Mango Lassi Recipe

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cup Mango cubes (fresh mango peeled and chopped, choose very ripe mango or frozen mango or 1 cup of canned mango pulp)
• 1 cup Plain Yogurt whole milk yogurt, cold
• ½ cup Milk cold, or water to adjust consistency
• 4 teaspoon Sugar adjust to taste
• 1 pinch Cardamom powder (Elaichi) optional
• Saffron (Kesar) to garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put mango, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Adjust the consistency to your taste by adding water or blend in some ice cubes.
3. Pour mango lassi in serving glasses. Keep it chilled before serving. Garnish with saffron and/or pistachios (see notes for more garnish options).

From: https://pipingpotcurry.com/mango-lassi/

Easy Mooncake Recipe

Ingredients
Dough

• 1/3C Honey (instead of golden syrup + Kansui); may need slightly less honey?
• 1.7T vegetable oil (24g)
• 1C cake flour (100g)

Filling

• 10 salted egg yolk
• 220g store-bought lotus paste (See note)
• Egg wash to brush the mooncake

Instructions
For the dough:

1. Mix honey and vegetable oil accurately in a mixing bowl.
2. Sieve the flour. Add all at once to the above mixture. 
3. Combine all the ingredients. 
4. Place the dough on a piece of cling wrap. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to let the dough relax. 
5. For the filling:
6. Wash the salted egg yolk with water to remove the white sticking to the yolk. Pat dry. 
7. Wrap the yolk with the lotus paste
8. Then roll it into a ball. Set aside. 

Wrapping:

1. Roll out the pastry in between two plastic sheets or cling wraps. 
2. Remove the cling film on top, fold the pastry toward the filling.
3. Pinch away the excess pastry where the pastry is double folded to ensure consistent thickness. 
4. Roll the mooncake with your palms to form a ball. 

Baking:

1. Roll the mooncake on a surface dusted with flour. 
2. Plunge the piston of the mold to the flour, and shake off the excess. 
3. Place the dough on the baking tray.
4. Put the mooncake mold on the dough and plunge the piston downward.  The dough will take the shape of the mold, and the pattern will be imprinted on the surface.
5. Bake it at the middle rack, 175°C/350°F top and bottom temperature for five minutes or until the surface starts to firm up.  
6. Remove the mooncake from the oven and brush the surface of the mooncake with egg wash. 
7. Bake for another ten minutes or until golden brown.
8. Remove the cake from the oven to cool at room temperature.
9. Transfer the mooncake to an airtight container and keep for three days before serve.

Notes
The actual amount of lotus paste depends on the weight of the salted egg yolk.  The total weight of the filling (yolk + lotus paste) is 35g for each mooncake.

From: https://tasteasianfood.com/mooncake-recipe/

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

• butter and flour for coating and dusting the cake pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

• 1 1/2 cups butter softened
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 7-8 cups powdered sugar
• about 1/4 cup milk as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-inch cake rounds. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes.
4. Divide batter among the three pans. I found that it took just over 3 cups of the batter to divide it evenly.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn out the cakes onto the racks and allow to cool completely.
7. Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!
8. Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
9. In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for best results
10. Add in cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
11. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add milk as necessary to make a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be very thick and will thicken even more if refrigerated.

NOTES
*Coffee can be used in place of the warm water. 
**For Cupcakes: https://thestayathomechef.com/chocolate-cupcake-recipe/

From: https://thestayathomechef.com/the-most-amazing-chocolate-cake/

Edamame Quinoa Salad

Yield 16 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked quinoa
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1 large ear of corn
• 1 (15-oz can ) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup cilantro, finely minced
• 1 heaping cup dried cranberries
• 1 (12-oz package) edamame, cooked and shelled
• 1 cup sliced almonds (or any nut you like)
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil (more ?)
• 8 Tablespoons lime juice (more ?)
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Add the quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover. Cook for 15-20 or until done. Transfer to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.
2. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Add salt to taste. I'm guilty of not putting enough salt on things and it makes all of the difference. Chill unto ready to serve.

Adapted from: https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/edamame-quinoa-salad/

CHINESE CABBAGE STIR-FRY

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 Chinese sausages (Lap cheong), sliced, see note 2
• 1 tsp ginger, julienned
• 250 g cabbage, hand-torn into small pieces, see note 1
• 1 stalk scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• ½ tsp light soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat up the wok until it lightly smokes. Pour in oil then add Chinese sausage and ginger.
2. When the sausage slices curl up a little, stir in cabbage and scallions.
3. When the cabbage wilts add oyster sauce and light soy sauce.
4. Stir fry for a further 20 seconds or so. Dish out and serve warm.

NOTES

1. Taiwanese flat cabbage and sweetheart cabbage are the best choices for this recipe. 
2. If you don’t have Chinese sausage to hand, use pork belly slices instead. Marinate with light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, white pepper, salt and a little cornstarch. Then stir fry the same way.

From: https://redhousespice.com/chinese-cabbage-stir-fry/

Tahdig Recipe (Crispy Persian Rice)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 2 cups basmati rice like Basmati Rice
• 1 to 2 tbsp Kosher salt
• 2 tbsp whole milk yogurt (Greek or otherwise)
• 2 tbsp grape seed oil, or any healthy neutral-tasting oil of your choice
• 1 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 to 8 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed (see note #1)
• 3 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix the saffron into 1 cup very warm (but not hot) water. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to let the saffron release all of its flavor.
2. In a sieve, rinse the rice under cool running water until the water almost runs clear.
3. In a large pot, combine 8 cups of water and the salt (this is your one shot to season the rice itself). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook until al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the rice.
4. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the cooked rice, the yogurt, grapeseed oil, and 2 tbsp of the saffron water. Mix thoroughly.
5. Add olive oil to bottom of 10 inch lidded pot.
6. Spread the rice-yogurt mixture evenly on the bottom the pot. Sprinkle 1 cup of the remaining cooked rice on top, followed by 2 tablespoons of the dried cherries, a pinch of orange zest, and a pinch of cinnamon. Add another layer of rice and repeat with the cherries, orange zest, and cinnamon, reserving a couple tbsp of the cherries for garnish. As you go about layering, the rice will start to dome and look "pointy" in the middle--that's okay! Keep it that way. Finish by dotting the top with the butter and pour the rest of the saffron water all over the top.
7. Wrap the lid in a kitchen towel and secure it around the handle with a rubber band. Cover the pot and cook over low heat, 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice around the edges is golden and crispy; it's okay to peek under the lid! (See note #2) Be sure not to burn the bottom layer of the rice, though you do want a nice crust in the bottom.
8. Remove the lid, invert a large serving plate over the pot, and carefully flip them over together. No worries if it sticks, just scrape it out and run with it! Sprinkle the tahdig with the reserved dried cherries and pistachios and serve right away.

From: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/tahdig-recipe-crispy-persian-rice/

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• salt & lemon pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels. rub tilapia with salt & pepper
3. Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Based on: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/89261/lemon-garlic-tilapia/