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Pavlova with Passion Fruit Curd and Berries

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An exquisite recipe for pavlova filled with passion fruit curd, lightly sweet homemade whipped cream, and fresh seasonal berries.

– Why do you need to make this dessert?

Because it is super easy, so beautiful and, extremely delicious…seriously…I have made this pavlova many times and trust me, people that tried it will remember you forever.

– What can you make in advance?

For this recipe you can make in advance the meringue shell and keep in an air-tight container and the passion fruit curd.

On the day you are serving the pavlova you will need to whip the cream, wash the berries and assemble…which is a lot of fun, since all the “hard” part has been prepared.

– Can I use other fruits?

Absolutely, I have made the same recipe using kiwi, mango, grapes, pineapple, dragon fruit…you name it. Use whatever fruit is in season.

– What to do if not serving the pavlova at home?

I did it many times…I pack all the components of the pavlova separately and place in an insulated container and assemble when it is almost time to serve. Trust me, you will be surrounded by all the guests while you are assembling the dessert which make it even more remarkable. Moreover, you will hear lots of “oh”, “uh”, “wow”, and everyone will want to sink their fork in it.

– Did I convince you to make this dessert?

Ingredients:

  • 5 egg whites
  • 220 g sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoon corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Passion Fruit Curd from HERE.
  • Fresh blueberry and strawberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 275oF or convection oven at 250oF

In a bowl, whisk the eggs whites with vinegar.

Once the egg whites are foamy add vanilla extract and the sugar in thirds.

Whisk until stiff peaks.

Sprinkle the corn starch on the meringue and mix gently.

Mold the meringue according to your like.

Bake for 2 hours. Lower the temperature to 200oF and bake for another 45 minutes or until the meringue is crispy.

Let it cool completely.

At this point you can assembly the meringue or store in an air-tight container for later use.

How to assembly

Place the meringue shell on the serving plate. Add a layer of passion fruit curd, then whipped cream and topped with fruits. If wish dust with powdered sugar on top.

– If you enjoy this recipe you might want to take a look at these…

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Taro Savory Cake

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This is a very typical Chinese dish found in dim sum…super easy and it makes a great side dish, loaded with lots of flavors.

I got a big package of fresh peeled taro root when at the local Asian store and after many debate (between myself) decided to make two dishes with it…one is this savory cake and the next will be on my next week post…so be patience as you will see two recipes using taro…

This recipe is not very different from the Taiwanese Turnip Cake…I mainly added taro instead of turnip and much less rice flour, so the taro would be the star of this dish.

– What is taro root?

Taro root is very popular in Asian cuisine, it is like potato, starchy but with a sweet and nutty note in its flavor. Taro grows in tropical and sub-tropical climate, therefore a staple food in countries with such a climate.

Taro has purple speckles all over its flesh and it can be fried, boiled, roasted, simmered, mashed…made into savory or sweet dish.

– Have you ever had this savory taro cake?

If you had not tried this dish, I urge you to try next time when visiting a dim sum restaurant. It is commonly found in dim sum cart, but I must admit that this might not be one of the popular dishes if you are not familiar with it…they usually fry right there before serving…

– How you serve this savory cake?

It is usually served with a side of hot sauce. The cake is first steamed and just before serving is pan fried, so it is somehow crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

– How this savory taro cake tastes?

Although very typical Chinese dish, my husband really enjoys it, the taro root is embraced with a thin layer of rice flour surrounded by savory pieces of Chinese sausage and shitake mushroom…

– Are you ready to try this super simple and yet delicious savory cake?

Ingredients:

  • 600 g taro (approximately), peeled and cut into cubes, ½ in
  • 4 -5 dry shitake mushrooms
  • 4 Chinese sausages
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ bunch green onion
  • 250 g rice flour
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

In a small bowl soak the mushrooms in ½ cup warm water for approximately 20 minutes or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove the stems and cut into small pieces.

Finely cut the Chinese sausage into small pieces, chop finely the green onion and both aside.

In a pan or wok, add the oil and sauté the taro cubes, until slightly brown, stirring constantly, add 2 tablespoons of water and continue to cook for a minute or so.

In the meantime, in a medium bowl mix the rice flour 550 ml of liquid (from mushroom water and plain water).

Add the sauté taro into the rice and water mixture and stir until well mixed and all the taro are coated with the rice mixture. Set aside.

On the same pan add the sausage, mushroom and green onion, sauté until golden and fragrant.

Return rice flour/taro mixture back to the pan and add salt, pepper. Cook under medium heat, stirring constantly as the rice flour batter cook the consistency will thicken.

Transfer the batter into a heatproof container (I used a rectangle Pyrex) and steam under medium-high heat. I used Tatung steamer, added 2 cups of water on the outside and set it to steam.

If steaming in the stove, make sure to check the water level and replenish if necessary. Once cooked remove the bowl from the steamer and allow to cool before slicing.

Remove the cake from the container and slice into approximately ½ inch thick or into cubes. Pan fry with a little of oil until both sides are golden brown.

Serve immediately, with the hot sauce of your preference.

– If you are looking for more Asian Inspired recipe, please check these out…

Did you know that taro contains a large amount of dietary fiber? Taro is a starch vegetable like potato, but with much more content of fiber. Uncooked taro contains calcium oxalate crystals which can irritate throat and mouth. Once cooked these needle-like toxins are eliminated and great for human consumption.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Garlic Fried Rice

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Fried rice with garlic rice is so fragrant and loaded with flavor…garlic rice will elevate your simple fried rice to a totally new level.

If you like garlic, like we do, you are in for a treat…this fried rice is loaded, packed, full of the fragrant garlic imbedded into each grain of rice…it is nothing magical or tricky…just plain garlic and rice…

– Why should you make fried rice using garlic rice?

Because it will bring a totally new deep flavor to the simple and traditional fried rice.

– What are the steps to make fried garlic rice?

First you make the garlic rice with lots and lots of garlic.  Let it cool and refrigerate for a day or so like your leftover rice…by the way, the best fried rice uses leftover rice…and this is not different.

Use the garlic rice like your plain rice as a base of your fried rice.  You can add whatever your palate calls for it…chopped vegetables, corn, ham, cubed chicken, shrimp, scrambled egg…the options are unlimited.

– Did I convince you to try it?

I hope so…

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 12-15 cloves garlic, finely chopped, minced
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ cup rice, washed and drained
  • Enough chicken broth or water to cook the rice
  • ¼ tsp salt (optional)

Method:

In a large wok or skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and shallot. Stir fry the garlic and shallot for 2-3 minutes, until it turns a light golden color and fragrant.

Carefully remove the garlic from the pan and add to the rice. Add the salt if using and the chicken broth or water.  Cook the rice as you usually do, whichever method you use.

Once the rice is cooked remove from the heat and let it cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator.

Next day prepare your fried rice as you would normally do using the garlic rice.

In this post I used 3 scallion, 2 cups of frozen mix vegetables, 2 large eggs scrambled, ½ lb shrimp.

– Looking for more rice dish recipes? Check on the following…

Did you know that garlic has many health benefits? Garlic had been widely studies and many scientific publications support the health value of it, such as protecting the heart, lung, brain and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Miso Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Quinoa

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This is a simple and yet delicious salad with the umami miso roasted butternut squash combined with quinoa…therefore this makes a great side dish or even as a main meal.

Have you ever roasted butternut squash with a touch of miso? Oh…it is a must, the butternut squash covered with the umami flavor of miso…it is exquisite especially with a hint of honey…a perfect combination of flavor which will awake your taste buds.

– What is miso?

Miso is a Japanese soy bean paste fermented with koji. Koji is a fungus used in many Asian countries, not only to make miso but make soy sauce, fermented black bean, rice wine and sake.

Miso is salty and is loaded with umami flavor. Japanese cuisine uses miso mainly to make soup, marinate fish…and now it is used for all kind of dishes such as dips, salad dressing, caramels and so on.

– Why roast butternut squash with miso?

Adding miso to butternut squash will give a deep and slightly caramelized layer to the squash and will  add a lot of flavors to the squash.

– Can I roast the squash in advance?

Absolutely, you can roast the butternut squash in advance and add to the salad when read to serve.

– Should we go ahead and look at the recipe?

Please keep in mind that the ratio is totally adaptable…just follow your intuition…a little more of this, a little less of that…you get the picture right?

Ingredients:

For the butternut squash

  • 1 butternut squash, cubed into ½ inch
  • 3 tablespoons miso (low salt)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of hot sauce (optional)

For the salad

  • cup dry cranberry
  • ¼ cup roasted pepita
  • 1 ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • Arugula
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

For the butternut squash

Preheat oven to 400oF.

Whisk all the ingredients listed under the butternut squash, mix well until all the miso paste is incorporated into a smooth sauce.

Toss the miso mixture on the cubed butternut squash and coat them well.

Place the butternut squash in a simple layer on the silicone baking mat and roast in a preheated oven for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350oF and let it roast for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it cool a little before adding to the salad mix, or store in the refrigerator for later use.

Salad Assembly

In a big bowl, place the quinoa, roasted butternut squash, cranberry, pepitas. Mix gently, add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Mix again.

Lastly toss in the arugula and serve.

– Care for more recipe using miso?

Did you know that there are many variety of miso? Miso can vary from its aroma, taste, texture and color due to the duration, temperature, salt content, variety of koji and the vessel where the fermentation occurs.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Raindrop Cake

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How can a dessert made of almost 99.8% of water be so trendy? The answer…it is all in its texture…

When I first saw these raindrop cake (which in my opinion it is not a cake per say, cake in my view should contain flour or its substitutes) I was fascinated by its shape and the notion of its pureness…upon reading the ingredients, I immediately could imagine its textures as I had worked with agar-agar, both in the kitchen and in the lab. The trick is to have the right ratio of water and agar-agar to achieve a very soft almost running gel. A little extra of agar-agar the “cake” will turn into a flavorless jelly, a little “too little” and the “cake” will not hold its shape. Therefore the amount of agar-agar is very critical.

After searching through the internet I found that the ratio of agar-agar to water varied from 0.25% to 3% meaning that in 1 cup (250ml) of water the amount of agar-agar varied from 0.625g to 7.5g…yes, you read it right…so here is where my “experiments” started…

I started with the percentage that I used to use when working in the microbiology lab, 1.5%…then went down drastically since it gave me a jelly ball so hard that I could almost throw on the floor and it would bounce back. I taper down to 0.5%, then to 0.25% (not bad) but wanted to push lower and went to 0.1% which the gel barely set…finally decided to add a bit more and went for 0.2%. Yes, it did work! My notes reminded me of my lab notebook with all the calculations since I was varying the amount of water as well. As a result of all these “experiments” I just can tell you that you have to do your own “experiment” since the consistency will depend entirely on the quality of the agar-agar you use. The nice thing is that you are literally playing with water…

When I presented raindrop cake to my husband he loved it…the “cake” melt almost instantly in your mouth, the combination of the slightly sweet, rosy aroma just give you a clean, pure, light and refreshing feeling…something that it is hard to describe, somehow stir your senses…very hard to explain…now I kind of understand the hype over this particular dessert. With this said, I think that the most important thing besides achieving the correct texture the taste should match its “clean” look…then everything comes is harmony…magical!

Instrument and Ingredients:

  • Scale, a good one
  • Water (I used filter)
  • Agar-agar
  • Sugar (optional)
  • Flavoring component, I added rosewater in this particular one, and in the future I plan to add orange blossom water, cucumber infused water, mint infused water, strawberry infused water…and my list goes on and on…

Method:

Weigh the agar-agar and place in a small pot. Add a little water until the agar-agar is totally moist. Heat the remaining water and pour over the agar-agar.

Place the water with agar-agar in the low-medium heat. Stir constantly until all the agar-agar is dissolved. Add sugar and the flavoring.

Pour into the mold and let it refrigerate for 1 hour.

Unmold the “cake” and serve with something sweet such a maple syrup, simple syrup…

I added rosewater on the agar-agar mixture once it was all dissolved and ready to be pour into the molds. Just before serving I grated a bit of pistachio (to give some color contrast) and drizzled simple syrup made with organic crystal sugar.

I hope you enjoy this fun recipe using molecular gastronomy technique…for more recipes like this please check on Honey Caviar or Coconut Panna Cotta with Mango Sphere recipes

Did you know that agar-agar was discovered in Japan? Agar-agar is a derivative from seaweed and has no calories, no sugar, no carbohydrates, no fat, and packed with fiber. Agar-agar if vegetarian and a great substitute for gelatin.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Pearl Meatballs

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These is a simple recipe for meatballs covered with a layer of glutinous rice. The combination of texture is just magical…

Have you ever missed food that you used to eat when little? When living in Brazil my mom used to make these meatballs covered with a layer of glutinous rice, aka sticky rice. Since I am a big fan of anything “glutinous” it is not surprise that this would be one of my favorite dishes. Now, don’t ask me why pearl, as from my understanding pearl should be smooth and elegant and the look of this so called “pearl meatballs” do not resemble in any way or shape (maybe the shape being round) of a pearl…to me personally they look more like an albino porcupine…with the glutinous rice going in every possible direction.

Regardless of the shape and name, the combination of the juicy meatball with the sticky rice is just amazing…you will not believe how tasty and detectable this combination is until you try it. I must admit that mine did not come out as nice looking as I remember my mom’s…but still tasted terrific. As for my husband, it was his first time seeing and eating these meatballs covered with “sticky” rice and for my surprised he enjoyed it. It is a very simple recipe, you just need a little planning as the glutinous rice needs to the soaked overnight for easy cooking.

So gather the ingredients below and give these little pearls or whatever name you like a try.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup glutinous rice
  • 1 lb lean ground pork
  • 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ginger,  finely grated
  • 3 stalks green onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cooking wine
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Green peas, soybean and/or carrot in cubes for decoration

Method:

The day before, rinse the sticky rice until the water runs mostly clear and soak overnight at room temperature.

On the day, drain well all the water from the glutinous rice by using a strainer and transfer on a deep dish or plate.

Mix the ground pork with all the other ingredients together except the glutinous rice, carrot and pea. Mix well, until all the meat and the other ingredients are binding together.

Make small balls with the meat mixture. I personally put a glove on my left hand and pick a small amount of the meat mixture, gently make a fist and scoop the balls of meat forming in between my thumb and pointer finger using a wet spoon so the meatballs will not stick to it.

Gently drop the meatball on the plate with the glutinous rice and roll the balls until all of it is coated with the glutinous rice. Repeat the process with the remaining meat mixture.

Decorate each meatball with carrot or pea.

Steam the meatballs on high heat for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until the meatballs and the glutinous rice are completely cooked. The glutinous rice will be somewhat translucent.

Serve hot with soy sauce, chili sauce or both.

Did you know that glutinous rice is gluten free? Yes, the name is very deceiving…it is called glutinous due to its stickiness and glue-like after cooking. Glutinous rice is also called sticky rice and sweet rice. Glutinous rice is also ground to make flour and used in many Asian desserts, also know as mocha flour.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Celery Salad with San-J Sauce

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This is simple salad recipe using mainly blanched celery and tossed with San-J organic soy sauce.

This is a very simple and easy recipe using mainly blanched celery, yes blanched celery…this way the celery still crunchy and yet somehow delicate.

I accepted the invitation to try more San-J sauces, they were sent to me without charge, and I did not receive any compensation for this post and all the content and opinion in this post are solely mine. I decided to use the gluten free organic tamari soy sauce in this recipe, and I love it, especially because this is a reduced sodium version of soy sauce. You can look for more San-J sauces here and pick your favorite one.

In Asian cuisine, salad is not very common, most of the so called vegetable “cold dishes” are either blanched or somehow pickled. Therefore I used similar method to make this celery salad. I hope you get to try, because the texture of this blanched celery is very different from the fresh cut ones. The addition of soy sauce and sesame oil gives this salad an Asian twist.

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 celery stalks, cut into strips
  • San-J Tamari organic soy sauce to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • Chili oil, to taste
  • Cilantro, chopped

Method:

Boil water in a medium pot. Add the celery and blanch for approximately 1 minute.

In the meantime prepare a bowl with cold water and ice cube.

Drain the water from the celery and immediately place the celery into the ice bowl of water.

Once the celery strips are ice cold drain well and place them in a bowl.

Add on the celery strips San-J soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil. Toss gently until all the celery strips are coated with the sauce.

Finally toss in the chopped cilantro. Serve cold.

If you enjoy this simple recipe of celery salad you might want to check on Spinach Salad with Ponzu Sauce.

Did you know that celery is an excellent source of vitamin K in spite of its low-calorie content?
Moreover, celery contains sodium, therefore the slightly savory flavor.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Brazilian Egg Yolk Custard with Coconut

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This is a recipe for a Brazilian inspired recipe for egg yolk custard with coconut.  This is so creamy and rich, a traditional dessert from Brazil.

Quindim is a popular Brazilian baked dessert made from sugar, eggs and coconut. It is extremely sweet (in most cases) and very much addictive.

Since quindins (plural for quindim) are very ready available in almost every corner…yes, literally every corner…I did not have the need to bake my own when living there…now that we do not have this treat around I decided to bake my own…and of course to the internet I go…I came across hundreds of recipes…mainly they all have the same ingredients, varying only in ratio. As mention above, quindins are extremely sweet, therefore my search for a “perfect” version of quindim was a big mission, I was looking for a recipe not overly sweet and at the same time without losing the magic of it…meaning, bright yellow color with an incredible creamy, sticky consistency. After comparing recipes and going through many calculations…I think I pretty much nailed it down.

One more thing…apparently, now days in Brazil it is very popular finding quindins with flavors, such as chocolate, apricot, passionfruit, walnut, coffee, pistachio, pineapple and so on…I yet have to try them, but from what I have seen, I think I will still go for the original one…

This is a very simple recipe, only 4 ingredients, and no especial machinery or technique. This recipe was inspired from here please feel free to double or triple (original) the recipe. You can bake it either in small muffin size mold or in pie pan. Please note that initially the coconut layer will be on top when pouring the batter, once baked, and flipped on a plat, the coconut layer will be on the bottom and the creamy dark yellow layer will be on the top.

Ingredients:

  • 5 egg yolks
  • 17 g coconut (fresh or dry)
  • 65 ml coconut milk
  • 50 g sugar
  • Butter and sugar for coating the pan

Method:

Preheat an oven to 350F

Prepare the pan (approximately 11 cm or 4 ½ in) by coating it with butter and sugar generously.

Pass the egg yolks through the strainer to remove all the membranes from the egg yolk/white.

Add sugar to the egg yolks and mix. Add the coconut and then the coconut milk. Mix until homogenous.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan in a larger oven safe pan. Pour boiling water into the bottom of the larger pan to reach about half-way up the side of pan with the custard (bain-marie).

Bake in the preheated oven until slightly golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

Let it cool completely before turning out onto a serving dish.

Refrigerate, serve cold.

If you enjoy this simple Brazilian dessert, you might want to check on Flan.

 Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Chia Sprouts

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Now that yo have chia seed sprouts what you should do with it? Just toss it in your salad, in between your sandwich or just as a garnishment. I enjoy it in my cucumber and tomato salad.

Oh! Before I forget…I hope all the mom’s out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day!

In this cucumber and tomato salad, I just added fresh squeezed lime juice, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper…nothing else…it is simple and so tasty…

I hope you enjoy this simple salad recipe and this post get you going on sprouting chia seeds…

Did you know that chia seed gel can be used in food formulation as thickening and emulsifying agent as well as stabilizer in frozen food?

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!