Shiitake Mushroom Rice

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Nowadays, you can find dried shiitake mushrooms at supermarkets and Asian groceries. I think it adds a nice umami flavour into the dish when cooking soup or stir-fry. I like using them in chicken soup, tofu stir-fry and rice dishes. I was lucky enough to get a bag of whole dried mushrooms from Korea, thanks to my mom:) If you are buying these little beauties at the shops, look for thick mushroom caps with deep white fissures. Thinly sliced mushrooms are quick to soak and cook, but thick whole ones have much more intense flavour.

How to cook them? Soak them in room temperature water for a couple of hours or even overnight so that mushrooms fully plump up and beautiful liquid come out of mushrooms. The soaking liquid adds extra flavour into your dish so don’t throw away. Oh stem is very tough so you can remove before or after soaking.

Ingredients

1 cup of mixed rice (I used white, brown, red and wild rice)
4-5 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
3 cups of water plus mushroom soaking liquid
1/2 tsp of minced garlic
1/2 tsp of minced ginger
1 tsp of soy sauce
cracked pepper

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

Adzuki Bean Salad

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roasted capsicum1I cannot tell you exactly since when, but I have to admit I love a bitter taste such as bitter chocolate, black coffee, green herbs and veggies. In fact, not only do I like astringent foods but also I feel better after eating them because it is detoxifying, purifying and easy on digestion. Anything in excess is not good though. Too much bitter foods can actually cause gas, constipation and imbalance in your digestive system. So what you need to do is start with small amount, balance out raw and cooked foods and add digestive spices such as turmeric, fenugreek, basil and ginger.
roasted capsicumHere is a salad I made up today. Cooked adzuki beans, shredded cabbage, chopped parsley, sweet roasted red capsicum and slices of avocado dressed with mustard – olive oil dressing. Beans are soaked overnight and cooked well for a good amount of protein and better digestion. There is raw crunchy bitter cabbage and parsley. Roasted capsicum and avocado adds sweetness and creaminess. Slightly bitter taste of olive oil harmonise all salad ingredients. It can be served as a complete meal or sides. Enjoy x
adzuki bean salad
Ingredients (serves 2-4)

100g dried adzuki beans, soaked overnight
1 cup of shredded cabbage
1 bunch of parsley leaves
1 roasted capsicum
1/2 avocado
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syryup
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cover adzuki beans with water in a pot and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside. Roast red capsicum in the preheated oven (190) for about 20 minutes, peel the skin and roughly chop. Put cooked beans, cabbage, parsley, capsicum and avocado in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix dressing ingredients in a separate bowl or jar. Drizzle over the salad and toss well to combine. Transfer to a serving plate.

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Millet Porridge

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What’s the best way of starting the day in the cold season? Warming and soothing porridge! With the darkness and the cold weather, I crave warm and hearty meals like soup, stew, root vegetables and spices. It’s amazing how your body knows what you need in different seasons. I have made a millet porridge here, but you can substitute with quinoa, amaranth or other grains that you have in your pantry. You can also make so many variations with the different toppings and flavours. The millet takes up to 20 minutes to cook. So if you are busy in the morning it’s a good idea to soak or precook in advance for the next morning or even make it the night before and heat it up in the morning.
millet porridge
Ingredients (serves 2 or hungry one)

1 cup millet
2-3 cups of hot water
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of cacao powder
1 tbsp of honey or maple syrup (adjust the amount to your personal taste)

Add millet and hot water in a pot and simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked (soaked millet will take less). Stir occasionally so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and add more water if needed. Take it off the heat and add the rest of ingredients and stir well. Ladle into bowls, add milk of your choice and top with crunch nuts or fruits.

Posted in: Breakfast, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack

Warm Lentil Salad

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warm lentil salad
Here is a perfect heart-warming salad. I make a lot of salads throughout the year, but this one is on top of my list when I get cravings for something hearty and flavoursome. I can make a big batch and happily eat every single day. Roasting vegetables is so easy and healthy way of cooking. All you need to do is wash, chop, dress and place vegetables in the oven. My favorites are roasted carrots, pumpkin, parsnip, beetroot and cauliflower. To keep the ingredients fresh, I rely on cold storage solutions that ensure everything is at its best before cooking. The oven does all the hard work for you so that you can enjoy a glass of wine while dinner is getting ready. Caramelised sweet vegetables smell and taste amazing. This salad is not only a great accompaniment to a roast or grilled meat but also is good enough for main on its own. Feel free to double up the recipe for a work lunch or potluck party.

Ingredients (serves 2)

a bunch of baby carrots
1 cup of diced pumpkin
1 cup of French lentils, soaked at least 1 hour
water or stock to cook lentils
1 cup of salad leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
50g blue cheese
a drizzle of olive oil to serve

Mix melted coconut oil, cumin, thyme and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Put baby carrots and diced pumpkin into a bowl and toss well. Transfer veggies to a baking dish and place in the preheated (180) oven for 20 minutes or until cooked. In the meantime, wash and drain soaked lentils. Cover with water or stock and bring it up to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are cooked for your liking. Take it off the heat and drain. Place roasted carrots and pumpkin and cooked lentils in a large bowl together with salad leaves. Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a good quality of olive oil and crumble blue cheese on top. Serve warm.
warm lentil salad1

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Chicken Soup

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20160319_182340

A warm bowl of chicken soup is perfect when there is a chill in the air. Not only is it a yummy hearty dish but also a healer that boosts your immune system. Vitamin B, calcium, magnesium and zinc from stock made with chicken bones, anti-inflammatory ginger and garlic, anti-bacterial and anti-viral rosemary and nutritious vegetables in one bowl. Ultra-cleansing!

When I was sick as a child, my mum used to make me a rice porridge just like all other Koreans do because you don’t have much appetite when feeling ill and tend to crave for a simple and bland meal. I couldn’t understand why Westerners eat chicken soup instead of porridge when you catch a cold or feel sick until I actually tried it. Nutrition tick! flavour tick! feeling better tick! Amazing!

My craving has changed to a bowl of chicken soup when feeling cold now (in fact, I can have it all year around). I prefer my chicken soup to be clear and clean taste so I took the skin and fatty bits off and washed well before putting in a pot. You need to boil at least for an hour so that the stock is full of flavour and the meat falls off the bone easily. I hope everyone stays away from cold as chilly season is approaching 🙂
Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1 small chicken
2 cup of brown rice and black eyed peas (soaked overnight)
1 carrot
1 cup of chopped cabbage
1 cup of green peas
1/2 brown onion
1 large garlic
1 knob of ginger
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of rosemary
1 tbsp of peppercorns
1 small chili
rice noodles (optional)
salt to taste
coriander for garnish

Wash the chicken and remove skin and fatty bits. Place in a stock pot along with chopped onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaf, rosemary, chili and peppercorns. Cover with cold water. Bring it up to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for an hour. Take the chicken out and pull the meat off bones. Discard bay leaf, add the meat, rice noodles and chopped vegetables into the pot. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes until veges are cooked. Adjust seasoning, ladle into bowls and garnish with coriander.
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Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes