MAPO TOFUMMUS

Ingredients

MAPO SAUCE:
• 3.2 oz (90 grams) ground pork or beef
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp potato starch or cornstarch
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sichuan douban/chili bean paste (see pantry)
• 1 tsp mushroom powder (see pantry)
• 1/2 tsp finely minced fermented black bean, or 1 tsp the darkest miso you can find
• 1/2~3/4 tsp Korean chili flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp ground sichuan peppercorns, plus more to dust
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp shoaxing wine or sherry wine
• 1/4 cup store-bought chicken stock
• 1 1/2 tsp apricot jam
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 5 drops rice vinegar
• finely diced scallion to serve
TOFUMMUS:
• 14 oz (450 grams) firm tofu
• 2 tbsp garlic confit puree (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/3 tsp salt

Instructions

1. MAKE GARLIC CONFIT PUREE: Smash 35 cloves (about 2 1/2 heads) of garlic with a knife and remove the skins. Set inside a non-stick pot along with 4 fresh bay leaves, 1/2 cup (120 ml) of canola oil, 1 tbsp fish sauce and 1/4 tsp ground white pepper. Cook over medium-low~low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlics are evenly golden browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and transfer the rest into a blender (or you can do this with hand-held immersion blender), and blend until the mixture is smooth. Keep in an air-tight jar inside the fridge for up to 2 week. Stir before use. 
2. MAKE MAPO SAUCE: Mix ground pork (or beef) with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and potato starch (or cornstarch) until even. 
3. In a small pot, heat canola oil and toasted sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, breaking it up as finely as you can with a wooden spoon, and cook until evenly browned. Add douban paste, mushroom powder, fermented black bean (or dark miso) and chili flakes, store and cook for 1~2 minutes until the chili flakes have turned dark maroon in color. Add grated garlic, grated ginger, ground sichuan peppercorn and ground cumin, and cook until just fragrant. Add shaoxing wine, scraping any caramelization that is sticking to the sides and bottom of the pot, and cook until the alcohol has evaporated, then add chicken stock, apricot jam, ground white pepper and rice vinegar. 
4. Turn the heat down to low, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by 1/2 and slightly thickened.  Can be made a couple days ahead of time. Reheat until warm before serving.
5. MAKE TOFUMMUS: Tofu is made from boiled soy milk which makes it technically “cooked”. But if you’re not a fan of the taste of soy bean, boiling the tofu again will make it taste more well-rounded. But it may also make the puree slightly grittier. If you decided to boil it, cut the tofu into marshmallow-size chunks and cook them in boiling water for 5 min. Drain well, and let cool on top of a clean towel, then transfer into a food-processor. 
6. If not boiling, simply pat the tofu dry with a clean towel, then set inside a food-processor. Run the processor for 1~2 minutes until the tofu is smoothly pureed. Add garlic confit puree, toasted sesame oil and salt, and run again until incorporated. The tofummus should still be quite tasteless at this point. 
7. Serve the tofummus covered in warmed mapo sauce, topped with finely minced scallions and dustings of more ground sichuan peppercorns. Serve with chewy scallion garlic naan (recipe in the book).

Как приготовить грибы в воде

 Добавьте грибы в кастрюлю. На каждые 1 1/4 фунта грибов в этом видео предлагается добавлять 1/4 стакана воды. 

1. Периодически помешивайте. Вы заметите, что вода в вашей кастрюле начинает сереть, а это значит, что вода в грибах начала выделяться. Готовьте все это, время от времени помешивая, пока оно не испарится.
2. Добавьте масло и обжарьте. После того, как вся вода сварится, добавьте в сковороду небольшое количество масла, чтобы грибы подрумянились и обжарились. Подавайте как есть или добавляйте в другие блюда.

Chicken Noodle Soup

 

thepantryboy

Something for the soul.

Ingredients

For soup
Chicken thigh 2 pc
Onion 1/2
Ginger 20g
Salt to taste
Mirin 2 tbs
- Simmer for 1.5 hours on low heat until the chicken meat is tender and easy to shred

Shredded chicken meat mix
Shredded chicken meat
Spring onion
Coriander
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
- Mix the ingredients seasoning to taste

Garnish
Tofu
Vegetables
Noodles
Egg
- Boil noodles of choice together with vegetables and egg in chicken stock until cooked
- Season to taste with some salt

Кулич: рецепт без дрожжей от Юлии Высоцкой

 

Для одного кулича понадобятся:

• 2 яйца
• 200 г сахара
• 200 г муки
• 1 чайная ложка разрыхлителя
• 70 г сливочного масла
• щепотка морской соли
• корица, мускатный орех и кардамон
• немного ванили
• 80 г изюма
• 80 г кураги
• творожный сыр

Сначала яйца взбивают с сахаром до густой пышной пены. Именно эта масса и делает будущий кулич мягким и легким. 

После этого добавляют специи — корицу, мускатный орех, кардамон и ваниль. 

Следующий шаг — сливочное масло. Его вводят в яично-сахарную смесь, а затем добавляют главный «секретный» ингредиент рецепта — творожный сыр. Он делает тесто более влажным и нежным.

Далее в массу постепенно вмешивают муку с разрыхлителем и солью. 

Тесто получается довольно густым, но при этом очень мягким. 

В конце добавляют сухофрукты — изюм и нарезанную курагу. 

Форму для кулича заполняют примерно наполовину. 

Выпекают при 160 градусах около 1 часа 20–30 минут.

Когда кулич остынет, его покрывают глазурью.

Для нее взбивают два белка с 80 г сахарной пудры до густой тягучей массы. Глазурь распределяют по верхушке так, чтобы получились красивые подтёки.

Сверху можно добавить сухие ягоды, маленькие меренги или шоколадные яйца. Иногда кулич украшают золотыми крапинками — так он выглядит особенно празднично.

Кулич  от Алёны.

Chou Farçi (Stuffed Cabbage)

 The following recipe is for Chou Farçi (Stuffed Cabbage), adapted from the French recipe featured in the book French Country Cooking by Mimi Thorisson. It involves assembling the ingredients in a dish to create a “cake” or a moulded presentation rather than individual rolls. 

Ingredients

For the Cabbage:

1 head Savoy cabbage

Unsalted butter for greasing the pan

For the filling:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, finely diced
2/3 pound ground beef
2/3 pound high-quality pork sausage
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp allspice (or Rabelais spice)
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup whole tomatoes, crushed with juice

1 large egg 

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cabbage Leaves: Boil salted water, core the cabbage, and carefully separate and cook the leaves for about 8 minutes until tender. Drain and cool.
2. Assemble the Mould: Generously butter a 7-inch soufflé dish or charlotte mould. Line the dish with cabbage leaves, overlapping along the sides, reserving some for layering and the top.
3. Prepare the Filling: Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onion and carrots until soft. Add ground beef and pork sausage and cook until no longer pink. Stir in garlic, thyme, bay leaf, allspice, salt, and pepper. Add crushed tomatoes and juice and simmer briefly. Let cool, discard thyme and bay leaf, and stir in the egg.
4. Layer the Cabbage and Filling: Place about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture in the dish, then top with a cabbage leaf. Repeat until all the meat is used and the dish is full.
5. Finish and Bake: Cover with a final cabbage leaf, tucking it in to seal. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 minutes.
6. Serve: Invert a plate over the dish, flip, and carefully remove the mould. Serve immediately, cut into wedges. 

And bonus: Hainan Chicken Rice

Watercress soup with Jerusalem artichokes and chervil chips

Jerusalem artichoke salad with spinach, red onions, radishes and walnuts

Chicken suprême cocotte with autumn vegetables

Apple and persimmon beignets

Traditional Soda Bread Recipe

The Chicken Suprême

Images: Instagram

Chou farci d’Auvergne (stuffed cabbage)

 

A classic rustic, hearty and well-loved French dish.

Chou farci, which means “stuffed cabbage” in French

Ingredients

• 2 large Savoy cabbage leaves
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 leek, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 100 g mushrooms, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100 g speck*, finely diced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped sage
• 2 slices of bread
• 310 ml (1¼ cups) chicken stock
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 2 eggs
• 500 g pork mince
• *Authentic Speck, a smoked and cured Italian ham

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat. Add the cabbage leaves and blanch for 5 minutes or until just tender. Remove the cabbage leaves and place them in iced water. Once fully chilled, drain and pat dry with a paper towel or a kitchen cloth.
2. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
3. Place a saucepan over high heat and when hot, add the oil, vegetables, garlic, speck and sage and cook, stirring regularly until just softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Tear the bread into a bowl, pour over 60 ml (¼ cup) of chicken stock, then add the brandy and eggs and stir to combine well. Add the pork mince and mix well to combine. Add the vegetables and mix until well combined.
5. Line a 15 cm bowl with plastic wrap. Place the 2 cabbage leaves into the mould so they overlap and fill it. Fill the cabbage leaves with the pork farce, then fold them over to seal.
6. Place the remaining stock in a wide heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove the cabbage parcel carefully from the plastic-lined bowl and add the parcel, seam side down, to the saucepan. Place the lid on the pan, transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 25 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; 

If using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. 

 

We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 

1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 

1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 

1 cup equals 250 ml. 

All herbs are fresh (unless specified), and cups are lightly packed. All vegetables are medium-sized and peeled, unless specified. 

All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

OR: Vegan Chou Farci (Cabbage Stuffed with Barley and Lentils)

How to Make the Best Chicken Soup

 By Ali Slagle

Ali Slagle is a recipe developer and regular contributor to NYT Cooking who specialises in low-effort, high-reward recipes. She is also the author of the cookbook “I Dream of Dinner (so You Don’t Have To).”

Published Jan. 12, 2026

Plonk yourself anywhere in the world, and you won’t be far from a steaming bowl of soup. And just about anywhere you go, you’ll find chicken soup — thrifty, cosy, adaptable, delicious chicken soup. But while it’s always a reliable meal, there’s no reason it can’t also be exciting. Push your next pot beyond chicken and broth with these seven simple upgrades.

1. Add dried herbs and spices

Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Build flavour from the very start by sizzling dried herbs and spices in oil. Just a minute or two unlocks their full potential and helps them travel through the soup. As for what to use, sift through your jars and see what appeals. You can lean any way you’d like: Go earthy with turmeric, paprika and annatto seeds, as in Ham El-Waylly’s locro de gallina, or herbaceous with dried rosemary, oregano and crushed red pepper, as in Sarah DiGregorio’s lemony Greek chicken, spinach and potato stew.

2. Use broth instead of water

Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Have you ever had a bowl of pasta cooked in chicken broth? That simple soup demonstrates how a little broth can accomplish so much. Using store-bought or homemade broth instead of water ensures your soup will be savoury and chickeny, regardless of how little it simmers or what else is in the soup.

3. Switch up the vegetables

Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Vegetables are typically used in soup in two ways: in small bits, cooked to build the foundation (your garlic and onions), and in larger chunks, to bulk it up. Both ways let you use up whatever vegetables or fresh aromatics you have on hand: ginger, lemongrass, chiles, mushrooms, radishes, and squash. The list goes on, so get going.

4. Throw a bay leaf into the pot

Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi.

Chicken soup is all about soothing, and a bay leaf (or two) can help with that. The slender leaf’s soft-spoken herbiness isn’t as bold as rosemary or oregano — rather, it slips into the background. Think of it as more like some cooked-down onion than an herb: You’ll notice it isn’t there, even if you can’t pinpoint what exactly is missing.

5. Use cooked chicken

Credit...Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.

Chicken soup can be a long game (starting with a whole chicken, simmering it for hours and hours) or it can be hungry-right-this-second fast. If a speedy soup is what’s on the menu, use store-bought broth (see above) and cooked chicken. Cubed or shredded from a rotisserie or leftovers, it needs just three to five minutes in the soup to reheat. Any longer, and it can become tough.

6. Swirl in a pat of butter

Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

On days that call for a bit of softness, or when a soup seems thin or otherwise lacking, stir in a pat of butter to the finished soup. It will melt into the broth, adding richness, body and a velvet sheen (much like it does in a pan sauce). The fat contributes a subtle creaminess without being heavy.

7. Finish it with fistfuls of chopped herbs

Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Just as a splash of vinegar enhances chilli, fresh herbs bring out the best of chicken soup’s soft, simmered flavours. Add finely chopped soft-stem herbs like cilantro, dill, parsley or chives at the end so their flavours stay bright. And you bought a whole bunch, so be generous: Use around a third of a cup, or even up to a full cup.

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