Recipes from cookbooks we review, shared with full permission from publishers.
Lao in origin, Laab is a meat salad dish also popular in neighbouring Thailand – a great example of the region’s mastery of balancing between sweet, sour, salty, bitter and fiery hot. This Pork Laab, Sugar Snaps & Apple recipe from Selin Kiazim’s Three: Acid, Texture, Contrast cookbook combines pork mince, crunchy toasted rice and ... Read more »
It’s likely this Avocado, Mushroom and Tomato Pilaf recipe from Arto der Haroutunian’s cookbook, Vegetarian Dishes of the Middle East carries influences from French colonialism in the region, given the use of white wine in the recipe. There’s a pleasingly retro vibe to the suggested presentation, and it’s a straightforward recipe for a midweek meal. ... Read more »
Arab baked omelettes (known as eggeh across much of the Middle East but as kookoo in Persia) are a great choice for any meal of the day and can be enjoyed hot or cold, making them a great option for picnics or packed lunches. In this recipe from Arto der Haroutunian’s cookbook, Vegetarian Dishes of ... Read more »
Known as Macaroni bil Tarator in Syria, this recipe from Arto der Haroutunian’s cookbook, Vegetarian Dishes of the Middle East is a simple but satisfying one, and can be ready in minutes if you make the tarator (garlic-tahini sauce) in advance. It can also be enjoyed hot or cold. We’ve adjusted quantities given for the ... Read more »
Cooked with jaggery, chilli, turmeric and peanuts, this sweet and spicy yellow pigeon pea dal is definitely more than the sum of its parts, the peanuts providing textural interest whilst the spices come together to create a layered mouthful of flavours. It’s soupy, tangy and full of flavour The recipe is from Maunika Gowardhan’s Thali cookbook, ... Read more »
Known in Goa as balchao, this spicy prawn pickle is great as part of a simple meal but also good on its own with bread or rice. You can make it with large king prawns, or little prawns, as you like. In Goa, it’s often made with sungta – crushed dried prawns. It has a ... Read more »
Nonya Chicken Curry Kapitan is considered the king of Malaysian chicken curries, and on making and tasting it, we immediately understand why. The combination of spice paste ingredients (including ginger, onion, garlic, turmeric, lemongrass, chillies and shrimp paste) with those added during cooking (coconut milk, tamarind paste, dark brown sugar, makrut lime leaves and cinnamon) ... Read more »
Egg tofu is a special kind of tofu made from soy milk and eggs – the eggs giving it the most wonderful wobbly texture. Think of a just-set savoury custard that’s meltingly ethereal light and silky smooth. Now imagine fat slices of egg tofu combined with pork mince braised in a rich, soy-based sauce. Comfort ... Read more »
This Cheese and Jalapeño Cornbread recipe is from How to Bake Anything Gluten Free by Becky Excell, an indispensable resource for gluten-free bakers. It’s quick and easy to make, keeps well to the next day and also freezes well in portions. Serve alongside soup or chilli, or enjoy on its own with a little butter. ... Read more »
A recipe recommended by Nigella herself, this is a reliable recipe for delicious gluten-free fruit scones from How to Bake Anything Gluten Free by Becky Excell. Best eaten on the day of baking, these are excellent served with butter or cream and a heap of jam. They also freeze well. Read our full review of ... Read more »
The Place of Onions, in old Lille. After last night’s rainstorm the intense sticky heat has broken and today is cool, breezy, fresh… I love it! A drop of… [more]
We went to Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire at The Void this morning, an amazing VR experience where we got to be Rebel Alliance members going undercover as… [more]