Tahini cream cheese blondies

sushi flirting with sameness at Sushi on Jones, hyperinsulinaemia

I pepper this letter at midnight, because I can’t sleep, and also perhaps the paneer I had earlier is still stirring around in earnest down there, which I’m very ok with as that was probably some of the most cushy and soft paneer I’ve had. At Zaika of all places, which I’ve passed by maybe 1000 times but have only ventured into once, and now that rich and velvety tomato sauce will paint my dreams tonight. In other news…

Food news of the week:

I derive joy from educating people on how they can live fully by finding their balance: eat out at places they enjoy, find joy in the kitchen, all while being able to optimise their physical and mental wellbeing. This tahini blondie for today’s recipe below is an example of that balance. It’s the creamiest little nugget of tang lovingly encase in nutty sweetness, and will bring much joy into your life. Then there’s a reliably well-stuffed courgette flower at 40 Dean Street with Stas, but it was much too small to really relish, and KIN Café with Leia, known for its healthy bowls but I was enjoying their onion rings more– golden slices cinched into the batter– bellissima.

Have you ever been late to an omakase seating, or some sort of strictly timed, fine dining arrangement, before? Today’s review is on Sushi on Jones, where I discuss the strange handling of that situation and how it compares to the rest of London’s mid-tier omakase scene. It’s at least a far cry from Nobu, where everything from the watery mush of scallop to the unusually-fishy light pink salmon made me realise: I can’t wait to not return.

Science of the week:

Dr. Bikman hosted this intriguing talk on hyperinsulinaemia, which is the condition where your body makes so much insulin– the hormone that regulates your glucose levels. I tried to draw the process with my amateur drawing skills (sorry). Main takeaway is that the cause and consequence of hyperinsulinaemia is a ton of stress and inflammation, but the condition usually comes first due to lack of sleep and poor diet. This is another key example of how taking care of your gut health through probiotics and lifestyle is integral to optimising metabolic health, for it drastically lowers this inflammation. Interestingly, he brings Singapore up as a case study, noting our carbohydrate-rich diet as one of the main drivers of hyperinsulinaemia in the city-state, despite having such a low obesity rate. Might help to be more mindful of how many pratas and sweet-milky kopis we want to consume first thing in the morning…

Insight of the week:

I really hope I’m not the only one who cries every single time I watch About Time. Watching it is a reminder that joy comes not from changing events but from living each day with intention, finding some kind of magic along the way. Ultimately, the people we share moments with > the imperfect moments in and of themselves.

Recipe of the week:

Tahini blondies and their variations are my favourite things to make and to eat, I’ve been obsessed for years. What I love about them is how dense and fudgy these guys are, due to the lack of baking powder and little flour.

Ingredients

1 cup (250g) light tahini, well mixed (sometimes the oil and sesame paste separates in the bottle)

1 tsp salt

1/2 stick (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for a bit

2 eggs

0.5 cup (100g) brown sugar

0.5 cup (100g) white castor sugar

0.75 cup (80g) plain, all-purpose flour

For the cream cheese filling: around 0.5 cup full-fat cream cheese, and 2 tbsp white castor sugar

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese and sugar together well. Set that in your fridge and leave it for now.