All recipes, both our own plus those reprinted with permission from cookbook publishers

Chermoula Beets, Dates & Pistachios

Add comment
Chermoula, Beets and Pistachio

A wonderful synthesis of flavours and textures, this recipe for Chermoula Beets, Dates & Pistachios is from Selin Kiazim’s Three: Acid, Texture, Contrast combines earthy, sweet roasted beets, squidgy-sweet dates and crunchy toasted pistachio nuts with a bright and punchy herb sauce. Chermoula, a North African condiment, lifts the entire dish – and you can ring ... Read more »

Pork Laab, Sugar Snaps & Apple

Add comment
Pork Laab, Sugar Snaps and Apple

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 »

Avocado, Mushroom and Tomato Pilaf | Harem Pilav

Add comment
Harem pilav (avocado, wine and mushroom pilau)

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 »

Syrian Pasta with Garlic-Tahini Sauce | Macaroni bil Tarator

1 comment
Macaroni-bil-tarator

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 »

Gujarati Surati Dal | Sweet & Spicy Dal with Chillies & Peanut

Add comment
Gujarati Surati Dal

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 »

Nonya Chicken Curry Kapitan

4 comments
Nonya Chicken Curry Kapitan from Sambal Shiok

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 »

Table-Top Barbeque Japanese & Korean Style

11 comments
Table-top BBQ

We fell in love with yakiniku (also known in Japan as Korean barbeque) when visiting Japan, and have loved it ever since. This year, one of my Christmas gifts from Pete was a table-top Korean barbeque grill by Primst, and a big box of bamboo charcoal briquettes. We veered towards Japanese flavours for our first ... Read more »