Cucumber, Mint and Pineapple Agua Fresca

Cucumber, Mint and Pineapple Agua Fresca

Ingredients
Yield:4 servings

½ cup peeled and roughly chopped cucumber
½ cup roughly chopped fresh pineapple
⅓ cup lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
Leaves from 2 or 3 sprigs of fresh mint
1 to 4 tablespoons sugar (or other sweetener), optional
Ice, for serving


Preparation

Step 1
In a blender, purée the cucumber, pineapple, lime juice and mint with 4 cups cold water. Taste; if it’s flat or you want more sweetness, add a tablespoon of sugar at a time until you are happy with the balance.

Step 2
Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours, though it’s best within the first few hours). Stir well and serve over ice.

Stovetop Chicken Satay with Creamy Peanut Sauce

Stovetop Chicken Satay with Creamy Peanut Sauce

SHOPPING LIST:

Fish sauce
Lemongrass
Chicken breasts
Limes
Garlic

Peanut butter
Coconut milk, extra for coconut rice
Red bell pepper
Scallions

Cilantro
Broccoli
Optional: cucumber

Reference Recipes:

Peanut Sauce (NYT Cooking)

Chicken Satay (Serious Eats)

Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade (for 2 lb chicken)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons fish sauce (e.g., Red Boat)
4 tablespoons palm sugar or light brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 teaspoons freshly minced garlic (about 4 medium cloves)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons Sriracha
2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 3-inch pieces and lightly smashed with the back of a knife
Use only the bottom ~⅔ of each stalk (the tender, pale portion). Discard the tough green tops.
2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into ½-inch strips


Peanut Sauce (double batch)

1 cup peanut butter (any style)
4 tablespoons lime juice (from 2–4 limes)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2–4 teaspoons Sriracha, to taste
2 teaspoons brown or granulated sugar
1 teaspoon prepared minced garlic or 2 small cloves, finely grated
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup warm water (add gradually)


Instructions
1. Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, tamari, turmeric, garlic, coriander, and Sriracha.
Add the sliced chicken and the smashed lemongrass pieces.
Toss thoroughly to coat.

Marinating method:
Transfer to a large zip-top bag or cover the bowl.

Refrigerate for 1–2 hours, or up to overnight.
The lemongrass is for flavoring only and should be removed before cooking.

2. Make the Peanut Sauce

In a medium bowl or container, whisk together:
Peanut butter
Lime juice
Soy sauce
Sriracha
Sugar
Garlic
Coconut milk
Add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until you reach your desired consistency:
Thicker for dipping
Thinner for drizzling or noodles
Taste and adjust lime, salt, heat, or sweetness as needed.
Storage:
Keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Re-thin with warm water before using.


3. Cook the Chicken (Stovetop)

You can use a flat griddle, cast-iron skillet, or large sauté pan.
Remove and discard the lemongrass pieces from the chicken.
Heat pan or griddle over medium-high heat and add a thin layer of neutral oil.
Arrange chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if needed).
Cook 3–4 minutes on the first side, undisturbed, until well caramelized.
Flip and cook 2–3 minutes on the second side, until cooked through.

Important tips:
The sugar in the marinade browns quickly.

Lower the heat slightly if the chicken starts to darken too fast.
Aim for deep caramelization without burning.


4. Serve

Serve hot with peanut sauce on the side or drizzled over the top.
Pairs well with:
Jasmine or coconut rice
Rice noodles
Steamed or stir-fried broccoli
Cucumber salad or quick-pickled vegetables like red bell peppers

GF Ube cake

Gluten-Free Ube Birthday Cake

original recipe here

Two Thick 8-Inch Layers
(Adapted for Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF Flour)

Ingredients

Ube Cake Batter

• 2¼ cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, spooned and leveled
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ube extract
• ½ cup vegetable oil + 1 tbsp additional oil
• ½ cup milk, room temperature
• 8 large egg yolks, room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 3.5 oz ube jam (about ½ cup), room temperature

Meringue

• 8 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar

Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 large egg whites
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 3–4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
• 1+ tsp vanilla extract
• Ube extract, to taste (usually about 3 tsp)

Instructions

Prepare the Pans
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

1. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Lightly grease the sides of the pans. Set aside.

Make the Cake Batter

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the GF flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the ube extract, vegetable oil, and milk. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks on medium-high speed while gradually adding the ⅓ cup sugar (about 1 tsp at a time).
4. Beat for 7–8 minutes, until pale, thick, and fluffy.
5. Add the ube jam and beat until smooth and lump-free.
6. Add gel food coloring if using and mix until evenly colored.
7. Fold in the flour and milk mixtures in this order, folding gently after each addition:
• ⅓ of the flour
• ½ of the milk
• another ⅓ of the flour
• remaining milk
• remaining flour
8. Fold just until combined each time. Do not overmix.

Make the Meringue

1. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy.
2. Add the cream of tartar and beat until very frothy.
3. Gradually add the ¾ cup sugar, about a heaping teaspoon at a time, and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form

Combine & Bake

1. Fold 1 cup of the meringue into the cake batter to lighten it.
2. Gently fold in the remaining meringue in two additions, using slow, wide folds until fully blended and no streaks remain.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
4. Bake for 25–30 minutes, checking at 25 minutes.
5. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pans onto a cooling rack.
7. Cool completely upside down.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream here

For best texture and clean slices, refrigerate the assembled cake for 30–60 minutes, then bring to room temperature before serving.

Gluten Free Brownies

Gluten-Free Brownies (recipe here)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup gluten-free flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate chips 

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Spray 8×8 square baking pan with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray

 
In a large bowl, add melted butter, pure vanilla extract, granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until fully combined.

Add in eggs one at a time and mix until fully combined.

In a medium-sized bowl combine gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together.

Slowly add the gluten-free flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined and smooth.

Add chocolate chips

Pour the brownie batter to 8×8 sized baking pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out just barely clean.

 
Remove brownies and allow to cool completely. Enjoy!

Fruit Salad

 

Recommended fruit:

• Mandarins
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Kiwis

Dressing:

1. Lime juice (2 limes)
2. Lime zest (2 limes)
3. 1/4 c. honey

Ube Cake

Ube Cake

recipe from here

For the Ube Cake Batter:

• 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ube extract
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup milk room temperature
• 8 pcs egg yolks from large eggs room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 3.5 oz ube jam (about ½ cup) room temperature
• purple gel food colour optional

For the Meringue:

• 8 pcs egg whites from large eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar

For the Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

• 5 egg whites from large eggs
• 1.25 cup granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 3-4 sticks unsalted butter cut into parts, room temperature
• 1+ tsp vanilla extract
• ube extract to taste

For the Ube Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line the bottom of 3 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine ube extract, vegetable oil and milk. Set aside.
4. In another large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat egg yolks while gradually adding ⅓ cup sugar (about a teaspoon at a time) until the mixture is light yellow (about 7 minutes on medium-high speed).
5. Add ube jam and beat until smooth and no big lumps remain. If you want your cake to be a vibrant purple, you can add gel food colour at this stage (optional) and give the batter a stir until the colour is evenly distributed.
6. Fold a third of your flour mixture into your egg mixture just until combined. Then add half of your milk mixture, another third of your flour, the rest of your milk and finally the rest of your flour, folding each addition just until combined. Be careful not to overwork the batter.
7. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or your handheld electric mixer – making sure that the beaters are clean, dry and grease-free), beat the egg whites on medium speed until they start to get foamy.
8. Then add cream of tartar and beat until very frothy.
9. Gradually add ¾ cup sugar (about a heaping teaspoon at a time) into egg whites until you reach stiff peaks.
10. Take about a cup of the meringue and fold it into your cake batter to lighten it.
11. Then fold the rest of your meringue into the batter until evenly blended.
12. Transfer the cake batter to prepared pans and bake for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with minimal crumbs.
13. Put the pans upside down on a cooling rack and cool completely.

Use swiss meringue buttercream recipe here
Once your buttercream has come together, start adding ¼ teaspoon ube extract at a time until you get the flavour you desire which can happen fast.
Whip until the flavour is fully incorporated and the buttercream is evenly coloured.

Ube Mochi Panckes or Waffles

 

Ingredients for Pancakes (see notes below for waffles) - this recipe makes 2 Belgian waffles, see below for larger batch

Dry

• 150 g (1 cup) glutinous rice flour

• 2 tbsp tapioca starch

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

• 2½ tsp baking powder

• Pinch salt

Wet

• ¾ cup milk (plus more as needed)

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 1 large egg

• ½ tsp ube extract (maybe reduce slightly? it's intense!)

• 1 tbsp ube jam

For waffles:

Butter: 4 tbsp melted

Milk: ½–⅔ cup, added gradually

Batter rest: 10 minutes

Texture: thick, scoopable

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Larger batch of 4 waffles:

Dry

• 2 cups glutinous rice flour

• 4 tbsp tapioca starch

• 4 tbsp granulated sugar

• 5 tsp baking powder

• Large pinch salt

Wet

• 1 cup milk (plus more as needed) 

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 2 large egg

• 1 tsp ube extract (maybe reduce to 1/2 tsp? it's intense!)

• 2 tbsp ube jam

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Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

2. Mix wet ingredients
   In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, egg, ube extract, and ube jam until smooth.

3. Combine
   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk just until combined and smooth.

   • The batter should be thick but pourable, like slightly loosened cake batter.

   • If it feels stiff or pasty, add 1–3 tbsp milk, one tablespoon at a time.

4. Rest the batter
   Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes. This allows the glutinous rice flour to fully hydrate and improves texture.

5. Heat the pan
   Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Lightly grease if needed.

6. Cook the pancakes
   Scoop 3–4 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan.
   Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the surface looks slightly matte and the pancakes puff gently.
   Flip carefully and cook for another 2 minutes, until set and lightly golden.

7. Serve
   Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, or condensed milk.

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Helpful Notes

• These pancakes are chewy by design — more like mochi than fluffy American pancakes.

• Keep heat on the lower side; high heat will brown them before the centers set.

• Leftovers reheat best in a covered skillet or microwave (not toaster).