Recipes By Hetty Lui Mckinnon
155 recipes found
Broccoli Rice With Eggs
This simple one-pot broccoli rice is a cozy weeknight option that will delight both adults and children alike. When cooking a simple bowl of rice, adding oil and salt to the cooking water is an easy way to bring indulgence, and, in Cantonese home kitchens, this is often a way to repurpose oil previously used for deep-frying. Oil imparts a silky mouthfeel to the rice while preventing the rice from sticking, resulting in slick, pearly, separated grains. Finely chopped, crisp-tender broccoli adds a fresh, subtle sweetness and hearty texture to the rice. Complete the dish with a hearty fried egg, drizzled with an easy soy sauce and oil seasoning to add savoriness that is not overly salty. If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover broccoli rice, it can easily be repurposed into fried rice.
Tomato and Egg Noodles
Inspired by the beloved, homestyle Chinese dish stir-fried tomato and eggs, this recipe takes a fresh approach by using uncooked tomatoes. While the kid-friendly, sweet-and-salty flavor profile of the original dish is present here, the seasoning of salt, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil also doubles as a quick pickling liquid for the tomatoes, softening them and drawing out their tangy juice. The ginger is recommended, but is optional to accommodate picky palates. Soft eggs are the key, so cook them quickly and briefly, and add them straight to the tomatoes as soon as they are ready to stop them from cooking further. The tomatoes can be marinated up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator, which can draw out even more flavor. (If doing this, bring the tomatoes back to room temperature for 30 minutes before adding the eggs and noodles.) This dish is best served at room temperature.
Bibimbap-Style Soba Noodle Salad
In this meal-prep friendly twist on bibimbap, the kaleidoscopic Korean mixed rice dish, simple vegetable sides seasoned with sesame oil or soy sauce (called namul) are served with nutty soba noodles, and lavishly tossed in a spicy-sweet gochujang dressing. Blanching is a great way to lock in the vibrant hues, distinct textures and fresh flavors of vegetables. While it’s a very simple process, it does require some precision to ensure optimal results: Season the blanching water generously, cook the vegetables briefly, and, after cooking, expel as much water as possible. The different vegetables and noodles are prepared separately, so they can be easily packed away individually, ready for assembling a quick weekday lunch or a future dinner. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. (Carrots, daikon, broccoli, kale and corn would also work well.) For extra heartiness, top with a fried egg.
Roasted Carrots With Mole Encacahuatado
If your love of peanut sauce knows no bounds, it’ll surely extend to this recipe, adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025). It’s inspired by a Mexican peanut mole that is traditionally served with chicken in the dish pollo encacahuatado. The term mole stems from the Nahuatl word “molli,” which means sauce or concoction. Mole — not just one dish but a whole category — is used in different ways: as a dressing or sauce for meats or roasted vegetables, or smothering enchiladas or rice. Here, this dark, intense peanut sauce is served with cumin-scented roasted carrots. Bunches of small carrots are ideal, as the carrot greens make an herby addition to the dish, but you can simply substitute fresh carrot tops with parsley, if your carrots are lacking.
Vegan Dan Dan Salad
Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), as the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and chile oil transforms nicely into an assertive dressing. Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the sauce, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles. Adapt this salad throughout the year by adding seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach or green beans.
Coronation Cauliflower and Chickpeas
Served at a luncheon for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, coronation chicken (or Poulet Reine Elizabeth, as it was written on the official menu) is a salad of cold chicken coated in a creamy curry sauce. In this regal vegan take, adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories” (Knopf, 2025), cauliflower and chickpeas step in for the chicken. While classic recipes typically feature cream and mayonnaise, coconut yogurt lightens things up and adds sweetness and a tropical tang that pairs well with the curry flavor. Dried fruit is a common addition to “coronation-style” dishes, with some recipes calling for dried apricots or raisins; this one opts for the former, along with optional mango chutney for liveliness and subtle spice. This salad tastes even better the next day — and any leftovers make a stellar sandwich — so feel free to prep ahead.
Spiced Chickpea and Lentil Salad
This chickpea salad, adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), mirrors the humble ingredients but standout flavors of harira, a North African soup that is steeped in tradition. Like the hearty tomato and legume soup it derives from, this salad is made from simple ingredients but achieves great depth of flavor by roasting the onions, celery and tomatoes with spices. It’s delicious as soon as it’s prepared, but like so many salads, this one keeps well, as its flavors continue to deepen over time.
Turnips With Whipped Pistachio Feta
Tender and juicy hakurei turnips, sometimes known as Japanese turnips, always feel like a treat. With a crisp flesh that is reminiscent of apples, they can be eaten raw, sliced thinly and adding a nice crunch to salads, or cooked, which coaxes out a buttery flavor. That said, if you can’t find hakurei turnips, radishes will do, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories” (Knopf, 2025). Pan-frying turns turnips juicy, tender and extremely easy to eat. The whipped pistachio feta is joyous: creamy and nutty, a perfect base for not only these turnips, but also for just about any roasted vegetable. If you can find a vegan feta that you like, use it here, as it works just as well as dairy-based feta. If your turnips have tops, reserve them to use in this salad. Turnip greens are mild and crisp, similar in taste to bok choy, and can also be stir-fried, so never throw them away.
Dan Dan Noodle Salad
Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), as the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and chile oil transforms nicely into an assertive dressing. Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the sauce, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles. Adapt this salad throughout the year by adding seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach or green beans.
Miso Eggplant Salad With Chickpeas
The flawless flavor pairing found in the popular Japanese dish miso-glazed eggplant serves as inspiration for this bold and textural salad. For high-temperature roasting, cutting the eggplant into chunky pieces optimizes golden, crisp edges with a buttery and silky interior. The vinaigrette is a standout, punchy from the ginger, intensely savory from the miso, with a sweet hum from the mirin. The simplicity of a salad founded on just eggplant and chickpeas makes this an excellent weeknight option, but there are also many ways to add more heft: Incorporate a few handfuls of spinach, add some pan-fried or baked tofu, or toss with some cold soba noodles.
Sheet-Pan Ravioli With Burst Tomatoes
Transform store-bought ravioli and a mélange of tomatoes into this low-effort, high-reward sheet pan dinner. Roasting the ravioli at high heat gives the pasta pockets crispy edges and delivers bursting tomatoes that collapse into a rich, tangy sauce. Use whatever tomatoes you have on hand: Small cherry, Sungolds or grape varieties can be left whole, while larger ones like beefsteak or Roma can be cut into irregular chunks to help them fall apart. The ravioli and tomatoes are finished off with grated pecorino and lots of black pepper, reminiscent of cacio e pepe.
Tomato and Burrata Salad With Chile Crisp
Tomato and burrata couple up nicely for a light summer meal, and they get an instant makeover with the addition of chile crisp. A powerful weeknight tool, the condiment is made with a heady mix of spices suspended in a fiery red oil, brimming with complexity and umami. In this recipe, the chile crisp both seasons and dresses the salad. Every brand of chile crisp will vary in spice, heat and saltiness, so vary the amount accordingly. The spicy oil is tamed by the milky, buttery burrata, though you could also substitute with fresh mozzarella or ricotta. Be generous with the cilantro, as it brings a bright, floral note to the tomatoes. This makes an excellent main-meal salad served with bread, or can be enjoyed with noodles or pasta.
Zucchini Butter Pasta
Make a dent in your glut of summer zucchini with this weeknight-friendly pasta. Grating the zucchini, a technique embraced by Julia Child, allows it to become so tender that it melts into the buttery, cheesy sauce. Cooking the zucchini with vegetable stock over low heat highlights the fruit’s sweetness and prevents it from caramelizing, giving the sauce a creamy rather than charred finish. Once the butter and Parmesan are added, give the mixture a good stir to encourage the zucchini to melt into the liquid. As always with zucchini, its mellow earthy flavor lays dormant until it is seasoned, so be generous with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Vegetarian Tomato Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu, the classic Sichuan dish that is now a Chinese American staple, receives a summery twist with the addition of tomatoes. Its signature tingly and assertive flavors are intensified by the umami tanginess of tomatoes, which also add a hint of fresh acidity. When you add the tofu, it will look like there’s not enough liquid, but rest assured, the tomatoes do break down during the cooking process, providing a soupy base. Not all brands of doubanjiang are created equal, so look for ones that come from Pixian, in Sichuan, as they tend to be the most flavorful thanks to a long period of fermentation under sunlight, resulting in a reddish-brown color with a deep and complex umami.
Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad With Corn Chips
This superquick corn and black bean salad is enlivened with crackly corn chips, in the spirit of salads like fattoush, panzanella and crispy noodle salad. When corn is at its peak, its subtly sweet raw kernels are plump and juicy, and the perfect addition to salads. Corn pairs beautifully with earthy black beans and this sprightly cumin-lime vinaigrette. The corn, black beans, cilantro and vinaigrette can mingle up to 4 hours ahead, so this make-ahead dish is perfect for a picnic, potluck, cookout, or simply dinner. For best results, toss in the corn chips and avocado just before serving.
Mango Soft Serve
When an ice cream craving hits at home, you’ll find near-instant joy in this quick, fruity mango soft serve. Juicy, creamy, tangy or anywhere in between, any frozen fruit will work here; strawberry, peaches, raspberries and blueberries are also excellent choices. Condensed milk delivers body and richness, transforming the fruit into a creamy concoction that mimics the whipped, airy texture of commercial soft serve. While this soft serve can be eaten right after blending, it will achieve a firmer texture closer to that of ice cream after a brief stint in a freezer. There’s room for add-ins too: Lime zest goes well with the mango, or, if using other frozen fruits, pair with vanilla extract, a touch of rose water, or even spices like cardamom or ginger. Make it vegan by using a nondairy condensed milk.
Roasted Pepper, White Bean and Mozzarella Salad
Sweet, fruity jarred roasted peppers power this hearty cannellini bean salad that comes together with almost no preparation. Like many jarred vegetables, store-bought roasted peppers are a timesaver without any sacrifice in flavor; opt for fire-roasted ones, if available, for smokier notes. Here, the succulent texture and vibrant hue of roasted peppers pair beautifully with tender cannellini beans and creamy mozzarella. You can put down that knife: As there’s no chopping required, you’ll create a range of textures by simply tearing the peppers, mozzarella and herbs. If you’ve got a glut of fresh summer bell peppers available, you can take advantage of them at their prime by roasting them for this salad, using any color or variety; check the Tip for instructions.
Potato Salad With Pickles
Those who love salt and vinegar chips already know that potatoes thrive when paired with acid, and this recipe shows that this same formula also works in a salad. Pickles bring lively acidity, imparting their classic tang to lighten potato salad. The mustard dressing is punchy, and sharpened by the addition of pickle brine. Dill pickles vary in sweetness, saltiness and acidity, so taste your brine and add accordingly. Dill, chives or parsley freshen the potatoes, but consider this as an opportunity to use up whatever soft herbs you have around. Boiled eggs make this potato salad feel more like a main meal than a side, but there are many ways to customize; crispy chickpeas or crumbled feta achieve similar effects.
Broccoli Soba Salad
Inspired by the flavors of crave-worthy yamitsuki, a Japanese cabbage dish named for its addictive qualities, this broccoli soba salad is an assured crowd pleaser. A brief marination in salt tenderizes the broccoli, making it more receptive to a humble yet powerful trio of seasonings: salt, garlic and sesame oil. The unlikely addition of vegetable stock paste or bouillon powder bolsters the emphatic umami of this dish; if you have MSG in your pantry, you could add a few pinches of that instead. Using both the flower and stalk of the broccoli adds both texture and crunch to the foundation of nutty soba noodles. This is the perfect prep-ahead dish, as it benefits from chilling to allow the flavors to meld and the soba to become firmer and less fragile.
No-Cook Chili Bean Salad
All the usual suspects found in a vegetarian bean chili appear in this salad — canned beans, tomato, bell pepper, red onion and spices — but there’s no cooking-with-heat required. The tomatoes are salted to tenderize and coax out their sweet, umami juices. Cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and dried oregano inject smoky earthiness and complexity. While black and pinto beans are used here, it is absolutely viable to use whatever beans you have on hand for this pantry-friendly recipe. Best of all, the salad can be dressed up with the usual chili toppings such as avocado, sour cream and cheese. Eat as is, or with tortillas or corn chips on the side.
Hojicha Tiramisù
A trendy addition to baked goods and desserts, hojicha steps in for espresso in this fun take on tiramisù. Hojicha is a Japanese green tea like matcha, but this roasted tea has a distinct chestnut brown color with a full-bodied nutty, toasty flavor that is akin to coffee and cocoa. Available from Japanese grocery stores, online and popping on more supermarket shelves, hojicha is sold either as tea leaves or as a finely ground powder, which is best for baking and desserts like this one. (If you can only find the tea leaves, simply blend them into a powder.) This simplified tiramisù forgoes eggs, instead opting for a mixture of mascarpone and Greek yogurt, which delivers an airy texture and a tartness that compliments the earthiness of the tea. If you can’t find hojicha, use matcha powder, cocoa or Earl Grey tea. The flavor and texture of this dish will improve overnight, as the ladyfingers soak up the hojicha, making it the perfect make-ahead dessert.
Asparagus and Tofu With Black Bean Sauce
While asparagus shines with light spring-like flavors, it also carries bigger and bolder seasonings extremely well. Here, tender asparagus is quickly seared to unlock its juiciness and then tossed with a salty, spicy and funky Chinese black bean sauce. Known as dou si (Cantonese) or dou chi (Mandarin), fermented black soy beans are made by inoculating cooked black soy beans with a mold similar to koji (which is used to make miso paste), followed by salting and drying them. While they look like wrinkled and shriveled watermelon seeds, they are intensely savory, with multidimensional umami that also hints at sweetness and bitterness. While store-bought black bean sauce is an easy convenience, making your own at home using fermented black beans allows more control over salt and spice levels (see Tip). This sauce will quickly become a weeknight workhorse, a quick way to inject a savory kick to vegetable or meat stir-fries, stews like mapo tofu and even salad dressings.
Lemon-Miso Tofu With Broccoli
Inspired by Cantonese-style lemon chicken, this vegetarian version features crispy tofu and broccoli coated in a citrusy sweet and savory sauce. This lemon sauce is neither overly sweet nor tart, but has a soft umami hum thanks to the addition of miso paste. The simple technique of dusting the tofu with cornstarch before pan-frying delivers crispy tofu that is light yet robust enough to carry the sauce. (The tofu and broccoli can also be cooked in an air-fryer with comparable results; see Tip for instructions.) Once the crusted tofu hits the sauce, it will soften and become velvety, though if you prefer more crunch, you can serve the lemon sauce on the side for dipping.
White Bean, Feta and Quick-Pickled Celery Salad
Pickling celery for just fifteen minutes is a game changer: The acid tames its grassy notes, brings out savoriness and transforms its texture from simply crunchy to crisp-tender. Here, celery is quickly pickled with red onion to create a sweet-and-sour foundation for this hearty cannellini bean salad. The cumin seeds are optional, but they add a deeply earthy and aromatic edge to the pickles; feel free to substitute or experiment with other whole spices such as caraway, coriander, fennel or star anise. Creamy and salty feta balances the sharpness of the pickles. This is a great no-cook dish for easy weeknight eating, but it also improves with age, so can be made ahead for potlucks, picnics or other gatherings.