My xiao long bao story To be honest, I only had the first bite of xiao long bao when I was in my 20’s! I grew up eating Cantonese dim sum when I was a kid. Every Sunday, my parents and I head to the old-fashioned dim sum store for breakfast. I would eagerly wait …
In this article, I want to show you how to cook a popular Chinese eggplant dish with some basic ingredients. However, it is tricky to cook eggplant because it changes color quickly easily turns soggy, and potentially absorbs too much oil. Therefore, I want to share with you my understanding of how to preserve its …
What is beef chow fun? Beef chow fun 干炒牛河 is classic Cantonese food served at the roadside as well as at most of the Cantonese restaurants. It is also a dish that assesses a chef’s skill because it is easy to make but requires specific skills to get it right. Some gastronomes use beef chow …
Braised pork belly (红烧肉/hong shao rou/red cooked pork) is a well-known pork dishes prepared with a combination of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce and a myriad of aromatic spices and cook over an extended period. The pork is cooked until the fat is gelatinized, and the meat attains the melt in the mouth texture. The …
Hong Kong Style macaroni soup Hong Kong style macaroni soup with ham (火腿通粉) is the food that runs deep through my memories. It evoked many childhood moments when I was living in Hong Kong with my family. Macaroni soup is the quintessential breakfast served in almost all the Cha Chan Tengs (tea Cafe). It is hugely …
What is omurice? Omurice (オムライス, Omu-raisu) is a Japanese cuisine consisting of ketchup-based fried rice and omelet. The word omurice is the portmanteau of two words – omelet and rice. Omurice is a western-influenced Japanese cuisine (yōshoku) originated at the turn of the 20th century when western café gained popularity in Japan. It is also …
Mango sticky rice (khao neow mamuang / ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง) is an amazing and authentic Thai dessert. It is typical street food in Thailand, especially during summer, when mango is in season. This dessert is also popular in other South East Asia countries, including my hometown, Malaysia. Mango sticky rice is hugely popular in the Thai restaurants …
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 …
When I first heard about Chinese scallion pancake (Cong You Bing, 葱油饼), I was genuinely surprised. Growing up, the only pancakes I knew were the sweet, fluffy ones served at breakfast with syrup, butter, or fruit. So the idea of savory pancakes, which are crispy, flaky, and packed with scallions, felt like an entirely different …