If you are anything like me then you are obsessed with the mozzarella sticks from Lotteria. What could be finer than a delicious soft and gooey piece of cheese, coated in golden bread crumbs and deep-fried to perfection. Yes I realise they do not belong to the gourmet culinary arts but by God are they yummy! You can pick these babies up in plenty of supermarkets, but it’s also fairly easy to have a go at making them yourself. The cheese texture isn’t quite the same but it is good and the results are delicious. Niall declared after finishing the batch that he wouldn’t mind having them again next weekend. High praise indeed.

Ingredients

6 string cheeses

100-150g of panko crumbs

1 egg (beaten)

4 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

1 teaspoon of paprika

Directions

1. Cut the cheese sticks in half then put them on a baking sheet and pop them into the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up. Meanwhile mix the panko crumbs, mixed herbs, and paprika together.

2. Roll the frozen cheese sticks in seasoned flour.

3. Dip the floured sticks into the beaten egg.

4. Roll the sticks in the panko crumbs so they are completely coated. Then put them back onto the baking sheet and put them back in the freezer for 30 minutes-1 hour.

5. Pour enough oil into your frying pan so that the bottom is coated, then heat on a medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the cheese sticks on one side for a minute or two, before turning them over to brown the other side. When they are golden brown, remove from the pan and enjoy. I served mine with my delicious homemade salsa.

Since learning how to prepare tofu properly we have been eating it by the truckload. I just can’t get enough of that squishy white goodness. This recipe is adapted from one I tried while at the Seoul Vegan Potluck. It was first devised by  the lovely Claire Harrison,  Queen of the Vegans or The Quegan if you will. Sadly she is departing the peninsula but don’t despair tofu fans I am picking up the tofu torch and continuing her good work. The Seoul Vegan Potluck is still going strong, so if you want to see more vegan recipes, check out their website or facebook group for more details.

This is a bit of a doubled edged sword on the vegan front, while the tofu can be adapted to be completely vegan friendly the ranch dressing is less so. These babies are so good we had them three times in one week and when I had run out of tofu I made them with chicken instead. However my boyfriend and I both agreed the tofu version was far tastier.

Ingredients

Tofu Wings

2 blocks of tofu

100g flour

100g nutritional yeast (i-Herb)

2 tablespoons of Mexican or BBQ seasoning

A pinch of salt and pepper

300ml of milk (I used regular but you could change to soy)

4 tablespoons of BBQ sauce (In a pinch you could use bulgogi marinade)

Oil for frying  (enough to cover the bottom of your pan)

Ranch Dip

100g of buttermilk powder (i-herb)

2 tablespoons of dried parsley

2 teaspoons of dried dill weed

2 teaspoons of garlic powder

2 teaspoons of onion powder

2 teaspoons of onion flakes

1 teaspoon of dried chives

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 teaspoon of salt

3 tablespoons of mayonnaise

3 tablespoons of sour cream

Directions

The tofu needs to be prepared in advance. Buy your blocks, pour away the water, and then put them on a plate and top with a board and put something heavy on top for a few hours. You may need to remove the water every hour or so. This helps remove the water from them. Once they have been sufficiently dehydrated wrap them in cling film and put them in the freezer. They need to freeze at least overnight but you can leave them in there as long as you like. Take it out the day you want to use it and let it defrost. You will notice that the tofu has now become much firmer and spongier. Squeeze out as much extra water as you can. Then cut it into chunks.

Mix the flour, nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon of your seasoning and the salt and pepper together in a bowl and set aside.

To make your marinade, mix together the milk, barbecue sauce, and one tablespoon of your chosen seasoning. Then pop your tofu chunks into it to soak. Leave them for a minute or so then take out and shake off the excess. Then roll them in the flour and nutritional yeast mixture so they are completely coated.

Heat the oil in your frying pan and then cook the tofu chunks in batches, turning them so all of the sides are cooked and are golden brown. Repeat until they are all done.

To make the ranch dip. Measure out all your dry ingredients and mix together in a tub. This will make much more seasoning than you need so you can pull it out any time you need it.

Mix two tablespoons of the ranch spice mix with 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons of sour cream, then mix thoroughly

Serve your delicious dips with your totally terrific tofu. Voilà the best vegan barbecue chicken wings you will ever have!

Sorry guys I have been seriously MIA for the last week. I have been suffering from a tremendous hangover I gained from attending a friend’s birthday party. That is what happens when you are friends with people much younger and cooler than you. I have been regaining my strength by lying in my bed drinking vitamin water and watching White Collar, my new favourite TV show. I thought I would kick off Tuesday with a healthy-ish post. Back home you can find vegetable crisps everywhere and you can almost kid yourself that deep-fried vegetables are actually very good for you as well as being very damn tasty. This past week I have been exploring making my own vegetable crisps, first up is carrots, they actually came out really great. Easy and cheap to make, they make a nice change from your regular party snacks.

Ingredients

1 large carrot

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

A pinch of salt and pepper

A pinch of Cajun seasoning (or any other you fancy)

Directions

Cut your carrots into very thin rounds or long thin strips using a vegetable peeler. Toss the carrots in the oil, salt, pepper, and chosen seasoning. Lay the pieces on a baking tray, trying not to overlap them. Bake in a hot oven at 210 degrees Celsius for about 10-20 minutes. You will need to check on them quite frequently removing any chips that are cooked. Allow to cool then enjoy.

I have always been quite a big fan of tofu. I enjoy those spongy chunks you always get served at the Chinese restaurants back home. However when I came to Korea I found that the tofu was too soft. I tried several different brands but to no avail. No matter what I did the chunks would always break up when I was making stir-frys. Lately I have been attending the Seoul Vegan Potluck and have finally learned the secret to good tofu. Rule 1 is that you to get all the water out, usually by putting something heavy on it. Rule 2 is freezing it.  I don’t know how, but freezing it turns it back into that lovely spongy goodness I enjoyed back home.  To make my tofu a little unhealthier I decided to batter it first. You will need to prepare the tofu a day or two in advance to make it spongy.

Ingredients

Tofu

2 blocks of tofu

230g of ottogi frying mix

200ml of cold water

A pinch of salt and pepper

Soy bean oil for frying

Sauce

4 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce

3 tablespoons of sugar

3 tablespoons of vinegar

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

2 tablespoons of ketchup

1 baby orange (the juice and zest)

1 tablespoon of cornflour (corn starch)

Directions

Open the two packets of tofu and drain off all the water. Place the blocks on a plate and put something heavy like a frying pan on top of them. This will help to remove a lot of the excess water that is in them. It may take several hours to get out as much water as possible. Once the water is out wrap them in cling film or put them in a zip lock bag and pop them in the freezer. You can leave them in there as long as you like but they need to be in there for at least 12 hours to get the desired texture.

The day you want to use the tofu, take it out of the freezer and let it defrost. Make sure you squeeze out any remaining water that is in the tofu. It will be very spongy at this point. Cut your tofu into chunks ready to be used.

Put the ottogi frying mix in a bowl with a dash of salt and pepper. You could also add any herbs or spices too if you want extra flavour. Combine the dry ingredients then put your tofu into the floury mix and make sure all the pieces are coated before removing. Put the pieces on a separate plate. Meanwhile heat your frying pan and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the water to the remaining dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Dip your floured tofu pieces in one at a time then put them straight into the pan of oil. Turning them until they are golden brown on all sides. Once they are all done remove them from the pan and leave to drain on a piece of kitchen paper.

To make the sauce put all the sauce ingredients into a pan and whisk to combine, making sure the corn flour has dissolved. Turn the heat on and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally to dispel any lumps.

Serve on a bed of wilted pak choi and scatter on a few toasted cashew nuts. Place the tofu on the pak choi and top with the sauce. Voilà crispy tofu Chinese style.

Next week is one of my favourite holidays, Shrove Tuesday, better known as pancake day. The day before the start of lent when everyone eats lots and lots of pancakes. I can always remember my excitement as a child as we would always eat pancakes for dinner on this momentous occasion. Despite their ease we didn’t really eat pancakes too often and they were always considered as a special treat. Plus there was the excitement of seeing if you could flip the pancake just like they did on Blue Peter. It was an exciting day to behold.

In England we like to make our pancakes more like the French crepes than the fluffy American ones, drizzled with just a little lemon and sugar and maybe some golden syrup for good measure. However this year I decided I wanted to bring you something different and bring back another nostalgic treat, the Findus Crispy pancake! Findus crispy pancakes are a frozen snack food that come in a variety of flavours. Popular in the 70s and 80s they have now gained notoriety for being the food of the Chavs but personally I will always look back on them with fondness.

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall brought out his own recipe for homemade crispy pancakes which is what I present to you today with a few changes. I filled mine with a creamy cheesy chicken filling but you can do whatever you like. Even just grated cheese works well. Minced beef or cheese and ham are other good alternatives.

Ingredients

Pancakes

165g of all purpose flour

1 egg

300ml of milk

A pinch of salt

Filling

1 chicken breast

1 green pepper

4 mushrooms

1/2 an onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

Cheese sauce

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

300ml of milk

100g of cheddar cheese

Coating

A plate of seasoned flour

2-3 eggs beaten in a large bowl

A bowl of breadcrumbs (빵가루)

Directions

To make the filling, finely chop the onion and garlic and fry off in a little olive oil for a few minutes. Chop the chicken, green pepper, and mushrooms into very small pieces and add to the pan. Add the mixed herbs and fry until the chicken has cooked through and the vegetables have softened.

To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan then add the flour. Stir together to form a roux then add the milk. Stir continuously over a low heat until the sauce thickens. This will happen very quickly so make sure you keep an eye on it. Once the sauce has thickened (you may need to add more milk if its too thick). Add the cheese and stir until melted. Pour over the chicken chicken and vegetables and mix together.

To make the pancakes put the flour and salt in a bowl and mix together. Beat the egg into the milk then add it to the flour and mix together until there are no lumps. Leave the batter to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. When the batter is ready, heat a spoon or two full of oil in a frying pan until it is nice and hot then add a ladle-full of the batter and move it all around the pan. You don’t want them to be too thin, but not too thick either, about 1-2mm. After about a minute or so the pancake should be nicely browned, flip it over and cook the other side for another 30 seconds or so. Put the pancake on a plate to cool while you cook the remaining pancakes.

When the pancakes are done put a 2 tablespoons on the mixture in the middle and top with a little grated cheese. You don’t want too much as it will splodge out the sides. Fold the pancake over to make sure the edges come together. Then unfold and brush beaten egg all around the edge to seal it together. Take your pancake then dip first into the flour, then into the egg, and finally into the breadcrumbs. Fry in a little oil for about 3 minutes on each site. To warm through the middle and give the breadcrumbs a nice golden brown colour. Voilà the perfect savoury pancake for Shrove Tuesday!

Ever since I found my recipe for this dough, pizza has been a regular dinner for us. I love these tasty pizzas and could eat them everyday. However I like a bit of variation and sometimes make a calzone instead. It’s pretty much the same thing, the pizza is just folded over. However I think it changes the dough a little and makes it into more of a kind of pasty which I love. The great thing about these babies is that you can fill them with whatever you want and take them to work as they are individually sealed. When I make up a big batch of dough, I usually use half for pizza and half for calzones. I used some of my coveted goats cheese in the filling of these and it was amazing, but pretty much anything goes. I even tried some with the pulled pork I made!

Ingredients

Dough

500g flour (I used the one for dumplings and noodles.)

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of yeast (I used bobai brand that comes in 8g packages)

4 table spoons of olive oil

14oz ice-cold water

Stuffing

1/2 a kabocha squash (those dark green looking pumpkins)

2 tablespoons of tomato sauce

140g of goats cheese

A large handful of spinach

2 tabelspoons of toasted pine nuts

A knob of butter

Directions

Sift the flour, salt, and yeast into a bowl. Then using a table-spoon stir in the oil followed by the water bit by bit, you may find as I did that you don’t need it all, or you can always add more. Use the metal spoon to get right into the middle of the dough and mix it thoroughly. You know you have added enough water when the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom. If it is too dry add a few more drops of water, if it is too wet add more flour a little at a time until it’s the right consistency.

Once your dough is formed you need to work it for another 5-7 minutes using the metal spoon, this activates the gluten in the flour which makes it springy and elastic rather than a tacky lump. You can do this by putting the spoon into the dough and moving it around, you will find the dough stretches the more you do this. After this take the ball of dough and pull it and stretch it with your hands, I am sure you have seen Italian pizza chefs on TV doing it (I didn’t do it half as elaborately but you get the idea).

Now the dough is ready, form it into balls – I made 3 big ones. The recipe stated that you should leave the balls in the fridge over night before using, but I don’t think it’s hugely important. If you have thought ahead in advance or have a huge amount of restraint and willpower it does help the flavour of the dough develop, but it still tastes great if you use it straight away (the dough will keep in the fridge for up to four days). Roll your ball in flour then put a little olive oil on your hands and coat each ball before putting on a tray or plate. Put the plate in a zip lock bag or failing this cling film and store overnight.

To made the filling cut the squash in to quarters and take out the seeds. Drizzle the pieces with a little olive oil and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes or until they are soft. Next scoop out the flesh and cut into chunks. I don’t like to waste the skins so I usually sprinkles on a little cumin and roast them in the oven for another 10-20 minutes until they are crunchy for a tasty snack. Chop the spinach then saute in the butter for a minute or two until it has wilted. Add the tomato sauce, pine nuts and crumble in the goats cheese. Mix together with the squash chunks thoroughly.

Roll out the dough into circles. Top with a tablespoon of sauce then add a few spoonfuls of filling. Then brush the edge with egg yolk.

Fold the dough over to make a semi-circle. Then crimp the edges. Depending how skilled you are you can make them look very beautiful. Brush the whole thing with egg wash again then baked them in the oven for about 10-20 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.

Serve on their own or with more tomato sauce for dipping. Voilà easy tasty calzone.