I make Dal for supper regularly - at least once a month. It's delicious, healthy and so easy, particularly if I'm busy. It takes no time to get this recipe going and after an hour or so when you're ready to stop and eat, it's done. It's also great when you've not had much time for shopping - you just need a few fresh ingredients.
Growing up, cauliflower was generally presented to me smothered in cheese sauce and baked in the oven. It's delicious and still is a real family favourite. However, the wonderful nutty flavour that a simple cauliflower develops when roasted is a joy that I didn't discover until a few years ago. Cauliflower is widely available all year round, although they are at their peak in spring and autumn, they are a real workhorse during those drab months when not much seems to be in season.
This lentil recipe came from a chef friend who used to work at The Tate, he said it's one of those recipes you'll go back to time and time again. However, there's good news and bad news....
This recipe is like a beef stew with the added benefit that it all comes together in less than 10 minutes (with about 20 minutes of prep time). To save time and money use beef mince instead of sirloin.
Kung Pao Chicken - sometimes called Gong Boa - is a really simple stir fry recipe that's full of rich umami flavours spiked with the holy trinity of Chinese ingredients - chilli, ginger and garlic - seasoned with mouth-tingling Sichuan pepper and soy sauce. It's a classic for good reason - dark, sticky, sweet and sour and really tasty, quick and easy to make.
This recipe, using our Italian Pinsa Romana pizza/flatbreads showcases some of our Middle Eastern ingredients. The flavours go brilliantly together, these flabreads are absolutely delicious and will become a firm favourite on pizza night.
Khao Soi is a noodle soup from Northern Thailand, packed full of flavour. It's spicy, it's fresh, it's fragrant, there is so much going on - you'll love it. The base of the soup is pretty similar to a red curry so to keep things simple, I've just used our brilliant Thai red curry paste.
Discovering Achiote Paste for me was an epiphany moment in Mexican cooking. It's deep red in colour and actually more of a solid block than a loose paste. The key ingredient is annatto seeds, which are extracted from an evergreen shrub native to Latin America. It has a slightly smoky, earthy flavour that is popular in Mexican cuisine as a marinade for meat and fish. You have to dilute the block to use it and Mexicans often use a particular bitter orange for this. Getting hold of this special variety can be a challenge but you can recreate a similar effect by using regular oranges with some added vinegar.
This recipe is my homage to an amazing 'menú del día' of soft chorizo sausages, potatoes and beans, enjoyed in the Rioja region of Spain, where we ate and drank the most fabulous food.
When it's cold and rainy this beef ramen recipe has magical reviving properties, it's like nestling into an enormous sheepskin rug in front of a roaring fire on the grimmest of winter days.
Dumplings are just one of life's little joys. Juicy, succulent and full of flavour. If you don't have time to make you're own, these ready-made dumpling are totally delicious and perfect for a quick meal. Simply cook them straight from frozen for 6-7 minutes, toss them in a tasty sauce and enjoy.
I have a number of 'go to' noodle sauces - ones that I can throw together really quickly, generally from store cupboard ingredients and this is one of them. Gochujang provides the base for this sauce and also the Korean vibe...
Fregola is a traditional pasta from Sardinia. It's made using Durum wheat semolina that's rolled into small balls and toasted in an oven, giving a nutty flavour and texture. Fregola sits somewhere between giant couscous and Levantine moghrabieh, both are wheat based. Fregola is really versatile - use it in salads, soups and risotto, or pair it with vegetables, meat or seafood.
Hawaij is a Yemeni spice blend with a wonderful sweet, earthy fragrance, it's deeply aromatic without any hot spice and is used to flavour soups and stews. This dish combines lamb with freekeh, a grain that's popular in the Middle East and used in salads and soups. If you haven't cooked with it yet, you're in for a treat - it's low in fat but high in protein and fibre.
Tacos al Pastor are made from pork marinated in achiote, guajillo and pasilla chillies with pineapple juice and oregano. The flavour is heavenly and really simple to recreate at home.
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