Simply Almond Tofu (杏仁豆腐)

by Mike Hsu // 10/22/2017 // 33 Comments

My experience of almond tofu (also known as almond jello or almond jelly) is basically the ‘free’ dessert that Chinese restaurants give you at the end of the meal. It’s better than the free soup at the beginning of the... Continue reading →

Mizu Yokan (水ようかん / 水羊羹)

by Mike Hsu // 10/08/2016 // 2 Comments

Today, we will be making mizu yokan (水ようかん) which is a lighter version of the traditional neri yokan by adding more water and is great for warmer days. This recipe concludes my series on red bean but also kicks off... Continue reading →

Red Bean Soup (紅豆湯)

by Mike Hsu // 08/26/2016 // 2 Comments

Red beans are a good source of protein and in Asia, bean are preferred to be sweetened instead of salty. The simplest yet most satisfying dessert after a meal would be the red bean soup. In the hot summer months,... Continue reading →

Red Bean Slush (紅豆冰沙)

by Mike Hsu // 08/12/2016 // No Comments

On a scorching hot summer day, nothing cools you down more than an ice cold glass of red bean slush ((紅豆冰沙) also known as a red bean smoothie. It’s sweet but not overpowering with a rich flavor of red beans... Continue reading →

Red Bean Paste (紅豆沙 / こしあん)

by Mike Hsu // 08/05/2016 // 5 Comments

Here is the second version of the base ingredient for many Asian desserts, the Red Bean Paste. The first version, Sweetened Red Bean recipe from the other day is a bit easier, so it was introduced first. This version requires... Continue reading →

Sweetened Red Bean (蜜紅豆)

by Mike Hsu // 08/02/2016 // 1 Comment

Red bean is such a versatile and popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, especially when it comes to desserts. I was fortunate to find some organic red beans at my local Asian supermarket so I picked a few packets up. So... Continue reading →

Instant Chow Mein

by Mike Hsu // 03/27/2016 // 2 Comments

I always look forward to our Mike vs Jeff Challenge series because it allows me to be more creative than the typical dishes that I make. I still drool over my Tropical Oreo Chicken Katsu Sliders with Spicy Kiwi Slaw... Continue reading →

seaweed shrimp roll - closeup-chopsticks

Seaweed Shrimp Roll (海苔蝦捲)

by Mike Hsu // 03/13/2016 // No Comments

I love going to dim sum because, like tapas, you can order so many different kinds of dishes and have a small bite of everything. The key to a good dim sum experience is to go in a group... Continue reading →

Drunken Chicken (醉雞)

by Mike Hsu // 02/28/2016 // No Comments

Drunken chicken is an excellent appetizer because it’s simple to make with everyday ingredients and have a very unique yet mild flavor. What I love about this dish is that you can make some in advance because the dish is... Continue reading →

Yuan Xiao (元宵)

by Jeff Kang // 02/22/2016 // 4 Comments

For Chinese people, Lantern festival marks the end of the winter. People usually will eat a very special kind of food to celebrate the end of a severe winter and get ready for the exciting spring! What is that call?... Continue reading →

Taiwanese Pepper Bun (胡椒餅)

by Mike Hsu // 02/14/2016 // 17 Comments

What I love about our Mike vs Jeff series is that we always strive to challenge ourselves to do something that we’ve never done before. Many people make it look easy on tv but a lot of techniques takes countless... Continue reading →

Steam fried bun (水煎包)

by Jeff Kang // 02/08/2016 // 6 Comments

Each time, when we want to do a new Asian recipe, we need to find out the best English name of the dish. It has become harder as the recipes become less well-known in America but still very representative of... Continue reading →

Shrimp Balls (蝦丸)

by Mike Hsu // 01/31/2016 // No Comments

If you haven’t noticed yet, we love to eat shrimp, whether deep fried, stir fried, steamed, boiled, or mashed into a paste. What I love about the shrimp balls is that I can make a bunch and freeze them for... Continue reading →

shumai (燒賣)

by Jeff Kang // 01/25/2016 // 1 Comment

When I went to high school in Taiwan, we had a set of cooking classes which basically taught us how to cook some simple dishes at home. It was a really fun class and we cooked several different dishes. Shumai... Continue reading →

Deep Fried Squid Balls (炸花枝丸)

by Mike Hsu // 01/17/2016 // No Comments

In Asia, fish paste is used in so many different styles of cuisines and recipes, from standard boiled fished balls, to stir fry fish cakes, to deep fried fish balls. One of my favorite seafood is squid because it has... Continue reading →