WA café

I have a weakness for bakeries (& seafood to say the least). There is just something really magical about them – the smell of freshly baked pastries, the loaves of freshly baked bread and the perfectly lined cakes that look like jewels in a jewelry shop (well to me at least).

Whilst rustic bakes are great, Japanese bakeries bring bakery displays to a whole new level. They always deliver immaculate and uniform bakes, with perfectly straight lines and proportions, making it difficult for me not to just stop and stare like a little child seeing an ice cream truck down the road. Needless to say, I was extremely happy to find one of these bakeries in London and even though it was a bit of a journey to get to, it was well worth the trip.

WA café is an independent patisserie located in Ealing Broadway selling a “unique range of quintessentially Japanese breads and pastries on-site daily”. These breads and cakes are all soft and pillowy, just the way I like it. Don’t get me wrong – a loaf cake pairs well with tea and a well textured slice of sourdough is lovely with eggs, but nothing beats the nice fluffy texture of Asian cakes and buns. I needed to wait a bit for their famous curry buns to come out of the oven, but that meant that they would be fresh and toasty…yum!

Egg mayo bun

This was amazing.  I didn’t really fancy a curry bun so I decided to try this egg mayo one instead. The filling was creamy and flavourful with a hint of curry powder, giving the feel of a curry bun but much lighter (considering it was deep fried it was not greasy at all). The cornflakes gave a nice crunchy texture which complemented the soft bread and filling very well. If you ever come here, please please order this.

Japanese strawberry shortcake

Fresh fruit cream cakes are my favourite type of cake which consist of a fluffy sponge layered with sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit – dangerously good. The sponge was nice and airy, and the sweetness was balanced well with the strawberries. However, I’d prefer if there wasn’t a layer of strawberry jam. It was good, but not the best I have had. My favourites so far would be from Ceres bakery and Patisserie Yamakawa, both located in Hong Kong.

I had my eye on the strawberry rolled cake and a second serving of that egg mayo bun, but lets leave that till the next visit…

WA Café

32 Haven Green

Ealing, London, W5 2NX

Spiced fennel, cauliflower, lentil and fig salad

 

There is nothing better than trying a new flavour combination and enjoying it. This winter salad was inspired by a recipe in the cookbook ‘Eat Smart’, and the combination of jammy figs and fennel needed to be tested.

I always enjoy cooking with fennel.  There is something about its star anise-like fragrance and crunchy texture that works well in many dishes – shaved in a summer salad with carrots and a dijon orange dressing, roasted and stirred into a risotto or simply served with grilled seafood. As I wanted a bit more body to this salad, I  thought it would pair well with roasted spiced cauliflower and feta to cut the sweetness of the veg and figs. This can be served warm or cold as a main or as a side (I had this with paprika roasted chicken and it was tip top).

Now for the superpower nature of our ingredients… Lentils are a great source of protein and fibre, with the fruit and roasted vegetables providing this salad with vitamins and antioxidants for a healthy yet filling salad! The addition of turmeric also boosts your anti-inflammatory function helping you fight infections and disease. Eating ‘healthy’ does not mean you have to eat a boring green salad so mix it up!

• 1 large Fennel bulb (keep fronds for garnish)
• 4 Figs cut into quarters
• 1/2 medium cauliflower cut into mini trees (1 inch pieces)
• 250g of cooked green lentils (I used tinned ones, drained well)
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp of cumin, paprika & turmeric + 1tsp extra of cumin for the dressing
• pinch of salt & bp
• 30g feta, crumbled
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Natural yogurt mixed with 1/2 tsp of cumin (to serve)

Preheat the oven to 180

Cut the fennel into 1 inch wedges and add to a baking tray with the cauliflower.

Season with salt, bp, and the spices. Drizzle over the olive oil, mix well and pop into the oven for 30 mins till the vegetables are tender and caramelised.

Whilst that is in the oven, mix the lentils with the lemon juice, cumin and extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste.

When the roasted vegetables are ready, carefully serve them on top of the dressed lentils and scatter the figs around.

Crumble the feta on top and garnish with the lemon zest and fennel fronds.

Serve with the spiced yogurt and enjoy!

 

 

Ketchup prawns – 茄汁蝦碌

Sweet, sticky and moreish – these ketchup prawns have been a childhood favourite of mine and I remember having these on special occasions, especially when we had guests over. The sweet acidity of the ketchup paired with the fragrance of shaoxing wine packs this dish with flavour, each prawn coated with the rich caramelised sauce. Its past midnight, and I am slightly regretting writing this post now… (*stomach grumbles*) straight out of mama Shum’s repertoire, here is the recipe:

• 6-8 M/L sized prawns, head and shell intact (frozen or fresh will both work as long as they are good quality)
• 3 shallots, finely sliced
• 2 spring onions, cut into 2 inch lengths
• 1 tbsp soy sauce + more for seasoning
• ground black pepper
• 1 generous tbsp shaoxing wine
• 2-3 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp olive oil (or oil of choice)
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar (optional but makes it just a bit tastier )

Defrost the prawns if you are using frozen ones.

Clean and devein the prawns. I find it easiest to do this with scissors, making a cut past the eyes and then pulling the sac out. I also trim the legs and pull the intestine out with a toothpick. (Insert  a toothpick midway down the back and gently pull the intestine out)

Pat the prawns dry with a paper towel and season with the soy sauce and black pepper.

Heat a wok at medium-high heat and add the oil and shallots.

When the edges of the shallots start to become golden brown add the prawns and fry them for a minute on both sides  (don’t overcook them at this stage as they will continue cooking when the sauce is added)

When the prawns are a nice golden brown colour, add the wine and stir fry till the alcohol has evaporated

Add the ketchup, sugar and a dash of soy sauce to taste

Throw in the spring onion and give it another stir

Dish up on a plate and enjoy! 开飯啦!

The healthy avo-choco shake

Sometimes you have those days where you just feel  really tired and drained. Whether it was from a busy day, travelling or drowsy medication you took you don’t really want to do much but nap. However, work is still sitting on your desk, waiting to be completed and when times like these arise, I like to whip up an energising shake like this one. Inspired by Deliciously Ella and The Good Life Eatery’s “Choc Norris”, this shake is decadent, creamy and chocolatey – but without the guilt! It also contains ingredients that will give you glowing skin and hair!

Avocados not only give the shake a creamy texture, but in a nutritional point of view has many additional benefits such as aiding in the absorption of vitamins and minerals, containing heart healthy fatty acids and Vitamin E to promote healthy skin and hair, just to name a few. Banana acts as a natural sweetener filled with potassium, and along with avocados gives lots of fibre, perfect for a healthy gut. Cacao powder gives it the rich chocolatey taste, with added antioxidants all blended together to create my new favourite concoction.

1 cup Almond Milk (Rude health almond milk actually tastes richer and creamier than other brands I have tried, so try and get you hands on this one! I never thought I would enjoy almond milk before this! **

• 1 small banana
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 heaped teaspoon of almond butter (try and find a pure 100% almond one. I use the brand Meridian)

Simply add all the ingredients to your blender and blend till smooth.

If you like it cold you could cut your banana into coins beforehand and freeze them before blending.

Best enjoyed immediately

 

** I am not sponsored by Rude Health… I do wish I was.

Thenga Café

I am a big fan of Indian food – the marriage of spices and textures create such flavourful dishes that leave you wanting more. However, I find that many affordable indian eateries in London are good, but tend to be too greasy with a strong takeaway-grub sort of vibe.

Being an international student, one of the things I miss the most are home cooked meals. Yes you could cook one yourself, but nothing beats a loving, homey meal served to you! I discovered Thenga Café last year, an independent coffee shop run by the lovely and super friendly chef San. The concept is simple – friendly, affordable and hearty indian vegetarian meals (+great cakes and coffee too!). Since going to Thenga, I have discovered a whole new world of Indian cuisine such as dals and dosas, allowing me to venture out of the usual tandoori and biriyani dishes I would always go for. I would like to say I have become a loyal customer/fan and always find myself looking forward to my next visit.

This time I went on Dosa Wednesday where I was served a lentil and rice pancake with coriander coconut chutney and masala potatoes with curry leaves. The dosa was studded with red onion and ginger, its chewy texture and crispy exterior complementing the creamy texture of the potatoes well. Served with the chutney, it was a great complement to the dish – all for under £5.

If a warm welcome and humble indian food sounds appetising to you, be sure you give them a visit! I will definitely be back soon… again!

Address: 120 Cromer Street London

Home

Jeweled quinoa salad

Quinoa was one of those ingredients that I didn’t really start to like until I came to London and got inspired with all the different flavours I could add to this super grain. Restaurants, delis and even the café around the corner had salads available – not the lettuce cucumber and tomato variety you find in most Hong Kong eateries, but colourful, bold, vibrant dishes with different flavours and textures piled sky high onto large ceramic plates.

I started getting into being creative with salads after a visit to Ottolenghi in Islington – a deli opened by Yotam Ottolenghi himself, an Israeli-born British chef who is known for his Middle Eastern inspired western cuisine where he brings Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Asian flavours into his dishes. He is also known for his creative use of vegetables, and trust me, even a meat lover won’t miss meat when eating one of his creations! Another place I love that brings Middle Eastern flavours is Honey and Co, where this quinoa salad I am about to share was inspired from. They have a jeweled rice dish which is studded with dried fruit, herbs and pomegranate making a colourful addition to your plate. In this recipe I used quinoa instead and served it with a generous dollop of hummus – the perfect addition to any salad.

2 servings – I put down quantities for the ingredients, but feel free to add more or less of anything

• 90-100g quinoa
• 1 cup edamamae
• 125g tenderstem broccoli, cut into smaller lengths
• Handful of basil, chiffonade (mint and parsley would also work well)
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 50g pomegranate

Dressing: 

• 1/2 lemon
• 1 heaped tbsp of wholegrain mustard
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp honey
• Salt and bp to taste
• Hummus – homemade or store bought

Cook the quinoa to package instructions, and 5 minutes before it is done, add the edamamae and the tenderstem broccoli.

Let the cooked quinoa and veggies cool, then add the avocado, basil and pomegranate seeds

Put all the  dressing ingredients into a jam jar, lid on and shake

Add the dressing to the quinoa mixture and mix well, adding more salt and bp if needed

Serve with a hearty dollop of hummus and leftovers make for a good lunch the next day!

Cinnamon apple oatmeal

It has started to get chillier here in London and so when I woke up this morning I decided I wanted something warm and comforting to fill my tummy. I had some apples lying around and so I decided to make a cinnamon and apple oatmeal.

Apples are versatile, easy to find and are generally quite affordable making it a good choice, especially as a student. They contain dietary fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which studies have shown to promote many heath benefits such as regulating bowel function, reducing cholesterol levels and help fight cancer just to name a few. Dietary fibre also helps keep you full for longer which is perfect for breakfast! Paired with cinnamon which has antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties and oatmeal – again more fibre, I reckon this makes a pretty good breakfast!

Now here is the recipe:

serves 1

• 1 Apple chopped into cubes – use any kind you like! For oatmeal I like going for sweeter varieties
• 1/4 cup water
• Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 handfuls of rolled oats

Add the water, apple and cinnamon into a saucepan and cook until the water has evaporated and the apples have softened a bit (they should have lost their sharp edges)

Add the oats and milk to the cooked apples and cook for another 5 minutes until the oatmeal is cooked to your desired consistency. You can add more water or milk if your oatmeal gets too thick.

Thats it! Serve hot and enjoy!