Recipe: Whipped Feta Dip and Chili Butter Burst Tomatoes

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I have been lucky to have a fantastic crop of cherry tomatoes in my backyard garden this year. Even as the weather is beginning to cool here, there are still tons of little tomatoes on the vine! And I think the best way to enjoy sun-ripened, homegrown tomatoes is to keep things simple, so I have been using them raw in caprese-ish salads or giving them just a little bit of time in the skillet, just until they char or burst and turn into something jammy and wonderful.

In my household, a big bowl of tomatoes, something creamy, and some flatbread to scoop it all up is perfectly acceptable as a meal. This recipe pulls from a couple of my existing recipes to make this garden-grown celebration:

• If you are coming to this recipe in the winter, check out my recipe for Garlicky Whipped Feta with a Citrus Fennel Salad. It’s my original blog post for this same whipped feta dip but at the time I paired it with the more wintery flavors of bright juicy citrus segments and earthy, spice-like fennel.

• If you love tomatoes and want to make a more substantial meal with this idea, check out my recipe for Turkish Eggs with Charred Tomatoes and Sweet Pepper. This was originally where I developed this idea for combining burst tomatoes and chili butter, inspired by a Turkish egg dish called çılbır. I use Maras chili flakes from Spice Tribe for the chili butter (the original recipe was sponsored by them but this one is not).

How to Make Whipped Feta Dip and Chili Butter Burst Tomatoes

Ingredients for the feta dip

8 oz feta (domestic is fine)
2–4 garlic cloves
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt

Ingredients for the Burst Tomatoes

about 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup salted butter, divided in half
2 tsp Maras Chile Flakes*
salt to taste

For Serving

herb oil, pesto, or chimichurri (optional)
fresh herbs, such as thyme and basil
toasts, crostini, or flatbread

*This is one of my favorite products from my friends at Spice Tribe but if you are looking for an alternative I have found that harissa chili blend works well.

Procedure

To make the feta dip, break the feta into chunks and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add garlic and olive oil. Process until a homogenous paste forms. Add the yogurt and process until smooth.

In a skillet, melt half of the butter on medium-high. Add the tomatoes and season with a bit of salt. Reduce the heat to medium if the butter starts to brown. Cook the tomatoes until about half of them have burst.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the rest of the butter. As the butter starts to bubble along the edges, add the chile flakes. Stir the contents of the skillet gently. Cook until the butter starts to foam and the chili becomes fragrant

Scoop the feta dip into a serving bowl, using the back of a spoon to create some areas for the chili butter to pool. Pour the tomatoes and chili butter on top.

Add a drizzle of herby oil, if desired. Top with fresh herbs and serve with toasts, crostini, or flatbread.

Recipe: The Easiest Char Siu Bao

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This is the easiest way to make char siu bao ever. Folks in the US might know char siu bao, or Cantonese sweet bbq pork buns, from dim sum or from a Chinese bakery. When you just say char siu bao in America, it is usually referring to jing char siu bao, which is the steamed variety. That is the kind that has a fluffy white exterior and comes in the bamboo steamer basket on the dim sum cart. But char siu bao actually comes in a different forms—some are baked with a glazed sheen on top and sometimes you can get char siu wrapped in puffed pastry. In all cases, you are referring to char siu—which is Cantonese style sweet roasted pork—wrapped inside some dough.

These little bao are a hybrid between char siu bao and sheng jian bao. Sheng jian bao are Shanghai pan fried dumplings. If you’ve ever had the popular soup dumping xiao long bao where the soup bursts out of the dumpling wrapper, sheng jian bao are a more doughy pan-fried version of that. The filling is stuffed in raw dough and then placed in a skillet to crisp up the bottoms, and then steam is trapped in the same pan to steam the rest of the dough until it is cooked through. Instead of the soupy or juicy pork filling that is common to sheng jian bao, I filled mine with the filling you would find in a char siu bao. That’s why I am calling them a hybrid between the two; it’s the filling of char siu bao and the cooking method of sheng jian bao.

Despite the long-winded explanation of what they are, these bao are super easy to make. For this idea, I must give credit to @dumplingclubsf on Instagram; I once shared a story about how my mom would make donuts with canned biscuit dough, and she told me about how her mom used to make bao out of it! How brilliant! I was so very intrigued by this hack that I had to try it for myself.

These are the key ingredients you will need to make these easy char siu bao:

• char siu: This is Cantonese style sweet bbq pork. I have a recipe for how I make mine here; this would be a great way to use the leftovers. However, I crave char siu plenty more often than I feel like making it, so buying is perfectly fine and intended for this hack of a recipe. You can get it at most Cantonese bakeries and restaurants—anywhere where you see a roast duck hanging in the window. You can also get it at Asian supermarkets which have a hot deli section inside; it’s typically sold by weight.

• canned biscuit dough: You guys know the ones; the kind where you have to peel off some of the cardboard can and then press a spoon along the crack to get it to explode open. The plainer the dough the better; don’t get one of those new fancy varieties if you can avoid it. However, the one I got when I shot the photos for this ended up being one with little pieces of butter dispersed throughout the dough so it looked a little unsightly when rolled out and raw but it still worked perfectly fine.

Please don’t ask me how to pleat these dumplings though! I think you can tell from the photos that I didn’t really know what I was doing. I tried watching and following some YouTube videos and I just haven’t gotten the hang of it. But they will taste so good and their crispy bottoms will look so impressive that I think it won’t really matter much if you suck at pleating just as much as I do. Just try to gather the dough around the filling and create a seal. Don’t stress—this recipe is meant to be easy and fun!

And by the way, these taste great with my ginger scallion garlic oil. You can find the recipe for that here!

How to Make the Easiest Char Siu Bao

(Makes 16 bao)

Ingredients

1/2 lb char siu bao, diced
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp date syrup or honey
1 tsp shao xing wine (or dry sherry)
1 16oz can biscuit dough
flour for dusting
1 tbsp cooking oil
~1/4 cup white sesame seeds
black sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
1 scallion, sliced, for garnish (optional)

Procedure

To make the filling, mix together the char siu, hoisin, date syrup, and wine. Set aside.

Separate the canned dough into the individual biscuit pieces, and then split each piece in half. Then, working one at a time, roll each piece of dough on a floured surface into a 4-inch circle; try to get the edges thinner than the center. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle and then gather the dough up around the filling and pinch closed at the top. Dip the bottom in a little saucer of water and then dip in a plate of white sesame seeds so the entire bottom of the bao is covered in sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Use a skillet large enough to avoid crowding. Heat the oil on medium heat. Place the bao in the skillet (sesame side down) and cook until the sesame seeds and bottoms are golden brown. Add 3/4 cup water into the skillet and cover. Allow to steam for 8 minutes, or until the water has almost evaporated. Remove the cover and leave on the heat just a little bit longer to allow the bottoms to become dry and crispy.

Garnish with some black sesame seeds and scallions, if desired.

Easy Spicy Chicken Congee

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Today I’ve partnered with RightRice and Nona Lim to share an easy congee or jook recipe. Many of us remember our parents making congee or jook or rice porridge as a cure-all for us when we were sick—but now that we are adults, we have to make it for ourselves when we are feeling under the weather.

Traditional jook takes time but my easy hack will get you a nourishing bowl of comfort much quicker. The trick is using RightRice’s fast and nutrient-packed “rice” and a broth that is already super full of flavor.

Click here to get the recipe on RightRice’s site!

Thank you so much to RightRice for sponsoring this recipe!

Jammy Eggs in Sambal

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This recipe was inspired by Malaysian sambal telur (eggs in chili sauce) which I associate with nasi lemak, the national dish of my parents’ home country. However, I altered the idea in a couple key ways:

• tomatoes in the sambal: I don’t think of tomatoes as being common in Malaysian cooking and when I think of Malaysian sambal, it does not using contain tomatoes. However, I find spicy tomato sauces to be so addicting, and I wanted the sauce for this dish to be something that heat lovers would want to keep coming back to, scooping up over and over with their roti or naan. So my version is a tomato-y sambal. If you leave a lot of the chili seeds in, it will definitely pack a punch, but the acid from the tomatoes makes it even more pleasing.

• jammy eggs: With typical sambal telur you tumis or fry/sauté hard boiled eggs, so not only are the yolks fully cooked but the outside of the whites have a unique, firm brown skin from the frying. I prefer soft and gentle eggs that have a luxurious mouthfeel so I opted to nestle jammy 6.5-minute eggs into my tomato sambal for this dish.

Click here to get the recipe on the Pete and Gerry’s site!

Thank you so much to Pete and Gerry’s for sponsoring this recipe!

Recipe: BLT Salad with Crispy Smashed Potatoes

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BLT sandwiches seem to be having a moment right now—I recently saw Kenji post one on Instagram and Munchies did a short video on Youtube. I mean, it makes sense for everyone to be wanting a BLT at this time because it is after all peak tomato season, a.k.a. THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! But for me, a little BLT sandwich is still not enough tomato. My obsession with the produce bounty of late summer is so strong, that it can only be satiated with an entire platter of tomatoes! And that, dear reader, is where the BLT Salad comes in.

Imagine a scenario where, instead of biting into your favorite ingredients of a BLT and having those precious sweet peak-season tomato juices running down your hands, a civilized fork allows you to assemble the perfect bite without the sticky mess. That is the beauty of the BLT Salad. I thought of doing this as a panzanella with nicely seasoned croutons to continue to honor the sandwich origins of this flavor combo, but I realized I was too proud of my smashed potatoes recipe to not want to share it with you all. And there is something about the creamy fluffiness of those potatoes that goes so well with the juicy tomatoes and the salty bacon. Hence, I now present to you my BLT salad with crispy smashed potatoes and, of course, burrata.

These crispy smashed potatoes are so good as part of a breakfast platter, as a side dish with whipped feta and herbs, and—obviously—as a way to bring heartiness to a salad. I use Spice Tribe’s Mama Manje Haitian-inspired seasoning blend whenever I make them, and these seasonings blooming in the oven as the potatoes roast makes my whole house smell so, so good. The blend was inspired by Spice Tribe founder Trent’s visit to Haiti with the non-profit Every Mother Counts, and is meant to capture a combination of the ingredients in epis, a foundational seasoning blend for Haitian cuisine, and the tea that is commonly drank by Haitians. To me, the combination of green bell pepper, onion, thyme, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, habanero, and star anise works so well as an all-purpose seasoning, and in addition to this smashed potatoes recipe, I have been using it whenever I want to imbue a dish with a complex blend of flavors and not have to think too much about it.

You can read more on the story behind Spice Tribe’s Mama Manje Haitian blend from Trent here. While working on this recipe, the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti was on my mind, as well as how much of a privilege it is for me to do things like recipe testing for my job. If I was going to be earning income from a product inspired by a humanitarian visit to Haiti, it felt important to me to pay it forward. I decided to donate 5% or my rate from this sponsored recipe to World Central Kitchen and Spice Tribe has kindly agreed to match my donation too. I chose this charity because it was founded by José Andrés—a chef that I respect and admire—in response to sending aid for the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, but they have since expanded their relief efforts globally. They are currently working to provide food to those experiencing homelessness as a result of Hurricane Ida, facilitate hot meals for refugee families fleeing Afghanistan, and mobilizing their already-well-established teams in Haiti to provide assistance in response to the recent earthquake. You can join me in donating to these efforts and read more about World Central Kitchen here.

Going back to the recipe, here is a bit about what you’ll need to bring it all together:

• bacon (the B): I used a center cut, thick cut bacon that was nice and meaty by bacon standards. The bacon gets crisped in the oven on the same tray as the smashed potatoes, so that rendered bacon fat is surely not going to waste as it spreads across the pan. I kept the bacon in big chunks because this is a big chunky salad! No gum stabbing bacon bits here.

• frisée “lettuce” (the L): I took some creative liberties here in representing the L in BLT by using frisée, which is technically not a lettuce but a type of chicory. Frisée (also known as curly endive) and other chicories work well in this salad because they are sturdy enough to not get sogged down by the juicy tomatoes or the warmth of the roasted smashed potatoes, and their slight bitterness is a nice contrast to the salty fatty bacon. But you could also use your choice of baby lettuce leaves.

• tomatoes (the T): I used a combination of heirloom tomatoes from the store and cherry tomatoes I grew myself in the backyard. Try to use the most flavorful tomatoes you can get your hands on because the whole point of the dish is to celebrate their gorgeous natural flavor. In the recipe, I suggest drizzling a little dressing over the salad platter and then adding more to taste, because you may or may not need more dressing depending on how flavorful your tomatoes are.

• mini potatoes: Instead of croutons, I opted to make crispy smashed potatoes to bring some heft and heartiness to this late summertime salad. I have found that creamer potatoes with thin skins and a waxy consistency work best for this. First I boil the little potatoes until they are almost breaking apart, then I gently smash them down on a baking pan with a fork to expose some of the soft, fluffy interior and create lots of craggy edges to crisp, then I roast them until the house smells amazing and those edges turn golden. Though there’s a multi-step process to making these, it’s well worth it.

• burrata: I couldn’t resist bringing a lusciously creamy element to this salad, much like how a BLT would not be complete without mayo. I opted for burrata because I am obsessed with how this softest of cheeses pairs with the tomatoes. But if you can’t find burrata, some fresh mozzarella would work great here too.

How to Make a BLT Salad with Crispy Smashed Potatoes

For the Smashed Potatoes

1 pound mini creamer potatoes
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp Spice Tribe Mama Manje blend
4–6 strips center cut thick bacon

For the Dressing

2 tbsp fresh orange juice
4 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp Spice Tribe Mama Manje blend
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad

3–4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1 cup frisée or baby lettuce leaves
4 oz burrata or fresh mozzarella
cherry tomatoes (optional)
microgreens (optional)
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure

In a medium pot, combine potatoes with 6 cups of water,  or enough to completely cover the potatoes in 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Continue boiling potatoes until very soft and a fork pokes through with no resistance, about 20–25 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 450°F and make the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients except olive oil in a bowl and whisk together until the honey dissolves. (Microwave for 10 seconds if needed to soften the honey.) Then, slowly whisk in the olive oil. Set dressing aside.

Drain boiled potatoes well and allow to cool slightly. Add to a large mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and Spice Tribe Mama Manje blend. Toss until potatoes are evenly coated, then dump everything onto a large baking sheet. 

Move potatoes to the sides, then press each one gently with a fork until it cracks open and flattens sightly. Drizzle another 1 tablespoon olive oil over smashed potatoes. Place strips of bacon in the middle of the same baking sheet, in a single layer. 

Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for about 8 minutes, flip the bacon, then continue baking until the bacon is crisp, an additional 7–12 minutes (for 15–20 minutes total). Transfer bacon onto a plate to cool slightly (bacon will become a bit more crispy while cooling). Continue baking potatoes until the fluffy edges begin to turn golden brown, about 5–7 minutes more.

Break up bacon into bite-sized pieces. Arrange frisee or lettuce leaves, tomato slices, bacon, and crispy smashed potatoes on a serving platter as desired. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Top with torn up pieces of burrata or mozzarella, and additional cherry tomatoes and microgreens (if using). Lightly drizzle some dressing over everything and serve the rest of the dressing on the side.

Thank you so much to Spice Tribe for sponsoring this recipe! Check them out on Instagram here or visit their website to purchase high quality spices and unique small-batch spice blends.

My Basic Brined Party Wings Recipe

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I am now a wing brining covert.

I have been making wings for a long time now, especially getting into it when I noticed that Costco sells these packs of “party wings”. Party wings are the drumnette and flat parts of the chicken wings served as individual segments. It is super convenient for everything to already come as these snackable pieces and not have to deal with the wing tips that most people aren’t that into. In the spirit of these already convenient party wing packs, my past approach had been to keep the whole wing making process as simple as possible, and I thought that surely brining was not worth the hassle.

Recently though, my friend Taleen and I had a crazy impulse-buy moment where we decided to take on the Hot Ones challenge. “Hot Ones” is an interview webseries by First We Feast where celebrities are asked questions while eating progressively spicier wings. Every season involves a different hot sauce lineup for the wings and we bought one of these collections of hot sauces to challenge our spice tolerance. I volunteered to cook the wings, and then our plan was to follow the Covid Era format of the show where everyone participating would dip the wings into the sauce or pour it on to their discretion as we moved down the gauntlet. I really wanted the wings to taste good on their own since I wouldn’t have control over how much sauce everyone at the party would be adding, so I decided to try brining…and wow! I was amazed at how good the wings tasted even without any added sauce or seasoning. I immediately became convinced that the brining made a big difference.

I had looked at a bunch of brining recipes online before trying out the process and they all seemed to involve a horrific amount of salt. I know it becomes totally diluted, but I had had a bad experience with a dry brining recipe before in the past, so I was operating with an abundance of caution. I trusted my instincts and used an amount of salt that did not make me feel uncomfortable, and the wings turned out plenty moist, savory, and flavorful. You can (and probably will) add seasoning or sauce after the wings are cooked, and keep in mind those will add salt to the equation too! Having tested this recipe more since my initial brining revelation, I really am not sure why other recipes need so much salt.

So am I going to be brining my wings from now on? Truthfully, no. If I am planning to immediately coat the wings in something really strong in flavor like a bottled bbq sauce or buffalo wings sauce, these tend to be high in sodium already and my laziness will outweigh the benefits of brining on the juicy interior texture of the wings. But if I’m going to be using a lighter dry seasoning blend or am planning to serve the wings relatively plain with dipping sauces, I’ll definitely be using this brining recipe!

The wings in the photo are salt and pepper wings—inspired by a combination of the Taiwanese popcorn chicken that you get at boba shops and salt and pepper tofu or squid that is found at Cantonese restaurants. After following the steps in the recipe below, I tossed the wings in a seasoning combination of ground Sichuan peppercorns, white pepper, salt, and Chinese five spice (to taste). I then combined the seasoned wings with jalapeño slices, scallions, and fried Thai basil and served them with gochujang crema.

What’s your favorite way to season or sauce up your party wings? Let me know in the comments below!

How I Make Brined Fried Party Wings

Ingredients

~2.5 lbs wing segments, cleaned
2 cups water, room temp
1/4 cup sugar
scant 1/4 cup kosher salt
2 cups water, cold
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
~1 cup cornstarch
3+ cups frying oil (e.g. canola or vegetable)

Procedure

In a small sauce pan, combine 2 cups regular water, sugar, and salt and begin to heat on low. Stir gently until the sugar and salt are completely resolved. Remove from heat. And pour into a very large non-reactive bowl. Add cold water and—if needed—allow to rest until cool to the touch.

Stir in apple cider vinegar and carefully add the wings to the bowl. Place bowl in the refrigerator and allow to brine for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Drain the brined wings and squeeze each one gently with a paper towel to remove excess liquid.

Place 1/2 cup cornstarch in a wide, shallow bowl and coat wings one at a time thoroughly in the cornstarch, making sure each is completely covered, including all the nooks and crannies. Dust off excess cornstarch and place on a dry tray. Continue to add cornstarch to the bowl as needed, and repeat process until all the wings are coated.

Turn on oven to 175°F (or warming setting).

In a Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil on high; oil is ready when a tiny pinch of cornstarch sizzles immediately when added. Add a small batch of wings to the hot oil and cook until golden brown, turning occasionally (about 8–10 minutes). Place cooked wings on a large tray in the oven to keep warm. Continue working in small batches to fry the wings.

Once wings are fried, they can be tossed in dry seasoning or sauced to your desire.

Mala Glass Noodle Salad with Steak, Smashed Cucumbers, and Egg Ribbons

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Chinese salads are not big bowls loaded with leafy greens like what you think of with Western salads. They are more often cold appetizers featuring just one marinated crunchy veggie. (Btw, “Chinese chicken salad” is not really a Chinese salad, it’s Chinese-American!) Smashed cucumber salad may be the most iconic example of these crunchy veggie cold dishes that we have instead of salads. It can sometimes be found with mala chili oil and other times without, but either way, it is incredibly refreshing for summer. I wanted to take this classic salad and turn it into a full meal that would be perfect for a hot summer evening (even though it is cold and gloomy in SF), and this is what I came up with!

This salad has:

• smashed cucumbers, marinated in the classic rice vinegar based dressing with lots of zingy garlic

• glass noodles for a satisfyingly bouncy texture

• egg ribbons for airiness and savoriness

• Chinese five spice-rubbed steak

• cilantro and radish microgreens for freshness and herbaceousness

• toasted sesame seeds for the finishing touch

• mala chili oil for that numbing spicy heat that I am obsessed with!

Not a boring salad by any means! Click here to get the recipe on the Pete and Gerry’s site!

Thank you so much to Pete and Gerry’s for sponsoring this recipe!

Recipe: Galbi Fajita Platter

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One of my best purchases during the pandemic was a Korean-style tabletop grill pan. I was missing that indoor dining experience of Korean barbeque and one of the things I tried to do regularly to make up for being unable to travel was do themed dinners at home, so being able to cook KBBQ definitely became a highlight. Unlike what we think of as a “grill” in the States, which usually involves flames coming up through a grate, cooking Korean barbeque at home can be done on a special nonstick pan that is contoured to allow excess rendered fat to slide away from the meat. But if you don’t have one of these special pans, you can also easily replicate the experience with a griddle or a nonstick pan.

The idea behind this platter was to combine two different dishes that involve lots of different ingredients being served separately at the table to then get wrapped together right before eating. I realized that Tex-Mex fajitas and Korean ssam have a lot of things in common.  Ssam means “wrapped” in Korean, and usually involves making little wraps at the table with a leafy veggie and a small piece of meat inside, often with garlic, peppers, and spicy ssamjang. Fajitas usually involve a mix of meat and peppers, with salsa on the side and tortillas for wrapping everything together. So, they both involve some kind of meat cut into small pieces, served with peppers and some kind of spicy sauce, all wrapped up in something flat by the eater in a sort of choose-your-own-adventure experience at the dining table. I decided to take components from both of these dishes to make a fusion fajita platter where everything can be cooked on my Korean grill pan.

I used Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil in three different ways to prepare this galbi fajita spread:

The marinade: In my opinion, good Korean BBQ is all about good quality meat and a great marinade! This bulgogi-inspired sweet-savory marinade is super easy to come together because everything gets thrown in a blender. I used Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the marinade because I thought its rich, almost fruity flavor would go better with the other fajita ingredients than the sesame oil typically used for ssam. 

Sautéed peppers and onions: For this fusion fajita platter, I used a mix of sweet and spicy peppers instead of just the usual bell peppers. Using Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil helped with getting a good sear on these veggies to bring out their natural flavors. In general, this is my go-to oil for sautéing because it has less saturated fat, and more monounsaturated fat (otherwise known as healthy fats) than many other cooking oils.

Gochujang crema: Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil brings such richness to condiments and dressings, so I used it to get the mouthfeel I was looking for with my gochujang crema. This mixture of Korean red pepper paste and crème fraîche is so tasty for fans of anything spicy and creamy, and I am definitely going to be using it on more than just tortillas.

You’ll see that I pulled accoutrements from both of the inspiration dishes—fajitas and ssam—to make up the platter, but this idea is super customizable to your taste. I used LA-style galbi for the meat because it’s very iconic to my personal experiences having Korean BBQ in California—it is flanken-cut short ribs typically cooked as strips and then cut with kitchen shears before eating. If you can’t find this, strips of steak or pork belly would also work great (if you adjust cooking times accordingly). You could also go the ssam route and use leafy greens as your wrap instead of tortillas for a more fresh, healthy option. That’s why I think of this as a choose-your-own-adventure meal!

How to Make a Galbi Fajita Platter

Ingredients for Galbi

1/2 apple*, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 small red onion, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp mirin
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 – 1 1/4 lb LA-style (flanken cut) galbi

Ingredients for Gochujang Crema

1 tbsp gochujang
4 tsp crème fraîche
1/2 tsp Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp honey

Ingredients for Fajita Platter

1 tbsp Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4” strips
1/2 lb peppers (mix of sweet and spicy), seeded and cut into 1/4” strips
2–4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lime, quartered
cilantro, for garnish
8–10 small tortillas, warmed
salt, to taste

* honeycrisp, pink lady, or fuji apple recommended

Procedure

To make the galbi marinade, combine the apple, onion, garlic, mirin, soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, and Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a blender and blend until liquified. Place the galbi in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over it. Make sure all galbi pieces are in contact with the marinade and seal. Place in the fridge and allow to marinade for at least 1 hour, overnight recommended.

To make the gochujang crema, whisk together the gochujang, crème fraîche, Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and honey until smooth. Set aside until ready to serve.

Heat a Korean-style indoor grill pan or stovetop griddle on medium-high. Add Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, then onion and pepper strips. Salt to taste, and continue to cook, flipping occasionally, until edges begin to brown. Move to the edges of the grill pan where there is less heat. Add garlic slices and cook until slightly golden on each side, then move away from direct heat as well. 

Drain excess marinade from the galbi and place on the grill pan. Cook until slightly charred on one side, flip, and cook the other side (2–4 minutes per side). 

Transfer pepper and onion mixture to a serving platter, as well as garlic. If desired, use kitchen shears to cut galbi into smaller pieces and remove bone pieces. Arrange galbi on the serving platter and garnish with scallions. Add jalapeno slices, avocado, and lime. Garnish with cilantro. Serve alongside warmed tortillas and gochujang crema, and enjoy family style.

Thank you so much to Filippo Berio for sponsoring this recipe! Visit their website to learn more about their authentic Italian olive oils, made to the highest quality standard of excellence and craftsmanship.

Recipe: Chili Makrut Yellowtail Ceviche

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One of my favorite food memories of all time is from a ceviche tostadas stall in Mexico City called Tostadas La Chaparrita in the Mercado de Coyoacán. We had spent several hours waiting in the heat to get into Casa Azul (a.k.a. Frida Kahlo’s old home turned museum) and were desperate for a good bite to eat after a disappointing museum experience. A quick Google search led me to this well-reviewed place but what we got when we arrived exceeded expectations—a wide bar lined with mounds and mounds of all varieties of ceviche, ready to be piled on to crispy tortillas. They were piled up the way spices are heaped in the markets in Turkey or Morocco, but the piles were fresh seafood in every combination imaginable, marinated in lime juice. 

I often daydream about those mountains of ceviche but I never thought to try making my own until I learned about The Kingfish Company’s Dutch Yellowtail. It recently became available in the frozen section at Whole Foods Markets and because of the way it is raised and frozen, it is safe to eat raw as a high-grade sashimi when properly thawed. Dutch Yellowtail is sustainably raised in indoor basins on land using pristine water from a marine estuary. It is also a “Green Choice” as recommended by the Good Fish Foundation in the Netherlands. This means that it is raised specifically to be clean to eat and clean for the planet as well! When I took the thawed pieces out of the packaging, I found the fish to be firm and bouncy, with a clean smell. Since Dutch Yellowtail has a mild flavor and firm texture, it is so perfect for ceviche! 

Instead of replicating those exact memories of ceviche in Mexico or a traditional recipe from Peru, I wanted to come up with my own take on it, using Southeast Asian ingredients. I took inspiration from the aromatics used in the Malaysian food of my heritage, but I also was inspired by Thai and Vietnamese dipping sauces as I was developing the recipe for my ceviche marinade. I think that a little bit of funk from fish sauce, a little spice from fresh chilies, and bright, aromatic flavors like ginger and makrut lime leaves put such a great spin on ceviche that is distinctly Southeast Asian and therefore, distinctly me!

What you should know about the ingredients:

• Dutch Yellowtail: This sustainably raised fish comes from farms run on 100% green energy and with no hormones or antibiotics. Its taste is similar to the hamachi you would find at a sushi restaurant. It absorbs the flavors of the marinade really well, and the longer you keep it in the marinade, the more “cooked” the texture will seem. I enjoyed it both with a brief (30 minute) rest, where the texture was more similar to sashimi, as well as after it soaked overnight. Look for this at Whole Foods Market!

• bird’s eye chilies: These are also known as Thai chilies or I grew up calling them chilli padi. I love the instant spicy zing that they impart on Southeast Asian dipping sauces, but I personally find biting into a fresh piece to feel too much like a tiny fireball on my tongue. I picked them out before mixing the marinade with the fish but leave them in if you prefer!

• makrut lime leaves: To me, this is what gives this ceviche recipe a unique flavor that is distinct from the ceviches of Latin American countries. (You can read more about alternative names for finding it here.) The leaves are quite hard, so slice them as finely as you can; I like to kind of crush them up a bit with my hand before rolling them tightly to cut a fine chiffonade. Of course, it is okay to leave this ingredient out if you can’t find it, but the dish will not have as much of a unique Southeast Asian flavor.

In the photos here, you can see that I’ve served this ceviche a couple different ways:

• Tostadas, inspired by my experience in Mexico City—You can often buy ready-made tostadas in the tortilla section of a grocery store, or you can simply make your own by deep frying corn tortillas in corn oil until they are nice and crunchy.

• Toast, my all-time favorite carb based food vehicle—Use whatever is your favorite method for making toast; spreading on a layer of the avocado mash first before piling on the ceviche will help prevent the bread from getting soggy

This ceviche would also be great in little single-serving glasses, or served family style with tortilla chips for scooping. However you choose to serve it, I hope these ideas inspire you to make your own fresh yellowtail ceviche at home!

How to Make Chili Makrut Yellowtail Ceviche & Mashed Avocado

Ingredients for the Marinade

3/8–1/2 cup lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1–2 bird’s eye chilies, sliced
2 tsp ginger, finely grated
1 clove garlic, finely grated

Ingredients for Ceviche

8 oz Dutch Yellowtail, cut into small cubes (about 1/4”–1/2”)
2 makrut lime leaves, very finely sliced
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
2 sprigs Thai basil leaves, torn
5 stalks cilantro, leaves picked

Ingredients for Mashed Avocado

1 ripe avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
pinch of salt

For serving

prepared toasts, tostadas, or tortilla chips
microgreens, radish slices, or edible flowers (optional)

Procedure

Combine the ingredients for the marinade and let stand for 1 hour. Then, optionally, remove the chili pieces.

Combine the Dutch Yellowtail cubes, makrut lime leaves, shallot, and Thai basil leaves with the prepared marinade. Mix together and let the ceviche marinade in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight, depending on preference. (Over time, the fish will take on more flavor from the marinade and have more of a “cooked” texture.) Add the cilantro leaves after the ceviche has rested to the desired doneness. 

Just before serving, slice open the avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into a bowl. Add lime juice and salt and mash together to the desired consistency.

Serve the ceviche on top of avocado mash on toast or tostadas, or serve both components with tortilla chips on the side.

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Thank you so much to The Kingfish Company for sponsoring this recipe! Visit their website to learn more about how they raise their sustainable fresh Dutch Yellowtail!

Disclaimer: consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

Recipe: Chicken Skewers with Seared Summer Fruit and Burrata

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It’s my favorite produce season of the year! I love every season for different reasons, but when it comes to the celebrating the joy of what’s actually IN season, harvest-wise, I get soooo excited for summer. All the stone fruits, berries, and especially getting to harvest the tomatoes in my backyard! I have been loading up on way too many peaches, nectarines, and apricots when I hit up the grocery store, but I just can’t help it when I see piles and piles of stone fruits in the produce aisle.

Fortunately, I have come to realize that stone fruits go so well in savory dishes. I am obsessed with the combination of fruit and burrata these days (and let’s be real—I’m obsessed with burrata every day) but stone fruits also go really well with chicken. If you are one of those people who is on the fence about mixing sweet and savory then I am hoping this recipe will sway you.

Lately my meals have been revolving around an idea for a salad I want to make, and then thinking about how to turn that salad idea into a more robust dinner for me and Spouse. When I started planning for this recipe, I knew I wanted to pair a stone fruit and burrata salad with some sort of chicken skewers. What I love about making chicken skewers is that if you cut up chicken thighs into little pieces, they are so nice and juicy and they are able to take on flavor so quickly just with a little seasoning—no need to plan ahead and marinade for a long amount of time beforehand.

I know that all of Spice Tribe’s travel-inspired seasoning blends are so good, so I couldn’t decide which one I wanted to use in my chicken skewers recipe. So one evening I did a little taste test where I cooked up 3 different chicken thighs, each one seasoned with just a little kosher salt and one of these blends: Mama Manje, Mombacho Cafe, and Marrakesh Sitar. Spouse and I tried tasting each one really carefully, but we honestly loved them all! When we really forced ourselves to nitpick, we concluded that the Mama Manje was the least exciting by a hair—tasty, but felt the most like a typical rotisserie chicken flavor; no wonder I have been reaching for it often as an all-purpose seasoning. Mombacho Cafe and Marrakesh Sitar were still completely tied—both had a depth of flavor that made the very simply-cooked chicken feel special. I ended up going with Marrakesh Sitar because Moroccan cuisine happens to have some gorgeous examples of sweet fruits getting incorporated in savory dishes.

This is often my thought process when coming up with a recipe. It’s about what ingredients and flavor combos I am excited to put together, but equally important is whether there is a story I can tell about the reason I put these things together. I have not been to Morocco and I am not the least bit knowledgable about the food there, but I have enjoyed whatever Moroccan food I have had access to. I love the preserved lemons, and I love the tagines that incorporate apricots and raisins into meaty stews. Thinking about Moroccan food really helped me flesh out my ideas for this recipe, and what I ended up with is a sort of fresh and quick version of the ingredients you might find in slow cooked Moroccan tagines. I added grapes to the salad as a counterpart to the raisins, as well as olives for a savory balance. I decided to use fresh mint for the dressing; even though mint appears most typically in Moroccan cuisine in the form of tea, using it as a fresh herb felt fitting for building on the theme.

The end result is a fantastic meal for weeknights when you want something quick and easy but still super fun to eat. If you can’t be bothered to skewer up the meats, you could just cook boneless chicken thighs whole—not as fun to eat but still incredibly tasty! I cooked everything on my big flat stovetop griddle, so there also wasn’t a ton of cleanup to do after, which is definitely another big perk of the way this recipe works. It is perfect for summer days when you want that grilling vibe without the hassle of firing up the grill, or when it is too hot to eat something heavy and you just want an excuse to eat a bunch of stone fruit.

How to Make Chicken Skewers with Seared Summer Fruit and Burrata

Ingredients for the Mint Dressing

1/2 tsp dried oregano, finely crushed
1 clove garlic, microplaned
1/4 tsp Spice Tribe Maras Chile Flakes
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients For the Chicken Skewers

2 large chicken thighs, deboned and cut into 1-inch chunks*
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp Spice Tribe Marrakesh Sitar blend
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for cooking
1 lemon, halved

Ingredients For the Salad

2 peaches or nectarines, cut into eighths
2 apricots, cut into halves or quarters
1/2 cup seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup castelvetrano olives 
4 oz burrata
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

* Feel free to use skin-on or skinless, according to preference. I used skin-on because I love crispy chicken skin!

Procedure

Begin preparing the mint dressing. In a heat-safe bowl, combine dried oregano, garlic, Spice Tribe Maras Chile Flakes, salt, and vinegar. Mix together and let stand for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.

Prepare the chicken skewers. Combine chicken pieces, salt, Spice Tribe Marrakesh Sitar spice blend, and olive oil in a small bowl and mix so the chicken is evenly coated in the spices. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes, then divide the chicken among 4 skewers.

In a small saucepan, heat olive oil for the dressing until it starts to ripple. Add the mint on top of the dressing mixture, and then carefully pour the hot oil on top of the mint. (There will be some splatter.) Stir dressing together and set aside.

On high, heat a griddle pan or a cast iron skillet large enough to accommodate the skewers. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil into the pan and use tongs and a folded piece of paper towel to spread a thin layer of oil over the whole cooking surface. Turn heat down to medium-high and add the chicken skewers. Cook for about 12 minutes, rotating a quarter turn every 3 minutes; if necessary, place a pot lid or grill press on top of the skewers to weigh them down and ensure even contact with the cooking surface. (Chicken is cooked through if a toothpick is inserted and juices run clear.) Transfer cooked skewers to a plate, squeeze half the lemon over them, and cover tightly with foil to keep warm.

Add the peach/nectarine and apricot slices to the griddle cut side down. Sear until there is slight browning, then flip and lightly sear the other cut side.

Scatter the peach/nectarine and apricot slices on a platter, along with the grapes and olives. Tear burrata into a few chunks and add them to the platter. Add skewers. Drizzle mint dressing over everything and scatter fresh mint leaves for garnish. Cut the remaining lemon half into 2 pieces and serve with the platter.

Enjoy with flatbreads or couscous.

Thank you so much to Spice Tribe for sponsoring this recipe! Check them out on Instagram here or visit their website to purchase high quality spices and unique small-batch spice blends.

Recipe: The Easiest Strawberry Galette

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This is for sure the easiest strawberry galette recipe because the very first time I made it was under pretty stressful circumstances, and I still managed to pull it off on the fly; it turned out so well despite my totally just winging it that I decided to make it again to write the recipe down and share it with you guys.

The first time I made this strawberry galette was for my friend’s big 30th birthday bash in Palm Springs. His husband had gone all out organizing a gorgeous multi-casita private resort rental for our group of 10 for a long weekend and it was everyone’s first post-vaccination group outing so we were all a little giddy with the culture shock of spending time with other humans again. Prior to the event, all the planning was coordinated through a group chat on Instagram and during our first meal all together, I learned that most of the party had already checked out (stalked) each other’s Instagram accounts, and were very intrigued as to why one of the party members (ME) had thousands of followers. Everyone was incredibly kind and curious to learn about my career as a food blogger, but of course in my mind the pressure was on for the brunch that I had planned to contribute to a couple days later. THEN, I learned that the plan for the entire group to contribute to said brunch was scrapped and that there was no backup plan other than my enthusiasm (which, thankfully, was shared by one other party-goer who wanted to cook too). My original plan has been to make my Everything But the Bagel Galette for the group cookout, but since no one but myself and one other person would be cooking, I knew I had to make another dish, and I tried to come up with something as easy as possible that would still look beautiful on a brunch table. And this is what I came up with!

Despite the ease with which I can describe myself cooking, I get pretty dang nervous cooking for anyone but my spouse and my family. So when I found myself in an AirBnB kitchen I had never used before, cooking for more people than I had ever cooked for before at any one time, and with a reputation to uphold—can you see why I said the circumstances were stressful? And yet, I was still really happy with how the galette turned out! If I could pull it off then, I think you can pull it off now.

This recipe is also super riffable (I hate that word) in that you can follow the same steps but switch up the fruit or the cheese for completely different flavors. You can change up the toppings for the crust, or add nothing at all if you want it keep things the absolute simplest. Strawberries are in season now and that is something I get very excited about, but I am eager to try this out with other fruits too.

Here are the simple steps to fruit and cheese galette glory:

• Prep the ingredients: Move a ready-made frozen pie dough sheet to the fridge the night before to thaw, and then leave it on the kitchen counter to warm up for 30 minutes before rolling it out. (Or, if you didn’t plan ahead, leave the frozen pie crust out for 1–2 hours until it’s malleable.) You’ll also want to macerate the strawberries for that same amount of time. Macerating means adding sugar to the berries to draw out some of the liquid and sort of marinate in the sugar at the same time.

• Roll out the dough: I use the frozen pie dough from Trader Joe’s and they crack 100% of the time when I unroll them. But this is no big deal! I just ball it all up together and roll it out again.

• Spread the cheese: This tart is such a crowd pleaser because it’s a little sweet and a little savory at the same time. But on a practical level, the cheese layer helps protect the pastry, preventing the juices of the strawberries from making the crust soggy. I recommend chèvre (young goat cheese) for this, and you can even get a flavored one if you want to add another note to the galette—here I used this black truffle chèvre and it was soooo good! Other spreadable cheeses could work here too, like a well-strained ricotta or some feta. Whatever you use, you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds first to get it to spread easily.

• Add the fruit: Strain out the excess liquid that you don’t want to make the crust soggy, then pile the fruit in the middle.

• Fold the crust: Galettes are meant to be rustic as far as I can tell, so don’t worry about making a perfect circle or anything. Just fold up little sections of dough all the way around.

• Add finishing touches to the crust: You will want to eggwash the crust to get it to look golden brown but it’s not even close to the end of the world if you don’t have an egg and want to skip that. I think it is always nice to add a little something to the crust of a galette for more flavor and texture too, but it will still taste good if you choose not to add the sliced almonds and extra sugar like I did.

• Bake: The pastry is so thin that it doesn’t take long but you will want to look out for it being golden brown on the top and crispy on the bottom.

Since the dough is meant for pies and the fruit is packed in there, don’t plan on being able to toss this gal like a frisbee, but other than that, I think it is a pretty unfussy recipe. The next time I find myself spontaneously having to cook brunch for a crowd, I know I’ll be making this again.

How to Make a Strawberry & Cheese Galette

Ingredients for the Galette

1 sheet ready-made pie dough, thawed in the fridge overnight*
1 pint strawberries, stems and leaves removed
2 tbsp granulated sugar (white or raw turbinado)
1/2 tsp flour, plus extra for dusting
5+ oz goat cheese, at room temp
1 egg, beaten

InGredients for the Optional Parts

a few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 tsp turbinado sugar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp water

* If unable to plan the night before, leave the frozen crust out on the counter until malleable, about 1–2 hours

Procedure

Remove the pie dough from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for about 30–40 minutes.

In the meantime, slice the strawberries—halve small ones and cut larger ones into slices so that everything is about equal thickness. Combine the sliced strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl and toss gently to combine. Allow the strawberries to macerate until the sugar is completely dissolved and a noticeable amount of liquid has been released, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Form a round disk with the pie dough. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough circle to a piece of parchment paper.

If needed, microwave the cheese in a small bowl for 10 seconds to get a spreadable consistency. Spread the cheese in the middle, leaving an empty 1-inch border all the way around. Optionally, sprinkle thyme leaves over the cheese.

Drain the excess liquid from the strawberries. Add the flour and toss to coat. Pile the strawberries in the middle of the cheese layer, leaving an empty 1-inch border of cheese all the way around (see image above).

Brush the dough border with beaten egg and fold small sections over the filling to form a galette-style crust. Brush the pleated crust thoroughly with egg, making sure to get it in all the folds and crannies.

Optional step: Combined sliced almonds with about 1 tbsp of the remaining beaten egg (or more as needed for all the almond slices to be very thinly coated in egg). Gently pat the almonds onto the crust. Then, sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the crust.

Slide parchment paper onto an inverted baking tray and bake the galette on the middle rack for 20–25 minutes, rotating once halfway.

Optional step: Combine honey and water in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds. Stir together to make a glaze, and brush the glaze over the fruit when the galette comes out of the oven.

Allow the galette to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Recipe: Pepper Popper Crostini with Crispy Prosciutto

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One of my favorite indulgences is jalapeño poppers. When I see them on a menu, I absolutely have to order them, whether it’s at Jack in the Box or a nice burger place, and I love them all. The spiciness of the pepper contrasting with the cooling creaminess of the cream cheese, the crispy-crunchy breading, and sometimes even with bacon—there is obviously a lot there to love. And yet, I have no interest in making them. Figuring out how to keep the stuffing inside the jalapeños and then figuring out how to keep the breading clinging to their smooth exteriors is something that I will leave to professional kitchens with industrial deep fryers. But what I have come up with instead is a way to get all the awesome flavor combos—and more—of a jalapeño popper, without those complicated puzzles.

What I came up with were these pepper popper crostini! I think they look a little fancier than jalapeño poppers, and that they would be perfect for a little summer bbq now that things seem to be transitioning back to “normal” in the States. I garnished mine with pea flowers, pea tendrils, and chive blossoms that I grew in my backyard in order to make these look extra pretty and special, and I also added cilantro for some nice freshness and pepitas for extra texture. Don’t they look like a garden party for your mouth? But you can dress them up or down depending on your needs. I always think of toast recipes as guidelines rather than hard rules to dictate what you have to do, so I would encourage you to follow this recipe for the bread, cream cheese, prosciutto, and peppers to get a delicious and flavorsome base that totally elevates the flavors of a jalapeño popper…and then, get creative with the garnishes!

Looking at these cute crostini, would you ever have guessed that the source of inspiration was the humble jalapeño popper? But here’s how they stay true to the ingredients of their fast food ancestor:

• chili peppers: I couldn’t call these “jalapeño popper crostini” because I did not use jalapeños. Instead, I used red Fresno chilies (which coincidentally share a name with my hometown). I believe they are fairly similar in spiciness, but I think that Fresno chilies have a little more flavor and a beautiful color when roasted, so I went with those. You can use whatever crunchy peppers you want so long as you can cut them up into about 1/4-inch slices that will fit on the toasts. Note that removing the seeds and ribs from any chili pepper will help decrease its spiciness. I opted to roast and then marinade the peppers to give them some tanginess that contrasts nicely with the saltiness of the prosciutto and gives these an antipasti vibe.

• cream cheese: The spread that holds all the toppings onto the toasts is a cream cheese that has been majorly boosted in flavor by Spice Tribe’s California Love blend, which has really become a go-to chili blend for me whenever I want to quickly and easily give things some savory spiced seasoning. It has roasted chili, cumin, coriander, garlic, onion, oregano, bay leaf in it, and it truly goes great with everything. I believe this is what really gives these crostini much more depth of flavor; whereas jalapeño poppers taste exactly like the combination of their individual ingredients, using this spice blend not only ties all the ingredients together, but it enhances how good they taste together. I folded it in gently into softened cream cheese so that you can see some distinct streaks of the spices, but either way, you’ll know this seasoning blend is there when you taste it!

• crispy prosciutto: In place of the bacon that can be found with some extra awesome jalapeño poppers, I opted to use prosciutto, to again give that antipasti motif to these crostini. Baking prosciutto in the oven can make it extra crispy—almost like a super savory, meaty chip. I found in recipe testing that draping the prosciutto over the peppers and allowing them to roast together not only gives the prosciutto a nice concave shape, but it makes for a better texture than baking it directly on a sheet pan.

• toasted bread: Instead of having fried breading to hold everything together, I opted for slices of toast to hold all these delicious components and transfer them to your tastebuds. To get these slender shapes that are just perfect for chomping into, I cut a baguette on a bias (diagonally).

I think that lovers of jalapeño poppers and antipasti alike will really enjoy these crostini. I know I did!

How to Make Pepper Popper Crostini with Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients for the Roasted Peppers

10 red Fresno chili peppers (about 10–12 oz)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
pinch of salt

Ingredients for the Crostini

8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp
1 tsp Spice Tribe California Love blend
2–3 oz prosciutto, torn into large pieces
8 baguette slices (cut about 1/2” thick on a bias)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh soft herbs, such as cilantro
pepitas (optional)
edible flowers (optional)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut peppers on a bias into 1/4-inch slices and discard stems. Remove seeds as desired to reduce spiciness. Add the pepper slices to a medium baking tray, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, and toss to coat. Spread out evenly and roast for 10 minutes. 

In the meantime, combine garlic, lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Flip the pepper slices over and drape the pieces of prosciutto loosely on top of them. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the prosciutto is crispy and the peppers are soft with slight char on some edges. 

Combine cream cheese and Spice Tribe California Love in a bowl and fold gently, so that the spice blend forms visible swirls throughout the cream cheese.

When the peppers and prosciutto are done baking, transfer prosciutto to a separate plate and add roasted peppers into the lime juice mixture. Toss to combine and let stand for at least 10 minutes for the peppers to soak up the flavors.

Brush baguette slices with olive oil on both sides. Bake directly on the oven rack for 3 minutes, or until desired crispness is reached.

Spread the seasoned cream cheese on the toasted crostini. Divide the crispy prosciutto among the crostini, then top with the marinated roasted peppers. Garnish with fresh herbs and pepitas, as well as edible flowers if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Thank you so much to Spice Tribe for sponsoring this recipe! Check them out on Instagram here or visit their website to purchase high quality spices and unique small-batch spice blends.

How I Make My Mala Chili Oil

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Here’s my recipe for mala chili oil. Mala means “numbing spicy” and it is the flavor and sensation that is iconic to Sichuan/Szechuan cuisine. This is my go-to process for when I want to make my own chili oil at home!

The ma, or numbing part, comes from what is commonly called “Sichuan peppercorns” in the States, but it is actually the husks that are used in cooking these types of dishes. Sichuan pepper husks are super unique in that they contain a molecule that causes a tingling sensation on your tongue. It is not at all like the feeling of eating a spicy chili, where it burns like your tongue is on fire. Instead, it is a tingling, numbing sensation like when your foot “falls asleep”.

The la, or spicy part, of mala usually comes from adding spicy chili peppers to the dish. I really like the emphasis on the numbing quality in mala dishes, and prefer to get the chili flavors without having it be flaming spicy. So for my chili oil recipe, I use Korean red pepper flakes, or gochugaru. I think these have a nice robust chili flavor but they don’t add that much heat.

I make my chili oil by first combining the gochugaru, salt, and aromatics into a heat-safe bowl. Then I basically steep the sichuan pepper husks in the oil gradually, until they impart their numbing quality into the oil. (Remember to keep in mind that I like mine really numbing!) Then, I pour the hot oil over the chili flakes and aromatics to awaken all of their flavors. The hot oil splatters and bubbles when you pour it on the other ingredients, so be sure to proceed with caution!

This numbing spicy chili oil is great on dumplings, eggs, noodles, and more! Combining it with a little soy sauce and black vinegar turns it into an awesome easy sauce for my hand-torn noodles, or you can see it in use in my Dan Dan Dumplings recipe. I will probably add to this list of recipes in the future, because this chili oil is the foundation of so many ideas I have yet to write down. I hope you love it as much as I do!

How to Make My Special Recipe for Numbing Chili Oil

Ingredients

2 tbsp coarse Chinese or Korean chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
4 tsp pink Sichuan pepper
2 star anise
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup high smoke point neutral oil

Procedure

In a heat-safe bowl, combine chili flakes, garlic, scallions, and salt.

In a small saucepot, combine oil, Sichuan pepper, and star anise. Heat on medium-low heat until the lighter interior parts of the peppercorn husks begin to turn brown, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and wait for the pepper to turn fully dark brown, about 1 more minute.

Carefully pour oil through a fine mesh strainer over the ingredients in the bowl. Stir everything in the bowl together and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes (more is recommended) to let the flavors integrate and the garlic cook through.

Recipe: Cheesy Curry Biscuits with Miso Honey Butter

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Not long ago, the concept of fusion baking was completely unknown to me. In my mind, there were distinctly “Western” baked confections—mostly too sweet for my taste—like cookies, scones, danishes, and then there were Asian style baked goods that were soft, fluffy, considerably less sweet and sometimes even savory. I loved going to Taiwanese bakeries and grabbing my tray and tongs to reach for hot dog buns or ham and cheese pastries and would steer clear of Western cafe offerings like brownies and blueberry muffins. Then, one day I visited a popular local Asian-owned cafe called Home, and something in their pastry case caught my eye: a “Japanese curry scone”.

Upon tasting this scone, my life was changed, and that is not an exaggeration. You see, this was a few years ago, when I was just starting my instagram account, and I really had very little exposure to if Asian-American people or Asian flavors were receiving any sort of recognition in the States (outside of bubble tea). I was still at my sad (and microaggressively racist) tech job where I often worked 12–14 hour days, so I didn’t have a lot of time to pick up my head and see what else was going on around me. But on that day, I was peacefully making time for myself in a cafe that was cute and sold high-quality treats without being kawaii or gimmicky or exotic, and having this scone—a super savory pastry that perfectly married the flavors of Japanese curry and cheese, had nice bits of corn, and a strip of nori on top for an elegant look—and it truly opened my mind to new possibilities. Somehow this became a clear signal for me that Asian-Americans could share their flavors in baked goods and reclaim fusion foods, but also that they could run businesses and create spaces that paid tribute to Asian heritage without being tokenized or orientalized.

After some sleuthing, I learned that Home served pastries from Third Culture Bakery, which at the time was just getting traction as well, I think, but has since grown hugely in popularity for their mochi muffins and donuts with Asian-inspired flavors (all of which are absolutely delicious). Though I am thrilled for their success with these not-too-sweet sweet treats, I was pretty heartbroken when they stopped making their Japanese curry scone—the pastry that had changed my perception of Asian-American pastries forever.

I never forgot that joyful moment of first tasting Third Culture Bakery’s savory Japanese curry scone but since I can’t buy it from them anymore, this recipe is a loving tribute to that. I am not really into copycat recipes, so instead, this is an attempt to make something that is just in the spirit of the delicious flavor combination I experienced. I opted for biscuits instead of scones because I already know how to make biscuits anyway. (You can find my recipes for honey biscuits and cheddar scallion biscuits here).

I paired the biscuits with a miso honey butter because I wanted to continue to celebrate Japanese ingredients and you gotta serve biscuits with honey and/or butter. You should be able to split apart these biscuits without a knife due to their buttery layers, making perfect surfaces for slathering on that compound butter.

Some notes about special ingredients:

• Japanese curry powder: The flavor of these biscuits is meant to be similar to the flavor of curry that is served with katsu. There are lots of things out there that are generically labeled “curry powder” but the flavor of curry dishes varies so vastly from region to region. The one I used for this recipe is this S&B brand powder** which is a product of Japan. The amount of curry used in this recipe gives it a very obvious curry flavor without it being spicy or overwhelming. Fwiw, my white spouse taste-tester agreed it was the perfect amount. But feel free to dial back if you aren’t as accustomed to curry and want something more subtle.

• furikake: There are a lot of different types of furikake out there too, but I prefer to the basic one with nori, salt, and sesame seeds as the main components. This is the one** I always use. The furikake design I made on the biscuits is a tribute to the strip of nori that used to be on the Third Culture Bakery scones; I cut a little stencil out of parchment paper to achieve this effect.

To make these mini biscuits, I used a 3-inch cutter. It made such a satisfying *whoosh* sound as I was pressing it into the dough! But if you’d prefer, you can simply cut the dough up to make square biscuits. I opted to make them the same shape and about the same size as the source of inspiration; you can see what those beloved scones looked like in my ancient Instagram post right here.

How to Make Cheesy Curry Biscuits with Miso Honey Butter

(Makes about 14 biscuits)

Ingredients for Miso Honey Butter

4 tbsp salted butter, softened at room temp
1 tsp red miso
5 tsp honey

Ingredients for Biscuits

10 tbsp butter, frozen
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra bench flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp sugar
5 tsp Japanese curry powder
kosher salt
1 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 packed cup grated pepper jack cheese (~3 oz)
1/3 packed cup grated gruyere cheese (~3 oz)
2–3 scallions, chopped

Ingredients For biscuit topping

1 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey
furikake

Procedure

To make the miso honey butter, whisk together the softened butter, miso, and honey. Transfer to a serving dish and keep at room temperature.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, curry powder, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and whisk together.

Use a box grater to grate in the frozen butter, tossing together with the dry ingredients as you go, to avoid clumps. Then toss the butter and dry ingredients together gently so each shaving of butter is separated and coated with the dry ingredients.

Stir up your Greek yogurt to be an even consistency. If it is super thick, add a teaspoon of water to thin it out.

In a small bowl, toss the cheese and scallions so they are evenly combined. Add these to the dough base and toss together until ingredients are evenly distributed. Create a well in the center. Pour yogurt in the well, then use a fork to slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet yogurt. Once all the yogurt is absorbed, use your hands to gather the dough together and fold it on itself a few times until it is a cohesive dough.

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

You will be creating layers in the biscuits by doing three sets of letter folds; you will also want to keep everything as cold as you can, so work quickly with cold hands. Dust your work surface with flour and do so generously throughout the process as needed to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a rectangle with your hands then roll it out until roughly 9” wide by 12” tall. Fold down the top third and then fold up the bottom third (like you would fold a letter). Rotate 90 degrees and repeat the shaping and folding. Rotate again then do the process one more time, so you have done 3 sets of letter folds total.

Roll out your dough to a little larger than 9” x 12” one more time. Using a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 12 biscuits by pushing the cutter firmly through the dough and then lifting it straight up each time—you should hear a satisfying *whoosh* as the cutter goes through the dough—and do not twist the cutter. (I was able to fold the scraps gently together and make an additional 2 square biscuits. Alternatively, you could also just cut the slab of dough into 12 square biscuits if you choose.)

Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking tray and freeze them for 10 minutes. Combine the water and honey in a small bowl, microwave for 10 seconds, and mix together to form a thin glaze. Brush the glaze on the tops of the biscuits, then sprinkle furikake on top.

Bake for 15–17 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden and starting to brown on their tops. They should feel structurally sound and not deflate when removed from the oven; if you notice them doing so, quickly put them back in the oven for a couple more minutes.

Serve the biscuits fresh from the oven alongside the miso honey butter.

Polenta Bowl with Poached Eggs and Dressed Herbs

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Poached eggs nestled in creamy polenta and a lightly dressed salad of fresh herbs is my springtime version of a comfort bowl. Polenta is like a warm hug for your belly but it still feels a little lighter and brighter than something like jook or mashed potatoes, and I think the color looks so cheerful. The little salad that you see here was mostly foraged from my backyard garden but you can use what you have or what looks the best at your local farmers market.

This recipe has 4 components:

• polenta: Don’t worry about looking for something labeled “potenta” at the store; polenta actually refers to the finished dish made of medium or coarse ground cornmeal. Simmering slowly with regular stirring allows the cornmeal to become tender and break down, leaving you with a light but satisfying base. (Adding crème fraîche enhances the creamy taste and texture, and delays the process of it firming up into cakes.)

• poached eggs: The oozy yolks make little streams and pools in the polenta, and are what make this dish such a joy to eat.

• soft herb salad: This lightly dressed little salad made of soft greens is meant to celebrate the bounty of spring produce. I foraged a medley of parsley, mint, basil, red veined sorrel, red shiso, nasturtium, pea shoots, and chive blossoms from my garden, which I then supplemented with some upland cress. Use what you have! This is also a great way to use up odds and ends of extra herbs that you’ve accumulated in your fridge from other recipes.

• cheese shavings: Pecorino romano shavings are the most flavorsome way to add a finishing touch!

Click here to get the recipe on the Pete and Gerry’s site!

Thank you so much to Pete and Gerry’s for sponsoring this recipe!

Recipe: Baked Feta with Roasted Strawberries

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So we all know about baked feta from that baked feta and tomato pasta trend on TikTok. I tried it and I think it is perfectly tasty but one thing that confused me about it was why people’s minds were so blown. It’s warmed, creamy cheese and roasted tomatoes…OF COURSE those taste good together! But rather than fester on my confusion, I decided to take inspiration from the baked feta trend and make it a bit more interesting. We all know that roasted tomatoes are amazing…but have you tried roasting strawberries?

Think about when you are eating a charcuterie platter where there’s crostini, and spreadable cheeses, and jams, and how combining those things is like a party for your mouth. This is basically a sheet pan version of that!

Roasting tender fruits like strawberries makes them so lovely and jammy because it concentrates their flavors and makes them soft. Obviously baking the block of feta makes it warm and soft and spreadable, so it becomes perfect to smash on top of toast. I admit that this is not all that groundbreaking either, but a lot of people don’t think to roast sweet fruits like berries and grapes, so I thought this recipe was still worth sharing. It also makes your house smell amazing.

How to Make Baked Feta with Roasted Strawberries

Ingredients

1 lb strawberries
8 oz feta (domestic is fine)
2 tbsp date syrup
freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/2 a soft baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices
extra virgin olive oil
1–2 sprigs basil, leaves picked

Procedure

Position one rack in the middle of the oven and another closer to the bottom. Preheat oven to 400°F.

Remove the stems and leaves of the strawberries. Slice smaller strawberries in half and cut larger ones into 1/4-inch slices.

Place the block of feta on a baking sheet and arrange strawberries around it. Drizzle date syrup and sprinkle black pepper over everything.

Bake the feta and strawberries for 20 minutes on the middle rack.

In the meantime, brush the baguette slices with some olive oil. When there are 3–5 minutes left for the sheet pan (depending on how crunchy you like your toast), add the bread onto the other oven rack.

Take everything out of the oven, then gently mix the strawberries around with the juices that released.

Roughly chop larger pieces of basil and leave the small leaves whole.

To serve, smear some of the soft feta on top of each toast, then spoon on some of the strawberry mixture. Top with the fresh basil.

Recipe: Meatball Loco Moco

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If it were up to me it would be socially acceptable to put gravy on everything: eggs, tacos, cake…everything and anything! It’s definitely not just for reviving dry turkey meat on Thanksgiving, that is for sure. And maybe one of the best uses of gravy out there is on loco moco.

I made a meatball loco moco recently and instantly regretted not writing down notes as I made it because I knew right away that it would be something that I would want to replicate again, as well as share the recipe with you guys. It just so happened around that time that SunFed Ranch agreed to partner with me, and they liked this recipe idea too! So, this recipe for meatball loco moco was developed in partnership with SunFed Ranch, who pride themselves in raising cattle that are 100% grass fed and treated with the highest level of care and dignity.

Loco moco is a classic Hawaiian plate lunch, meant to be a fast and casual meal that is oh so hearty. It usually consists of steamed rice, a hamburger patty, brown gravy, and a fried egg. However, I thought that shaping the beef into meatballs instead of a patty would help integrate the components of the dish together and be even more fun to eat. So, my version of loco moco has fluffy meatballs, made using 80/20 SunFed Ranch Natural Ground Beef and a mixture of egg, milk, and panko breadcrumbs that helps keep the texture light and airy. I also put my own Southeast Asian spin on the gravy using kecap manis (a caramel-y sweet dark soy sauce from Malaysia and Indonesia) and the results are a glossy, deep brown gravy with lots of umami and just a tiny hint of sweetness.

Here’s what you need to know about the components of this dish:

• Rice: Start cooking your rice before you start the rest of the recipe and keep it on warm in your rice cooker. This dish comes together pretty quickly aside from a little bit of time chilling the meatball mixture to firm it up.

• Meatballs: I like using a very fine grind when I am making meatballs, because I think that lends to a smoother texture and a more spherical shape. That’s why SunFed Ranch Natural Ground Beef works really well for this recipe. I make a mixture of egg, milk, and panko that prevents the texture of the meatballs from getting too dense, and the fine grind of this beef incorporates with that really nicely. Don’t overwork the mixture, and you should end up with nice bouncy, light meatballs.

• Mushrooms: I love using a mixed medley of mushrooms for the gravy. They make the dish look interesting and bring textural complexity. In this case, I used a mix of cremini, shimeji, and tree oyster mushrooms, but I have also made it with chantrelles and shiitakes—all delicious and beautiful! Use what you like, or what looks good in your local markets. Whatever you use, just cut them all down to relatively the same size so that they cook evenly.

• Fried egg: It’s not loco moco without that sunny side up egg! I find that the less time my egg carton has been sitting around in my fridge, the more successful my fried eggs turn out. I usually drain some (but not all) of the loose egg white out before I pour my egg into a pan of oil heated on medium heat and hold the yolk in place in the middle for the first few seconds. Getting the temperature right is key, so I suggest practicing to figure out what’s the best for your stove. If the heat is too low, you won’t get the crispy edges and if the heat is too high, the whites will splatter too crazily and create weird bubbles around the yolk.

• Gravy: The gravy is the most important part of the dish, in my opinion! After the fat renders out of the meatballs, I sauté the mushrooms in that beefy goodness and add beef stock to make the gravy in the same pan. But the thing that makes my version special is kecap manis—a thick, slightly sweet soy sauce that is common in Malaysian and Indonesian cooking. If you see “dark soy sauce” at the supermarket from a Chinese brand, that’s not the same thing. Be sure to look for something that is a product of Southeast Asia; this is the one that I use**.

• Garnishes and enhancements: I love eating rice seasoned with furikake; I think the extra earthy flavor from the nori and the nuttiness from the sesame seeds goes so well with the steamed rice! But the gravy will be plenty flavorful for your rice if you don’t have it and want to skip this ingredient. The chives and cilantro will bring freshness and another layer of flavor too, but they are also not critical to the dish.

I hope this recipe brings your mealtime some chill island vibes and full bellies.

How to Make Meatball Loco Moco
with Sweet Soy Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients for the meatballs

1 lb SunFed Ranch Natural Ground Beef 80/20
1 egg
4 tsp milk
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tbsp butter

Ingredients for the Gravy

1/2 lb mixed mushrooms, cut into equal bite-sized pieces
1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 tsp kecap manis
1 3/4 cup beef stock
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

For Serving

3 servings cooked jasmine rice
3 eggs, fried
furikake
3–4 tsp chives, chopped
cilantro leaves, for garnish

Procedure

To begin making the meatballs, beat together the egg and milk, then add the panko breadcrumbs. Let sit while prepping the other ingredients, so the panko absorbs the moisture. In a separate mixing bowl, combine SunFed Ranch Natural Ground Beef, garlic power, soy sauce, and allspice. Mix gently to combine, then add the panko mixture and gently mix to combine again. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.

Roll the chilled meatball mixture into 1-inch balls. (I get 16–18 meatballs.)

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and melt the butter. Add the meatballs and cook, rolling or rotating them often, until browned all the way around and just cooked through; about 8–10 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another plate.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings, then add the mushrooms to the same skillet. Sauté the mushrooms until tender, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of pepper, and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add kecap manis and beef stock and simmer on medium-low until the liquid starts to thicken and no longer feels watery, about 5–7 minutes. Stir together cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry, then stir into the skillet mixture. Return the meatballs to the skillet and mix gently. The gravy should be thick enough to thinly coat the meatballs without sliding off. Once it reaches that stage, remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Plate the rice and top with a generous sprinkle of furikake. Divide the meatballs and gravy over the plates of rice, and top each with a fried egg. Sprinkle chives over each plate and garnish with cilantro.

Thank you so much to SunFed Ranch for sponsoring this recipe! Visit their website to learn more about their 100% grass fed, pasture raised cattle.

Recipe: Garlicky Whipped Feta Dip (with a Citrus Fennel Salad)

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I have been on a real feta kick lately. Maybe I have been brainwashed by that baked feta pasta that went viral on TikTok (which, by the way is tasty and also really nice on toast instead of pasta too.) But the crappy cheap stuff from Trader Joe’s is actually super versatile and I find that it’s a cheese that keeps remarkably well in my fridge even when it’s a small nubbin I forget about for a while. Sometimes I get real lazy and just microwave it a little bit to soften before attacking it with a tiny whisk and it becomes a pretty decent spread on toast, but recently I have also decided to bust out the food processor and make a proper whipped feta dip. And after enjoying it a couple of times, I admit that it is worth the extra effort and dishwashing (which, the latter is done by Spouse anyway).

So, here is my whipped feta dip recipe by way of the food processor. Like I think of all dip recipes, this is meant to be just guidelines. Your feta may be softer and more watery than mine. You may want something thicker than what you see in the photos. Like toast, I do not think dip recipes should lock you into the belief that you need to measure everything to get it right. The only thing I can confirm is that this is what worked very nicely for me on the day that I took these photos, topping my dip with my newfound and latecoming appreciation for citrus and serving with lots of crostini on the side.

The feta dip is also a great base for fancy toasts, or on bagels. Or with crudités. Obviously it is good with anything that creamy dips are good with, which is everything.

How to Make Garlicky Whipped Feta Dip (with a Citrus Fennel Salad)

Ingredients for the feta dip

8 oz feta (domestic is fine)
2–4 garlic cloves
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt

Ingredients for the citrus salad

1 small blood orange
1 small cara cara orange
1 bulb of baby fennel, thinly shaved
some fennel fronds, to taste
3–4 kumquats, thinly sliced
1 sprig of basil leaves, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
freshly cracked pepper

For Serving

toasts or crostini

Procedure

To make the feta dip, break the feta into chunks and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add garlic and olive oil. Process until a homogenous paste forms. Add the yogurt and process until smooth. Scoop into a serving bowl, using the back of a spoon to create some areas for oil to pool.

To make the salad, use a sharp knife to carefully slice off the peel and pith from both oranges. Then cut out the segments, leaving the skin that contains the segments behind.

Place the orange segments on top of the feta dip. Scatter the shaved fennel and kumquat slices on top. Garnish with the fennel fronds and the basil, then drizzle olive oil over everything and crack some black pepper on it.

Serve with your dippers of choice.

Recipe: Togarashi Lobster Rolls with Smoky Maple Butter

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As a flatlay photographer, lobster rolls are a dream sandwich. That vibrant red from the lobster meat, the glisten of melted butter, and those split-top buns exploding with filling—how could that not catch your eye? But living over here on the West Coast, I have literally never seen one of those split-top brioche buns at the store. And a lobster roll just isn’t the same (it definitely does not photograph the same) without a bun that is stuffed from the top. Sure, you could use a hot dog bun. But one day, I thought of something even better: Hawaiian rolls.

Not only are Hawaiiian rolls the perfect soft texture, but their sweetness goes so perfectly with the naturally sweet, succulent meat of a crustacean. They usually come in packs of 12 all stuck together, so I view that as an invitation to choose my own bread eating adventure. Pulling off a row of 3 of them leaves you with the perfect sized bun for a lobster roll. Then, what you do is take a reliable bread knife and slice downward from the top to create that split-top bun, making sure to only slice halfway down so the bottom base stays all connected. Now that’s a lobster roll…roll!

But there’s still a way to make it even more awesome. I recently ordered from Michael Mina’s Tokyo Hot Chicken and saw that they have shichimi togarashi spiced Hawaiian rolls. I decided to make my own version using Spice Tribe’s Kissed by Binchotan Japanese Chili blend; it’s Spice Tribe’s take on the classic Japanese shichimi togarashi spice blend and the name is a reference to the blend of spices commonly being used on yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) after the meat had been kissed by the binchotan charcoal. Giving the tops of the Hawaiian rolls a little brush of egg white helps adhere all the seasoning nicely; then, popping the rolls in the oven for just a few minutes not only gets the rolls nice and warm, but it bakes on that spicy chili blend so it stays on until it gets to your mouth, instead of getting chili powder all over your hands. The end result is a bun that is not just a mere vessel for your delicious buttered lobster, but a complex flavor delivery of its own, contrasting the sweetness of the dough with some fiery, roasty heat.

After stuffing with lobster tossed in smoky maple butter, serve them up as a long roll and leave it up to the lucky eater to decide if they want to attack it whole or split it up into delightful mini lobster roll sliders.

As for this lobster filling, I know there are different styles on the East Coast like the Maine style that is cold with mayo and maybe celery, or the Connecticut style with plain butter served warm. Obviously this is not either of those and I am not trying to upset anyone over there but I really think people should keep an open mind and appreciate all the delicious ways to eat lobster rather than getting all caught up with which one is the “best” one. I will say though, my version is pretty dang good.

Some time ago, I had some grilled oysters from Hog Island Oyster Co that were filled with a chipotle bourbon brown sugar butter and my seafood eating life was changed forever. That combination of a smoky sweet butter with shellfish is so, SO good, and I have been replicating that idea at home in various formats ever since. So, this lobster roll is meant to capture that flavor combination that I love so much. Since I already made the buns of the lobster roll spicy from the togarashi chili blend, I opted to go with Spice Tribe’s super smoky Pimenton de la Vera paprika in the flavored butter. This is truly such a good smoked Spanish paprika—it has a nice fruity note to me and it does not shy away from the smokiness, and it’s got that chili flavor without the heat. Mixing it with the maple syrup and the butter, it becomes one of those condiments that I desperately wish was socially acceptable to drink on its own.

I recommend serving these lobster rolls with shrimp chips—an iconic snack for Asian American kids of my generation, for sure. They are quite mild in flavor but I think that their subtle shrimpiness goes great with these lobster rolls. Toss them in some furikake or shredded nori and some extra Spice Tribe Kissed by Binchotan blend to give them an extra kick. Now you’ve really got yourself a Pacific Coast lobster roll feast.

How to Make Togarashi Lobster Rolls with Smoky Maple Butter

(Makes 2 rolls)

Ingredients

6 Hawaiian sweet rolls, still connected
1 egg white, beaten
1–1 1/2 teaspoons Spice Tribe Kissed by Binchotan blend
8–10 ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon Spice Tribe Pimentón de la Vera
2–3 drops liquid smoke (optional)
1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
lemon wedges, for serving

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Divide the Hawaiian rolls into two long sections of 3 rolls, to form the “buns” for the lobster rolls. Use a bread knife to partially slice each from the top to halfway down; take care to not slice all the way through, but create an opening in which to stuff the filling.

Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops of the buns with a thin layer of egg white. Sprinkle Spice Tribe Kissed by Binchotan blend onto the eggwashed tops until they are evenly coated in the spice blend. Bake for 5–7 minutes, or until the egg white is completely dried.

Place the lobster meat in a heat safe bowl.

In a small saucepan, add butter and heat on low. Once butter is melted, add maple syrup and stir together. When the mixture becomes completely foamy, stir in the Spice Tribe Pimentón de la Vera as well as the  liquid smoke, if using. Remove from heat and pour the butter mixture over the lobster meat. Gently fold the lobster and the butter mixture together.

Divide the lobster mixture between the two buns. Sprinkled chives on top and serve with lemon wedges.

Additional serving suggestion: Sprinkle furikake and additional Spice Tribe Kissed by Binchotan blend over shrimp chips and serve with the lobster rolls.

Thank you so much to Spice Tribe for sponsoring this recipe! Check them out on Instagram here or visit their website to purchase high quality spices and unique small-batch spice blends.

Recipe: Spiced Garlic Shrimp Over Coconut Rice

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With international travel still being potentially a ways away, at the moment it seems like the most accessible tropical destination for those of us with U.S. passports is the beautiful state of Hawai’i. It feels like at any given time, someone I follow on Instagram is there and, of course, the thing I am most jealous about is the FOOD! The famous garlic shrimp trucks right along the water (the last one I visited in the before times was Geste Shrimp on Maui) are life changing, in my opinion! Still determined to travel virtually through food as much as I can right now, I whipped up a batch of my own version of those super buttery, garlic-loaded shrimp.

I have tried emulating those Hawaiian shrimp trucks before, but this time around, I decided to give it a slightly spicy, Southeast Asian-inspired twist. I seasoned the garlic butter with Spice Tribe’s Thai-inspired Long-Tail Sunset spice blend, which is made up of coconut, ginger, tamarind, Thai chili, coriander, cumin, and lemongrass. For a seasoned spicy-eater, I find this blend to taste more spiced than spicy from the chili, and overall there is a lovely tangy tropical flavor. It definitely gives the dish some nice flavor complexity, but with minimal extra effort. If you like spicy, garnishing the shrimp with fresh Thai chilies will more than make up for it!

You gotta have rice to capture all the extra butter and garlic, and since this tropical shrimp goes perfectly with my coconut rice, I went ahead and included it in this recipe. Coconut rice is the foundation of nasi lemak, the (unofficial) national dish of my parents’ home country of Malaysia, but I have found that it is so good with so many other things—pretty much anything with Southeast Asian flavors. (If you want a way to visually wow people with a super simple staple recipe, you can also learn how to make a blue version of my coconut rice using butterfly pea blossoms here.) I also opted to include cucumber as a suggested accompaniment to this recipe because it is a common accoutrement in nasi lemak. If you are wondering how I made those cucumber roses, I simply used a vegetable peeler to make thin cucumber “ribbons”, stacked 2–3 together, and rolled them up.

Some things to consider as you gather your ingredients:

• Shrimp: One thing that bothered me about the garlic shrimp I ate in Hawai’i is that the shells were left completely on. I’m cool to deal with the mess, but I always felt like that garlic infused butter was going to waste simply coating the part of the shrimp that would get peeled off. One of the advantages of making it at home is getting to prepare the shrimp the way you like it! I like buying a big bag of frozen “E-Z peel" shrimp from Costco to keep in my freezer; they come deveined, and are super easy to peel off the shell entirely or peel off everything but the tails like I did for these photos. These were 10/13 sized shrimp—they were massive and super plump! You may want to reduce the cook times if you are using much smaller shrimp; use your visual cues.

• Potato starch: You can definitely substitute with cornstarch if you don’t have potato starch. However, I find potato starch to fry up lighter and crisper when using it for a dredge like this. You can find it at Asian grocery stores, as it is common in Korean and Japanese cooking. Adding a thin crust to the shrimp makes a big difference in giving the butter and garlic something to cling to.

• Garlic: Yes, there is a lot of garlic going on here because that is the whole point of this dish! I still clearly remember the big puddle of melted butter and fried garlic at the bottom of my takeout container when I ate from that shrimp truck in Maui. This recipe is actually more on the conservative side, relatively speaking, and should give you just enough butter and fried garlic to generously coat the shrimp without any left over. But it’s definitely for garlic lovers only!

• Coconut milk: I find that the consistency of coconut milk varies drastically from brand to brand. You want something where you can thoroughly shake it to a homogeneous consistency in the can before opening. I find that Thai-based brands usually work well for this recipe. If you try shaking the can and you can’t hear or feel things mixing together, this means there is a big solidified glob of coconut fat stuck on one end that will be hard to fully integrate with the liquid without a blender; try to avoid these cans.

The intention is to serve the shrimp over a bed of the coconut rice, to capture the spirit of the Hawaiian plate lunch. However, it’s obviously also fun to serve it family style, where you and your dining companion can fight for the last shrimp!

How to Make Spiced Garlic Shrimp Over Coconut Rice

Ingredients For the Shrimp

1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined (10/13 size recommended)
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 tsp fine salt
2–3 tbsp high-smoke point oil
6 tbsp butter
18 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 1/2 tsp Spice Tribe Long-Tail Sunset blend
1/2 tsp fish sauce
cilantro leaves, for garnish
3–4 Thai chilies, sliced (optional)

Ingredients for the Rice

1 cup jasmine rice, washed and drained
1/2 cup Thai coconut milk, shaken before measuring
1 cup water
pinch of salt

For serving

lime wedges 
cucumber slices

Procedure

To make the coconut rice, mix the jasmine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in the pot of a rice cooker and cook as normal. When rice is done cooking, immediately fold together gently, and then cover and let rest until serving.

Combine potato starch and salt in a shallow bowl. Pat shrimp dry and toss to coat thoroughly in the potato starch mixture. Dust off the excess potato starch.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil on medium-high. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, or until color becomes vibrant, then flip, add extra oil if needed, and cook for the same time on the other side. Turn off the heat and transfer shrimp out of the skillet.

To the same skillet with the heat off, add butter and garlic. Set heat on low and stir with a spatula as the butter melts. Keep stirring to evenly and gently fry the garlic and infuse the butter. When the butter is melted and becomes completely foamy, add the Spice Tribe Long-Tail Sunset blend. Keep cooking and stirring until the garlic becomes golden brown, about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and add the fish sauce. Stir to combine, then add the shrimp and toss to coat.

Divide coconut rice onto plates and top with shrimp. Sprinkle cilantro leaves and Thai chilies (if using) over the shrimp. Serve with lime wedges and cucumber.

Thank you so much to Spice Tribe for sponsoring this recipe! Check them out on Instagram here or visit their website to purchase high quality spices and unique small-batch spice blends.