Homemade Black Sesame Soy Milk (黑芝麻豆浆)

There’s something about black sesame that always feels a little nostalgic, even if you didn’t grow up with it.

It’s not loud or showy. No bright colours, no sweetness that hits you right away. Instead, it’s deep, toasty, almost quietly rich. The kind you appreciate more with each spoonful such as in Chinese black sesame paste dessert. My mom has been urging me to eat more black sesames as it supports youthfulness and reverse grey hairs such as eating a tablespoon daily by adding into my granola, yogurt or straight up. I've started making soy milk recently and thought what if I added sesames and made it sippable? For me, black sesame soy milk sits somewhere between comfort and ritual. Not quite breakfast, not quite dessert. Just… something in between that I can enjoy while reading or watching my favourite dramas.

If you’ve had fresh soy milk before, you already know it’s a completely different experience from the boxed versions. It’s softer, fuller, and just a little bit nutty. And store-bought Chinese jugs are with preservatives- either too sweet or unsweetened (and I'll have to add sugar to it). Making it from scratch is simple, but it does ask for a bit of patience. Soaking, blending, simmering, straining. Nothing complicated, just a rhythm you fall into. And once you add black sesame into the mix, everything deepens. That gentle roasted fragrance starts to come through, almost like warm tahini but more delicate. Then the colour, turning from pale ivory to a soft grey-black. It’s not the most photogenic drink, but it more than makes up for it in flavour. 

Black sesame is packed with healthy fats, calcium, and antioxidants that support heart, bone, and overall wellness. Soy milk brings in smooth, high-quality plant protein along with heart-friendly compounds and a naturally lactose-free base. Black soybeans are even more beneficial. Together, they create a balanced drink that’s both nourishing and satisfying, combining richness with lightness in a way that feels easy on the body but still sustaining.

Aren't these palmiers gifted from my cousin in HK gorgeous?

What I like about this version is that it stays very close to the traditional soy milk method, just with black sesame folded in. Just simple ingredients, treated with a bit of care.

Homemade Black Sesame Soy Milk (黑芝麻豆浆)
Makes ~ 2 Litres

1 cup dried soybeans, yellow or black
1 cup black sesame seeds, toasted
12 cups water
Rock sugar, to taste
Pinch of salt

Ice cubes, for a cold drink

Start by soaking your soybeans overnight. They’ll swell up quite a bit, so give them plenty of water and space.

Black soybeans have twice the nutrition benefits than yellow

The next day, rinse them well. At this point, you can remove some of the skins if you like a cleaner taste, but I usually don’t bother. A little texture is fine.

In a dry pan, toast the black sesame seeds over medium-low heat. You’ll know they’re ready when they start to smell deeply nutty and just slightly sweet. Don’t walk away here, they can go from fragrant to burnt very quickly.

In a large pot, add the water, soybeans and toasted sesame seeds. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce to medium, cooking between 15 to 30 minutes until soften, depending on the soybean brand. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. 

Blend in two batches, until everything is completely smooth. It should look creamy and slightly grey at this stage.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and bring it up to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer. This step matters more than it seems. Proper cooking helps remove the raw, beany taste and makes the soy milk safe and pleasant to drink.

Let it simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t foam over. Add sugar and salt. Taste and adjust. Note: It should be just lightly sweet, enough to round everything out but not overpower the sesame. On texture: If you like it richer, use less water. For something lighter and more drinkable, add a bit more. 

Optional: Strain and squeeze well through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag into a clean pot or bowl. What you’re left with should be smooth, lightly thick, and silky.

Once cooled, carefully pour into jars and refrigerate. Soy milk can spoil quickly without preservatives. Drink within 5 days max.

I've made this several times now. And I never strain the pulp because that is super protein and fibre that could benefit your body. If the soybean cooks up mealier I just add some water before drinking it for palatability. It may not be smooth like store-bought but I like it this way.

I love this warm, especially right after it’s made. But it’s just as good chilled the next day, when the flavours have settled a little more. Just pour into a glass and add ice cubes. Enjoy!

There’s a quiet kind of rewarding feeling making something like this from scratch. Maybe it’s the simplicity of it, or the way the kitchen smells while it simmers. Or maybe it’s just knowing exactly what went into your cup, and never having to buy commercial brands again :).

Either way, this is one of those recipes that doesn’t try too hard. And somehow, that’s exactly why it works.

Full Recipe:

Homemade Black Sesame Soy Milk (黑芝麻豆浆)
Makes ~ 2 Litres

1 cup dried soybeans, yellow or black 
1 cup black sesame seeds, toasted
12 cups water
Rock sugar, to taste
Pinch of salt

Ice cubes, for a cold drink

Start by soaking your soybeans overnight. They’ll swell up quite a bit, so give them plenty of water and space. The next day, rinse them well. 

In a dry pan, toast the black sesame seeds over medium-low heat. You’ll know they’re ready when they start to smell deeply nutty and just slightly sweet. Don’t walk away here, they can go from fragrant to burnt very quickly.

In a large pot, add the water, soybeans and toasted sesame seeds. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce to medium, cooking between 15 to 30 minutes until soften, depending on the soybean brand. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Blend in two batches, until everything is completely smooth. It should look creamy and slightly grey at this stage.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and bring it up to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer. This step matters more than it seems. Proper cooking helps remove the raw, beany taste and makes the soy milk safe and pleasant to drink.

Let it simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t foam over. Add sugar and salt. Taste and adjust. Note: It should be just lightly sweet, enough to round everything out but not overpower the sesame. On texture: If you like it richer, use less water. For something lighter and more drinkable, add a bit more.

Optional: Strain and squeeze well through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag into a clean pot or bowl. What you’re left with should be smooth, lightly thick, and silky.

Once cooled, carefully pour into jars and refrigerate. Soy milk can spoil quickly without preservatives. Drink within 5 days max.

Warm Up to Korean Abalone Porridge (Jeonbokjuk)...

 

Jeonbok-juk or abalone rice porridge or congee is a variety of juk, or Korean porridge made with shellfish abalone and white short-grain rice. Abalone is regarded as a high-quality ingredient in Asian cuisines, and was often prized as a gift to the King of Korea. It's texture is plump, rubbery and dense, and like many seafood, has a briny and sweet flavour.

I love abalone, although expensive we may order them braised whole or sliced ladeled with its umami thickened sauce on top of stir-fried snowpea leaves, a popular premium Chinese banquet-style dish. In Asian supermarkets, you can easily find them frozen with their shells attached, or brined in cans, used to make Chinese soups and stews, or stir-fries with vegetables. Moreover, abalone is high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol, and contains many nutrients such as iodine, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium, omega 3-fatty acids and contains bioactive compounds- anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.

I came across frozen abalone on sale ($6.99 for 5 nice pieces), and with the winter chill upon us, the first food that came to mind was comfort congee, or as the Koreans call it jeonbokjuk! An ultimate cozy soothing comfort in a bowl!

Korean Abalone Porridge (Jeonbokjuk) (adapted by Maangchi.com)

Serves 4

4 to 5 frozen medium sized abalones, thawed (or canned with brine drained well)

1-1/2 cups short-grain rice, rinsed and soaked in cold water for 1 hour
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
8-9 cups of water
1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. kosher salt
4 large eggs (optional)
2 sheets of gim (seaweed paper), toasted, and crushed

Note: prepare to your taste: add more or less fish sauce, kosher salt, toasted sesame oil, or water.

Great Substitute: Replace abalone with conch, mussels, clams, shrimp, or even ground beef. 

If the abalone are still in the shells, gently and firmly pry them out with a spoon. Gently rinse and pat dry. Remove the intestines by cutting them out; set aside. Score the abalone flesh on an angle, then thinly slice on the opposite bias.

In a colander, strain the rice. 

Heat a thick-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the sesame oil and garlic and stir with a wooden spoon for 10 to 20 seconds. Add the abalone intestines if you have it, and keep stirring until well combined.  Add the rice and stir with the wooden spoon for one minute until the rice turns a little translucent. Add the chopped abalone and 8 cups of water. Stir and cover. Let cook over medium high heat for ten minutes. 

Add carrot and green onions. Lower the heat and cook for another ten minutes. 

If you like your porridge a bit more liquidy, add one more cup of water and let it cook for a few more minutes over low heat. Add fish sauce and salt and stir it well. 

Optional: If you want a poached egg or two, crack the eggs into the porridge. Gently stir the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon so it doesn’t get burnt. Cover, turn up the heat a bit, and cook for another minute or two or until the egg is set.

Take a roasted or freshly toasted sheet of seaweed (gim) and put it in a plastic bag. Rub the sides of the bag together to crush the gim and create gimgaru (crushed seaweed flakes). 

To Serve, ladle servings of porridge into bowls and sprinkle a bit of gimgaru over each one just before eating. Serve with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and kimchi as a side dish.

Full Recipe:

Korean Abalone Porridge (Jeonbokjuk) 

Serves 4

4 to 5 frozen medium sized abalones, thawed (or canned with brine drained well)

1-1/2 cups short-grain rice, rinsed and soaked in cold water for 1 hour
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
8-9 cups of water
1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. kosher salt
4 large eggs (optional)
2 sheets of gim (seaweed paper), toasted, and crushed

Great Substitute: Replace abalone with mussels, clams, shrimp, or even ground beef. 

Note: prepare to your taste: add more or less fish sauce, kosher salt, toasted sesame oil, or water.

If they are still in the shells, gently and firmly pry them out with a spoon. Gently rinse and pat dry. Remove the intestines by cutting them out; set aside. Score the abalone flesh on an angle, then thinly slice on the opposite bias.

In a colander, strain the rice. 

Heat a thick-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the sesame oil and garlic and stir with a wooden spoon for 10 to 20 seconds. Add the abalone intestines if you have it, and keep stirring until well combined.  Add the rice and stir with the wooden spoon for one minute until the rice turns a little translucent. Add the chopped abalone and 8 cups of water. Stir and cover. Let cook over medium high heat for ten minutes. Add carrot and green onions. Lower the heat and cook for another ten minutes. 

If you like your porridge a bit more liquidy, add one more cup of water and let it cook for a few more minutes over low heat. Add fish sauce and salt and stir it well. 

Optional: If you want a poached egg or two, crack the eggs into the porridge. Gently stir the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon so it doesn’t get burnt. Cover, turn up the heat a bit, and cook for another minute or two or until the egg is set.

Take a roasted or freshly toasted sheet of seaweed (gim) and put it in a plastic bag. Rub the sides of the bag together to crush the gim and create gimgaru (crushed seaweed flakes). To Serve, ladle servings of porridge into bowls and sprinkle a bit of gimgaru over each one just before eating. Serve with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and kimchi as a side dish.

Eritrean and Injera Workshop at Newcomer Kitchen...

 

Have you ever tried injera, a spongy, sour flatbread made with teff the tiniest grain in the world that is a nutrition powerhouse and has no gluten- a main staple in Ethiopian and Eritrean meals as an eating utensil to scoop food? 🥘 #superfood 

We at Newcomer Kitchen were very excited to host our first ever evening cooking workshop at our beautiful renovated century loft kitchen in downtown Toronto in late September at CSI Spadina, Toronto.

Asmait Merhatsion who is in our business incubator program has recently arrived from living for 12 years in Israel worked for an NGO for women's health, extensively with refugees and has hosted lots of cooking workshops.  She had fascinating stories to tell about the turbulent journey from Eritrea to living in multiple countries in the Middle East before coming to Canada. Woven between demonstrations and hands-on learning, we made Injera, the teff flatbread that is the foundation of all Eritrean meals.

We prepared a cabbage and potato stew, red lentil stew and a lovely beet and tomato salad to accompany the meal 🇪🇷. 

To finish we made a sweet bread- himbasha that is the 'celebration cake' of Eritrea (Asmait uses raisins instead of the usual black nigella seeds and lemon zest) which I had the pleasure to take home leftover dough to bake up for my family. 

Perfect with a cuppa' for weekend brunch

It was a profound 'cook and learn' evening to remember with heartfelt feedback from our guests. Thank you Asmait for hosting a beautiful evening! 💗

Taking Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine and flavours further at home... But first let's feast our eyes on this restaurant carousel of vibrant healthful veggies 🌈!

Ethiopian cuisine has been top of my list for trying my hands on at home. With the workshop fresh on my mind, a bag each of shiro (chickpea powder) and berbere (a fiery medley of spices and chilies) given to me by Asmait, and picking up fresh prepared injera from Iqbal supermarket, the time has happily come...

Their staple injera-- a thick, spongy pancake-like sourdough bread is made from the smallest super grain in the world-- teff (Ethiopia's principle grain) is not only a food but it serves as a utensil and plate. Accompanying dishes are placed on it-- a bit of bread is torn off and used to wrap the food to eat. Widely used flavours of spicy and complexity include hot chilies, fenugreek, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, mint, garlic and onions. 

Although meat is prevalent on the menu, I always opt for vegetarian. Tonight, I prepared three veggie-licious dishes. Shiro (chickpea powder) Wat stew made with onions, tomatoes, berbere, ginger and garlic cooked until silky. Although it should be smooth, mine turned out chunky but flavourful. Misir Wat is a fiery red lentil stew cooked down with onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, ginger and garlic in a broth. This was our favourite tonight. And the third, Atakilt Wat, a simple cumin and turmeric spiced cabbage, carrot and potato stir fry. A lovely textural filling in a swoop with a piece of injera. By the time dinner was served the stews cooled- should have a thinner texture for easy mopping 🤗

Berbere (a fiery medley of spices and chilies) 

After an Eritrean/Ethiopian meal, one can enjoy the relaxing aromas of burning frankincense (an aromatic gum resin obtained from an African tree and burned as incense), and hand-roasting of coffee beans and ground by the hostess. It is custom for Ethiopians to drink the strong coffee with a pinch of salt or clarified butter and serve it with popcorn. Many coffee drinkers do not know that the birthplace of coffee plantations originated in the ⛰ of Keffa, a province of Ethiopia- the very word where 'coffee' comes from ☕🍿❤🇪🇹

Back To Teaching In School Cooking Classes...

Back teaching cooking in person means we can smell, touch and taste again- together 🤗! It has been a busy Fall cooking programming, and I haven't had time to write a post. So catching up with all the incredible food we had dished out with many having a creative and artistic spin.

In my most recent new after school program is with Woodbine Public School grade 8 students. I always like to introduce myself with my passion for healthy eating and multicultural cooking. Started off with a delicious creamy lemony dill yogurt dip with vegetable dippers the students can prepare alongside another recipe- Mexican guacamole seem to whet their appetite for what's in store in my workshops. What better way than to challenge the students, split into teams to have some fun creating a design with their food- edible art on a platter canvas! These girls washed the vegetables, ideated and combined their artistic efforts to produce 1) a jungle- with a forest, wooded path encircling a pretty garden with a creamy yogurt dill dip in its centre. 2) a bountiful garden filled with trees, plants and flowers- rose petals carefully sliced from grape tomatoes and dill sprigs for leaves.

Great job 👏👏👏!

It was a success, as the girls asked me for the recipes and said they would eat more vegetables if they can make something yummy to dip them in. Now they can 😊.

Guacamole with blue corn chips

Flashback, to where my Fall activities started, and it was here... my mainstay post at Beverley Heights Middle School around Halloween. 

The question is whose crunchy delicious creation reigns skeleton supreme? 

Not every student celebrate Halloween door to door and some are introduced to the highly kid-anticipated event for the first time. We know it will be a day filled with sugar and junk food so why not a prelude with a healthier artistic spin- veggies and a herb yogurt dip for the skull? And Ritz spiders with a couple of critters thrown in too 🕷🕸🐜🦗🦟!?

Teaching kids cooking humbles me...

One student admitted afterwards that she judged when she saw what we were about to do. She created anyway and was blown away at how delicious the healthy food tasted. She exclaimed, this is an example of why you shouldn't judge. You just don't know until you give it a try...
Life lessons...
And it is why, I keep on, keeping on...

Thank you 💕

Taco Salad Tuesday 🌮🌮🌮🥗? SpecTACOlar 🤗! #colouryourplate #eattherainbow🌈

We covered fresh produce, then it was all about fruits in these delicious customised DIY crepes 😋...

Moving on to a high school I have been working with- John Polanyi Collegiate in an after school culinary program with teens. They are well versed in cooking and requested things like Beef Wellington and Ratatouille 😯. We don't have the time or budget to do these kinds of dishes but we can take the classes up a notch. Starting with them the week before Halloween making a pumpkin cheese ball with crackers and a spider themed seven layer dip- Mexican style.

Yes, the crumbly bright orange powder is crushed cheesy sticks!

Happily Digging In!

We got more fun in the horizon in the next class. Sushi five ways 👋...  The students went off with my instructions to prepare the ingredients and I demoed a few styles before they made their own. 

There's more ways to enjoy sushi (with or without raw seafood) than meets the eye... sure you got your classic maki roll, but try onigiri rice balls or triangles, nori taco wraps, poke bowl and the quadrant wrap.

So much fun for the family and a different kind of meal to entertain guests with by customizing to everyone's favourite fixins'... a colourful array of vegetables and protein! You don't need to worry about raw fish if you prefer to leave that to the experts at sushi restaurants, when you've got cooked eel, crab meat and shrimps at your disposal. But what makes the concept of sushi stand out? It's not just the combination of these wonderful flavours and textures but the simple base itself that forms the essence of great sushi - the vinegared rice 🍚!

The key to excellent rice, is to mix the vinegar dressing well so that the rice will be seasoned evenly. When done properly and quickly enough, the results will be glossy, and the rice tastily vinegared. Then create away 🍙🍣🍱

Great work everyone 👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👏👏👏!!

Maki sushi, poke bowl and onigiri rice balls.

DIY customised sushi tacos

Fold and wrap sushi sandwich 

Another cultural spin at the next session with meatballs two ways...

Chinese Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Pineapples

Sweet and Sour Meatballs With Pineapples
Makes 6 to 8 servings

1-1/2 lbs. ground meat of your choice ( we used part beef and part pork)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 egg
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 each green and red peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks
Sliced green onions, for garnish

Sweet and Sour Sauce: (makes about 3-1/2 cups)
1 cup ketchup
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar or white sugar (use less if pineapple is sweet)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup water
¼ cup cornstarch (to thicken sauce)

Place ground meat into a bowl and mix well with onions, garlic, salt and pepper, egg and breadcrumbs. Let sit for ½ to 1 hour to firm. Form into 1-inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet.

Cook meatballs on hot pan until seared and cooked through. OR/ Bake meatballs on a baking tray in 400 F preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Cover, set aside and keep warm.

Prepare the sauce: add ketchup, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce in a bowl.

Wok-fry onions and peppers in hot oil for three minutes or until crisp-tender; add the meatballs during the last minute. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce; bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with water, and pour slowly into sauce stirring frequently. Add pineapples (optional) and toss for 30 seconds more. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Comfort favourite Meatball Stroganoff

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 package egg noodles, cooked according to package instructions
1-1/2 lbs. ground meat of your choice
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
Salt and pepper to your taste
1 egg
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
454 g mushrooms, sliced (or use a combination of cremini, shiitakes, white and oyster)
4 cups beef broth, divided
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 to 1-1/2 cups sour cream or plain yogurt

Place ground meat into a bowl and mix well with onions, garlic, salt and pepper, egg and breadcrumbs. Let sit for ½ to 1 hour to firm. Form into 1-inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet.

Note: Cook meatballs on hot pan until seared and cooked through. OR/ Bake meatballs on a baking tray in 400 F preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

Heat oil in a skillet and cook onions over medium high until golden about two minutes.

Add cooked meatballs, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook another three minutes. Add 3-1/2 cups of the broth, bay leaf and thyme; cover and simmer for two minutes. Mix the flour with the remaining 1/2 cup broth until lump-free and gradually stir into beef mixture. Heat to boiling for one minute, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Stir in sour cream; heat until hot. Remove bay leaves. Serve over hot cooked egg noodles.

The holidays are around the corner, and I can't wait to end the year's classes with a festive bang 🥳🎉!