Jjampong 짬뽕. This is the much loved Korean spicy seafood noodle soup. As I continue to indulge in Korean drama on Netflix, my love for Korean food (as I watched the characters eat all the yummy delicious food) grows. Jjampong was the favourite of the characters in, “It’s okay not to be okay”. If you haven’t seen this, I would strongly recommend it. As much as I love meat, seafood…
Steak Noodle Soup
This is a Korean inspired Steak Noodle Soup. It’s very simple to make and it’s really tasty. Perfect on a rainy day. I prefer to use sirloin for this but you can use ribeye if you prefer. Of course, beautifully marbled wagyu sirloin steaks are best. As for the noodle, I have used thin udon noodles. It can be substituted with rice noodles or any other noodles. This soup is…
Butternut Squash Risotto
This is a very heartwarming family dish in my opinion. It’s one those family favourites that bring everyone together. Best made in Autumn when butternut squash are in abundance. Of course, this is not just a simple Butternut Squash Risotto, it oozes warmth, a proper comfort food. It’s one you would make on a rainy day or on a day when you need a warmth and love. It contains 100%…
Prawn Linguine
There are many different ways to cook pasta and seafood. You can always opt for a tomatoey sauce, white sauce or olive oil with pasta or for pasta itself, the most basic cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper). This recipe is made with a modified white sauce. Basically, I had leftover sour cream before we went away, and I am one those who hates wasting food. There were minimal ingredients…
Ultimate Burger
If you are as carnivorous as we are, proper beef burgers are a must at least once a week! In London, we found that the best place for a good burger, reasonably priced, family friendly and very civilised, and of course served with a good glass of red wine is Bar Boulud at Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge. Of course, this is all pre-Covid. During the lockdown period, we have all had…
Spicy Pork Bulgogi
Also known as Jeyuk Bokkeum or Dweji Bulgogi, this is another one of Korean’s famous dishes. As you know, I am really into Korean drama, Korean food and the Korean language at the moment. Bulgogi is the second most famous food in Korea, so it has to be done..here’s my take on Korean Spicy Pork Bulgogi. It is really easy to make and can all be done in under 15…
Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi (김치) is much loved in Korea and is served with almost everything. Not only is it tasty but it is also good for your gut! Kimchi Fried Rice is a very simple 15 minutes dish to wok up when you are in a rush but gives you a good balanced nutritious meal. Even my boys love them. My version may not be very authentic (more of a western and…
Kimchi
Kimchi (김치) is the staple of Korea. A fermented dish made mainly with Chinese Cabbage aka Napa Cabbage, this dish has many variations but very easy to make at home and packs a punch for your gut health. Kimchi can be dated back to the era of the Three Kingdoms (37 BC‒7 AD). Fermented food was necessary when there were no other method to store food. The tradition though of…
Red Braised Pork (红烧肉)
红烧肉 (Hong Shao Rou) is a very famous Chinese dish. It is usually cooked for special occasions and always a crowd pleaser. Using belly pork, this dish has slight variations throughout Asia. Here’s my version of the infamous Red Braised Pork and it is definitely one that my family enjoys! Ingredients (serves 4) Pork Belly 800g 2 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp light soy sauce 3 tbsp dark soy sauce…
Chinese Herbal Paper Wrapped Chicken 纸包鸡 (Zi Bao Ji)
Paper Wrapped Chicken is a dish much loved by the Chinese. This method of cooking is a sure way to ensure the meat is moist and beautifully tender. There are many different styles and ingredients. Today, I have chosen to use Chinese Herbs or Chinese Tonics, these are often used to nourish the body. The most well known ingredient is probably Dang Gui 當歸 (Angelica Root). I love the smell…
Silky Egg Rice Noodle (Wat Tan Hor) 滑蛋河
This is one of those dishes that really reminds me of home and a good hawker stall. Fond memories of warmth and family as we share a fresh Wat Tan Hor, the smell of that delicious noodle and burning wok, and the clanging of the wok as the chef cooks, ah bliss. I can almost feel the humidity of the nights in Asia. Wat Tan Hor 滑蛋河 is made from…
Wanton Noodle Soup
Wanton Mee or Wanton Noodles are very popular in South East Asia and I would say it is one of the most popular noodles. You can either make Wanton Noodles dry or in a soup. I like both – simply cannot decide. The wanton dumplings are very easy to make and you can either fry them or cook them with the broth. I sometimes add Char Siu pork to my…
Spaghetti Carbonara
This in my opinion is the most authentic carbonara recipe using egg yolks and pecorino cheese not cream or milk. It’s simple to make and you only need either pancetta, speck or guanciale. In this recipe, I am using speck. You can get them from most Italian food stores. Guanciale is pork jowl, the cheek that has been short-cured with salt, sugar and a mixture of spices. It is often…
Claypot Rice 砂锅饭 (Sha Po Fan) or 煲仔飯 (Bow Zai Fan)
Another of my childhood favourite. This however, is a version in a London home kitchen without the claypot! The principle is the same and the taste is almost as authentic, very close I must say. This is a very popular Chinese rice casserole dish in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Southern China mainly. It’s a one pot wonder as long as you prepare everything in advance. There are a few…
Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage (腊肠炒饭)
Chinese Sausage or Lap Cheong (腊肠) are cured smoked and sweet sausages made with pork seasoned with soy sauce, rose water and rice wine originally from China. You can get them from Chinatown quite easily and one of my favourite brands is Wing Wah from Hong Kong. This is one of the under 15 minutes meal I love to cook and my boys love. They can never get enough of…
Good Food
With Margaux in her London Home Kitchen Food is sustenance to the body, turning it into fuel for living but food is so much more than that. Food is an experience, food is family, food is sharing, food is love, food is kindness, food is taste, food is excitement, food is enjoyment, food is happiness, food is joy. Food is what I live for. I live to eat. I am…
Simple Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon and Caviar
Facciamo due spaghetti? Spaghetti is one of the staple of our diet. It is very versatile, and can go with almost anything, even in the most simple form; cacio e pepe. Well, this is an upgrade of a simple spaghetti. It takes about 15 minutes but it does bring out the lux in ‘du spaghi’. Ingredients (serves 4) 300g smoked salmon 25g lumpfish caviar (of course you can use Beluga…
Teriyaki Salmon
This is another of my children’s favourite. Served with fresh jasmine rice, the sticky Teriyaki sauce will get them asking for more. It’s a real healthy treat and meal for them. The crucial part is getting the Teriyaki sauce right and marinating the salmon (or any meat your prefer) before cooking. Ingredients (serves 4) 4 fillet of salmon (organic preferably) 100ml Japanese soy sauce (if you can’t find it use…
Hainanese Chicken Rice
This is a special recipe passed down from my father. My cousin sister uses the exact recipe passed down by her mother. So, it’s fair to say this is our family’s recipe passed down from my grandmother. I have changed it a little only because I like to make sure the chicken is fully cooked, though still moist and tender. Ingredients (serves 6) 1 large whole chicken (Organic ideally) A…
Spaghetti Marmite
You either love it or you hate it. We all love Marmite in the family, thankfully. So, it is only natural that we mix spaghetti with Marmite. Trust me, it has that umami taste and it is heavenly! Ingredients (serves 4) 500g spaghetti 3 tbsp marmite 100g smoked pancetta (cubes) 1 clove of garlic (finely chopped) A bunch of basil leaves Olive oil 150g Chestnut mushrooms (finely chopped into cubes)…
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