Thai prawns

So a whirlwind trip to Phuket and back ticked off the to do list, and while the hazy fog of jetlag is still with me, I thought there'd be nothing better than a killer prawn curry to keep the memories alive.  There was only so much that could be done with barely 48 hours in the country, but splitting the time between the heart of the island in Thalang which is in the shadows of Khao Phra Thaeo National Park, and the truly magical Khao Sok a couple of hours north of Phuket proved to capture all my attention and more.

I think it must be the simplicity of approach to the food that draws me, one of the best things I ate was a little dish of rice topped with slices of roast duck and a bowl of peanut chilli dipping sauce. Perfect and moreish, loved it for what it wasn't trying to be, and that I think is Thai food in a nutshell. I adored the smells, colours and sounds, there is always a certain vibrancy in that corner of South East Asia that will for ever steal me away, and in a food sense will continue to be an endless inspiration. Even on a wet and miserable Sunday in DC, the Maine Avenue fish market was a must for the prawns, aiding this story (with audio!  ) to continue for a little while longer.

This is quite a thin curry, which I've seen served with spiced salted beef. Kaffir lime leaves; fresh long chillies and Thai basil as essential garnishes, to give the dish its characteristic flavour.

Tradition demands that the prawns are added to the frying curry paste, but I feel that this can lead to such delicate items being overcooked, as they then continue simmering after the coconut milk is added. I think it's ultimately better to add the prawns once the base of the curry is made, when adding the vegetables. Almost any meat or fish can be used in place of the prawns, and the combination of the vegetable element has flexibility also.

Serves 4

5 tblsp cracked coconut cream
2½ tblsp green curry paste
1½ tblsp fish sauce, to taste
250ml coconut milk and/or chicken or prawn stock
3 apple aubergines, stalk removed and each cut into sixths (if cut in advance, keep in salted water to prevent discoloration)
100g picked pea aubergines
8-12 good quality large, raw prawns, cleaned and de-veined
3-4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3 young green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced at an angle
handful of Thai basil leaves
1 rounded tblsp shredded wild ginger

To make cracked coconut cream, simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. It will then separate into thin oil and milk solids.

Heat the cracked coconut cream, add the curry paste and fry over a high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant. Make sure the paste is quite oily.

Season with fish sauce, and then moisten with the coconut milk or stock, or a mixture of the two. Bring to the boil, and then add the apple and pea aubergines. Simmer for a few minutes to cook before adding the prawns. Continue to simmer until they too are cooked.

Finish with the remaining ingredients, and then allow to rest for a minute or so before serving. The curry should have a dappling of separated coconut cream floating on top. 


For the podcast click here!  

Barbecued rib eye steaks and summer vegetable skewers with a tangy lemon dipping sauce

On a recent weekend get away to New York City it was staggering to stumble about Chinatown and see with my very own senses of sight and smell just how authentic it all is. Having lived and breathed Asia myself I was in love the moment I made ground out of the Subway and ventured up Canal Street, this is a must on anybody's go to list if in the city and in need of something reminiscent of South East Asia. Manhattan's Chinatown is one of the oldest ethnic Chinese enclaves outside of Asia. The char siu bao was phenomenal as were some near damn perfect sui mai, but today we shall leave them to the experts I think.

Here's a barbecued steak idea for home, nothing whatsoever like the char siu of a good bbq shop, but easily something to brighten a cold late Winter night at home...

Serves 4

4 x 200g rib eye beef steaks

Olive oil, to drizzle

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

Large handful of lemon thyme sprigs

1 glass of dry white wine

1 large courgette, trimmed

1 medium aubergine, trimmed

1 large red onion, peeled
4 globe artichoke hearts, cooked

For the dipping sauce
4 tblsp mayonnaise
3 tblsp Greek yoghurt
Pinch of cayenne powder
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

Put the steaks in a bowl or food bag with a generous drizzle of olive oil, some freshly ground black pepper, the garlic, spices, a few sprigs of lemon thyme and the white wine. Toss everything together, then leave to marinate at room temperature for one hour.

For the vegetable skewers, slice the courgette in half lengthwise, then cut into 1.5cm thick half-moons. Slice the aubergine into quarters lengthwise, then cut across each quarter into 1.5cm thick wedges. Chop the red onion into small chunks or wedges and the globe artichoke hearts into quarters.

If using wooden skewers, soak them in a bowl of cold water. Put all the vegetables into a bowl. Pick the leaves from the lemon thyme and toss through the vegetables with some freshly ground pepper and a generous glug of olive oil. Thread the vegetables alternately on to the skewers.

Season the beef and vegetables with salt just before you start barbecuing. Allow 10-15 minutes for the vegetable skewers on the barbecue, turning them regularly until the vegetables are tender and golden. Cook the steaks over a high heat, allowing 3-5 minutes on each side, then allow them to rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes.

For the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, adding lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Serve the steaks on warmed plates with two vegetable skewers per person and the dipping sauce in small bowls on the side

Flatbreads in the Indian manner and Udon with shepherd's pie filling

I have travelled a fair bit, and have found my way pretty well in a fair old cross mix of countries. Often leaning back on those travels when hunger rears its regular head, and in my humble opinion there's nothing quite like a whiff of nostalgia to loosen up the appetite. One country I've never been to (shame on me) is India, but that will change sooner rather than later with an impending wedding invitation not too far off. With the recent news of this, and a little bit of bread experimentation the past couple of days, a kind of a flatbread naan number was born. Nothing new in the sense of rolling out some dough and slapping it into a super hot oven I know, but such fun to play with a variety of toppings and see the creations puff in seconds before your very eyes. 

There was a dinner I had a few years back a couple of hours outside Napoli. Now, I tend to remember most meals, and this one I certainly do for this singular reason. Just the crispy, salty pizza-like flatbread we were deluged with before our food proper came to the table, this was why that restaurant existed I'm sure. I'll be damned if I can remember what I actually ordered that night, but those pillows of slightly charred crust were to die for. Dribbling in terrific olive oil, and almost too much great sea salt, but not quite, and cooked in seconds in a fabulously hot wood fired oven, they were for sure the best part of that adventure by a long way.

So therein lies a flash of the reason why, but the rest of this meal of mine is best left to a matter of necessity. Shepherd's pie base left over from the other day was sure to make a great sauce for pasta. Alas no pasta in the cupboard, but a pack of jolly expensive udon filled in the gap instead. I'm going to get hung drawn and quartered by my Japanese friends for this, but they made for a pretty outstanding substitute for the missing pasta... I shall remember that dish in the same way the flatbreads will continue to make an appearance at home...

These are slightly lighter than typical curry house naan breads but an equally delicious accompaniment to any Japanese dishes you might be knocking up! Don’t be tempted to overbake them because they will be dry and hard. They are best eaten straight out of the oven while still warm. If you are making them ahead, slightly under-bake them, then just before serving, sprinkle with water and finish under the grill

Makes 10-12

500g strong white flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tblsp caster sugar

1 tsp fine sea salt

7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast

200ml natural yoghurt

2 tblsp groundnut oil

For the toppings

Sesame, kalonji, cumin or poppyseeds, freshly chopped garlic and coriander

Melted butter, for brushing

Sift the strong white flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir through the sugar, salt and dried yeast, then make a well in the middle. Whisk the natural yoghurt and groundnut oil together and pour into the well. Add 150ml tepid water, then mix everything together to make a soft dough. If the dough seems dry, add a little more tepid water. Knead well for about 8-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Place a roasting tin half-filled with water at the bottom of the oven. This will create moisture, which will prevent the naans drying out during baking. Punch down the dough, then divide into 10-12 equal portions. Flatten and shape the portions into teardrop shapes, spreading the dough with the tips of your fingers. Transfer to lightly greased baking sheets.

Sprinkle your choice of toppings over the naan breads, pressing them gently into the dough. Brush the surface with the melted butter, then bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway, or until the naans are risen and cooked.

Smothered spinach and black bean burritos

As Superbowl XLV appears over the horizon (11 days and a counting) the thoughts of game day snacks seem to be at the forefront of my event planning from here on in. There needn't be any pressure to out perform yourself on a day like this - taking the easy route is forgiven for most of what you serve, although I'm personally making sure I'm putting all I have into my chilli while allowing dishes as below slip as quietly as possible into the repertoire.

This will serve 4, but that's just a silly quantity to consider really.

250g creamed spinach with 1 cup sweetcorn kernels
Cooking-oil spray
1 can (15 oz.) black beans
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
4 large (burrito-size) flour tortillas
1 jar (16 oz.) salsa (hotter the better)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Fold the sweetcorn into the spinach, stir in the black beans, chilli powder, garlic powder and cumin.

Meanwhile, spray a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking oil spray. Set the dish aside. Rinse the black beans, and set them aside to drain.

Assemble the burritos: Place 1 flour tortilla in the prepared baking dish. Spoon half of the spinach mixture into the middle of the tortilla, and wrap, tucking both ends under burrito-style. Place the folded burrito seam-side down at one end of the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Pour the salsa over the burritos, and spread the salsa to coat them evenly. Cover the dish with microwave-safe plastic wrap, and fold a corner back to make a vent. Place the dish in the microwave, and cook, on high, until heated through, about 4 to 6 minutes, stopping to rotate the dish after 2 minutes.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese evenly on top of each burrito to garnish. Serve at once. Chilled beer. TV. Football.

A romantic chicken salad, not forgetting the vinaigrette

The next big date flagged up with a huge red star on the calendar (apart from Superbowl weekend of course, which is marked in blue and yellow highlighters by the way) clearly has to be Valentine's Day. An occasion to have yourself legally robbed, both of cash and guilt, and put each and every one of us under the pressure we rarely would give to an enemy of the state while persuading them to reveal where they've hidden the big bombs.

Why cook at home and go to all that effort and mess rather than take the bother out to your favourite restaurant (which will be mercillesly jacking their prices up for the joy of the occasion)? Where is the fun in actually cooking at home, creating something to be proud of, watch it eaten (hopefully) and reaping the benefits of that warm fuzzy feeling of acomplishment. Who actually does this sort of nonsense anymore? There can be precious few of us left who really, trully and honestly want to cook for a loved one, making them happy through nourishment... Well stop right there daddy'o, we all should...Each and every one of us can make a wee difference in our kitchens, and trust me here, even if stuffed up, the effort goes a long long way at home.

The first time a girl cooked for me on, ironically it had to be on Valentine’s day, was when I was 16. Her parents were out of town, well I think that's what she told me. She dressed up a set of foot stools in her living room and built a fire in the fireplace.

For dinner, she made us each an enormous salad—a bowl piled high with spinach leaves, grilled chicken, walnuts, either dried cranberries or raisins I think and a cheese of one form or another, hopefully it was a goat's.

I do recall she wasn’t much of a cook, and was incredibly nervous about making everything perfect. So nervous, in fact, that she forgot to put any description of a dressing on our salads. It was close to awful; each mouthful was a chore to swallow, each bite crackled like the log fire, and every time I dug in for another forkful, the poor thing had to be accompanied by a coy smile or acknowledgment towards her efforts.

If I was you, I'd be thinking along the lines of something as straight forward as this (don't forget the dressing) for your love this Valentine's, well that or book your favourite over-priced restaurant as soon as you possibly can.

Jerusalem artichokes provide carbohydrates and starch in this all-in-one salad. I think it is ideal for a light lunch and it leaves you with just enough room for a quick dessert. If you’re short of time, of course you can leave out the hassle of the deep-fried onion rings, but they do give a nice bit of crunch to the salad.

This will serve 4 as a starter, or a cosy generous 2 on its' own.

400g Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and washed
2 tblsp olive oil
4 free-range chicken breasts, with skin on
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A few knobs of butter
150g baby spinach leaves, washed

For the vinaigrette
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
50ml sherry vinegar
150ml olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of caster sugar


For the onion rings
1 medium onion, peeled, cut horizontally and separated into rings
125g plain flour, plus 1 tblsp extra for dusting
30g corn flour
½ tsp fine sea salt
300ml light beer (or soda water)
Groundnut oil, for deep-frying

First, cook the Jerusalem artichokes. Boil them with their skin on in a pan of salted water until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, after about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette. Mix the chopped shallot, vinegar and oil together in a small bowl and season to taste with the salt, pepper and sugar. Set aside and allow the flavours to infuse.

When tender, drain the Jerusalem artichokes and leave to cool slightly. Heat a frying pan with the oil until hot. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and fry, skin-side down, for 3-4 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Turn over the breasts to cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Add a few knobs of butter and as it begins to foam, spoon over the butter to baste the chicken breasts. The thickest part of the breasts should feel firm when cooked through. Remove from the pan and leave to rest.

Cut the Jerusalem artichokes into thick slices. In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, melt a few more knobs of butter and add the artichoke slices. Fry for a few minutes each side until golden brown at the sides. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

To make the onion rings, sift the flour, corn flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Using a balloon whisk, mix in the beer or soda until the batter is just smooth.

Heat a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based saucepan with about 15cm of groundnut oil until hot. (A small piece of bread dropped into it should sizzle immediately and float to the surface.) Deep-fry the onion rings a few at a time. Dust them lightly with flour then lightly coat in the batter. Gently drop the rings into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining onion rings.

Toss the baby spinach and Jerusalem artichokes with some vinaigrette, then divide on to individual plates. Thickly slice the chicken breasts and place on top of the leaves. Scatter over the onion rings and drizzle more vinaigrette. Serve at once.

Crab mayonnaise finger sandwiches

At any time of year, a quick snack dipped in a tiny bit of luxury to help in the perk me up process really ought to involve a bit of shellfish, and crab - so accessible and not really all that expensive fits the bill. I'd love to be in a position where I could romanticise up daily lingering lunches like this; glass of champagne, copy of The Telegraph and Radio 3 plinking away in the background of my fantasy Thursday lunchtimes. The stark reality, well midweek anyways, is that there are precious weekends right now where this shoe fits, so midweek? Ha! Stick it in a sandwich and grab it when you can...

Thankfully all is not entirely lost, the crab mayonnaise filling is very versatile – fantastic wrapped in lettuce leaves, in mini pastry shells as canapés and on bruschetta, or as I've done with a soft boiled egg and a few salad leaves this time round. Use fresh crabmeat and if you can, and homemade mayonnaise if you will for the best result and flavour.

Serves 4-6

300g white crabmeat
1 shallot, peeled and very finely chopped
½ crisp green apple (e.g., Granny Smith), peeled and finely diced
Small handful of coriander leaves, chopped
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
6-7 tblsp mayonnaise
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Squeeze of lime juice
8 medium slices of brown bread

Place the crabmeat in a bowl and pick out any bits of shell. Stir in the shallot, apple and coriander, and then add the mustard and enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture together.

Season with salt, pepper and lime juice. Chill for 20 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up a little.

Spread a thick layer of the crab mixture on to four slices of bread. Sandwich with the remaining pieces of bread. Cut off the crusts and slice each sandwich into three “fingers”. Serve immediately.

Spicy seafood soup

...and continuing the theme of spice and broth, yesterdays freezing rain just sealed the deal when deciding what to conjure up for lunch. Feeling a bit low with the world always has me turning to soup, as many will testify, it must simply be the 'Mothers warmth factor' in soup that makes most things seem better all of a sudden. Funnily enough I called my Mum after lunch and endured a tortuous but hilarious thirty minute walk through of receiving and replying to an email I'd just sent her! There will be a time, in the not too distant future when I'll be exasperating my own kids over some new fangled technology.

I don't have a blender at home, so more often than not, my soups tend to be chunky anyway, this seafood number is a good example of bunging it all in, getting your timing right, and serving straight from the pot. The recipe below is tried and tested, but really should only act as a starting point. 

Serves 2

2 large shrimp (prawn)

2 boneless fillets from a sea eel

2 pen shell clams

2 ounces (60g) prepared squid

2 large mussels

2 asari clams

2 large clams

½ young corn cob

¼ chingensai (bok choy or pak choi)

15 fluid ounces (440ml) dashi

1 sea bass fillet, cut into chunks

2 tbsp light soy sauce

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 tbsp sake

1 teaspoon chilli garlic sauce

Coriander leaves

Prepare the main soup ingredients: insert a knife into the back of the shrimp and de-vein. Pour boiling water over it to change partially the surface colour. Plunge the eel into boiling water, immediately drain and plunge into iced water. Extract the pen shell clam from its shell and cut it and the squid into thin slices, about ¹/₁₆ in (3 mm) thick. Rinse well the mussel, the asari clams and the clam. Briefly blanch the young corn and the chingensai.

Pour the dashi into a cooking pot, add the main soup ingredients (including the sea bass) and bring to a boil. When the shells open, add the soy sauce, sea salt and sake to taste, and then add the chilli garlic sauce.

Transfer to a soup dish and sprinkle with coriander. I have this little jar of bonito, seaweed and sesame at home which I scattered over too - remarkable flavours.

Make sure that the fish, young corn and chingensai are all cooked and ready to eat at the same time. The shellfish are ready to eat as soon as the shells open.