To All the Meals I've Cooked Before
An open love letter to all the meals I've lovingly prepared and enjoyed
Times of distress call for soup, but there’s only so much chicken noodle one can consume, so I created this bright, inviting carrot soup to inject a little more happiness into my quarantine days. I’ve been subscribing to a local Toronto produce delivery box and it’s amazing (check out Foodshare Toronto), but since the box…
Continue reading ➞ Carrot, Apple & Ginger Soup with Coconut Milk
Making dumplings with my family at my grandma's house is one of my most fond childhood memories. I loved when the whole family would gather around big bowls of dumpling filling, stacks of dumpling wrappers on the table, competing for who could make the most perfectly plump dumpling (without overstuffing!). It doesn't hurt that the result would be hundreds of steaming dumplings for dinner, dipped in the tangy combo of Worcestershire and soya sauce.
I love learning my mother and my grandmother’s home style Chinese recipes - they’re the foods I crave that I just can’t seem to get anywhere else. This pork tenderloin with silken tofu and crunch green beans is one of my all-time favourites that never disappoints, and always leaves me feeling extra grateful that I got to eat this so often growing up.
I love making stir fry for a quick midweek dinner, and this spicy udon has quickly become a regular go-to for me. I don't typically love ground pork because I find it can be a bit dry, but in this recipe it soaks up all the spicy goodness and blends wonderfully with the pillowy udons and tender Napa cabbage. This recipe was originally inspired by Bon Appetit's Better Than Takeout Udon recipe, but I made a few variations to suit my tastes (ie. adding gochujang for a more complex, spicy flavour) and now I can't imagine ever going back to the original version without spice!
Grain bowls have been an inescapable food trend over the past few years, and for a long time, I associated them with "health food" and found them incredibly unappealing. I couldn't see the draw in a dry, meatless meal so I avoided them at all costs. After reading the new Canadian Food Guide, I knew…
Continue reading ➞ Curry & Tahini Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Bowl with Green Goddess Dressing
Secret confession: one of my favourite meals of all time is the Pad Sew from Thai Express in the mall food court. I love the sweet and savory combination of the saucy noodles, egg, and slightly bitter greens. I like getting the beef version when I'm at the mall, but occasionally I switch it up and get the fried tofu version because I love the way it soaks up all of the sauce.
I first tried Shakshuka at Jack's Wife Frieda in New York City, and immediately knew I had to figure out how to make it at home. The delightfully rich tomato stew combined with the perfectly poached eggs in flavourful herbs and spices blew me away. I've always been more of a savoury breakfast person, so…
I've been trying to make at least two meatless meals per week, and it felt like the perfect excuse to recreate this iconic Toronto dish at home. I wanted to use *slightly* less rich ingredients so that the dish would be less indulgent to enjoy at home, so I cut back on the heavy cream and butter and subbed in half and half cream and just a few table spoons of butter. You can change up the ratios if you want the sauce to be more or less creamy, but the real key to this dish is mushrooms, and a lot of them. You can sub in any you prefer, but I really love the meaty texture and deep colour of portobellos and creminis.
Congee is one of my all-time favourite comfort foods - my mom always refers to it as the Chinese version of chicken noodle soup. Chinese people traditionally have it for breakfast, but I like it any time of day and often make a big batch in the morning before I head out to work so that I can come home to a big warm bowl of it for dinner. It's also an incredibly cost-effective meal to make - all you need is 8 parts water to 1 part rice to get a perfect congee. I like to use chicken thighs because they get delightfully stringy and swirl nicely into the rice after a day of slow cooking, but pork tenderloin and white fish like tilapia are also great substitutes.
To All the Meals I've Cooked Before 