Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I present to you a lovely side dish you can serve or bring as a contribution. I rarely do a “traditional” American Thanksgiving, likely because I grew up eating a very Chinese feast during this holiday. We gathered and would host, but instead of turkey, we’d have a fairly traditionally Chinese meal: steamed fish, duck, braised meats, egg rolls. In fact, you’d see a similar menu repeated for Christmas, and the new year. I didn’t attend a traditional Thanksgiving feast, with turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, until I went to college, and I stayed in the dorms for the holiday. Alex and I went to a professor’s house for Thanksgiving and it was quite a cultural experience!! Nowadays, we do a Chinese American feast. We do sticky rice for stuffing (the one dish I make every single year, with variations: with and without duck, with mushrooms, etc. I think this year I’m going to do a wild mushroom sticky rice stuffing with pancetta and bits of kabocha). This year, I’ll be bringing this to my Friendsgivings and to the main event, “thanksgiving dumplings”, a saucy dish of pan-friend dumplings with slices of squash.

This post is sponsored by MiLa. All opinions are my own.

Dumplings are an ultimate canvas for customization – not just the dumpling filling/skin, but also how you serve it. They can be steamed and served with a dipping sauce; pan-fried with a dipping sauce or dressed; cooked and served in broth. Cooking dumplings at the same time as squash and tossing it all in a sauce has been making a frequent appearance in my kitchen. Recently I’ve leaned more towards efficient, quick recipes, particularly for a weeknight – and my not-so-secret “hack” is to use frozen dumplings. Mìlà is one of my favorites! The flavor of the fillings (I used chicken, but they have a wonderful beef as well, and they have an amazing noodle and soup dumpling line, too) has the perfect balance of savory umami with some sweetness, all encased in a just-thick-enough wrapping. I have been making this dish on repeat, not only because of the abundance of squash in the fall, but because the dumplings slide seamlessly into this recipe. Pan-fry the dumplings and squash simultaneously, and toss it all together with your prepared sauce. It thickens up in the hot pain, thickening and coating the dumplings in a shiny, thick glaze. 

This recipe is a riff off of my Sweet and Spicy Delicata Squash in my book, The Chinese Way. By focusing on technique (sauce), you can make endless riff of dishes that work. Once you have mastered mixing sauces and how to use heat to marry it to a dish, your pantry becomes a playground for experimentation. This sauce includes a step that I love, love: caramelizing soy sauce. Heat and soy sauce transforms the flavor, deepens the umami, and gives it a caramel-y flavor. It also thickens the sauce through caramelizing the sugars you’ve added, resulting in a glossy, viscous glaze. Hope you enjoy!!!

Spicy and Sweet Squash with Pan-fried Dumplings

Recipe a riff on Sweet and Spicy Delicata Squash in my book, The Chinese Way.
on Serves 2 

1. Make the sauce: Combine 1/2 cup water, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, gochujang, dried Chile peppers, ginger, and gochugaru in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until sauce is slightly thickened, with small, even bubbles on the surface, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. 
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons neutral oil. Add dumplings, bottom side down, in a single layer, 1” apart, and add squash around it. Do this in batches if necessary. Let sit, undisturbed, for 4-5 minutes, until bottom of dumplings are golden brown and squash have started to brown. Turn the squash, then enough water to reach 1/4 up the sides of dumplings. Cover with lid and steam on medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes. By then, most of the water should have cooked off. 
3. Remove pan from heat, return all squash/dumplings to pan if you did this in batches, and pour in sauce. Given residual heat of the pan, the sauce will bubble and thicken, becoming a glaze. Toss so that the dumplings and squash are evenly coated. 
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with scallions, flaky salt, and black pepper. 

The post Sweet and Spicy Squash with Pan-Fried Dumplings appeared first on Betty Liu .

Too much has happened in 2020 and since the last time I blogged. Instead of waxing on about them, I’ll go straight to the food, with a recipe for soy-glazed sardine rice bowl ! My pantry frequently alternates between fully stocked and barren, because I go to the shop only sporadically and honestly order a lot of takeout. Cooking has been emotionally draining these days, and I find myself ordering food for Alex and myself or grabbing ramen, and if I cook it’s never something involved. Instead I’m gravitating towards quick, simple meals. A little late to the game, but I’ve been loving canned fish and how easy they can be incorporated into meals! I’ve partnered with Matiz Wild Sardines to make this super simple rice bowl.

I love the experience of Japanese breakfast. When I was traveling in Japan it was one of the meals I looked forward to the most. The breadth of flavors and food was amazing, often including fish, pickles, some sort of soup, and rice. I’m not Japanese and do not have my own Japanese traditions, but this dish is inspired from my love for Japanese breakfasts. I eat seasoned soft eggs over rice all the time, and this is just a more luxurious version of that. The sardines are cooked in a way that’s to unagi, with a soy-based sauce and braise, and served over seasoned eggs and rice! Sardines are by nature an oily fish with really tender flesh and works so well in this dish. It comes together incredibly quickly, less than 15 minutes if you have cooked rice on hand.

A little bit about these sardines: Spain has a rich tradition of canning seafood – these sardines are wild-caught and minimally processed, cooked only once and then packed in rice olive oil. Honestly I’ve eaten them straight from the tin without any additional seasoning – they go great with rice and congee (especially congee). Before the pandemic I didn’t really eat much tinned fish, but now I can’t imagine my pantry without tinned fish stocked! Matiz’s mackerel is also lovely – a very different texture but amazing with its smokiness.

The recipe is fast because the fish is already cooked. A quick sear then coating with the soy buttery glaze – it’s luxurious and perfect with rice. The eggs are optional, but I love the taste of seasoned softly scrambled eggs over rice. The rice picks up the flavors of both the sardines and eggs.

In partnership with Matiz Wild Sardines. As always, opinions and content are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this blog. 

Eggs and Soy-Glazed Sardine over Rice: Japanese-inspired Breakfast Bowl

1 tin sardines
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
Dash white pepper

3 eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Mirin, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a drop of sesame oil, scrambled to your preference.

Gently slice sardine in half, lengthwise. Remove spine (optional as these are edible)

Combine mirin, soy sauces, honey, and white pepper together

Heat up frying pan or skillet with about 1 tablespoon of oil. Place sardines down in a single layer without overcrowding. Sear for about half a minute, then gently flip and sear other side. Set aside.

Heat butter until foaming, then add soy sauce mix and wait until it is gently bubbling, with little bubbles. Lower heat to medium-low and add in fish, gently shaking the pan and spooning sauce over it, until sauce is thick and reduced, coating the fish.

Serve over rice with softly scrambled eggs and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds

Sprinkle w scallions

The post Eggs and Soy-Glazed Sardine over Rice appeared first on Betty Liu .

This post is in partnership with Vermicular. All opinions expressed are purely my own, as always. Thank you so much for supporting the companies that support this blog.

There’s one thing about me that is no secret: I love trying out different products, especially when it has the potential to make my life easier. I started surgical residency and have been on nights for the past month – as someone who really appreciates routine, adjusting has been somewhat of a challenge for me, especially in the name of food. My husband has also started his residency, on days, so we basically did not see each other during the day – by the time I got home in the morning, he would be gone, and vice versa at night. Weekends were sacred to us. 
Making food has been a challenge – I use cooking as an outlet and just love cooking for us, but when you’re working 12+ hour days, sometimes all I want to do is… nothing. But we have to eat. I won’t deny we’ve succumbed and cooked frozen dumplings or wontons, or ordered in,  but on the days I want something freshly cooked with minimal effort, I use my Vermicular Musui–Kamado. I was honestly thrilled when the idea of a collaboration came up, because it seemed to answer a lot of my needs. I’ve had the Vermicular Musui–Kamado for awhile before residency, and I’ve used it so frequently – anything from making normal rice, crispy rice (think, like traditional claypot crispy rice along bottom and sides), what’s essentially sous vide without using plastic bags, slow simmers, and a personal favorite: tossing any vegetable and cooking it using the musui “waterless” cooking technique.

I should explain. The Vermicular Musui–Kamado doesn’t quite fit into any standard appliance model: it’s not a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or traditional rice cooker. Because it’s not trying to be like those – instead it references traditional Japan ovens, with three-dimensional cooking. It’s a cast iron induction cooker. It’s seal is incredible in its accuracy, which allows it to do what it’s known for – the musui waterless cooking I mentioned earlier. It’s absolutely delightful to throw in a bunch of vegetables with minimal seasoning, no water, and let it “steam cook” in its own juices, drawing out the best of its intrinsic flavors. 

As someone who (as you know) absolutely loves all things Japan and appreciate the thoughtfulness in Japanese design, I was really looking forward to trying it. It comes in beautiful packaging and also comes with a recipe book! The recipe book is incredibly helpful, because as I say, it’s not like other countertop appliances out there. However, it is quite straightforward once you understand what each button means! 

I’ve been making this particular recipe on repeat, as both Alex and I love lamb, love herbs, love lentils. In this, I wanted to meld bold flavors from nature (balancing tangy, fresh herbs with game-y lamb), and the precision seal and ability to do low temperature truly coaxes out these flavors to make a delicious, meltingly tender lamb. 

I actually first tested this with the EXT LOW heat setting (at 230ºF) for 4 hours, but then I became very curious about its precision cooking, using the WARM heat setting, which I set at 190ºF. With lamb, the lower temperature, the longer, the better, right? Well, I wanted to put that to the test. I set it at 190 and cooked for 7 hours, and oh my it is absolutely fabulous!!! I was already happy with the other outcome but this… this was magic. It was more tender, more full of flavor, and the intrinsic flavor of lamb with herbs really shined through – gamey yet not wild, if that makes sense. It was the simplest thing, too – once it’s set, I could walk away, go about my day. At the end of 7 hours, it was ready, and all I had to do was make the lentils.

RECIPE: Herby Lamb with Lentils

If you want to try this and do not have the Vermicular Musui–Kamado, you can adjust this and braise in the oven at 300F for about 2-2.5 hours. It will not be the same, but it will give you something.

Ingredients
1 lamb shank
Salt, pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 fresh lemongrass stems, outer husks removed, crushed to release juices
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
½ tablespoon fennel seeds
1 star anise
3 bay leaves
1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
1 piece ginger, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon black vinegar
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 handful Thai basil

1 cup cooked French green lentils (to al dente)

For the yogurt
½ cup thick yogurt, such as Greek or Icelandic
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
3 tablespoons finely chopped thai basil
Zest of one lemon
Sea salt, to taste

1. Trim excess fat from lamb shank. Season lamb shank well salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in Musui over the medium setting (445F). Sear lamb shank until browned on all sides. Set aside.

3. Add garlic, lemongrass, bay leaves, scallions, ginger, star anise, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds and toast until fragrant.

4. Add Shaoxing wine and deglaze

5. Add lamb back in with the chicken broth, and everything else up to the lentils. Bring to a boil, then set heat to WARM setting (at 190F), and cook for 7 hours, until super tender and easily flakeable with a fork (a bare touch will flake off meat). At this point, the broth will have cooked down to be a thicker, flavor-packed broth.

6. Strain broth and discard the solids. Flake off chunks of lamb from the bone and set aside.

7. In a skillet, heat up 2 tablespoons of oil or butter. Add cooked lentils, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Add chunks of lamb to the pan with the reserved broth and quickly toss to combine. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Stir in fresh thai basil.

8. Combine yogurt with all the ingredients listed under “For the Yogurt”

9. Serve warm lentils and lamb with herbed yogurt!

The post Herb-y Lamb and Lentils appeared first on Betty Liu .

I’ve been asked many times what my favorite meal is, or what my last meal ever would be. My answer is always wontons. My mom made wontons constantly throughout my childhood, and pork wontons swimming in a potent, flavorful broth topped with scallions and white pepper became a staple. But I love them in all forms: pork-only wontons, pork and shepherd’s purse, in soup, or tossed in a spicy vinegar-y sauce. My parents always used pork, and that’s probably the most traditional way, but I’ve had delicious lamb and beef wontons as well. When Wines of Rioja asked me to create a recipe that pairs with red wines from their region, I immediately had the thought, what about wontons, and with duck?? I’ve had this idea brewing in my mind for a while, and when I tried my first glass of wine from the region, I knew that a wonton full of aromatic duck would be incredibly harmonious.

This post is in partnership with Wines of Rioja. All opinions expressed are purely my own, as always. Thank you so much for supporting the companies that support this blog.

Rioja (pronounced ree-oh-ha!) is Spain’s most prestigious and historic wine region. As someone who grew up in the bay area and loved exploring the nearby Napa Valley, I’m alwayseager to learn about other wine regions. I’m no expert, but sampling varieties is always fun, and pairing with food is even better. The first time I had a wine and cheese pairing, I was stunned by how a single pairing of cheese could enhance or detract from the wine. I was excited to try and learn more about Rioja wines. Rioja is the only wine region in the world that does not release any of its wines until ready to drink – meaning no need to age these on your shelves. Simply open and drink.

Rioja wines are fruity, well-balanced, and they are extremely compatible with food – this was I was so excited about. I received two varieties of red from Rioja – Cepas Antiguas Joven, and Cantos de Valpiedra Crianza. I opened both for a little taste testing session on how they would go with duck wontons – both were divine! Alex is a novice wine enthusiast and was so excited to try the two as well. Verdict: they go with duck wonton insanely well.

These duck wontons were dreamed up in my head months ago and I finally made them. They will not disappoint. I asked Alex if he liked these or the more traditional pork wontons (which are my favorite) and he actually said these duck wontons. That stung a little, but I could see why. I will warn you, they do take more time to make than conventional wontons, because you’ll have to hand-mince the duck leg meat (or, ask your butcher to put it through a mincer!!). You can freeze the meat for 15 minutes to make the mincing easier, and always use sharp knives (but be careful).

Recipe: Duck wontons in Roasted Jalapeno Sauce

2 duck legs, skin and bone removed and reserved for stock
2 teaspoons ginger, finely minced
2 tablespoons water soaked with ginger and scallion bits (discard bits when using)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 scallion, minced
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or sherry wine or Mirin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Dash white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 package wonton wrappers (eggless)

Stock
Duck leg skin and bones from before
2 slices fresh ginger
3 scallions
1 stalk lemongrass (optional)

Sauce
2 jalapeños, cut in half lengthwise
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, plus more to taste

1. First, make stock: preheat oven to 375 and toss duck skin, bones, and jalapenos onto a baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes. Set jalapeno aside, and reserve rendered duck fat.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine duck skin and bones with scallions, ginger, and lemongrass and cover with water. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
3. Mince duck leg meat until sesame seed sized. I like to go in one direction first, turn the cutting board and go perpendicular, then go diagonal both ways to ensure total mince. It will turn more pasty, which is what we are looking for.
4. Mix duck meat with remaining ingredients. Whip in one direction until paste-like in texture.
5. Wrap wontons and set aside. To freeze for later, lay out in a baking tray in a single layer and place in the freezer. When frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag.
6. Throw roasted jalapeno and ½ cup of stock in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
7. Combine puree with remaining sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat up over medium heat. Sauce will bubble in large bubbles first, then transform into small micro bubbles- at this point, let it cook a few more minutes until thickened. Add more salt or sugar to taste.
8. Cook wontons: In a pot of boiling water, add wontons. When wontons rise, add ½ cup cold water. Bring back to a boil, and add another ½ cup water.
9. Remove wontons with a slotted spoon into individual serving bowls. Spoon sauce over, and serve with fresh scallions and toasted white sesame seeds.

The post Duck Wontons appeared first on Betty Liu .

I fell in love with karaage, Japanese fried chicken, on one of my first trips to Japan. I’d never before paid much attention to karaage, choosing to order ramen, agedashi tofu, or a classic chirashi bowl in Japanese restaurants in the States instead. Fried chicken? I thought, whatever. Well. Wow. Karaage – it’s truly special. I learned it’s made with dark chicken meat (i.e., chicken thigh), making it incredibly juicy and tender. It’s double fried. It’s deliciously spiced so that the breading creates a crispy, crunchy exterior that tastes peppery and divine. Now, I order it whenever I see it on the menu! And now, I give you a black sesame karaage!

I learned how to make this surprisingly easy dish through Nami of Just One Cookbook and Mandy of Lady and Pups. There’s no need to tenderize the meat, as chicken thighs are quite tender already, and if you cut the pieces into roughly the same size, that ensures the meat will cook evenly as it fries. Nami does a double deep fry, which I was pleasantly surprised to see, as I’d been doing the double-fry for a few dishes at home. It’s a pretty common technique used in Shanghainese cooking for seafood- the first quick flash fry with a longer deeper fry to get it even more crisp and deepen flavors. Angus Chen writes a brilliant article explaining the science behind this double fry. As a future doctor, reading about this kind of stuff thrills me to no end!!!! As always with deep frying, safety comes first! Use an oil appropriate for deep frying and always be careful when transferring the food. I always use a thermometer to make sure the oil is at the right temperature.

I had this idea as I was making a bunch of black sesame sticky rice balls (recipe in my future book!). I had this sudden, crazy thought: what if I made a sweet sesame mix for karaage????? It seemed just crazy enough to be potentially good. And it was!!!!! It’s a nutty, fragrant, slightly sweet exterior with that characteristic karaage juicy interior. It’s not the most photogenic dish, but it is good. Plus, it’s the Super Bowl this weekend, and might I suggest this as a great snack item??

The combination of coarsely ground black sesame with a bit of sugar makes the breading that much more crispy. The sugar becomes caramelized with the black sesame and potato starch mix, and with every bite, that crunch highlights the textural differences between the exterior and interior. It’s addictive, and Alex and I just devoured this whole plate for lunch. I served it with a generous drizzle of lemon and a heaping pile of fresh scallions. I can also see kewpie mayonnaise as a delightful companion, as well as a dusting of togarashi.

Oh, and I also wanted to share a little bit about why I’ve been a bit absent: I’m finishing up my final year of medical school (aka, applying for residency), and I’m writing and photographing a book. The first is self explanatory (clinical rotations, residency application, residency interviews). the second is a bit of news I’ve been dying to share with you all, but it’s taken up all of my free time and been a thrilling yet terrifying (and ongoing) experience. When I have more details to share, I will definitely make a big official announcement!!!! Stay tuned on that front :).

Recipe: Black Sesame Karaage

Ingredients
1.5-2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

Marinade
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Breading:
¼-1/2 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)
¼ cup black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. Carefully remove bone from chicken thighs with sharp kitchen shears. Then, cut the chicken into 1.5″x 2 to 3″ strips – equal sizes for even cooking. Alternatively, use boneless chicken thighs. Both have worked for me.
2. Place chicken with marinade in a container and let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours.
3. Grind black sesame with sugar until a coarse powder forms. Mix with potato starch in a shallow bowl and set aside.
4. In a safe pot for deep-frying (I use a wok or a deep pan), heat enough oil to cover a layer of chicken to 335F. Use a thermometer for accuracy.
5. Place chicken strip one at a time in the bowl of breading and coat to cover. Lay on a drying rack over a baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the chicken strips.
6. When oil is at the right temperature, gently coat again with fresh breading and then slide into the oil 2-3 strips at a time, without crowding the pan.
7. Deep fry for 90 seconds, then transfer to another rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
8. Let oil come to 350F this time, and then deep fry for 2 minutes until chicken is golden brown. Remove chicken and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
9. Serve hot with a fresh scallions, a drizzle of lemon, a side of kewpie mayo, or a dusting of togarashi!!!!!

The post Black Sesame Karaage appeared first on Betty Liu .

My husband’s favorite cheese is American. He loves it in any way – in burgers, melted in sandwiches, even lone-standing. So, when The Feedfeed reached out to me to create a sandwich with it, I immediately thought of that melty, goo-ey potential of melted American. When I tried Land O Lakes®Deli American, I immediately fell in love. Now this is made for a sandwich. It’s creamy, thick, and melts so beautifully when heated.I was asked to create a sandwich that is inspired by my hometown, Boston. This is my 5^thyear living in Boston, and I’m still completely enamored by it. Even after 5 years I still feel like I am discovering it. I grew up in California and loved living there, but I absolutely adore the stark season changes on the east coast. And now that fall is ushering in, I’m welcoming it with open arms. I’m so happy to offer this recipe for pumpkin and shiitake melt, something that has since been on a regular rotation in our household (hey, got to use up all that Deli American now!). It’s quick, easy, and super comforting.

This post is in partnership with Land O’Lakesand The Feedfeed.

You start by roasting pumpkin to create a thick puree. This will end up melding with the melted Deli American, and that combination is sublime. Scallion-sautéed mushrooms provide that umami and texture, and with crispy sourdough bread, this is a sandwich I will eat all season long.

You can also add whatever you want – I’ve added in prosciutto, bacon, even sautéed firm tofu blocks. It’s extremely customizable (it is, after all, a sandwich).

RECIPE: Pumpkin and Shiitake Melt

Ingredients:

8oz shiitake, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks scallion, chopped finely

2 sandwich sourdough slices
4 slices of Land O Lakes®Deli American
1 sugar pumpkin, or a wedge of a large pumpkin

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Slice pumpkins in half (I slice the cap off the pumpkin for ease of handling). Scoop out the seeds and fibrous guts. Brush with olive oil, then place face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 45-50 minutes, or until fork tender. Let pumpkins cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove skin. Blend with a few tablespoons of water until smooth. If puree is too runny, heat up in a small saucepan and gently cook off water until thick, to the point that stirring a wooden spoon will create a trail that doesn’t disappear (see photo above).

Heat up 2 tablespoon oil or butter on medium, add in scallions and cook for 3-4 minutes, letting the aroma of sautéed scallions arise. Then add shiitake in a single layer. Don’t stir, just let it cook. After 5 minutes, begin to stir, add in garlic and let cook for another 2 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked and golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat up ½ tbsp oil or butter on medium low, add sandwich slices to pan, then layer 1-2 slices of Deli American on the surface. If making just one sandwich, place mushrooms on one side, spread pumpkin puree on the other. Or, if making two sandwiches, first spread with pumpkin, then top with mushrooms. Cook slowly until bread turns golden brown and crisp. By this point, most of your Deli American should be melted. Remove from pan, add more butter, and flip and repeat with other side – this side will be faster so be sure to turn heat to low. When toasty and golden brown, remove and enjoy!

The post Pumpkin and Shiitake Melt appeared first on Betty Liu .

Hi friends – it’s been quite a while, hasn’t it? I’m really excited to be sharing this recipe for scallion sambal milk bread with scallions, a recipe inspired in part by a visit to Girl and the Goat in Chicago (back in the fall), and of course my obsession with scallions and how wonderfully aromatic this scallion pancake challah was.

The post Scallion Sambal Milk Bread appeared first on Betty Liu .

**Thought I’d put this right up front, I’ll be giving away a Vitamix Ascent A3500!! It’s my go-to blender and I use it every week, and I can’t wait for one of you to own one of these awesome machines. I’ve had this one for almost a year now, and it’s going strong after much usage. The giveaway will be hosted on my Instagram- so hop on over and follow me there, I’ll be posting it later today.

This post is sponsored by vitamix. All opinions expressed are purely my own, as always. Thank you so much for supporting the companies that support this blog. They’re having some truly wonderful offers running through 1/7/18, see their offers here.

As I start hearing the Nutcracker score gently streaming out from cafes, see wreaths and garlands adorn doorways, I can’t help but start to feel the holiday cheer. It’s a nice change, because for the past many weeks I feel like my whole world has pretty much been my surgery rotation. It’s one of those totally immersive rotations, with my hours being from 5 am – 5 pm, plus studying after-hours, which is why I’ve been pretty silent on this end. I’m enjoying it a lot, but it leaves little room for other things. However, I do try to cook and bake for pleasure (no new innovative recipes, just my go-to’s and everyday quick meals), and it’s a big stress reliever. As I chop/prep/cook, I can feel my muscles relaxing, getting into the flow of my kitchen. A year ago I wrote a bit about how I was burned out and how I’ll be taking a step back. I did. The year’s not over, but I can already sense a shift – I’m enjoying this process again, I’m looking forward to creating and testing, without pressure and purely for enjoyment, yay!

This is one of those recipes I’ve had stirring in my head for awhile, and when I finally tested it, it was like a lightbulb had gone off – like YES. THIS IS IT. When the holidays come around I, like most everyone else, just cannot resist decadent desserts. Last year I made this gingerbread upside down cake, this year, I’m happy to share this pistachio chocolate mousse tart. It’s super easy to make and it’s NO BAKE, which makes things even simpler right? The pistachios are roasted and covered in maple syrup, and honestly just by themselves they’d make.a  pretty good edible gift, but top them over creamy chocolate mousse, and you’ve got the salty-sweet-crunchy-silky-smooth layering of flavors and textures.

The crust is simple, because I’m all for simple and straightforward these days. Get a bag of shortbread cookies, toss it with mixed butter, and press it into your tart pan. Simple, effective, no bake.

Tell me, how are you doing? This time of year always seems crazy, no matter what industry. How do you cope or ensure self-care?

RECIPE: Pistachio Chocolate Mousse Tart
NOTES: rose infusion is optional, I just love the classic rose-pistachio combination, which works well with dark chocolate. Also, make the maple coated pistachios – they are fabulous on their own, and I’m planning on gifting them in jars!

Shortbread Crust
12 oz shortbread cookies
1 stick butter, melted
2 oz dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

Pulse shortbread cookies in blender until coarse crumbs remain. Mix chocolate with melted butter. Toss in crumbs. Press into tart shell. Let sit in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Maple-Coated Pistachios
1.5 cup pistachios
4 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 300F. Toss pistachios with maple syrup, sugar. Spread on a parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool.

Chocolate Mousse Filling
½ cup whole milk
2 tbsp dried rose petals
½ cup heavy cream
3/4 cup marscapone
6 oz dark chocolate, chopped roughly
4 tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

flaky malden sea salt, to top

Heat milk to a boil, then steep rose petals. Cover and steep for 15 minutes.

Over a double boiler with simmering water, combine chocolate, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, whisp until chocolate melted. Set aside. Add in steeped milk. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Add in marscapone and heavy cream and blend on high for another 60 seconds on high. Should be smooth and glossy, and airy.

Poor into prepared tart crust. Sprinkle pistachios on top. Sprinkle flaky salt on top.

Fridgerate for 3 hours, or overnight.

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These days, I’m sort of embarrassed to say that I don’t read cookbooks that much anymore. I used to, but since blogging my cookbook collection has increased significantly, and there just isn’t time to sit down and read through them all, unfortunately. However, receiving my dear friend Lily’s cookbook, Kale & Caramel: Recipes for Body, Heart, and Table, I found myself actually reading through it, savoring the essays and stories she tells. The food, of course, is beautiful and I’ve bookmarked more than I can make in the near future, but her lyrical, warm, heartfelt writing spoke to me, and actually it’s inspired me to start reading cookbooks again, as a way to hear the voice of the author, to learn more about what the cookbook is about. So thank you, Lily, for the beautiful book with so many recipes to try, and for re-inspiring me to read cookbooks again.

an exciting bit of news:

• I started a new educational channel called Patreon. This space is really a portal, a forum where I can post tutorials, step-by-steps, reviews, and share my creative process – whether it be from the start of setting up a shoot, the gear, the actual shooting, or post processing. I teach photography workshops all over the world, but I’ve found there are topics, processes, etc that don’t make it to the main roster (there’s soooo much to teach), so I’d love to provide that here. Plus, I can’t teach workshops forever, and this will be a permanent home for lessons and teaching content. Once you join, you actually automatically get access to ALL previous content. Currently on Patreon:
  • a foundation preset for LR!!!! I love seeing some of you use it and tag me, share with me what you’ve done with it to make it your own.
  • adjustment presets – one-click wonders to reduce blues, de-orangify, grain + sharpen, etc, that speed up our editing processes.
  • D850 review and why it’s our miracle camera.
  • full, updated stop motion!
  • studies in natural light! MORE COMING!

It’s kind of my way of creating more meaningful content, especially to those interested in workshops and learning more about photography. By becoming a patron, you’re basically saying, “I support you”. Thank you, dear patrons, and I do take topic requests :).

This galette is everything you want in a dessert – simple and non fussy in presentation yet layered with flavors that elevate the galette to something more. It’s got a layer of honeyed ricotta under a bed of lush figs, with a scent of thyme that is absolutely dreamy. When made this and ate it with friends, I thought, Lily did it again. I’ve bookmarked so many recipes to try out from this book.

RECIPE: Fig + Honeyed Thyme Ricotta Galette
from Lily’s beautiful book, Kale & Caramel: Recipes for Body, Heart, and Table

Notes: I used the galette recipe I’ve used for ages, the one you can find here, but I’ve also provided Lily’s recipe for the pastry crust:

Pastry Crust
1 1/4 cups pastry flour, plus more for rolling
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) salted butter, chilled
2-3 tbsp ice water

Ricotta Custard
1 egg
1/3 cup whole milk ricotta
2 1/2 tsp honey
2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Fig and Honeyed Thyme Filling
4-5 large ripe figs, sliced to create 1/2 inch wedges
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp lemon zest
honey, for drizzling

For the crust: At least 30 minutes in advance, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces (or grate), and use a pastry cutter or fork to work it into the flour mixture until it’s almost fully incorporated. Add 2 tablespoons of the ice water (you can add more later if need be) ad work the dough for just a few moments more until it is smooth and cohesive. Add another 1/2 to 1 tablespoon ice water if the dough is too dry or humbly. Form into a disk about 1/2 inch thick and cover in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge.

Make the custard: Separate the egg yolk from white, reserving egg white in a bowl in the fridge to use on the crust later. Mix the egg yolk with ricotta, honey, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, thyme, and lemon zest in a small bowl with a whisk or spoon until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

Assemble galette: Preheat oven to 400F. When dough has chilled for at least an hour, remove it from the fridge and lightly dust a piece of parchment paper with flour (dough will stay on this parchment paper for baking, so it can be as big as the baking sheet you’ll bake on.) Begin to flatten the disk of dough by tapping its surface in a circle with the rolling pin – flattening it out as you go. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Place parchment paper and the rolled dough onto a baking sheet.

Spread ricotta custard in a circle in the center of the dough, using the back of a spoon to distribute it evenly, leaving a 1.5-2″ perimeter of dough that will fold over the filling.

Arrange the fig slices in concentric-ish circles starting in the center and filling in the space as you work your way out to the edge of the custard. Sprinkle with the thyme and lemon zest and drizzle with honey. Then fold in the edges of the dough, layering sections as you please. Make sure there are no tears or gaps to prevent leaking.

Lightly beat the reserved egg whites and brush it on the exposed dough. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes (checking at 30 to estimate remaining time), until top is golden brown and bottom is starting to caramelize.

Cool for 10 minutes, then serve! Enjoy!

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I’m allergic to tree nuts (except pistachios) – and this allergy has actually led to motivation for many of the recipes on my blog, some of my favorites:salty honey seed pie for thanksgiving, black and white sesame milks, sesame-based marzipan. The next seed-based treat I’m thinking up (and will hopefully make) is a seed-based baklava!!! WE’LL SEE. This is another one, and one I’m VERY excited about, because it’s not a decadent dessert – it’s a dressing that you can use on a daily basis. I’ve made vinaigrettes and other thinner dressings, because that’s really what I gravitate towards – I’ve never been a creamy dressing kind of person, but this dressing changes everything. It’s creamy and thick, and ripe with a nutty flavor that comes from pumpkin seeds. It takes on this delicate, pale, green color, has some tang, but is subtle and mild enough to coat a salad, beans, or whatever you want, and provide that extra nuttiness in flavor. It’s a simple recipe: a small amount of thick pumpkin seed milk, something sweet, a clove of garlic, vinegar, good olive oil – blend it all in a trusty vitamix, and you are set.

This post is sponsored by vitamix. All opinions expressed are purely my own, as always. Thank you so much for supporting the companies that support this blog. 

A week ago, I went to a wedding – as a guest. This is rare – actually, this is my first time as a guest vs as a wedding photographer. We were celebrating the wedding of my dear friend from college, and I felt giddy at the thought of dressing up, catching up with college friends, meeting some of her other friends, eating all the apps. As a wedding photographer we’re often busy during cocktail hour, and while the staff very wonderfully brings food to the bride and groom during photo sessions, we’re usually left empty-stomached until our vendor meal (which is usually boiled chicken with mashed potatoes). Sometimes, the staff takes pity on us and comes by to offer us food, and other time our couple actually very eagerly offers us some of the appetizers as well. It’s not something we expect, so it’s always a bonus when we get to taste some of the passed appetizers.

As a guest, I can eat all the apps I want. The ceremony was beautiful – it was in a greenhouse on a rainy day, but when Rachel walked down the aisle the sun blossomed out of the clouds, and the greenhouse was bathed in the most ethereal light – I almost wished I were the photographer because that moment was so beautiful! Afterwards, the wedding party is taking photos so Alex and I went to mingle and make small talk (noooo), and find apps. We find someone with a plate of little morsels of something with a creme fraiche possibly, and she dutifully recites, this has apple, creme fraiche, mango. I didn’t hear a single nut in it. Alex didn’t either. So, like a naive idiot, I just take one and plop it into my mouth. A few minuets later – I get the telltale signs of my allergic reaction. I should clarify: everyone who has an allergy can react in different ways – some people get anaphylaxis, some get hives. I start with my mouth – I get this weird pulsing feeling that makes me grimace and cringe. Over the years I think my reaction has gotten worse – before, I would never get a hint of anaphylaxis, but recently when I encounter a nut I do start to feel my throat closing up. Last time (actually the day before I left for Japan), I had to take s inhaled steroids and use my rescue inhaler as well as Benadryl. I’ve never had to use my epi-pen, though, thankfully. I do keep it around all the time, and I had it at the wedding.

This time, the reaction was more scary. I felt my throat closing up – but no difficulty breathing, thankfully. I popped two Benadryl, which effectively made me woozy for the rest of the night. I then proceeded to run to the bathroom and throw up. We have histamine receptors in our GI tract, and I’m assuming that is what made me feel this way – I’ve never thrown up due to an allergic reaction before. Weird. As I was throwing up, another guest walks into the bathroom. I hear a tentative, hesitant voice – “Are you oK? Um… do you need to talk to someone, even if it’s a random stranger?” Immediately, I felt a rush of relief and warmth. She couldn’t really help in any way, but her offer of help, of consolation, reached me and comforted me. I told her I was having an allergic reaction, I’ve taken medication, but I really appreciated her thoughts.

The rest of the wedding is sort of in a sleepy blur – heavy eyelids, beautiful speeches and dancing, yummy large do-rite donuts.

Lesson learned? Just freakin’ ask if there are nuts, don’t assume from a parroted list of ingredients.

Let’s just avoid more nuts, and make this pumpkin seed dressing with me ;). As examples, I used this dressing on roasted radishes, giant beans with tomatoes, and a simple butter lettuce salad. Yum.

RECIPE: Pumpkin Seed Dressing

1 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked overnight
½ cup water
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup vinegar
¾ cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Drain pumpkin seeds. Blend with water in a vitamix blender. Add garlic, maple syrup, vinegar. blend on high. Open up drizzle lid, and on low, drizzle in olive oil. Re-fit drizzle lid and blend on high for 30s – 1 minute. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper.

Because of the nature of this dressing, it will solidify in the fridge, and that’s normal. To use, simply scoop some into a bowl and swirl it with a spoon, and it will instantly liquify.

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