I tried making baozi a few times, and I finally came up with a recipe where the bun is super soft and airy. I have not perfected the folds, however, but they taste amazing anyway! Moral of the story: you too can make delicious pork buns, even if you are clumsy with folding/closing the outside […]
Taiwanese Sticky Rice with Pork and Mushrooms – You Fan (油飯)
I’ll admit, I’m not sure if the original You Fan is made with pork belly. But everything is better with pork belly, right? You Fan is a traditional Taiwanese dish that I grew up eating in morning markets. It is made with steamed sticky rice with a fragrant shiitake mushroom, dried shrimp, and pork topping […]
Takumi Nine – Japanese Ramen in Berlin Mitte
Officially, this location on Chausseestraße 124 is called Takumi NINE Sapporo. There is another branch in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg, called Takumi NINE. What’s the difference between all the different Takumi locations in Germany? After trying both Berlin locations and the ones in Munich and Düsseldorf, I found that they are in fact all affiliated in […]
The Best Sea Salt Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – ‘healthier’ with less sugar, just as delicious!
Browned butter! It’s slightly burnt butter with an amazing nutty flavor and caramel-y smell. It makes everything smell so delicious, I wonder if I can just burn it as a candle… How to brown butter The key to browning butter is patience. The difference between browned butter and burnt butter is just a few seconds. […]
Lila Restaurant – Delicious Peruvian Seafood Restaurant in Berlin Neukölln
Is it a Peruvian restaurant? They do serve a kick-butt ceviche with proper Leche de Tigre, and a Pisco sour with the right balance of booziness, tartness, and sweetness…so it’s at least Peruvian influenced. It’s not Peruvian themed though. Lila is classily decorated with warm lighting and can easily be French or Italian. The dishes […]
The Best Soft and Fluffy Japanese Milk Bread
Asian bread is the best. Yes, I love croissant and baguettes, but there is nothing quite like the slightly sweet and suuuper soft cloud-like texture of Asian bread. High Gluten Flour (Bread Flour) I have tried baking bread with all purpose flour, but they usually turn our denser and more crumbly. Using high gluten flour […]
Cantonese Steamed Scallops with Vermicelli on Half Shell
There is something about seeing scallops in their half shell on a bed of vermicelli (asian glass noodles) that makes me soo excited. This dish is usually found at Cantonese restaurants, and you’ll be happy to know that it’s actually super easy to make. It’s also quite healthy…no butter, no fat on the scallops. Plus, […]
Zenkichi Berlin – Intimate Japanese Omakase in Mitte
I love Japanese food, and Zenkichi’s 75€ omakase is the perfect meal for someone who wants to experience different aspects of Japanese cuisine. Omakase is Japanese for “I’ll leave it up to you”, as in you entrust the chef with the liberty to serve whatever is freshest for the season. There are different versions of […]
Garlic Butter Mussels with White Wine
All the best things in one pot. Steamed mussels are wondering with bread, fries, potatoes, pasta…this list goes on. You can also experiment with the flavor by adding your favorite seasonings and spices. Some ideas: Thai steamed mussels – with lemon grass and Thai chili Spicy coconut mussels – with jalapeño, cilantro, ginger, scallions, coconut […]
Super Fluffy American Pancakes
Growing up I was mostly aware of only one kind of pancakes – American pancakes. I knew about crepes, but I didn’t put them in the same category. Living in Europe, I realize the definition of “pancake” varies widely. Every culture has their own version. Some are thinner (e.g., French crepes), many are denser. After […]