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Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This recipe is inspired by Elizabeth Novello . I was tuning in to her stories and I was wowed by this dish that she made. I didn't know that pumpkin can be made into something savory, hearty and yummilicious. Every year during this fall-winter season, I would make this dish without fail since 2018. It has somehow evolved into what it is today. Her recipe calls for ground beef and celery. I prefer chicken and dislike celery, so I replaced the celery with some carrots and potatoes. Whenever I have a large chunk of herbs on hand, I would blitz them up with some olive oil. This is because they will go bad very fast in this humid climate of mine. You can totally skip the steps and just use some chopped herbs. You can serve this over some flatbread or rice. Or you can tear up some bread and just dig in. This is a very nourishing dish and I am glad that my kids love it. I hope you will give this dish a try and who knows, you might come up with your own version. Ingredients: Inspired by Elizabeth Novello (Serve 4) Garnish: Fresh Parsley, A Large Handful Pumpkin Seeds, 1 TBSP High Quality Olive Oil, 3 TBSP + More Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Chicken: Chicken Thigh Boneless Skin-on, 2 Pumpkin Spiced Syrup Homemade , A Few Drizzle Sea Salt, Pinch White Pepper, Pinch Mushroom Powder, Pinch Stew: Chicken Stock Homemade , 750g Yukon Gold Potatoes Wedged, 3 Duck Fat, 2 TBSP + 1 TBSP Yellow Onion Finely Minced, 1 Sea Salt, Pinch White Pepper, Pinch Carrots Oblique Cut, 2 Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Pumpkin Spice Blend Homemade , 1/2 TBSP Pumpkin Puree Homemade , 1 Cup Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Food Processor Ingredients: Please visit my " Pumpkin Spiced Latte " page for the syrup and puree recipe. Please visit my " Pumpkin Spice Blend " page for the recipe. Please visit my " How To Make Chicken Stock " page for the recipe. Prepare the Garnish Add parsley, pumpkin seeds, and just enough olive oil into a food processor. Blitz until coarsely ground. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse a few more times. Transfer to a small bowl, drizzle with more olive oil, and stir. Set aside until ready to use. Marinate the Chicken Coat the chicken in pumpkin spiced syrup. Season generously with salt, white pepper, and mushroom powder. Massage the marinade into the chicken and set aside. Prepare the Stew Base Infuse chicken stock with vegetable scraps by simmering for 8–10 mins, then steeping for 15 mins. Strain and return the stock to the pot. Add potatoes (with skins on, if preferred) and cook over medium heat until fork tender. Cover and set aside. Sear the Chicken In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 TBSP duck fat. Sear the chicken skin-side down until deep golden and crisp, about 2–3 mins. Flip and sear another 2–3 mins. Set aside to rest. Build the Stew In the same skillet, add onion and season with salt and white pepper. Saute until translucent. Add carrot, sauté, then add 1 TBSP duck fat, cover, and cook until fork tender. Stir in garlic and pumpkin spice blend until aromatic. Add pumpkin puree and saute until incorporated. Deglaze with a splash of the infused stock, then add the rest of the stock and potatoes. Stir well. Finish and Serve Slice the rested chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken and juices to the stew. Simmer for 5–8 mins, stirring occasionally, until the stew is thickened and slightly reduced. Adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper. Remove from heat and garnish with the parsley-pumpkin seed mixture. Serve hot with bread, flatbread, or rice. I am literally drooling all over again just by looking at it... Nourishing, hearty and yummilicious... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I don't think I will ever be done with this pumpkin series. Lol! And here I present to you lovely people, another pumpkin recipe: my pumpkin pasta. I know what you gonna say. I do not consume pork and this is the 2nd recipe (that I posted) with pork. I tried it with some beef bacon and salami. It doesn't turn out as I expected, I pretty much have no choice but to use pancetta. I was thinking about mushrooms. But something tells me that mushrooms don't go well with pumpkins. I am still using my 100g pasta to 400g ratio. It works every single time. The trick is to keep an eye on it, or you will get overcooked pasta. Another tip is to add butter and pecorino without any heat. The residual heat will melt the butter and cheese, thus coating the pasta well and creating a creamy sauce (without any cream). Ingredients: (Serve 2) Sesame Oil, 1 TBSP + 1 TBSP Pancetta Coarselt Slice, A Handful Pumpkin Puree Homemade , 1/2 Cup Garlic Finely Minced, 2 Cloves Shallot Finely Minced, 1 Red Chili Deseeded Finely Sliced, 1 Dried Sage, Pinch Vegetable Stock / Water, 1/4 Cup Good Quality Pasta (I'm using Angel Hair), 100g Hot Water, 400g Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP Pecorino, For Grating Parsley Finely Minced, For Garnishing Equipment: 2 x Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Directions: Please visit my " How To Make Pumpkin Puree " page for the recipe. In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 TBSP of sesame oil. Once the oil is heated up, add in pancetta. Sear until lightly browned. Give it a saute and remove it from heat. Set aside until ready to use. In the same skillet, add 1 more TBSP of sesame oil. Once the oil is heated up, add the pumpkin puree. Saute until lightly caramelized. Add in garlic, shallots, chili and sage. Saute to combine well and until aromatic. Deglaze with the vegetable stock. Cook until slightly reduced. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a quick saute. At the same time, in another skillet over medium heat, add 400g of hot water. Add in the pasta and season with salt. Cook until the pasta is almost al dente with about 1/4 of pasta water left. Immediately transfer everything into the pumpkin mixture. Toss until well combined. Remove from heat and add in butter. Grate some pecorino over the top. Give it another toss until everything is incorporated and melted. Garnish with parsley and the pancetta. Serve immediately. Creamy without any cream... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I know most of you will judge me for adding apples to my pizza. But hear me out. The apples pair perfectly with the pumpkin sauce and salami. Now the question is... Is this better than pineapples on pizzas? 100%! And I will definitely be making this again. In retrospect, I really have no idea what I was going into. This happens to be one of my old recipe ideas which I'd kept in my library. Out of curiosity, I decided to give it a try. As I started to take my 1st bite, with skepticism, I told myself that this is too good not to be shared. I am using beef salami due to my strict consumption of pork. You can of cos use pepperoni or pancetta. Maybe after this endeavor, I should get a bit more adventurous with pan pizza? What do you think? Ingredients: (Make 2 pizzas) My Multi-Purpose Pizza Dough , 2 Dough Balls / 250g Each Sesame Oil, For Greasing + More Pumpkin Puree Homemade , 1/2 Cup Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Pumpkin Spice Blend Homemade , 1/2 TSP Pumpkin Spice Syrup Homemade , 2 TBSP Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP Apple Peeled Finely Diced, 2 Dried Sage, Pinch Low Moisture Mozzarella Parmigiano Reggiano Beef Salami, For Topping Parsley Finely Chopped, A Handful Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet 10" Oven Directions: Please visit my " Pumpkin Spiced Latte " for the puree and syrup recipe. Please visit my " Pumpkin Spice Blend " for the recipe. Please visit my “ My Multi-Purpose Pizza Dough ” page for the dough recipe. Lightly grease the skillet with some oil. Place pizza dough onto the center of the skillet and stretch it out slightly. Cover and set aside for 1 hr. While the dough is rising, in a large bowl, mix pumpkin puree, 2 TBSP of sesame oil, salt, pepper, pumpkin spice and syrup until well combined. Set aside until ready to use. In a skillet over medium heat, add butter. Once the butter starts to melt, add in apples. Saute until lightly browned. Sprinkle some sage over the top and saute until aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use. After 1 hr, stretch out the dough again, to the sides of the skillet this time. Cover and set aside for another hr. Preheat the oven to the highest temperature setting or set it to broil. Spoon and spread the pumpkin sauce over the pizza dough covering it entirely. Sprinkle the apple mixture over the top, distributing evenly. Top the pizza off with some pinches of mozzarella and freshly grated parmigiano. Lastly, add slices of salami, spreading out evenly. Wack into the oven and broil until the dough is baked (top and bottom) and the cheese has melted. *If the top cooks faster than the bottom, shift the rack to the bottom of the oven.* Carefully remove from the oven and garnish with some parsley. Slice and serve immediately. Repeat the steps for the remaining pizza. Will you give this a try? Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Diwali is just around the corner and it is about time I share my love for Indian cuisine with you lovely people. Yes, Indian cuisine is 3rd on my list of top 5 favorite cuisines. Indian cuisine isn't just "curry" or Tikka Masala; the word "curry" doesn't even exist in India, let alone Tikka Masala. Those 2 terms are created by the British during their 600+ years of colonization. The trick to making bhatura is hot oil. As soon as the dough is dropped into the oil, you have to immediately "bathe" the dough with the hot oil. Kinda like a middle eastern pita. That initial rush of heat is crucial or you will get a soggy deflated piece of fried bread. Another point is yogurt which contains live cultures. It is necessary for making any type of yeast-free dough. Lastly, is to allow the dough to rest for at least 2 hours so that the live cultures can work their magic. Bhatura is often paired with Chana Masala which forms a dish called: Chole Bhature. You can read all the history here . Every dish has a history, a culture imprinted, the least we can do is be respectful and enjoy the wonders of food. Food brings people together, regardless of race, language, religion, gender, nationality or culture. Ingredients: (Make 8) Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 240g Sea Salt, 6g Baking Powder, 4g Baking Soda, 3g Milk Powder, 10g Semolina, 20g Lukewarm Water, 120g Granulated Sugar, 4g Greek Yogurt with Live Cultures , 123g Ghee, 42g Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, For Frying + Greasing Equipment: Dutch Oven Directions: Make the Dough In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, milk powder, and semolina. Mix well. In another bowl, stir water and sugar until dissolved. Gradually pour the sugar water into the flour mixture, mixing with a spatula. Add yogurt and ghee. Mix until it comes together into a dough. Knead and Rest Lightly grease your hands with oil. Knead the dough inside the bowl for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. If too dry, add water 1 TBSP at a time. If too sticky, add flour 1 TBSP at a time. Lightly oil the bowl and return the dough to it. Cover and rest for 2 hours. Shape and Preheat Oil Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a tight ball. Cover with a towel and rest for 15 minutes. Heat about 3 inches of oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Test with a wooden chopstick—bubbles should form rapidly. Roll and Fry Lightly grease a rolling pin. Roll each dough ball into a disc, about 1/8 inch thick. Carefully drop the dough into the hot oil away from you. Immediately begin basting it with hot oil to help it puff. Be cautious—the oil is very hot. Flip and continue frying until both sides are golden brown. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Serve Serve the hot, puffed bread immediately with chana masala  or any rich curry of your choice. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video As I'd said in my previous post, Indian cuisine isn't just "curry" or Tikka Masala. And to say that Indian cuisine has many different dishes is an understatement. It draws influences from Persian as well as Punjabi, and so on and so forth. You can never find the same food from 1 street to the next. All the spices... And when it comes to Chana Masala, there are so many different varieties. This is my favorite version. This is not your typical orangy looking chickpea "curry"; this has a much richer and darker tone with loads of aromatic flavors. Earthy, floral and with a bit of a spicy kick. You can find the ingredients in an Indian grocery store. You can skip some of the ingredients if you have trouble getting your hands on them. You can replace dried pomegranate seeds with the same amount of pomegranate molasses (just don't toast it together with the rest of the spices, add the molasses to the stew instead). This dish is usually paired with bhatura to form a dish called Chole Bhature. This does take some effort, but it is worth it in the end. So, why not give this recipe a try? Here I wish all of you lovely people a Happy Diwali. Ingredients: (Serve 4) Spice Blend: Black Cardamom, 2 Cinnamon Stick, 1 Black Peppercorns, 4 Cloves, 2 Bay Leaf, 1 Ajwain | Carom Seeds, 1/2 TSP Cumin Seeds, 1 TSP Coriander Seeds, 1 TSP Fennel Seeds, 1 TSP Dried Pomegranate Seeds, 1/2 TSP Dried Kashmiri Chilies, 2 Adjust To Preference Masala: Fresh Chickpeas, 175g Dried Amla or Black Tea Bags, 2 Sea Salt, Pinch Baking Soda, Pinch Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP Red Onion Finely Minced, 1 Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Ginger Finely Minced, 1 Inch Tomatoes Canned, 200g / Half A Can Tomato Puree, 1 TBSP Garam Masala Homemade , 1/4 TSP Turmeric Powder, 1/4 TSP Kashmiri Chili Powder, 1/2 TSP Adjust To Preference Ancho | Dried Mango Powder, 1 TSP Asafoetida | Hing, Pinch Green Chilies Deseeded Finely Sliced, 3 Adjust To Preference Coriander Coarsely Chopped, For Garnishing Bhatura Homemade , For Serving Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Heavy Sauce Pot Spice Grinder Directions: Please visit my " Bhatura " page for the recipe. Please visit my " How To Make Shahi Garam Masala " page for the recipe. Prepare the spice blend Toast the spices in a skillet over medium heat until aromatic. Transfer to a spice grinder and blitz until a powder forms. Set aside until ready to use. Cook the chickpeas Soak chickpeas overnight, fully submerged in about 3 cups of water. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Transfer to a sauce pot with about 4 cups of water, salt, baking soda, and tea bags or amla (if using). Bring to a simmer, stir, and remove the tea bags. Cover and cook until chickpeas are soft and mashable, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally and top up with hot water if needed. Prepare the stock Strain the chickpeas and set aside. Return the chickpea liquid to the pot. Add vegetable scraps and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let it infuse. Drain and discard the solids. Build the masala In a skillet over medium heat, add oil. Add onions, season with salt, and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and ginger, and sauté until aromatic. Stir in canned tomatoes and tomato puree. Cook until well combined. Add spices and chickpeas Stir in the prepared spice blend, garam masala, turmeric, chili, mango powder, and asafoetida. Cook until aromatic. Deglaze with a bit of the infused stock. Add green chilies and the cooked chickpeas. Stir well to combine. Simmer and finish Add more stock to reach your preferred consistency. Mash a few chickpeas if you like it thicker. Simmer until slightly reduced. Season to taste with salt. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander. Serve Best enjoyed hot with bhatura , poori, or basmati rice. Pack fulla flavors... Mama Mia... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This is an iconic flatbread. Whether you like Indian cuisine or not, you've probably seen or heard of this flatbread before, at least once in your life. It actually originated in Persian cuisine, Iranian to be exact. Naan is baked on hot pebbles back in ancient Persia, and somehow it has evolved into tandoor baked. I don't think any of us has a tandoor oven at home, so I went down the rabbit hole and stumbled upon Adam Ragusea's YouTube video . He is able to achieve that distinct tandoor-style naan. I went ahead and gave it a shot, and it worked out brilliantly. The results are bubbly charred, cwispy, yet soft and chewy. If you are intimidated to flip your entire skillet over an open flame, you can use a blowtorch, but the results will not be the same. The key is to lightly wet the dough with some water before cooking it in the skillet. By doing so, the dough will adhere to the skillet without falling off during that flipping action. As Adam said, it takes a few practices to get it right. But once you do, you will indulge in the same type of naan compared to the tandoor baked ones. I really hope you will give it a shot. Ingredients: (Make 4) Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 250g Granulated Sugar, 5g Sea Salt, 3g Baking Powder, 6g Baking Soda, 2g Whole Milk, 100g Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 14g + More for Greasing & Cooking Greek Yogurt with Live Cultures , 60g Garlic Coarsely Chopped, 4 Cloves (Optional) Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful (Optional) Melted Unsalted Butter, For Brushing Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Tawa + Open Flame Stove Top Directions: Prepare the dough In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix to combine well. In another bowl, whisk together milk, oil, and yogurt until well combined. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until a dough forms. Lightly oil your hands and knead the dough in the bowl for 8 to 10 minutes until soft, smooth, and slightly tacky. Adjust with water or flour, 1 TBSP at a time, if needed. Lightly grease the bowl, return the dough, cover, and rest for 2 hours. Shape the naan Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a tight dough ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Using a greased rolling pin, roll each dough ball into an oblong disc about 1/8" thick. Scatter garlic and coriander (or your preferred toppings) over the top and roll again to press them in. Mist the surface lightly with water. Cook the naan Heat a cast iron skillet or tawa over medium-high heat until smoking. Brush the skillet lightly with oil. Place the naan, toppings side down, into the skillet. Once bubbles form, flip the entire skillet over the open flame to char the bottom. Use a blowtorch or flip the naan with a spatula over the flame if preferred. Cook until lightly charred and puffed. Finish and serve Transfer to a wire rack or parchment-lined plate. Brush immediately with melted butter. Repeat for the remaining naan. Serve hot with Dal Makhani  or your favorite curry. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This is hands down, one of my top 3 favorite Indian dishes of all time. It is earthy, hearty, nourishing and insanely yummilicious. Finally, I have the chance to show this recipe to you lovely people. And especially during this festive Diwali season. I wonder what took me so long to post this recipe... Anyway, every time I cook this, I will get excited, almost like a little kid waiting for his mum to finish cooking. There are lots of different variations. Dal Makhani is founded in New Delhi, India, somewhat of Punjabi's origins. It is actually a vegetarian complement to the famous butter chicken. I love to pair this with my homemade naan . Everything screams coziness. I know that it is a huge ingredient list. But once you get it going, it is rather a simple dish to cook. I tell ya, it is perfect for this time of the year. Let's get started with the recipe. Ingredients: (Serve 4) Spice Blend: Coriander Seeds, 1 TBSP Cumin Seeds, 1 TBSP Green Cardamons, 2 Black Cardamom, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 Dal: Black Lentils | Urad Dal, 200g Red Kidney Beans | Rajma, 50g Ginger Unpeeled Thinly Sliced, 1" Green Chilies Coarsely Sliced Deseeded, 2 Adjust To Preference Stew: Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP Ghee, 1 TBSP Red Onion Finely Minced, 1 Sea Salt, Pinch Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Ginger Finely Minced, 1/2" Green Chilies Thinly Sliced, 3 Adjust To Preference Tomatoes Canned, 200g / Half A Can Tomato Puree, 1 TBSP Kashmiri Chili Powder, 1/2 TSP Adjust To Preference Garam Masala Homemade , Pinch Heavy Whipping Cream, 50g Adjust To Preference Dried Fenugreek Leaves, 1 TBSP Fenugreek Seeds, 1/2 TSP Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP Adjust To Preference Coriander Coarsely Chopped, For Garnishing Naan Homemade , For Serving Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Heavy Sauce Pot Spice Grinder Directions: Please visit my " Naan " page for the recipe. Please visit my " How To Make Shahi Garam Masala " page for the recipe. Prepare the spice blend Toast whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic. Transfer to a spice grinder and blitz into a fine powder. Set aside. Prepare the dal Soak lentils and kidney beans separately overnight in plenty of water. The next day, drain and rinse thoroughly under running water. Add both to a sauce pot and cover with water (at least 1 inch above). Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until soft and mashable, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain through a sieve, reserving both liquid and solids separately. Return the stock to the pot. Add ginger, chilies, and vegetable scraps. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, then cover and infuse off heat. Prepare the stew In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil and ghee. Add onions, season with salt, and sauté until translucent. Stir in garlic, ginger, and chilies. Sauté until aromatic. Add canned tomatoes and tomato purée. Cook until thickened. Stir in the toasted spice blend and chili powder. Sauté until aromatic. Add cooked lentils and beans. Stir to combine. Strain the infused stock and discard solids. Deglaze the skillet with some of the stock and add more as needed for desired consistency. Simmer gently. Season with salt and garam masala. Stir in cream and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Finish and serve Blitz fenugreek leaves and seeds into powder. Add to stew. Stir in a knob of butter and some coriander. Final taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with more coriander. Best enjoyed with naan. Super nourishing... A bite of heaven... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video My youngest daughter is obsessed with matcha. I love matcha too. But not on her level of obsessiveness tho, lol. This is actually my 2nd try. It failed horribly on my 1st attempt; my 1st mistake is assuming white chocolate reacts the same as dark chocolate would. As soon as I mix in the butter on the double boiler, the chocolate starts to seize and splits. In order to salvage the chocolate mixture, I added more butter. My 2nd mistake is expecting the cake batter to work the same during the final baking process. It doesn't. The end result is a gummy gooey texture with an unpleasant after taste. After doing some research online and realizing my mistakes, I decided to give it one more shot. To my surprise, it worked on my 1st retry! I incorporated a different technique in combining butter and white chocolate together. The end result is almost the same as brownies: dense, fudgy and moist with layers of aftertaste. It wouldn't be called death by matcha if there isn't any matcha ganache layer, right? Anyway, if you are a matcha lover, you really need to give this recipe a try. Ingredients: (Make one 8" round cake) Cake: Stale Bread, A Few Slices Unsalted Butter, 150g + More For Greasing High Quality White Chocolate Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut At Least 28%, 150g High Quality Matcha Powder Culinary Grade, 6g / 3 TSP Eggs, 2 Demerara Sugar, 50g Dark Muscavado Sugar, 50g 00 Flour / Any 10% Protein All Purpose Flour, 150g Sea Salt, 3g Fresh Yuzu / Lemon Zest, 1 Yuzu / Lemon Yuzu Sake / Limoncello, 2 TBSP Ganache: High Quality White Chocolate Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut At Least 28%, 100g Heavy Whipping Cream, 66g High Quality Matcha Powder Culinary Grade, 2g / 1 TSP + More For Dusting Equipment: Oven 8" Round Cake Spring Form Pan Food Processor Double Boiler Sauce Pot Hand / Stand Mixer Directions: Prepare the cake Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Slice stale bread into small squares and toast them on a parchment-lined tray until browned. Blitz toasted bread in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Set aside. Lower oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a cake pan with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper and brush it with more butter. Coat the pan with the prepared bread crumbs, tap out the excess, and set aside. Make the matcha mixture Melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Remove from heat and add white chocolate. Stir until fully melted and smooth. Sieve in matcha powder and whisk until no lumps remain. Set aside. Whip the eggs and assemble In a large bowl, whip eggs with a mixer until tripled in volume. Add sugar and whip until fully combined. Fold in the matcha mixture gently. Sift in flour in 1/3 portions, folding to combine after each addition. Add salt, lemon zest, and limoncello. Fold to incorporate. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake for 20–25 minutes. The center should remain soft and molten. Set aside to cool completely. Prepare the ganache Place white chocolate and cream over a double boiler. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and sieve in matcha powder. Stir until fully combined. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and smooth the surface. Chill for at least 4 hours until the ganache is set. Finish and serve Unmold the cake onto a serving plate. Dust with extra matcha powder. Slice and serve. Matcha heaven... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video It is this time of the year. October is probably my favorite month (just a notch higher than December). I am also a fan of horror movies (that explains right?). There is a saying: every day is Halloween for a horror fan, we just go crazy in October. Anyway, I tried making this on a black colored Foccacia-like-bread It didn't turn out as expected. The bread is soggy and dense and not fluffy and crispy. A close InstaFam of mine, @vincehomemade suggested a separate dish without the bread. It just clicked. I heeded his advice and redid everything again. It turned out brilliantly. Does it look like a graveyard? My youngest kid dislikes mushrooms but devoured this. She told me that it looks like a graveyard and it was too wicked cool not to eat. Here I wish you lovely people a very Happy Halloween! Ingredients: (Serve 4) Toasted Mushroom Sauce: Shiitake Mushrooms Stems Removed, 125g Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 TBSP Red Onion Finely Sliced, 1 Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Dried Rosemary, Pinch Heavy Whipping Cream, 120g Mushroom Skulls: White Button Mushrooms, 200g Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP + 1 TBSP Red Onion Finely Minced, 1 Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Dried Sage, Pinch Cayenne, Pinch Nori Flakes, Pinch Pickling Juice Homemade / Fresh Lemon Juice, A Splash Equipment: Blender Cast Iron Skillet Directions: Please visit my " How To Pickle Almost Anything " page for the recipe. Make the roasted mushroom sauce In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, dry toast the mushrooms until aromatic and browned on all sides. Transfer mushrooms to a blender. In the same skillet, drizzle olive oil and add onion. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until lightly caramelized. Add garlic and saute until aromatic. Add rosemary and cook for another minute. Pour in heavy cream and cook for 1–2 minutes until just warmed through. Transfer everything to the blender with the mushrooms. Blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Blitz again if needed. Transfer sauce to a bowl and set aside. Optional tip: Clean the blender with warm vegetable stock, blitz, season with herbs, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of sesame oil. It makes a quick soup! Carve and cook the mushroom skulls Slice mushrooms in half. Use a paring knife to make 3 small slits for eyes and a nose. Add shallow slits below to resemble teeth. Use a chopstick to gently poke and define the facial features. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 TBSP of butter. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Season with salt and pepper and continue sautéing until lightly caramelized. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic. Add mushroom skulls and sage, toss gently. Add 1 TBSP of butter. Cover and cook for 2–3 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned. Add pea shoots and sauté until just wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning. Plate and serve Spoon 2 generous dollops of mushroom sauce onto serving plates. Dust with cayenne and nori flakes. Add a splash of lemon juice or pickling brine over the sauce. Arrange pea shoots and mushroom skulls on top. Serve immediately. Let's feast... Mushroomlicious... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video As you all know, I started this recipe sharing thingy since 2013. If you guessed it, you are right. I have loads of recipes in my library; at least 500 of them were stashed away because I was revamping this webbie and wanted to give them a new life. Sorta like a rebirth. This is one of those recipes. I have forgotten how easy and simple this recipe is. This reminds me that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. I have no idea where this recipe is from. It probably escapes me. Anyway, the pumpkin spiced syrup and spice blend are newly added. The original recipe calls for maple syrup only without the spices. The addition of cake flour creates a lighter and fluffier bread. So, do not skip it. And you must be wondering why cheddar cheese or are apples and cheese make a great combination? I will leave it for you to judge. For me, it works magically. The sweetness from the apples, the earthiness from the spices and that savory tang from the cheese. Ingredients: (Make one loaf) Unbleached All Purpose Flour / Wholewheat Flour, 90g Cake Flour, 150g Baking Powder, 4g Baking Soda, 3g Sea Salt, 3g Eggs Lightly Beaten, 2 Grapeseed / Sunflower / Canola Oil, 113g + More For Greasing Pumpkin Spiced Syrup Homemade , 85g Adjust To Preference Whole Milk, 60g Apples Cored Coarsely Sliced, 2 to 3 Pumpkin Spice Blend Homemade , 1 TSP Matured Sharp Cheddar Coarsely Diced, 80g + 20g Equipment: Oven Loaf Pan (I'm using 7" x 4" x 4.5") Directions: Please visit my " Pumpkin Spice Blend " page for the recipe. Please visit my " Pumpkin Spiced Latte " page for the syrup recipe. Lightly grease a loaf pan with some oil. Line parchment paper at the bottom as well as the sides. Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius or 350 fahrenheit. In a large bowl, add the types of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine well. In another large bowl, combine eggs, oil, syrup and milk. Mix until well combined. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, 1/3 portion at a time until fully incorporated. Coat the apples well with the pumpkin spice blend. *I left the skins on cos I love the texture. You can peel the apples if desired.* Fold the apples into the batter until well combined. Lastly, add 80g of cheddar and fold until fully incorporated. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Even out the top with an offset spatula. Top it off with the remaining 20g of cheese. Wack into the oven and bake at the 2nd last lower shelf for 40 to 45 mins or until the top is browned and passes the skewer test. *If the bread is browning too fast before the 30th min mark, cover with aluminium foil.* Unmold the bread while it is still warm. Set aside to cool down completely before slicing and serving. It can be kept at room temperature, wrapped in a paper bag, for up to 3 days. Love how simple yet yummilicious this is... Not at all sweet, the right balance... Recipe Video: