Chinese sesame paste, or zhi ma jiang (芝麻酱) is a rich, nutty and aromatic paste made from heavily roasted and ground white sesame seeds. It is used as an ingredient predominantly in Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine, including in iconic dishes such as Taiwanese cold noodles (liang mian, 涼麵) and Sichuan dan dan noodles (dan dan …
Easy Chinese Sesame Paste Recipe (Zhi Ma Jiang, 芝麻酱) Read More »
If you’ve ever grown zucchini (or courgettes as they’re known here in the UK), you’ll know that they seem to go mad at this time of year and you end up with more than you can handle. We’ve had zucchini coming out of our ears for the past few weeks, and of all the dishes …
Easy Roasted Zucchini with Lemon, Garlic and Basil Read More »
Red pepper and chilli jam is the sweet, sour and spicy condiment that you didn’t think you needed until you try it – then you’ll start having it with everything! My recipe is based on a delicious version I originally ate at the now-defunct Jamie’s Italian restaurant chain. I think it’s the best chilli jam …
I want to share this simple but delicious Italian roasted peppers recipe, a classic in ‘British’ home-cooking history, because I have turned to it more than any other recipe I know of. Here’s why I find it so useful, and why I think you should memorize this recipe for your own ‘go-to’ collection: It’s delicious …
‘Puttanesca Peppers’ – my go-to Italian roasted peppers recipe Read More »
If you enjoy flavouring mayonnaise like me, then this nduja mayo recipe might become your new obsession for the next few months. Nduja is a chilli-sausage paste that comes specifically from Calabria, Southern Italy. It is complex, with sweet spicy and sour notes. This simple nduja mayo recipe brings out the incredible flavours of the …
Have you ever thought about baking rice? If not, then this Mediterranean rice recipe will change the way you think about cooking basmati rice forever. Instead of just boiling it in salted water, the rice is roasted in the oven on a bed of incredible ingredients to give beautifully fluffy, separate grains of basmati rice …
Buttery Baked Mediterranean Rice Recipe with, garlic dill, lemon and feta Read More »
Taiwanese cold noodles, or liang mian (涼麵) is a simple but delicious meal that is served all across Taiwan. Don’t confuse simple for unsatisfying however; this hearty bowl of noodles comes smothered with an incredibly thick, glossy and aromatic sauce made from Chinese sesame paste (think peanut butter, but with deep toasted notes of roasted …
10-minute authentic Taiwanese cold noodles recipe Read More »
If you come to Taiwan and are in need of some comfort food, then you can’t go wrong by ordering a steaming bowl of Taiwanese sesame noodles. ‘Ma jiang mian’, as it is known in Taiwanese, is a hearty bowl of beansprouts, spring onions and noodles, topped with a generous ladleful of thick, glossy and …
Magnificent Taiwanese Sesame Noodles – What to eat in Taitung (if you’re starving) Read More »
Sambals, or Indonesian chilli sauces, are central to Indonesian cuisine. There are literally hundreds of types, and I would say sambal terasi (or Indonesian shrimp paste sambal) is the most ubiquitous of all. Shallots, garlic, tomatoes, salt, sugar and plenty of chillies are fried and ground together with terasi (Indonesian shrimp paste) to make a …
Sambal Terasi Recipe – how to make Indonesian shrimp paste chilli sauce at home Read More »
Indonesia is the home of sambal – a large and diverse family of chilli-based sauces and relishes. One of the most unusual (and my favourite) is sambal matah – a raw sambal originating from the island of Bali. A simple hand-squeezed mixture of raw shallots, salt, oil, hot chillies and kaffir lime leaves, sambal matah …
Sambal Matah – authentic Balinese raw sambal recipe Read More »
I don’t usually consider ordering Italian-inspired dishes when in South East Asia, let alone rave about them. However this Thai basil pesto with cashews from Ranong province (the heart of Thailand’s cashew nut industry) was a triumph. It was a Thai-run restaurant’s take on the classic Italian pesto genovese. European basil and pine nuts were …
Thai basil pesto pasta recipe – straight from Thailand’s cashew nut province Read More »
Pho bo is delicious – but have you ever tried the stir-fried version? Pho Xao Thit Bo (or stir fried flat rice noodles) is the overlooked younger cousin of pho bo: the behemoth of a noodle soup dish that has found international fame and now seems entwined with the identity of Vietnam. I think this …
Pho Xao in Hanoi – where to eat pho bo’s little-known stir-fried cousin Read More »