Post Type ArchivesRecipes

Thai fishballs noodle soup

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Thai fishball noodle soup with a clear broth, cilantro, green onion, garlic oil

Hidden treasures, with the emotional rollercoaster they create, are truly of one the great joys in life.

Think Easter eggs ; or about this true friend that you first thought was a bore ; or, about this dish.

Thai fishballs noodle soup looks deceptively neutral. The broth is clear, the fishballs are not the most attractive protein ; why bother ?

Well, get ready for a Thai masterclass on balance. Not only does this delicate Thai clear pork broth shows a banging depth of taste thanks to slow-cooked bones and fish sauce addition ; it gets some kick and tang from vinegar and chilies, and some freshness with cilantro and scallions.

Add tasty fishballs, a bit of garlic oil, some meat from the bones, and thin noodles : you’re done !

It ain’t no quick dish ; you have to deserve it. To patiently make your 3h broth, to cautiously fry the garlic to get its game-changing oil, and to even mash and mix your fish mixture, if deciding to use homemade fishballs. 

The good news is, like any true Sunday dish, once the hard work is done, it’s done ; the rest is all a matter of assembling. Therefore, trust the recipe and make large amounts ! Then you keep the broth, fishballs and meat in individual portions in the freezer, the garlic oil in the fridge ; and whenever you feel soupy, you whip up a banging soup in a matter of minutes, only needing a few fresh herbs and mung bean sprouts.

Thai fishballs noodle soup – Recipe

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • Use the recipe for the Thai clear pork broth ; I really do not recommend using a premade broth for this specific recipe, as the broth is absolutely key in the delicate flavours of this dish.
  • You can either buy frozen fishballs frozen from your local Asian store, if you want, or use my fishballs recipe.
  • I highly recommend making the garlic oil, as it adds a subtle key flavour to the dish. It only requires around 10 minutes !

Let’s get soupy!

Thai Clear Pork Broth

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Thai clear pork broth

When we went back from Bangkok, we had a whole new gate that had opened in our minds, with so many new dishes in mind that I couldn’t wait to try and recreate.

One of them stood out. With my companion, we decided that the n°1 food item from the trip was as clear as its broth is : the Thai clear noodle soup.

The ingredients could vary for this street-food staple, but the magic came from the broth. At Jeng Kung Fish Ball Noodle (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวลูกชิ้นปลาเจงคุง), we had the epitome of the perfect clear broth : full of flavour despite its treacherous neutral colour, slightly sweet, slightly tangy with added Prik Nam Som, and a sheer bliss to eat with bouncy noodles and homemade fishballs. I do not believe this dish can be bested one day.

The first central step towards building up this dish again was to master the broth. So I reasearched the subject as much as I could, with a highly satisfactory end result.

I used this broth to recreate the Jeng Kung fishball soup, but I’m positive it would make any noodle soup shine. Actually, the other main type of Thai clear noodle soup is the Charsiu one, often served with wontons, which I’ll soon try to reproduce too, using this broth.

Get ready for a very simple and straight-forward recipe ! It doesn’t require many ingredients nor skills, and the end result is glorious.

Thai Clear Pork Broth – Recipe

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • Pork bones :
    • Pork bones are instrumental to the flavour of this broth. You can replace them with chicken bones if needed.
    • As the simmering process goes, water-soluble compounds in the bones, meat, and connective tissues are released into the liquid. This includes amino acids, peptides, and various aromatic compounds, which develop into the umami and savory flavors of the broth. That is why the 3-hour time frame cannot be negotiated !
    • If you happen to have some meat attached to the bone, that’s even better flavour-wise ; plus, you can take off this meat from the bone later, and use it as a topping for your future noodle soup !
  • Daikon : You should be able to find it fresh at any Asian store with a fresh produce aisle.
  • Do not let your broth reach the boil ! You should only keep it at a simmer in order to better develop its flavours.
  • I recommend making a large batch of this soup base on the week-end. Then, keep any leftovers in individual portions in the freezer to quickly whip up a quick noodle soup of your liking !

Note : This recipe will provide you with around 3L worth of fish stock.

Let’s get brothy !

Egg & avocado tacos

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Egg & avocado veggie tacos with red onion, cilantro, hot sauce

This is a brunch classic : egg & avocado, the well-known and beloved match.

Does egg & avocado tacos sound like an umpteenth variation on the classic avocado toast ? Pretty much. Does it taste anything like the Western version ? Not in the least. 

These tacos have a very distinct Mexican taste to them. Actually, it’s quite surprising to see how Mexican it can get when you know how short the ingredients list is.

It all relies on the condiments and toppings used, as well as the taco itself : take :

  • true Mexican corn tortillas,
  • a good Mexican hot sauce -I highly recommend this one, if you can handle it,
  • plenty of cilantro,
  • cotija cheese (replace with feta cheese), 
  • red onions,
  • lime,

and this, my friends, is how you build a very flavourful taco.   

I’m not saying these tacos are authentically Mexican, mind you. This is a Westernized, vegetarian variation on tacos : but you will travel with these, and your tastebuds will be dancing the bachata in the sun.  

The 20 minutes mark –actual 20 minutes, not food bloggers’ 20 minutes- relies on oven-cooking the eggs :

  • this oven-cooking process barely takes 4 minutes ; no more.
  • as soon as you pop them in the oven, all you have to do is chop avocadoes, red onion & cilantro ;
  • then, you heat up your tacos, and you’re already done ! 

Assemble yourself or let your guests do it ; it’ll save up on assembly time and allow for each one to customize it to their taste preferences. 

Egg & avocado tacos – Recipe

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • For the corn tacos, hot sauce and cotija cheese, you might need to visit a Mexican store.
    • If you’re in France or in Spain, you can order from La Esquinita. They also have a physical shop in Paris I go to. They don’t always have cotija cheese, though ; when I can’t find it, I just replace it with feta cheese.
  • Use a hot sauce that you’re comfortable with to enjoy these tacos -not one you can only put two drops of, or your tacos might be too dry. If you feel wary, you might replace half the gochujang with ketchup.

Ingredients & cooking – A few specifics

  • For the tacos : I recommend
    • using corn tacos, which are more traditional are flavorful than their wheat counterpart, and ;
    • heating them in a hot pan, rather than microwaving them. 
  • Avocadoes : Use avocadoes that are ripe enough, or the tacos will be disappointing !
  • When in summer, feel free to make an actual pico de gallo by adding minced tomatoes to your chopped onion and cilantro.

Now let’s taco !

If you want more vegetarian tacos recipes, you can also check my Express gochujang mushroom tacos.

One-pan rice, pork and broccoli

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If you’re anything like me, I bet you have an inner mistrust towards one-pan and one-pot recipes. Those recipes are indeed treacherous : you want to make sure you don’t just throw everything into the pot and pray for a miracle, lest you want to end up with a gooey, tasteless mess.

Here’s what to watch out for when making one-pan rice dishes :

  • Create texture by pan-frying some of the ingredients first. Here, you pan-fry the pork until golden and crispy;
  • Don’t add all the ingredients at the same time. Each of them requires a different cooking time ; adjust accordingly;
  • When adding rice, make sure you :
    • Rinse it twice or thrice, and
    • Toast it in hot oil.
    • Trust we, I’ve done it without, and the grains end up sticking to each other, which you really don’t want.

It really is that simple ! Now you can, too, get a tasty weeknight meal with almost no washing up needed, and within 40 minutes.

I came up with this recipe while craving a pork fried rice. I thought ; hey, why not try and improve a simple, indulgent recipe by making it more fragrant and balanced ?

That is how this dish started to have both Chinese and Thai influences.

  • The Chinese part is clear in the pork’s seasonings, with the marked taste of the sweet bean sauce and the Chinese five spice ;
  • The Thai influence is in the added fragrance and acidic balance, through lime and kombava leaves.

You end up with a perfectly balanced dish, with the indulgent and crispy pork, the freshness from lime, kombava and cilantro, and all the needed greens to fuel you up !

One-pan rice, pork and broccoli – Recipe

Ingredients – Where to find them

  • You should be able to find sweet bean sauce, Chinese five spice, and chili oil rice in most Asian stores, possibly even in your grocery store.
  • Kombava leaves could be a tad harder to find :
    • If your Asian store has a frozen section, you should find frozen kombava leaves here, which are perfect here ;
    • If you find them dried, it is fine too, simply double the amount used.
  • Careful, for your minced pork, we want it to be quite fat ;
    • either get yours from your local Asian store, because Western’s butcher can make it too lean;
    • or use sausage meat removed from its casing.

Recipe – Advice & key points

  • As written above, make sure you rinse your rice before using. This will prevent it from getting sticky.
  • This recipe yields enough fried rice for 4 medium portions as mains, but if you or your family has a large appetite, it will likely yield 3 large portions.

All set ? Let’s cook some take-out level rice !

Authentic Rigatoni alla Gricia

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Rigatoni alla Gricia in a white plate with guanciale and Pecorino romano

I already posted three of the four iconic Roman pasta : Carbonara, Amatriciana, and Cacio e pepe are but a click away.

Last but not least, pasta alla Gricia remained to be covered. This pasta dish is at a crossroads between the Carbonara and the Cacio e pepe. Don’t have fresh eggs ? No matter ; if you already have your Roman basics in your fridge and cupboard, you’re good to go ! You only need to gather 3 long-lasting ingredients :

  • Guanciale,
  • Pecorino Romano,
  • Black pepper.

That is all ! Along with your favourite pasta shape, of course –trafilata al bronzo please ! If you’re familiar with my former pasta recipes, you already know that this pasta kind, extruded through bronze, will present small irregularities that enable the sauce to cling to it.

Gricia pasta is usually made using Rigatoni ; their tubular form, with ridges, make it perfect both for coating the beautiful sauce, and giving a hiding spot for our tiny guanciale pieces. If you ask me though, I’d say tonnarelli or spaghetti are also perfect here.

If you have any doubts on how Pecorino + Water are enough on their own to make a delicious sauce, forget about them ; the Pecorino and guanciale fat act both as binding agents for the starchy water, and as flavour bombs, while the black pepper brightens up the fattiness of the sauce.

As for our 3 other recipes, the recipe here is exceedingly simple, but demanding at the same time. Be patient ; take the time to grind your black pepper, to grate your Pecorino, to get your guanciale golden-brown ; at the very end of the cooking process, do add your Pecorino little by little, and cautiously eyeball the pasta water level, so that the sauce turns coating, yet not watery.

You’ll need to focus, it is true, but none too long ; this pasta will take up 30 minutes of your time, start to finish. Perfect as a weeknight treat !

Authentic Rigatoni alla Gricia Recipe

Ingredients – Advice & key points

I usually go to Eataly to get the produce I need. If you don’t have one near your location, you can find fresh produce like guanciale and pecorino at your local Italian deli, maybe even your pasta. For pasta, if not available there, you should be able to order it online quite easily.

  • Pasta :
    • While I believe rigatoni is the best choice for this recipe, and was usually used in restaurants in Rome when I visited, tonnarelli or spaghetti would also work well.
    • Not familiar with Bronze Drawn pasta ? Then read above, and you’ll secure one of the most important secret for perfect, Italian approved pasta.  
  • Cheese(s) :
    • Very important : Use some aged cheese ! If below the 8 month range, the Pecorino might be overly moist and won’t melt properly.
    • You can stick to Pecorino Romano only, which is the most traditional way. If your Pecorino type is strong, you might use a 70/30 blend with Parmigiano, which will tone down the strong Pecorino flavour. It depends on your Pecorino type ; if it is quite aged, in the 24-36 months range, you might benefit from adding a bit of Parmigiano.
    • Careful ; only add your cheese when your fire is turned off ! Else, your sauce will turn lumpy.
  • Pepper :
    • It is important to use freshly ground black pepper.
    • I personnally use this blend from Roellinger, but you can really use any, except highly fragrant, exotic ones.
    • If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, simply use the bottom of a small pot.

Recipe – What to pay attention to

  • Pasta :
    • Don’t oversalt ! While 10g of salt/liter is usually recommended, here, with the salt from the cheese, you can easily halve this amount.
    • We’ll cook the pasta half of the packet cooking time in water, then in the pan with the peppery water. It is important that you taste several times starting 2 minutes before the theoretical end time, so that you get perfect al dente pasta.
  • Black pepper :
    • You want to toast it once ground, along with your guanciale, but don’t let it burn or it’ll taste bitter.
  • Pecorino :
    • It is very important to thinly grate your Pecorino to that it melts properly. You can use a microplane or a lime zester, but if you have a kitchen robot with a really thin setting, it will also work just fine and save you the trouble.
    • Do not use pre-grated cheese ! Additives are added to these cheeses so that they don’t clump together, which will prevent it from integrating properly in your sauce.
  • Adding your sauce : Remove your pan from heat at least 20 seconds before adding your sauce, otherwise the Pecorino might clump. Then incorporate your sauce progressively.
  • Plating : I highly recommend heating your plates in the oven for 10 minutes at 80°C before plating. This will prevent the sauce from getting cold too quickly and becoming unappealingly “set”.

Now you’re fully ready to cook a magnificent pasta dish. Off to your kitchen !

If you’re interested in more Italian pasta recipes besides the Roman ones, you can also check my Ragu alla Bolognese recipe, or my Butternut and guanciale pasta recipe.

Mhajeb (Savoury Msemen)

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Savoury Msemen (Mhajeb), some with tomato and onion, some with kefta

The appeal of Honey Msemen is obvious. Moist and crunchy squares of dough doused with honey and butter ; who wouldn’t crave it ?

Well, I’d take Mhajebs -which are savoury, stuffed Msemen– over sweet Msemens any day.

I confess I don’t have a sweet tooth, but there’s more to it : a hidden treasure lies in this simple stuffed bread recipe.

Even though I should have known what to expect, having bought them from street vendors during my childhood, I was still amazed by how a little ball of dough, with a rather simple stuffing -no cheese, no quick cheats- could turn how so tasty. And I mean can’t-stop-eating tasty ; both my companion and I had to refrain from eating them all in one sitting.

Usually, you’d find two Mhajeb versions, be it from street vendors or in North African households :

  • a Kefta Mhajeb version, with minced meat (beef and/or lamb), onions, a few spices and bell pepper. I chose to add olives instead, because olives + spicy minced meat = Happiness ;
  • a Tomato & onion Mhajeb version, containing just this : tomato and onion. You can customize it with a few spices and/or harissa, which I did, but none too many ; we want the tomato and onion to shine. As with most of the greatest recipes, the simpler, the better.

Don’t underestimate the sheer power of the tomato & onion Mhajeb. I think our veggie friends will be impressed. Besides, it’s probably the most popular Mhajeb version, from what I saw on street markets and in Arabic bakeries. It’s impressive how it rivals the more elaborate Kefta Mhajeb : I honestly cannot tell which version I prefer.

Mhajeb (Savoury Msemen) – Recipe

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • Check out my initial Honey Msemen recipe for all needed instructions on the dough, which are instrumental in the success of your Mhajebs.
  • The folding process for the dough is almost the same as in the recipe linked above, except that, after folding down your Msemen for the first time, you will add a rectangle of filling right in the center of your dough.
    • Don’t overdo it, or you won’t be able to close it ; a little goes a long way ;
    • Carefully bring up your bottom Msemen part, and seal the top of the rectangle as properly as possible.
    • Then proceed as you would for a plain Msemen !
  • Unlike Honey Msemen, those have a filling : whereas you can afford to have some holes in your plain Msemens, you cannot have any holes here, at least not on the central part, where your filling is.

Cooking & Serving your Mhajebs

  • Msemen are quite quick to cook ; use a hot pan -ideally heavy, but a nonstick one works great, too- and pan-fry ~2 minutes per side !
  • Mhajebs pair really well with a simple salad made out of thinly cubed cucumber, tomatoes and onion, seasoned with olive oil and a large squeeze of lemon.
  • As for the leftovers policy :
    • Those Msemen, once cooked, will keep just fine in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Then simply reheat them again in a hot pan, ~2 minutes per side.
    • If planning to eat them at a later date, keep your leftovers into your freezer (in a plastic bag, in a Tupperware...) To reheat it, simply let it thaw or reheat straight into your skillet.

Traditional French Tartiflette

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Zoomed image of a serving of Tartiflette, a French potato gratin with Reblochon cheese, with a side of salad

Around 10 years ago I made, with a whole team of 4-5 people, a Gigantic Tartiflette.

This crazy backstory is not even made up ; here is a picture of me standing in front of our masterpiece :

I was a member of the Cooking section from one the Arts Bureau campaigning teams. We did not succeed in the end, but the Tartiflette was a massive success. There wasn’t enough of it in the end, as most people went for seconds !

It is a very cherished and proud memory of mine. We spent all the previous night cooking, after a party we were to attend ; we started at midnight, and ended around 8a.m. We had to make do with a tiny kitchen, the lack of sleep, and the irritation of some as we kept cutting potatoes deep in the night.

It was a highly instructive experience way beyond the Tartiflette recipe ; I loved how we managed to handle the hurdle as a team, and how we all pushed through your own fatigue to make it happen. I loved how dear volunteers outside the Cooking team, that had been working late too, came early in the morning to help with the logistics of assembling and transporting the whole thing. It shows character. I love that my companion was one of them.

What made this Giant dish possible was that, like most of the dishes I love, it is made with lots of love and very little money. Even the process couldn’t be simpler :

  • Pan-fry your bacon, onions & potatoes : this is your potato mix ;
  • In a baking dish, layer your potato mix, then reblochon, then potato mix, then reblochon  ;
  • Bake ; within 20 minutes, you’re done !

This is not the healthiest of dishes, I confess, but it will brighten your family’s day, especially on a cold winter one !

We usually serve Tartiflette as is or with a simple side of salad.

Traditional French Tartiflette – Recipe

Recipe – Advice & key points

  • I recommend buying bacon that is not too lean ; in France, it’s called “lardons”.
    • If it’s lean and does not render fat, simply add oil before cooking your onions & potatoes.   
  • If you’re making a large amount, like this one, you’ll need to cook your potatoes in two batches if you want them to brown over.
    • If you don’t have two large pans, either take the time to do it (~50mn), or simply boil your diced potatoes in salted water 15mn.
  • If you don’t want to add white wine, simply skip it !
  • Don’t reheat leftovers with a microwave oven ; use your oven at 180°C (around 15-20 minutes, depending on the amount).

All set ? Let’s cook !

Red Lentil Curry (Masoor Dal)

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Red lentil stew (masoor dal) with basmati rice, topped with cilantro

Lentils were a staple in my mothers’ cooking. I remember dearly her green lentil stew, an unassuming green blob, with a suprising taste intensity thanks to a precise use of spices.

When I was a student, cheap and homey recipes like this one were golden. I felt like making my own lentil stew though, and stumbled upon a simple, Westernized red lentil curry recipe, where I basically mixed together red lentils, onion, tomato, coconut milk and turmeric. I thought it was pretty tasty back then !

That was before trying my hand at authentic Indian recipes. Simply get the spice mix right, and throw away that coconut milk can ; you’ll thank me later. It may take a teeny bit more effort than happily throwing random spices in your pot, but it’s all worth it.

I love this kind of recipe – the Dutch oven kind ; the steps are so simple, and quite quick here compared to classic meat-based recipes :

  • Cut some onion, garlic, ginger and chili if using ;
  • Cook your onions ;
  • Add the remaining spices and aromatics, then your lentils ; cover with water ;
  • 25 minutes later, add last minute aromatics and you’re done!

Beware ; this dish can be quite spicy if using both powdered chili and fresh chili. If you want it less spicy, remove the powdered chili -or both types of chilies altogether!

Red lentil curry (Masoor Dal) – Recipe

Ingredients – Where to find them

  • For Ghee, dry fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi) and possibly curry leaves and garam masala, you should visit an Indian or Pakistani produce store.
  • If you cannot, it’s OK !
    • Replace Ghee with butter ;
    • Simply forgo the fenugreek & curry leaves and garam masala. You’ll still have a delectable end result !

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • Don’t skimp on the salt !
    • Since no broth and no meat are used, you need to season your Dal properly so that it doesn’t taste bland.
    • Do a taste test towards the end and adjust accordingly !
  • Adjust the texture to your liking ! Some people like a liquid Dal better, others want it quite thick. This one is on the thicker side, but still quite liquidy. Keep in mind that your Dal will further thicken in your plate, when reaching room temperature.
  • Adaptability: Feel free to add some veggies to this recipe ! What I love to do is :
    • to thinly dice a carrot and add it with the onion ;
    • to dice up a bit of pumpkin, add a bit of salt, paprika and cumin, and pop it inthe oven for 40 minutes @180°C, right before I launch the Dal prep. Then top your Dal with those pumpkin dices !

Let’s get curried away!

Honey Msemen

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Honey Msemen with mint tea

This is one of the few dessert recipes you’ll find on my website, because it is special to me.

If you’re American, pancakes must have been a cherished item of your childhood. If you’re French, it’s the same with crêpes.

Msemen are your Arabic equivalent for crêpes. I remember having them at least once a year during the Ramadan period. You can eat the savoury version, but my family favoured the sweet version, served around one hour after dinner, with a generous pouring of mixed honey and butter.

Traditional mint tea is a mandatory accompaniement for this one. It all makes for an oriental medley of sensations : the crispy yet soft msmen, with all its layers of dough, all moist with the honey mixture ; the sugary tea with a slight bitterness from the mint : those are definite Madeleines de Proust for me.

Even if they were less frequently found at my childhood household, I also absolutely adore the salty versions of these Msemens -also called Mhajebs. Two fillings are traditional : the tomato-onion one, and the kefta one. Don’t underestimate the veggie version ! It’s probably one of the most widely found, and for good reason. I’ll soon post recipes for the both of them.

Honey Msemen – Recipe

Ingredients – Advice & key points

  • What makes or break your msmen if how long you knead it. It needs to go from a quite sticky dough to an elastic, supple and not sticky one.
    • Try to spend a good 15/20 minutes on this step !
    • If using a food processor in kneading mode, let it knead 10 minutes.
  • The other main requirement for a nice msmen is to let it rest at least 1 hour. The longer, the better ! Yes, this is not your typical weeknight recipe ; I recommend making them over the weekend.
  • Simple mistakes to avoid regarding your dough’s chemistry :
    • Don’t skip the sugar, as it helps in the baking powders’ raising process.
    • Also, remember to add lukewarm water to your dough (not warm, nor cold).

Cooking & Serving your Honey Msemen

  • Msemen are quite quick to cook ; use a hot pan -ideally heavy, but a nonstick one works great, too- and pan-fry ~2 minutes per side !
  • My mom always served those Msemen with a mix of honey and butter, quickly heated up in a small pot ; use the microwave oven if you prefer.
  • As for the leftovers policy :
    • If you made too much with honey already poured on top, it’s fine ! Simply reheat them in the microwave the next day, 30 seconds per msemen. It will be slightly less moist and less crunchy (the dough absorbs the honey mixture overnight), but still very nice.
    • For your plain msemens, the best policy is to put any leftover into your freezer. To reheat it, simply let it thaw or reheat straight into your skillet.