Castella (Kasutera カステラ) catches my attention when I realize that it is a cake made with bread flour. So is it a cake or bread? The Portuguese merchants introduced castella to Japan in the 16th century. It is derived from a Portuguese recipe Pão de Ló. Since it is also called Pão de Castela, meaning …
If you like fried rice, you must not miss the Indonesian and Malay versions called nasi goreng. What is nasi goreng? Nasi goreng means fried rice in Indonesian language and also in Malay language. It is cooked with a chili paste consisting of bird’s-eye chili, shallot, garlic, belacan (a local shrimp paste), and anchovies. It is …
Chinese scallion pancake (Cong You Bing, 葱油饼) is not like any other pancake familiar to most of the people. It has a crusty and crispy surface, with scallions sandwiched between layers of pastry inside. It is a refreshing, delightful, and easy to make flatbread. These pancakes are savory and are most suitable as snacks in …
Stir-fry Chinese vegetables are so easy to prepare that we often take it for granted. Chinese vegetable stir fry may not qualify a place on the banquet menu, but it remains as the most popular dish among Chinese households. Its popularity is because it can be completed within five minutes, with only a handful of …
Hong Kong style sausage rolls (also called hot dog rolls, hot dog buns) is a hybrid of hot dog bun and the western sausage rolls wrapped in puff pastry. It is the inevitable outcome of the western cultural assimilation into the local culinary, which emerged as a new variant as a soft bun with sausage …
This article is about how to make a perfect marble cake. I started baking about ten years ago and particularly like butter’s rich flavor and tender texture. This marble cake recipe is adapted from my butter cake recipe, which is the top-selling cake in my cafe. Since I also like chocolate, this marble cake has …
Have you ever tried chicken thighs infused with lemongrass flavor? I will explain how to prepare the classic lemongrass chicken in this article. If you want to throw in some Asian flavor apart from the typical soy sauce-based Chinese cuisine, this Vietnamese-inspired pan-fried lemongrass chicken chop will guarantee to be a total crowd-pleaser. In addition, …
Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs (Lion’s head meatballs) is a highly regarded Chinese cuisine that catches everyone’s attention because of its size. It measures up to 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, juicy, fluffy, and served with an umami-packed gravy. It is different because the pork meatballs are stewed in a braising liquid, instead of the …
If you want a quick and easy recipe with Asian flavors, try this Asian chicken thighs recipe. There are only two main steps you need – to marinate and bake. Why does this Asian chicken thighs recipe work? This recipe works because: What is five-spice powder? Five-spice powder 五香粉 is a combination of five Asian …
Tofu should not taste bland if it is properly cooked and seasoned. This sweet and sour tofu (糖醋豆腐) will surely make your mouth foaming uncontrollably! The tofu is pan-fried, then doused in a sweet and sour sauce, with the intermingling of flavors from ketchup, vinegar, and soy sauce. It is then stir-fried with crisp and …