Cooking, drooling, eating… repeat. That’s the mantra of anonymous Hong Kong food blogger Joanne of Little Foodie Jojo (she prefers not to disclose her last name to conduct food reviews incognito). Joanne has made a name for herself in the foodie world with her photogenic, simple and delicious cooking dining ideas, as well as her dining adventures around town – all of which she shares on her popular Instagram account.
Whether she is eating out at a local Hong Kong noodle shop, a lofty Michelin-starred restaurant or cooking comfort foods at home, every post looks and sounds delectable.
“Over the past few months, I’ve developed a true passion for home cooking and honed my presentation skills,” says Joanne, noting that the pandemic has kept her from dining out as frequently as usual.
Armed with her camera and a few BOMSHBEE products, Joanne has been recreating some of her favorite dishes at home, as well as whipping up new ideas on a whim. Usually, she takes inspiration from fusing eastern and western flavors, but she tries not to overcomplicate her recipes.
The key to making her creations look so appetizing, she says, is simplicity. “Using minimalist tableware is a fail-proof way to ensure your food stands out,” she explains. “BOMSHBEE Tinge plates and bowls have been great for that. Their simple lines and sleek profiles form a beautiful tablescape, especially when photographed together. They elevated my dishes without having to add much to them.”
Essentially, minimalist tableware has the power to let the food do all the talking, “which is exactly what good presentation should be about,” adds Joanne. Since many of us are looking for delicious new recipes to try while working from home, Joanne has whipped up a few easy, comforting and highly photogenic dishes that look as good as they taste:
The Dish: Scrambled Egg, Cabbage and Corned Beef Sandwich
The Tableware: BOMSHBEE Tinge Porcelain Salad Plate
“Cha chaan tengs [50s-style Hong Kong diners] might not be fancy, but they are some of my favorite places to go eat in Hong Kong,” says Joanne. “They remind me of my childhood, and really show off some of the city’s best culinary traditions, like this classic scrambled egg sandwich.
Inspired by the traditional Hong Kong staple, she made her own version with egg, cabbage, corned beef and homemade almond butter instead of commercial peanut butter. “It’s a healthier alternative! I could literally eat it every day.”
She also baked her own bread for the sandwich, though you could buy white bread or a hearty home-baked country loaf, instead. “I’ve been baking a lot this year. Nothing beats some perfectly light and crusty homemade bread.”
Joanne’s Tip:
If you trim the crust off your bread, don’t throw it away! Instead, crisp them up in the oven and dip them into nut butter as an afternoon snack. “They’re as crispy and delicious as fries!” she adds.
The Recipe:
Scrambled Egg, Cabbage and Corned Beef Sandwich
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
- Whole wheat bread, cut into four slices
- 1/3 can of corned beef (or lunch meat will work as well!)
- 1 egg, scrambled
- A cup of shredded cabbage
- Two heaped tablespoons of any nut butter you like
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Toast the bread slightly, so that it has some crunch.
- Fry the corned beef in a skillet, to fully released its flavors, then sautee the cabbage in the same pan for a few minutes.
- Pile all the ingredients high up on your bread.
- Start with the cabbage at the bottom, then add the beef, and scrambled egg
- Add a generous dollop of nut butter
- Close the sandwich and enjoy
The Dish: Open-Faced Toast with Minced Pork and Egg
The Tableware: BOMSHBEE Tinge Porcelain Dinner Plate
“This dish is my attempt to replicate the minced pork specialty from a local noodles shop chain called Tam Jai, which I adore. And I am proud to say it’s not far-off from the original,” says Joanne.
What she’s especially keen on is the fine balance of sweet, savory, sour and spicy flavors packed into every bite. To achieve complexity and balance, Joanne uses a mix of chili bean sauce, red vinegar, sugar and ketchup – yes, ketchup – in her addictive sauce.
“It packs a punch but it’s also super addictive,” she says. For an extra dose of comfort, she adds a sunny side up egg to her version, then lets her homemade bread soak up all the flavors.
“If you’re missing brunch, this is a pretty good alternative!”
The Recipe:
Open-Faced Toast with Minced Pork and Egg
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
- 150g minced pork, lightly marinated with soy sauce, pepper and Chinese cooking wine
- 1tsp chili bean sauce
- 1 tsp ketchup
- 1 tsp red vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- A splash of water
- A slice of sourdough bread
Preparation method:
- Place the marinated minced pork in a frying pan and cook it for a few minutes, until the meat starts turning brown
- Mix the chili bean sauce, ketchup, red vinegar and sugar to form a sauce
- Add the mixture to the frying pan, and let it sizzle over medium heat, adding a splash of water to combine it
- Taste to adjust the seasoning, and keep cooking until it thickens
- In a separate pan, fry the egg sunny side up
- Serve the minced on a slice of toasted bread, with the egg next to it
The Dish: Warm Chicken Salad with Crunchy Granola
The Tableware: BOMSHBEE Tinge Porcelain Salad Plate
In between decadent breakfasts and hearty lunches, one thing Joanne can’t live without? Vegetables. That is why one of her most beloved work-from-home recipes has been this simple warm chicken salad.
“I could eat vegetables without any dressing. That’s how much I like them,” she jokes. “Greens don’t usually translate into amazing food photos, but I always make sure I have some at my table – especially now that I am home more often.”
To transform this particular salad into a more filling meal, Joanne uses granola and a rainbow of veggies – and she always sprinkles sesame seeds on top to add a crunchy, satisfying texture. Another thing she never leaves out? An egg, of course. “You can’t go wrong with an egg,” she says. “It gives the whole dish a delicious creaminess.”
“Serve it on a solid, good-looking plate, and you’ve got a great shot ready for Instagram!”
The Recipe:
Warm Chicken Salad with Crunchy Granola
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
- 1 chicken breast
- Half an onion, diced
- 100g green beans
- 150g edamame
- 100g oyster mushrooms, chopped
- 1 egg
- A handful of granola
- Salt and pepper
- A handful of mixed herbs
- Olive oil to dress
Preparation:
- Fry chicken in a light coat of olive oil, with salt and pepper to taste
- Add a handful of herbs to add depth
- Once the chicken breast is done, leave to cool
- Once cool, slice it thinly
- Meanwhile, quick-boil green beans and edamame
- Stir-fry oyster mushrooms with onion approx. 5 minutes
- As the veggies are cooking, make your egg sunny side up
- Arrange the vegetables on the plate, alongside the chicken breast and egg
- Sprinkle granola on top, then tuck in and enjoy!