Jump To Recipe Jump To Video After my Mushroom Skulls for the Halloween Special , I fell in love with that mushroom sauce. To be honest, it tastes like a reduction of mushroom soup. This time, I took extra steps to enhance the mushroom flavors by blanching and cooking it with the mushroom stock. I also use 3 different types of mushrooms: dried, oyster and Swiss brown. You can use any mushrooms as desired. Shiitake, white button, king oyster, or even portobello are great alternatives. Be sure to use butter as butter and mushroom are best friends. You can make the mushroom sauce in advance. The next morning, just sauteed the Swiss brown mushrooms, assemble and toast them. After consuming these wonder toasts, my eldest daughter asked if this would be great on pizzas. Hmm... Maybe I will give her idea a try next time. What do you think? Ingredients: (Serve 4) Mushroom Stock: Water, 750ml Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Mushroom Powder, Pinch Miso, 1 TBSP Nori Flakes, Pinch Gochugaru, Pinch Dried Mushrooms, 10 Oyster Mushrooms, 250g Swiss Brown Mushrooms, 250g Mushroom Sauce: Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP + 2 TBSP Yellow Onion Finely Sliced, 1 Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Garlic Finely Minced. 3 Cloves Heavy Whipping Cream, 150g Nori Flakes, Pinch Gochugaru, Pinch Toast Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Oyster Sauce, 2 TBSP Baguette, 2 Loaves Fresh Mozzarella Parmigiano Reggiano Nori Flakes, Pinch Gochugaru, Pinch Equipment: Blender Cast Iron Skillet Oven Directions: Prepare the Mushroom Stock In a sauce pot over medium heat, add water, salt, pepper, mushroom powder, miso, nori flakes, and gochugaru. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Blanch each type of mushroom separately for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Remove and cool. Remove the stems. Add the stems and any vegetable scraps to the stock and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and steep to infuse. Coarsely slice the mushrooms and set aside. Make the Mushroom Sauce In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until lightly caramelized. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic. Add the blanched dried and oyster mushrooms. Sauté until well combined. Add 2 TBSP butter, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly caramelized. Add heavy cream and stir to combine. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender. Add salt, pepper, nori flakes, and gochugaru. Blitz until smooth. Return sauce to the skillet. Drain the stock and “clean” the blender with 1 cup of it. Add the stock-blender liquid to the sauce. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened. Final taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside. Prepare the Topping In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add Swiss brown mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until well combined. Add oyster sauce and cook until lightly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside. Assemble the Toast Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Slice a baguette lengthwise and gently flatten with a baking sheet. Place baguette halves on a baking tray lined with parchment. Spread the mushroom sauce generously over each half. Top with mozzarella, sautéed Swiss browns, and a generous grating of parmigiano. Bake until the cheese has melted and the edges are crispy. Remove from the oven and garnish immediately with nori flakes and gochugaru. Super mushroomlicious... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Lately, I have been seeing TikTok videos about Doritos chips served with ground meat, cheese and all kinds of toppings. I thought of recreating that with a meatless version. And this idea just popped into my head. Maybe perhaps, I have been cooking legumes these days and this just came naturally. Anyway, I am using a mixture of lentils. You can also use chickpeas or even ground meat if desired. But keep in mind that if you are using ground meat, the cooking method will be different from this. What better way to top this yummiliciousness than to use Hexa's Jalapeño Cheese Sauce Premix Powder? The spiciness is all balanced out with some sour cream. The combination works its magic wonderfully; the lentil stew, the crispy tortilla chips, the spicy cheese sauce and the tang from the sour cream. Perfect! Ingredients: (Serve 8) Mixed Lentils, 200g Vegetable Stock Homemade , 500g Dried Mushrooms, 10 Baking Soda, Pinch High Quality Olive Oil, 2 TBSP Yellow Onion Finely Sliced, 1 Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Carrots Obliqued, 2 Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Leeks Finely Sliced, 2 Taco Seasonings Homemade, 1 TBSP Tomatoes Diced, 1 Can / 400g Tomato Puree, 2 TBSP Dried Oregano, Pinch Balsamic Vinegar, 1 TBSP or Chipotle In Adobo Sauce, 1/2 + 1 TBSP Adobo Sauce Hexa's Jalapeño Cheese Sauce Premix Powder, 40g Corn Tortilla Chips, A Bag Avocado Oil / Extra Virgin Olive Oil, For Drizzling Sour Cream, For Serving Coriander Coarsely Chopped, For Garnishing Equipment: Heavy Sauce Pot Sauce Pot Directions: Please visit my " How To Make Vegetable Stock " page for the recipe. Prepare the Lentils and Mushrooms Soak lentils in a large bowl with water about 1" above the lentils. Cover and leave overnight. The next day, bring vegetable stock to a simmer in a sauce pot. Blanch dried mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Remove, cool slightly, discard stems, and slice thinly. Drain and rinse the lentils. Add them to the stock with a pinch of baking soda. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and mashable. Drain and reserve the stock. Set lentils aside. Simmer vegetable scraps in the reserved stock for 3 to 5 minutes. Cover, steep, strain, and discard scraps. Make the Meatless Sauce In a heavy sauce pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until lightly caramelized. Add carrots and sauté until combined. Add butter, cover, and cook 2 to 3 minutes until carrots are fork tender. Stir in garlic, leeks, and taco seasoning until aromatic. Deglaze with ¼ cup of reserved stock. Stir in tomatoes, tomato purée, lentils, and the rest of the stock. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside. Prepare the Jalapeño Cheese Sauce In a sauce pot over medium heat, combine Hexa's Jalapeño Cheese Sauce Premix Powder with 80g hot water. Stir until smooth and lump-free. Remove from heat and set aside. Assemble the Nachos Spoon lentil sauce over tortilla chips. Drizzle avocado oil on top. Add dollops of cheese sauce and sour cream. Scatter chopped coriander over everything. Serve individually or on a shared baking tray. Nourishing in every mouthful... Hexa's Jalapeño Cheese Sauce Premix Powder... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This pumpkin butter is inspired by @cookingwithcarrrl . The moment I saw his recipe, I knew that I must give it a try. I change his recipe a bit. You can take a look at his original recipe here , and give him a follow while you are at it. He has some very awesome recipes. Pumpkin butter... I was thinking of ways to put this awesome pumpkin butter to good use instead of just spreading it onto some toast. Someone even told me not to add any kinda meat. As I was discussing, this idea just popped into my head. And the rest is history. You totally omit the dried herbs. I added them for some color (for pure cosmetic purposes). I still find that mozzarella and parmigiano are the best cheese for making melts and grilled cheese sandwiches. Brie and cheddar would be wonderful alternatives too. Maybe I should start exploring more. Hmm... Ingredients: Inspired by @cookingwithcarrrl (Serve 1) Pumpkin Butter: Pumpkin Puree Homemade , 425g Apples Grated, 2 Pumpkin Spice Syrup Homemade , 100g Pumpkin Spice Blend Homemade , 1 TSBP Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 Lemon Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon All Spice Ground, 1/2 TSP Ground Cinnamon, 1/2 TSP Sandwich: Unsalted Butter, For Cooking Sandwich Bread, 2 Slices Dried Sage, Pinch (Optional) Dried Parsley, Pinch (Optional) Parmigiano Reggiano, For Grating Fresh Mozzarella, A Handful Of Slices Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Directions: Please visit my " Pumpkin Spiced Latte " page for the puree and syrup recipes. Please visit my " Pumpkin Spice Blend " page for the recipe. Prepare the pumpkin butter. Add everything into a skillet. Turn the heat up to medium. Stir to combine well. Cook for 10 to 15 mins or until the sauce thickened and darkened. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat and set aside. Prepare the sandwich. Spread the pumpkin butter onto the sandwich bread. Sprinkle sage and parsley over the butter, if using. Place slices of mozzarella onto 1 slice of bread only. Sandwich with the other slice. Melt 2 TBSP of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. As soon as the butter starts to melt, grate in some parmigiano roughly to the size of your bread. Place the sandwich onto the grated parmigiano. Cover and cook for about 1 to 2 mins or until the bottom is crispy brown. Remove the sandwich with a spatula. Again, melt 2 TBSP of butter in the same skillet and grate in some Parmigiano. Swiftly, flip the sandwich onto the parmigiano. Cook for about 1 min or until the bottom is crispy brown. Remove from heat and serve immediately. All that ooey gooey goodness... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I asked @cookingwithcarrrl . what did he usually eat his pumpkin butter with and he sorta gave me the challenge to make something outta it. Loads of ideas came rushing at me. Again, I was tempted to add some beef salami to this tart, but I didn't. I am glad because caramelized onions work so well with this pumpkin butter. I just tested it out on a whim. It was kinda impromptu; tasting, adjusting and adding cheese with my gut. I never expect it turns out this good. Too good not to share actually. Below is a trick I learned to caramelize onions in a more effective way, rather than spending almost an hour. It took me about 15 to 20 mins. That extra maple syrup and balsamic add more depth to the flavors. The rest are just the magical combination of pumpkin butter, cheese and caramelized onions. Ingredients: (Serve 4) Caramelized Onions: Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP Yellow Onion Thinly Sliced, 3 Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Demerara Sugar, 1 TBSP Maple Syrup, 2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar, 2 TBSP Tart: Frozen Puff Pastry, 1 or 2 Sheets Pumpkin Butter Homemade , For Spreading Fresh Mozzarella, A Few Pinches Parmigiano Reggiano, For Grating Scallions Thinly Sliced, A Handful Pumpkin Seed Oil, For Drizzling Shichimi Togarashi, Pinch Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Oven Sauce Pot Directions: Please visit my " The Pumpkin Butter Melt " page for the recipe. Prepare the Caramelized Onions In a sauce pot over medium heat, add 500ml of water along with all the onion peels and scraps. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Cover and set aside to steep for 5 minutes. Strain and discard the solids. Set aside the onion stock. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced onions and season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Saute until caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Deglaze with onion stock as needed if the onions stick. Remove from heat and set aside. Assemble the Tart Preheat the oven to 200°C (395°F). Lay a sheet of puff pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Follow your puff pastry packaging instructions for best results. Use a fork to create decorative indentations along the edges. Spread a layer of pumpkin butter evenly across the pastry. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with shredded mozzarella, grated Parmigiano, and the caramelized onions. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese has fully melted and is bubbly. Finishing Touches Remove the tart from the oven and immediately garnish with sliced scallions. Drizzle with pumpkin seed oil. Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi for a subtle heat and umami finish. Slice and serve immediately. Love everything about this tart... I hope you will give this a try... The perfect bite... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Aside from matcha, this is also my daughter's favorite. Every year, she would wait patiently for me to make this pumpkin bread. This is because I only make this once a year. Which puzzled me; why do we only have pumpkin, cranberry sauce, turkey, etc once a year? Hmm... Anyway, this came out just like it used to, which means, a happy daughter = a happy dad. Agree? Lol! I love how dense and moist this bread is. Probably the next best thing to banana bread. On a side note, oil also keeps the bread moist during the baking process. A tip I learned from a master baker. I used a very simple butter and cream cheese frosting. That will be my motto from here on out; keep it simple and try not to complicate food. I personally find that fine dining is getting too pretentious. Don't you think? Ingredients: (Make one loaf) Bread: Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 188g Baking Powder, 6g Baking Soda, 3g Pumpkin Spice Blend Homemade , 1 TBSP Cinnamon Ground, 1/2 TSP Sea Salt, Pinch Eggs, 3 Dark Muscovado Sugar, 50g Demerara Sugar, 50g Pumpkin Puree Homemade , 320g Spiced / Dark Rum, 2 TBSP Grapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 180g + More For Greasing Frosting: Cream Cheese Preferably Philadelphia Softened, 113g Unsalted Butter Softened, 58g Icing Sugar, 70g Spiced / Dark Rum, 1 TBSP Pumpkin Spice Blend Homemade , Pinch Pumpkin Seeds, For Garnishing Equipment: Oven Hand / Stand Mixer Loaf Pan Directions: Please visit my " Pumpkin Spice Blend " page for the recipe. Please visit my " How To Make Pumpkin Puree " page for the ecipe. Prepare the bread. Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius or 350 fahrenheit. Lightly grease the loaf pan with oil and lined it with parchment paper (bottom and sides). In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, soda, salt, pumpkin spice blend, cinnamon, and salt. Mix to combine well. Whisk eggs with a hand or stand mixer until tripled in volume. Add in the sugar and whip until the sugar has dissolved and is well combined. Followed by the pumpkin puree and spiced rum, and continue whipping until homogeneous. Fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture until well combined. Fold in 1/3 of the oil to combine well. Repeat the process, alternating, until everything is fully incorporated. *Make sure there are no large lumps.* Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Wack into the oven and bake for about 45 to 50 mins or until it passes the skewer test. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool down completely. While the bread is cooling down, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Using a hand or stand mixer, whip light and fluffy. Add in sugar, spiced rum and pumpkin spice blend. Whip until smooth and well combined. Run a spatula along the edges of the loaf pan. Unmold the bread onto a serving plate. Spread the frosting onto the bread and smoothen it out. Lastly, scatter the pumpkin seeds over the top. Slice and serve. My kinda pumpkin bread: moist and dense... Mama Mia... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I can't believe this recipe is 8 years old. I think I posted this twice on FB and somewhere on SnapDish. Anyway, this is probably the most underrated toast. It is simply a beer cheese sauce on toast, or in this case, a Guinness cheese sauce. I added some chunky chili jam for a bit of a spicy kick as well as tang and sweetness to balance out the rich cheese sauce. This was originally called "rabbit". Since there is no actual rabbit on the toast, it is renamed to "rarebit". There are actually some variations to this wonderful toast. Each has its own uniqueness and name and there is no strong evidence that this is a dish in Welsh cuisine. Today, I am gonna show you lovely 2 versions: Welsh and Buck. A buck rarebit or golden buck is simply a Welsh rarebit served with an egg on top. Ingredients: (Serve 2) Chili Jam: Red, Yellow, Green Bell Peppers Deseeded, 3 High Quality Olive Oil, 2 TBSP Yellow Onion Thinly Sliced, 1 Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Red Chilies Deseeded Coarsely Sliced, 4 Green Chilies Deseeded Coarsely Sliced, 4 Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Balsamic Vinegar, 75g Demerara Sugar, 30g Guinness Cheese Sauce: Unsalted Butter, 14g Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 14g Guinness Stout, 113g Chicken Stock, 113g Cheddar Cheese Finely Diced, 100g English Mustard Powder, 1/2 TSP Worcestershire Sauce, 1/2 TSP Rarebit: Unsalted Butter, A Few TBSP Sandwich Bread, A Few Slices Egg, 1 or 2 Dried Parsley, For Garnishing Smoked Sea Salt, Pinch Equipment: Oven Sauce Pot Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Blow Torch Directions: Prepare the Chili Jam Preheat oven to broil. Quarter the bell peppers and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Broil for 15–20 mins or until charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and steam until cooled. Peel off charred skins and coarsely chop the peppers. In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until lightly caramelized. Add chilies and garlic. Sauté until aromatic. Add roasted peppers, balsamic vinegar, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer until thick and most liquid has evaporated. Taste and season with salt. Remove from heat. Optional: Blitz for a smooth jam. Store chilled for up to 1 month. Prepare the Cheese Sauce In a sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in chicken stock, ½ at a time, until smooth. Slowly add Guinness, whisking until fully incorporated. Stir in cheese, ⅓ at a time, until melted. Add mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk to combine. Remove from heat and set aside. Assemble the Rarebit Melt 1 TBSP butter in a skillet over medium heat. Toast bread until crispy on one side. Transfer to a serving plate, toasted side up. Spread chili jam over the toast. Spoon cheese sauce on top. Optional: Broil or blowtorch until the cheese is lightly charred. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately. For a Buck Rarebit Prepare toast and chili jam as above but skip broiling. In a skillet, melt 1 TBSP butter. Fry an egg until desired doneness. Slide the egg over the cheese sauce-topped toast. Garnish with parsley and season the egg with smoked salt. Serve immediately. I really hope you'll give this a try... Yolk porn... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This is a very simple recipe from an awesome cookbook by Sean Sherman: The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen . I have searched for Indigenous recipes online, but can't seem to find any. Any authentic ones to be exact. It is filled with fried bread, loads of fatty meat or sugary food which I doubt is traditionally Indigenous. Do yourself a favor and buy this cookbook... Then I came across this cookbook. I bought it without much thought and immediately dive straight into it. I love a good, simple yet yummilicious meal. This checks all the boxes. The poached egg on the cornmeal mush makes so much sense. I have cut down the recipe by half from the original as I was only cooking for myself. 1 for my brunch and 1 for my dinner. You can easily double or tripled this recipe. Do taste and adjust for seasoning for the mush along the way. I also shared how I usually poach my eggs down below. Ingredients: Adapted From Sean Sherman: The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen (Serve 2) Grits / Cornmeal, 85g Water, 500ml Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Eggs, 2 Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Equipment: Sauce Pot Directions: In a sauce pot over medium heat, add grits and water. Bring the heat up to a simmer. Whisk for about 5 mins. Bring the heat down to low. Whisk occasionally to prevent burning. Cook for about 30 to 35 mins or the mush has thickened. Half way thru', taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. The mash should drop heavily from a spoon, but still, be fluid and not sludgy. Final taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. This is how I prepare the poached eggs. Fill a large pot with water. Turn the heat up to low. The temperature of the water should be 80 degree celsius or 175 fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, there should be steam and bubbles at the side of the pot, but the water isn't even simmering. Slide a plate on the bottom (the plate acts as an insulator). Crack an egg over a slotted spoon (this will drain off any unwanted excess egg white). Gently slide the egg into the water. Cook for exactly 4 mins. Remove from the heat and immediately onto the cornmeal mush. Season the egg with salt and pepper. Garnish with some coriander and serve immediately. Repeat the process for the remaining egg. Nourishing, hearty and yummilicious... Yolk porn! Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This is another yummilicious recipe from an awesome cookbook by Sean Sherman: The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen . I can say that Sean introduced wild rice into my life. I think this is probably my favorite type of rice; it is earthy, nutty and almost has that distinct smokey aroma. Do yourself a favor and buy this cookbook... To make my life easier, I am using my rice cooker to cook wild rice. I also included instructions down below on how to cook it in a sauce pot. I do not have any wild mushrooms as called out in the cookbook, so I am using some dried mushrooms. I am also using a mixture of dried fruits instead of dried cranberries. Feel free to play around with the ingredients, this is a pilaf after all. This is indeed a very hearty meal and I can probably eat this every day. And guess what? This is 100% vegan friendly. Vegan food doesn't have to be raw and boring. It can be as vibrantly yummilicous as this. Ingredients: Adapted From Sean Sherman: The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen (Serve 2) Wild Rice, 65g Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Dried Mushrooms, 50g Rapeseed / Sunflower Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP + 1 TBSP Yellow Onion Finely Sliced, 1 Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Dried Sage, Pinch Dried Fruits, 80g Roasted Chestnuts Coarsely Wedged, 20g Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Maple Syrup, 1 TBSP Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Rice Cooker Sauce Pot Directions: Cook the Wild Rice Rinse wild rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Cook in a rice cooker according to the manufacturer’s instructions with enough water to cover. Alternatively , cook in a pot over medium-low heat with 1L of water for 15–20 mins. Fluff the rice with a fork once done. The texture should be al dente. Set aside. Prepare the Mushrooms & Stock In a pot over medium heat, bring 500ml water to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Blanch dried mushrooms for 2–3 mins or until tender. Remove and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, coarsely slice the mushrooms. Add vegetable scraps to the mushroom water and simmer for 3–5 mins. Cover and infuse for 10 mins, then strain and discard solids. Sauté the Ingredients In a skillet over medium heat, add 2 TBSP oil. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until lightly caramelized. Add sliced mushrooms and stir to combine. Drizzle in 1 TBSP oil, cover, and cook for 3–5 mins until lightly caramelized. Deglaze with some mushroom stock. Add garlic and sage, sauté until aromatic. Bring It All Together Add cooked wild rice to the skillet and drizzle in a bit more stock. Sauté until everything is well combined. Stir in dried fruits and chestnuts. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped coriander and drizzle in maple syrup. Toss to combine well. To Serve Transfer to serving plates. Garnish with more coriander. Serve immediately and enjoy. Every mouthful is Mama Mia... I can eat this every day... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Remember the South African stranger I was talking about? This is the 2nd dish that she name-dropped. I went and did some research; there're actually lots of variations to this dish. Some cooked it with ground beef or ground lamb, some even added some raisins or dried fruits. I decided to make this vegetarian with lentils and mushrooms. This is of cos, not the traditional authentic Bobotie (pronounced as ba-boor-tea). My version might be slower and longer to make, but quite frankly, I am very satisfied with the results. Even my kids said that this is yummilicious (the 3 of us finished the entire skillet that evening). You can use any ground meat you desired and add some raisins, sultanas or dried fruits. The skillet is your canvas and you are the artist. Ingredients: (Serve 8) Mixed Lentils, 250g Baking Soda, Pinch Green Bell Pepper Deseeded Wedged, 1 Madras Paste: Unsalted Butter, 10g Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 10g Madras Masala Homemade , 2 TBSP Tamarind Paste, 1 TBSP Bobotie: Sandwich White Bread, 2 Slices Whole Milk, 300g + More Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP + 2 TBSP Red Onions Thinly Sliced, 2 Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Swiss Brown Mushrooms Finely Diced, 150g Shiitake Mushrooms Finely Diced, 150g Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves Chili Jam Homemade or any Fruity Chutney, 2 Heaped TBSP Bay Leaves, 5 or More Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Eggs, 2 Equipment: Heavy Sauce Pot Oven 10" Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Directions: Please visit my " How To Make Madras Masala " page for the recipe. Please visit my " Welsh Rarebit & Buck Rarebit " page for the chili jam recipe. Soak the Lentils Soak lentils in a large bowl with enough water to submerge them by 1". Cover and set aside overnight. Cook the Lentils The next day, drain and rinse the lentils thoroughly. Transfer to a pot and add fresh water to about 2" above the lentils. Sprinkle in some baking soda and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils can be easily mashed with your fingers, about 30–40 mins. Roast the Bell Pepper While the lentils cook, broil the bell pepper in the oven until charred. Remove from oven, cover, and let it steam to loosen the skin. Once cooled, peel off the charred skin and coarsely dice. Prepare the Madras Paste In another pot over medium heat, whisk butter and flour to form a roux. Continue whisking until it turns golden brown. Add in the madras masala and cook until aromatic. Stir in tamarind paste and a ladle of lentil cooking liquid to deglaze. Whisk into a smooth paste and set aside. Prepare the Bobotie Base Drain the cooked lentils and set aside. (You can freeze the stock for future use.) Soak bread slices in milk and set aside. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onions with salt and pepper until lightly caramelized. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. Add more butter and continue sautéing until mushrooms are lightly caramelized. Add garlic, roasted bell pepper, and the cooked lentils. Remove soaked bread from milk and mash into the mixture. Stir in madras paste, chili jam, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in fresh coriander and mix until thick and cohesive. Assemble & Bake Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Combine leftover milk with enough fresh milk to total 300g. Whisk in eggs until smooth. Pour custard evenly over the lentil mixture. Season the top with a pinch of salt and pepper. Decorate with a few bay leaves. Bake for 35–40 mins or until the custard is set and lightly browned. Serve Let cool slightly. Slice and serve warm, optionally with a side of chutney or sambal. South African cuisine is so underrated... Mama Mia... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Don't you love this cold season? I love waking up to a warm and cozy breakfast like these ramekin s'mores cookies. This is super simple and easy to put together. I find that by using chocolate pistoles rather than chips, produces better cookies. Chocolate chips somehow disappear into the cookie. You can also use some coarsely chopped chocolate. On a side note, do not rest this cookie dough too long on the counter. After the dough is done mixing, it is best to scoop them into ramekins and bake as soon as you can. Do not bake them for more than 15 mins. With milk? The exterior should be hard and crispy, while the interior is still soft and fudgy. I prefer mine served with a splash of milk and some charred marshmallows. Everything in 1 scoop. Problem solved right? I don't have to dip cookies into another glass of milk. Anyway, this is like Xmas morning. Speaking of what, Merry Xmas! Ingredients: (Make 6) Unsalted Butter 55g + More Demerara Sugar, 20g Light Muscovado Sugar, 20g Pure Vanilla Paste, 1 TSP Eggs, 2 Wholemeal Flour, 75g Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 75g Sea Salt, 1/2 TSP Baking Soda, 1/2 TSP Dark 70% Chocolate Pistoles Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut, 85g Milk Chocolate Pistoles Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut, 85g Oat Milk Homemade or Any Milk, For Serving (Optional) Mini Marshmallows, 20g + More For Serving Equipment: Ramekins Oven Hand / Stand Mixer Blowtorch Sauce Pot Directions: Prepare the Brown Butter Add butter to a pot over medium heat. Cook until the butter starts to “sing” (sizzling and bubbling). Once the sizzling subsides and bubbling stops, cook for 30 seconds more. Immediately strain through a sieve lined with coffee filter paper. Set aside to drip completely. Make the Cookie Dough Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Once the butter has stopped dripping, weigh it. Add enough butter to bring the total to 110g. In a large bowl, whip the butter mixture until light and fluffy, like mayonnaise. Add sugar and continue whipping until well combined. Add in vanilla and eggs. Whip until incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, 1/3 at a time, until fully incorporated. Gently fold in chocolate and marshmallows. Bake & Serve Divide the cookie dough evenly into ramekins (you should get about 6 servings). Place ramekins on a baking tray. Bake for 13–15 minutes or until tops are golden and edges are set. The center should stay fudgy and gooey. Serve warm with extra marshmallows and a splash of milk. Optional: Torch the marshmallows lightly for that toasted s’mores effect. Or without milk? Both tastes super yummilicious... Recipe Video: