Hi! This week, I don't have a new recipe/ingredient deep dive to share since I just returned home from a work trip and a short vacation, during which I got sick. So, I took a few days off and ate vitamin C with hot water infused with dried orange peel (I read it’s good for strep throat). However, I did manage to (finally) finish editing a video from last year about my experience eating a tasting menu dedicated to Sichuan pepper in Chengdu.
This newsletter is a casual roundup of things I’ve been enjoying lately, from food to TV shows.
Before that I want to say a big thank you as I reached 1,000 subscribers in May. (Hi and welcome if you’re new here!) I am still navigating writing in my second language, constantly humbled by all the excellent food writing out there, and learning every day. Thank you for reading my words and becoming part of this journey and small community.
Another life update: I’ve begun taking on a few culinary projects as a freelancer. Something equally exciting and daunting for me. The first project I’m excited to share is my recipe published at Mala Market: an easy 20-minute chicken stir-fry with pickled mustard (Jimi Yacai 鸡米芽菜). I’ve admired their work on Chinese and Sichuan food for years and am thrilled to contribute my own work.
Content round-up for May
In the last couple of weeks, I have been focusing on Sichuan pepper as an ingredient and developing recipes that use it. You can find a very satisfying mouth-watering chicken dish and a vegan snack of salt and pepper smashed potatoes, along with my grandma’s Sichuan cold noodle recipe (which can also be made vegetarian/vegan).
I also collaborated on a recipe for the iconic Chinese street food, Xi’an Roujiamo, with my friend Devan. If you need a weekend cooking project, here you go!
What I cooked
My cooking usually consists of testing new recipes, quick meals from the fridge, and my spontaneous cravings. During a yoga session, I had a strong craving for spam, so I rushed to the Asian grocery store and made a bowl of Hong Kong-style instant noodles. Entering summer I’m getting excited for stone fruits, zucchini and tomatoes. I tried fish-fragrant zucchinis based on the eggplant version, maybe I will write a separate one for this!
One Sunday, I decided to dedicate time to making new recipes. I picked Gochujang braised potatoes and a melon Caprese-ish salad from Ottolenghi’s book, "Flavor" Loved both.
For the Dragon Boat Festival (duanwujie, 端午节) on Monday, I gathered with a few friends, and made zhongzi (leaf-wrapped sticky rice) together. It was my first time participating in this labor-intensive but sweet project and we made both savory with pork and salted egg yolk, and sweet with red bean and chestnut paste. I ended up filling my stomach with these Zongzi for the days to come.
What I ate (that I didn’t cook)
In Berlin, I revisited Balabait, a levantine street food bistro, twice last month. It’s a new spot in Prenzlauer Berg with smoothest hummus, flaky boric sandwiches, and friendly staff. My favorite was Sabich bourekas.
My trip in Barcelona and Valencia was filled with good food, too. Some highlights: Pan con tomate and desserts at Coure; garlicky shrimp and black rice at Bar Joan; Yunnna rice noodles at L’os Panda (Spain has a bigger Chinese community thus more regional Chinese food to try!); zucchini blossom tempura at Central Bar and traditional Valencian style paella with chicken, rabbit, and snail from Flor de Valencia. I picked some juicy, plump loquats (pi pa, 枇杷) from the market in Valencia - these were very nostalgic and reminded me of spring and summer time in China with a rich variety of seasonal fruit, such as local cherry and Chinese bay berries.
What I watched
As a TV and film nerd, I feel obligated to share some of my favorite shows this year so far:
Shogun (9/10): A beautifully portrayed Japanese historical drama featuring a love story and nuanced female characters, set in feudal Japan, which reminded me a lot of the Chinese historical dramas I grew up watching.
Fallout (8/10): Amazing production for a non-gamer like me, I found it more entertaining but less touching than The Last of Us.
Baby Reindeer (8/10): Finished it last night, an uncomfortable-to-look-at but great show. Now I’m deep into the rabbit hole of the real-life drama.
The Sympathizer (7/10): I enjoyed most of it, especially the cinematography with its Park Chan-wook vibes, and the blend of dark comedy and scattered brutality.
Hope you have a sunny and delicious start of the summer! :)
Xueci