I was on a time crunch trying to make Korean BBQ short ribs (Galbi) because I had guests coming over last minute. Has this ever happened to you?
Well, whether you are in a time crunch like me or just looking for an easy way to make galbi, I highly recommend using your blender bottle!
After you get your short ribs (I got mine from my neighborhood Whole Foods!) make sure to rinse it and then let it sit in cold water for at least 3 hours so that the blood can drain from the meat. Be sure to also switch out the water once every hour or so.
Putting short ribs into a large bowl to soak
Soaking the short ribs
I started out by blending half an onion and one small apple. Then, I added about 1 cup of soy sauce, 1/2 cup of sugar, 3 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp minced ginger, 2 Tbsp of sesame oil and 2 Tbsp black pepper in the blender bottle. Then I switched out the lid to a blender bottle lid with a spout.
Marinating the short ribs
Make sure to layer the meat and sauce!
Once the meat marinated for at least 3 hours, it was ready to grill and eat!
The seasoning was a success and everyone enjoyed the meal! I hope you enjoy it too!
Look out Columbus! There is a new food truck that is serving up pizza, burgers, and wings with Indian spices.
Moon Pizza just opened up around 5 months ago and they are looking to take on Columbus through their flavorful offerings and Indian fusion dishes! They put an Indian twist to American favorites like burgers, pizza and wings. They have tasty appetizers like their masala chicken wings, samosa burger, and aloo tikki chaat.
I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking to Bunty, the owner, who shared that he was inspired by Indian pizza trucks he saw in California and was determined to bring the innovative flavor to the food scene in Columbus. He is joined by his friend, Prianca, who is helping him realize his dreams by helping out when she is not working her other job. The chefs, Jaskaran and Mukul, bring their cooking expertise to bring delicious flavors to life through the items they offer. I was even able to tour and see how their food is made, and could definitely tell that they put their heart and soul into their food!
Had fun talking to the team!
When you pull up to the food truck, don’t be surprised that it is in the back parking lot of Homewood Suites. Although the location can be off-putting for some, it is well worth it since there is plenty of space to eat in your car, outside the car, or at one of the two standing tables they have set up. Bunty, the owner of the food truck, shared how he had some troubles fighting to keep the space since the city authorities were pushing him to move.
Food truck in the parking lot
They serve vegetarian and non-vegetarian options to fit a variety of dietary preferences.
We wanted to try a variety of items so the pizza combo meal gave us the perfect combination since we could get any 2 pizzas, burger, and 2 soft drinks for $33.99.
The Chicken Keema Burger was delicious. Keema means minced meat, so the patty comprised of a minced chicken patty seasoned with Indian spices, which is then grilled and paired with grilled paneer, tomatoes, onions, and topped with a homemade sauce. This burger was slightly spicy and the texture of minced meat was very interesting since the meat comes apart in your mouth, which made it easier to eat, and soaked in the flavor of the spices so well.
Chicken Keema BurgerCross section of the burger
Their pizzas are made to order and baked in a stone oven to create a crispy yet soft texture.
The Chicken 65 Pizza is the perfect option for those who like spice. The workers warned us about the spice level and I will say, they are not playing around here! This pizza is loaded with flavor from their tandoori marinated chicken, combined with curry leaves, cumin, mustard seeds, mozzarella cheese, red onions, bell peppers, and cilantro. To elevate the spices, they add crushed dried chili peppers at the end. It was easily a level 6.5-7 for me and the heat definitely built up, so just beware if you are wanting to try it!
Chicken 65 Pizza
If you are wanting a milder and vegetarian option, I highly recommend the Potato Masala Pizza. This pizza is topped with sliced potatoes, combined with masala sauce, mozzarella cheese, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro. It is so flavorful and since potato is not a topping that you can readily find at pizza places in the U.S., I really enjoyed the texture of potatoes combined with the spices. It also comes with a side of crushed crunchy noodle pieces, which adds a nice texture to the pizza.
Potato Masala Pizza Loved the side of crispy noodles
The pizzas and burgers are also served with 2 ranch sauces made in-house. The sauces are cilantro and mint ranch, which is creamy with a stronger flavor from the herbs, and a tandoori ranch, which is a creamy, savory ranch with an ever-slight kick. These sauces were phenomenal and complemented the pizzas so well.
I also tried their mango lassi, which was super creamy and not too sweet. It’s the perfect antidote to spiciness as well!
If you like what they offer, Moon Pizza also does catering for parties and gatherings. They offer a variety of chaat, including pani puri, samosa, and burger stations with a variety of toppings.
Moon Pizza’s catering options
I cannot wait to see how this business continues to flourish and bring Indian inspired flavors to diversify Columbus’s food scene!
Location: 3861 Park Mill Run Dr, Hilliard, OH 43026
Egg tarts have always been one of my favorite items when eating dim sum. I never thought I would be able to make it at home until my friend shared her grandmother’s egg tart recipe!
We added vanilla extract which made it a yellower color and gave it a hint of vanilla flavor. If you like the traditional egg tart taste then you could definitely do without.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!
This recipe makes 12 egg tarts.
Ingredients:
1/3 block cream cheese
Butter 4 oz
1 cup flour
2 cups and 1 ounce milk – heat 1 minute in microwave (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/4 Tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
1. Combine flour, cream cheese, and butter and knead with hand until it becomes a dough
Kneading the dough
2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight
Dough ready to be refrigerated!
3. Heat milk in microwave and add sugar. Stir well.
Combining milk and sugar
4. Whisk eggs. Pour in milk mixture slowly in parts while whisking. Add vanilla and stick in fridge for at least one hour
Whisking milk mixture into eggs
5. Take out refrigerated dough. Cut into 12 parts. Shape into circles.
6. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick oil
7. Shape the dough in the muffin tins so it fills up the sides. Poke a few holes on the bottom of the crust
Making the tart crusts!
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
9. Strain egg mixture twice right when filling the crusts. Fill about 4/5 of the crust so it does not overflow
First strain the egg mixture itselfStrain before filling the crust
10. Bake for 20 minutes
11. Take out and cool for 15-20 minutes and enjoy!
Finished egg tarts!Ready to enjoy! Was the perfect sweetness!
A friend recently gifted me a electric hand mixer so I’ve been experimenting with baking! With the weather getting warmer and camping season here, I thought s’mores cookies with be the perfect treat whether you are enjoying these in the comfort of your home or on the go!
This recipe was shared with me by a friend- I was able to make a batch of 22 cookies! I made some modifications by swapping out regular chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips and using cinnamon graham crackers instead of plain graham crackers. Feel free to make your own adaptations!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
Directions:
1. Melt cold butter in a skillet, mixing it until the crackling stops and brown bits form on the bottom. Be careful not to burn the butter. After the butter turns amber brown, transfer it to a small bowl and cool to room temperature.
Melted butter should look golden brownMelted butter at room temperature
2. In a bowl combine softened butter, browned butter from step 1, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy
Beating the sugar and butter
3. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat on low for 1 minute until well incorporated
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, crushed graham crackers, baking soda, and salt
Dry ingredients
5. Add dry ingredients all at once to the butter and sugar and beat on low speed until mixed well
6. Add in the chocolate chips to the batter and mix well
Cookie dough complete!
7. Scoop 1 Tbsp of cookie dough into your hand. Create an indentation in the center of the dough and fill with 3-4 mini marshmallows. Cover with another tsp of cookie dough and roll into a ball so the marshmallows are covered. Repeat for all of the cookie dough.
Making the dough balls! Cover it up with dough so the marshmallows are hidden
8. Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Cookie dough balls
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart and press with a fork to flatten about 1 1/2 inch
Made indentations with a fork to flatten the dough
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes until golden
12. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool further. These cookies taste best warm!
Custard filled bolo bao 菠萝包 is one of my favorite desserts and dim sum items so I finally decided to try making it! I followed the recipe from Elias Family Kitchen’s YouTube channel, with some improvising.
Buns fresh out of the ovenThe custard inside was warm and slightly sweet! So excited to enjoy these!
Next time, I’ll definitely make sure to use a hand mixer and remember that sugar isn’t considered a dry ingredient 😂
For some reason the dough did not rise a lot either so will use warmer water to activate the yeast as well.
It took around 4-5 hours for this first attempt but so happy with the result!
Pro tip: Pop the leftover buns in the microwave or toaster for 20 secs for that fresh baked taste ☺️
After making kimchi with my mom in Korea, she suggested that I try making it for myself in the U.S. since kimchi is pricey here.
Since I could not attempt the full-on version for kimchi and definitely needed a simpler recipe, my mom generously offered her insight and came up with a quicker recipe for homemade kimchi. This recipe is more like fresh geotjeori (quick kimchi that comes sliced already).
It took awhile to wash and brine the veggies, but after that part was done, marinating it was not too hard since it was just one cabbage. All in all, I’m super happy with the results and hope you can enjoy it too!
Freshly marinated kimchi
Ingredients:
1 Napa Cabbage
1/2 Korean radish
4 Tbsp Salt
Water
1 Tbsp chapssalgaru (glutinous rice powder)
1/2 cup Korean crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp Korean anchovy fish sauce
1 Tbsp saeu-jeot (Korean fermented shrimp)
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp minced ginger or ginger powder
Directions:
1. Wash and slice the cabbage into bite sized pieces and brine the cabbage in salt water until the cabbage looks soggy. I separated the leafy parts from the stems, since the stems take longer, and added 4 cups of water and 2 Tbsp of salt to each batch. The leafy parts took about 3 hours and the stems took 5-6 hours to brine. It should feel soft once they are done.
Brining the cabbage
2. Wash and slice the Korean radish into thin squares and brine the Korean radish. I added 3 cups of water and 1 Tbsp of salt. It took around 30 minutes to brine. Once the radish is done, drain it and set it aside.
3. Prepare the marinade by mixing the glutinous rice powder and 7 Tbsp of water and then boiling it. Once it starts boiling reduce the heat to medium low and mix until bubbles form. Make sure it is mixed well.
4. Add the pepper flakes to the rice powder mixture and mix. Then add the anchovy fish sauce, fermented shrimp, garlic, and ginger and mix well. Leave this mixture for around 1-2 hours.
Spicy mix for marinade
5. Once the cabbage is done brining, you can add the marinade to the cabbage and radish and mix it well so that the sauce is evenly distributed
6. Put in a container making sure to pack it densely so that the least amount of air gets in the container.
Packing the kimchi
7. If you like fermented kimchi, leave the container at room temperature for one day so that the kimchi ferments and then move it to the refrigerator. If you like fresh kimchi you can put it straight into the fridge.
Instead of buying a cake this year, decided to try making a Korean carrot cake and it was a success according to my family and aunt’s doggie!
Merry Christmas! A Korean Christmas Carrot CakeDoggo wanted a slice 🤣
I was very much inspired by the Inspired Taste recipe with some modifications! I decided to try using tapioca flour and rice flour because I really like moist and chewy textured cake, didn’t have vanilla extract, only had olive oil, and added dried persimmons since I wanted to add a Korean seasonal fruit. My family also does not like frosting so we skipped on the cream cheese frosting, but it was still sweet enough. If you’re looking for a carrot cake recipe that is relatively easy to follow and pretty healthy (except for all the sugar) then try it out! I even experimented with adding only half the sugar and it was sweet enough for my taste but I recommend trying the 2 cups first and seeing how you like it. I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
1 cup of rice flour 1 cup of tapioca flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 ¼ cups olive oil 2 cups brown sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 3 cups grated peeled carrots 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup chopped dried persimmons
Directions
Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176C).
Whisk rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl
In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, and brown sugar
Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each one.
Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the dry ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth.
Stir in the carrots, nuts, dried persimmons, and raisins.
Grease a cake pan (I used a Bundt cake pan)
Bake for 40 minutes and then cool for 15 minutes before taking it out of the pan
You can add more chopped walnuts as a topping and enjoy!
One of my favorite things to eat in Korea is raw fish sashimi! Sadly, I found out I might not be able to eat it freely anymore.
With Japan beginning to release waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, concerns about the safety of seafood, as well as products like seaweed and anchovies which are an essential part of Korean cuisine, are rising.
I saw the effects of that at Jukdo Fish Market, as the price of seafood products were higher than normal and people were buying up products like anchovies and dried seaweed before the contamination. One of the reasons why I was at the market was so I could get some seafood before the contamination level rises as well. This market is located right by a port so you are guaranteed to get the freshest products.
There were so many varieties of fish, clams, and algae (even one called dead man’s fingers)!
Hairtail fishSquidDead man’s fingers (type of algae)
I got some marinated crabs, pickled squid, and bean leaf kimchi from a banchan store.
marinated crab
Then, I went to the fish stands where you could buy fish by the kg and then they filleted it right there on the spot. There are so many different stands but I went to 태옥이네 (Taeoki’s place).
Different types of fish
The fish was super chewy and paired well with perilla leaves, soy sauce and wasabi, or chojang (gochujang mixed with vinegar). The prices are also worth it since it’s a lot cheaper than going to a restaurant for sashimi.
Here’s our dinner table consisting of the haul from the fish market! Fish, marinated crabs, marinated squid, bean leaf kimchi, and rice!
Highly recommend checking out Jukdo market if you are a seafood lover like me! It’s also right the beach so you can walk by the beach before or after shopping. The only thing I found difficult was that you have to pay for parking at each spot (a few dollars per hour). Once you park, a worker wearing a florescent vest will immediately flag you down to give you a ticket which you can pay for later when you leave.
We pulled into Ivoire Delice after hearing about a new restaurant that specializes in West African cuisine! The exterior was very colorful and interesting, with pictures of different menu items, so look for this since they don’t yet have a sign up.
Front entrance
We ordered the Jollof and chicken (fried) and grilled chicken with “dirty style” onions. All three dishes looked very similar in portion, so I recommend just getting the jollof and chicken since it is a few dollar cheaper. Since they forgot the dirty onions this time, they promised to throw it in for free next time. The owner was very friendly and nice! She kindly explained the different items on the menu for us.
Grilled chicken with jollof, plantains, and cabbageFried chicken with jollof, cabbage, and plantains
The chicken was grilled perfectly and the jollof, which is a West African rice dish, was super flavorful and topped with a delicious savory sauce. You can also get the sauce spicy, which I definitely need to try. Since they only have plastic utensils that aren’t as sturdy, it was a bit hard to cut into the chicken, but despite the difficulty it was one of the most tasty chicken dishes I have had for sure! It was served with a side of cooked cabbage and fried plantains, which were sweet and delicious.
They have a large indoor dining area with beautiful murals and leather chairs. It did take ~40 mins for the food to come out so I recommend ordering ahead if you are in a rush! There is no outdoor dining or delivery service yet.
Indoor dining area
I was so excited to see a restaurant specializing in West African food in Gainesville and will definitely be back to try more dishes!
Flavorful is serving up fresh, delicious Afro Fusion cuisine made with healthy and natural ingredients!
Awa and Aisse, the owners, were so sweet and friendly. They are both mothers and entrepreneurs originally from West Africa. Their mission is to form and strengthen bonds through offering Afro fusion cuisine and other products such as cooking classes and kitchen accessories. I like how Flavorful promotes community growth and health through sourcing their produce from local shops and focus on using natural, non-GMO ingredients.
Flavorful is primarily a catering business and does not have a brick and mortar yet, but they are offering pre-order pick up orders on most Saturdays! You can follow and DM @flavorful_llc or call them to place orders and they were quick to respond. Pick ups were at Working Food Community Center.
Prepared meal with fatayas and puff puff
The fatayas ($12 for 5) reminded me of fried dumplings or samosas with a thick, crispy shell and filling inside consisting of ground beef, spices, and pepper. There was also a veggie version. The dipping sauce had lots of chopped onions and was salty, savory, and complimented the fatayas well. They also informed me that there is a spicy version of the sauce, which I am excited to try next time. The portion might be a bit small for the price, but considering this was a dish I could not find anywhere else, it seemed worth a try!
Filling inside fatayas
The puff puff ($4 for 5) were little round fried doughnut balls with a chewy inside! The powdered sugar was also served on the side, which was nice so you could control the amount of sweetness you want. These were the perfect dessert to finish the meal.
The puff puff was surprisingly quite chewy!
I’m excited to see how Awa and Aisse are diversifying the Gainesville food community through providing delicious Afro fusion cuisine!
Happy Lunar New Year! I hope all of you are having a brave and bold new year, as it is the year of the tiger! Of course no celebration is complete without delicious food! Thankfully this year I was able to enjoy plenty of delicious food from a local food truck here in Gainesville.
Zen Asian Street Eats is a new food truck that joined Midpoint Eatery!
Food Truck
Created by Taste Vietnamese restaurant, this food truck has Vietnamese specialties like pho, and banh mi, as well as other Asian street foods like bao buns, spring rolls, ramen, and teriyaki. They also offer vegan and vegetarian options of almost every dish!
Menu
I tried the Pork Belly Buns, which were packed with flavor from the grilled pork belly, pickled veggies, cilantro, scallions, and sweet sauce. The buns were a bit hard texture wise but otherwise very good.
Pork Belly Buns
The Pork Belly Banh Mi was really good! The bread was toasted perfectly and had lots of pork belly, pickled veggies, homemade yum sauce, and lots of cilantro.
Pork Belly Banh Mi
I also tried their special, which was the Char Siu Pork Rice Bowl, which was easily my favorite dish. The char siu, which is a Cantonese style barbecued pork, tasted savory and slightly smoky, with a chewy texture. The meat is less fatty than pork belly and the broccoli, carrots, and onions complemented the meat really well. I really hope they offer this dish more because I would love to have it again!
Char Siu Pork Rice Bowl
They have a separate station for napkins, utensils, and small packets of Sriracha sauce, which was a huge plus for spicy lovers!
Small packets of Sriracha were a huge plus!
The workers were all very sweet and friendly, and made the dining experience so smooth.
Midpoint eatery also has plenty of outdoor dining options, which is perfect for this milder weather. Check out Zen Asian Street Eats for your next Asian food craving!
While they do have a small parking area on the side, there were only a few spots which could make it tough to park on busy nights since it is located on University Avenue, which is a lively street. They did have a few designated parking spots for order pickup! Orders are prepared quick so it would be a great option for a meal on the go as well!
Grill Express Exterior
The indoor dining area was spacious and clean. They do not have outdoor dining.
Interior
The chicken shawarma platter came with seasoned chicken and pita bread on top of salad and rice. Although I wished the hot sauce could have been spicier (I’m too used to the red sauce from halal guys )
Chicken Shawarma PlatterLots of rice to mix with the chicken!
I really liked the creamy sauce and orange sauce with diced veggies that they gave on the side!
This sauce had diced veggies in it and it was very refreshing!
The portions were worth the price and you may even have food leftover for later!
The wraps come with fries and a drink, which is a great deal! The falafel was crunchy and flavorful, and the wrap was nicely toasted on the outside as well
Falafel wrapLots of drinks to choose from
I also got the garlic Buffalo wings and was pleasantly surprised by how crispy and delicious they were! They were still steaming and drenched in mild Buffalo sauce.
Crispy fried wings
The worker at the counter was super friendly and eager to answer any questions.
Overall, this would be a great place to pick up food on-the-go or visit if you are close to the University of Florida campus!
Address: 808 W University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601
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Community Foodwaves 