Growing up, my Mom cooked the best ham dinners and to finish off the remains of the ham, she would use the leftovers in pea soup. Making this soup yesterday was a first for me and although I didn’t use smoked ham, the smoky bacon did the trick just fine. Not only is this a…

Before coming to Asia 9 years ago, this is one dish I would never have thought of preparing. I certainly didn’t know what lemongrass was and I would never have used red chili peppers as I didn’t like things hot or spicy. Well, that was the past and have since encountered many Asian dishes that…

I have always wondered if this dish began in Italy or the US. By 1920, almost five million immigrants from Italy lived in the US alone. The reason I question the origins is that most Italians living in Italy prior to 1920 rarely ate meat as it was too expensive (special occasions only) and yet…

I know when I get the ‘thumbs up’ sign from my family, this is one dish to serve again! To save time, you can buy the veal already flattened from your butcher or grocery store. This recipe is adapted from chef Armando Ricordo of Buon Ricordo. Chief among veal’s benefits is that it is easy…

What a way to start a meal! This recipe is adapted from an Australian restaurant called Jackson’s and the recipe is from the cookbook, ‘Coast’ by Kendall Hill. The Coast cookbook is a compilation of mouth watering dishes from Australia’s leading chefs accompanied by stunning photographs along Australia’s pristine shores. Arugula (rocket) is peppery and…

Yeung Chau is a popular fried rice dish and is prepared in a wok. Also known as Yangchou, which is a Hong Kong slang word for fried barbeque pork. Invented as a creative way to use up leftovers, fried rice is the perfect comfort dish. The origins of fried rice can be traced all the…

Dinner in 40 minutes? No problem! While the chicken is cooking you can get all the other vegetables ready and cooked. I usually serve this with pumpkin risotto but I was too lazy and opted for steamed basmati. Serves 66 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, flatted slightly Combine 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 1/2 cups…

With its Middle Eastern origins, hummus is a dip best accompanied by pita bread and fresh assortment of vegetables. The garbanzo bean also known as chickpea is an edible legume. It is said that hummus origins trace back to the Sultan Saladin, a veteran of the Crusades, who enjoyed cooking as a pastime. In addition…

This is a family favorite which takes little time to prepare and a great way to use leftover bread! The Italians call it Panzanella which originates from Tuscany. Over the years there have been many adaptations and some purists would say adding olives is a no no. In any case, the flavors from the ingredients…

A simple and easy way to serve rice and get your vitamins too! We’re all familiar with Popeye who is always eating spinach to make him strong and now we know that spinach helps protect us against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis and is also important for maintaining bone health. Spinach is a staple…

Creme Caramel (aka flan) is basically a sweet custard dish. This recipe has a bit of a twist to the usual European dessert. It’s probably one of the easiest desserts to make and looks great! Serves 6400ml can coconut milk6 eggs, lightly whisked1 teaspoon vanilla paste1 cup white sugar1 1/2 cups of milk1/3 cup water1/2…