Chicken and Rice by Shu Han Lee

C O NT E NT S Introduction Food in Southeast Asia RICE NOODLES SOUPS FISH & SEAFOOD MEAT EGGS & TOFU VEGETABLES SNACKS SWEETS PANTRY

Suggested menus Glossary of ingredients Kitchen equipment Where I shop Acknowledgements Index

C O NT E NT S Introduction Food in Southeast Asia RICE NOODLES SOUPS FISH & SEAFOOD MEAT EGGS & TOFU VEGETABLES SNACKS SWEETS PANTRY

Suggested menus Glossary of ingredients Kitchen equipment Where I shop Acknowledgements Index

I N D IA

CHINA LAOS

BURMA

Heavy Indian influences, e.g. curries, samosas, chapatis.

Loads of beans and lentils.

But also plenty of fish sauce.

THAILAND

North: Sticky rice. Bolder foods like fermented pork blood sausage. Broths flavoured by bitter herbs and mushrooms.

Central: Hot, salty, sweet and sour flavours, e.g. Tom yum soups.

South: More coconut. More spices.

More curries.

VIETNAM

Fresh raw herbs, vegetables, lime.

Big on noodle soups, e.g. Pho. North: Light and balanced..

Central: Spicier, bolder, with French influences.

South: Sweeter and more vibrant.

Sticky rice is more common.

French influences. Lots of aromatics like galangal.

Slow-cooked stews or slow-roasted meat.

Often coconut, vinegar and/or soy sauce based.

Few spices used.

C A M B O D IA

Lots of herbs, pickled vegetables and tropical fruit.

Freshwater fish from the Mekong river.

M A L AYS IA

Spice pastes with aromatics like shallots and lemongrass.

Coconut everywhere. Strong influences from Indonesia.

S I N GA P O R E

Mish mash of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European cooking.

SULAWESI: Lots of meat. Roast pork!

I N D O N ES IA

A VERY CONDENSED

SOUTHEAST ASIA FOOD MAP

P H I L L I P I N ES

Strong flavours from spices, aromatics, coconut, fermented shrimp paste, peanuts, and thick soy sauce (kecap manis).

SUMATRA: More Middle Eastern and Indian influences. Curries, satay, and buffalo rendang.

PAPUA: Seafood! Barbecues!

JAVA: More Chinese influences (e.g. lumpia, fried spring rolls).

They also like their food sweet (e.g. banana pancakes and jackfruit curry).

Vegetable Avocado Summer Rolls This is the perfect thing to have when you want to feel virtuous; it is basically a salad rolled inside rice paper. You can play around with the ingredients as long as you make it a point to include lots of fresh fragrant herbs and crunchy vegetables. In fact, on the odd winter day when I feel like I’ve had enough of stews and roasts (usually in the first week of January), I make ‘winter rolls’ with shredded red cabbage, kohlrabi and leftover roast chicken. In summer, my favourite combination is decidedly lighter and in fact vegan-friendly. I use lots of crisp vegetables and fresh herbs – radishes, lettuce, mint, coriander, Thai basil, chives – and rice vermicelli. I love adding sliced ripe avocado to the mix too; it adds a much-needed touch of creamy richness to the raw vegetables.

1. Place the rice vermicelli in a bowl and pour boiling water over. Cover and leave to cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Halve the avocados, then cut each half into 4 slices. Squeeze the lime juice over to stop them oxidizing and turning brown.

3. Get your rolling station ready! Have the cooked rice vermicelli, avocado, vegetables and herbs in front of you. Prepare a shallow tray of lukewarm water big enough for dipping your rice paper sheets into.

4. To assemble, dip a sheet of rice paper into the water and take it out immediately. Soaking the paper for too long will make it too limp. Lay the rice paper sheet on a clean board. Arrange a lettuce leaf on the centre of the sheet, followed by slices of avocado, radishes and a scant handful of rice vermicelli. Tear some coriander, mint and Thai basil leaves and lay them over along with a few chives.

5. To roll, fold the bottom half of the rice paper over the fillings, and while holding the roll firmly, fold the two sides inwards. Begin rolling the sheet horizontally up and away from you, tucking in and pressing all the time to make sure it is a tight package.

6. Place on a baking tray and cover the tray loosely with clingfilm while you continue making the other rolls. These are best served fresh, but you can also store them in airtight containers to prevent them drying out too much. Serve with any or all of the dipping sauces.

VIETNAM Makes 6 40g uncooked rice vermicelli 2 ripe Hass avocados juice of ½ a lime 6 little gem lettuce leaves 4–6 radishes, thinly sliced a handful of fresh coriander a handful of fresh mint a handful of fresh Thai basil a small bunch of chives 6 rice paper sheets (22cm wide) To serve (any or all of the following) nuoc cham (see page 000 ) sweet spicy tamarind sauce (see page 000) easy chilli dips (see page 000 )

Vegetable Avocado Summer Rolls This is the perfect thing to have when you want to feel virtuous; it is basically a salad rolled inside rice paper. You can play around with the ingredients as long as you make it a point to include lots of fresh fragrant herbs and crunchy vegetables. In fact, on the odd winter day when I feel like I’ve had enough of stews and roasts (usually in the first week of January), I make ‘winter rolls’ with shredded red cabbage, kohlrabi and leftover roast chicken. In summer, my favourite combination is decidedly lighter and in fact vegan-friendly. I use lots of crisp vegetables and fresh herbs – radishes, lettuce, mint, coriander, Thai basil, chives – and rice vermicelli. I love adding sliced ripe avocado to the mix too; it adds a much-needed touch of creamy richness to the raw vegetables.

1. Place the rice vermicelli in a bowl and pour boiling water over. Cover and leave to cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Halve the avocados, then cut each half into 4 slices. Squeeze the lime juice over to stop them oxidizing and turning brown.

3. Get your rolling station ready! Have the cooked rice vermicelli, avocado, vegetables and herbs in front of you. Prepare a shallow tray of lukewarm water big enough for dipping your rice paper sheets into.

4. To assemble, dip a sheet of rice paper into the water and take it out immediately. Soaking the paper for too long will make it too limp. Lay the rice paper sheet on a clean board. Arrange a lettuce leaf on the centre of the sheet, followed by slices of avocado, radishes and a scant handful of rice vermicelli. Tear some coriander, mint and Thai basil leaves and lay them over along with a few chives.

5. To roll, fold the bottom half of the rice paper over the fillings, and while holding the roll firmly, fold the two sides inwards. Begin rolling the sheet horizontally up and away from you, tucking in and pressing all the time to make sure it is a tight package.

6. Place on a baking tray and cover the tray loosely with clingfilm while you continue making the other rolls. These are best served fresh, but you can also store them in airtight containers to prevent them drying out too much. Serve with any or all of the dipping sauces.

VIETNAM Makes 6 40g uncooked rice vermicelli 2 ripe Hass avocados juice of ½ a lime 6 little gem lettuce leaves 4–6 radishes, thinly sliced a handful of fresh coriander a handful of fresh mint a handful of fresh Thai basil a small bunch of chives 6 rice paper sheets (22cm wide) To serve (any or all of the following) nuoc cham (see page 000 ) sweet spicy tamarind sauce (see page 000) easy chilli dips (see page 000 )

How to fold a summer roll

How to fold a summer roll

Mum’s Fail-Safe Vegetables My mum has a handful of fail-safe ways to prepare vegetables, and this has to be one of her top recipes. I dare you to find me a vegetable that won’t taste good done this way – fried with copious amounts of crushed garlic and dried shrimps, and in good old healthy lard, of course. This works with leafy greens, more robust vegetables like cabbage, and both summer and winter squashes. I never get sick of eating vegetables cooked this way because the flavour of the dish changes with the type of vegetable used.

1. Soak the dried shrimps in the warm water for 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain, saving the soaking liquid – this forms the stock for later.

2. Trim the bottoms of the chard stalks, then wash and dry well. I like to separate the thicker stalks and chop them up into smaller pieces so that the chard cooks more evenly later.

3. Mum pounds the garlic with the dried shrimps and a big pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. This helps to release their flavour better in a quick stir-fry.

You can also just chop finely.

4. Heat a wok until smoking hot, then add the lard. Once it’s hot, add the garlicshrimp mixture and stir-fry until fragrant – it will only take a few seconds.

5. Push the garlic and dried shrimps to the side of the wok, then add the chard and stir-fry on a high heat for a minute, before adding the reserved soaking liquid.* Turn the heat down to medium and continue stir-frying until the chard is just wilted. Plate up and eat straight away, with plain rice.

* If you can’t have lard, chicken fat is a good substitute. If that too is not an option, stick to groundnut oil. * If using a hardier vegetable like cabbage, cover the pan after adding the soaking liquid and simmer on a medium heat until tender. You may need to add an extra splash of water or stock halfway through. Peeled and chopped pumpkin and other sweet winter squashes work extremely well too using the same technique.

Serves 2-4 2 heaped tablespoons dried shrimps 500g rainbow chard, or vegetable of choice 8 cloves garlic (yes, really) a pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoons lard* 4 tablespoons of warm water

Mum’s Fail-Safe Vegetables My mum has a handful of fail-safe ways to prepare vegetables, and this has to be one of her top recipes. I dare you to find me a vegetable that won’t taste good done this way – fried with copious amounts of crushed garlic and dried shrimps, and in good old healthy lard, of course. This works with leafy greens, more robust vegetables like cabbage, and both summer and winter squashes. I never get sick of eating vegetables cooked this way because the flavour of the dish changes with the type of vegetable used.

1. Soak the dried shrimps in the warm water for 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain, saving the soaking liquid – this forms the stock for later.

2. Trim the bottoms of the chard stalks, then wash and dry well. I like to separate the thicker stalks and chop them up into smaller pieces so that the chard cooks more evenly later.

3. Mum pounds the garlic with the dried shrimps and a big pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. This helps to release their flavour better in a quick stir-fry.

You can also just chop finely.

4. Heat a wok until smoking hot, then add the lard. Once it’s hot, add the garlicshrimp mixture and stir-fry until fragrant – it will only take a few seconds.

5. Push the garlic and dried shrimps to the side of the wok, then add the chard and stir-fry on a high heat for a minute, before adding the reserved soaking liquid.* Turn the heat down to medium and continue stir-frying until the chard is just wilted. Plate up and eat straight away, with plain rice.

* If you can’t have lard, chicken fat is a good substitute. If that too is not an option, stick to groundnut oil. * If using a hardier vegetable like cabbage, cover the pan after adding the soaking liquid and simmer on a medium heat until tender. You may need to add an extra splash of water or stock halfway through. Peeled and chopped pumpkin and other sweet winter squashes work extremely well too using the same technique.

Serves 2-4 2 heaped tablespoons dried shrimps 500g rainbow chard, or vegetable of choice 8 cloves garlic (yes, really) a pinch of sea salt 2 tablespoons lard* 4 tablespoons of warm water

Kohlrabi SOM TUM Som tum is a signature Thai salad (tum som in Laos), normally made by pounding shredded unripe green papaya. Kohlrabi is a fantastic British substitute. This underrated vegetable is crisp when raw, with a clean, mild sweetness that’s very refreshing with the dressing. The lime and fish sauce based dressing consists of dried shrimps, chillies, garlic and tomatoes – all bashed together in a mortar so their flavours release and meld beautifully with one another, creating a powerful combination of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and pungent.

1. Peel the kohlrabi and cut into long fine shreds on a mandolin. Trim the green beans and cut into 5cm lengths.

2. Put the garlic into a mortar and smash with the pestle. Follow with the chillies and dried shrimps, crushing them to release their flavours. Add the green beans and pound them lightly. Add half the cherry tomatoes, and bruise slightly so they release their juices.

3. Add the seasonings – the fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice. Mash everything against the sides of the bowl. Keep tasting and adjusting. You can do this in advance, but don’t make the actual salad until you are ready to serve, or the vegetables and nuts will go soggy.

4. Finally, toss the shredded kohlrabi, the rest of the tomatoes, the coriander and toasted peanuts in the dressing. You can add them straight to the mortar if you like, but if yours isn’t big enough, combine them separately in a large bowl.

5. Finish by crushing some peanuts over to serve.

Note: If making this without a mortar and pestle, you can make the dressing

by finely chopping the garlic and chillies, lightly bruising the dried shrimp and green beans with the back of your knife, and squeezing the tomatoes, before combining it all with the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.

THAILAND / LAOS Serves 4 2 medium kohlrabi 1 handful of green (French) beans 2 cloves of garlic 4–6 red bird’s-eye chillies 2 tablespoons dried shrimps 8 sweet ripe cherry tomatoes, halved 3 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons unrefined light palm sugar, or unrefined light brown cane sugar 1–2 limes a handful of fresh coriander, roughly torn a handful of toasted peanuts

Kohlrabi SOM TUM Som tum is a signature Thai salad (tum som in Laos), normally made by pounding shredded unripe green papaya. Kohlrabi is a fantastic British substitute. This underrated vegetable is crisp when raw, with a clean, mild sweetness that’s very refreshing with the dressing. The lime and fish sauce based dressing consists of dried shrimps, chillies, garlic and tomatoes – all bashed together in a mortar so their flavours release and meld beautifully with one another, creating a powerful combination of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and pungent.

1. Peel the kohlrabi and cut into long fine shreds on a mandolin. Trim the green beans and cut into 5cm lengths.

2. Put the garlic into a mortar and smash with the pestle. Follow with the chillies and dried shrimps, crushing them to release their flavours. Add the green beans and pound them lightly. Add half the cherry tomatoes, and bruise slightly so they release their juices.

3. Add the seasonings – the fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice. Mash everything against the sides of the bowl. Keep tasting and adjusting. You can do this in advance, but don’t make the actual salad until you are ready to serve, or the vegetables and nuts will go soggy.

4. Finally, toss the shredded kohlrabi, the rest of the tomatoes, the coriander and toasted peanuts in the dressing. You can add them straight to the mortar if you like, but if yours isn’t big enough, combine them separately in a large bowl.

5. Finish by crushing some peanuts over to serve.

Note: If making this without a mortar and pestle, you can make the dressing

by finely chopping the garlic and chillies, lightly bruising the dried shrimp and green beans with the back of your knife, and squeezing the tomatoes, before combining it all with the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.

THAILAND / LAOS Serves 4 2 medium kohlrabi 1 handful of green (French) beans 2 cloves of garlic 4–6 red bird’s-eye chillies 2 tablespoons dried shrimps 8 sweet ripe cherry tomatoes, halved 3 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons unrefined light palm sugar, or unrefined light brown cane sugar 1–2 limes a handful of fresh coriander, roughly torn a handful of toasted peanuts

Son-in-Law Eggs

Fried hard-boiled eggs with sweet & sour sauce There are lots of theories behind the name of this dish. My favourite one is that a Thai mother serves these deep-fried eggs to her future son-in-law as a passive-aggressive warning; if he doesn’t treat her daughter well, it will be his egg-shaped parts being used the next time. Stories aside, these eggs are some of my favourite things to make, especially as party appetizers. This dish is simple, but when done right, the flavours, textures and colours come together beautifully. The golden crispy jacket isn’t just for show; besides adding a wonderful ‘fried’ fragrance, it makes sure that the sweet and sour tamarind sauce doesn’t just slide off the otherwise smooth surface of the boiled egg.

1. First, to get perfectly cooked eggs: put room temperature eggs in a single layer in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil over a high heat, and once boiling, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water, covered, for exactly 6 minutes. Pour off the hot water and run the eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle. The whites will be firm but still quite fragile, so be careful when peeling.

2. Heat about 5cm of oil in a wok. Pat the eggs dry. When the oil is shimmering hot, carefully slip the eggs in. Fry the eggs until golden on the outside, then drain and set aside on kitchen paper.

3. To make the sweet and sour sauce for son-in-law eggs, soak the tamarind pulp in 2 tablespoons of hot water for 15 minutes, until softened, then massage and squeeze to get the juices from the pulp. Simmer the tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar together, until well combined and slightly thickened.

It should have the consistency of pancake syrup and taste sweet and sour.

Adjust the seasoning to taste.

4. To serve, halve the eggs and pour the sauce over. Finish with a little drizzle of fried shallot oil and sprinkle with the fried shallots, shreds of chilli, and roughly torn coriander.

VARIATION: Sambal telur: You can also find a sambal-smothered version of these eggs at Indonesian/Malay nasi padang stalls (places serving steamed rice with a dizzying array of curries and chilli-spiked dishes). Simply heat up some sambal tumis belachan (see page 000) and lightly toss the fried eggs in it until well coated. Halve, and serve with a little sprinkle of coriander. .

THAILAND Serves 6 6 large free-range eggs* groundnut oil or lard, for frying For the sauce 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp 3 tablespoons fish sauce 5 tablespoons palm sugar or unrefined light brown sugar To serve fried shallots and shallot oil (see page 000) 1 red chilli, thinly julienned a handful of fresh coriander

* Old eggs are easier to peel. I always insist on good free-range eggs anyway, but in dishes like these where the eggs and their golden yolks are the star of the show, it is especially important not to skimp.

Son-in-Law Eggs

Fried hard-boiled eggs with sweet & sour sauce There are lots of theories behind the name of this dish. My favourite one is that a Thai mother serves these deep-fried eggs to her future son-in-law as a passive-aggressive warning; if he doesn’t treat her daughter well, it will be his egg-shaped parts being used the next time. Stories aside, these eggs are some of my favourite things to make, especially as party appetizers. This dish is simple, but when done right, the flavours, textures and colours come together beautifully. The golden crispy jacket isn’t just for show; besides adding a wonderful ‘fried’ fragrance, it makes sure that the sweet and sour tamarind sauce doesn’t just slide off the otherwise smooth surface of the boiled egg.

1. First, to get perfectly cooked eggs: put room temperature eggs in a single layer in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil over a high heat, and once boiling, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water, covered, for exactly 6 minutes. Pour off the hot water and run the eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle. The whites will be firm but still quite fragile, so be careful when peeling.

2. Heat about 5cm of oil in a wok. Pat the eggs dry. When the oil is shimmering hot, carefully slip the eggs in. Fry the eggs until golden on the outside, then drain and set aside on kitchen paper.

3. To make the sweet and sour sauce for son-in-law eggs, soak the tamarind pulp in 2 tablespoons of hot water for 15 minutes, until softened, then massage and squeeze to get the juices from the pulp. Simmer the tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar together, until well combined and slightly thickened.

It should have the consistency of pancake syrup and taste sweet and sour.

Adjust the seasoning to taste.

4. To serve, halve the eggs and pour the sauce over. Finish with a little drizzle of fried shallot oil and sprinkle with the fried shallots, shreds of chilli, and roughly torn coriander.

VARIATION: Sambal telur: You can also find a sambal-smothered version of these eggs at Indonesian/Malay nasi padang stalls (places serving steamed rice with a dizzying array of curries and chilli-spiked dishes). Simply heat up some sambal tumis belachan (see page 000) and lightly toss the fried eggs in it until well coated. Halve, and serve with a little sprinkle of coriander. .

THAILAND Serves 6 6 large free-range eggs* groundnut oil or lard, for frying For the sauce 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp 3 tablespoons fish sauce 5 tablespoons palm sugar or unrefined light brown sugar To serve fried shallots and shallot oil (see page 000) 1 red chilli, thinly julienned a handful of fresh coriander

* Old eggs are easier to peel. I always insist on good free-range eggs anyway, but in dishes like these where the eggs and their golden yolks are the star of the show, it is especially important not to skimp.

Fishcakes With herbs & chilli

These fishcakes are not at all like the British versions, which are, in the case of the better ones, crisp on the outside but flaky on the inside; or in the case of the not so great ones, more like potato cakes with a sprinkling of fish. These cakes are made entirely out of fish, and, like fishballs (see page 000), have a springy texture. The Vietnamese have a different trick to giving their fish paste a bite – a pinch of baking powder is usually added to the mixture to bring it all together. The results are a bit firmer and denser but perfect for taking on fragrant herbs and aromatics. Spring onions and dill are some of my favourite combinations with fish, but I also like using finely chopped coriander stalks.

These often go to waste– a great pity because the stalks actually have more flavour than the leaves. Once cooked, these fishcakes are great added to noodle soups or tossed into stir-fries with noodles and/or vegetables.

1. Fillet the fish if your fishmonger hasn’t done it. Using a spoon, scrape the flesh off the fish, going with the grain/in the direction of the fish bones.

Carefully feel for any bones and remove any.

2. Place the fish, fish sauce and baking powder in a food processor and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the water or ice cube and continue to blend until the paste comes together. The paste should be thick and smooth and you should see no flakes of fish.

3. Finely chop the chillies, spring onion, dill and coriander stalks. Add to the fish paste in the food processor and pulse a bit, just to combine. Remove and let rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour to help it firm up.

4. Form 3 or 4 patties by patting the mixture between wet hands. Steam for 5 minutes on high heat until cooked. They can be refrigerated or frozen at this point, for future frying.

5. Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Pat the fishcakes dry with kitchen paper, then add to the frying pan. Fry until golden brown underneath, then turn and fry on the other side until golden brown all over.

Remove and slice when cool.

VARIATION: For fishcakes with extra kick, blend the mixture with a dollop of leftover Thai curry paste or Nyonya rempah (see Nyonya chicken, page 000).

VIETNAM (BUT ALSO ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA) 500g fresh firm white fish* 3 tablespoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon ice-cold water (or 1 standard ice cube) 2 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped 1 spring onion, chopped a handful of fresh dill, chopped a handful of fresh coriander stalks, chopped 3 tablespoons groundnut oil

* Pollock, coley, hake, bream or a mix of these are good here.

Fishcakes With herbs & chilli

These fishcakes are not at all like the British versions, which are, in the case of the better ones, crisp on the outside but flaky on the inside; or in the case of the not so great ones, more like potato cakes with a sprinkling of fish. These cakes are made entirely out of fish, and, like fishballs (see page 000), have a springy texture. The Vietnamese have a different trick to giving their fish paste a bite – a pinch of baking powder is usually added to the mixture to bring it all together. The results are a bit firmer and denser but perfect for taking on fragrant herbs and aromatics. Spring onions and dill are some of my favourite combinations with fish, but I also like using finely chopped coriander stalks.

These often go to waste– a great pity because the stalks actually have more flavour than the leaves. Once cooked, these fishcakes are great added to noodle soups or tossed into stir-fries with noodles and/or vegetables.

1. Fillet the fish if your fishmonger hasn’t done it. Using a spoon, scrape the flesh off the fish, going with the grain/in the direction of the fish bones.

Carefully feel for any bones and remove any.

2. Place the fish, fish sauce and baking powder in a food processor and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the water or ice cube and continue to blend until the paste comes together. The paste should be thick and smooth and you should see no flakes of fish.

3. Finely chop the chillies, spring onion, dill and coriander stalks. Add to the fish paste in the food processor and pulse a bit, just to combine. Remove and let rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour to help it firm up.

4. Form 3 or 4 patties by patting the mixture between wet hands. Steam for 5 minutes on high heat until cooked. They can be refrigerated or frozen at this point, for future frying.

5. Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Pat the fishcakes dry with kitchen paper, then add to the frying pan. Fry until golden brown underneath, then turn and fry on the other side until golden brown all over.

Remove and slice when cool.

VARIATION: For fishcakes with extra kick, blend the mixture with a dollop of leftover Thai curry paste or Nyonya rempah (see Nyonya chicken, page 000).

VIETNAM (BUT ALSO ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA) 500g fresh firm white fish* 3 tablespoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon ice-cold water (or 1 standard ice cube) 2 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped 1 spring onion, chopped a handful of fresh dill, chopped a handful of fresh coriander stalks, chopped 3 tablespoons groundnut oil

* Pollock, coley, hake, bream or a mix of these are good here.

Roasted Butter Prawns With toasted coconut & curry leaves

In Singapore, you will find all-rounder Chinese stalls selling a wide variety of à la carte dishes similar to what you might find at a restaurant, but in wallet-friendly coffeeshop settings, called tze char. Tze char stalls tend to have more creative home-style items on the menu compared to a traditional restaurant. Butter prawns is a relatively modern dish that the experimental tze char chefs of Singapore concocted by combining the different cuisines found in our multicultural society. What results is a killer combination of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western ingredients and flavours. Fresh prawns are deep-fried with their shells on to retain their juices, then fried in butter with soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, toasted coconut and curry leaves. I’ve made this simpler by marinating the prawns in the seasonings, then roasting them whole. (There is nothing more terrifying than dropping prawns into hot oil, however much you try to dab off any excess moisture.) The roasted prawns are sweet, juicy and buttery, but the random toasty bits and crispy leaves on the side are just as addictive – salty, garlicky, nutty and fragrant with the exotic perfume of curry.

1. Devein the prawns by cutting through the shells, along the top of the back with a pair of sharp scissors. Lift out the vein with the tip of the scissors and pull to remove. This method keeps the shells on so that the prawns retain their delicious juices, but also allows the marinade to penetrate the flesh. Put the prawns into a bowl.

2. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the prawns. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 230°C/gas 8.

3. Spread the prawns out on a large roasting tray greased with butter, and then dot the butter all over. Halve the chillies and scatter over, along with the curry leaves. Roast for about 10 minutes, or until the prawns are just cooked.

4. Meanwhile, dry-toast the desiccated coconut in a pan over a medium heat, stirring often until golden brown and fragrant. Remove the tray from the oven and stir in half the toasted coconut (kerisik). The toasted coconut will absorb the juices from the prawns and is one of the best bits of this dish.

5. Let the prawns rest a little, until cool enough to touch. Scatter the remaining kerisik over and stir though. Serve straight from the tray and let everybody dig in with their hands.

SINGAPORE Serves 4 500g MSC* raw king prawns 3 tablespoons organic butter 8 bird’s-eye chillies 3 sprigs of fresh curry leaves 100g desiccated coconut For the marinade 1 tablespoon rice wine 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon unrefined light brown sugar a pinch of sea salt 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

* Marine Stewardship Council.

Roasted Butter Prawns With toasted coconut & curry leaves

In Singapore, you will find all-rounder Chinese stalls selling a wide variety of à la carte dishes similar to what you might find at a restaurant, but in wallet-friendly coffeeshop settings, called tze char. Tze char stalls tend to have more creative home-style items on the menu compared to a traditional restaurant. Butter prawns is a relatively modern dish that the experimental tze char chefs of Singapore concocted by combining the different cuisines found in our multicultural society. What results is a killer combination of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western ingredients and flavours. Fresh prawns are deep-fried with their shells on to retain their juices, then fried in butter with soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, toasted coconut and curry leaves. I’ve made this simpler by marinating the prawns in the seasonings, then roasting them whole. (There is nothing more terrifying than dropping prawns into hot oil, however much you try to dab off any excess moisture.) The roasted prawns are sweet, juicy and buttery, but the random toasty bits and crispy leaves on the side are just as addictive – salty, garlicky, nutty and fragrant with the exotic perfume of curry.

1. Devein the prawns by cutting through the shells, along the top of the back with a pair of sharp scissors. Lift out the vein with the tip of the scissors and pull to remove. This method keeps the shells on so that the prawns retain their delicious juices, but also allows the marinade to penetrate the flesh. Put the prawns into a bowl.

2. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the prawns. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 230°C/gas 8.

3. Spread the prawns out on a large roasting tray greased with butter, and then dot the butter all over. Halve the chillies and scatter over, along with the curry leaves. Roast for about 10 minutes, or until the prawns are just cooked.

4. Meanwhile, dry-toast the desiccated coconut in a pan over a medium heat, stirring often until golden brown and fragrant. Remove the tray from the oven and stir in half the toasted coconut (kerisik). The toasted coconut will absorb the juices from the prawns and is one of the best bits of this dish.

5. Let the prawns rest a little, until cool enough to touch. Scatter the remaining kerisik over and stir though. Serve straight from the tray and let everybody dig in with their hands.

SINGAPORE Serves 4 500g MSC* raw king prawns 3 tablespoons organic butter 8 bird’s-eye chillies 3 sprigs of fresh curry leaves 100g desiccated coconut For the marinade 1 tablespoon rice wine 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon unrefined light brown sugar a pinch of sea salt 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

* Marine Stewardship Council.

Grilled Squid stuffed with Minced Pork With dill nam pla prik

I wasn’t a huge fan of squid until I had one freshly grilled from a roadside hawker in Bangkok, served up with a messy trio of classic Thai dipping sauces. I politely took a piece to satisfy my travel companions, dipping it into plenty of sauce so I could mask its taste; but my first bite of the squid honestly shocked me. It was smoky, tender and delightfully toothsome. The juicy minced pork stuffing and salty dill-spiked nam pla prik dip really bring this dish to the next level; every bite is an explosion of flavours and textures.

1. Heat the groundnut oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat and fry the shallots, chillies and garlic for a few seconds, until fragrant. Add the kaffir lime leaves, minced pork, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and sugar, stirfrying for another few minutes until cooked. If the pork is giving out a lot of juices that are making the mixture too watery, scoop the mixture out with a slotted spoon and reduce the remaining juices until you get a concentrated sauce. Return the meat to the pan and turn the heat off.

2. Finely chop the coriander, stalks included, and add to the mixture with the lime juice and zest. Stir until everything is mixed well.

3. Separate the tentacles from the body of the squid. Don’t chuck them, though; they are just as good grilled plain. Allow the pork mixture to cool, then stuff each squid tube and secure the ends with toothpicks. Do not be greedy and overstuff! Lightly score the squid along the tube with a sharp knife, making shallow diagonal cuts about 2cm apart.

4. When ready to cook, brush the stuffed squid and reserved tentacles with coconut milk and season with a pinch of salt. Place on the barbecue and grill on a medium heat, flipping occasionally and basting with the coconut milk. As the pork is already cooked, you only need enough time for the filling to heat through and the squid to be just cooked and lightly charred. The squid tubes should take about 4–5 minutes, while the tentacles will only take 1–2 minutes.

5. Finely chop the dill and stir into the nam pla prik. Slice the squid and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

Note: Any leftover minced meat filling can be used to top noodles and salads, or stuffed into lettuce cups for a quick party canapé (much like lettuce cups kueh pie tee, page 000).

THAILAND / LAOS Serves 2–4 as a side 4 medium squid, cleaned coconut milk, for basting a pinch of sea salt For the stuffing 1 tablespoon groundnut oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 2 or 3 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 6 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced 250g fatty minced pork 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons unrefined light brown sugar 1 handful of coriander 2 teaspoons lime juice zest of 1 lime For the dipping sauce a handful of fresh dill nam pla prik (see page 000) You will also need toothpicks

Grilled Squid stuffed with Minced Pork With dill nam pla prik

I wasn’t a huge fan of squid until I had one freshly grilled from a roadside hawker in Bangkok, served up with a messy trio of classic Thai dipping sauces. I politely took a piece to satisfy my travel companions, dipping it into plenty of sauce so I could mask its taste; but my first bite of the squid honestly shocked me. It was smoky, tender and delightfully toothsome. The juicy minced pork stuffing and salty dill-spiked nam pla prik dip really bring this dish to the next level; every bite is an explosion of flavours and textures.

1. Heat the groundnut oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat and fry the shallots, chillies and garlic for a few seconds, until fragrant. Add the kaffir lime leaves, minced pork, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and sugar, stirfrying for another few minutes until cooked. If the pork is giving out a lot of juices that are making the mixture too watery, scoop the mixture out with a slotted spoon and reduce the remaining juices until you get a concentrated sauce. Return the meat to the pan and turn the heat off.

2. Finely chop the coriander, stalks included, and add to the mixture with the lime juice and zest. Stir until everything is mixed well.

3. Separate the tentacles from the body of the squid. Don’t chuck them, though; they are just as good grilled plain. Allow the pork mixture to cool, then stuff each squid tube and secure the ends with toothpicks. Do not be greedy and overstuff! Lightly score the squid along the tube with a sharp knife, making shallow diagonal cuts about 2cm apart.

4. When ready to cook, brush the stuffed squid and reserved tentacles with coconut milk and season with a pinch of salt. Place on the barbecue and grill on a medium heat, flipping occasionally and basting with the coconut milk. As the pork is already cooked, you only need enough time for the filling to heat through and the squid to be just cooked and lightly charred. The squid tubes should take about 4–5 minutes, while the tentacles will only take 1–2 minutes.

5. Finely chop the dill and stir into the nam pla prik. Slice the squid and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

Note: Any leftover minced meat filling can be used to top noodles and salads, or stuffed into lettuce cups for a quick party canapé (much like lettuce cups kueh pie tee, page 000).

THAILAND / LAOS Serves 2–4 as a side 4 medium squid, cleaned coconut milk, for basting a pinch of sea salt For the stuffing 1 tablespoon groundnut oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 2 or 3 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 6 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced 250g fatty minced pork 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons unrefined light brown sugar 1 handful of coriander 2 teaspoons lime juice zest of 1 lime For the dipping sauce a handful of fresh dill nam pla prik (see page 000) You will also need toothpicks

Caramel Pork Ribs THIT KHO TO

Although people are generally becoming better aware of the subtleties across Asian cuisines, there are many who still expect some form of sweet, sticky stir-fry. While I hope to prove there is much more beyond that, ‘sweet, sticky stir-fries’ can be pretty amazing when done well. The Vietnamese thit kho to melts sugar over low heat to create a caramel first, and uses fish sauce to add funky saltiness. What results is tender pork coated in a beautifully rich dark sauce that’s far from sickly.

1. Get your butcher to divide the ribs up and chop them into 6cm pieces.

2. Set a wok over a low heat and add the oil. Pour the sugar evenly over the bottom of the wok and let it melt, stirring occasionally.

3. Once the sugar has melted and turns golden, turn the heat up to medium and stir in the pork ribs. Drizzle in the fish sauce, add the garlic and chillies, and toss to make sure the pork is well coated.

4. Add a dash of warm water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add a pinch of salt, cover, and let simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, until the pork is cooked and tender.

5. Uncover and cook on a medium heat to reduce the sauce, until it thickens and becomes sticky enough to coat the pork.* Finish with a sprinkling of sliced spring onions.

Note: Instead of ribs you can also use an equal weight of cubed pork belly or pork shoulder.

* Sometimes I stop at this stage to get a quite different dish altogether. You don’t get sticky ribs, but you get tender pork and a glossy, sweet dark sauce that is delicious spooned over rice.

VIETNAM / CAMBODIA Serves 4 500g free-range pork spare ribs 1 tablespoon groundnut oil 4 heaped tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 2 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped a pinch of sea salt 1 spring onion, sliced

Caramel Pork Ribs THIT KHO TO

Although people are generally becoming better aware of the subtleties across Asian cuisines, there are many who still expect some form of sweet, sticky stir-fry. While I hope to prove there is much more beyond that, ‘sweet, sticky stir-fries’ can be pretty amazing when done well. The Vietnamese thit kho to melts sugar over low heat to create a caramel first, and uses fish sauce to add funky saltiness. What results is tender pork coated in a beautifully rich dark sauce that’s far from sickly.

1. Get your butcher to divide the ribs up and chop them into 6cm pieces.

2. Set a wok over a low heat and add the oil. Pour the sugar evenly over the bottom of the wok and let it melt, stirring occasionally.

3. Once the sugar has melted and turns golden, turn the heat up to medium and stir in the pork ribs. Drizzle in the fish sauce, add the garlic and chillies, and toss to make sure the pork is well coated.

4. Add a dash of warm water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add a pinch of salt, cover, and let simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, until the pork is cooked and tender.

5. Uncover and cook on a medium heat to reduce the sauce, until it thickens and becomes sticky enough to coat the pork.* Finish with a sprinkling of sliced spring onions.

Note: Instead of ribs you can also use an equal weight of cubed pork belly or pork shoulder.

* Sometimes I stop at this stage to get a quite different dish altogether. You don’t get sticky ribs, but you get tender pork and a glossy, sweet dark sauce that is delicious spooned over rice.

VIETNAM / CAMBODIA Serves 4 500g free-range pork spare ribs 1 tablespoon groundnut oil 4 heaped tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 2 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped a pinch of sea salt 1 spring onion, sliced

Mum’s Sesame Oil Chicken When I first came to London, I got pretty homesick in the first few months.

My mum used to send me ridiculously large parcels, which I complained about because their size meant that, for her, they were ridiculously expensive to post, and for me, they were ridiculously heavy to carry home from the post office in the snow. Secretly though, these parcels of love made things just a little better, and though most of the things she sent were pretty useless (she sent me toothbrushes once), some things I’ve still kept as treasures, one of which is a handwritten recipe for her sesame oil chicken. I remember making it straight away that night: the kitchen filled up with the familiar heavenly aroma of ginger, sesame oil and Shaoxing wine, and it felt like I was home again.

1. Peel and grate the ginger, then squeeze to extract its juices, reserving the pulp for later. You should get about a tablespoon’s worth of juices. Put the ginger juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and white pepper into a bowl, add the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. Pour the oil into a medium hot wok or pot, then add the reserved ginger pulp, and fry until aromatic.

3. Add the drained chicken pieces, reserving the marinade, and fry until lightly golden all over. Turn the heat up and pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the delicious brown bits at the bottom of the wok.

4. Add the reserved marinade and the water, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cover and let simmer gently for 30 minutes.

5. Serve warm, with plain steamed rice or over mee sua (wheat vermicelli).

Serves 2 2 thumb-size pieces of ginger 2 chicken legs, cut into thighs and drumsticks 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 teaspoon unrefined brown cane sugar a generous dash of white pepper 2 tablespoons groundnut oil 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine about 150ml water

Mum’s Sesame Oil Chicken When I first came to London, I got pretty homesick in the first few months.

My mum used to send me ridiculously large parcels, which I complained about because their size meant that, for her, they were ridiculously expensive to post, and for me, they were ridiculously heavy to carry home from the post office in the snow. Secretly though, these parcels of love made things just a little better, and though most of the things she sent were pretty useless (she sent me toothbrushes once), some things I’ve still kept as treasures, one of which is a handwritten recipe for her sesame oil chicken. I remember making it straight away that night: the kitchen filled up with the familiar heavenly aroma of ginger, sesame oil and Shaoxing wine, and it felt like I was home again.

1. Peel and grate the ginger, then squeeze to extract its juices, reserving the pulp for later. You should get about a tablespoon’s worth of juices. Put the ginger juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and white pepper into a bowl, add the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. Pour the oil into a medium hot wok or pot, then add the reserved ginger pulp, and fry until aromatic.

3. Add the drained chicken pieces, reserving the marinade, and fry until lightly golden all over. Turn the heat up and pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the delicious brown bits at the bottom of the wok.

4. Add the reserved marinade and the water, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cover and let simmer gently for 30 minutes.

5. Serve warm, with plain steamed rice or over mee sua (wheat vermicelli).

Serves 2 2 thumb-size pieces of ginger 2 chicken legs, cut into thighs and drumsticks 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 teaspoon unrefined brown cane sugar a generous dash of white pepper 2 tablespoons groundnut oil 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine about 150ml water

Fried Chicken Wings Marinated in Sticky Spicy Soy Sauce

This is a crowd favourite at family barbecues and gatherings. Chicken wings are super-cheap, and the sweet salty glaze always leaves the children licking their fingers happily. The recipe can be easily multiplied for any number of new nieces and nephews.

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade. Place the chicken wings in a large resealable bag and pour the marinade over. Seal the bag and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Flip the bag around once in a while to make sure the chicken is all evenly marinated.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade in a small pan. Bring the marinade to the boil for a full minute.

3. Grill the chicken for 20 minutes on a hot barbecue, flipping often and basting, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a skewer.

Alternatively, if it’s a grey, wet day, arrange the chicken wings on a greased baking tray and bake for 1 hour, or until golden and caramelized. Make sure to turn and baste the wings regularly.

4. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh spring onions, and bottles of cold beer for the grown-ups.

ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA Serves 6–8 1kg chicken wings For the marinade 4 tablespoons light soy sauce 4 tablespoons runny honey 2 tablespoons rice wine 1 tablespoon sesame oil 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 4–8 bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped To serve chopped spring onions

Fried Chicken Wings Marinated in Sticky Spicy Soy Sauce

This is a crowd favourite at family barbecues and gatherings. Chicken wings are super-cheap, and the sweet salty glaze always leaves the children licking their fingers happily. The recipe can be easily multiplied for any number of new nieces and nephews.

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade. Place the chicken wings in a large resealable bag and pour the marinade over. Seal the bag and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Flip the bag around once in a while to make sure the chicken is all evenly marinated.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade in a small pan. Bring the marinade to the boil for a full minute.

3. Grill the chicken for 20 minutes on a hot barbecue, flipping often and basting, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a skewer.

Alternatively, if it’s a grey, wet day, arrange the chicken wings on a greased baking tray and bake for 1 hour, or until golden and caramelized. Make sure to turn and baste the wings regularly.

4. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh spring onions, and bottles of cold beer for the grown-ups.

ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA Serves 6–8 1kg chicken wings For the marinade 4 tablespoons light soy sauce 4 tablespoons runny honey 2 tablespoons rice wine 1 tablespoon sesame oil 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 4–8 bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped To serve chopped spring onions

Mutton Satay with Tamarind Peanut Sauce

These delicious skewers of spice-marinated meat are found across many Southeast Asian cultures, but I am partial to the Malay-style satay that I grew up with. The whiff of smoke and satay spices would immediately transport me back in time and space to Sunday afternoons – when the neighbourhood Satay Man would come around touting his wares illegally. My sisters and I would wait impatiently for the Satay Man’s honking, and then run excitedly to his motorbike-driven mobile kitchen at the first ‘toot toot!’ We brought our own plate and bowl, and he would pile the plate high with sticks of freshly grilled satay, pressed rice cakes and cucumbers, and fill our bowl generously with homemade peanut sauce. The peanut sauce is one of the most distinct and important aspects of Malay satay – it is rich, chunky and aromatic with freshly roasted peanuts and, unlike the Thai satay peanut sauce, flavoured with tamarind instead of coconut.

1. Cut the mutton into 2.5cm long strips about 2 cm thick, or get your butcher to do it for you. Blend or pound the ingredients for the marinade together to get a fine paste. Place the meat in the marinade and let it sit overnight. Soak the bamboo skewers in water overnight too, to prevent them from burning later.

2. The next day, thread the mutton pieces on to skewers, reserving the marinade.

3. Make the peanut sauce before you grill the meat, or if you have a minion to help you, you could do both at once. Soak the tamarind in 250ml of hot water for 15 minutes, until softened. Massage and squeeze to get the juices from the pulp, then strain and discard the pulp. Place half the peanuts in the food processor and pulse to roughly chop. Set aside. Finely grind the remaining peanuts – these ground peanuts help to thicken the sauce. Set aside.

4. Blend the soaked chillies with the reserved marinade to make a rempah spice paste. Fry the paste in the groundnut oil slowly over a medium low heat, until fragrant. Pour in the watery tamarind paste, along with the ground and chopped peanuts, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with sugar and salt, then reduce by boiling, or thin out with water as needed. The sauce should be a deep golden and have a rich, but pourable consistency.

5. When ready to cook, fire up your barbecue, or preheat the oven to 190°C/ gas 5. Grill the mutton skewers on a high heat for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown and charred. Alternatively, cook in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the oven setting to ‘grill’ and grill until lightly charred, flipping the skewers midway.

6. Serve the satay straight away, with plenty of peanut sauce and slices of cucumber and red onion.

MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE Makes 15 skewers 300g boneless mutton shoulder* 20 wooden skewers For the marinade 10 shallots 2 cloves of garlic 4 stalks of lemongrass, white part only, bruised 2 slices of galangal 2 tablespoons ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons light soy sauce 120g unrefined cane sugar 3 tablespoons groundnut oil For the peanut sauce 1 heaped tablespoon tamarind pulp 200g skinless roasted peanuts 4 dried red chillies, soaked 3 tablespoons groundnut oil big pinches of sea salt, to taste about 1 tablespoon of unrefined cane sugar, or to taste To serve cucumber slices roughly chopped red onion

* You can also choose to use beef steak or chicken thighs.

Mutton Satay with Tamarind Peanut Sauce

These delicious skewers of spice-marinated meat are found across many Southeast Asian cultures, but I am partial to the Malay-style satay that I grew up with. The whiff of smoke and satay spices would immediately transport me back in time and space to Sunday afternoons – when the neighbourhood Satay Man would come around touting his wares illegally. My sisters and I would wait impatiently for the Satay Man’s honking, and then run excitedly to his motorbike-driven mobile kitchen at the first ‘toot toot!’ We brought our own plate and bowl, and he would pile the plate high with sticks of freshly grilled satay, pressed rice cakes and cucumbers, and fill our bowl generously with homemade peanut sauce. The peanut sauce is one of the most distinct and important aspects of Malay satay – it is rich, chunky and aromatic with freshly roasted peanuts and, unlike the Thai satay peanut sauce, flavoured with tamarind instead of coconut.

1. Cut the mutton into 2.5cm long strips about 2 cm thick, or get your butcher to do it for you. Blend or pound the ingredients for the marinade together to get a fine paste. Place the meat in the marinade and let it sit overnight. Soak the bamboo skewers in water overnight too, to prevent them from burning later.

2. The next day, thread the mutton pieces on to skewers, reserving the marinade.

3. Make the peanut sauce before you grill the meat, or if you have a minion to help you, you could do both at once. Soak the tamarind in 250ml of hot water for 15 minutes, until softened. Massage and squeeze to get the juices from the pulp, then strain and discard the pulp. Place half the peanuts in the food processor and pulse to roughly chop. Set aside. Finely grind the remaining peanuts – these ground peanuts help to thicken the sauce. Set aside.

4. Blend the soaked chillies with the reserved marinade to make a rempah spice paste. Fry the paste in the groundnut oil slowly over a medium low heat, until fragrant. Pour in the watery tamarind paste, along with the ground and chopped peanuts, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with sugar and salt, then reduce by boiling, or thin out with water as needed. The sauce should be a deep golden and have a rich, but pourable consistency.

5. When ready to cook, fire up your barbecue, or preheat the oven to 190°C/ gas 5. Grill the mutton skewers on a high heat for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown and charred. Alternatively, cook in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the oven setting to ‘grill’ and grill until lightly charred, flipping the skewers midway.

6. Serve the satay straight away, with plenty of peanut sauce and slices of cucumber and red onion.

MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE Makes 15 skewers 300g boneless mutton shoulder* 20 wooden skewers For the marinade 10 shallots 2 cloves of garlic 4 stalks of lemongrass, white part only, bruised 2 slices of galangal 2 tablespoons ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons light soy sauce 120g unrefined cane sugar 3 tablespoons groundnut oil For the peanut sauce 1 heaped tablespoon tamarind pulp 200g skinless roasted peanuts 4 dried red chillies, soaked 3 tablespoons groundnut oil big pinches of sea salt, to taste about 1 tablespoon of unrefined cane sugar, or to taste To serve cucumber slices roughly chopped red onion

* You can also choose to use beef steak or chicken thighs.

No-Churn Rhubarb Condensed Milk Ice Cream This is the easiest ice cream you can make. There is no need for a fancy ice cream maker, or an alarm set at 20-minute intervals reminding you to ‘handchurn’ the mixture. The secret is condensed milk – a pantry essential in many Asian kitchens. The resulting ice cream is sweet and creamy, and versatile enough to take on most flavours. I like adding something tart as a contrast to the otherwise sickly-sweet ice cream – poached rhubarb in spring, peaches or berries in summer, and apples in autumn.

1. Chop the rhubarb into small pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, and add the chopped rhubarb and sugar. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is soft. Set aside to cool.

2. Put the double cream and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until you get stiff peaks.

3. Stir the condensed milk into the cooled rhubarb mixture. Gently mix in a quarter of the whipped cream. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream until well combined.

4. Pour into a loaf tin and cover with clingfilm. Freeze until firm – about 6 hours.

• • • •

VARIATIONS: Peach and crystallized ginger Strawberry, raspberry and mint Poached apple and cinnamon Vietnamese coffee

Serves 6–8 2 stalks of rhubarb 1 tablespoon organic butter 2 tablespoons unrefined light brown sugar 600ml organic double cream 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 200ml condensed milk (see page 000 for homemade version)

No-Churn Rhubarb Condensed Milk Ice Cream This is the easiest ice cream you can make. There is no need for a fancy ice cream maker, or an alarm set at 20-minute intervals reminding you to ‘handchurn’ the mixture. The secret is condensed milk – a pantry essential in many Asian kitchens. The resulting ice cream is sweet and creamy, and versatile enough to take on most flavours. I like adding something tart as a contrast to the otherwise sickly-sweet ice cream – poached rhubarb in spring, peaches or berries in summer, and apples in autumn.

1. Chop the rhubarb into small pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, and add the chopped rhubarb and sugar. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is soft. Set aside to cool.

2. Put the double cream and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until you get stiff peaks.

3. Stir the condensed milk into the cooled rhubarb mixture. Gently mix in a quarter of the whipped cream. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream until well combined.

4. Pour into a loaf tin and cover with clingfilm. Freeze until firm – about 6 hours.

• • • •

VARIATIONS: Peach and crystallized ginger Strawberry, raspberry and mint Poached apple and cinnamon Vietnamese coffee

Serves 6–8 2 stalks of rhubarb 1 tablespoon organic butter 2 tablespoons unrefined light brown sugar 600ml organic double cream 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 200ml condensed milk (see page 000 for homemade version)

Peach on Sticky Rice With sweet & salty coconut cream

Mango sticky rice is one of the most definitive desserts in Thailand. The premise of the dessert is really simple: mango, steamed sticky rice and coconut cream. Because it’s so simple, you really rely on the quality of the mango – the best ones are sweet and tender, with a fragrance that you can smell from a distance away. As good mangoes are hard to find in the UK, I go for peaches instead. They are one of my favourite things at the greengrocer’s in summer. Inside that fuzzy exterior is flesh that’s soft and incredibly sweet, with a fragrance to match that of a mango. Try to get peaches that have been picked while ripe and in season; unlike pears, unripe peaches don’t grow that much sweeter when left on the counter.

1. Rinse the rice and cover with cold water. Let soak overnight or for at least 2 hours. Drain the rice and pour into a cheesecloth-lined steamer basket, or a fine-meshed strainer. Place over boiling water in a wok or a large pot, cover and let steam for 20 minutes. Stir to bring the rice at the bottom to the top, then continue steaming for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and transfer to bowls. Keep them covered while you prepare the rest of the dish.

2. Combine the coconut milk with the salt and sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently over a low heat. Stir to dissolve. Pour three-quarters of the hot sweetened coconut milk over the hot sticky rice, and let the rice sit and absorb the coconut milk.

3. Gently toast the coconut chips in a dry pan set over a medium heat, stirring often, until golden at the edges. Remove and leave to cool and crisp up.

4. De-stone and slice the peaches. Serve alongside the sticky rice, with a final drizzle of the remaining coconut milk just before serving. Finish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut chips.

THAILAND 4 ripe medium bananas coconut or groundnut oil, for frying For the batter 100g rice flour 50g self-raising flour 1 tablespoon unrefined light brown sugar a big pinch of sea salt 200–250ml ice-cold water To serve (optional) coconut or condensed milk ice cream (see page 000)

Peach on Sticky Rice With sweet & salty coconut cream

Mango sticky rice is one of the most definitive desserts in Thailand. The premise of the dessert is really simple: mango, steamed sticky rice and coconut cream. Because it’s so simple, you really rely on the quality of the mango – the best ones are sweet and tender, with a fragrance that you can smell from a distance away. As good mangoes are hard to find in the UK, I go for peaches instead. They are one of my favourite things at the greengrocer’s in summer. Inside that fuzzy exterior is flesh that’s soft and incredibly sweet, with a fragrance to match that of a mango. Try to get peaches that have been picked while ripe and in season; unlike pears, unripe peaches don’t grow that much sweeter when left on the counter.

1. Rinse the rice and cover with cold water. Let soak overnight or for at least 2 hours. Drain the rice and pour into a cheesecloth-lined steamer basket, or a fine-meshed strainer. Place over boiling water in a wok or a large pot, cover and let steam for 20 minutes. Stir to bring the rice at the bottom to the top, then continue steaming for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and transfer to bowls. Keep them covered while you prepare the rest of the dish.

2. Combine the coconut milk with the salt and sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently over a low heat. Stir to dissolve. Pour three-quarters of the hot sweetened coconut milk over the hot sticky rice, and let the rice sit and absorb the coconut milk.

3. Gently toast the coconut chips in a dry pan set over a medium heat, stirring often, until golden at the edges. Remove and leave to cool and crisp up.

4. De-stone and slice the peaches. Serve alongside the sticky rice, with a final drizzle of the remaining coconut milk just before serving. Finish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut chips.

THAILAND 4 ripe medium bananas coconut or groundnut oil, for frying For the batter 100g rice flour 50g self-raising flour 1 tablespoon unrefined light brown sugar a big pinch of sea salt 200–250ml ice-cold water To serve (optional) coconut or condensed milk ice cream (see page 000)