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Kimchi, pork and Asian chives dumplings “Mandu” with spicy dipping sauce

Can you name one person who does not like dumplings? I certainly canโ€™t. I can’t even think of anyone who wouldnโ€™t shout out โ€œI love dumplings!โ€ with a big smile in their face. I think anywhere in the world has its own version of dumplings. And they are often associated with warm fuzzy memories of home, family and holidays. Like every Korean kid who grew up with their grandma, homemade dumplings (Mandu in Korean) were staples that we had to have during the festive seasons. Continue reading Kimchi, pork and Asian chives dumplings “Mandu” with spicy dipping sauce

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15-minute vegan pasta with garlic, chili and capers

Unlike other dishes I posted in the past, this one was made and shot without any planning whatsoever. No brainstorming on recipes, visualizing and sketching the plating or testing the flavor. It was one of those days when my husband couldn’t go to work because whole central business district in Hong Kong was paralyzed due to the protest, and I woke up feeling like making a bunch of things that I wanted him to try. So I made a few things we could snack on here and there, then hit the jackpot. This wholesome vegan pasta was so quick, easy, healthy and beautiful that I had to share it here. And cooking and eating this dish was a distraction that I really needed. Continue reading 15-minute vegan pasta with garlic, chili and capers

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Turkish “Menemen” inspired scrambled eggs

If you read my previous post, you would know how much I loved Turkish breakfast. Every single breakfast I had in Turkey was incredible, but there is one dish that I had to make my own version of. I am not a huge fan of having sweet things in the morning, so my choice usually involves eggs. My favorite is always a fried egg (with crispy edge if I make it myself at home), but in Turkey I had been cheating on my sunny side up with a traditional egg dish called “Menemen”. This dish has everything I love; tomatoes, eggs, peppers, and warm spices. It is delicious, satisfying and comforting, kinda perfect breakfast I must say :-).

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Eat, Play, Love in Turkey

Turkish Tea time

Saying my expectation for Turkey was extremely high would be an understatement. I donโ€™t think I had ever been that excited before holiday, even though I had been to many incredible places in the past. And thankfully, Turkey had exceeded my expectations by far. From the stunning natural beauty of Cappadocia to the rich history and culture of exotic Istanbul, the country had everything I wanted.

Hot air balloon Turkey

Watching sunrise in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia was a dream. I had to wake up at 4am (I am more like staying up till 4am rather than waking up at 4am person) but it was all worth it. It was one of the most magical experiences I have ever had, and I would go back and do it again in a heartbeat, maybe even in cold winter with snow. Continue reading Eat, Play, Love in Turkey

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20 minute meal – Tofu kimchi scramble with chilis and chives

tofu kimchi scramble

Without a doubt “Tofu kimchi” is a Korean soul food. And it is also a perfect example of a dish that was born out of necessity. Just until a few decades ago Korea was extremely poor, which means most people had to make the best of whatever they had. And so many of those dishes that came from the hardship in the past have in fact become the backbone of Korean cuisine. They might have been the only options for those who were in my grand parents and parents generation back then, but now they are kind of dishes that we all love and cannot imagine living without. And for that I feel quite lucky and grateful.

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Gluten-free, dairy-free banana pancake and raspberry banana sorbet

gluten free banana pancake

Pancake is my husband’s favorite food of all time. And he is a traditionalist when it comes to it, meaning he’s not into any of fancy new versions (such as souffle pancake, which I personally love). To him, pancake is one of those perfect comfort foods that no one needs to mess with. So I get quite nervous about doing something different or experimenting with pancake recipes. One of the successful ones from the past is my “vegan coconut and cinnamon pancake” . Although he couldn’t help adding a little butter on top of the pancake, he liked the flavor. Continue reading Gluten-free, dairy-free banana pancake and raspberry banana sorbet

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Pickled red onion and dill

Sunday Brunch Flatlay

One of the challenges I’ve often faced cooking for myself or just two people is having too much leftover vegetables. (That is also one of the most common excuses I hear from my friends who never cook). I started cooking in London where I lived as a student many years ago, simply because it was too expensive to eat out every day. But each time I cooked I had so much leftover vegetables, which all ended up in a bin. I really hated wasting perfectly good food and it didn’t exactly help me save that much money either. So I started to throw all my leftover ingredients in a big pot and make hearty Korean soup or stew like my grandmother used to do. It would keep well in the fridge for at least a few days, and it was a perfect mood booster in one of those rainy chilly gloomy days in London. Continue reading Pickled red onion and dill

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Soba noodle salad with Korean chili paste “gochujang” sauce

korean platter noodles

I miss good authentic Korean food all year round, but there are a few cold dishes that I miss even more when summer hits Hong Kong hard. One of those dishes that I’ve been missing a lot lately is “Jaengban Guksu”, literally means noodles on a plate. It is cold soba served with lots of fresh vegetables and spicy Gochujang (fermented red chili paste) sauce and boiled eggs. Although called noodles, I think what it really highlights is the crunch vegetables. This dish is sweet, spicy, refreshing and quite healthy. The recipe doesn’t require any specific kind of vegetables, you can use whatever you like as long as they bring crunchiness to the dish. Cucumber and carrots are commonly used in Korea, and sometimes we add fruits like Asian pear. Apple will work great as well. I personally love adding as many rainbow color veggies as I can, not only for nutrition purpose but for making things more fun and pretty as well.

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The best Hong Kong restaurant foods “I love” in 2019 – Part 2

tokyolima hk brunch

The standard of pizza in Hong Kong has come a long way in the past 10 years. I remember having only a few decent pizzerias when I first moved here, but now there are countless options for good pizza in HK. Kytaly is one of the best examples. They serve both traditional and reinvented Neapolitan pizza by Franco Pepe, whose pizzeria was voted as the best in Italy by 50 Top Pizza. They also have a lovely terrace, which was one of the hottest spots last fall/winter (October – March). I had first visited Kytaly for drinks after a huge dinner, and saw a large group of very well dressed Italian men (they sort of had a modern Godfather vibe :-)) having seriously good looking pizza margherita, and ended up ordering one for myself. And that was a right thing to do. Continue reading The best Hong Kong restaurant foods “I love” in 2019 – Part 2

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The best Hong Kong restaurant foods “I love” in 2019 – Part 1

Budu_hk dessert

As much as I enjoy cooking at home, I equally love to eat out. I am one of those who constantly researches and reads about new restaurants, menus, bars and pop-up dining events. I guess (actually am pretty sure) the food scene is one of the main reasons my husband and I have lived in Hong Kong for so long.

Hong Kong has an amazing dining scene. It is a cosmopolitan city with a Chinese root, which results in offering a great diversity of food. Continue reading The best Hong Kong restaurant foods “I love” in 2019 – Part 1