Tomorrow is pancake day. We’re not short on pancake recipes on this blog – I’m a big fan of exploring what this recipe looks like around the world – but today I wanted to give you an extra special recipe. Okonomiyaki is a traditional snack on the streets of japan. Sold at food stalls and small, hole in the wall restaurants, it’s incredibly popular. There are a few traditional elements that I’ve had to look at substituting. There are no eggs in this batter normally, instead a Japanese yam called a nagaimo is grated. It produces a thick sludge that works as a great binder but it practically impossible to…
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Kimchi Pancakes (Kimchi-Jeon) – Vegan & Gluten Free
I’ve got pancakes on the brain at the moment, not sweet pancakes but savoury. I’ve looked at chickpea pancakes (really tasty, full of protein and gluten free) and pancakes across the world from Dutch babies (tricky to make vegan and gluten free) to Japanese okonomiyaki (look out for that recipe next week!). It makes sense really, pancake day is next week and want you to have lots of options to choose from. I’m told kimchi pancakes are the solution to those odd bits of leftover kimchi but I struggle to believe that. Personally I’ve never had a problem getting rid of kimchi, it’s always been very happy in my stomach.…
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Spicy Miso Ramen with Marinated Tofu (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Ramen may never have gone completely out of style but it certainly seems to be going through something of a renaissance in the west. Noodles are so important in Japan that they famously managed to create space worthy ramen back in 2005 when other space foods were still being eaten with a straw. I can’t even begin to be an expert myself, as a white girl living in London who’s never even been to Japan but it’ll often be the first thing I order if available. Tasty noodles floating in a deeply flavourful broth, paired with beautiful toppings. The problem, as with many dishes like it, is two fold for…
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Banana Ketchup (Vegan & Gluten Free)
This is going to be a but of a controversial post today, I know. As I’m sure everyone did, we bought more than we could ever eat over Christmas. Now I’m trying to work through the excess before everything goes off. One of the things that just didn’t get eaten over the festive season were bananas. After all the lockdown banana bread last year I don’t think I could handle yet another batch. So instead I’ve taken a look the culinary habits of Asia for inspiration and gone for Banana Ketchup! Now I know, this is a little odd. Kenny turned his nose up at it without even trying it…
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Secret Noodle Sauce (Vegan, Gluten Free)
I struggled with what to call this one but I always have a jar of it in the fridge. This is my secret to a drool worthy bowl of noodles. I’ve been known to spoon some into my pan of breakfast mushrooms or use it to add flavour to plain rice. Spend a few spare minutes on toasting some spices and mixing this together and I swear you’ll have a jar full of fragrant deliciousness. My fridge isn’t complete without of jar of this stuff and nor will yours once you try it! Makes: 500ml (aprox) Ingredients 1 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds 1 tsp Szechuan Peppercorns 3 tsp Chilli Flakes…
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Korean Pancakes (Pajeon) – Vegan, GF, NF
Korean style pancakes are my go to meal when I need to empty the fridge. Just before we go shopping, its ideal for using up the last of the vegetables. The batter is a tasty vehicle for all those veggies that need eating. It makes for a filling breakfast or an ideal side dish for your next dinner. The key ingredient to a pajeon is spring onions but if you don’t have them, feel free to make an inauthentic version with red or white onions. The batter forms a crisp, pancake with fluffy insides. It’s incredibly easy to make and was just as easy to adapt the traditional recipe to…
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Aubergine, Broccoli and Crispy Tofu Stir Fry (Vegan, GF, NF)
Aubergines get a lot of use in this house. Infinitely flexible, it’s a vegetable that works in so many cuisines and dishes. For this dinner, I wanted something quick but still tasty and aubergine is still my go to. We’ve ended up with a tasty dish that quick to make, bursting with flavour and with delicious contrasting textures. Starting with aromatics like garlic, ginger and chilli, finishing with a slightly sweet sauce. It’s a perfect dinner for when you’re in a pinch and need something fast. Enjoy! Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients For the Vegetables: 2 Aubergines, sliced into bitsize chunks 1 head of Broccoli, sliced into small florets 2 cups Chinese…
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Roasted Pumpkin Satay Tacos (Vegan, GF)
With our first batch of the season’s pumpkin I’ve been a little creative. As soon as i got my hands on the small, mottled beauties I knew I wanted to do something spiced but not a standard curry. I know, this is probably a corruption of several different cuisines but it really works! Freshly toasted corn tortillas pair unexpectedly well with the satay sauce while the roasted pumpkin and rainbow salad made this light while still filling. If you’re not in the mood for salad then some great multigrain rice will work equally well. This is a quick and easy dinner to make, everything will easily pull together while you…
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Korean Fried Cauliflower (Vegan, GF, NF)
This recipe is inspired by Korean Fried Chicken. An iconic love child of Korean and American cuisine that originates from the Korean war. The chicken is double fried in a thin batter before being tossed in a spicy, sweet sauce. So many people have attempted to veganise this recipe and I’m not alone in reaching for the cauliflower. The spiced sauce and crisp batter pair perfectly with tender cauliflower with no need to precook before frying – the cauliflower florets will steam inside the batter. I like to feature these in a Buddha bowl with plenty of fluffy rice – let me know how you serve yours! Makes: Serves 4…
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Leftover Rice Pancakes (Vegan, GF, NF, SF)
Today’s recipes is a lot less work than our last! I always make more rice than we need for one meal. Having extra rice stored in the freezer makes it so easy to whip up dinner when you’re not feeling up to cooking and there’s just so much you can do with it. Whether that’s as simple as just reheating what you have, or turning it into a whole new thing, rice has the flexibility that makes it a staple in our house. Whipping your rice into pancakes takes very little time. So they make the perfect breakfast, quick snack, or light lunch. The pancakes come out with delightfully crisp…
