SIA Around the World

Ah… classic eggplant parmigiana. Yes, I’m calling it eggplant parmigiana and not eggplant parmesan because this is the traditional Sicilian way of making this dish and not the bastardization that Americans have made it. What’s the difference, you ask? Find out after the jump!

If there's something I love doing, it's recreating old recipes with new ingredients. Take my amaranth polenta for example - nutty yet nostalgic. Perfectly paired with my roasted rosemary garlic mushrooms for a hearty vegetarian weeknight meal.

“Cabbage soup” - sounds so boring but I couldn't find an appropriate name for this soup. Maybe I should have called this “wrestling soup” which is how I remember it. So many road trips in high school when we feasted on this between matches - oh, how that remains so vividly in my mind! And also how easy it was to replicate this recipe - such an easy soup to whip up too! Recipe after the jump!

Sometimes you are given ingredients which you are uncertain on how to use but leave you inspired to create something delicious! Insert orange blossom water. Like rosewater, but with a orange flavour. My orange blossom olive oil cake doesn't take anytime to make and leaves you with a light dessert that is the perfect to many spring evenings.

Saimin says…make this dish immediately. Saimin, pronounced just like the name “Simon”, is a traditional Hawaiian noodle soup. I suppose you can almost call it a Hawaiian version of Japanese ramen mixed with Chinese tastes. You be the judge - recipe after the jump!

Have you ever used preserved lemon in your cooking? They’re basically lemons that have been preserved a ton of salt. It’s commonly found in African cooking, tagines, and the like. It makes a great addition to salad dressings and vinaigrettes, like the one found in this recipe!

Pasta + veg + herb sauce. Always one of my regular go-to meals on a busy weeknight! My chimichurri gemelli takes no more than 30 minutes from start to finish - clean up included! Chimichurri isnt just for steaks - try it as a pasta sauce and I’m sure you’ll be just as delighted as I was!

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I decided to make my own chocolate diablo cookies. Fudgy and spicy, these cookies are sure to brighten up your day! Super easy to assemble, these cookies come together in no time. Feel free to adjust the heat if you like things a bit hotter!

What would happen if you married ginger scallion sauce into a scone? Well, my friends, you end up with something magically delicious - a great way of using that leftover ginger scallion sauce! And if you've never made scones from scratch before, you'd be surprised at how easy it is to make it. Find out how after the jump!

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.