I can probably guess what’s on your mind right now: “Chili oil? Chili oil?!”

And the only answer I can give you is yes, chili oil. You see, this post is less about the recipe and more about the photographs. You may have noticed that there is an unusual abundance of light here. The reason for that is a few days ago my mother practically ordered me to buy a new bookcase to accommodate my growing piles of books. In order to make room for said bookcase, I had to get rid of a few things in my room.

Let’s just say my corner photography table is no more.

I couldn’t bear to part with it, however, and in my last attempt of keeping it I moved it to a space upstairs. The sun shines through every nooks and crannies here. Wonderful, right? At first I thought so too. But then came the realization that I have been so spoiled with my last lighting set-up (to an extent that taking photographs was almost as easy as blinking). Up here, where every surface is bathed in sunlight, it is an unknown territory, and I’m forced to adapt. It took me a few days to get the camera to a setting that I feel is right, and it took more shots than usual to getting the photographs I want. Fortunately, it was also less time spent for post-editing. I am still finding my way around, so I hope you’ll look forward to discovering more photography techniques as much as I am.

CHILI OIL:

[ 1/2 cup olive oil + 1/4 cup dried red chili flakes (from 6-7 dried red chili) + 1 tablespoon sesame oil ] OPTIONAL: 1-2 cloves of garlic.

If you’re using garlic, dice them and sautee in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown. Drain with paper towels and set aside.

If you’re using dried red chili, grind them coarsely. Set aside.

Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke. Turn the heat off and pour oil into a heatproof bowl. Add in the chili flakes, the crispy garlic and give it a good stir and add in the sesame oil.

Let cool, and scrape everything into a clean glass jar or into a clean bottle using a funnel. Store at room temperature in a cool, dark spot. The oil will keep for a few months. Give it a good shake before using.

CHILI OIL:

[ 1/2 cup olive oil + 1/4 cup dried red chili flakes (from 6-7 dried red chili) + 1 tablespoon sesame oil ] OPTIONAL: 1-2 cloves of garlic.

If using garlic, dice them and sautee in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown. Drain with paper towels and set aside.

If using dried red chili instead of flakes, grind them coarsely. Set aside.

Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke. Turn the heat off and pour oil into a heatproof bowl. Add in the chili flakes, the crispy garlic and give it a good stir and add in the sesame oil.

Let cool, and scrape everything into a clean glass jar or into a clean bottle using a funnel. Store at room temperature in a cool, dark spot. The oil will keep for a few months. Give it a good shake before using.

Use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings, to flavor noodles and to add some spicy kick to a bowl of soup.

Enjoy!

  4 months ago       179 notes
  food  chili oil  condiment  recipe blog  

Hetvägg / Semlor (Semla) in Hot Milk

  6 months ago       1,008 notes
  food  semlor  semla  dessert  hetvägg  food blog  recipe blog  photographers on tumblr  

I opened my Tumblr mail during my procrastination study break and found that the wonderful Aina of Red + Black Apron has chosen my blog to be one of the recipients of the Laine Blogger Award. This award was originally intended for beauty bloggers but they realized that it would be for everyone’s benefit if this award is shared and extended to other sectors of the blogging industry.

The following are the rules with regard to giving out this award:

1. Link back to the blogger who awarded you

2. Blog about the award

3. Give the award to 5 other bloggers and let them know

Since I’m already done with the first two steps, let’s proceed to the last one. Although it took a while to decide, I’ve decided to send the awards out to these 5 bloggers (and since pictures speak louder than words, I’ve decided to let the pictures do all the talking) :

1. Cooking in the city:

2. Candid Appetite

3. Belly of Ecuador:

4. Anime Recipes

5. Behind the Food Carts

Enjoy!

  6 months ago       70 notes
  candidappetite  cookinginthecity  behindthefoodcarts  bellyofecuador  animerecipes  recipe blog  food blog  

I have a confession to make. 

I have never been to a Mexican food restaurant (or many other authentic ethnic restaurants save for Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Jordanian, Syrian or Indian, for that matter).

There, I’ve said it. 

So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a recipe for a drink called Horchata - a rice milk based drink flavored with sugar and vanilla infused with the fragrances of cinnamon. Obviously I had to add my own spin on it and make it into a smoothie (topped with whipped cream and caramel syrup, just because) because days are blistering hot and they last forever here in the equator.

Do try this because it is pretty simple and you’ll be rewarded with a sweet, creamy drink that pretty much tastes like a bowl of liquid rice pudding that you can feel good about drinking since it’s good for you (look up benefits of rice milk!)

HORCHATA SMOOTHIE:

[ 2/3 cup white rice  + 3 cups warm water + 1 2-inch (5cm) cinnamon stick + 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste + 1 1/2 to 2 cups regular milk + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ] OPTIONAL: 4 tablespoon condensed milk, or to taste + whipped cream and caramel syrup to serve.  

In a large bowl combine uncooked rice, warm water and cinnamon stick. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, preferrably overnight. Remove from the refrigerator, remove the cinnamon stick, and blend the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes on high speed, or until blended as smoothly as possible.

Strain horchata through a sieve or cheesecloth and pour into ice trays and freeze.

Combine rice milk ice cubes with milk, sugar, salt, condensed milk and vanilla extract and blend for 2 minutes, or until mixture is as smooth as possible.

For the amount of sugar and condensed milk, start off by adding the smallest amount and taste after each blitz of the blender. If you feel that it’s lacking, simply add some more and then blitz again after each addition.

Serve immediately topped with whipped cream, caramel syrup and ground cinnamon.

HORCHATA SMOOTHIE:

[ 2/3 cup white rice  + 3 cups warm water + 1 2-inch (5cm) cinnamon stick + 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste + 1/2 to 2 cups regular milk + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ] OPTIONAL: 4 tablespoon condensed milk, or to taste + whipped cream and caramel syrup to serve.  

1. In a large bowl combine uncooked rice, warm water and cinnamon stick. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, preferrably overnight. Remove from the refrigerator, remove the cinnamon stick, and blend the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes on high speed, or until blended as smoothly as possible.
2. Strain horchata through a sieve or cheesecloth and pour into ice trays and freeze.
3. Combine rice milk ice cubes with milk, sugar, salt, condensed milk and vanilla extract and blend for 2 minutes, or until mixture is as smooth as possible
4. Serve immediately topped with whipped cream, caramel syrup and ground cinnamon.

Enjoy!

  7 months ago       213 notes
  food  horchata  mexican drink  rice milk  smoothie  drink  food blog  recipe blog  

Sounds like a foodwish to me! It shall now be added to the list of food to [eventually] make, which also includes previously made foodwishes:

Rojak Sotong
Bowtie Pasta Soup
Melonpan
Nutella Croissant
Xiaolongbao
Butter Chicken
Kaachi Biryani
Sweet Potato Puree Soup

  8 months ago       2 notes
  food blog  cooking blog  recipe blog  

I would eat this all damn day, everyday, if I could. 830mg of sodium and all.

  8 months ago       858 notes
  noodles  food  my love for it is long  winding  and never ending  indomie  food blog  cooking blog  recipe blog  photographers on tumblr  

Cream-Cheese Lemon Squares

  9 months ago       654 notes
  food  lemon bars  lemon squares  lemon  desert  summer  food blog  cooking blog  recipe blog  photographers on tumblr  

Or not, I suppose, since disaster already struck in this post. I’m actually not a big fan of the lemon squares (or lemon bars) since I think they’re too sweet, but seeing as a lot of people suggested it I thought I might as well make a post for it. And so I set out to finding a recipe and chanced upon one by Bree of Baked Bree.

I fell in love with the simple recipe and the idea of adding baking powder to the filling just before baking so that it creates a beautiful, sort of fenestrated crust on top.

Pretty isn’t it? 

But since life as we know it is not always predictable, unexpected guests came  to the house while I was in the middle of baking my own tray of lemon squares. Long story short, I sort of forgot they were in the oven and took them out looking like this:

…Yeah. I don’t think you can even call this a lemon square any more, but, in attempt to resurrect the fallen citrusy squares, I whipped up a cream cheese frosting and used it to cover up the not so pretty-bits and finally topped it with slices of candied lemons. The result? Well, let’s just say it was pretty heavenly.

CREAM CHEESE LEMON SQUARES:

CRUST:

[ 2 cups all purpose flour + 1 cup confectioners’ sugar + a pinch of salt + 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature if you’re using a food processor, cold if you’re using your hands ]

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. 

In a food processor, put the dry ingredients in the bowl and pulse.  Add the butter and pulse until it turns into the size of peas.  

Alternatively, if you’re using the old school method of making pie crust i.e. your hands, cut the cold butter into little squares to make them easier to work with. Put the dry ingredients inside a bowl and rub the butter into the flour.

Work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in cling film. Chill in the fridge for 10-15 mins before using.

Press the crust into the bottom of the pan.  Bake the crust for 20 minutes.

Let the crust cool a bit and start on the filling.

FILLING:

[ 4 eggs + 2 cups of sugar + 4 tablespoons lemon juice + 4 tablespoons flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder ] OPTIONAL: 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract.

Put all of the filling ingredients except the baking powder into the bowl of the food processor or a blender and process until smooth. 

Right before you are ready to pour it over the crust, add the baking powder.  Give it one more whirl and you can pour it in.  Pour it gently on top of the crust or the crust can break.

Bake the lemon bars for another 25 minutes or until the lemon filling is set.

Now, if your lemon squares came out in tippy-top shape, you can go ahead and cut into squares and share with a friend. 

However, if yours came out a little more like mine did, I’m afraid there’s a few more things in the to-do list to rectify it, and that includes making some:

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

[ 4 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature + 1/3 cup icing sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 1/2 teaspoon lime juice ]

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and lime juice, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Note: I intentionally made this not too sweet in order to cut through the sweetness of the lemon squares themselves. Feel free to add more sugar to your taste.

Optional: CANDIED LEMON SLICES:

[ 1 lemon or 3 limes, sliced thinly + 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup water ] 

**You can alter the amount of sugar and water according to the amount of citrus you want to candy, just keep the ratio of water: sugar as 1:1

In a pan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil.

Add the lemon or lime slices and leave it until the water has reduced and starts to caramelize.

Take the slices out and drain on paper towels.

ASSEMBLY:

Take your slab of lemony square goodness and slather on the cream cheese frosting. Make sure you spread it evenly, wouldn’t want someone to get more share of frosting now, do we?

And then, for the [optional] Pièce de résistance, top it with the candied lemon slices.

And now you may proceed to cut into squares and share with a friend.

CREAM CHEESE LEMON SQUARES:

CRUST:

[ 2 cups all purpose flour + 1 cup confectioners’ sugar + a pinch of salt + 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature if you’re using a food processor, cold if you’re using your hands ]

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. 
2. In a food processor, put the dry ingredients in the bowl and pulse.  Add the butter and pulse until it turns into the size of peas.  
3. Alternatively, if you’re using the old school method of making pie crust i.e. your hands, cut the cold butter into little squares to make them easier to work with. Put the dry ingredients inside a bowl and rub the butter into the flour.
4. Work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in cling film. Chill in the fridge for 10-15 mins before using.
5. Press the crust into the bottom of the pan.  Bake the crust for 20 minutes.
6. Let the crust cool a bit and start on the filling.

FILLING:

[ 4 eggs + 2 cups of sugar + 4 tablespoons lemon juice + 4 tablespoons flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder ] OPTIONAL: 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract.

1. Put all of the filling ingredients except the baking soda in the bowl of the food processor or a blender and process until smooth. 
2. Right before you are ready to pour it over the crust, add the baking powder.  Give it one more whirl and you can pour it in.  Pour it gently on top of the crust or the crust can break.
3. Bake the lemon bars for another 25 minutes or until the lemon filling is set.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

[ 4 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature + 1/3 cup icing sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract  + 1/2 teaspoon lime juice ]

1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and lime juice, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Note: I intentionally made this not too sweet in order to cut through the sweetness of the lemon squares themselves. Feel free to add more sugar to your taste.

Optional: CANDIED LEMON SLICES:

[ 1 lemon or 3 limes, sliced thinly + 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup water ] 

**You can alter the amount of sugar and water according to the amount of citrus you want to candy, just keep the ratio of water: sugar as 1:1

1. In a pan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil.
2. Add the lemon or lime slices and leave it until the water has reduced and starts to caramelize.
3. Take the slices out and drain on paper towels.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Slather on the cream cheese frosting. Make sure you spread it evenly.
2. Top it with the candied lemon slices.
3. Cut into squares and share with a friend.

Enjoy!

  9 months ago       97 notes
  food  lemon square  lemon bars  lemon  dessert  cream cheese  food blog  cooking blog  recipe blog  

Did you know that you can use a measuring spoon as a makeshift melon-baller? Well now you do. Granted, you’ll get melon balls with a not so clean-cut edges, but hey, if it’s going to be submerged in a cold pink-translucent soda that’s going to be topped with a lemony ice cream, I doubt many would complain about melon balls with fuzzy edges.

*Lemon post tracker: 1 post down, 2 to go.

NO CHURN ORANGE-LEMON ICE CREAM (recipe by Raphaelle Peale): 

[ Juice of 1 orange +  juice of 1 1/2 lemons + 150g icing sugar + 580 ml double cream ] OPTIONAL: 3 mint leaves, finely chopped

Grate the zest of the orange and one of the lemons, juice them and add to the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and add the double cream.

Whip everything until it holds soft peaks, and then turn into a shallow air-tight container (of approximately 2 liters) with a lid. Cover and freeze until firm (from 3 to 5 hours).

Remove to soften a bit for 10 minutes before using.

Meanwhile, make your watermelon soda.

WATERMELON SODA: 

[ 1/2 medium watermelon, chilled, plus ½ cantaloupe (optional) + 1/3 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice + Pinch of kosher salt + 1 cup seltzer ]

Using a melon baller, scoop out 1 1/2 cups watermelon balls (and cantaloupe balls, if using) into a small bowl.Cover and chill.

Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set simple syrup aside.

Cut enough watermelon into 1” pieces to measure 8 cups.  Purée melon pieces (not balls) in a blender until smooth; strain juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or pitcher (you should have about 4 cups juice). Discard solids. Whisk in simple syrup, lime juice, and salt.

Add seltzer to watermelon purée. Divide melon balls among tall glasses. Pour watermelon soda over.

Top with scoops of lemon-orange ice cream.

Serve watermelon float with a straw and a long spoon.

NO CHURN ORANGE-LEMON ICE CREAM (recipe by Raphaelle Peale):

[ Juice of 1 orange +  juice of 1.5 lemons + 150g icing sugar + 580 ml double cream ] OPTIONAL: 3 mint leaves, finely chopped

1. Grate the zest of the orange and one of the lemons, juice them and add to the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and add the double cream.
2. Whip everything until it holds soft peaks, and then turn into a shallow air-tight container (of approximately 2 liters) with a lid. Cover and freeze until firm (from 3 to 5 hours).
3. Remove to soften a bit for 10 minutes before using.
4. Meanwhile, make your watermelon soda.

WATERMELON SODA: 

[ 1/2 medium watermelon, chilled, plus ½ cantaloupe (optional) + 1/3 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice + Pinch of kosher salt + 1 cup seltzer ]

1. Using a melon baller, scoop out 1 1/2 cups watermelon balls (and cantaloupe balls, if using) into a small bowl.Cover and chill.
2. Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set simple syrup aside.
3. Cut enough watermelon into 1” pieces to measure 8 cups.  Purée melon pieces (not balls) in a blender until smooth; strain juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or pitcher (you should have about 4 cups juice). Discard solids. Whisk in simple syrup, lime juice, and salt.
4. Add seltzer to watermelon purée. Divide melon balls among tall glasses. Pour watermelon soda over.
5. Top with scoops of lemon-orange ice cream.
6. Serve watermelon float with a straw and a long spoon.

  9 months ago       134 notes
  food  drink  watermelon soda float  watermelon  soda  orange ice cream  ice cream  lemon  summer  dessert  food blog  cooking blog  recipe blog  

Incoming lemon-related recipe spam.

  9 months ago       18 notes
  lemon  food  heads up!  food blog  cooking blog  recipe blog  photographers on tumblr  

…any ideas?

  9 months ago       52 notes
  food blog  cooking blog  recipe blog