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Vegan and vegetarian noodles, nooddles, noodles

Can you believe it is October? It is so easy to lose the track of time this year. I know fall has started in many parts of the world, but where I live late summer weather, which is a lot more bearable than early and mid summer weather, is here to stay for another few weeks. I promised to post more cold noodle recipes during this summer but I only seem to have shared them on my Instagram. (By the way, please check out my Instagram if you haven’t yet). So I decided to share 3 recipes today. They are all quick and easy, healthy and light with a little kick from spicy sauce. They are perfect for summer but good for any time of the year. Continue reading Vegan and vegetarian noodles, nooddles, noodles

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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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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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Fig Salad inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi

If you are a vegetarian or a lover of vegetarian cookery you must have heard of Yotam Ottolenghi. Earlier this year I bought one of his cookbooks called “Plenty More”, follow-up to his bestseller “Plenty”, and I love love love it. Not only this book has a plenty of fresh, healthy and delicious recipes, it is also full of visually stunning dishes that immediately say “Eat me!” or more like “Make me, then eat me!” :-). Continue reading Fig Salad inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi

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Vegan coconut and cinnamon pancakes with ‘aquafaba’

The night before my husband’s birthday, he asked me if I could make him pancake breakfast the next day. Pancakes are his all-time favorite food, but I had never made sweet breakfast kind before, (because he’s quite specific about how pancakes should be and always makes them the way he wants) so I panicked. If it was any other day I could probably be more relaxed about it, but it was for my husband’s birthday. The possibility that I might mess up his favorite comfort food on his birthday was terrifying. But somehow I managed to pull off simple yet very yummy pancakes without any dramas the next morning. And ever since that day I couldn’t stop thinking about different things I can do for pancakes and started experimenting. A recipe I’m sharing today is the most successful one so far. Continue reading Vegan coconut and cinnamon pancakes with ‘aquafaba’

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Summer/Autumn meal – Spiced chickpeas, quinoa, mint & basil

Summer is finally fading away here. Although temperature is still close to the mid-summer weather of most non-tropical places on earth, it is so much less humid and breezy with clearer sky. And that really makes a huge difference in Hong Kong. Most importantly I don’t feel like melting while I’m cooking in my kitchen any more, yay! For this post, I thought I’d make something that reminds me of late summer and early autumn at the same time. A dish that has the freshness and lightness of summer but also has the warm earthy flavor of autumn. Continue reading Summer/Autumn meal – Spiced chickpeas, quinoa, mint & basil

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Citrus whole wheat penne salad with tomatoes and sweet basil

Recipe for another light and healthy meal today. Although I am dying to recreate my slow roasted pork belly I made 2 days in a row over X-mas and Boxing day, I really feel like I should stay away from a naughty food group for a while (probably just until New Year ;-)). Besides, it is nice to be reminded that simple food made with the freshest ingredients will never disappoint even during the holiday season. This dish is so quick and easy. And you can always add what you like and be flexible with it. As long as you stick with good quality ingredients, the result will always be stunning and refreshing. Continue reading Citrus whole wheat penne salad with tomatoes and sweet basil

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Dairy-free coconut black rice pudding with almonds and raspberries

My inspiration for this recipe is an Indonesian black rice pudding, which was specially requested by a friend a few weeks ago. She’s always had a sweet tooth, so it was not a surprise that she fell madly in love with the rich sweet rice pudding while her recent stay in Bali. Since I am also a fan of the dish myself I decided to give it a go, but with a little bit of twist. Continue reading Dairy-free coconut black rice pudding with almonds and raspberries

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Cold soba salad with avocado and roasted cashew nuts

Sometimes I just can’t be asked to do anything. Especially in a crazy hot Hong Kong summer day like today, last thing I want is to get cooked up in front of a hot stove. This dish is perfect for a day like this. It’s extremely simple since there’s not much cooking involved besides boiling some noodles and veggies, but still doesn’t compromise on flavors. This recipe, if I can call it a recipe, is based on everything I have in my cupboard and fridge. You can use any vegetables and nuts you have instead of what I listed. Just remember, you will want something crunch with your soba. Continue reading Cold soba salad with avocado and roasted cashew nuts