Pili nuts are similar to almonds but with a richer, creamier taste. They are plentiful in Maluku, a province comprised of nearly a thousand islands. The province was once known as the Moluccas or The Spice Islands, a historic trading hub for the visiting merchants...
(Photo credit: Sarah Culver) The Vietnamese sandwich or banh mi has taken the culinary world by storm. Usually filled with meat pate or pork, this eggplant “meatball” sandwich is a refreshing change from the same ole, same ole. The extras-- sriracha mayo, pickles, veggies, and herbs—are...
Okay okay, if you grew up in Singapore like me, Hainanese chicken rice is not technically a new year dish. It's more of an eat-it-whenever-you-want dish. However, a whole chicken, is also served at new year to symbolize family, unity and togetherness. White Cut Chicken...
Commonly known as Buddha’s Delight, this vegetarian dish is usually eaten on the first day of the Chinese New Year. I’ve turned it into an everyday dish using some of my favorite vegetables with miso paste added for a truly delicious sauce! For new year, the...
Sticky rice stuffing is a staple for many Chinese American families at Thanksgiving. It is a riff on “naw mai fun” or “lo mai gai,” two very traditional Chinese recipes. My friend Wing gave me his grandmother’s recipe to include in my very first cookbook—The...
Nothing beats a warm, comforting bowl of congee (or arroz caldo, or bubur, or whatchamacallit) made by grandma, especially when you’re sick. Not many of us still have that luxury. In fact, we’re probably the ones doing the cooking. Making congee is definitely a labor...
Adapted from The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook (Sasquatch Books, 2009/2012) Noodle dishes are always served during birthdays and Chinese New Year because the Chinese believe they symbolize good fortune, prosperity, and longevity. The longer the noodles, the longer (and luckier) your life will be — so don’t...
Fried hard-boiled eggs seems a weird concept, don't you think? Even I think so, and I grew up eating a dish made with fried hard-boiled eggs! Called telor belado in Indonesian, hard-boiled eggs are fried in oil until golden-brown and blistered, then doused in a thick...
Before I discovered coconut milk in a can, there was the coconut auntie at the wet market. One whiff of coconut and I'll be transported to the neighborhood wet market where I grew up in Singapore. Once a week, usually a Saturday, I'd accompany my mom...
Every once in awhile--and particularly when it's cold and grey out--I'll yearn for the stodgy British staples I learned to love during our stay in England: toad-in-the-hole, bamgers and mash, pork pie, and ...
