Gyoza-Filling Rice Bowl

Gyoza-Filling Rice Bowl

Following on from Masahiro Kasahara’s Quick Pan-Fried Gyoza Disks, here’s another great idea for anyone yearning for the flavours of Japanese gyoza, but not wanting to spend the time shaping individual dumplings. Gyoza-Filling Rice Bowl is the first recipe we made from Tim Anderson’s JapanEasy Bowls & Bento cookbook. Find out more about the cookbook in our ... Read more »

JapanEasy Bowls & Bento by Tim Anderson

JapanEasy Bowls & Bento: Simple and Satisfying Japanese Recipes for All Day, Every Day by Tim Anderson

As it’s subtitle promises, JapanEasy Bowls & Bento: Simple and Satisfying Japanese Recipes for All Day, Every Day by Tim Anderson is all about quick, easy and absolutely delicious recipes that can be enjoyed for any meal of the day. Regular readers will know how excited we get about new Tim Anderson cookbooks (see our ... Read more »

A to Z of Japanese Food and Drink | A Visitor’s Guide to Eating in Japan

Mitarashi dango

There’s more to eating in Japan than sushi, tempura and teriyaki (delicious though they are). For travellers seeking to immerse themselves more fully into Japanese cuisine, enjoy our in-depth guide and learn about all the fantastic food and drink to be enjoyed in Japanese cuisine. Contents Amazake | Azuki Beans (Anko) | Bakery (Bread, Patisserie ... Read more »

The Cookbook Gift Guide 2022

The Nutmeg Trail by Eleanor Ford

At this time of year, you may be asking yourself, “which cookbooks make the best gifts?”, either for the food lovers and cooks in your life, or–better still, for yourself, when you’re asked what you would like! Here are the cookbooks we chose to share in 2022, with links to their full reviews and to ... Read more »

Amok Peanut Vegetable Curry 

Amok Peanut Vegetable Curry

This is the Van Life Cookbook’s adaptation of a classic Cambodian dish, called Amok. Although it’s commonly made with fish, the richly spiced peanut butter sauce lends itself well to a vegetarian version. Although the ingredients list looks long, many go straight into the curry paste, which can be made in a mini food processor ... Read more »

Budget Supermarket Pasta

Budget Supermarket Pasta

In Van Life Cookbook authors Danny Jack and Hailee Kukura share a collection of recipes designed to be cooked and enjoyed in the small kitchen spaces of campervans and caravans, or in the great outdoors. They are also budget conscious, and eat a predominantly vegetarian diet. This Budget Supermarket Pasta recipe includes anchovies and cheese, ... Read more »

Menemen: Turkish One-Pan Eggs

Menemen Turkish One-Pan Eggs

Although it’s commonly served for breakfast, Menemen – aka Turkish Eggs – is also excellent as a quick lunch or light evening meal. This one-pan recipe comes from the ‘Van Life Cookbook: Resourceful recipes for life on the road: from small spaces to the great outdoors’ by Danny Jack and Hailee Kukura. This recipe is ... Read more »

Van Life Cookbook by Danny Jack and Hailee Kukura

Van Life Cookbook by Danny Jack and Hailee Kukura

I am always looking out for good ideas for delicious meals to cook at home and on holiday, so “Van Life Cookbook: Resourceful recipes for life on the road: from small spaces to the great outdoors” by Danny Jack and Hailee Kukura caught my eye immediately. It is an absolutely gorgeous book, full of tempting ... Read more »

Helim, Sausages, Pickled Shallots and Honey

Helim Sausages Pickled Shallots and Honey

This delicious dish from Hasan Semay’s Big Has Home cookbook makes a wonderful, summery lunch on its own but also works well as part of a more lavish spread. As suggested, we switched out the pastirma for chorizo (as that’s easier to find in our neck of the woods). The combination of flavours and textures ... Read more »

Turkish Ezme

Ezme Salad

For many years, ezme has been one of my favourite side dishes when visiting the many Turkish restaurants of North London. A simple cold dish of chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and red peppers with lots of parsley and mint, ezme is the perfect foil to kebabs such as adana kofte, chicken and lamb cis, and ... Read more »