Showing posts with label side. Show all posts
Showing posts with label side. Show all posts

Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Masala Bhindi Tamatar (Okra and Tomato Curry)

I needed a vegetable curry that I could throw together on short notice with ingredients on hand. This worked. It did not achieve Iyer's result with his students of converting the dubious to okra lovers. But I was a perfectly acceptable vegetable side that got the job done.

Photo goes here.

Masala Bhindi Tamatar

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

  • 1-2 Tbsp. oil
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 2 dried Thai or cayenne/arbol chilies
  • 450g okra, sliced 1-2cm thick
  • 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground
  • 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne (or Kashmiri chilies)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 c. water
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

  1. Heat the oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the cumin and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
  3. Add the chilies and toast for 5-10 seconds.
  4. Add the okra and cook until skin begins to blister (~10 minutes).
  5. Add the coriander, salt, cayenne, and turmeric and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
  6. Add the tomatoes and water and stir to combine.
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for ~15 minutes.
  8. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Thursday, 2 April 2026

Polish Cold Beet Salad

This salad is meant to be made with grated, freshly roasted beets. I didn't have any fresh beets and didn't really have the energy to roast, peel, and grate them anyway. So, instead, I used tinned, sliced beets and just julienned them for the salad. I'm very pleased with how this worked out and would absolutely do it again.


Polish Cold Beet Salad

Slightly adapted from Everyday Healthy Recipes

Ingredients

  • 1 (450g) can sliced beetroot, julienned
  • 1 apple, peeled and grated
  • 1 small red onion, minced1
  • 2 dill pickles, grated2
  • 2-3 tsp. oil
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
  2. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  3. Adjust seasoning to taste.



1 I didn't have any red onion on hand, so I just used some dried onion flakes in my salad. Back
2 Since my beets were already pickled, I just used two small/baby dills in my salad. If you're using unpickled beets, then I'd recommend using 3-4 baby dills or 2 larger ones. Back

Sunday, 2 November 2025

Truck Stop Hash Browns

The Big Book of Breakfast has a whole section on breakfast potatoes. I haven't done many of those recipes yet. I tend to like to make breakfasts that are complete meals in and of themselves. I don't want to have to make multiple dishes for breakfast. And most of the potato dishes are more of a side dish than a main course. But I did give this one a try the other day when I had a few extra minutes while preparing the egg patties for breakfast.

I had a bit of trouble getting the potatoes to crisp up as much as I wanted. Next time I'd use a large pan (rather than the smaller one specified in the recipe). I think more surface area would have helped with getting everything to cook through and brown nicely.

Photo goes here.

Truck Stop Hash Browns

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

  • ~900g russet potatoes, grated
  • 3-4 Tbsp. bacon grease or shortening
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Warm 3 Tbsp. of bacon grease over medium heat.
  2. Add the potatoes to the pan and press down into an even layer.
  3. Sprinkle with a generous quantity of salt and pepper.
  4. Cook until bottom is browned (5-7 minutes). Do not stir!
  5. Flip the potatoes (cutting in half first if necessary).
  6. Add a little more fat to the pan if necessary.
  7. Cook until browned on the other side (5-7 minutes longer).
  8. Serve with eggs (cooked however you prefer).

Sunday, 28 September 2025

Creamy Coleslaw with Green Apple and Parsley

Here's another one out of my NZ backlog. It was pretty good, but it makes a lot. Possibly best when you have a bunch of other people to share it with.

Creamy Coleslaw with Green Apple and Parsley

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

  • 900g cabbage, shredded
  • 2-3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, grated
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 2 small carrots, grated
  • 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley
  • ~1 c. mayonnaise
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Combine the cabbage, celery, apple, onion, and carrots.
  2. Drizzle with vinegar and toss to coat.
  3. Stir in the parsley and mayonnaise.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add an extra few Tbsp. if needed to achieve desired consistency.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  6. Taste again and adjust seasonings as needed.

Friday, 5 September 2025

Dry-Fried Long Beans

We got a package of long beans at the grocery store and this was a nice easy side dish to make with them. Nothing fancy, but tasty.

Recipe as written calls for fresh ginger and one bell pepper. We didn't have fresh ginger, so I swapped in ginger paste, and we had lots of bell peppers, so I added a second one.



Dry-Fried Long Beans

From Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan (p. 208)

Ingredients

  • ¼ C chicken broth
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ C canola oil
  • 400g long beans, cut into 10cm lengths
  • 1 Tbsp ginger paste (or 2 Tbsp peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger)
  • 1-2 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped into 1cm pieces
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Directions

  1. Whisk together the broth and sugar in a small bowl.
  2. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat until almost smoking.
  3. Add the beans and cook, alternately stirring and squishing, until starting to wrinkle and develop brown spots, 3-5 minutes.
  4. Remove beans and buffer.
  5. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of the oil.
  6. Return wok to heat, add ginger, and stir-fry until fragrant, ~30s.
  7. Add broth and beans. Cook until pan is almost dry, 4-5 minutes.
  8. Stir in the bell pepper, vinegar, and sesame oil, toss once, and remove from heat.

Thursday, 4 September 2025

Spanish Peppers with Olives and Capers

This was a great side dish and complemented the halibut dish that I'd made to go with it nicely. It was very simple to make. And I loved the flavours of the olives and capers with it. Lovely!

Photo goes here.

Spanish Peppers iwht Olives and Capers

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

  • 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 red onion, halved and sliced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 900g bell peppers (red, yellow, and/or orange), cut into 4cm pieces
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
  • 1/4 c. sherry or white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 c. pitted and chopped green olives
  • 1 Tbsp. capers, drained

Directions

  1. Warm the oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
  3. Add the peppers, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened (~8 minutes).
  4. Add the vinegar, olives, and capers and cook until liquid has mostly evaporated (~2 more minutes).

Saturday, 23 August 2025

Spinach with Feta and Pine Nuts

I made this back in April, while I was in New Zealand, but never quite got around to writing it up. I remember it being pretty good. If I recall correctly, I think I made it with a slightly soft, low-sodium feta that Reiver turned out to actually like (despite not normally being a fan of the stuff).

Photo goes here.

Spinach with Feta and Pine Nuts

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1kg fresh spinach, tough stems removed
  • 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp. golden raisins, soaked and drained
  • 1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/2 c. crumbled feta
  • 1 lemon wedge

Directions

  1. Heat oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook for a minute or so.
  3. Add the spinach a handful or two at a time and cook until wilted.
  4. If the pan gets too dry, add a splash of water.
  5. Add the salt and raisins.
  6. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with pine nuts and feta.
  7. Squeeze the lemon juice over the spinach and serve immediately.

Tuesday, 5 August 2025

Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

I'm used to watermelon and mint salad just involving whole mint leaves tossed with watermelon, feta, and maybe a little oil and/or vinegar. I've never seen one that goes to the trouble of making a whole vinaigrette before. It was an interesting approach. And I appreciated how much mint it used up!



Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c. fresh mint, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 fresh mild chile (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 650g watermelon, cubed
  • 185g feta, diced

Directions

  1. Combine 1/2 c. of the mint with the sugar in a blender or food processor and chop.
  2. Add the chile (if using), vinegar, and lime juice and purée.
  3. With motor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Add the watermelon and feta to a bowl and toss with dressing.
  6. Top with remaining mint leaves and serve.

Saturday, 31 May 2025

Asparagus Stir-Fry

Asparagus is in season! And this quick stir-fry seemed like a nice way to enjoy it while it lasts (as well as adding a little green to our plates).



Asparagus Stir-Fry

From the The Woks of Life

Ingredients

  • 1/3 c. chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
  • 2 tsp. oyster sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1/8 tsp. white peppercorns, ground
  • 1-2 Tbsp. oil
  • 450g asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the bias
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp. water

Directions

  1. Combine the stock, wine, sugar, sesame oil, and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
  2. Heat a wok or pan over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the oil and swirl to coat.
  4. Add the asparagus and stir-fry for a minute or two.
  5. Add the garlic and the sauce and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.
  6. Make a slurry of the cornstarch and water and add it to the pan.
  7. Cook until sauce thickens (~30 seconds).



Variations

Vegan Version

Ingredients

  • 1/3 c. vegetable stock
  • 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
  • 2 tsp. vegetarian oyster sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. raw sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1/8 tsp. white peppercorns, ground
  • 1-2 Tbsp. oil
  • 450g asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the bias
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp. water

Saturday, 5 April 2025

Silverbeet Gratin

This was meant to be a kale gratin. But Reiver has a bunch of silverbeet (Swiss chard) planted out back, so we made it with that instead. Either one will work fine. I would normally default to kale because I like it better and am thus more likely to have it on hand, but I actually quite liked the silverbeet here!

Photo goes here.

Silverbeet Gratin

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 500g silverbeet (or kale), chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 c. water
  • 3/4 c. fresh breadcrumbs (preferably whole wheat)
  • 1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
  3. Add the kale, salt, and water.
  4. Cover and cook until wilted.
  5. Transfer to shallow gratin dish.
  6. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of oil and toss to combine.
  7. Top the kale with the breadcrumb mixture.
  8. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes.

Monday, 17 March 2025

Rumbledethumps

Scottish food has the best names! Neeps (turnips), tatties (potatoes), clapshot (mashed neeps and tatties with chives), skirlie (suet-fried oats and onions)... the list goes on.

I was initially going to make some clapshot to go with the haggis, skirlie, and whiskey sauce for Reiver's birthday. But it ended up working out better to do a pot of plain mashed potatoes and then have the other veggies separate. At which point I figured it might be fun to just do up a few extra tatties, grab some cabbage, and turn it into rumbledethumps. (I mean, it's worth making for the name alone!)



Rumbledethumps

From BBC.co.uk

Ingredients

  • 600g potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 400g turnips, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 75g butter, divided
  • 250g cabbage (preferably savoy), sliced thin
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 25-50g cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 23cm (9") square baking dish or other large casserole dish.
  2. Place the potatoes and turnips in a pot with enough water to cover them and bring to a boil.
  3. Cook until tender, then drain and return to the pot.
  4. Meanwhile, melt 50g of the butter over medium heat.
  5. Add the cabbage to the butter and cook until tender.
  6. Add the cabbage and the remaining 25g of butter to the pot with the tubers and mash.
  7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  8. Transfer the mash to the prepared baking dish and top with cheese.
  9. Bake at 180°C (350°F), covered, for 30 minutes.
  10. Uncover and continue baking for another 15 minutes.

Sunday, 16 March 2025

Skirlie

Skirlie is a simple dish of suet-fried onions and oats. It's somewhat similar to white pudding (without the casing), but has proportionally more oats and less suet. I'm also used to white/mealie pudding being quite heavily spiced. And, while skirlie can be spiced, it isn't necessarily prepared that way. For this version, I kept it very simple and only added salt and pepper.



Skirlie

Slightly adapted from Scottish Scran

Ingredients

  • 120g suet, grated/shredded or 60g suet + 60g butter
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 340g steel-cut (pinhead) oats
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Heat the suet (or suet and butter) over medium heat.
  2. Add the onions, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until onions are soft and beginning to brown (~10 minutes).
  3. Add the oats, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently until oats have darkened and softened slightly (~20 minutes).
  4. Serve with whiskey sauce and/or mashed potatoes.

Thursday, 20 February 2025

Summer Squash Noodles with Mint Pesto

I picked up some lamb on sale the other day and wanted a nice vegetable side to go with it. I figured lamb and mint are often combined and zucchini has just come into season here, so this seemed like a natural pairing.

I wasn't able to find any yellow summer squash here, so I ended up using all zucchini, but that's not a huge deal. It mainly makes a difference to the aesthetics more than anything else.

Summer Squash Noodles with Mint Pesto

From Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan (p174)

Ingredients

  • 1 c. (~45g) firmly packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1/3 c. vegetable broth
  • 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 3 yellow summer squash (~375g)
  • 3 zucchini (~375g)
  • Olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 1/2 Tbsp. dried thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Combine the mint, broth, Parmesan, garlic, and oil in a blender and process until smooth.
  2. Using a mandoline or a vegetable peeler, cut the yellow squash and zucchini into long, narrow ribbons.
  3. Pour enough oil into a large nonstick frying pan to film the bottom, and warm over medium heat.
  4. Add the shallots and sauté until softened (~3 minutes).
  5. Add the squash and thyme and season generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Sauté until the squash is just tender (4-5 minutes).
  7. Stir in the mint pesto and heat for 1 minute.
  8. Remove from the heat, garnish with additional Parmesan, and serve.
  9. Transfer to a warmed serving dish, sprinkle with additional cheese, and serve.

Tuesday, 18 February 2025

Korean Potato Pancakes

I had originally been planning on doing some braised potatoes to go with dinner, but I'd forgotten that the recipe I'd used for it before had a bunch of gochujang in it. And since I was cooking for folks who weren't really keen on spicy foods, I figured I'd better pick something else. And while getting the mixutre prepped for these pancakes is a bit annoying, they're not actually that difficult or complicated to make. And if you leave the chilies out (which are mostly there for aesthetics anyway) then they're a nice, mild, non-spicy option.

Everyone seemed to like them, especially the Kidlet. Honestly, I think the only change I'd make next time is to make a double batch! They went pretty fast and it would've been nice to have some leftovers.


Korean Potato Pancakes

From Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

Pancakes

  • 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
  • 1/4 large yellow onion
  • 1 c. water
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt (or chicken bouillon powder)
  • 4 Tbsp. neutral-tasting oil, divided
  • 1-2 sliced green and red chilies (optional)

Dipping Sauce

  • 1 green chili
  • 1 mild red chili
  • 1/2 green onion
  • 1/4 yellow onion
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2.5 tbsp white vinegar
  • Small pinch of sugar

Directions

  1. Cut the potatoes and onion into bite-sized pieces. Add them to a blender with 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth.
  2. Pour the potato mixture into a strainer and let it sit for 10 minutes until most of the water has drained.
  3. Meanwhile, thinly slice the chili peppers and half of the green onion for the dipping sauce.
  4. Cut the onion into bite-sized pieces.
  5. Combine the chilies, onion, green onion, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar, mix well, and set aside.
  6. Once the potato starch has settled at the bottom of the strainer, gently pour out the excess water, leaving the wet starch behind. Add this back into the potato mixture. If needed, substitute with 1 tbsp of store-bought potato starch.
  7. Add 1/4 tsp salt.
  8. Heat 1-2 Tbsp. oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  9. Once hot, scoop out some batter and add to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Optionally, place sliced chilies on top for decoration.
  10. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter.
  11. Arrange the pancakes on a plate. Serve with the dipping sauce, ensuring there are enough veggies in the sauce to enjoy as a garnish.

Sunday, 16 February 2025

Mayak Eggs (Korean Marinated Soy Sauce Eggs)

I was originally thinking of doing a rolled omelette to go with our Korean dinner. But, having taken a closer look at the recipes, I decided that these marinated eggs would actually work better. Both because I could prepare them ahead of time and because the marinade is useful in a variety of other recipes.


Mayak Eggs

From https://aaronandclaire.com/korean-marinated-eggs-mayak-eggs/

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. soy sauce
  • 1/2 c. water
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 Cheongyang chili pepper (or serrano, jalapeno, etc.), thinly sliced (optional)
  • 1 mild red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6-8 large eggs, hard- or soft-boiled

Directions

  1. combine the soy sauce, water, sugar, vinegar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and black pepper. Mix well.
  2. Add the onion, chilies (if using), green onion, and garlic and stir to combine.
  3. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and gently add the eggs. Stir gently to center the yolks. Cook for 7 minutes for soft-boiled eggs.
  4. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to cool completely. Once cooled, peel the eggs.
  5. Add the peeled eggs to the marinade and gently stir to coat. Ensure they are fully submerged. If needed, stir halfway through marinating. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
  6. To serve, place a marinated egg on top of hot steamed rice, drizzle with extra marinade, and add a touch of sesame oil. Enjoy!

Monday, 10 February 2025

Roasted Broccoli with Almonds and Orange

I've had this recipe in my queue for a while, but kept failing to actually make it. It was alright in the end. Not amazing, but not bad either. And I did quite enjoy the almonds in it. A decent side dish all-in-all, even if it's not the star of the show.

Photo goes here.

Roasted Broccoli with Almonds and Orange

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

  • 500g broccoli, cut into florets
  • 4 tsp. olive oil, divided
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. orange juice
  • 1 tsp. orange zest
  • 2 Tbsp. almonds, toasted and chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
  2. Toss broccoli with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.
  4. Roast at 220°C (425°F) for 20-30 minutes, flipping and stirring halfway through.
  5. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with remaining 1 tsp. of olive oil and orange juice.
  6. Sprinkle with orange zest and almonds and serve.

Sunday, 9 February 2025

Stir Fried Kimchi

Symbol: I ended up changing the proportions on this recipe slightly. Mostly because kimchi is a bit harder to come by here than it is at home, so I ended up cutting it back to essentially a half batch, but with extra onion, green onion, and bacon relative to the original.


Stir Fried Kimchi

Slighlty adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1/2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes)
  • 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3/4 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
  • 1/2 tsp. dasida (Korean beef stock powder)

Kimchi

  • 1 c. well-fermented kimchi
  • 1 onion, halved and sliced
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1/2 Tbsp. neutral-tasting oil
  • 100g middle or back bacon (optional)
  • 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
  • Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Directions

  1. Make the sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small container and mix well.
  2. Using tongs and scissors, cut kimchi into small, bite-sized pieces.
  3. In a pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
  4. Add the bacon (if using) and cook until golden brown, then remove from the pan and cut into thin strips.
  5. To the same pan, add the green onion and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.
  6. Add the kimchi and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
  7. Add the onion, bacon, and sauce and cook for another 7 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
  8. Turn the heat off. Finish with sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Sunday, 2 February 2025

Korean Seasoned Spinach

Figuring out dinner was a bit of a scramble last night. I didn't have a plan, but I was suddenly hit by a hankering for Korean. So I quickly threw together some ground beef bulgogi and whipped up a few simple sides to go with it.

This seasoned spinach was probably the most straight-forward of the bunch. It's not amazing on its own. But it does work quite nicely when combined with all the other dishes.

The original recipe used fresh spinach. I didn't have any fresh spinach on hand though, so I just thawed out some chopped frozen spinach and used that. If you are using fresh, you'll need to blanch it for a few seconds first, drain it and press out most of the liquid, and then proceed from there.


Korean Seasoned Spinach

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

  • 250g frozen spinach
  • 1 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped green onion
  • 1/2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (preferably ground)

Directions

  1. Thaw the spinach over medium heat and then cook for a minute or two to boil off some of the water.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the garlic, green onion, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
  3. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Saturday, 1 February 2025

Korean Stir-Fried Potatoes

These potatoes were a big hit. Such a big hit that we actually polished off the whole batch the first night and I had to make some more the second night!

Julienne-ing everything is a bit of a pain, but it's a very simple and easy dish otherwise. I was really pleased with how it came out (both times).


Korean Stir-Fried Potatoes

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
  • 2 russet potatoes, julienned
  • 1 carrot (~80g), julienned
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 1-2 Tbsp. oil
  • 1/2 tsp. dasida1
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 green onion, chopped

Directions

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
  2. Add 1/2 tsp. of the salt along with the potatoes and carrots and boil for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile heat oil over medium heat.
  4. Add the onion to the hot oil.
  5. Once the potatoes and carrots are done, drain them and add them to the pan with the onion.
  6. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp. of salt, dasida, and pepper to taste and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.
  7. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle the sesame seeds and green onion on top.



1 The original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. "chicken stock or chicken bouillon powder". Personally, I think dasida would go great here. Sadly, I didn't have either when I was making this, so I ended up just putting in a somewhat larger amount of fresh chicken stock. I think I used ~1 Tbsp. 1

Friday, 17 January 2025

Broccoli Salad

Symbol: I made this broccoli salad way back at the beginning of January. But I haven't been great at staying on top of the write-ups so far this year, so it had kind of fallen through the cracks. (Thank you, Reiver, for helping to make sure this recipe made it onto the blog!)

This was our salad for the picnic we had out at the Otorohanga Kiwi House. I ended up doing a tuna melt, PB&J, grilled cheese, pickle & cheese, and egg salad sandwiches on feather bread. And those sandwiches plus a few apples and this salad made for a lovely lunch spread!

Broccoli Salad

From Love and Lemons

Ingredients

  • 450g broccoli
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. grainy mustard
  • 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup, divided
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1/3 c. dried cranberries
  • 1/2 c. almonds
  • 1/2 c. pepitas
  • 1 Tbsp. tamari
  • 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces and any remaining stems into ¼-inch dice. Peel any woody or coarse parts from the stem first.
  3. In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, 1 tsp. of the maple syrup, garlic, and salt.
  4. Add the broccoli, onions, and cranberries and toss to coat.
  5. Place the almonds and pepitas on the baking sheet and toss with the tamari, remaining 1/2 tsp. maple syrup, and smoked paprika.
  6. Spread into a thin layer on the baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
  9. Toss the almonds and pepitas into the salad and serve.