When summer corn is at its peak, you really don’t have to do much. But if you want to take it just one step further—without masking its natural sweetness—this quick stovetop Korean Honey Butter Corn is the move. It’s buttery, slightly sticky from the honey, read more
When it’s a million degrees out and even the thought of turning on the stove makes you sweat, this Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Soup comes to the rescue. It’s light, hydrating, and bursting with flavor—basically the edible version of jumping into a cold pool. Crisp cucumbers read more
I used to think my mom made this up. When I was little, she’d serve us bowls of strawberries and let us mash them up, drizzle in a little honey or a sprinkling of sugar, and pour cold milk over the whole thing. The strawberries would tint the milk this delicate, dreamy pink, and my sisters and I would eat it with a spoon straight from the bowl. For the longest time, I assumed it was just one of those quirky “Mom things”, probably a way to make sure we ate more fruit while getting some calcium.
But it turns out strawberries and milk—ichigo to miruku—is actually a classic snack in Japan. You’ll find more stylized versions of it in cafés and cookbooks and all over Japanese social media during strawberry season. Strawberries and milk is a popular flavor combination that shows up in candies, cakes, even sandwiches. But even though there are store-bought options and recipes that involve cooking the strawberries into a syrup, I still love my mom’s version best: just fresh berries, sweetened a bit, and mixed with milk.
It’s incredibly simple, endlessly customizable, and honestly the most perfect thing to make when it’s way too hot to cook. I use maple syrup now instead of sugar (my grown-up twist), and pour it over whatever milk I have in the fridge—dairy, oat, soy, you name it. To vegan or not vegan, it’s a choose your own adventure kind of thing. Strawberries and Milk is refreshing, nostalgic, and summer ready, so let’s get into it.
It makes sense that this little snack has such popularity in Japan, where strawberries are practically a cultural treasure. Some varieties are so valued they’re sold in gift boxes, each one carefully packed and nestled like a jewel.
They’re sweet, delicate, and celebrated during peak season—especially around early spring, when the most famous varieties are at their best. And so a recipe like this, which so few ingredients, really lets this prized fruit shine. I look for the best strawberries the season has to offer; this is the time to go to your favorite farmer’s market and pick out the most fragrant and ripe berries you can get your hands on.
The process is so embarrassingly easy, but sharing is caring, so here we go: I start by hulling my strawberries. You can use a little gadget like this huller to remove the stem and the white core underneath, leaving just the juicy and sweet berry. To be frank, I’m not a gadget girl but remembered seeing this tool in a drawer. I implore you not to buy this single purpose, not even very sharp or helpful tool. Instead, use a pairing knife and you’ll thank me.
Old school is definitely the best choice…
Then I put the strawberries into serving bowls.
Truly, this is the greatest snack or quick breakfast for parents. Kids have a great deal of energy in the morning, particularly boys like my nephews. They want to do something immediately. If you’re not a morning person like me, you’ll love the fact that mashing strawberries takes some work and gives kids an easy task. Mash it with big chunks left or let them spend some time, work off some energy, and go to town on those berries yielding a smoother paste. Make sure you use a large enough bowl if you have younger kids to contain any potential mess.
I like mine with big chunks ;)
Then it’s time to pick your sweetener. Growing up, my mom always used plain white sugar. As kids, we loved the sugary gritty milk at the bottom of the bowl that waited for us at the end- like an extra little treat. But these days I usually reach for maple syrup—it blends easily and adds a little extra depth. Honey is nice too. Really any sweetener that you have on hand is fine. Start by tasting your strawberries—if they’re super ripe and sweet, you might not need much at all. If they’re a little tart, a bit more sweetener will help coax out their flavor.
And just like with the sweetener, you can choose your own milk. Plant-based options like oat, almond, soy, even coconut all work beautifully here. Whether you use dairy or nondairy, you’ll end up with a Strawberry and Milk that’s berry delicious. Come on, I’m Gen X—of course I had to sneak in a Strawberry Shortcake reference somewhere!
And with that, your summery treat is ready to be enjoyed!
I hope this nostalgic snack brings you the same simple joy it has always brought me. Savoring seasonal treats is one way to bring a little dose of childlike happiness even in our adult doom-scrolling world… Take a few minutes to make this sweet treat and let me know what you think. And remember to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!
And if you’re looking for more simple summer treats, check out my Strawberry Lychee Lemonade, Tropical Fruit Salad, or Avocado Smoothie.
Prepare the strawberries: Cut the stems off of the strawberries and place them into 2 bowls.
Serve the strawberries with the milk and sweetener on the side. Mash the strawberries with the back of a fork, pour milk over the strawberries, and season with sweetener to taste. Eat immediately with a spoon or fork.
*Strawberries are acidic so the milk will start to curdle slightly as it sits. This does not affect the taste and shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your berries.
Keywords: chilled, no cook, summer, strawberries, fruit, easy, comfort food, quick, snacks
Chilled Tofu Terrine is one of those dishes that looks incredibly elegant, but is actually super simple to make. There’s no oven involved, barely any cooking, and it can be made ahead—perfect for warm weather days when the last thing you want is to stand read more
Octopus is enjoyed in many coastal cuisines around the world, and Japan is no exception. From takoyaki (savory octopus-filled dumplings) to sushi and sashimi, octopus—known as tako in Japanese—is a staple ingredient, prized for its mild sweetness and satisfying bite. It’s also incredibly popular in read more
If there’s one cake you could feel good about serving for breakfast or sneaking into a lunch box, this Chocolate Zucchini Cake is it. I mean chocolate is a Superfood and zucchini is a nutrient rich vegetable, this is starting to sound like the breakfast of champions! While it does have its fair share of sugar (because, let’s be real, it is still a cake!), the zucchini adds a wholesome touch. And with the abundance of zucchini this time of year, why not put it to delicious use? If you’ve never baked with zucchini before, don’t worry. There is no veggie taste, the zucchini blends seamlessly into the batter and keeps this fudgy and decadent tasting cake super moist. If you’ve been disappointed by lackluster chocolate cakes before, let this cake show you how amazing they can be. My Chocolate Zucchini Cake may look humble, but it is a chocolatey treat you are going to crave morning, noon, and night, so let’s get into it.
Baking is not my comfort zone. And that’s the reason why I always use a digital scale to weigh ingredients-the scale never lies. And unlike cooking, baking is a science. If you don’t follow the rules, you may not always get what you want. But using a scale ensures you’re getting the exact measurements every time. Flour, sugar, and other ingredients can vary a lot depending on how they’re scooped or packed into measuring cups, but a scale takes out the guesswork. It also makes it easier to follow recipes from around the world, which often use weight measurements. Once you get into the habit, you’ll wonder how you ever baked without it!
I get it—not everyone has a kitchen scale and maybe you don’t want to invest in one if you don’t bake that often, which is why I always include standard measurements in my recipes, too. However, if you’re using cups to measure dry ingredients like flour or sugar, make sure to use the ‘spoon and level’ method. Instead of scooping directly from the bag, lightly spoon the ingredient into the measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. This prevents you from accidentally packing too much into the cup, which can throw off the balance of the recipe.
It’s important to have everything prepped and measured and ready to go when baking. It will make your life so much easier and you’ll feel just like you’re on the Great British Bake Off when you reach for your ingredients.
Then I add the salt. Never skip the salt in a baking recipe-baked goods taste flat without it. I grew up in an Asian household and we never had Kosher salt, so I just use sea salt in all of my recipes, even baking ones. It’s one less thing to keep on hand. So if you’re like me, and you don’t have Kosher salt, you can definitely use sea salt, just use less to account for the smaller grains.
Sifting is a pain, I get it. One more bowl and the sieve to wash. But don’t skip it. Cocoa powder is very clumpy and if you live in a place with humidity, like me, it’s even more clumpy. Nothing ruins a cake quite like a chunk of unmixed cocoa powder. So take the extra step. And while we’re on the topic of cocoa powder, look for a good one. I only use dutched cocoas which include an additional step to neutralize the acidity (a process developed by a Dutch chemist, hence the name). Dutch-processed cocoa powders are not all equal; some of them look dark and fudgy but are in fact bitter and almost burnt tasting. My go to is Valrhona cocoa powder, which I love for its strong, rich flavor. But Scharffen Berger, Droste, and Guittard are all great too.
Once sifting is done, I grate the zucchini, our star ingredient. I’m going to be honest, when I look into my veggie bin, too often, I see a mushy zucchini staring up at me. Why are these things so hard to use up? In my never ending fight against wasted food, I decided I need more recipes that use up the things that I can rarely finish. This recipe uses 2 cups of packed shredded zucchini, which is about 2 small, 1 1/2 medium, or 3/4 a large one, just enough to get me over the hump. And there’s no tortured process of draining, squeezing, or rolling. Just shred it and use it.
There’s one more little surprise ingredient-instant espresso powder. A small amount of coffee enhances chocolate flavor, making it deeper and richer, but not enough to impart coffee flavor to the cake. Dissolve it first in some hot water so it won’t be gritty in the Chocolate Zucchini Cake.
When I have all the other ingredients ready, I melt the chocolate. I find the microwave really great at this, but you could always melt it in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Make sure you are using chocolate that is made to melt. Chocolate chips that are meant for cookies are designed to hold their shape. I’m using chocolate wafers which, like regular bar chocolate, will melt.
The secret to using the microwave for melting chocolate is to lower the heat. Using it at full power will scorch your chocolate, making an inedible mess. Low and slow is the way to go. I drop my microwave to 50% power and it works perfectly. Although the chocolate may not look melted, once you stir it, it will turn into a lush puddle.
Now it’s time to start putting it all together.
Mix for about 5 minutes, until thick and creamy:
Once I’ve mixed in all the flour and cocoa mixture, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla and espresso, I take the bowl out and mix in the zucchini by hand.
Now this baby is ready to go in the oven. This batter makes a 12 cup Bundt cake. Make sure to really get baking spray in all the nooks and crannies of the pan so your cake releases perfectly.
Bake the cake for 50-55 minutes; a toothpick test will show moist crumbs.
Cool for 10 mins in the pan before flipping it out gently, to finish cooling on a rack. Dust with some cocoa powder before serving.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake is certainly comfortable being served with some ice cream or whipped cream. But it’s also absolutely perfect on its own. I can’t wait for you to try it. Drop a comment on the recipe below, and remember to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!
Made this cake and still have more zucchini than you know what to do with? Try this Zucchini Jam, Lemon Zucchini, or Vegetarian Bibimbap!
*Use a kitchen scale for the best, most consistent results.
* You can use any bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, just make sure not to use baking chips, which will not melt and are made to keep their shape.
*You can substitute low fat sour cream (which is what I had) or full fat yogurt for the recipe with excellent results.
Keywords: chocolate, snacking cake, sweets, cake, zucchni
Hi there!
I’m Kazu, a restaurateur in Miami who wants to show you all of the best tricks for creating restaurant quality Asian meals at home.
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