SIA Around the World

I used to love making shortbread as a kid. So easy. Butter, sugar, flour - done! I mean, copious amounts of butter, can it really get any better than this? Well friends, it can. Queue in caramel. Queue in chocolate. AND Maltesers?! Yes…imagine it now. Or just make the damn thing! The recipe is so extremely easy that you’ll be indulging in this within a couple hours.

Leaving for long trips is always the ultimate Chopped challenge: how to use up all of the leftover ingredients in your fridge. So… wilting cilantro, sprouting garlic, and a cup of milk turned into this cilantro spaghetti Alfredo. Turned out to be surprisingly delicious and my neighbours could attest for that!

I bake cakes for my coworkers every month and this month was no exception. I typically ask for their requests and will bake something depending on what they had asked for. Surprisingly, this was the easiest one yet! Four birthdays but only one specific request: hazelnut. And when I think hazelnut, I think Nutella. But since my office has a lot of vegans, I had to veganize it once again. Was I successful? Recipe after the jump!

Miso might be my favourite ingredient right now to use, especially in sweet applications. Its saltiness and rich umami flavour works so well in sweet desserts. It gives depth to what would have a very simple and nutty cookie. I was seriously blown away at how much flavour this cookie had and how easy it was. Adding to my roster!

Who loves a good tortilla soup? Don’t even think about throwing those leftover corn tortillas out after taco night. Throw them into this super easy, super spicy soup that can be whipped up in a cool 20 - 30 minutes. Freezes well and the flavours develop the longer it stays in the fridge. You might be needing a dollop of sour cream to cool this one down!

Give me eggs, give me leftover tortilla chips and you have breakfast in about 5 minutes. No, seriously. This is the quickest breakfast ever, especially useful for those days when you wake up hangry! Kick up the heat with my version of migas, featuring two types of peppers if you’re a pepperhead like me! Mexicanize your breakfast and you will never go back to regular scrambled eggs ever again.

As you may know, pastas are always an easy go-to. Pasta + veg + sauce = done. It’s an easy meal to whip up during the middle of the week. Feel free to add an egg, chicken or any type of protein to make this into a complete meal. Don’t forget the lemon zest - it’s s important to brighten up the dish!

When your office asks you to make pho for during your cooking workshop, you deliver. I have a policy that if you ask, you will receive. Of course, there are a great handful of vegans in my office so the next layer of veganizing a pho recipe was going to be a challenge. But you know what? It was surprisingly simple and easy to make! Recipe after the jump!

I love myself a good European citrus cake. Okay, maybe borderline obsessed but they are just SO GOOD. Not too sweet, perfect crumb, and suitable at any time of the day. The Portuguese bolo de laranja is no exception. I made this for a party and if you’re looking to feed a crowd, look no further. A breeze to make and a cake that stays moist for days… I don’t think you need anymore excuses to not make this cake.

One of my favourite street foods I had eaten when I was in South Korea was rabokki. Tender and chewy rice cakes, savoury fish cakes and instant noodles - what?! Of course, I had to learn how to make this for myself. Surprisingly, the whole recipe can take less than 15 minutes of cooking. Try it - you’ll understand why I was so hooked!

Never thought in a million years that I’d be traveling to Wellington but of course, life trajectories happen and have lead me to this beautiful city. Wellington was the highlight of this trip to the Pacific Islands and I am glad I made the trek out there. Wellington, although small, is completely doable in a day or two. Its best enjoyed starting off the day at one of the many artisanal coffee shops, people watching by the bays and ending with a cocktail or two. One of the most hipster cities I’ve seen as a whole and I loved it all. Read on to find out why!

I have a new blog, hooray! After a long year of thinking about making this blog, I've finally taken the leap and just did it. This blog is centred around my two of my biggest loves: travel + food.