning some of the liquid on top of the dumplings.
Cover the dish with an oven safe lid (or foil) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the dumplings cook through.
When the dumplings are ready (cut one open to check), finish with green onions and chili crisp. Enjoy!
Estimated nutrition is a guideline only and will vary considerably based on the dumplings you use. The numbers below are based on Trader Joes frozen dumplings and reduced fat coconut milk.
I Am... Soy Sauce Chow Mein Long Life New Years Noodles
Will this soy sauce chow mein help you live a longer life? Maybe, maybe not, but it will be a more delicious life for sure. In Lunar New Years' tradition we eat noodles for long life. The length of the noodles represent longer life, so the longer the noodles the better, too. I don't know if I buy that, but give me a plate of noodles and I'm happy. I'm not sure what it is, but there are definitely noodle people, rice people, and bread people out there. I'm am a noodle person all the way. They just fill me up with so much joy. Literally, I'm filled with noodles right now and there's just something about the fact that noodles did it to me that makes me feel safe. If I ever had to FMK with noodles, rice, and bread, it'd go like this: definitely marrying noodles, because noodles. I'd have to kill off bread even though I do love bread too. So that leaves me having carnal affairs with rice. Hmm...thing is I love all carbs so I would really actually be very sad if any carb went away. I'm talking about a deep and unsettling depression might come over me. I actually tried a carb-free diet once, years ago, and let me tell you, it was not pretty.
Soy sauce chow mein
Anyway, on to this soy sauce chow mein recipe. It's your standard si yau wong chow mein, which translates to soy sauce king fried noodles because these soy sauce noodles are the king of all the fried noodles of the land. It's a favorite for breakfast or lunch and you'll often see it at congee noodle houses or even at dim sum. Classically, it's just soy sauce, noodles, chives, and bean sprouts, but I added some beef in for some protein. Because it is such a simple dish, there are various ways of making it, which usually comes down to which types of soy sauce you use and in what ratio.Where to buy chow mein
You’ll find fresh chow mein noodles in the refrigerated noodle section of the Asian grocery store. They usually come in a plastic bag and are sometimes called Hong Kong style egg noodles, chow mein noodles, or thin egg noodles.The Soy Sauces
The two soy sauces used in soy sauce chow mein are dark and light. You can find both at your friendly Asian neighborhood grocery store and I've even started to see them pop up at mainstream grocery stores as well. First off, if you're making this dish, or any other Chinese dish, you'll want to be using Chinese soy sauce. You can definitely use whatever soy sauce you might have at home (even those little packets of Kikkoman that you get with sushi), but if you want an authentic tasting dish, source some Chinese soy sauce, it won't disappoint you!- Light soy sauce is light in color, almost a see through reddish brown, and thin in viscosity. It's salty and delightful and essential to Chinese cooking. It's used for seasoning as well as for dipping.
- Dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and slightly less salty then regular/light soy sauce. It's almost black and has the look of soy sauce, but reduced. It is used for flavor, but mainly for adding that classic dark caramel color to dishes. The color comes from a longer fermentation of the soy bean and there's a very mild minute sweetness to it as well.
Do you need a wok?
You don't need a wok to make these noodles but having one sure helps. Round bottomed woks are the best. They let you toss and stir fry in one smooth motion. If you are lucky enough to have a gas stove you can get a nice cheap round carbon steel wok. We own this no-frills industrial one and love it. There's no need to buy an expensive wok, all you need is a nice cheap carbon steel one and it'll change your cooking life. And there's absolutely no reason ever to buy a nonstick one. Lodge also makes this round bottomed wok that is a little too heavy to toss with but you can use it on a radiant/electric stove.Hot wok cold oil
The correct way to heat up a carbon steel wok is to heat it up dry and let it get a little smoky, then add oil around the rim of the wok. Doing this ensures your food won't stick and you won't need a lot of oil.Other dishes for your Lunar New Year Feast
- Spicy Chili Oil Wontons
- Homemade Pork and Garlic Chinese Potstickers
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
- and of course Sweet and Sour Pork!
Soy Sauce Chow Mein with Beef Recipe
Pure comfort noodles
Beef
- 1/2 lb beef (thinly sliced)
- 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp shaoxing wine (optional)
Noodles
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 8 ounces fresh chow mein noodles
- 3.5 ounces bean sprouts (about 1.5 cups)
- 3 green onions (julienned)
Mix the beef together with the marinade ingredients and set aside.
Make the sauce: In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the water, soy sauces, sesame oil, and sugar. Set aside.
Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot tap water for a minute. Gently massage them apart, then drain well. Set aside.
Heat up a touch of oil in a large non-stick pan or wok over high heat. Once the oil is smoking, add the beef and stir fry until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan.
Add a little more oil to the wok and let it smoke up again, then add the noodles. Cook, tossing, until slightly crispy and warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the sauce and toss making sure all the noodles are coated. Add the beef back in as well as the sprouts and green onions. Toss until the sprouts are cooked to your liking, then remove from the wok and enjoy!
I Am... Easiest Ever Osso Buco
The easiest way to make super tender, fall apart beefy bone marrow-y osso buco. How often do you make it past the pasta part of the menu at a good Italian restaurant? We usually never do. But if I see osso buco on the menu, I make room to order it. How can you not love a slow braised, melt in your mouth beef shank in a beefy, bone marrow-y tomato sauce? Sometimes you even get a little spoon for the bone marrow. If it's on the menu, it's usually the best thing on the menu. You can make it at home in an hour on the instant pot, cheaply and easily. It's perfect for special occasions but easy enough that you could have it on a weeknight too. If you don't have an instant pot, a few hours of slow cooking will do the trick too.
What is osso buco?
Osso buco is an Italian dish of veal shank braised for a really long time in a white wine bone marrow infused sauce originally from Lombard. The long braise time melts away the connective tissues in the shank and leaves you with melt-in-your-mouth fall apart meat. It tastes amazing because the shank cut is a complex muscle full of connective tissue that just falls apart. Because it's slow braised on the bone (Osso Buco means bone with a hole), the bone marrow infuses the sauce and gives it an incredible richness and flavor. Historically, this recipe doesn't include tomatoes because they're a new world crop, but these days, pretty much everyone makes it with tomatoes. This version we're making today takes it up another notch with fresher tasting passata tomato sauce instead of the classic canned tomatoes, but if you don't have passata, a good quality canned tomato works too.How to make osso buco
- Brown your beef shanks well on both sides. I use the Instant Pot saute setting on high for 2-3 minutes on each side with a splatter shield on top, and honestly it works better than doing it on the stovetop. The high sides of the instant pot mean much less splatter and mess.
- Cook your aromatics. Transfer the beef shank to a plate or something else to catch the juices, then add the aromatics and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze with wine. Add the wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the instant pot with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the wine cook until it is reduced by half, at least 2 minutes.
- Braise. Add the beef shank, passata, and herbs to the instant pot and braise on high for 1 hour. You'll be rewarded with the most tender, fall-apart meat ever.
Instant pot osso buco
Osso buco is classically a braise-it-all-day affair, but, if there’s one thing the Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker) excels at, it’s crushing braise times for these kinds of dishes. It's by far the best option, in my opinion. If you don’t have one, you can make this by simmering until soft on the stove - it’ll just take longer, about 4-6 hours. You can also brown the meat and aromatics in an oven proof pan or dutch oven, then transferring to a 250-300ºF oven for 4-6 hours. If you go either stovetop or oven, check back every so often to make sure your liquid isn't too low.Crock pot osso buco (or stovetop too)
But, what if you don't have an instant pot handy? The next best thing in that case is a crock pot. The crockpot can't get hot enough to brown the the meat, so you'll still need to do a little cooking on the stovetop, but it's just as easy:- Brown your meats in a large skillet over high heat. Transfer to crock pot and set it to high.
- Cook the vegetables into the same skillet until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add wine and reduce, about 2 minutes.
- Add passata. Once it's warmed, transfer everything to the crock pot and slow cook for 5-6 hours.
- Reduce the heat to low after about 2 hours.
- Enjoy!
All of the taste and none of the fuss
Traditionally there a lot more ingredients and steps to this dish, but here it's been pared down to the bare minimum and let the flavors speak for themselves. Before writing this recipe, Steph and I went to a really well regarded Italian restaurant. We tried their 24 hour osso buco made with veal shank and extra marrow bones. It was amazing, but this one is comparable and way easier. The biggest step I removed is the flour dredge. Usually the shank is dredged in flour and use that to both brown the meat and thicken the sauce. I don’t think this needs it, the bone marrow thickened sauce is more than enough, and for me, taking out the flour is always messy. If you want to though, it will add a little extra body to both your meat and sauce.Veal vs beef shank
The default meat choice for osso buco is veal, but these days it can be pretty hard to find veal shank. It's worth looking for if you want to stay true to the original. You should be able to find it at your neighborhood butcher shop or major supermarket. Beef tastes as good (if not better) and is far easier to find and even often cheaper. Even though veal should technically be lower-cost, its rarity makes it more of a specialty product with specialty pricing to match.Osso buco ingredients
- Shank is an inexpensive cut that should be easy to find. If you can’t get it at your local grocery store, whole foods will carry beef (but not veal) shanks.
- Herbs to make a bouquet garni. I just threw in a sprig of oregano because that’s what we had and it was great. If you have bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh Italian parsley, etc on hand, feel free to throw a little in. If not, just skip - the recipe doesn't need it.
- Passata is an uncooked strained tomato puree. I chose passata because the fresh tomato flavor really brightens up the dish, but if you have a can of regular old crushed tomatoes around, feel free to use that.
- White wine. Wine adds a complexity and authenticity to the dish that is impossible to replace. If you need to be alcohol-free, you can switch it out for sodium free chicken stock.
How do you serve it?
Osso Buco is typically served with risotto, gnocchi, or pasta, but we like ours with bread or on its own. If you plan on eating this on its own, you might want to double the recipe to get enough meat for 2. If you wanted to go really over the top (say for an at home Valentines dinner) a tiny bit of caviar makes this one of the most extra surf and turfs you could make at home. -MikeThe Easiest Ever Instant Pot Osso Buco Recipe
Osso Buco doesn’t get any easier than 6 ingredients and 1 hour of cook time.
- instant pot
- 1/4 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 small carrot (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 slice veal or beef shank (about 1 pound)
- 1 cup white wine (Pinot grigio/Italian white preferred)
- 1/2 cup passata (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1-2 sprigs fresh herbs (I just used 1 sprig of oregano)
Roughly chop your onion, carrots, and garlic.
Preheat your Instant Pot to saute high and add 1-2 tablespoons oil. Pat dry your shanks and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Once your instant pot is hot enough (for me, that's about 2 mins past when it beeps) Brown your shanks 1-2 minutes per side.
Remove the shank and add your onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook until soft – 2-4 minutes.
Add the wine and deglaze, scraping the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce until about half the wine is left – 2-3 minutes.
Add passata, herbs if using, and the shanks to the pot. Set pressure to high and braise for 1 hour. Quick release when done and serve, garnish with grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, red pepper flakes, and flat leaf parsley as desired.
I Am... Air Fryer Steak
Is there anything better than a good steak to improve your day? There are so many great ways to cook steak, and now there's one more. For those days when you don’t have time and energy, air fryer steak is the perfect answer. Or even when you do have energy, you'll be surprised how good an air fryer steak can be.
Steak in an air fryer?
Why make steak in an air fryer when you have cast iron, reverse seared, or flame grilled steak? While all of those are excellent ways to make steak, an air fryer can have your steaks from raw to less raw (aka, perfectly cooked) in under 10 minutes, with almost zero cleanup. After a long work day, this seems way better to me than hand scrubbing a cast iron skillet with kosher salt or preheating your grill, oiling your grill, scrubbing your grill, etc. Even if it's for a special occasion, why not make life easier? It's not more special because it was hard to do.How to get a good sear
Air frying with its fan and high-ish temps can replicate the same kind of sear you get on a grill or cast iron pan. The trick is getting the steak as close to the heating element as possible. For these photos, I used air fryer racks to lift the steaks right up to the heating element, and the resulting crust is what you see.Air fryer racks
Air fryers are great, but air fryers with racks are a game changer. Racks allow you to lift the steaks up closer to the heating elements, cook more steaks at once, and prevent any weird grill patterns from the air fryer’s basket. You can use any racks that stack, and fit inside your air fryer. This is the one I'm using, but be sure to measure your air fryer and make sure the rack fits inside before buying. Ideally you want to get your steak as close as possible to the heating element while leaving an inch of airspace to be sure nothing spontaneously combusts. Don’t walk away for the 7 minutes the steaks are cooking just in case.Smoke
There will be lots of smoke. These butter basted steaks are cooked an inch from a 400ºF heating element and are going to get smoky. I put our air fryer right under our hood fan on high and it did the trick. There’s not really a way around the smoke if you want a good crust. It might even be worth it to take your air fryer outside.The best cut for air fryer steak
Let's be real, this isn’t a high dollar steak kind of recipe. There are better ways to cook expensive steaks. I tried this with a striploin and a sirloin, for science. Both were about 1.25” thick or so and both came out perfect for my tastes. The fat cap on the striploin rendered out enough not to be chewy and unappetizing. The sirloin was still tender and juicy and not at all tough or tasteless.Preheating your air fryer
Preheating an air fryer can seem like an unnecessary step, but it’s really helpful for a fast cooking recipe like steak by reducing the time it takes to get your air fryer up to temp. I threw some oil coated garlic cloves into the basket while preheating (and cooking the steak) and they came out roasted and gooey.Air Fryer Steak temps
For a quick and easy reference, steaks are roughly done at: Rare: 125ºF Medium-rare: 135ºF Medium: 145ºF Medium-well: 155ºFDry Rubs & Marinades
A steak is pretty good all by itself. I also like cajun butter steak and steak diane, if we're into flavored steaks.Steak sauces
Check out this post for our best steak sauces such as classic peppercorn, mustard cream, garlic mushroom, coconut curry, or Japanese chimichurri.And of course you need potatoes
- The creamiest mashed potatoes
- Triple cooked chips
- The crispiest roast potatoes
- The best baked potato
Perfect Butter Basted Air Fryer Steak
Juicy, deeply crusted, perfectly cooked steak in under 10 minutes for those days you don't have time or energy.
- air fryer
- 2 8~10oz steaks (of choice, striploin or ribeye preferred)
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp butter (or high heat oil)
- 4 cloves garlic (unpeeled, optional)
Season the steaks and allow to rest on the countertop for about 30 mins.
Preheat your air fryer at 400ºF for 3 minutes. If using garlic, place them at the bottom of the basket before preheating.
Microwave the butter for 20 seconds, then another 20 seconds, or until melted.
Brush the steak down with butter, then place in the basket as close to the top as possible.
Cook at 400ºF for 7 minutes without flipping for medium rare. See notes for other times.
Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
Approximate times
Rare: 5 min
Med Rare: 7 min
Med: 9 min
Med well: 11 min
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