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Jump To Recipe Jump To Video You can call it a coincidence or just a small world, my mum actually made shatta without even knowing. She is from Indonesia and sambal hijau is sorta her favorite condiment. The problem is, she was a career woman and she hardly have the time to cook. So, somehow she discovered a way to replicate sambal hijau without cooking. I didn't know about shatta existed until I fell in love with middle eastern cuisine. Small world right? There is even a red version of shatta in which red chilies are used instead of green chilies. This is somewhat like a very spicy pesto but without the cheese. Earthy, flavorful and of cos spicy. You can tone down the spice level by deseeding the chilies or using milder green chilies. And if you want it spicy, you can always use jalapeños. It is really up to your own palate. The magical thing about this chili sauce is you can actually store it for up to 6 months! Ingredients: (Make 1 cup) Garlic, 5 Cloves Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Cumin Ground, 1/2 TSP Any Green Chilies (I'm using shishito peppers), 100g Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 Lemon Parsley, 10g Any Nuts (I'm using pecans), 15g Demerara Sugar, 1 TBSP High Quality Olive Oil, 38g Mushroom Powder, Pinch Black Seeds Preferably Hexa , Pinch Sumac Preferably Hexa , Pinch Equipment: Food Processor Directions: Blitz garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, green chilies, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, nuts and sugar in a food processor until it comes together into a coarse paste. Transfer into a bowl and fold in olive oil until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt, sugar or pepper. Add in mushroom powder, black seeds and sumac. Give it a final mix and store it in a sterilized jar. It can store very well chilled in the fridge for up to 6 months as the olive will solidify the shatta. Thaw at room temperature before using. You can use shatta as a condiment for your sandwiches, hummus, soups, etc. I prefer having my shatta with some yogurt in a pita... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This lovely French pastry dough was 1st introduced to me by a close friend of mine on Instagram, Inbar Zuckerberg . I have learned a lot from her. She is now currently working at LaSalle Restaurant Zürich, Switzerland. Please show her some love by visiting the restaurant if ever you are in Zürich. I did some research on how to craft this pastry and it pays off. The trick is to whisk the dough into a dough-like consistency, not too sticky nor soft. And most importantly, it is best kept chilled in the fridge overnight before use. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months in the freezer. You can also reuse any scraps or leftovers by rerolling the dough. Needless to say, this is a very versatile recipe. I usually use this for my flan and cheesecake recipes. Ingredients: (1 Recipe) Unsalted Butter Softened Preferably Irish, 140g Demerara Sugar, 100g Egg Yolks, 58g Pure Vanilla Paste, 1 TSP Unbleached All Purpose Flour. 185g Sea Salt, 4g Baking Powder, 6g Equipment: Hand / Stand Mixer Oven Directions: In a large mixing bowl, add in butter and sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer, cream until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla paste. Whisk until well combined. In a smaller bowl, mix flour, salt & baking powder together. Whisk this flour mixture into the butter mixture, 1/3 portion at a time, until everything is well incorporated. Continue whisking until it reaches a dough-like texture, not sticky nor stretchy. Transfer onto a cling film. Wrap and shape into a rectangle for easier rolling. Keep chill in the fridge for at least 6 hrs or preferably overnight. You can keep it frozen in a freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the chiller the day before use. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius or 360 fahrenheit. Unwrap the sablé breton onto parchment paper. Slice the portion size you need and keep the remaining wrapped and chilled. Place another parchment paper on top. Roll into your desired thickness. Cut into your desired shapes. Save any scraps with the remaining sablé breton. Keep any leftovers chilled or frozen. Wack into the oven and bake for 6 to 8 mins or until crispy brown. I love having my sablé breton with my homemade lemon marmalade ... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This is my multi-purpose tomato sauce. I used this for my pasta, pizza and lasagna. I personally find that tomatoes lose their vibrant fruitiness as you start to cook them down. Don't you agree? I mean, the tomato sauce will cook further on pasta, pizzas or lasagna, so why cook them for hours and hours beforehand? Maybe it is just me. Anyway, the olive oil (make sure you are using a high quality one, it matters) is infused with garlic during the poaching process, then pour into the seasoned tomatoes. That poached infused oil will sorta "cook" the tomatoes gently while retaining the vibrant tomatoey fruitiness. Sorry, I got carried away. Ingredients: (Make 14oz) Crushed or Whole Tomatoes Canned, 14oz Sea Salt, Pinch Black Pepper, Pinch Mushroom Powder, Pinch High Quality Olive Oil, 1/4 Cup Garlic Thinly Sliced, 5 Cloves Chili Flakes, 1/2 TSP Dried Basil, 1/2 TSP Dried Oregano, 1/2 TSP Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Directions: Transfer tomatoes into a large bowl. *If your canned tomatoes are whole, you can crush them with your hand.* Season with salt, pepper and mushroom powder. Give it a quick mix and set it aside. In a skillet over low heat, add olive oil and garlic. Allow the garlic to poach in the oil for about 15 mins. *The heat has to be on super low, or the garlic will burn very fast.* As soon as the garlic starts to brown along the edges, immediately remove it from heat and pass thru' a sieve onto the tomatoes. Add in chili flakes, basil and oregano. Mix until well combined. Set aside until ready to use. *The sauce can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.* You can use this for your pasta or pizzas. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This blend of seasoning dated back to the 18th century when the Cajun–Acadians who were deported from Acadia to Louisiana. They incorporated West African, French and Spanish cooking techniques into their original cuisine which makes it unique. My version of Cajun seasoning is not traditional; I added a few twists to enhance the flavors. I also heard that there are actually 2 types of Cajun seasoning? I am not sure if I am right. The other is more of a rub to act as a searing coat for meat. Maybe it is about time I explore more traditional American cuisine. Agree? Ingredients: (Make 1/2 Cup) Black Peppercorns, 1 TBSP White Peppercorns, 1 TBSP Dried Mushroom, 1 De Arbol, 3 Smoked Paprika, 2.5 TSP Cayenne, 1 TSP Smoked Sea Salt, 2 TSP Garlic Powder, 2 TSP Onion Powder, 1 TSP Dried Oregano, 1 TSP Dried Thyme, 1 TSP Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Spice Grinder Directions: In a skillet over medium heat, add black peppercorns, white peppercorns, dried mushroom and de arbol. Toast lightly until aromatic. Transfer into a spice grinder. Blitz until powder forms. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Give it a few pulses to combine well. Transfer into a sterilized mason jar. Cover tightly and store in a dry cool place. I like to keep the spices in the freezer. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Ever since one of my Insta-Fam posed a recipe about Japanese curry roux, it changed my life. I tot of doing a separate post specifically on this masala. The name "Madras Curry" wasn't even used in India even tho it is founded in Madras city in Southern India. You should have known. The name is invented by the English who brought the spice blend back to the UK. You can find Madras Curry in most of the restaurants in Britain. Let's get started with the recipe. Ingredients: (Make 2 Cups) Cumin Seeds, 1 TBSP Coriander Seeds, 2 TBSP Fenugreek Seeds, 1 TSP Mustard Seeds, 1 TSP Black Peppercorns, 1 TSP Cinnamon, 1 Stick Green Cardamom, 10 Cloves, 1 TSP Dried Kashmiri Chilies, 5 Kadi Patta, 20 Ginger Powder, 1 TBSP Turmeric Powder, 2 TBSP Equipment: Cast Iron Skillet / Pan Spice Grinder Directions: In a skillet over medium heat, add all the ingredients, except for ginger and turmeric powder. Toast until aromatic. The mustard seeds and kadi patta will start "singing". Remove from heat and transfer into a spice grinder. Blitz until powder forms. Add in ginger and turmeric powder. Give it a few more blitzes. Transfer into an airtight container. Store in a cool and dry place. I prefer storing my spices in the freezer. All the wonderful aroma just permeates my kitchen... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video As I was posting about mooncakes, an InstaFam, @joycexi DMed me about this traditional mooncake from Shanghai. I began more fascinated by it. The biggest hurdle is pork lard as I don't eat pork, so lard is just outta the question. Even tho vegetable shortening seems like a great substitute, the process of turning palm oil into something that looks like lard is really gross. To add insult to injury, vegetable shortening is flavorless. The pastries cracked during the baking process... So I tried a combination of butter & ghee. It still lacked that flakiness texture and to be honest, it tastes rather blend (without that aromatic perfume). I had to improvise. I tried a combination of duck fat and peanut oil. The texture, as well as flavor, improved. The 2 main problems are that during the baking process, the pastry cracked open again. Some even erupted. They still lack that flakiness that I am looking for, even tho they made progress. I will give this another shot in 2023. If you still wanna try my recipe, it is written down below with a video included. Here I wish all you lovely people a very Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Ingredients: (Make 16 mooncakes) Fillings: Chicken Thigh Skinless Boneless, 75g Chicken Breast Skinless Boneless, 75g Shrimp Deveined Shelled, 100g Shiitake Mushrooms Finely Diced, 2 Garlic Finely Grated, 1 Clove Ginger Finely Grated, 1/4 Inch Green Onion Thinly Chopped, 2 Stalks Granulated Sugar, 1/2 TSP Sea Salt, Pinch White Pepper, Pinch Mushroom Powder, Pinch Cornstarch, 1/2 TSP Shaoxing Wine / Hua Tiao Wine, 1/2 TBSP Light Soy Sauce, 1/2 TBSP Sesame Oil, 1 TSP Pastry Dough: Italian 00 Flour / Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 200g Granulated Sugar, 20g Sea Salt, 1/4 TSP Lukewarm Water, 100g Duck Fat, 25g Peanut Oil, 25g Oil Dough: Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 56g Cake Flour, 94g Sea Salt, 1/4 TSP Duck Fat, 75g Equipment: Oven Food Processor / Meat Grinder Directions: Prepare the fillings. If you have a meat grinder, use it to grind the chicken and shrimp. If not, you can use a food processor. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients together. Keep mixing and stirring for about 2-3 mins. The fillings should stick to the spoon without falling off. Do not take it too far as it will be gummy after the baking process. Cover with cling film and marinate in the fridge overnight. On baking day, prepare the pastry dough. In a large bowl, add flour, sugar and salt. Mix to combine well. Add in water, duck fat and oil. Mix to combine well or until it comes together into a dough. Knead inside the bowl to pick up all the nooks & crannies. Shape into a ball & cover with cling film. Set aside on the counter to rest for 30 mins. Prepare the oil dough. In a large bowl, combine the 2 flour, salt and duck fat. Keep mixing until it comes together into a smooth dough. Shape into a ball and cover with cling film. Set aside on the counter to rest for 30 mins. Shaping & assembly. Weigh and divide the 2 doughs into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into tight balls. Shape the pastry dough balls into discs with a rolling pin to about 1/4" thick. Place the oil dough onto the pastry dough disc and wrap the oil dough. Smooth it into a larger dough ball with hands. Cover and set aside for 15 mins. Roll each dough ball into an oblong shape with a rolling pin. Roll it up like a cigar. Flatten and roll horizontally. Roll into a cigar. *You can watch the video below for better illustration.* Cover and set aside for another 15 mins. Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius or 360 fahrenheit. Roll each dough ball into discs with a rolling pin, sim side up, about 1/4" thick. Scoop a small portion of fillings and place them at the center of the disc. *Do not overfill.* Wrap tightly and smooth into balls, making sure there is no gap or hole. Transfer onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Gently press down the dough to flatten it slightly to resemble small wheels Wack into the oven and bake for 8 mins, flip and continue baking for another 8 mins. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely. Once cool, serve and enjoy. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Since a lot of people have been asking whether I make my own oat milk. Here it is. You can skip the dates and maple syrup if desired. I added vanilla and salt for a bit of body. And also, I like to lightly toast my oats. I find that it sorta removes that raw oaty taste and adds a bit of flavor (maybe it is just me). I used this oat milk for most of my coffee endeavors. This non-dairy milk almost has the same frothy texture compared to regular milk. I hope you will give this recipe a try. Ingredients: (Serve 1) Rolled Oats, 80g Water, 960g Dates Pitted, 1 Maple Syrup, 20g Pure Vanilla Paste, 1/2 TSP Sea Salt, Pinch Equipment: Blender Cast Iron Skillet Directions: In a skillet over medium-low heat, add oats. Lightly toast the oats until aromatic. Transfer into the blender and blitz with the rest of the ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust for sugar. Pass the mixture thru' a cheesecloth with a sieve over a large bowl. Set aside to drip for 30 mins. After 30 mins, squeeze out as much liquid as humanly can. *You can discard the residue, but I froze them for future experiments.* Transfer the oat milk into a sterilized bottle. Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to be consumed. It can be kept for up to 5 days in the fridge. The oat will tend to separate. Give it a shake before using. Will you give this a try? Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I'm just trying this out on a whim. I have no idea how long can the extract and paste be kept for. Guess the only way to find out is to wait. As for the pandan paste, you will not get that bright green color as compared to store-bought ones. But it does have that pandan aromatic. Pandan Paste... I am pretty surprised at how the extract has turned out. It has been 4 days since I bottled it and it is smelling amazing! Let's wait a bit longer and I will keep you lovely people posted. Ingredients: (Make 1 cup each) Pandan Leaves, 2 Huge Branches Gula Melaka aka Coconut Palm Sugar, 20g Coconut Rum, 2 TBSP + More Equipment: Blender Sauce Pot Sterilized Jars x 2 (About 1 Cup Each) Directions: Wash pandan leaves thoroughly. Discard any bad ones. Coarsely chop the pandan leaves and transfer to a blender. *Reserve 20g of the chopped pandan leaves.* Add just enuff water to get the blender blitzing. I used 2 cups of water. Blitz until smooth. Pass the mixture thru' a sieve over a sauce pot. Add another cup of water to "clean" the blender. Blitz and pass it thru' a sieve as well. Squeeze out as much juice as humanly can with the back of a spoon. *You can discard the residue. I freezing mine for future experiments.* Add the gula melaka and rum into the pandan juice. Stir to combine well and until the gula melaka has dissolved. Turn the heat up to medium and bring it up to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about 15 to 20 mins or until the mixture has reduced by half. Remove from heat and transfer to a sterilized jar. Keep it chill in the fridge. As for the extract, add the reserved 20g of pandan leaves into another sterilized jar. Pack the leaves down tightly. Fill the jar with coconut rum. Keep it in a cool and dark place. Pandan extract... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Today, I want to share a little secret from my kitchen: my homemade gravy recipe. It all begins with chicken stock, made from scratch using two chicken carcasses. But here's the twist – I add a bit of milk powder to the carcasses before roasting them in the oven. Sounds unusual, right? Trust me, it's a game-changer. The milk powder helps caramelize the carcasses, adding a rich depth of flavor to the stock that's just incredible. Make your own chicken stock, it will make all the difference... Now, onto the gravy. It starts with a classic roux – just flour and butter – but here's my trick for the smoothest gravy you'll ever taste: pour the homemade stock in all at once. That's right, no gradual adding; just one bold move to avoid any lumps. The result? A silky, flavorful gravy that's perfect for drizzling over your favorite dishes. It's a simple yet effective technique that elevates your gravy from good to great. So, next time you're in the kitchen, give this method a try. It might just become your new favorite too! Ingredients: (Make about 500ml) Chicken Carcasses, 2 Milk Powder, 1 TBSP Sea Salt, Pinch White Pepper, Pinch Mushroom Powder, Pinch Yellow Onion Wedged, 1 Carrot Obliqued, 1 Shiitake Mushrooms Sliced, 50g Garlic Crushed, 3 Cloves Herbes de Provence, 1 TSP Bay Leaf, 1 Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 60g Unsalted Butter, 60g Black Pepper, Pinch Cayenne, Pinch Equipment: Oven Heavy Pot Baking Dish Directions: Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius or 400 fahrenheit. Transfer chicken carcasses into a baking dish. Sprinkle milk powder, salt, white pepper and mushroom powder over the top. Mix to coat well. Wack into the oven and bake for 40 to 50 mins or until the bones are dark browned, flipping halfway thru'. Transfer the chicken carcasses to a pot. Add some hot water to the baking dish and deglaze. Take your time to deglaze as it is liquid gold. Transfer the deglazed liquid to the pot, along with onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic, herbes de provence and bay leaf. Add in 1.5 L of water and stir to combine well. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring it up to a simmer. Cook for about 8 to 10 mins. Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt, pepper and mushroom powder. Remove from heat, cover and steep for 5 mins. Drain and set the stock aside; you can consume the residue. In another pot over medium heat, add flour and butter. Whisk until the butter has melted and well combined. Continue whisking until the mixture turns to a dark shade of brown. Add in 1 L of that stock all at once. Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened. Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt, black pepper and cayenne. Remove from heat and serve this with your mashed potatoes or roast. Thick... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video Homemade ricotta cheese might sound like a gourmet endeavor, but it’s surprisingly simple to make and incredibly rewarding. All it takes is whole milk, a bit of cream, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to create something creamy and delightful. The beauty of making ricotta at home is that you get to experience the transformation of these everyday ingredients into a fresh, flavorful cheese with a texture that’s just perfect for spreading on toast, tossing in salads, or adding to your favorite pasta dishes. The process is almost magical—heat, mix, and watch as the curds form and separate from the whey, right before your eyes. A simple toasted topped with ricotta, olive oil and parsley... I encourage you to try making your own ricotta. Not only will you end up with a delicious product that’s free of the stabilizers and preservatives found in many store-bought versions, but you’ll also gain the satisfaction of having crafted something truly from scratch. It’s a great weekend project that doesn’t require any special equipment, just some cheesecloth and a few kitchen staples. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or just starting to explore, this recipe is a delightful way to enhance your culinary skills and treat yourself to something wonderfully rich and creamy. Ingredients: (Make 2 cups) Whole Milk, 1L Heavy Whipping Cream, 150g Sea Salt, 1/2 TSP Fresh Lemon Juice, 2 TBSP Equipment: Thermometer Cheesecloth / Cheese Mold Sauce Pot Directions: In a sauce pot over medium heat, add milk, cream and salt. Stir to combine well. Once the temperature of the milk mixture reaches 98 degree celsius or 208 fahrenheit, add in lemon juice. Stir to combine well. Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for 5 mins. The milk solids will start to separate from the whey. Transfer the mixture to a strainer lined with cheesecloth or onto a cheese mold. Drain off excess whey liquid for about 1 hr. If you're using a cheesecloth, transfer to a sterilized container. Chill in the fridge overnight. *The ricotta cheese can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.* I spread the ricotta onto some buttered toast, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and garnish with some parsley. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication... Recipe Video: