I Am... Taco Chili
Super warming, filling, and cozy: taco chili is one of the easiest, coziest dinner you can make. If you love the flavors of tacos and the cozy spoonability of chili, you are going to fall in love with taco chili. This taco chili recipe is incredibly easy to make and the flavor pay off is huge. Taco chili is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, a weekend lunch, and is always a winner during game day party season (it's the playoffs soon!). Taco chili is what would happen if tortilla soup and chili had a baby. All the flavors of taco soup with the heartiness of chili. It’s truly one of our go-to meals.
How to make taco chili
- Sauté - Start off by cooking ground beef until it’s crumbled and browned. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic, then cook until aromatic. When everything smells amazing, stir in the taco and ranch seasoning.
- Simmer - Simmer everything together develop the flavors and thicken. You can simmer on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or pressure cook in an Instant Pot.
- Top - Once everything comes together into a thick and hearty chili, it’s time to serve by finishing off with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro. Bonus points if you add some Fritos!
Taco chili ingredients
- ground beef - go for lean ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey. It’s up to you! We almost always use lean ground beef.
- aromatics - a diced onion, green bell pepper, and plenty of garlic add aroma and flavor.
- seasoning - taco chili gets its seasonings from taco and ranch seasoning. You can buy the packets at the store (if you do, go for low sodium so you can adjust the salt to taste) or you can go homemade. If you’re doing homemade, you’ll need 2 tbsp of each seasoning mix.
- beans - there are two cans of beans in this chili to bulk it up, add protein, and nutrients. A can of refried beans adds creamy thickness and rinsed and drained pinto beans add texture.
- diced green chilis - this little can of chilis adds a mild and smoky flavor to your chili. You can choose between mild and hot, so pick according to your spice preference.
- tomatoes - we’re going to use a mix of fire roasted tomatoes and crushed tomatoes to make up the bulk of this chili. The fire roasted tomatoes add a huge amount of smoky flavor and the crushed tomatoes cook down into a thick, hearty base. If you have tomato sauce or regular chopped tomatoes on hand, you can use those instead.
Why this taco chili
The reason I love (love love) this version because of the ranch seasoning (either homemade or store bought) and a can of refried beans. The ranch seasoning adds a tangy you-can’t-quite-figure-it-out-but-can’t-stop-eating-it flavor. The hint of tanginess from the buttermilk powder in ranch really makes this chili addictive. The refried beans, while not traditional in chili, adds a creamy thickness that is spoonable and comforting.Stovetop taco chili instructions
For stove top chili, sauté the beef, onions, bell pepper, and garlic in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Stir in the taco and ranch seasoning, beans, green chilis, and both cans of tomatoes. Partially cover, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Stir in extra water or chicken stock if it gets too dry. Taste, season, and serve.Slow cooker taco chili instructions
Use a skillet to brown the beef, onions, bell pepper, and garlic, then add to the crock pot insert. Stir in the taco and ranch seasoning, beans, green chilis, and both cans of tomatoes. Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high, stirring in extra water or chicken stock if it gets too dry. Taste, season, and serve.Instant Pot taco chili instructions
Sauté the beef, onions, bell pepper, and garlic in the Instant Pot insert over high then stir in the taco and ranch seasoning. Add the beans, green chilis, and both cans of tomatoes. Stir well, put the lid on and set the pressure to high and cook time to 30 minutes. Quick release when the cooking time is complete. Stir, taste, and season.Chili toppings
This chili is delicious on its own, but when you add toppings it’s magical. Customize to your heart’s content with a topping bar. Try:- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- chopped cilantro
- thinly sliced green onions
- avocados
- diced onions
- tortilla chips or Fritos
If you love taco chili, you will also love
Happy cozy bowl food season! xoxo stephTaco Chili
If tortilla soup and chili had a baby
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 lb ground beef (lean preferred)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 bell pepper (green preferred, seeded and diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 package taco seasoning (or 2 tbsp homemade, see notes)
- 1 package ranch seasoning (or 2 tbsp homemade, see notes)
- 15 oz pinto beans (rinsed and drained, optional)
- 16 oz refried beans
- 4 oz chopped green chiles
- 14.5 oz fire roasted tomatoes
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat up the oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up, until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain off any excess fat, if needed.
Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. When the vegetables are aromatic and slightly soft, stir in the taco and ranch seasoning.
Add the drained and rinsed beans,green chilis (with the juice), both cans of tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Stir everything to mix evenly, and bring to a boil over medium high.
Turn the heat down to low and simmer, with the occasional bubble popping up, partially covered. Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Finally, stir in the refried beans. Taste, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and enjoy!
If you’re using home made ranch seasoning and homemade taco seasoning, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of each.
I Am... Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
These oatmeal strawberry muffins are the perfect combination of healthy and sweet treat. A hearty, healthy(ish) oatmeal muffin studded with sweet strawberries. Spring is in the air. The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom and the sunshine is starting to give me serious serotonin. Whenever the weather turns warm, I think about long walks, picnics, and chill vibes hikes. And when I think about hikes, I think about hiking snacks, like these muffins! They’re topped with a sprinkle of crunchy sanding sugar and have a hefty amount of protein rich, keep-you-full, rolled oats. I love the combination of juicy, jammy strawberries with the nuttiness of oats.
Why make strawberry oatmeal muffins
Muffins are my favorite because they’re kind of like granola bars, but better. They’re portable, they fill you up, and they taste good too. What more could you want? This recipe is a riff off of my favorite blueberry muffin recipe but with strawberries instead of blueberries and the added whole grain nuttiness of rolled oats. It’s the perfect springtime muffin - reminding me of warmer days ahead filled with summer strawberries.How to make oatmeal muffins
- Soak. Soak the oats in a bit of milk to soften and thicken.
- Cream. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, then stir in an egg, vanilla, and the oat-milk mixture.
- Stir. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the creamed mix, stirring until just combined.
- Mix. Mix in the strawberries and spoon out the batter into a muffin tin. Top with a sprinkle of rolled oats.
- Bake. Bake, let cool, and enjoy!
Oatmeal muffin ingredients
These oatmeal muffins have all your classic ingredients: butter, milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt. Essentially the only thing we’re doing a bit differently is adding oats. Old fashioned rolled oats, sometimes just called rolled oats, are what we’re going to use in these muffins. We’re going to soak them in milk to activate their thickening power and give them a chance to rehydrate before adding to the muffin batter so the oats bake up lighter and fluffier.Oatmeal muffin variations
You can customize these muffins with any fruit you like! Substitute raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, even shredded carrots or zucchini. To add some chocolate goodness, stir in 1/2-3/4 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips when you add the fruit.If you love muffins, here are a couple of other muffin recipes to try:
- The best blueberry muffin recipe
- Crisp and chewy coconut mochi muffins
- Banana chocolate chip muffins
Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
These oatmeal strawberry muffins are the perfect combination of healthy and sweet treat.
- muffin tins
- 1/2 cup milk (of choice)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (plus extra to sprinkle)
- 1 cup strawberries (roughly chopped or sliced)
- 1/4 cup butter (at room temp)
- 10 tbsp sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp coarse sanding sugar (or more, for tops)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the milk and oats together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup and let soak. In another bowl, optionally toss the strawberries with 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the egg, beating well. Stir in the vanilla and the soaked oats.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently stir the flour mix to the creamed oats mix.
Drain the strawberries then fold in gently.
Line a standard muffin tin with 6 liners, and fill equally with the batter. Sprinkle the sanding sugar and a couple of oats over the tops of the muffins, and bake at for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are golden and toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing muffins from tins and enjoy!
I Am... Easy One Pot Lasagna Soup
Lasagna soup is the ultimate one pot weeknight meal. It’s perfect because... soup! Basically it’s a lasagna that you can scoop up with a spoon. I actually love making lasagna but sometimes you just have to have lasagna in under 30 minutes. For those times, this one pot weeknight lasagna soup is there for you.
What is lasagna soup?
Lasagna soup is exactly what it sounds like, lasagna in soup form. It’s all the amazing things about lasagna without the layering and time commitment. And best of all is the fact that you can eat it in a bowl with a spoon. It’s always lasagna soup season!How to make lasagna soup
- Sauté the onions. Start off by browning some onions, you don’t have to chop them fancy or anything, they’re cooked down in the soup anyway.
- Brown the meat. After the onions, brown your choice of ground meat – usually we go with a mix of beef and pork, but this time we went with all pork because it’s what we had in the fridge.
- Add the liquids. Once the meat is browned, you dump in the tomatoes, chicken stock.
- Noodle time. Once every thing is at a simmer you add the noodles. Simmer until your house fills up with amazing smells and everything until tender.
Lasagna soup ingredients
- onion and garlic - onions and garlic get cooked in olive oil until they turn into an aromatic mix that gives an amazing base layer of flavor to your soup.
- ground pork, beef, or sausage - feel free to use your favorite kind of ground meat here. You can even go with ground turkey, chicken, or crumbled tofu.
- crushed tomatoes - lasagna soup needs tomatoes and crushed is what I use, but truthfully, any canned tomatoes will work.
- chicken stock - chicken stock is going to give us the soup portion of lasagna soup. If you like your soup on the thicker side, just lower the amount of chicken stock.
- lasagna noodles - the star of the show: use mini lasagna noodles called malfada corta or break up regular lasagna noodles into smaller pieces.
- herbs - freshly chopped oregano and basil are amazing in this soup. You can also use dried if it’s all you have on hand.
- toppings - CHEESE! Mozzarella, parmesan, a dollop of ricotta, a scoop of mascarpone, cottage cheese, this bowl of soup really an excuse to pile on the cheese, so go for it!
What kind of noodles are best?
We make lasagna soup with either mini lasagna noodles called mafalda corta or broken up lasagna noodles. Either will work!Can I make it vegetarian/vegan?
Absolutely. Just skip out on the meat. You can add some crumbled up firm tofu if you want extra protein. Swap the chicken stock for veggie stock. And for vegans, use vegan cheese or sprinkle on some nutritional yeast for a bit of cheesy jazz.What kind of pasta is this
These tiny little mini lasagna noodles are actually called malfada corta and they're super easy to find at better stocked grocery stores, specialty Italian markets, and online, of course.The best way to serve lasagna soup
Serve this up in a bowl with all the cheese. We normally have a bunch of mozzarella in it – the cheese pulls you get are amazing – but this time around we only had parmesan, so it was just a teeny bit more sophisticated. Or at least as sophisticated as lasagna soup can get ;) Bonus points if you add a dollop of ricotta and some fresh basil!Tiktok lasagna soup
Lasagna soup is trending on Tiktok right now thanks to SZA and @dannylovespasta. SZA saw him making lasagna soup and asked him to drop the recipe. If you want to make his exact recipe, just like SZA did, here it is:- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage
- 1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 box lasagna noodles, broken
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, until soft, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and Italian sausage and break up, cooking over medium high heat, until browned. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oregano and chili flakes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, over medium hight heat, stirring into the meat, until slightly caramelized, about 1-2 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, chicken broth, and heavy cream.
- Bring to a simmer and add the lasagna noodles. Cook until the lasagna noodles are al dente, according to the package directions.
- Stir in the cheeses and finish with fresh basil once the noodles are tender to your liking. Enjoy!
What to serve with lasagna soup
- Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots
- The Ultimate Kale Salad
- Roman Style Tripe in Tomato Sauce
- One Day No-Knead Focaccia
- Small Batch Sourdough Focaccia
Lasagna Soup
A simple dump and cook one pot stovetop weeknight lasagna.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 lb ground pork (or ground pork, or a 50/50 mix)
- 24 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 qt chicken stock (no sodium preferred)
- 8 lasagna noodles (broken into small pieces, or 12oz malfalde)
- 1 tsp fresh oregano (finely chopped)
- fresh basil (chopped, and/or fresh leaf parsley)
- mozzarella cheese (to finish)
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (to finish)
In a large pot, heat up the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.
Add the meat, breaking into pieces.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, pasta, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce and simmer over medium until pasta is tender and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Scoop into bowls and finish with basil, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Enjoy hot!
I Am... Cereal Pancakes – Tiny Mini Pancakes!
I love all mini things, especially mini food like these cereal pancakes. I’ve had a thing for mini pancakes for a while (see these mini strawberry shortcake cuties), so when I started seeing a huge amount of pancake cereal TikToks, I knew I had to make some! Trust me when I say that pancakes taste better when they’re mini. 10/10 would recommend.
What are cereal pancakes?
Pancake cereal is just pancakes, but mini, so they’re cereal sized! Imagine tiny, tiny freshly cooked pancakes in a bowl and there you have it: pancake cereal!How to make pancake cereal
- Make your pancake batter. I like to use my favorite pancake recipe because it’s the perfect consistency for piping out into pancake cereal, not too thick and not too thin. My recipe makes enough for one big bowl of cereal or two smaller ones and is perfect because it doesn’t use up too much flour or butter. You can use my favorite recipe (see below), your go to pancake recipe, or boxed pancake mix. Whatever you end up doing, make sure the pancake batter is not too thick and not to thin or runny. If the batter is too thin all the pancakes will run into each other.If it’s too thick you won’t be able to pipe it out. Make sure it’s not too lumpy either or it won’t pipe out smoothly.
- Once your pancake batter is mixed up and the right consistency, put it into a squeeze bottle with a small opening OR put it in a ziplock bag. Don’t cut off the tip of the ziplock bag until you’re ready to cook. Also, it’s better to make the cut on the bag pretty tiny. If the hole is too big, your pancakes will also end up pretty big.
- When your batter is ready, heat up a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Brush a thin layer of oil on your pan. Pipe out small pancakes or drop the batter by the 1/4 teaspoon and cook until small bubbles form on the surface and at the edges. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown, about 30 seconds more.
How do you eat pancake cereal?
To fork or not to fork...I’ve seen people use a fork to poke the pancakes essentially making mini stacks of pancakes and I’ve also seen people using a spoon. I think how you eat them is up to you. I’ve tried them both ways and I think it depends on how big you make your mini pancakes. Obviously if your pancake are really teeny you won’t be able to use a fork. Go with your gut and just do you.Milk or No Milk?
This one is up to you too! I like my pancake cereal with just butter and syrup, but if you’re a milk lover, by all means, pour some milk on there. Just don’t be all crazy and put the milk in the bowl first, mmmkay?What equipment do you need to make pancake cereal?
You just need a regular bowl, a non-stick frying pan (very important when making pancakes), a squeeze bottle or ziplock bag with the tip cut off, a spatula (or a pair of chopsticks) to flip, and a bowl to eat out of. Side note: I like using an electric crepe maker because it’s the absolute best at keeping the heat at the proper temperature – I use it whenever I make pancakes.Pancake cereal flavors to try?
Here’s where you can go crazy and have some fun. You can do chocolate pancakes for a cookies ‘n cream pancake cereal, add some strawberries or marshmallows, or cinnamon sugar, or nuts, add oreos for oreos pancake cereal, bananas, vanilla, sprinkles, the world is your pancake cereal canvas so go wild!Strawberry Shortcake Cereal Pancakes
These are the perfect summer cereal pancake: super mini vanilla cereal pancakes with juicy strawberries and soft whipped cream. Fork it or spoon it, either way these are the DREAM summer breakfast or brunch.How to make strawberry shortcake cereal pancakes
- Pick the smallest strawberries at the store or farmer’s market - the smaller the berry, the sweeter.
- Wash and hull the berries, then cut them in halves or quarters. Sprinkle them with a bit of sugar and a tiny pinch of salt so the berries macerate and get super juicy.
- Make some softly whipped cream by pouring 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream into a chilled bowl with 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk until soft peaks form (use an electric whisk if you have it!) then keep cold in the fridge.
- While the berries are getting juicy, make the pancakes as per the recipe below.
- Place the pancakes on a plate or bowl and top with the whipped cream and strawberries spooned on top. Enjoy!
Pancake Cereal Tips and Tricks
- Use oil instead of butter for the pan. Butter has a low heat point so it’s better to use oil if you don’t want your pancakes to end up burnt-looking.
- Keep the pan on low heat to start and then turn up the heat once you’ve piped out all the pancakes. Or, if you’re really slow, you can heat the pan, then turn it off, pipe out the pancakes, then turn the stove on after you’re done to cook them.
- Pipe the pancakes out smaller than you think - they will spread a tiny bit. If you want extra mini pancakes, your pancake batter should just be smaller than the size of a dime.
- If you’re not particular, use a giant flipper to flip all your pancakes at once. Or, use a pair of chopsticks to flip over each pancake individually. You can even just shake and toss the pan.
- If you want your pancakes to be warm, keep them warm in the oven. Because they’re so tiny, they don’t stay warm for very long. If you want warm pancakes, keep them warm in a low oven.
Pancake Cereal Recipe
Pancakes, but make it MINI! Pop these super cute tiny cereal sized pancakes in a bowl for pancake cereal!
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (sub milk or see notes)
- 1.5 tbsp whisked egg
- oil for the pan
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Add the whisked egg and buttermilk to the bowl, gently combine with a fork, being careful not to over mix, but mixing out all the large lumps
Pour the pancake batter into a squeeze bottle or ziplock bag with a tiny corner cut off. Or you can use a teaspoon to scoop it out.
Heat up a non-stick pan over over medium-low heat. Brush a thin layer of oil on your pan. Squeeze out mini pancake (or drop the batter by the teaspoon) and cook until the pancakes start to bubble. When you flip them, they should be golden brown. Continue cooking for another 30 seconds or 1 minute, or until golden brown. Scoop the pancakes out into a bowl.
Serve with a pat of butter and drizzle with syrup! Milk optional :)
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, make an easy substitute by mixing together a scant 1/2 cup milk with 1.5 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice. Do this at the beginning so it has time to thicken up.
I Am... How to Make the Best Japanese Shokupan Milk Bread
I love all bread but Japanese shokupan is my absolute favorite. So much so that back when traveling was a thing, Mike and I regularly went on shokupan hunts while in Tokyo. Bread and toast is on another level over there. Every time we flew home I would bring a loaf, tucked into a carry on bag that I would keep in my lap just so I could have shokupan at home. Those were the days! If you know me, even a little bit, you would know that I love carbs. I have a sweatshirt that proudly proclaims me a carb lover because it’s so very, very true. If I had my way and lived in a world where calories didn’t count, I would happily live on carbs only, all day, everyday. Give me ALL the carby foods: potatoes, noodles, rice, and oh yes, especially BREAD.
The easiest shokupan recipe
I’ve been baking this simple squishable loaf. It doesn’t have a yudane (a boiling water and flour roux) or a tangzhong (a cooked water and flour roux) the two most common additions to shokupan. Even without, it is still a very soft and fluffy loaf with the added the bonus of not having to think about making bread the day before. A lot of bread recipes (sourdough especially but even soft sandwich loaves) are a two day affair. I like this loaf because you can think to yourself in the morning, I would like some soft and fluffy bread and then make it and have it the same day.How to make shokupan
Making shokupan is easier than you think. It comes together very simply: you proof your yeast, mix up your dry ingredients, add the egg to the yeast, then mix the dough. Once the dough comes together, you slowly knead in the butter. The key to a soft and fluffy shokupan is in the kneading so make sure you take the time (a mixer with a dough hook is the right choice here) to reach the window pane stage. One your dough is soft and extensible, you can expect a soft and shreddable loaf. I really liked this loaf, simply toasted with butter or spread with some cream cheese and jam. But, it’s still not the level of bread I love from Japan so I’m going to be doing some more experimenting. Please let me know in the comments if you have any favorite Japanese shokupan recipes, I’m always up for trying new ones!A note on size and shaping
This was made in a 4.5 inch pullman cube which holds about 1 lb of dough. You can also make it in a regular sized loaf pan in which it will be rounded on top like a regular loaf of bread. If you are making it in a regular loaf pan, you’ll want to divide the dough into two equally sized balls before shaping. I’ve included the bakers’ percentages below as well so you can size according to your pan.- 120 grams water 48%
- 2 grams active dry yeast .8%
- 250 grams bread flour 100%
- 30 grams sugar 12 %
- 1.5 grams salt .6%
- 28 grams egg 11.2 %
- 25 grams butter 10%
Japanese Shokupan Bread Recipe
- 120 grams water (warm, see note)
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 250 grams bread flour
- 30 grams sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 large egg (lightly beaten, about 1.5 tbsp (28 grams))
- 25 grams butter (room temp)
Sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water/milk. Let proof while you complete the next steps.
In the bowl of your mixer, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
Whisk the egg into the yeast mixture, then add to the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix until it comes into a ball and then switch to a dough hook and knead until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides.
Add the room temperature butter and continue to knead, about 10-12 minutes, until very supple and the dough reaches the windowpane stage – take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and stretch it out between your fingers and thumbs. If you can stretch it without the dough breaking, you’re good to go. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Place in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Take the dough and tip it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down lightly then roll out into a large oval.
Bring the two sides of the oval towards the middle.
Then roll up.
Place in a pullman loaf pan (I used a non-stick pan, lightly oil or butter your pan if it isn’t non-stick), cover and let proof until 1 inch below the top, about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Heat the oven to 355°F after the dough has been proofing for 30 minutes.
Slide the lid on the pan and bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until the bread is golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan immediately and cool on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!
I wanted this to be a milk shokupan so I used 80 grams water + 40 grams milk, you can go ahead and use all water or a mix of water and milk depending on what you prefer.
I Am... Crispiest Smashed Potatoes
If you’re a potato lover this is about to become your new favorite potato recipe: crispy, crunchy, smashed potatoes! Fluffy, creamy, and tender on the inside and shatteringly crunchy on the outside. Seriously SO GOOD. I love potatoes like I love no other root vegetable. Potatoes are and will always be my favourite food from the underground world. I could live on potatoes alone. These potatoes in particular are delicious, golden crusty nuggets of smashed creamy potato goodness. They’re great on their own as a snack and also make an incredible side dish.
What are smashed potatoes
Smashed potatoes taste like fries, but if fries were rustic, lofi, chill vibes potatoes that aren’t concerned about fitting in. They all come out different because they all smash wonderfully uniquely. Just like fries, they’re crispy on the outside and fluffy and potatoey on the inside. Because they’re smashed, there is so much more potential surface area for crispy crunch. Smashed potatoes are super easy and not at all complicated. They’re as simple as: boiling, tossing, smashing, and baking. That’s it. No peeling, no special equipment, just good, solid, tender flavorful potatoes.How to make crispy smashed potatoes
The key to crispy potatoes is cooking them before they go in the oven. Just like British style potato roasties the secret is double cooking. Boiling the potatoes makes sure the potatoes are tender and creamy before crisping up in the oven. Smashing them gives them extra surface area and craggily bits for crunch.- Boil baby potatoes in salted water.
- Drain and let potatoes dry in a colander for about 5 minutes.
- Toss the potatoes in oil and season with salt.
- Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and smash with the bottom of a glass.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 450°F.
- Enjoy!
Crispy smashed potato ingredients
All you need for the BEST crispy smashed potatoes are:- baby potatoes - baby potatoes aka new potatoes are best! They’re extra creamy, sweet and tender. They sell them in little bags near the regular potatoes. It doesn’t matter which color you get :)
- high heat neutral oil - since these guys roast in the oven at 450°F it’s best to use a high heat oil like canola, grapeseed, sunflower seed, or safflower.
- sea salt - a good sprinkle of flaky salt adds a little bit of crunch and brings out the sweetness of the potato flavor
- herbs of choice - fresh herbs absolutely elevate potatoes. Roughly chop them, then sprinkle over the potatoes after they come out of the oven. Try dill, cilantro, green onions, fennel tops, basil, rosemary, sage, parsley, oregano, chives, or thyme.
How to serve
Have them as a snack as is right out of the oven, as finger food or an appetizer, or serve them as a side with some of the following: Oh, if you want to make smashed potatoes in the air fryer or on the stove top, I’ve got you:Air fryer smashed potatoes
Put lightly oiled smashed potatoes in a preheated air fryer at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden.Stove top smashed potatoes
Smash the potatoes and then fry in oil in a cast iron skillet until crispy, flipping once, over medium heat. Happy potato smashing! xoxo stephSmashed Potatoes
The best smashed potatoes: fluffy, creamy, and tender on the inside and shatteringly crunchy on the outside.
- 1.5 lb potatoes (baby/nugget potatoes preferred)
- 4 tbsp neutral oil (divided)
Heat the oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt generously. Add the baby potatoes and cook for 20 minutes, until soft.
Drain in a colander and let dry completely, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the potatoes in oil and season with salt.
Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet, lightly brushed with oil and use a potato masher or the bottom of a heavy glass to press down on the potatoes until smashed to your desired potato preference, 1/2 - 1/4 inch thick. Thicker potatoes mean fluffier insides, thinner potatoes mean crispier potatoes.
Bake until golden and crispy, about 20-25 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and top with scallion oil, chili oil, and cilantro, if using, and enjoy!
I Am... Easy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (air fried or baked too)
Taiwanese popcorn chicken nuggets are probably my favorite kind of fried chicken. They're a super crunchy, deeply savory, absolutely addictive snack, and probably one of the best things to ever come out of Taiwan. The other best thing being boba tea, of course. I have many, many fond memories of late nights at boba tea places, munching on fried chicken, Taiwanese scallion pancake beef rolls and drinking boba tea. There was even that one summer after college when my friends and I would hangout every night, playing mahjong into the wee hours of the morning. We were fueled by takeout bubble tea, beef rolls, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, and the pure joy of youth. We were all working in-between kind of jobs that we didn’t care about. All that mattered was our obsession with the clink of those green and white MJ tiles and snacks. The best snack of all being Taiwanese popcorn chicken of course!
What is Taiwanese popcorn chicken?
Taiwanese popcorn chicken is an addictive night market snack from Taiwan. Like all good street foods, it has made its way into the cultural fabric of Taiwan and is now served in restaurants in Taiwan and all over the world. Just as with other extra crunchy deep fried chickens (Korean fried chicken, chicken karaage), Taiwanese fried chicken is twice-deep fried: first in a low temperature oil to cook through, then in a high heat oil to add crunch. As it comes out of the fryer, it’s tossed in a salt and pepper seasoning and garnished with deep fried basil leaves. Oh, and of course I have to mention, these little nuggets also come supersized as GIANT Taiwanese crispy fried chicken cutlets. Those giant chicken steaks (sometimes bigger than your head!) are served either whole, in a bag, that you can hold onto and bite, or cut up into pieces that you can eat with skewers or chopsticks.Taiwanese fried chicken ingredients
- Chicken - the main ingredient. Chicken thighs are best for juiciness and flavor. Most Taiwanese fried chicken is made from boneless skinless thighs.
- Light Soy Sauce - We need just a bit of light soy sauce for umami and salt. There are a bunch of recipes on the internet that have you marinating in a bunch of regular soy sauce, but if you do your chicken will end up super dark after frying. We just want a hint of soy, not too much. Our favorite brands of light soy sauce are Amoy, Pearl River, and Lee Kum Kee. You can find them either online or at the Asian grocery store.
- Starch - Here I used a combination of cornstarch and potato starch for a coating that was light and crisp. The kind of starch you use for your coating is pretty important. More on coatings further down.
- Five Spice Powder - This is what gives Taiwanese fried chicken it’s distinctive flavor. Five spice is a Chinese spice mix made up of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel. You can find it at most grocery stores and online of course. All five spice powder mixes are different, so make sure you taste your fives spice and like it before using it.
- White Pepper - White pepper is the other distinct spice in Taiwanese fried chicken. It has a sharper, more floral note than regular pepper. Don’t skip out on it if you want the real deal.
- Thai Basil - Taiwanese chicken is almost always garnished with Thai basil that has been deep-fried. It adds a bit of earthy herb freshness to the whole dish. If you’re adverse to deep-frying herbs, you can just serve it fresh.
How to Make Taiwanese Fried Chicken
- Cut down your chicken: Start of with cutting the chicken into bite size pieces. Make sure you cut all your pieces the same size. You don’t want thin pieces because they tend to be drier, so try to make sure they are kind of chunky and thick.
- Marinate: From there you’ll want to marinate them in soy sauce, garlic, five spice, white pepper, and salt. It’s a pretty dry marinade so be sure to mix everything up evenly so that all the chicken pieces are coated. You want them to marinate for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour. I like to leave them in a cool spot in the kitchen so the chicken can come up to room temp. This helps it cook more evenly and quickly instead of cooking it straight from the fridge. If you’re marinating overnight, just take the chicken out of the fridge a little bit before you’re going to cook.
- Coat the chicken: After the chicken has marinated, you want to coat it in the cornstarch/potato starch mix. You dont need to drain the marinade, since it’s pretty much a rub so just go ahead and toss the chicken in the starches, being sure to coat evenly.
- Fry: From there you can either deep-fry, air-fry, or oven-bake. The choice is yours!
- Toss: Toss the freshly fried chicken with the spice mix. This is a very important part to making your chicken authentic.
Air-frying/Oven Baking
If you’re air-frying or oven baking, you’ll need to spray the chicken with some oil. We like to use a simple oil mister bottle that we got on amazon so we can just use whatever oil we have on hand. Make sure there’s a good coating of oil on the tops of the chicken so it browns evenly, otherwise you might end up with chicken that’s not as golden.Deep-frying
For deep-frying, we’re going to do a double deep fry: once at a low temperature to cook the chicken through and then again at a higher temperature to get the chicken extra crispy and golden brown. Some tips:- Make sure you use a heavy bottomed deep pot to deep-fry.
- You want a lot of headspace so the oil doesn’t boil and bubble over.
- A kitchen thermometer is best, but if you don't have one, you can check the temperature by putting wooden chopsticks into the oil. There should be a bunch of little bubbles that come out the end. The ones that come with your take out orders are perfect.
- Gently add some pieces of chicken into the pot, being sure not to crowd, and fry until lightly golden. Drain on a wire rack and then turn up the heat and deep fry again until crisp and deeply golden.
Which Taiwanese popcorn chicken is the best: deep-frying vs air-frying vs oven-baking
Here we are! I went ahead and prepared Taiwanese fried chicken three different ways to figure out which method was best. I knew which chicken nugget was which but Mike did a double blind taste test and these are the results - they will shock you! Mike thought that all the chicken tasted kind of the same. He said that when hot, the differences were minimal. Once the chicken got cold - we're talking like hours later - this is what he came up with:- Deep-fried was the tastiest, probably because it had some extra flavor from deep-frying
- Air-fried was the crunchiest and crispiest
- Oven-baked was the juiciest
What is the best type of coating for Taiwanese popcorn chicken?
If you ever look closely at some Taiwanese fried chicken, you’ll notice that their coating looks different from fried chicken coated with flour. This is because they use a mix of cornstarch, potato starch, or sweet potato starch. The crust of Taiwanese fried chicken tends to be a bit powder-y with little balls of crunchiness. It’s not as golden as regular fried chicken because the starches used don’t brown up the same way. Starches tend to give a lighter, yet crisper coating because there’s no gluten in it. Look for coarse potato/sweet potato starch for extra crunchy chicken. Coarse starch has slightly bigger granules that make the chicken even crunchier. For the most authentic Taiwanese chicken you’re going to want to search for sweet potato starch. Other starches will work too, but sweet potato starch is the starch of choice. The best chefs often use a mix of starches (their ratios being trade secrets) for the perfect combination of crispy and crunchy.First off, what is starch?
Starch is a white, tasteless powder made up of two molecules: amylose and amylopectin. When heated, the molecules cross link with each other to form a rigid, brittle network that holds its shape. This translates to a crispy, crunchy feeling when we eat it. Bonus, starch is gluten-free!Sweet potato starch
This is the classic coating you’ll find on fried chicken in Taiwan. Sweet potato starch (红薯粉) is super popular in Chinese food for coating meats, making chewy mochi-like dessert balls, and of course, deep-frying. Sweet potato starch comes in regular and coarse ground. Coarse ground sweet potato starch is what you want for Taiwanese chicken. Its irregularly sized pieces give the coating a raggedy, craggy surface which ends up being crispier when deep fried. Sweet potato starch contains the highest percentage of amylose (30%) which makes it the crunchiest/crispiest of all the starches.Cornstarch
Cornstarch, made from corn kernels, is probably the most common starch for thickening sauces, baking, and coating things for frying. Its fairly high amylose (25-28%) makes it a really good choice for a deep fry coating. I always include it as the default choice for coating Asian fried chicken because it's probably in your pantry already.Potato starch
Potato starch, made from potatoes, has a fairly high amylose content (20-22%). It’s really easy to find at the grocery store so if you can’t get your hands on sweet potato starch a mix of cornstarch and potato starch will give you an acceptable facsimile. Note: potato starch is not the same as potato flour!Coatings to avoid
Stay away from flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, and rice starch if you want a crispy crunchy crust that will stay crunchy.What to eat with Taiwanese fried chicken
You can eat it on it’s own as a snack, serve it up with some fluffy white rice as a Taiwanese fried chicken bowl, enjoy it next to fried noodles or fried rice, or last but not least: serve with some green onion pancake beef rolls for an extra Taiwanese experience.Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
How to Make The Best Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken Three Ways: Baked, Air Fried, and Deep Fried
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cubed)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (light)
- 1/2 tbsp chinese five spice powder
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- oil/cooking spray
- thai basil (if desired)
Salt and Pepper Mix
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
In a bowl, marinate the chicken in the garlic, soy sauce, five spice, garlic powder, white pepper, and salt for 30 minutes. If you are air frying or baking, add a 1/2 tablespoon oil to the marinade.
Lightly pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the cornstarch and potato starch in a bowl and, working in batches, toss and coat several pieces of chicken, making sure they are well coated. Alternatively, put the cornstarch and potato starch in a bag or container, add the chicken, and shake to coat. The chicken should be well coated and look fairly dry.
Deep Fry
Prepare a wire cooling rack over a paper towel lined rimmed baking sheet. Heat up 2 - 2.5 inches of oil in a deep heavy bottomed pot until it reaches 325°F. It doesn’t need to be too deep, it depends on the size of your chicken. Use a pair of tongs to gently add a couple of pieces of chicken to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry in batches until lightly golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the oil and let rest on your prepared wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken until all of it has been fried once.
Turn the heat up to 350°F and fry the chicken a second time around until deeply golden and crispy, another 1-2 minutes. Drain on the wire rack, sprinkle with the extra spice mix if desired, and enjoy immediately!
Air Fry
Lightly oil or use cooking spray on the air fryer basket. Place the coated pieces of chicken in the basket, with at least 1/4” of space in between pieces. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray. Cook at 400°F for 5 minutes, then flip and lightly spray with extra cooking spray. Cook for 5 more minutes at 400°F. If your pieces of chicken are large, you might need an extra minute or two. Let the chicken cool for 5 minutes, then air fry for an extra 5 minutes at 400°F to crisp it up.
Immediately remove from the air fryer basket and let rest on a wire rack. Sprinkle with the extra spice mix if desired and enjoy immediately!
To Bake
Heat the oven to 450°F. Oil or use cooking spray to fully coat a wire rack in a foil lined baking sheet. Place the coated pieces of chicken on the rack, with at least 1/4” of space in between pieces. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray.
Bake for 20 minutes, then flip, lightly coat with extra cooking spray and bake for an extra 5 minutes. The pieces of chicken should be golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the extra spice mix if desired and enjoy immediately!
You probably won’t use all the spice mix – dust and taste to see what level of extra salty peppery-ness you like.
I Am... Bun Bo Hue: Maybe Better than Pho?
Bún Bò Huế is a spicy Vietnamese noodle soup that is absolutely one of the best noodle soups in the world. Unlike the ubiquitous, well-loved and well-known pho, bun bo hue is strangely not as popular. But those in the know, know: Bun bo hue is where it’s at. Any good cook will tell you that homemade soups are a labour of love. They take time and a little bit of effort, but like any thing that is worth waiting for, they are absolutely heartwarming. Soups, especially noodle soups, are my go to bowl of comfort. I love the flavors and combination of textures (solid and liquid, squishy and firm), the slurping, the messiness, the fun, the satisfaction. And if you had to ask me what my all time favorite noodle soup was, I would probably say: bun bo hue. When we started going out, Mike told me that bun bo hue was one of his favorite soups growing up. He took us out for a couple of bowls of BBH (as Mike and I lovingly call it) and I was addicted. I’ve been wanting to make BBH ever since. BBH isn’t quite as popular as pho and I’m not quite sure why. It might be because it’s from Central Vietnam or it might just be because it hasn’t yet made its way into the spotlight. But, if you look for it, you can find BBH specialists. There’s even a place down in San Diego that has a BYOP (bring your own pot) so you can bring home enough BBH for your whole family and then some. Note: this recipe was first posted in 2014 and has been updated since to our most recent version, if you're looking for the old version, leave us a note in the comments.
What is bun bo hue?
If you’ve never had bun bo hue, think of all the things you love about pho and then increase them by 10. Bun bo hue is pho’s hotter, younger, spicier cousin. They share the same general bones: piping hot flavorful stock, slippery noodles, slices of tender beef, and fresh herbs to punch it up. But, while pho is made with just beef, BBH is made with beef and pork, as well as herbaceous lemongrass and a crazy addictive saté that turns the whole soup a gorgeous golden red.Bun bo hue Soup
The soup is a fiery orange-red thanks to a spicy red hot chili oil made from two kinds of chilis, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and fish sauce. The rice noodles, thicker and a different shape than the flat ones in pho, are cylindrical and round, slippery and firm. The brisket is tender and the garnishes add the freshness you expect when eating a bowl of Vietnamese food. It’s spicy, savory, sour and sweet all at once – both balanced and in your face.Is bun bo hue #worthit?
The first time I made this was for Mike’s birthday one year and even though it was a lot of work for my inexperienced self back then, the warm cozy comfort of that first sip blew me away. It was totally worth it, and we’ve been making it ever since. Noodle soup is a gift to yourself and to the ones you love. After all, love is like soup: warm and cozy, nourishing and filling. Love is the crook of your best friend’s arm as you fall asleep at dawn, bursting into laughter together over nothing at all, long lingering walks talking about everything and nothing. Love is noodle soup, the big things, the little things, and everything in between.Are you convinced? Make this because you love yourself or make it for someone you love. Let’s do this!
First things first, where is bun bo hue from?
Bun bo hue is a noodle soup from the city of Hue, Vietnam. The name literally means beef noodle soup from Hue. It’s beloved in Vietnam and since its conception has gone from a soup made with solely beef to a beef-based soup with other good things like pork hock and ham added in.Bun bo hue ingredients
Bun bo hue is made up of three main components: the soup, the satế, and the stuff.The soup
The stock or soup of bun bo hue is really easy to make, you just need time (or an Instant Pot).- Oxtail - Oxtails will give you the perfect combination of meat for beefiness, collagen from the bones for body, and fat for flavor.
- Brisket - Slow cooking the brisket in the soup will give the soup extra beef flavor and ensure your brisket is fall apart tender.
- Lemongrass - Lemongrass is one of the main flavors of BBH. Wash, trim, and slightly bruise the stalks by using your hands to break them, kind of like how you would snap a pencil in half. This will help release their aromatic oils into the soup.
- Shallots - Shallots add a caramel sweetness without adding sugar.
The satế
The satế, or the chili oil, is the highlight of BBH. It’s garlicky, spicy, and full of lemongrass flavor. If you like Chinese chili crisp, you’ll LOVE satế. It tastes amazing in soup, obviously, but it also tastes great on everything else: meats, eggs, vegetables, toast, you name it, this satế will make it better.- Shallot - Shallots are so much better than onions, in my opinion. They’re delicate and sweet with just a hint of sharpness.
- Lemongrass - Lemongrass makes up the bulk of the satế and adds a fresh herbaceous. Make sure you trim and remove the outer stalks and mince before placing in your food processor. Lemongrass is tough and has to potential to burn out the motor.
- Garlic - Lots of garlic for that flavor we all know and love.
- Fresh Thai chilis - This satế uses a mix of fresh chilis and dried so you get the best of both world. If you like spice, you can add extra Thai chilis.
- Chili flakes - The dried chili flakes add a hint of smokiness and also the ruby-red color. We like to use dried Sichuan chili flakes.
- Sugar - A bit of sugar balances out and highlights the spice.
- Fish sauce - A huge hit of umami added the at the end for saltiness and flavor.
- Shrimp paste - mắm ruốc huế, a bright pink shrimp paste that’s a specialty of Hue adds a HUGE hit of umami and depth of flavor. If you can find it, it will take your BBH to another level. Mike’s parents have fond memories of when the shrimp boats used to come in once a year. They would ferment their own shrimp paste; they still dream about the flavor.
Everything else
aka the fillings aka the toppings aka the good stuff- Vermicelli - The rice noodles in BBH are bun, a thick round vermicelli that’s hearty and hefty. The noodles resemble spaghetti but are made of rice flour, like pho noodles. You can find these at your local Asian grocery store.
- Brisket - After slow cooking the broth, the brisket is cut into tender, thick slices.
- Beef balls - Bò viên are the Vietnamese beef meatballs that you’ve probably had in pho. They’re firm and chewy and full of beef flavor. You can find them in the refrigerated section of a well stocked Asian grocery store. We like to cut them in half.
- Vietnamese meatloaf/ham - There are lots of different varieties of Vietnamese meatloaves out there – they’re kind of like mortadella – but the one we like is chả chiên, the deep fried one. It’s porky and smooth, flavored with black pepper and fish sauce.
- Banana blossoms - Banana blossoms add crunch and a tangy complexity to bun bo hue. This is one of those specialty toppings that is probably going to be hard to find. It’s absolutely authentic and most good Bun Bo Hue restaurants have banana blossoms. They’re not the easiest to prepare, but if you have a decent Vietnamese grocery store around, you can find them there, pre-prepped, in a vacuum sealed bag in the produce department. If you can’t find them, what a lot of restaurants do is serve up thinly sliced cabbage instead.
- Herbs - Is it even Vietnamese food if there aren’t any herbs?! We always include what’s fresh at the store, in this particular case, we went with mint, sawtooth coriander (ngò gai), cilantro, Thai basil, thinly sliced red onions, and lime wedges.
How to make bun bo hue
We like to divide the cooking/prep over two days for a more chill vibes pleasant cooking experience. Although some people nope out of a recipe as soon as they see "day 1", this one is worth it. You can either slave over a stove for hours or do it the easy pro chef way. Once you’ve made the stuff the day before, the next day you can go from hungry to a steaming hot bowl of noodles in no time flat. You’ll have basically created your own little BBH restaurant!Day 1
- Make the soup. Blanch the oxtails, then place in a pot with lemongrass and shallots. Let simmer for 3.5 hours then add the brisket and let simmer for another 2.
- Once the soup is done, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the aromatics. Remove the oxtails and brisket and store in an airtight container.
- Regarding the oxtail: you can have this as a chef’s treat or you can shred the meat off the bone and have it with your BBH the next day.
- Store the soup in a container and pop everything in the fridge.
- Make the satế. Use a food processor to blend up the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and chilis, then heat up the oil and gently cook. Mix in chili flakes, sugar, fish sauce, and fish paste. Let cool then store in an air tight container in the fridge.
Day 2
Once you have the stock and the satế ready, you’re basically good to assemble!- Prep the herbs: wash and dry the herbs and slice the onion and lime.
- Remove the soup from the fridge. Take the brisket out and slice neatly. Slicing the brisket after it chills in the fridge gives you a cleaner cut. Slice the meatloaf/ham and cut the beef balls in half.
- Prep your bowls. You’ll need bowls that can generously fit 3 cups of liquid. Fill them up with extra hot tap water and set aside so the bowls can warm up, then drain just before the noodles are done cooking.
- Heat up the soup in a pot. When it’s hot, add the brisket, beef balls, and ham and leave it at a bare simmer over low heat. In another pot, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the vermicelli. When it’s done, rinse, drain well, and divide evenly into the bowls.
- Top the noodles with the meats, a scoop of the satế (start with 1 tablespoon, then add extra to taste), then ladle on the hot broth. Garnish with ALL the herbs and enjoy immediately.
What if I want to make everything in one day?
You absolutely can! Just skip out on the storing the soup in the fridge step and plan your day accordingly: the soup takes 5.5 hours to make.Stovetop vs Crockpot vs Instant Pot
- Can you make this with a crockpot? Yes! Blanch the oxtail bones before placing everything in the crockpot (including the brisket) on low for 6 hours.
- What about the instant pot? Also yes! Again, blanch the oxtail bones, then just put everything in the Instant Pot (including the brisket) on high pressure for 45 minutes, then quick release.
Bun Bo Hue
Bun bo hue is a spicy Vietnamese noodle soup that is absolutely addictive and one of the best noodle soups in the world.
Bun Bo Hue Soup
- 1 lb brisket
- 1 lb oxtail
- 3 stalks lemongrass (bruised)
- 2 shallots (halved)
Satế
- 3 stalks lemongrass (minced)
- 1 shallot (roughly chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 Thai chilies
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
- 1/4 cup Chinese chili flakes (or sub 2-4 Thai chilies)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste (mắm ruốc, optional)
Assembly
- 8 beef meatballs (halved, bò viên)
- 8 slices Vietnamese ham (sliced, chả chiên)
- 14 oz thick vermicelli (look for the words Bun Bo Hue)
- 1/4 red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup banana blossoms (cleaned, trimmed, and sliced)
- 4 stems sawtooth coriander (ngò gai)
- 4 sprigs cilantro
- 4 sprigs Thai basil
- 4 wedges lime
Bring a small pot of water to the boil and blanch the oxtails for 5 minutes. Bring a second, larger pot with 8 cups of water to a boil. If you are using an instant pot, just add 8 cups of water to the insert.
Instant Pot directions: add oxtails, lemongrass, shallots, and brisket to the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 45 min, then quick release.
Stovetop Directions: Rinse and transfer the oxtails to the second pot along with the lemongrass and shallots. Simmer on low for 3.5 hours. Add the brisket and continue to simmer for another 2 hours for 5.5 hours total. Use a slotted spoon to remove the lemongrass and shallots. Take the oxtail and brisket out and store in a container. Transfer the soup to another container and put everything in the fridge.
While the soup is simmering, mince the lemongrass for the satế and transfer it to a food processor along with the shallot, garlic, and Thai chilies. Pulse into a fine paste.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the satế paste and fry, stirring, just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chili flakes, sugar, fish sauce, and shrimp paste (if using). Let cool then place in a jar or airtight container. The satế will keep in the fridge for up to several weeks.
To Assemble
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions, usually 10-15 minutes for properly thick vermicelli. Meanwhile, heat up your bowls by filling with hot tap water. In a second saucepan, combine the soup with enough water to make 8 cups then bring to a low simmer. Slice the brisket and place into the soup to reheat, along with the halved meatballs, and sliced ham. When the noodles are done, drain in a colander, and rinse well with cold water and allow 2-3 minutes to dry.
Drain your bowls, then divide the noodles evenly between the bowls and top the noodles with the brisket, beef balls, and ham. Scoop on 1-2 tablespoons of the satế depending on your taste for saltiness and spiciness - you can always add more later.
Ladle on the piping hot broth. Enjoy immediately topped with banana blossoms, sliced onions, sawtooth coriander, cilantro, Thai basil, and lime.
Estimated times are for the instant pot, conventional time is closer to 6 hours.
Estimated Nutrition based on approx 1/4 lb of meat total per person
I Am... Make a Porchetta this Easter
If you’re looking for an easy, impressive roast, porchetta is just what you need. Golden brown crackling, juicy meat, and fresh herbs are all tied up into a neat roll. Savory, delicious, and a mix of crunchy and tender, porchetta is everything you’ve ever wanted in a roasted pork dish.
The best easter centerpiece?
If you're the kind of person that's always looking for a nice centerpiece for celebration or holiday dinners, porchetta is a great alternative to glazed ham, turkey, or expensive tenderloin. It's cheaper, more delicious, and pretty unique. Not to mention, it's lower in sodium and nitrates. Best of all, you can size it to your needs. Special anniversary for two? You can make a 2lb belly only porchetta. 16 people family reunion? Go all the way with a tenderloin stuffed full size porchetta.What is porchetta?
Porchetta is a classic Italian roast pork. The word “porchetta“ literally means little pig in Italian. Traditionally, an entire deboned pig, rolled up with fresh herbs, roasts over an open wood fire. The resulting roast is incredibly savory and delicious. It’s beloved all across Italy, served at celebrations, as a main dish at home, and as street food. In North America, most porchetta is a cut of pork that consists of slab pork belly still attached to pork loin. It emulates the different cuts you find in a whole pig roast porchetta. You’ll also see porchetta made with pork belly and tenderloin or all pork belly.How to make porchetta
- Make two spice rubs. Toast fresh rosemary needles and whole fennel seeds in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant and toasty. Remove from the heat and chop into a rough spice mix. Mix together with flakey sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Divide the spice mix in two, then add fresh lemon zest and freshly chopped flat leaf parsley to one portion.
- Prep the pork belly. Scoring the meaty side of pork belly with a sharp knife helps it roll up into a neat, even log. Place the pork belly skin side down on a large cutting board and lightly score on a diagonal, about 1/4 of an inch deep, with lines 1 inch apart. Rotate the knife 90 degrees and score lines again, 1 inch apart, to create a diamond pattern.
- Season the meat. Rub the spice mix with the lemon zest and flat leaf parsley into the meaty part of the pork belly, making sure to rub into the scored cuts.
- Tie the porchetta. Lay out several pieces of string on the cutting board, 1-2 inches apart. Lay the pork belly on top of the string and place the tenderloin (if using), into the middle of the pork belly. If needed, trim the tenderloin in length so it fits neatly inside the belly. Roll the pork up tightly and use the strings to tie into a tight, neat roll.
- Season the skin. Use the remaining spice mix and evenly rub onto the skin of the pork belly.
- Roast. Place the rolled porchetta, seam side down, into a deep roasting rack. Slow roast, basting every so often, in a low oven, until the pork is tender, juicy, and yielding.
- Render. Blast the heat on high to render out some of the fat in the skin to create a crispy, crunchy, golden crackling.
- Rest. When the crackling is deeply golden and burnished, remove the porchetta from the oven. Let your golden porchetta rest for a minimum of 15 minutes. Resting will let the juices redistribute and remain in the roast. Enjoy!
Porchetta ingredients
- pork belly - a 3 to 3.5 lb square or rectangular slab of skin on pork belly is large enough to roll around a small pork tenderloin. You can also make an all belly porchetta and skip the tenderloin. Try to get a slab that is an even thickness throughout the entire pice so it cooks and rolls evenly. Most butchers or meat departments have larger slabs of pork belly in the back, so don’t be afraid to ask. Also, if you have an Asian grocery store nearby, they will most definitely carry large slabs of pork belly.
- pork tenderloin - if your going with a pork tenderloin, look for a small, thin, even diameter tenderloin so its easy to wrap the belly around it. Pork tenderloins come quite small, look for one that’s 1-2 lbs and around 3 inches in diameter. You might need to trim it if its too long to fit the length of your pork belly.
- seasoning and spices - a mix of classic Italian flavors is what is going to give your porchetta incredible flavor: fresh rosemary, toasted fennel seeds, lemon zest, fresh flat leaf parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, flakey sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Porchetta rub
Porchetta is classically seasoned with salt, pepper, fennel seed, rosemary, lemon zest, and fresh rosemary. Most use toasted fennel seeds, but if you have fennel pollen, this is the dish you’ll want to use it in.- To make a porchetta rub, start with fresh rosemary. Wash the sprigs, remove the needles and lightly toast them in a dry pan to release their piney aromatics. Chop the cooled rosemary pine needs to further release their flavor.
- Similar to the rosemary, whole fennel seeds should be lightly toasted for maximum toasty, warm, earthy anise flavor. Crush the cooled, toasted fennel seeds and mix with the chopped rosemary, flakey sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Divide the spice mix in two. Add fresh lemon zest and chopped flat leaf parsley for a bright citrusy green freshness to one portion. The lemon rub is for the meat side of the porchetta and the spice rub is for the skin.
What does porchetta taste like?
Think of the most amazing pork belly you’ve ever had. Now think of the best pork chop you’ve ever eaten. Add crispy, crunchy, golden pork crackling, savory pork juices, a hint of lemon, earthy rosemary, bright and fresh flat leaf parsley, and the warm and toasty flavors of fennel seeds. All those flavors, textures, and juices explode in your mouth in a symphony of salty, fatty, balanced flavor. A perfect bite of porchetta is simply amazing.What cut of meat is porchetta?
In Italy, there are still places where they make porchetta with an entire deboned suckling pig. In North America, most porchetta is a cut of pork that consists of slab pork belly still attached to pork loin. Most home cooks make porchetta with pork belly and tenderloin or just pork belly.What is pork belly?
Pork belly is just as the name implies, the belly of a pig. It’s a boneless, fatty cut of meat sold in a slab.What is pork loin/tenderloin?
Pork loin is a tender, lean cut of meat cut from the loin muscle of a pig. Loin is large and rectangular, cut from the near the back, mid section of the pig. Tenderloin, or pork filet, is a thin, long, boneless rectangular cut from the same loin muscle as pork loin. Tenderloin comes from near the spine and is especially tender and lean.All belly porchetta
It’s definitely more common to see porchetta made from just pork belly. The reason being, its much simpler to make an all belly porchetta, both in regards to sourcing and rolling/tying.Mini porchetta for 2-3
If you trim off the excess, you can make a super cute, mini 2-3" porchetta for 2-3 people that bakes faster and has a higher crisp to meat ratio, perfect for those last minute get togethers (or just the best snack).Easy unrolled porchetta
If you don’t have kitchen string or don’t want to roll your porchetta into a roll, make a flat all belly porchetta. Rub the belly with the salt and herbs and roast the belly flat. Since you’re not rolling, you can make a smaller roast as well, making this ideal for smaller eaters. Find a small baking vessel that’s about the same size as your belly and snuggle it in, so its a tight fit. The fat will render out and surround the meat, much in the same way rolling the belly together protects and bastes the meat at the same time. Essentially its a cheater’s pork confit. Roast the belly in a 275°F for 2 hours or until the pork reaches 160°F and is tender and yielding. Blast the heat up to 450°F for 20-30 minutes or until the sling becomes crisp, golden, and crackly. Let rest, slice, and enjoy.How to serve
Typically, porchetta comes sliced, chopped, and served on a crusty soft bread roll. A porchetta panino is one of life’s perfect sandwiches. Non traditionally, you can also serve porchetta as a roast with sides, with pasta, on pizza, anything you can dream — just don’t tell the Italian nonni! Here are some sides you can make alongside with:- soft and fluffy garlic rolls - there’s no garlic in porchetta and Italians feel like garlic is incredibly overpowering, but my North American tastebuds LOVE porchetta tucked into a soft and fluffy garlic butter roll.
- red wine spaghetti - ubriachi is rich and creamy and so good. Some chopped up porchetta on to would be amazingly delicious.
- roasted potatoes - you can never go wrong with pork and potatoes and these roasties are crisp and crunchy on the outside and creamy and fluffy on the inside.
- burrata and kale - sale quickly sautéed with tomatoes and topped with burrata makes a fast yet luxe side.
Porchetta
Golden brown crackling, juicy meat, and fresh herbs are all tied up into a neat roll.
- 2.5 tbsp fresh rosemary (needles only)
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 lemon (zest only)
- 2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (roughly chopped)
- 3-3.5 lb pork belly (skin on, ~approx 12in x 12in)
- 1-2 lb pork tenderloin (~approx 3 inches in diameter, optional)
In a small frying pan, lightly toast 2 tsp of rosemary needles along with the fennel seeds over low heat, shaking constantly, until fragrant, about 30 second to 1 minute. Let cool and roughly chop into a rough spice blend. Add the fennel and rosemary to a small bowl along with the sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using). Mix well. In another small bowl, mix the lemon zest and flat leaf parsley together.
Place the pork belly skin side down on a cutting board and lightly score the meat in a diamond pattern. Sprinkle on half of the salt rub. Top generously with all of the herb rub. If using, place the tenderloin in the centre of the belly.
Tightly roll the belly, skin side out, around the tenderloin and tie together with kitchen twine. Rub the skin generously with the remaining salt rub. Make ahead: tightly wrap the porchetta in plastic wrap, place in a dish, and put in the fridge overnight.
Heat the oven to 275°F. Make sure the surface of the porchetta is dry; pat with paper towels if needed. Lightly rub with neutral oil. Place the roll on a rack in a deep roasting pan, seam side down. Roast on the centre rack of the oven for 2-3 hours, basing with pan drippings every 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the belly reaches 160°F, which is optimal juicy pork belly temp.
Blast the heat up to 450°F and continue to roast for 20-25 minutes, until the crackling turns golden brown and crispy, checking every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, let rest for 15-20 minutes, slice and enjoy!
I Am... Tiktok Spaghetti
It's comfort food season! There’s a tiktok spaghetti bake that I’ve been dying to try because it looks so incredibly cozy and delicious. I’m not sure who posted it first and made it viral, so if you know, let me know in the comments. Either way, it looks amazing: spaghetti tossed in a creamy alfredo sauce topped off with a savory meat sauce all baked up with cheese on top. It’s all the things I love about pasta bakes: a golden brown cheesy blanket, lots of saucy noodles, piping hot, filling, and oh so savory.
What is Tiktok spaghetti?
Tiktok spaghetti is an oven baked casserole with creamy alfredo spaghetti topped off with a savory tomato meat sauce. It’s kind of like a deconstructed rosé meat sauce. Essentially it’s a riff off of million dollar spaghetti but with slight twist.How to make Tiktok spaghetti
- Make the meat sauce. We’re going to start by making our meat sauce so it has time to simmer. Soften diced onion and garlic in oil along with a touch of sugar. Add ground beef and brown, breaking it up. Stir in onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let the flavors meld while you cook the spaghetti and make the alfredo sauce.
- Cook the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, then drain well.
- Make the Alfredo sauce. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in minced garlic and heavy cream. Let the cream and butter reduce and thicken slightly, then remove the pan from the heat and whisk in shredded parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble. After the spaghetti is ready, toss it with the creamy alfredo sauce then transfer to an oven safe dish. Top it off with the meat sauce and finish the casserole by sprinkling evenly with shredded mozzarella and chopped parsley.
- Bake. Bake the Tiktok spaghetti in a 350°F oven until the cheese is melty and gooey. Enjoy hot!
Tiktok spaghetti ingredients
- meat sauce: this meat sauce is loosely based on Italian bolognese sauce. Generally it’s any dark red tomato-based pasta sauce with aromatics like onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Ground meat is added, browned, and broken up into small pieces, and the whole thing is simmered for awhile to let the flavors meld.
- spaghetti: regular dried spaghetti, your favorite brand. We’re partial to Garofalo for baked spaghetti. It’s from Italy, it’s bronze dye extruded, and is 100% durum wheat semolina flour. PS - they sell it at Costco too.
- Alfredo sauce: classic Italian Alfredo sauce is butter, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and starchy pasta water. American Alfredo sauce tends to be slightly more creamy and thicker thanks to the addition of heavy cream and much more cheese. In this case, we’re going to make an American-style alfredo since we’ll be baking the pasta.
- cheese to top: when you bake a pasta, you have to top it with cheese to keep the noodles from drying out. For this dish, I like to use mozzarella to top, and, if you use bagged shredded mozzarella, I won’t judge, it’s what I use too. It’s mainly there to create a cheese seal to help everything stay moist in the oven while it bakes.
Tiktok spaghetti components
There are two different sauces you need to make: tomato meat sauce and alfredo.Meat sauce ingredients
- onion and garlic: onion and garlic are classic in meat sauce because they add so much flavor. This recipe calls for 1 medium onion and 8 cloves of garlic for all the garlic girls out there.
- sugar: we’re going to add a touch of sugar to our meat sauce to help amplify the sweetness of the tomatoes. Adding sugar balances out the acidity in tomatoes sauce. Typically, if you simmer tomato sauce for a very long time (or if you have summer sweet tomatoes) you won’t need to add sugar, but a touch of sugar really helps sweeten and balance the sauce without it needing to be on the stove for hours.
- seasonings: we’re also going to add in some garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano for a bit of extra oomph. The garlic, onion, and oregano are optional, but if you have them in your pantry, they add to the overall savoriness of the meat sauce. One thing I don’t recommend skipping is the fresh flat leaf parsley. It adds brightness, freshness, and has the added bonus of looking pretty.
- ground meat: lean ground beef is what we’re using. If you have ground “bork” at your grocery store (a mix of ground beef and pork) you can use that too. If you’re not using lean, make sure you drain off any excess fat so your sauce isn’t too greasy. You can also go for ground turkey, ground chicken or Italian sausage.
- crushed tomatoes: a can of crushed tomatoes is the base of our tomato sauce. In this case, I like crushed instead of whole or diced because we’re not cooking the sauce for hours. The texture and consistency of crushed tomatoes works best. That being said, you can use whichever kind of canned tomatoes you like – I even have a substitution down below for using jarred tomato sauce.
Alfredo sauce ingredients
- butter: butter is going to give our alfredo a creamy, buttery base. Go for unsalted so you can control how salty the sauce is.
- heavy cream: heavy cream aka whipping cream is what is going to thicken our alfredo sauce and make it extra rich.
- cheese: Alfredo sauce uses parmesan cheese and you should really use Parmigiano Reggaino, it tastes worlds different than the green shaker of cheese. If you go the real cheese route, it’s much cheaper and better to buy a block and grate it yourself using the fine side of a grater. It’ll melt more evenly into the alfredo sauce.
Extra easy Tiktok spaghetti
If you’re super busy and can’t make the meat sauce and the alfredo from scratch, you can definitely use some shortcuts by buying your favorite jarred pasta sauces. Simply brown lean ground beef and add it to your favorite jarred tomato sauce (we like Rao’s roasted garlic). You can also use jarred alfredo sauce (again, Rao’s is a solid choice), just heat it up and toss it with cooked spaghetti before topping it with the meat sauce and mozzarella. It’ll be faster than delivery and has all the feels of a home-cooked meal.What does Tiktok spaghetti taste like?
It’s creamy, cheesy, rich from the alfredo, and hearty and savory thanks to the the meat sauce. Like all pasta bakes, it's a savory, comforting, easy dish. It’s really good, especially if you love spaghetti and hate choosing between tomato and cream sauce. Really, it’s the best of both worlds.Tiktok spaghetti vs million dollar spaghetti
Tiktok spaghetti is a pasta bake with alfredo spaghetti topped off with a tomato meat sauce. It might sound like another dish you know, million dollar spaghetti, but it's not quite the same. Million dollar spaghetti is a pasta bake with tomato meat sauce, spaghetti, and mozzarella cream cheese layers. It’s like lasagna made with spaghetti.What kind of casserole dish for Tiktok spaghetti
If you don’t have a casserole dish, don’t worry, you can bake this spaghetti in any oven safe dish you have: a baking pan, a cake pan, a pie pan, a cast iron skillet, a dutch oven, or those disposable aluminum pans from the grocery store.What to serve with Tiktok spaghetti
Because carbs with carbs is the best comfort meal:- a garlicky kale salad for some contrast and healthy leafy greens
- garlic knots
- Texas toast
- plus, continue the burnt top trend by finishing off your meal with a creamy, delicious Basque cheesecake
Tiktok Spaghetti
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 8 cloves garlic (minced, divided)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 lb ground beef
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
- 2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- 2 tsp onion powder (optional)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 16 oz spaghetti
- 1/2 cup butter (unsalted preferred)
- 2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (grated)
- 1 cup mozzarella (grated)
- 2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (chopped)
In a large, deep skillet, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, half of the minced garlic, and sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the onions and garlic are soft, 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown, using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to break up the meat.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Let simmer while you cook the spaghetti and make the alfredo sauce. Be sure to taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
While the meat sauce is simmering, heat the oven to 350°F and bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, then drain well.
While the spaghetti is cooking, make the alfredo sauce. Melt the butter in a second large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the remaining garlic and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and slightly reduce, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and melty. Taste and season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and half of the freshly chopped parsley.
Toss the drained, cooked spaghetti with the alfredo sauce, then transfer to an oven safe baking dish. Top evenly with the meat sauce.
Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese and the remaining chopped parsley. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melty and slightly brown, about 20-25 minutes. Scoop up the different layers and enjoy hot!
I Am... Make the best homemade gyoza with this recipe
Is there anything more perfect than gyoza? A tender, flavorful, juicy meatball wrapped in a noodle-y coat is the best bite in the whole world. I love gyoza. They are one of my go to comfort foods and every time we land in Tokyo, our first meal inevitably is at Gyoza no Fukuho, a chain known for their yaki gyoza (fried gyoza). The gyoza are crisp but not overly oily, extremely flavorful and garlicky. They make me feel like everything is right with the world. Gyoza is one of those foods that can be both high and low end. You can find Michelin starred chef takes on gyoza and you can also find it at convenience stores in little plastic trays. They appeal to everyone: crispy bottoms, tender tops, and juicy insides. Mike and I love gyoza so much that one year we went on a dedicated gyoza hunt in Tokyo. I miss my Tokyo gyoza eating days.
What are gyoza?
Gyoza are Japanese dumplings. They’re based off of Chinese potstickers or jiaozi, adapted and fully incorporated into Japanese cuisine. Gyoza are ground meat filling wrapped up in a piece of thinly rolled out dough. They can be deep-fried, boiled, steamed, and pan-fried. Gyoza are super popular and versatile, you can eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a late night snack, you name it, and gyoza will be there for you. They are the perfect bite. Gyoza are usually served with soy sauce, vinegar, and Japanese chili oil or rayu. You can find gyoza at most Japanese restaurants, especially izakaya or ramen shops. In Japan they have restaurants dedicated to only serving gyoza. They come frozen in bags at the grocery stores and there are gourmet shops that ship directly to your house so you can make restaurant specialty gyoza right in the comfort of your own home. Unfortunately they don’t ship world wide so the next best thing is making them at home from scratch. Spend some time making a batch or six, freeze the extras. The next time you’re hungry you can eat your bounty of resourcefulness.How to make gyoza
- Mix. First off make the filling by mixing everything into a homogeneous paste. The classic filling is pork, cabbage, nira (Chinese chives) or scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sake, and toasted sesame oil.
- Wrap. Add a tablespoon of filling to the middle of a round gyoza wrapper, lightly moisten the edges and pleat and press together the edges.
- Fry. Heat up a bit of oil in a non stick frying pan, brown the bottoms, add a bit of water and cover the pan to steam. When all of the water evaporates, lift off the lid, let the bottoms crisp up a bit and you’re done.
- Eat. Enjoy hot and crispy with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil for dipping!
Wrappers
You can go all out and make gyoza wrappers from scratch but most people buy store bought gyoza wrappers for ease and convenience. You can find them, either frozen or in the fridge, at most Japanese or Asian grocery stores. They’re thinner than Chinese potsticker wrappers, but those are the only ones you can find, they make a good substitute. The brand we like is called Myojo.How to make the filling
The key to a good gyoza is a juicy, well seasoned filling. You need a mix of ground meat and vegetables so the insides are tender and juicy.- Prep: Green cabbage is the vegetable of choice for gyoza. Cabbage adds extra moisture, flavor, and texture that compliments the pork. Chop the cabbage very finely, salt it, then squeeze it to remove excess moisture. The other vegetable you’ll usually find is nira, aka Chinese chives. They look like green onions but flat. You can find them at the Asian grocery store but if you can’t get your hands on them, scallions will do.
- Mix: After the cabbage is ready, mix up the meat. Stir together a bit of cornstarch with water then mix it into the ground pork. Cornstarch and water will make the insides super tender. It’s the secret to extra juicy, tender dumplings! When you stir in the water-cornstarch mix everything will come together into a homogenous paste, which is exactly what you want. When the pork is nice and smooth, mix in the squeezed out cabbage and green onions.
- Season: Ginger, garlic, sake, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and salt are your friends. Stir them all in and your filling is ready to go.
How to fold gyoza
There are infinite ways of folding gyoza. My tip to you is: don’t worry about it! If your first batch of dumplings is just folded over and pressed together it’s totally fine! The goal is to make homemade gyoza, not to stress out about different dumpling folds.If you want the classic pleats, here’s how
1. Take a wrapper in your non-dominate hand and place it on your fingers. Dip your other hand’s fingers in a bit of water and moisten the outer edges of the dumpling wrapper. 2. Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. 3. Pinch together one corner of the dumpling wrapper and press. 4. Take one side of the wrapper and pleat it towards the corner that you just sealed. 5. Continue to pleat until you reach the other corner of the dumpling. 6. When you reach the end, press together the pleats to make sure the seals are air tight. 7. And that's it! Now to make a bunch more. Don't worry, it's fun and fast once you have the hang of it.How to cook gyoza
Crispy bottom dumplings are the best, am I right? The textural contrast between super crispy golden bottoms and tender steamed tops is the best. To get crispy bottoms:- Pan fry them in a bit of oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes,
- Add a bit of water and cover to steam to 4-5 minutes.
- Lift off the lid and cook until the bottoms turn golden and crisp, and the insides are tender and cooked through.
Dumpling skirts
If you’ve seen fancy gyoza with a skirt all over your instagram, this is how you make it. Skirts are a lacy, crispy pancake-like layer that connects all the dumplings together when you’re cooking. A slurry of water and flour is poured into the pan as the dumplings cook up and crisps. When the water evaporates from the pan, a thin crispy skirt forms.How to make a dumpling skirt
- Heat up a bit of oil in a non-stick pan over medium to medium high heat.
- Add your gyoza, leaving a bit of space between them.
- Crisp up the bottoms, 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk 2 teaspoons of flour with 1/3 cup of water and add to the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue to cook until the flour slurry starts to evaporate and crisps up golden brown.
- Flip over on to a plate and admire your extra crispy dumpling skirt.
How to freeze
If you’re smart, you’ll make a triple batch and freeze the extras to secret away for a rainy day. To freeze them, space out uncooked, formed dumplings in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to freezer bags. Cook from frozen.How to serve
Gyoza sets can’t be beat: gyoza with soup, rice, and salad.How to boil gyoza
Sui gyoza (水餃子) or boiled gyoza are super popular in Japan. Every gyoza shop with offer both yaki (grilled) and sui (boiled). Most people will get a combo so they can enjoy both preparations. If you haven’t had boiled gyoza before, you should definitely give it a try, they’re amazing! They’re silky, tender, and juicy little pockets of flavor. To boil gyoza:- Bring a pot of water up to a boil.
- Add the gyoza to the pot and simmer, stirring once or twice to make sure the gyoza don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- When the gyoza float to the top, let simmer for 1-2 minute, or until cooked through (you can cut one open to check).
- Use a slotted spoon to pull the gyoza out of the pot and place in a bowl.
- Serve with soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil.
- Enjoy hot!
How to make gyoza wrappers
If you don’t have access to wrappers all you need is flour, water, and a little elbow grease to make your own.Homemade Japanese Gyoza Wrappers Recipe
200 grams all purpose flour, about 1 1/4 cups 100 ml boiling hot water, about 6.5 tbsp 1 tbsp neutral oil- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Pour the boiling hot water into the well and mix the flour and water together into a shaggy dough.
- Mix in the oil and turn out onto a work surface and knead until it comes together into a dough.
- Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minute rest, knead the dough again so that it is smooth and elastic.
Once your dough is ready
- Cut the dough into two portions, keeping one covered with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. Roll out one portion into a rough rectangle and lightly dust with flour.
- Roll through a pasta machine on the widest setting, adjusting and decreasing the setting so your gyoza wrapper becomes thinner and thinner. I like to roll it down to setting 4. Alternatively, use a rolling pin to roll it out as thin as you can.
- Use a four inch cookie cutter to cut out round gyoza wrappers, lightly dusting and covering the wrappers with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.
Gyoza dipping sauce
Gyoza just isn’t the same without dipping sauce. Yes, you could dip your dumplings in just soy sauce, but if you’ve gone through the trouble of making gyoza from scratch, I’m sure you want to make a classic Japanese dipping sauce to go with. Typically, at a gyoza-ya you’ll find three condiments on the table: soy sauce, rice vinegar, and rayu (Japanese chili oil). For a classic mix, stir together 2 tsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. If you like a touch of heat, add 1 tsp rayu. Taste, and adjust accordingly, adding more soy if you need more umami, more vinegar if you need more acidity, and more rayu if you need more spice. Interestingly, dipping sauces are regional – the classic soy and vinegar mix is definitely more Tokyo-leaning. In other parts of Japan, such as Kobe, they serve their gyoza with red miso, sometime spicy and sometimes not. If you want to try a Kobe-style dipping sauce, try mixing together 2 tsp red miso with 1 tbsp rice vinegar and 2 tsp soy. If you want it spicy, add rayu to taste.Where to buy gyoza
You can buy gyoza just about anywhere these days, from Costco to Trader Joe’s. Even better if you have an Asian grocery store in town. Gyoza are always sold frozen so just take a look in the freezer department and try a bag! There are so many brands out there to discover and love.Gyoza vs potstickers
Potsickers, or jiaozi or Chinese dumplings are essentially the same dish with some essential differences. Japanese gyoza tend to be a tiny bit smaller than potstickers and have thinner skins. They’re also seasoned differently, most notably heavier on the garlic.You can also make a huge Japanese feast
Gyoza five-ever! -StephJapanese Gyoza Recipe
How to make gyoza from scratch like an expert
- food processor
- 1.5 cups cabbage (finely chopped)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup nira chives (sliced, also known as chinese chives, sub green onions)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (Japanese preferred)
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1.5 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 40 gyoza wrappers
Toss the cabbage with a pinch of salt in a large bowl and mix well. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, the squeeze out and drain as much of the extra water as possible. Mix together 2 tbsp water with the cornstarch and stir into the pork until it forms a paste. Mix in the ginger, garlic, nira/green onions, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, salt, and squeezed out cabbage until incorporated. For best results, optionally pulse in a food processor until smooth (as shown).
Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Lightly moisten the edges with water then fold over into a half moon shape and pinch the edges to seal. Keep wrappers and gyoza covered with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out while you make them.
You can also pleat/fold the dumplings: start by folding the dumpling skin in half and pinching. From the middle, fold over/ pleat one side of the dumpling skin and push against the back to secure. Repeat until you reach the edge, then pleat the other side. See post for more details.
In a nonstick pan, over medium heat, heat up a touch of oil. When hot, lay the gyoza in the pan, in one layer. Cook, until slightly browned, then add 2-4 tablespoons of water and cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. When the water has cooked off, lift off the lid and continue cooking until the bottoms are brown and crisp. Enjoy hot, with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Japanese chili oil.
Estimated nutrition based on a yield of 40 gyoza (10 per person).
I Am... A Breakdown of the Full English Breakfast
Bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, and beans all on one plate: is a Full English breakfast the most ultimate breakfast ever? Confession: I've never had a real full English. At least not in England or anywhere in world in fact, except right here, at home. But a couple of weeks ago, Mike and I were chatting with a dude that moved here from England and the thing he said he missed the most was breakfast, specifically a Full English breakfast. He waxed poetic about the deliciousness for a good five minutes, but I wasn't sold. Mike was nodding along, agreeing with him because he's eaten many a full English in London, but me? Nope. I really wasn't interested until Mike showed me a photo a couple days later. It was a giant plate and it looked AMAZING. I mean, it might have been because I was very hungry, but at the time, nothing looked better to my eyes. Thus started the Full English Obsession. Mike and I took a casual look around town to see what ingredients we could find and here's what we came up with!
What is a full English breakfast?
Sometimes called a fry up, a full English is a hearty, hefty breakfast plate served in the UK and Ireland. Full English breakfasts are so popular that they’re pretty much offered throughout the day as all-day breakfast. Full English breakfasts contain: sausages, back bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried bread, and beans.According to the internet, full English breakfasts need:
- Sausages - I think everyone just goes with whatever sausages they like, but sometimes there are 2-3 kinds on a plate. We went with regular breakfast sausages and we also got a bit of black pudding, which seems like most people insist on having as well.
- Back Bacon - This isn't your regular bacon, which is made from pork belly, nope, back bacon is bacon that includes a little bit of the loin, kinda like a super thin pork chop but smoked. From what I can see, this kind of bacon isn't really crispy.
- Eggs - Pretty straight forward, all the full English plates I've seen have sunny side up eggs.
- Tomatoes - These guys are cut in half along the equator and then seared in the pan and seasoned with salt and pepper. They aren't really cooked, just given a little bit of color.
- Mushrooms - Seems like a take or leave it item, but we're going all out here so of course mushrooms are needed. They're cooked in the usual way, nicely browned and caramelized
- Toast - Don't call it toast because I've seen some internet fights break out about the bread. You can't just use a toaster and call it a day. The bread has to be FRIED, either with butter or oil.
- Beans - You have to have beans! I mean, I've never really had beans at breakfast, but it's classic. We went for Heinz because that's what they do in England and because their teal cans are too cute.
How to make a full English Breakfast
It takes a bit of juggling and two pans, because making a full English is mostly about multitasking. You can do it!- Warm the beans. Open the can of beans and warm in a small pot over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the sausages and bacon. While the beans are warming, cook the sausages over medium to medium low, until browned and cooked through, turning as needed. Push the sausages to one side and add the bacon and fry, flipping as needed.
- If you’re having black pudding, add it to the pan and fry, flipping once. Keep everything warm in the pan over a low flame.
- Cook the mushrooms and tomatoes. In another pan, sear the mushrooms until brown and caramelized. Move to one side. Add the tomatoes, cut side down and sear.
- Fry the bread and cook the eggs. Move the meats from the pan and fry the bread in the drippings until golden and crisp. Cook the eggs in the pan that the mushrooms and tomatoes were in.
- Plate and enjoy! Scoop the beans in the middle of the plate then add the bacon at 1-2 o’clock, add the sausages at 3 o’clock, then the eggs at 6. If you have blood pudding, pop that on at 8 o’clock and then fill the rest of the plate with the tomatoes at 11 o’clock and the mushrooms at 12. Fried bread can get tucked in wherever or placed on a side plate. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Sausages. Chose good sausages, preferably ones that are from your local butcher instead of supermarket sausages. Go for a fresh coarse ground pork sausage that’s seasoned simply. In the UK the sausages of choice are usually coarse ground Cumberland or Lincolnshire sausages.
- Black pudding. Not an absolute necessity but black pudding is super common and for black pudding lovers it’s a hill they will die on. You can get this when you’re buying sausages at your butcher. If they don’t have black pudding, ask for blood sausage.
- English Bacon. The bacon in the UK is not the bacon we know in North America. Back bacon is made from pork loin with a bit of belly. It’s the same cut pork chops, but thinner and smoked. Again, you can usually get this a good butcher.
- Eggs. All the eggs I’ve ever seen in a full English are sunny side up but you can go wild and cook them how you like. I don’t think the English breakfast police will come after you ;)
- Tomatoes. Classic field tomatoes, not romas, not cherry, not anything super fancy.
- Mushrooms. Simple brown (or cremini) mushrooms, halved.
- Fried bread. Thick cut bread fried in a pan with oil or drippings and never toasted. I think a standard supermarket white loaf is what’s needed, not a sourdough or country loaf. Definitely not brown!
- Beans. They’ve got to be Heinz!
Potatoes/hashbrowns
Any sort of potato is frowned upon on a full English. They’re seen as filler. If you even think of putting fries on, someone might get stabbed. You could do bubble and squeak (potatoes and cabbage mixed together and fried) but even then, some people are going to come after you.Do they serve hash browns with Full English breakfasts?
Some people serve hash browns with a full English and some people think it is sacrilegious. Hash browns are more modern addition and that’s why they are so contentious. When you do see hash browns on a full English, they typically tend to be the triangle frozen variety as opposed to home made shredded potatoes. If you want a potato product that isn’t hash browns, bubble and squeak (fried potatoes and cabbage) is probably much more traditional.Which kind of baked beans?
British baked beans are absolutely a key part of a full English. British style beans are made with beans and a tomato sauce seasoned with carrots, celery and Worcestershire. American style Southern baked beans are usually cooked with bacon and brown sugar, with a much more thick sauce. Go for British style Heinz baked beans. A reader suggested Branston Baked Beans. We haven’t tried them but they’re spoken of very highly on the internet!What to serve with a full English breakfast
Coffee or tea! Tea is traditionally English but coffee is perfectly acceptable too. Add milk, sugar, and/or cream based on personal preference. We made this on a snowy morning and it was perfect! Lots of hot tea, big fluffy flakes falling down outside, and ALL the fried bread. But, to be honest, I'm not sure if I'm a huge fan. Call me a savage, but I think I love regular breakfast more. Mike on the other hand, LOVED it! He said it was as good as the full English breakfasts he had while he was in London. Me on the other hand? I didn't eat for the rest of the day and went into a food coma – I was definitely full! Happy breakfasting! -StephHow to Make a Full English Breakfast
Bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, and beans all on one plate: is a Full English breakfast the most ultimate breakfast ever?
- 1 can beans (Heinz preferred)
- 4 links sausages (breakfast sausage preferred)
- 4 slices back bacon (or Irish bacon)
- 4 slices black pudding (optional... some say)
- 1 cup mushrooms (halved or sliced)
- 2 small tomatoes (halved)
- 4 slices bread
- 4 eggs
Heat up the beans over low in a small pot. Keep warm on low.
Cook the sausages over medium to medium low heat, turning occasionally, until brown and cooked through. In the same pan, cook the bacon, flipping as needed. Fry the blood pudding slices over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
In another pan, heat up a bit of oil and cook the mushrooms, without moving, until brown and caramelized. Remove from the pan, then sear the cut side of the tomato briefly. Remove from the pan, season everything with salt and pepper.
Wipe the pan down and heat up a bit of oil or butter over medium heat. Fry the bread until golden, flipping and adding more oil or butter as needed. Remove and set aside. Finally, fry the eggs to your liking. Plate everything up: sausages, bacon, black pudding, mushrooms, tomato, bread, and eggs. Enjoy immediately!
This is really more than enough food for 4 people, but nutritional info is done for the traditional full serving for 2.
