There are many variations on biko, but this biko recipe will give you a sweet dark brown-sugared sticky rice cake topped with a caramelized coconut sauce and latik (crispy coconut curds). Each decadent bite of this traditionally Filipino dessert is filled with flavors of palm sugar, dark brown sugar, and rich coconut. Glutinous rice vs. jasmine rice Like Vietnamese Chè…
Dumplings come in many shapes and sizes, but plump pork and shrimp shumai with their unmistakable combo of Asian aromatics and seasoning are a staple in dim sum carts around the world. These dumplings are the perfect shape for dipping into a mixture of soy sauce and chili oil. Shumai, also known as siumaai, siomai, or shaomai, are traditional Chinese…
I will never turn down a dumpling. Xiao long bao–these plump pouches of meaty dumplings encased in a delicate wrapper have extra appeal with its seemingly magical soupy filling. Also known as Chinese soup dumplings, xiao long bao pack a punch of flavor in every bite and are world famous thanks to restaurants like Din Tai Fung. This recipe gives…
Fluffy steamed buns filled with a savory, and slightly sweet and oozing char siu pork filling–it’s everything you would want from char siu bao and brings back memories of my dad buying these little pieces of heaven for me as a kid. These steamed pork buns are not only a popular dim sum favorite, but they’re also great for making…
Layers of ultra crispiness and browned to a golden perfection–spring roll wrappers are one of the most important (and favorite) parts of spring rolls and lumpia. These homemade spring roll wrappers will give you a new type of appreciation for that extra crunchy outer layer of spring rolls. Spring rolls historically came from ancient China and should not be confused…
Bánh canh giò heo tôm might be a lesser known Vietnamese soup compared to the highly popularized phở, but its hearty flavor paired with springy tapioca noodles, and a load of meat and shrimp makes it just as delicious. This dish can seem similar to bún bò Huế, but it uses different noodles, is less spicy and quite a bit…
Hot and crispy fried spring rolls filled with seasoned ground pork and dipped into a sweet and sour sauce–lumpiang Shanghai, or lumpia, is my go to snack at any Filipino party and it never disappoints. What is lumpia? My girlfriend’s family throws a lot of parties (par for the course with many Filipino families though) and lumpia is always the…
While there are many ways to cook rice, using a microwave is a practically hands-off technique to make rice and sometimes it takes a shorter amount of time than a cooking in a rice cooker or on the stove. It’s also a good option if you don’t have a rice cooker at home and you’re not too keen on cooking…
Also known as cassava bibingka, this cassava cake has a thick, but tender layer of fresh cassava root, condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, and coconut cream with an extra topping of silky custard. And it’s allllmost flourless, except for two tbsp for the topping! After eating cassava cakes at many Filipino restaurants and family parties throughout the years, I’ve come…
Green onions, otherwise known as scallions, have a nice sweet, crisp, and mild flavor compared to their bulbous cousins the onion, which have a stronger and spicier flavor when eaten raw, and they are also in the same family as chives, leeks, and shallots. You can eat green onions raw, add them as a garnish, or cook with them in…
