Roasted Eggplant and Fried Halloumi Sandwiches

I feel like I've invented a new classic of quick and easy crowd pleasing food. Though normally I'm not fond of the idea of sandwiches for lunch or dinner at home (I grew up with a constant deluge of repetitive sandwich lunches, so they scream "on the go" to me), these are really hearty, satisfying and delicious. The eggplant takes on a new depth of flavour when you roast it, especially with a bit of za'atar, now very trendy even here in Anglo-Saxon Suburbia and available in the local grocery stores. The eggplant becomes almost smokey in flavour, and has even impressed my supposedly eggplant-disliking brother.

The halloumi (a Cypriot cheese) is also not at all hard to find anymore, as it's been discovered for its remarkable capacity for keeping it together under pressure, or rather, heat. It doesn't melt or stick but rather develops a crust of brownish spots of toasty goodness that taste not unlike brown butter (not surprising- both have the flavour of browned milk solids to account for them).

The deep, rich flavours of the star ingredients are balanced out with a super-simple combo of zesty lemon and parsley. A few cherry tomatoes for some freshness, and you're good to go. I've made this with both sandwich rolls and pita breads to equal effect- use whatever you prefer.

Roasted Eggplant and Fried Halloumi Sandwiches
Makes 4 big sandwiches

4 Submarine sandwich rolls, or pita breads
1 Large eggplant, in 1 cm thick slices

1 Lb. Halloumi, in 1 cm thick slices
1 C. Parsley, roughly chopped
Juice of half a lemon
1 C. Cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt, pepper and plenty of olive oil
1-2 TBSP Za'atar, optional (You can also mix 50/50 sesame seeds with dried thyme to simulate it)

Cut open the sandwich rolls to make a large "pocket" with a sharp knife, but not all the way through so that the knife goes through the other side.

Mix the parsley with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.

On a baking tray, drizzle some olive oil and evenly place the eggplant slices. Sprinkle with salt and za'atar if using, and drizzle on more olive oil. Bake at 250 for about 15 minutes, or until the eggplant is very soft. Change to a broil setting and let brown, then flip with a spatula and let the other side brown. You can also fry the eggplant slices in a large skillet on medium-high heat until both sides are well-browned, but this will take more oil to keep the eggplant from burning.

Fry the halloumi slices in a skillet or frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil until the bottom is covered with crisp brown "cow spots", about 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Flip and fry the other side, then transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain of oil. 

If you want a softer sandwich, peel the skin off the roasted eggplant slices, as they get quite hard after baking- they should come right off.

Into each roll, add an equal portion of eggplant, halloumi, the parsley mixture and cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Kluski na Parze/Polish Steamed Dumplings with Berry Sauce and Sour Cream

Though my family regularly ate traditional Polish foods since I was young, we were typically limited to ready-made foods available in the GTA's numerous Central/Eastern European markets. That meant lots of pierogi, borscht from concentrate, potato dumplings with plums, and so on. But the first time that I had the steamed buns that were apparently quite common was at my aunt's home in Poland. She somehow had access to frozen ones, which made me wonder why I never saw them around Mississauga- maybe because I wasn't looking! But in any case, I wanted to try making them myself.

The sweet version I show here is not the only way that they can be served- a sauce made with meat or mushrooms is also an option, though according to my father nobody eats them savoury where he's from in the Southwest. It does bear some similarity to the Germknödel of Austria, so perhaps sweet main courses are typical of the more mountainous parts of Central Europe. 

The best way to serve these, in my opinion, is with a simple berry sauce made from pureed fruit only lightly sweetened, and some sour cream. There are many other ways to make steamed dumplings, such as by frying with butter and sugar and sprinkling with sweetened ground poppyseed or breadcrumbs, but this is ideal for the berry season. You can have them as a main course or dessert, and freeze the finished dumplings to steam again later on. 

Polish Steamed Buns
From Senses in the Kitchen

500 g. Flour
250 ml. Milk
3 TBSP Butter
2 Eggs
21 g. Fresh yeast, or 2 1/4 Tsp. Active dry yeast
2 Tsp. Vanilla sugar (or 1/2 Tsp. plain sugar for savoury buns)
1/2 Tsp. Salt

Berry Sauce
1 C. Raspberries
1 C. Chopped strawberries
1-2 TBSP Sugar
1 TBSP Rum

About 1/2 C. 18% Sour cream

Cook together the raspberries and strawberries. Add the rum and sugar to taste, depending on the sweetness of the berries. Let cook on low until slightly thickened and serve alongside buns, with vanilla sauce or sour cream.


Mix the flour, sugar and salt. Heat the milk until steaming and mix in the butter to dissolve. Let cool until lukewarm and dissolve the yeast. Add the milk mixture and eggs to the flour mixture and knead until smooth and elastic.

Let rise about 1 hour, or until doubled. Divide into 12 pieces on a floured surface and form smooth balls. Let rise covered for 20 minutes.

Heat a pot of water to boiling with a large colander or tearag secured on top. Alternatively, use a bamboo steamer. Place each bun on a square of baking parchment and steam about 3 at a time, covered with a a lid, or better, a lightly dampened tearag. Try and find a lid that minimized the chances of water dripping onto the buns, as this makes them sieze and become wrinkly- the tearag method works well for this reason.

Serve with sauce and sour cream while warm.

Vermillion Veggie Burgers, Cinnamon-Cumin-Ginger Sweet Potatoes & Nutty Garlic Sauce

I've been experimenting with TVP recently- it seems like such a retro, hippie, first-wave vegetarian thing, but it's rightful in its longevity. It's very versatile and adds texture and protein to any number of vegetarian foods, including veggie burgers.

I made these with leftover pink beans, some TVP and quinoa flakes for a high-protein burger. I can't stand it when a meat substitute lacks any of the protein of the original thing- so I continue my search for how to make more sustainable protein-rich foods. These burgers also contain grated carrots for moisture and colour, which in combination with the paprika makes them vermillion-hued. I topped them with breadcrumbs and hazelnut flour for some crispiness and toasty flavour.

Instead of buns, I used slices of sweet potato roasted with cumin seeds, lemon olive oil, ginger and cinnamon to layer over and under the burgers. Even without the burger, though, they're a delicious side dish. Then again, I love all things cumin.

I also made a sauce from almond butter, vegan nut-based yogurt, and garlic to give a cool, creamy, tangy condiment to go with the burgers. It goes very well with the burgers, provided you can find nut yogurt. If not, you can use regular yogurt, or premade vegan mayonnaise. I also served them with red onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, olives and hot peppers for a complete meal.

While my search for a replacement for the classic burger continues, these are delicious, colourful, healthy fare. They look nice when composed, too.

Vermillion Veggie Burgers

1 C. Pink beans or pinto beans
1/2 C. Quinoa flakes or quick-cook oats
1/4 C. TVP
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Egg, or equivalent egg replacer (to make it vegan!)
1/4 C. Water
1 Tsp. Dried oregano
1 TBSP Smoked paprika
1 Tsp. Coriander
1/2 Tsp. Cumin
1/4 Tsp. Cayenne
1/4 Tsp. Mustard
1 1/2 C. Grated carrots
2 TBSP Ketchup
1 TBSP Vegetarian hoisin sauce or 1 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 C. Olive oil
1 TBSP Ground flaxseed
1 Medium onion, diced
3 Cloves of garlic, minced

Soak beans overnight in 6 C. of water. Cook for about an hour, until completely tender.
Mix all and mash together with a potato masher, or by hand, until a somewhat sticky mix forms. Shape into 9 patties and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 230℃.

For the Topping:
1/4 C. Hazelnut flour
1/4 C. Breadcrumbs
Oil, to brush
Salt and pepper, to taste

Brush patties with oil and sprinkle with hazelnut flour and breadcrumbs. Add a quick dash of salt and pepper. Bake until the topping is browned, about 20 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes with Cumin and Ginger

4 Large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into slices 1 cm thick
1 TBSP Cumin seeds
1 TBSP Lemon-infused olive oil, or 1 TBSP olive oil and the zest of half a lemon
1 TBSP Ginger, grated finely
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 TBSP Canola or safflower oil

Mix all but the sweet potatoes and 1/2 TBSP of the canola oil. Use the reserved oil to coat a aluminium foil lined baking tray. Preheat the oven to 230℃.

Use a silicone brush to coat the sweet potatoes evenly with the spiced mixture. Try to arrange on the baking tray for minimum overlap. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Nutty Garlic Sauce

2 TBSP Roasted almond or hazelnut butter
1/2 C. Nut milk yogurt, or plain yogurt
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP Lemon juice, or 1 Tsp. Rice vinegar
1/2 Tsp. Cumin
Black pepper and salt, to taste
Spring of thyme, minced

Whisk all together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

American-Style Pizza Crust- Or, Soft and Thick Pizza Crust for an All-Star Pizza

Hey now, you're an all-star.

Everyone needs to have at least one good pizza recipe in their repertoire. It's an incredibly convenient and universally beloved food, welcome at almost any occasion, and then there's that awesome feeling when someone goes "wait, you made this?" I live for that feeling.

Anyways, pizza has come a long way in America, and has changed into something quite different from its Italian predecessors. Its crust is thicker, chewier and holds up a much heavier weight of toppings- and while it gets a lot of flack for that, it makes it a lot easier to add vegetables as well. By doing that you can make what is often relegated to the junk food category into a complete meal

And pizza can be any meal! Have it for lunch or dinner, eat the leftovers for breakfast or in the middle of the night should you want a quick midnight snack. Eat it hot or cold. Have it on its own or with a thick layer or your favourite hot sauce. I've even seen people roll it up of flip two slices together to make a sandwich. Pizza has become a part of who we are, at least here in Canada. And out pizza tends to be of the American variety (though Italian-style, thin and simple pizzas are rising in popularity).

I was worried I couldn't make a good pizza without a real pizza oven (or, for that matter, a pizza stone) but this recipe has changed my fortunes. It's a very simple dough that has that nice chewy, soft texture you'd expect from an order-in pizza with a bit more flavour. And once you've got a good crust recipe, you're really free to go wild with the toppings.

Seriously. Above is my attempt to make an eggplant parmigiano pizza, with panko breadcrumbs on the thin eggplant slices. It might be a Frankenstein-like fusion of Italian dishes, but it is delicious. Once you unlock the secret of the crust, no longer will you be forced to pay exorbitant amounts for mere sprinklings of extra toppings- a few sad presliced bell peppers, spongy white mushrooms, and so on. Nor will you need to pay the premium for "artisan" pizzas that aren't all that spectacular. You know, like pizza with pesto or more than two kinds of olive? People will put the word "artisan" on anything and punch up the price. But you are free from that sort of corporate tyranny now. The world of pizza is yours.

 I list recommended ingredients for one of my favourite arrangements of a pizza, a simple celebration of the flavours of mozzarella and tomato, accented with oregano, garlic and peppery arugula. Of course, basil is very nice, but somehow the one in my garden refused to take off and I'm too stubborn to go an buy it. So for the time being, arugula it is.

Make sure you use a good-quality mozzarella- many have a chemical aftertaste from the brine they sit in, and the ones that are shrink-wrapped aren't an improvement. Bocconcini are a very good way to have your cheese in convenient pieces- just halve them and arrange. As for any other toppings, make sure not to overload- if you must, add some more separately cooked toppings after baking. A pizza with too many toppings won't cook properly, and you didn't wait that long for a mushy mess. Stick to thin, evenly distributed slices, especially with toppings that release a lot of water.

That's about it. Get your game on, go, bake!

American Style Pizza Crust
Adapted from Annie's Eats
1/2 C. Warm water
2 1/4 Tsp. Active dry yeast, or 22 g. Fresh yeast
1 1/4 C. Room temperature water
About 4 C. (22 Oz.) Bread flour, or 3 C. Bread flour and 2/3 C. Whole wheat flour
2 TBSP Olive oil
1 1/2 Tsp. Salt

Extra oil and semolina or flour, for the pans

Recommended Toppings for All-Star Pizza
About half of a large bottle of tomato passata, (2 C.)
4 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tsp. Dried oregano
1 Large shallot, thinly sliced
1 Large ball of fresh mozzarella, or 1 container of bocconcini (about 300-350 g.), in slices
1 Large sliced fleshy tomato
2 C. Shredded provolone (or for something with more American flair, Cheddar)
1 C. Sharp grated cheese, such as romano, asiago or parmesan
Assorted vegetables in thin slices- e.g. cremini mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, olives (!!!) (Optional)
1 C. Chopped basil leaves or arugula, optional
Black pepper, to taste

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water and yeast and let sit 5 minutes. 

Add the flour and room temperature water and knead until a cohesive mass forms. Add the salt and oil and continue kneading until stretchy and elastic, when the dough no longer sticks to the inside of the bowl. 

Let rise in an oiled bowl for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Oil two large metal baking trays or pizza pans and sprinkle with semolina or flour.

Preheat the oven to 250℃. Divide the dough into two balls and let rest 10-15 minutes. Stretch out to fit onto the pans, taking care not to tear the dough- if it does not want to stretch, cover with a cloth and let rest another 10 minutes.

Spread each pizza evenly with tomato passata. Sprinkle on the garlic and sliced shallot. Arrange the vegetables, if using, without making too thick or heavy of a layer (this makes the dough underneath raw and soggy).

Arrange the slices of mozzarella and tomato. Distribute a layer of the grated cheeses and sprinkle with the oregano. Add a dash of black pepper to each.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the cheese is beginning to brown. If using basil or arugula, add to pizza and give one more minute in the oven.

Tteokbokki- Korean Spicy Rice Cakes, Vegetarianized

Another attempt to replicate a delicious restaurant dish- I ordered it once not knowing that it's meant to contain fishcakes. Fortunately the very kind waitress remembered that we'd asked about some other dishes containing meat, so she asked if we wanted it made without. It's probably better with, but I was more than content with the vegetarianized version. So, I went to the Korean supermarket around the corner not long after reencountering the recipe, looking for the elusive chili paste and powder needed to get the distinctive flavour.

I found what I was looking for- the chili paste, gochujang, was in a small red tub with a picture of a pepper, so I got it and hoped for the best. The powder- gochugaru- was harder to find, but it was just hidden in a nondescript plastic baggie amongst the shelves. Both ingredients were firetruck red, as if showing off just how fantastically spicy and delicious they are. Of course, I should've gotten Korean soy sauce and corn syrup too, since they're not exactly the same as the sorts I already had, but I forgot in the excitement of acquiring my chili products. I adjusted to make do with what I had, and it still tasted pretty similar to the one I'd ordered, so it's not a total impossibility to do without those bits.

I also added vegetables and tofu to make it a complete meal- the one I'd ordered was only garnished with vegetables, but this way I could eat for lunch/dinner what was originally an appetizer-type dish. I've heard that variations of it are a popular street food in Korea... man, who needs hot dog carts? I want spicy rice cake carts in Toronto ASAP.

The rice cakes themselves are very interesting- chewy and soft, cooked perfectly in the sweet, spicy, nutty and savoury sauce. I found them in the freezer section of that same Korean supermarket, but some of the more diverse Asian supermarkets will also have them. The ingredients are definitely worth seeking out if they aren't a part of your pantry already. As I mentioned before, these can also be made without the additional veggies and things and eaten as more of a snack or appetizer. They're so easy to make that they can be fit in wherever and whenever.

Tteokbokki
Adapted from Messy Witchen
600 g. Korean rice cakes
600 ml. Water
4 TBSP Gochujang (Korean chili paste, available at many Asian grocery stores)
1 TBSP Gochugaru (Korean chili powder, a little trickier to find), Optional
1/2 TBSP Korean soy sauce (I used 1 TBSP of Chinese, light soy sauce)
1 1/2 TBSP Korean corn syrup (I used regular golden corn syrup), optional
1/2 TBSP Sugar
2 Cloves minced garlic
Mixed vegetables, optional; I used two zucchini, two carrots in matchsticks, two shiitake, half a red bell pepper and also some fried tofu. 

For the Garnish:
1 TBSP Toasted sesame seeds
1 Green onion, thinly sliced (I used chives, since I had none)
Drizzle of toasted sesame oil (optional)

Bring all but the rice cakes to a boil together. Add the rice cakes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. After 10 minutes add the vegetables. 

Once the rice cakes are tender and the sauce is thick, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and green onion. Serve hot.

Spinach and Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is one of the first vegetarian dishes that come to mind for restaurants and dinner party hosts alike, it seems. Not that it's a bad thing- I'd just never felt inclined to cook it myself because it seemed like such a cliché. (It didn't help that they served some bastardised version of it at my very doomed prom a year back. And it was doomed from the start. It ended with a first fight with the DJ, 'nuff said).

But I found a thing of arborio rice in my cabinet and considered that I may not have given this ricey dish enough credit. I wanted to try it out myself, having white wine on hand as I rarely do.

I mostly stuck to the recipe printed on the rice bag with a few amendments. I made mine vegetarian using good-quality mushroom bouillon cubes (remember to check for MSG, which makes it taste like something from an instant noodle packet. Otherwise use homemade vegetable broth made with a few dried mushrooms or mushroom stems left over from other recipes). I also added spinach for some leafy green goodness (it goes well with creamy foods) and replaced some of the broth with milk (since I'd used light cream where I should've used heavy cream, I wanted to add more dairy someplace else). I reduced the oil and butter simply because it seemed to be enough for my tastes, but double up those amounts if you like it rich. Lastly, I added garlic, oregano and bay leaf as additional seasonings. 

The overall verdict on this recipe was resoundingly positive from everyone who ate it, myself included- if I'd realised how good homemade risotto could be I'd have started making it years ago. 

And if it's cliché... to hell with it, it's a delicious one- and worth trying at home. And the best part is you can cook the rice to just the degree of toothsomeness that you want. It's creamy, aromatic, comforting, and just cheesy enough. Have it with the leftover wine, since you only need a bit for cooking- it's the economical thing to do.

Spinach and Mushroom Risotto
Adapted from the recipe on the back of the Italpasta Arborio Rice bag

1 TBSP Olive oil
1 TBSP Butter
1 Bay leaf
3 Garlic cloves, minced
6 Cremini mushrooms, sliced (boletus would also work nicely if you can get it) 
1 Onion, finely diced
Pinch of salt
1/2 Tsp. Black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 C. Dry white wine
Sprig of fresh oregano, or 2 Tsp. dried oregano
2 C. Arborio rice
4 C. Vegetable stock made with mushrooms (or 4 C. water and 2 mushroom bouillon cubes) 
2 C. Whole milk (or 2% with a splash of cream)
1 Large spinach bunch
1/2 C. Parmesan, grated (or another similar hard sharp cheese)

Heat up half of the butter and olive oil to medium-high in a large skillet. Add the bay leaf and garlic. Cook until beginning to brown, then add the mushrooms and onion, along with the salt and pepper. Sauté until slightly browned, then add the wine. Cook for about a minute, then add the oregano and rice. 

Add the rest of the oil and butter and stir to coat the rice in the fat. Add about half of the stock and let cook covered until completely absorbed before adding the rest of the stock. Cook until somewhat tender, then add the milk and cook uncovered until thickened, stirring. If the rice still seems too firm when the milk is absorbed, add some additional wine or water and mix in.

Chop the spinach coarsely and add. Cover and let the spinach wilt before mixing it in, along with the parmesan. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.

Tofu Stir-Fry with Thai Eggplants and Basil

Recently I went downtown on a mission- I desperately wanted to find fresh pandan leaves with which to unlock a whole arsenal of Southeast Asian recipes. I went to Chinatown following a lead from Yelp that a store just on Spadina had it- sure enough, I found not only my pandan but also galangal, shrimp-free curry paste, ridiculously cheap lemongrass and some Thai basil and eggplants. Being so elated by my discovery of the pandan leaves, I loaded up on everything that looked interesting with no regard for whether I knew how to cook it or how to get it home.

Yeah, I sometimes get overly enthusiastic about finding new ingredients to use. I'd seen Thai basil before, of course, but never the tiny green Thai eggplants. Since I love eggplant in all shapes and forms, I got a pack and decided to somewhat emulate the Thai basil eggplant I sometimes see on restaurant menus.

A different time I made this using the more readily available Chinese eggplants and fried tofu.

I can't say that I went for authenticity, though. I don't eat fish, so the ubiquitous fish sauce used in Thai cooking was out of the question. I remembered reading somewhere that one could use watered-down hoisin sauce, and while I doubted that would taste anything like the real thing, I did have a bottle of vegetarian hoisin sauce awaiting deployment in the fridge. So, until I found a better fish sauce substitute, that'd do the trick.

While it lacks fermentedness in its flavour, the hoisin does add to the savoury, slightly tangy taste of the sauce, along with some soya sauce to balance it out. I added a couple of dried peppers for heat (fresh would work well, too, but would probably be more pungent) and some garlic, and a little coconut sugar for a sweet note. The sauce isn't overwhelming to the taste of the basil, but still infuses the tofu with flavour well, which was my main objective. You can use fried or unfried tofu- I used fried tofu just recently, so I decided to go with unfried.

Lastly, I added a handful of roasted cashew pieces just because I really like cashews. They add a bit of crunch and extra protein, along with nutty flavour, but you can skip them entirely. I was very happy with how this recipe turned out, since I practically improvised the whole thing based on what was on my fridge. Served with jasmine rice, this makes a quick and delicious meal.

Tofu Stir-Fry with Thai Eggplants and Basil

For the Sauce:
3 TBSP Soya sauce
3 TBSP Hoisin sauce (I used a vegetarian one, naturally)
3 TBSP Water
2 Dried red bird chillies, crumbled into bits
2 Tsp. Coconut, palm or brown sugar

Mix all well and set aside.

For the Tofu and Vegetables:
1 1/2 TBSP Vegetable oil
225 g. (1/2 Lb.) Firm Tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes (or fried tofu)
250 g. (a bit more than 1/2 Lb.) Thai eggplants, cut into halves and quarters (or Chinese eggplants- the long and thin ones)
1 Red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (or a mix of colours)
2 Shallots, cut into thin strips
3-4 Garlic cloves, finely minced
Small bunch of Thai basil, torn into bits, stems removed
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/3 C. Roasted cashews (optional)

Heat up 1 TBSP of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add the garlic and fry until sizzling and beginning to brown.

Add half of the sauce (look out for splattering). Add the tofu, pepper and shallots. Cook for about 2 minutes, until slightly toasted and browned.

Add the eggplants and remaining sauce. Add the remaining oil and fry for about a minute. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover, cooking until the eggplants are tender but still not falling apart. If at any point the mixture seems too dry, add another tablespoon of water.

Take off the heat and add the cashews and basil, reserving a small amount of fresh basil for a garnish if desired. Sprinkle with the lime juice (to help keep the colour bright).

Singapore Rice Noodles with Tofu

I'm not really that into take-out food... unless it's Indian. Or Thai. But I never understood the hubbub about Chinese take-out.

Maybe it's because the tastiest dishes are the ones with meat- I used to like the sweet-and-sour chicken balls, when I was a kid and didn't really question what was in them. But as a general rule of thumb, I'm not much one for fried rice and noodles, or vegetables and tofu doused in sweet and not particularly flavourful sauces. (I know that take-out by no means reflects Chinese cuisine accurately, even when the dish itself has real roots- it's got to be modified for the target customers, right? And it seems that in my area, blander is better.)

There are a couple of dishes I like, should I ever be handed a pamphlet and asked what I want to get- this is one of them. It's incredibly hard to screw up vermicelli fried in a simple sauce with vegetables and tofu, so it's always a safe bet.

When I tried this recipe for Singapore noodles, I was pleasantly surprised to find how similar they are to the take-out staple- only with a hint of British-style curry power (yum), a spice level to my taste, and a guarantee of not being cooked with any non-vegetarian stock. My noodles turned out quite brown because the only mushroom soya sauce I could find was the dark kind used to add colour to dishes. I also didn't have any cabbage on hand, so I included a double helping of bean sprouts.

Apparently, these noodles have no Singapore heritage at all- they're m0re of an amalgam of ingredients from regions of former British involvement, featuring that very vague "curry powder" I'd never use in an actual curry but that seems just right here. The only ingredient that may be tricky to find is the mushroom soya sauce, but you can always just use the regular kind.

This is also an incredibly easy recipe once you have the ingredients on hand, and it comes together quickly- that makes one more dish I won't have to order out for!

Singapore Noodles
From Veggie Belly

For the Sauce:
2 Tsp. Curry powder
1 Dried red bird pepper
3 TBSP Soya sauce
1 Tsp. Brown sugar
1/2 Tsp. Rice vinegar
1 TBSP Mushroom flavoured soya sauce
3 TBSP Water

Mix all together and set aside.

For the Noodles:
6 Oz. Rice vermicelli noodles
1 TBSP Vegetable oil
1 Tsp. Ginger paste
1 Tsp. Garlic paste, or 3 finely minced cloves
1 Carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
1 Red bell pepper, in thin slices
1 C. Bean sprouts
3 Scallions, chopped
1 C. Cubed fried tofu, or regular firm tofu fried in 2 TBSP oil until golden
1 1/2 C. Shredded cabbage (I used more bean sprouts)
1 TBSP Sesame oil
Lime and cilantro, to garnish

Soak the noodles in cold water for 5 minutes and drain. Set aside.
Fry the garlic and ginger in the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet until browned, on medium heat. Add half of the sauce.
Once the sauce begins to bubble, add the tofu, carrot, pepper and cabbage/sprouts. Sauté for 2 minutes on medium-high heat.
Add the noodles and remaining sauce. Toss with a pair of tongs to coat in sauce.
Turn off the heat. Add the sprouts, scallions and sesame oil. Serve with lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

Southern Corn Cakes

Certain foods speak to you, you know? There's a kind of message you get from it just by tasting it. If this dish could speak, it would probably scream "IT'S FINALLY, FINALLY SUMMER IN CANADA! GET YOUR ARSE OUTSIDE AND ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN!"

Because sweetcorn is one of the great harbingers of warm weather. And while fritters and fried foods might usually be more suited for cold weather, these are packed with fresh, bright flavours that really do taste like summer. I modified this recipe quite a bit to suit what I had in the fridge, and added some red bell pepper bits and paprika for additional colour.

I myself was shocked at how good these were. Really, really, really good. These are the dangerous kinds of cakes I could easily eat all by myself, condemning my family to find their own dinner. But I didn't, obviously (mostly because I enjoy the deluge of compliments I get when I make something really good). If you have an abundance of fresh corn, this is a good way to highlight their raw flavour with just a bit of roasted goodness- they still taste fresh at the end. 

I served these with a bit of soy chorizo, creme frâiche, the spicy cilantro pesto I made yesterday, and some cherry tomatoes and lime wedges. As far as I'm concerned, those are the ideal condiments, each of the ingredients complimenting one another with spice, creaminess and zest. They'd also taste good with regular sour cream, salsa, crumbled feta, or whatever you have on hand to brighten them up. 

Southern Corn Cakes
From The Backyard Lemon Tree

3 Ears of corn, husked and desilked
1/2 C. Masa harina, or cornmeal
1/4 C. All purpose flour
3/4 C. breadcrumbs
1/4 C. Cilantro, chives, or a mixture
1 Tsp. Baking powder
1/2 Tsp. Baking soda
3 Eggs 
4 TBSP Buttermilk, or thinned down sour cream (my last-minute substitution, as I had no buttermilk!)
2 TBSP Olive oil
1 Tsp. Smoked paprika
1/4 Red bell pepper, diced finely (optional but very recommended) 
1/4 C. Shallots or red onions, diced finely
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Oil, to fry

Cut the kernels off the corn cobs with a sharp knife. Mix with the shallots, garlic, pepper and herbs. Set aside. 

Separately, whisk together the breadcrumbs, flour, masa harina, salt and pepper, baking soda, baking powder and paprika.

Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated with a wooden spoon. Add the corn and vegetables. Mix well to form a firm, pasty batter.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add some oil. Fry the corn cakes about two minutes, then flip with a spatula and cook another two minutes covered with a lid. Keep warm in an oven at about 80℃.