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TRY SOMETHING NEW 🤯

Filipino eggplant omelet

Known as a tortang talong in the Philippines, this eggplant omelet fritter makes for a filling breakfast or lunch.

• If you’re not yet an eggplant person, this is a great way to appreciate them: their mild, roasted flesh adds substance and a welcome creamy texture.

Ingredients

• Small, Asian elongated eggplants (1 per serving)

• 2 eggs per eggplant

• Salt & pepper

Serve with

• Cooked rice

• Ketchup or Filipino banana ketchup

Instructions:

1) Roast the eggplants: Poke each eggplant with a fork several times to vent the skin. On a grill, gas flame, or under a broiler, roast the eggplants aggressively. Continue roasting and rotating the eggplants until the skins are completely charred and blackened, and the insides are very soft.

3) Peel the eggplants: Allow the eggplants to cool some, and then use a fork to gently peel off the charred skin. Small bits of skin left are ok.

3) Prep the omelet station: Crack enough eggs into a bowl and beat them together with salt & pepper. Transfer the egg mixture to a flat plate.

• Get a nonstick pan and gently preheat the stove with a bit of cooking oil.

4) Flatten & coat each eggplant: Add the cooked eggplant to the egg mixture on the plate. Using a fork, gently smoosh the eggplant meat until it has completely flattened. Keep the eggplant intact, however. The flattened meat should have a wide, bulbous shape, and pick up a lot of the egg mixture.

• Transfer the flattened eggplant by the stem to the hot pan, making sure to lay it flat.

5) Finish cooking: Once the eggplant omelet has cooked on one side (browning is ok), flip until the other side is cooked too.

• Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each eggplant.

Serve and enjoy with warm rice and ketchup.

Pro-Move: These can be stuffed with ground pork and seasoned with oyster and soy sauce for a more savory, filling version.

THROWBACK TIME 🍳

Creamy buffalo sauce

This creamy buffalo sauce deserves a spot in every home cook’s kitchen: it’s versatile enough to use as a dipping sauce, a chicken marinade, or a salad dressing.

• You can make it with any vinegar-based hot sauce.

• The low-fat, higher-protein Greek yogurt base is a rare occasion where the lower-calorie version is creamier and tastier than the original.

Check out the written recipe or the video for how Ethan uses it in three extra recipes.

It also works in classic buffalo fashion as the ultimate sauce for tossing and coating crispy, fried things…

THE LEFTOVER SHELF 🥡

Buffalo shrimp po boy

If you haven’t tried buffalo on shrimp yet, you’re in for a treat.

Po boy components

• Pan-fried, peeled shrimp (Bonus points: dredged and fried)

  • Leftover creamy buffalo, for coating

• Hoagie roll

• Mayo or just more buffalo sauce

• Toppings of choice: sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and/or pickles (cucumbers or peppers)

To assemble

Cook or fry your shrimp, then toss with enough creamy buffalo sauce to coat.

Warm up or toast your hoagie roll, and slather the insides with mayo or buffalo sauce.

Fill with shrimp and toppings, close, and enjoy.

FOOD TRENDS EXPLAINED 🚀

Boba

Q: What is boba tea?

A: Bubble tea is a Taiwanese staple drink that found popularity in Western markets over the last few decades

• The global bubble tea market was an astonishing $2.29 billion in 2022.

The tea-based drink is served with chewy tapioca pearls, or “boba”, at the bottom.

• Popular variations include iced green, oolong, or fruit-flavored teas, or creamier milk & Thai tea versions.

• The drink is served with a wide enough straw to accommodate the tapioca marbles that cluster at the bottom of the cup.

Why is it so popular?

From a culinary perspective, boba tea is satisfying thanks to the chewy texture of the tapioca pearls contrasted with a creamy and ice-cold liquid.

• Is there any other drink where you get the experience of chewing in between sips?

Plus, the flavor options are usually customizable — it’s hard to grow bored of a drink that has endless variations at any given shop.

Is boba tea still rising in popularity?

Yep. With the majority of bubble tea drinkers being young adults who keep buying as they age, bubble tea consumption has steadily increased.

• Thanks to social media, boba tea is becoming mainstream across cultures worldwide.

READER Q&A 🧠

Egyptian flavor profile?

Answer: Egypt's geographical location has historically been a hub for trade & cultural diffusion, which helped foster a spice-heavy cuisine: cardamom, coriander, sumac, turmeric, saffron, pomegranate seeds & nuts, plus regional blends like za’atar are just a few of the flavors you’ll find.

• For an incredible example of using these flavors, check out this Egyptian pitmaster innovating on smoked meats at KG BBQ in Austin, TX.

Another iconic spice blend used in Egyptian cooking is called Dukkah, which combines toasted nuts, seeds, and spices. The specific ingredients can vary, but a typical blend might include:

1. Hazelnuts or Almonds: These provide a rich, nutty flavor and texture to the blend.

2. Sesame Seeds: Adds a slightly nutty and toasty taste.

3. Coriander Seeds: Imparts a citrusy, slightly sweet flavor.

4. Cumin Seeds: Contributes earthy and warm notes.

5. Salt and Pepper: Enhance overall flavor.

6. Other: Fennel Seeds, Mint, Thyme: These herbs can add additional layers of flavor.

It’s a good one to try at home. The ingredients are often roasted and ground to create a coarse mixture. Try it as a topping for bread dipped in olive oil, as a seasoning for vegetables, or in KQ BBQ style — as a crust for meats.

READER PHOTO SUBMISSION OF THE WEEK 🏆

Fresh focaccia sandwich

This week’s dinner winner is Himanshu V., who made a sandwich using Ethan’s focaccia recipe, pesto, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pickled onions, cured ham, and flaky salt. Looks delicious!

Reply with a picture of the best meal you made this week for a chance to be featured in a future email.

MORE YUMMY CONTENT 🍽️

A Read: Should you make printed home menus for guests?

In a Minute or Less: Are Honeycrisp apples better?

What We’re Watching: What does modern Caribbean food look like?

Food Science: Testing cheap vs. expensive balsamic

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