1920s English Breakfast

We are familiar with the Full English, which typically includes back bacon, sausages, eggs, fried or grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, black pudding, baked beans, and toast or fried bread.

I wanted to go back to earlier times and came across a simpler menu from the 1920s, which includes cold and fried meats, eggs, porridge, and toast. I have (a) banger, eggs, steel cut oats, and tomato (no bread, unfortunately), so this is my adaptation.

• 1/4 cup steel-cut oats
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tblsp sugar
• 1 tblsp butter
• 1 banger
• 1/2 tblsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tomato
• salt and pepper to taste
• tea (I like Earl Grey) with milk and sugar

1. Boil milk with oats and sugar in a saucepan for 5 minutes.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and fry the banger until cooked. Remove.
3. Add oil to the skillet. Fry eggs until the egg white is solid, spooning hot oil over the eggs occasionally. Remove.
4. Briefly fry the tomato.
5. Plate the banger, eggs, and tomatoes. Season the eggs and tomato with salt and pepper. 
6. Serve with a bowl of porridge and enjoy with a cup of tea. 

Labor Day Weekend Salads

I don’t really like salads, but since Labor Day marks the end of Summer, I thought salads would be appropriate. Both salads can be served at room temperature.

Potato Salad

I don’t really like, and hardly ever eat, potatoes, but I had purchased too many potatoes for Railway Mutton (Goat) Curry and needed to find a way to use the extra potatoes that is not baked or mashed potatoes, or chips, or fries, or scalloped potatoes, or …. In other words, I’m a picky eater. I used oat milk to avoid dairy. Substitute with vegan mayo if you want to make this vegan.

• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 2 medium potatoes, unpeeled
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup oat milk
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili pepper powder
• 1 tsp salt
• lettuce leaves
• chopped scallions for garnish

1. Pour boiling water over peas and carrots and set aside.
2. Heat potatoes and enough water to cover in a large saucepan over high heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook 20 minutes until tender. Remove potatoes to cool. 
3. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut potatoes into ½” cubes.
4. Drain the peas and carrots.
5. In a mixing bowl, gently toss potatoes, peas and carrots, mayonnaise, oat milk, black pepper, chili pepper powder, and salt until well mixed.
6. Line salad plates with lettuce leaves and spoon salad on the lettuce.
7. Garnish with chopped scallions.

Kale Rice Salad with Sweet Chili Dressing

I know kale is mainly a Winter vegetable, but I like dark leafy greens. (I’ve always liked any iteration of [dark, leafy] greens, beans, and rice.) I had purchased the kale without planning what I was going to make with it. I used some for Kale Yellow Lentil Soup, and I needed to use it before I had to throw it away, so here’s my vaguely Asian Kale Salad.

• 1 cup raw kale leaves
• 1 tblsp sesame oil
• 2 tblsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup cold, cooked rice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 tblsp sugar
• 2 tblsp sweet chilli sauce
• toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions for garnish

1. Discard rough stems from the kale and tear the leaves into small pieces.
2. Whisk together sesame oil and vinegar. Pour over the kale in a mixing bowl.
3. Massage the kale for about 2 minutes until softened.
4. Add rice, salt, white pepper, sugar, and sweet chili sauce and mix thoroughly.
5. Serve on salad plates and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Tandoori Chicken Thighs

 

I wanted to try my hand at Tandoori Chicken but didn’t want to mix my own tandoori masala (I have most but not all of the spices and didn’t want to buy more spices). I had purchased tandoori masala for Chicken Balti, so this was convenient. 

Tandoori Chicken in restaurants are usually red in color because of coloring. I didn’t use any coloring.

Since I don’t have a tandoori oven (obviously) or an outdoor grill, and I didn’t want to fire up the oven, I grilled the chicken over the stove on a grill pan.

• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2”fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• juice from half a lemon
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tblsp tandoori masala
• 1 tblsp chili pepper powder
• 2 tblsp vegetable oil
• lemon wedges

1. Pat dry chicken with paper towels and make 3 to 4 deep slits each.
2. Roughly chop garlic and ginger and grind with salt and lemon juice to a paste.
3. In a large zip top bag, mix yogurt, ginger garlic paste, tandoori masala, and chili pepper powder.
4. Add chicken to the marinade and coat thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Remove chicken from the fridge and let rest for 10 minutes. Take the chicken out of the marinade and blot off excess marinade.
6. Heat a liberally-oiled grill pan over high heat.
7. Grill the chicken presentation side up for 7 minutes. Turn and repeat.
8. Remove from the grill pan and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges before serving.

Ovaltine-Greek Yogurt-Soy Milk Beverage

 

I had extra Greek yogurt and I had a craving for something chocolatey, so I decided to make something similar to a smoothie but without any fruit.

• 1 cup water
• 2 tblsp sugar
• 2 tblsp Ovaltine
• 3 tblsp soy milk powder
• 2 tblsp Greek yogurt

Blend everything in a blender until smooth.

Chicken Balti

 

Technically, this is not a balti. A balti is a dish cooked in a balti (similar to a wok), so since I don’t have an actual balti, it’s not technically a balti.

Balti (the dish) was first introduced to Birmingham, UK around 1975 by a local Pakistani restaurateur as a fast-cooked, mildly spiced dish. He had a wok-style bowl (balti) specially designed in Birmingham so the dish could be made on the stove and served at the table in the same bowl.

I found only one Pakistani-Indian restaurant in Chicago that has balti on the menu, but they use mutton. I was looking for the British version.

I used my electric wok for the round bottom and convenient presentation at the dining table.

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 1 serrano pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 tblsp tomato paste
• 2 tblsp tandoori masala
• 2 tsp Madras curry powder
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into 1”chunks
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tblsp apple cider vinegar
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• juice of 1/2 lime
• hot, cooked rice

1. Heat the ghee in an electric wok over high heat.
2. Sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent. 
   
3. Add the garlic and ginger and stir to combine.
4. Add the tandoori masala and curry powder and give it a quick stir.
5. Add the serrano pepper, tomato, and tomato paste.
6. Brown the chicken pieces in the onion mixture.
7. Add water and chicken bouillon powder and simmer for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 
   
8. Add the cider vinegar and simmer for another minute. 
   
9. Season with black pepper to taste and then add the lime juice.
10. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Nondairy Chilled Cucumber Soup

 

I was looking for a cucumber soup recipe that did not have yogurt or avocado. I saw one that uses almond milk and adapted it for soy milk with added steel-cut oats.

• 1/4 cup cut steel-cut oats, soaked overnight in 1 cup water
• 1 cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1 cup water
• 3 tblsp soy milk powder
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup green onions
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

1. Blend everything in a blender.
2. Strained and erve chilled.

Phall

 

Phall is a British-Indian curry known for its intense heat, often considered the hottest curry in the world. It originated in Bangladeshi-owned curry houses of Birmingham, England. Phall is not found in Bangladesh, and I can’t find it on any restaurant’s menu in Chicago. How can I resist?

Another contender for the hottest curry in the world is Carolina Reaper Karahi, which appears to be offered at one Mancunian restaurant only, and only for a limited time, so I don’t think it counts as an established dish, plus I don’t have pure Carolina Reaper hot sauce, anyway.

I have a lot of hot sauces; some are a combination of ghost pepper, scorpion, and Carolina Reaper, which makes them even hotter, but the one Ghost Pepper hot sauce I used is fairly devoid of additional ingredients, and I didn’t really want to buy or handle ghost peppers. I made up for it with ghost pepper flakes in the spice mix.

The recipes I’ve seen use chicken breast. I prefer dark meat; I think dark meat has more flavor. This was a fairly quick dish. The most time consuming was cutting up the chicken.

• 1 skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut into very small, almost chopped, pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tblsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tblsp finely chopped ginger
• 3 tblsp cup chopped scallion
• 1/2 tblsp curry powder
• 1 tsp chili pepper powder
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tblsp Ghost Pepper flakes
• 4 tblsp tomato paste
• 1 tblsp pure Ghost Pepper hot sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• hot, cooked basmati rice
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• red pepper flakes to taste

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan to medium heat and sauté onions until soft.
3. Add the chicken and cook until mostly cooked through.
4. Set aside 1 tblsp of chopped scallion and add garlic, ginger, and the rest of the scallion to the pan. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant.
5. Add curry powder, chili pepper powder, cardamom, turmeric, cumin, tomato paste, hot sauce, water, and chicken bouillon powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Ladle the curry over basmati rice.
7. Garnish with lime wedges, extra scallion, and red pepper flakes.

Railway Mutton (Goat) Curry

 

(Note: South Asians use “Mutton” to refer to Goat and “Lamb” to refer to Mutton. This recipe uses goat meat.)

I’ve been wanting to try Railway Mutton Curry, an Anglo-Indian dish created in India to make it milder than traditional mutton (goat) curry, ever since I read about it, but it is not on any restaurant’s menu.

It was first served on The Blue Train between Bombay and Calcutta and in the Refreshment Rooms at Victoria Terminus Station in Bombay.

It is traditionally served with dinner rolls.

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tblsp chopped ginger
• 4 tblsp ghee
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 5 green cardamom
• 4 dried red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1½ tsp coriander, roasted and ground
• 1½ tsp cumin, roasted and ground 
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 lbs bone-in goat meat
• 2 medium large potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 2 tblsp of apple cider vinegar
• 1 13.5-oz can coconut milk

1. Blend onion, garlic, and ginger in a blender.
2. Heat ghee in a large pot on medium heat and add the whole spices. 
3. Once the spices are aromatic, add the onion-garlic-ginger paste, chopped tomatoes, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, and salt. 
4. Sauté until oil appears on the surface and the mixture turns light brown. Add splashes of water from time to time to avoid burning. Keep stirring.
5. Sear the meat on all sides and fry it for about 5 minutes, stirring often. 
6. Add 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, and cover with a lid. Simmer for 90 minutes until the meat is cooked but not fall-apart tender.
7. Add the potatoes, cover again with the lid, and let it cook for 25 minutes.
8. Add the vinegar and the coconut milk. Let it simmer for 5 minutes then turn off heat.

Peppery Hamburger Patty and Fried Egg Over Rice, with Side of Macaroni Salad

 

This is my adaptation of a Loco Moco Plate Lunch using Black Pepper Sauce instead of mushroom/beef gravy. To give it a plate lunch feel, I served the dish in a takeout container.

• 6 cups water
• 1 tblsp salt
• 1 tblsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 1/3-lb hamburger patty
• 2 tblsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tblsp butter
• 1 egg
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tblsp black pepper sauce, diluted with 1 tblsp boiling water
• hot, cooked rice

1. Bring water with salt and vinegar to a boil and add elbow macaroni. Gently boil macaroni for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse briefly under cold running water to bring it down to room temperature. Drain and stir in mayo. Set aside. 
2. Douse the hamburger patty on both sides with Worcestershire sauce. Let the sauce penetrate the patty for about 15 minutes and pat dry.
3. Melt butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Sear the patty on both sides, then fry each side for 3 minutes. Remove and place on paper towel to absorb excess grease.
4. Crack the egg into the same frying pan and fry over medium low heat until the egg white is just cooked. Periodically spoon hot oil over the egg. Do not flip.
5. Put rice in a takeout box. Place the patty over the rice, pour over with diluted black pepper sauce, and lay the egg on top. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Serve with Macaroni Salad on the side.

Soy Milk Horchata

 

Horchata is one of my favorite beverages, but it’s usually made with milk. To avoid dairy, I used soy milk instead (most vegan versions use almond milk).

• 2 tblsp raw sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water 
• 3 tblsp soy milk powder mixed with 1 cup water
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, washed and drained
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups boiling water
• ice
• additional cinnamon stick for garnish

1. Add dissolved raw sugar to the soy milk. Chill in the fridge overnight.
2. Put rice and 1 cinnamon stick in a large bowl and pour in boiling water.
3. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and let rest overnight. 
4. Remove cinnamon stick. Blend with chilled sweetened soy milk until smooth.
5. Strain through cheesecloth into a large bowl. Squeeze or press down with a spoon to pass as much liquid through as possible.
6. Serve over ice. Garnish with additional cinnamon stick.

Omelette Burger

 

I love Ramly burgers, but I don’t have the patience to make my own patty to approximate an authentic Ramly patty. There is only one restaurant in Chicago that has Ramly Burger on the menu, but getting it delivered would cost twice as much after fees and tips, so this is my take using many of the same condiments and toppings. It’s messy but so good.

• 1 1/3-lb beef burger patty
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 1 tblsp butter
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten with salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper sauce
• whole lettuce leaves
• 1 large tomato slice
• thin cucumber slices
• 1 tsp mayo
• 1 tsp sweet chili sauce
• 1 soft white bap, halved, toasted, and buttered

1. Mix Worcestershire sauce with salt and white pepper and lightly brush on both sides of the patty.
2. Melt butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Sear both sides of the patty and fry for 3 minutes on each side. Remove and drain on paper towel.
3. Add vegetable oil to the pan.
4. Pour the seasoned beaten egg into the oiled pan. Return the party to the pan immediately before the egg sets. Wrap the patty in the beaten egg like a parcel.
5. Assemble the burger in this order and secure with a skewer:

• Bottom half of toasted and buttered bap
• Black pepper sauce
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Wrapped patty
• Mayo
• Sweet chili sauce
• Top half of toasted and buttered bap

Chilled Noodles

 

I came across a recipe for Hiyashi Chuka, which, according to Wikipedia (I know!), was invented in 1937 by a Chinese restaurant in Japan adapted from liangbanmian (涼拌麵). It was originally called ryanbanmyen (リャンバンミェン) and then became known as "hiyashi chuka" in the late 1950s.

The original recipe involves a lot of juilienned ingredients, which I don’t have and didn’t feel like going to the store for, so I just used dried (not instant) ramen and ham only. It’s the dressing that makes it what it is, and I have the ingredients. I did use raw sugar because that’s the only sugar I have. I don’t have rice vinegar, so I substituted with white wine vinegar. I love furikake, so I used that to give it a Japanese vibe.

• 3.5 oz (1 bundle) dried ramen, cooked according to instructions, drained, and rinsed in cold water
• 2 slices ham, cut into thin strips
• 1 tblsp soy sauce
• 2 tblsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tblsp water
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp furikake

1. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl.
2. Toss cool noodles and ham in the sauce.
3. Plate and sprinkle with furikake before serving.

Oat-Lentil-Rice Chicken Soup

This was totally improvised. I have steel cut oats, rice, and yellow lentils, so I decided to make something similar to chicken congee but also borrowing from oat porridge and khichri.

• 2 tblsp each of steel cut oats, rice, and yellow lentils, soaked for 1/2 hour, then drained
• 3 cups water
• 1 tblsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• white pepper to taste

1. Add oats, rice, yellow lentils, water, and chicken bouillon powder to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then burn the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
2. Add shredded chicken and turn off the heat. Cover and let sit for 1/2 hour.
3. Ladle into individual serving bowls and stir in white pepper before serving.

Jasmine Lager

Marz Brewery does a Jasmine Lager exclusively for Triple Crown, which they describe as Rice Lager with Jasmine Tea, with a 5.4% ABV.

I once took inspiration from the Jasmine Lager and steeped an Earl Grey teabag in lager (any cheap lager will do) for at least 15 minutes. It turned out not bad, since I could smell and taste the Earl Grey. I had also previously tried doing the same with Chinese green tea; that didn’t work since it wasn’t fragrant enough. Darjeeling sort of worked, but the aroma and flavor were too subtle. Jasmine works really well because of its fragrance and flavor.

• 1 16-oz can chilled lager
• 1 tblsp Jasmine Dragon Pearls

1. Put the Jasmine Dragon Pearls in a cocktail shaker and gently pour in 1/4 cup lager. Put the rest of the lager in the fridge.
2. Let the Jasmine Dragon Pearls steep for at least 15 minutes. Strain into a chilled beer glass, goblet, or mug.
3. Gently top with the remaining lager.

Basic Congee

Congee is the ultimate comfort food. It requires very few ingredients, and it is gentle on the stomach. The basic rice to water ratio that I like is 1:12. If you have fresh ginger (I didn't), you can add julienned fresh ginger to the water for extra flavor. I added leftover cooked chicken (I like the chicken shredded rather than diced or cubed) to give it some protein.

• 1/4 cup rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 tblsp small dried scallops
• 1/2 cooked chicken breast, shredded
• white pepper to taste

1. Put rice, water, and dried scallops in a saucepan and bring to a boil. 
2. Lay two wooden spoons across the top of the saucepan and balance the lid on top of the wooden spoons. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 1 hour.
3. Stir in cooked chicken to heat through.
4. Season with white pepper before serving.

Creamy Macaroni Salad

 

This is an adaptation of a Hawaiian Mac Salad with Japanese mayo.

• 1/4 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 tsp raw sugar dissolved in 1 tblsp of boiling water
• 1 tblsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup mayo

1. Cook elbow macaroni in salted water beyond al dente. Drain.
2. Toss cooked elbow macaroni with dissolved raw sugar and apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl. Drain off excess liquid. 
3. Add mayo and mix well.

Kale Yellow Lentil Soup

 

I had bought kale without knowing yet what I wanted to make with it. I didn’t want to make dal bhat or khichri, so I make a soup instead. It is not vegan, since there is ghee in it, but you can substitute ghee with olive oil to make it vegan.

• 1/4 cups yellow lentils, soaked for at least 1/2 hour, then rinsed and drained
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tblsp ghee
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1 plum tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/2 tsp cumin seed
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp chili pepper powder (not chili powder)

1. Put yellow lentils, water, turmeric, and ghee in a saucepan and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour.
2. Add kale, tomato, salt, and red pepper flakes and bring back to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour.
3. Remove from heat and puree in a blender.
4. Meanwhile, heat a small frying over high heat and toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds for about 30 seconds. Grind to a fine powder and stir in chili pepper powder. Pour into the soup, cover, and let soak for about 5 minutes.