Chuanbei Pear Soup
A simple chuan bei pear soup 川贝雪梨汤, my take on my Cantonese mum’s version. Candied tangerine 桔饼 gives it a fragrant, citrusy sweetness, and there are easy substitutes if you cannot find the ingredients.
Guava Appetiser with Preserved Candied Tangerine Peel
Guava appetiser with preserved candied tangerine peel 陈皮零食, sliced, mixed and left in the fridge overnight. Easy to make, and friends asked for more at a potluck.
Chinese-Japanese Low-Carb Scallion Oil Noodles
Inspired by a shio kombu and sakura ebi pasta from an izakaya, this version swaps truffle oil for homemade Chinese scallion and shallot oil, and pasta for bean curd skin. A low carb noodle dish built from memory and a fridge clearing habit.
Scallion and Shallot Oil
Wilting spring onion doesn’t need to go to waste. Turn it into homemade scallion and shallot oil, cooked low and slow until deep golden and crispy. A versatile condiment for noodles, blanched vegetables, and more.
Smoky Potato Salad
An adult taste version of potato salad. Potatoes simmered in dashi, with smoky pickled daikon and crispy bacon. Karashi for the additional spicy kick.
Crunchy and Tangy Wafu Salad
Warm vegetables tossed in a savoury wafu dressing, with crunchy Japanese rice crackers and vinegared octopus or squid.
Chicken Skin Gyoza
Inspired by an episode of [Solidarity Gourmet 孤独のグルメ], this chicken skin gyoza is my own interpretation of a dish I could not stop thinking about. Chicken skin wrapped around a bouncy prawn and pork filling, grilled over charcoal until golden and irresistible. It may be a little sinful, so make it occasionally and enjoy it as a little treat.
A Yoshoku Dinner at Home
Yoshoku is Western cooking adapted for the Japanese palate, and it is comfort food with a uniquely Japanese soul. Inspired by the Japanese drama [The Queen of Lunchtime Cuisineランチの女王], I recreated a full Yoshoku dinner at home for my siblings and their families. Five recipes, one unforgettable meal.
Butter Herb Rice
Inspired by the Yoshoku spirit of blending Western flavours with Asian sensibilities, this butter herb rice is fragrant, buttery, and deeply satisfying alongside the Japanese Hamburger Steak and Wabi-Sabi Chunky Brown Sauce.
Wabi-Sabi Chunky Brown Sauce
Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection and simplicity. This sauce is exactly that. Sllowcook’s take on the classic French demi-glace — not silky smooth, not hearty and chunky like a beef stew. Somewhere beautifully in between.
