Maqluba | Maalouba | Maqlooba | Makloubah. Loved by the likes of DJ Khaled and Dua Lipa. Let’s celebrate friends of Middle Eastern heritage! The dish containing stacked layers of vegetables, meat and rice, is served flipped-over resembling a gorgeous, colourful tower. It’s healthy, clean and comforting! Adapted from LinsFood.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups Basmati rice, washed and drained
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 eggplant, chopped in half-circles
1 zucchini, chopped in thin strips
1 tomato, cut to 6-8 slices
1 stalk celery, minced
1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped in sections
1/2 white onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps allspice
3/4 tsp saffron
3 tbsps olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3 tbsps pine nuts, toasted
Cilantro or parsley, chopped
Instructions:
1. Bake cauliflower and eggplant with 1 tbsp olive oil, in oven at 375°F for 25 minutes. Set aside.
2. Sautée onions for 3 minutes in 2 tbsps olive oil. Add celery. Once onions caramelize, add beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste, with allspice. Cook till browned, medium-high heat.
3. Drain all liquid from pan and pat beef dry with paper towels.
4. Grease a large pot with olive oil. Line bottom with tomato slices. Add salt and pepper.
5. Pat down beef firmly, seasoning with a bit more salt and pepper.
6. Add layer of cauliflower, patting firmly. Add salt and pepper.
7. Add eggplant, patting firmly. Add salt and pepper.
8. Add red pepper, patting firmly. Add salt and pepper.
8. Add zucchini, patting firmly. Add salt and pepper.
9. Add rice, levelling evenly. Prop a small saucer over middle and ladle stock over. This will prevent a hollow from forming in middle. Add salt, pepper and saffron.
10. Cook on high heat 3-5 minutes or till you see some bubbling through the rice.
11. Cover lid, cook low heat 45 minutes. At halfway mark, gently scoop moistened rice to the top. Remove pot from heat once done.
12. Place platter over top of pot. Carefully flip pot over the platter and gently lift pot off, revealing your Maqluba.
13. Garnish with cilantro/parsley and pine nuts. Serve with plain yogurt.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Maryland Crab Cakes. In celebration of what would’ve been the second leg of the American Triple Crown today, the Preakness Stakes, we salute resilience with this dish, which is the pride of Maryland! The race this year will be contested at Pimlico Race Course 10.3.20. We eagerly await as our favourite sport begins surfacing once again across North America! These are divine – crispy exterior, flaky, tangy interior with pronounced notes of mustard and celery. 🦀
Ingredients:
1 lb crab meat/3 cans of Clover Leaf Crab Meat
2 eggs
3 tbsps mayonnaise
1/4 cup celery, diced thinly
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsps fresh parsley/cilantro, chopped
2 1/2 tbsps Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Sea salt and pepper
Canola Oil
Instructions:
1. In large bowl, mix all ingredients, adding crab last. If using fresh crab, ensure there are no shards of claws and shells. If using canned crab, ensure you drain and pat dry with paper towels. As often, canned crab is salted, account for less salt in your recipe.
2. Form mixture into six even patties and place on parchment paper-lined tray. Refrigerate 1-2 hours, covered.
3. Heat canola oil in large skillet till hot, medium-high heat. Fry crab cakes on each side about 4-5 minutes or till golden brown.
4. Transfer to platter lined with paper towels to absorb oil.
5. Arrange on clean platter. Garnish with parsley/cilantro and serve with Tartar Sauce and a lemon wedge.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Mango Peking Pork Chops | 芒果京都肉排. This is my all-time favourite and normally it is so easy to find at a Chinese restaurant or food court at the Asian mall that I often just order it! Isolation has given me the chance to learn how to make it finally and I nailed it! These fried cutlets of pork are glazed in a sweet and sour sauce, but not your typical bright-red sweet and sour. The sauce has a darker complexity to it that makes it mesmerizing. I added mangoes which are in-season right now, because they also are my fave and these two belong together!
Pork Chops:
2-3 lbs pork chops, each chop sliced in three
1/2 tsp 5 Spice Powder
2 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps white wine/cooking wine
4 tbsps flour
2 tbsps corn starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 mango, cut into chunks
Sauce:
2 tbsps ketchup
2 tbsps Hoisin Sauce
1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste)
1 1/2 tbsps rice vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic/black vinegar
3 tbsps maple syrup
2 tbsps organic raw sugar
1 1/2 tbsps Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 tbsps tapioca starch
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 stalk green onion, minced
Black sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions:
1. Marinate pork chops in 5 Spice Powder, soy sauce and wine overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet, just high enough to cover chops.
3. Mix flour, corn starch, soda, salt and pepper. Add just enough (4-5 tbsps) cold water to form a thick batter.
4. Dip pork chop pieces into batter and then drop into hot oil, cooking in batches of 5-6 pieces at a time till golden-brown. Pat-out excess oil on paper towels.
5. Combine sauce ingredients in bowl with 1/3 cup water.
6. In clean skillet, bring sauce to boil. If too thick, add a bit more water. Add mango chunks and once sauce reaches boil, toss-in pork chops and coat in glaze.
7. Transfer to a platter. Garnish with green onion and black sesame. Serve.
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Tiramisu Oreo Tiramisu. Now for a limited-time only, Tiramisu Oreos are available. And they’re amazing! This was a chance to combine two favourites! I love that Tiramisu doesn’t need to be baked, hence less work and it honestly tastes better by the day. Something euphoric happens with you get a taste of that coffee and Mascarpone together and you get the nose once you take a bite.
If you don’t have Coffee Liquer, boil a simple syrup of equal parts organic raw sugar and water (3/4 cup each), three tbsps high-grade freeze-dried coffee (I use a Japanese coffee by Maxim). Once cooled a bit, add 1 tsp vanilla and 2/3 cup Vodka. Allow to cool before using. Easy.
Ingredients:
2 packs (24 total) Ladyfinger biscuits
1 275g tub of Mascarpone or Cream Cheese plus 1/4 cup of whipping cream
3 eggs, separated and room temperature
3/4 cup double-strength coffee or Espresso, room temperature
2/3 cup whipping cream
2 tbsps organic raw sugar
2 tbsps icing sugar
1/4 cup Coffee Liquer
10 Tiramisu Oreos, crushed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp sea salt
Cocoa Powder
Instructions:
1. Mix half of Coffee Liquer and coffee in a shallow platter or bowl.
2. Dip one side only of each Ladyfinger into coffee. Arrange along bottom of rectangular dish. Break some of them to fill gaps, ensuring bottom is covered. Press down gently with hands.
3. In large bowl using hand mixer, whip Mascarpone with vanilla and remainder of liquer.
4. Whisk egg yolks and raw sugar till creamy in a bowl placed within a larger bowl containing a bit of warm water.
5. Using handmixer, add yolk mixture into Mascarpone.
6. In separate bowl, whip your whipping cream with handmixer. Fold with spatula into Mascarpone.
7. In another bowl, whip egg whites and salt with handmixer till stiff peaks form. Add icing sugar and whip till stiff peaks stand on their own.
8. Fold egg whites into Mascarpone with spatula till just combined. Mixture should be fluffy and creamy.
9. Pour half of the mixture over dipped Ladyfingers. Sprinkle some crushed Tiramisu Oreos crumbs on-top.
10. Repeat step 2.
11. Repeat step 9 without crushed Oreos.
12. Refrigerate covered for 2 hours.
13. Using sieve, dust cocoa powder over top. Sprinkle with more crushed Tiramisu Oreos. Cover.
14. Refrigerate overnight. Serve.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Meatless Curry Buns. Delicious Brioche with mildly-spicy “meaty” filling. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or a snack. And they freeze well! By all means, use ground beef if you like instead.
Ingredients:
5 cups flour
2 1/2 tsps yeast
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
1/2 tbsp sea salt
3 tbsps cold unsalted butter
4 tbsps condensed milk
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Sesame seeds, toasted
Filling:
1 cup Yves Ground Round
1/2 white potato, diced
1/4 white onion, minced
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 carrots, diced
1/4 cup green peas
6-8 mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 block Glico Medium Curry
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
1. Mix flour, salt and butter in mixing bowl. Use 2 forks criss-crossing to cut butter in.
2. In bowl, mix 1/2 cup lukewarm water (not warm or hot) with condensed milk, yeast and sugar till dissolved. Stand a few minutes.
3. Mix yeast water into flour bit by bit, using forks. Pour another 1 1/3 cup lukewarm water, forming dough.
4. Turn dough onto flat, floured surface. Sprinkle with flour till dough no longer is sticky. Knead 10 minutes till punchy.
5. Grease large bowl and transfer dough into it. Cover with damp cloth and place in oven on top rack with a pot of hot water on the rack below. Shut oven. Replace hot water again in 30 minutes.
6. Prep filling. Sautée garlic and onions till caramelized. Add potatoes and mushrooms. Cook till translucent. Add ground round, carrots, corn and peas. Cook about 5 minutes. Add Glico Curry, 2/3 cup water and coconut milk. Bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
6. Dough will double in size in 1 to 1.5 hours if proofed right. If it’s risen but not enough, proof a bit longer.
7. Grease baking sheet. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Cut dough in half, separating each half into 6 even pieces on lightly-floured surface. Flatten each piece with hands. Fill with tbsp of filling. Pinch and seal each bun tightly, sealed side facing bottom. Place on tray.
8. Proof again for 45 minutes covered, with pot of hot water underneath in oven.
9. Preheat oven at 400°F. Brush top of loaf with egg wash using fingers or a brush. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, pressing them in gently.
10. Bake for 17-20 minutes or till golden brown. Rotate pan once, half-way through. Cool 20 minutes and serve.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
PekingDuck | 北京烤鴨. Reserved for celebrations, so Happy Mother’s Day, Moms! Made this for Mom last night, her fave! This dish traces back to the Imperial era. Roasted slices of duck skin on thin wraps, dressed with garnish. Adapted from New York Times, with some modifications. 💐
Ingredients:
6 lb duck
2 tbsps 5 Spice Powder
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp organic raw sugar
3 tsps sea salt
4 tbsps soy sauce
Pepper, to taste
Sauce:
3 tbsps Hoisin Sauce
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
Garnishes:
1/4 carrot, thin slices
1 stalk green onion, thin slices
1/4 cucumber, thin slices
Coriander, chopped
Instructions:
1. Clean duck, remove giblets. Trim excess skin off tail/neck. Using knife, cut opening between skin and flesh of breast and back. Slide fingers through to opposite end, careful not to break skin.
2. Boil kettle of water. Carefully pour 1/2 of water onto each side of duck.
3. Pat dry with paper towels.
4. Mix 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tbsp of 5 spice powder and pepper. Rub into cavity of duck.
5. Empty 1/3 of Tallboy beer can and prop inside cavity. Stand on roasting pan.
6. In saucepan, heat 2 tbsps soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp 5 Spice Powder, 3 tbsps honey and 1 tbsp sugar. Heat till sugar melts.
7. Brush sauce onto duck. Place duck in refrigerator uncovered 24 hours.
8. Preheat oven, 450°F.
9. Take foil and wrap tips of wings and legs to prevent burning. Add 1 1/2 cups water to pan.
10. Form loose foil tent over duck. Place on bottom rack of oven.
11. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Roast 1 hour.
12. In bowl, mix rest of honey, soy sauce and 5 Spice Powder.
13. Remove foil. Baste duck. Roast 10 minutes more.
14. Remove duck from oven. Brush soy mixture over duck. Separate drippings from pan, reserving 3 tbsps. Remove beer can from cavity. Place duck back onto pan, back facing up.
15. Set oven to high broil. Broil 5 minutes. Flip duck over, breast facing up. Broil another 5 minutes.
16. Remove from oven. Cool 20 minutes.
17. Carve skin in small sections, arranging in platter. Carve remainder of duck and serve on separate platter.
18. Warm wraps in steamer on low heat.
19. Serve duck skin on wrappers with dollop of Hoisin Sauce mixture and garnishes. Makes 12.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Ribs. It’s been way too long since we’ve relished a rack and who would’ve known how easy it is to make these at home? The trick is to remove the tough membrane on the back of the rack, bake at a low heat and to apply your sauce right at the finish! These were perfect and oh so tender!
Ingredients:
3 lbs pork ribs
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsps soy sauce
Black pepper, to taste
BBQ Sauce:
1/4 cup Billy Bones Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce (or your favourite!)
3 tbsps honey
1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste)
1 tbsp Sambal (or Sriracha)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions:
1. Remove white membrane on back of ribs. Cut ribs into four sections.
2. Marinate ribs in garlic, soy sauce and pepper. Let stand room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
3. Preheat oven at 275°F.
4. Place ribs in dish and cover with foil. Bake 3.5 hours.
5. Mix all BBQ sauce ingredients together in bowl.
6. Remove ribs from oven and brush with sauce.
7. Set rack in oven one level up (be careful) and set oven to a high broil. Place ribs back in oven uncovered and broil about 5-6 minutes to desired level of charring.
8. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with corn, potato salad and baked beans.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Szechuan Eggplant. I’ve received requests for eggplant recipes and what I love about Oh, Aubergines is that it is substantial enough to be a main course. Topped with mounds of garlic, chilli, with the freshness of coriander and green onion, you won’t miss meat for a meal when your veggies are done right like this. 🍆🌶️
I’m all for reducing our carbon footprint and eating a bit cleaner, so enjoy this recipe if you’re looking for a flavourful break from meat proteins.
Ingredients:
4 Japanese Eggplants
2 garlic bulbs, minced
2 red Thai chillies, minced
2 stalks green onion, minced
4 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps sesame oil
1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp 5 Spice Powder
Sea salt, to taste
Coriander, minced
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven at 410°F.
2. Cut each egg plant in half vertically. Using knife score criss-cross grid pattern across flesh of each eggplant.
3. Sautée garlic till just about caramelized.
4. In bowl, mix fish sauce, 3 tbsps soy sauce, 1/2 tsp 5 Spice Powder, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp olive oil. Brush half of mixture over eggplant. Bake 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and brush with remainder of soy mixture. Bake 15 more minutes.
6. In bowl, mix garlic, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp 5 Spice powder, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Season with salt, to taste.
7. Scoop garlic on-top of eggplant. Bake 10 minutes more or till skin of eggplant begins curling-up.
8. Sprinkle chillies, coriander and green onion on-top and serve.
Gallery:
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Butter Chicken. This Indian institution requires some meticulous treatment, but is well worth the wait. This recipe will leave you with leftovers so no need to stress about lunch or dinner tomorrow also! And it tastes better the second day! You’re welcome.
Marinade:
4 chicken breasts, sectioned
2 tbsp MDH Curry Masala Blend (red chilli, coriander, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, star anise)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsps lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp ginger, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
Sauce:
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp MDH Curry Masala Blend
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup cashews/almonds, ground
3 tbsps Ghee or 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil
1 white onion, minced
3 chillies, seeded and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
Sea salt, to taste
Coriander or green onion, chopped for garnish
Instructions:
1. Place chicken pieces in marinade, mixing well and covering overnight in refrigerator.
2. In large skillet, sautée onions in ghee/butter on medium-high heat. Add chilli, ginger and garlic and fry till caramelized. Add chicken and marinade in batches. Do not overcrowd skillet.
3. Do not cook chicken fully. Remove from skillet once half-cooked.
4. Add tomatoes and paste to skillet, plus Masala. Cook about 10 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add chicken, chicken stock and 1/2 cup water and bring to boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer 30 minutes.
6. Toast almonds/cashews. Place into food processor with a tablespoon of water and blend into a paste.
7. Remove chicken from skillet and separate sauce into a blender. Add cream and blend quickly till smooth.
8. Place sauce back into skillet on medium heat. Once it boils, add-in ground cashews/almonds and salt, stirring evenly.
9. Add chicken and reduce to low heat for 10 minutes.
10. Garnish with chopped coriander or green onion and serve with Basmati Rice and/or Naan. Pickled lime, optional.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Pork & Chive Pan-Fried Dumplings | 韭菜猪肉餃子. Who doesn’t love dumplings? Hope these make your day!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour (+ more for kneading)
1 cup water
Filling:
1/2 cup minced pork
1 cup chopped chives
1 stalk green onion, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Sambal Sauce (or Sriracha)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tbps Kimchi, chopped (optional)
Instructions:
1. Combine flour and water, forming dough.
2. Transfer to floured surface and knead 10 minutes, adding flour gradually till no longer sticky. Roll into ball.
3. Place dough ball in large bowl and cover with Saran Wrap. Allow to stand 2 hours.
4. Prepare filling by mixing all ingredients together in a large bowl.
5. Transfer dough to floured surface and knead 5 minutes, placing back in bowl. Allow to stand 30 minutes.
6. Roll dough into a log on floured surface. Cut into 6 even sections. Take each section one at a time and cut into 4-5 more pieces and roll out flat onto floured surface till about 7 cm in diameter, as thin as possible. Dumplings will be doughy if rolled too thick. Edge of each wrap should be thinner than the center. Keep unused dough pieces covered till ready to use, to keep from drying.
5. Scoop 1 tablespoon or less filling into center of each flattened dough piece, pinching or pleating to seal tight. Keep dumplings on lightly-floured platter till ready to cook. You can freeze if you have too many. You should land with about 24-30 dumplings.
6. Heat large skillet with 2 tablespoons of Canola oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, fry dumplings (sealed side facing up) in batches of about 6-7 dumplings at a time.
7. Add a few tablespoons of water and cover with lid, reducing to medium heat for about five or more minutes.
8. Remove lid. Once water has evaporated, check bottom to ensure dumpling is golden-brown and that top of dumpling has a bit of translucence. If you want Potstickers, don’t flip the dumpling. I like both sides of the dumpling crispy, so I flip it and fry till the other side is golden.
9. Serve with soy sauce and your favourite hot sauce.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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