Vegan Kimchi

What is Kimchi? Kimchi is a fermented cabbage dish and is a staple of  Korean food served alongside many dishes to add flavour and vibrant. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including gochugaru (Korean chili powder), spring onions, garlic, ginger, fish sauce and daikon. Kimchi is also used in variety of soups and stews. 

This mixture is then lacto-fermented so that it develops a pleasant acidity and keeps longer. Kimchi usually takes 1-2 days to ferment at room temperature or several days in the fridge. Kimchi is low-calorie, packed with probiotics and nutrients, and contains many antioxidants. It is said kimchi may help boost your immune system and improve digestion. Because of the health benefits and the deliciously spicy taste, fermented cabbage is becoming more and more popular in many cuisines all over the world. 

Why Kimchi is not vegan? As we all thought, the ingredients are vegetables, and that should make it vegan. The process that it goes through does not include any relation to animal use as well. However, kimchi is not vegan. It is because traditional kimchi call for fish sauce  which heightens the flavour and makes it extra tasteful. The seafood ingredient are not part of vegan diet, which makes kimchi not vegan. Just swaps fish sauce for miso paste for the ultimate umami-packed animal product-free condiment or side dish.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup salt
• 1 medium chinese cabbage/napa cabbage, about 1.5kg
• ¼ cup gochugaru
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• ½ medium pear, peeled and cored
• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp red or white miso paste
• 1 medium daikon (about 500g), sliced into thin strips
• 6-7 spring onions, cut into 1 inch pieces

Method:

Place 4 cups water into a large stock pot and place it over high heat. Bring the water to a simmer, then remove the pot from heat.

Stir in salt into the water until dissolved, then stir in an additional 8 cups of cold water. 

Next, clean and chop the cabbage into 2-3 inch pieces, discarding the stem.

Test the temperature of the salt water to ensure that us is no longer hot. If it is, you can add a bit more cold water or wait to cool.

Add the cabbage to the pot and push it down to submerge. You can add up to another 4 cups of water if needed.

Allow the cabbage to soak in the salt water for 8-12 hours.

After the cabbage has soaked, drain it into a colander and rinse it well under cold water to remove any excess salt. Allow the cabbage to sit in the colander and drain for at least 30 minutes.

While the cabbage drains, make the paste. Place the gochugaru, garlic, ginger, pear, gochujang and miso paste into a food processor or hand blender and blend into a paste. You can add up to ½ cup of water to help this process, if needed.

Place the cabbage, daikon and spring onions into mixing bowl and add the paste. Stir well until all the ingredients are combined. You can dig in with your hands, but be sure to wear a gloves if you do.

Pack the kimchi into fermentation containers, like a glass jar, leaving at least an inch of headspace at the top. Push the vegetables down as best as you can to get them below the level of liquid.

Allow the kimchi to ferment at room temperature for 3-21 days, opening the containers to release built up gasses at least once per day, or more often in warmer conditions.

When the kimchi is as sour as you want it to be, transfer the containers to fridge for storage.

Soft Bailey Ice Cream

Only 4 ingredients to make this adult-only dessert!

Ingredients:

• 600ml double cream
• 315g caster sugar
• 80ml Baileys Cream Liqueur
• Finely grated dark chocolate, to serve

Method:

Place double cream and caster sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Don't allow the mixture to boil. 

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the Baileys and set aside for 10 minutes, stirring often, to cool. Place in the fridge for 3 hours or until chilled completely.

Using electric hand mixer, beat the chilled cream mixture until soft peaks form. Transfer to an airtight container and cover. Place in the freezer for 5 hours or overnight, until frozen.

Spoon the mixture into a pipping bag fitted with a wide fluted nozzle. Pipe into chilled glasses and sprinkle with chocolate to serve. 

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Warm, gooey, and full of chocolate. It is an easy, one bowl recipe! Make this quick chocolate chip skillet cookie anytime you want for 2!

Ingredients:

• 57g butter, melted
• 8 tsp granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ½ cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• ice cream for serving

Method:

Preheat oven to 175ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. You will need a 6" mini skillet to make this cookie. If you don't have a skillet, use a 6" cake tin or make individual cookies in a muffin pan. If you are using a skillet or cake tin, grease the skillet or cake tin. If you are using a muffin pan, use liners for easy removal and serving.

Melt butter in a large bowl. Stir in both the sugars, then egg yolk, vanilla extract, baking soda and salt. Carefully stir in the flour then mix in the chocolate chips.

Make the mini cast iron skillet for about 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are puffed and the centre no longer looks translucent. Using another pan will affect baking time.

Serve warm with ice cream!

Spanish Chicken, Chorizo & Potato Braise

This easy chicken stew recipe is inspired by sunny flavours of Spain, with spicy chorizo and smoky paprika.  I would easily choose chorizo over bacon when using as an ingredient to flavour or spice things up, this Spanish sausage just gives a ton of complex flavours comparing to basic smokey bacon flavour. 

The heat, smokey paprika and its unique meaty flavour is just so good that it can liven every meal that this is out into. Today e will be making a chicken stew cooked with potatoes and tomatoes, just the sauce alone with some crusty bread or even rice is enough to satisfy any hunger.

Perfect for warming up on a chilly evening, this hearty dish is sure to satisfy the whole family. 

Ingredients:

• 1 chorizo sausage, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 600g chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 cups chicken stock
• salt & pepper to taste
• handful chopped flat parsley
• crusty bread or rice to serve

Method:

In a large pot, heat it up over the highest heat and add in the chorizo. Stir for about 5-7 minutes until caramelised and charred, then add in the chicken, onion and garlic. There is no need to add oil as the fat from chorizo should release. Turn down the heat slightly as you brown off the chicken then after a couple of minutes, the red pepper, tomatoes, potato, cumin and smoked paprika.

Once the spices start to fragrance, pour in the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper then half cover with a lid, reduce to a low heat and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and the sauce is thick.

Stir through the chopped parsley and have a taste to make sure it doesn't need more salt or pepper then serve with rice or crusty bread. 

French Lemon Yogurt Cake

Lemon yogurt cake is a very popular French inspire cake. This is not the cake loaded with frosting and all. A plain basic cake with the perfect crumbs and mild lemon taste.

This simple-to -make cake, classic French Lemon Yogurt Cake is the perfect accompaniment to your tea or coffee, morning, noon and night. 

Yogurt is a wonderful addition to the cake to create moist crumbs in cakes. The lemon added in the cake not only provides a wonderful lemon taste and flavour to the cake but keeps the cake moist for longer. Lemon also adds a tang to the cake which balance the whole taste of the cake.

Much like a pound cake, this recipe uses only basic ingredients; eggs, sugar, flour and oil. Its point of difference is that it also includes yogurt, hence the name "Gâteau au Yaourt". Teamed with the oil, the result is an incredibly moist, fluffy cake that whilst humble, will become a family favourite.

The history behind this cake is so utterly charming. French grandmothers would pass on this simple recipe to their grandchildren. To keep it simple to remember, the ingredients would be measured cup is needed. It's the first cake that French children learn to make, and using the yogurt pot makes it easy for them to remember the ratios. While ratios may vary from household to households, the sentiment behind the recipe remains.

Finally, it is a perfect basic cake recipe that never disappoints with guarantee success every time.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups plain flour, sifted
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• grated zest from 1 medium lemon
• ½ cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil

For the glaze:

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¾ cup icing sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 175ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Grease an 8 inch round cake tin. Line bottom of the tin with baking paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, sugar and eggs, stirring until well blended.

Add in flour, baking powder, salt and zest, mixing to just combine.

Add the oil and stir well. Don't worry, at first it will seem to separate, but keep stirring until smooth. 

Pour the batter into the prepared tin.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cake feels springy to touch and the skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake though.

Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn it out of the cake tin onto the rack.

Combine the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small bowl and stir until smooth. With a pastry brush, gently pat the glaze all over the cake. Just keep going over the cake until the glaze is gone. Some of it will drip off, but most of it will soak in. Allow the cake to cool completely. Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired and serve!