Spicy Roast Chicken

Recipe:

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4-6

1.6 kg (3.5 lb) chicken
3 teaspoons chopped red chilies
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons peppercorns, crushed
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon lime juice
30 g (1 oz) butter, chopped

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to moderate 180oC (350oF / Gas 4). Using a large cleaver, cut the chicken in half by cutting down the backbone and along the breastbone. To prevent the wings from burning, tuck them underneath. Place the chicken, skins side up, on a rack in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.

2)Meanwhile, combine the chili, garlic, peppercorns and sugar in a food processor or mortar and pestle and process briefly, or pound, until smooth. Add the soy sauce, turmeric and lime juice, and process in short bursts, or stir if using a mortar and pestle, until combined.

3)Brush the spice mixture over the chicken, dot it with the butter pieces and bake it for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through and rich red. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Barbecued Whole Fish

Recipe:

750 g (1.5 lb) small snapper or bream, cleaned and scaled
2 teaspoons green peppercorns, finely crushed
2 teaspoons chopped red chili
3 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon oil
2 medium onions, finely sliced
4 cm (1.5 in) piece fresh ginger, cut into very thin slices
3 cloves garlic, cut into very thin slices
2 teaspoon sugar
4 spring onions, cut into 4 cm (1.5 in) pieces, then finely shredded
Lemon and garlic dipping sauce, to serve

Method:

Wash the fish inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Cut 2 diagonal slashes into the thickest part of the fish on both sides. Place the peppercorns, chili and fish sauce in a food processor or mortar and pestle, and process or grind until a paste is formed. Brush the paste lightly over the fish, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Heat the barbecue until very hot; lightly brush it with oil. Cook the fish for 8 minutes on each side, or until the flesh flakes easily when tested. While the fish is cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan; add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden. Add the ginger, garlic and sugar and cook for 3 minutes.

Place the fish on a serving plate, top with the onion mixture, sprinkle over the spring onion and serve immediately with lemon and garlic dipping sauce and hot steamed rice.

Spicy Grilled Fish Pieces

Recipe:

3 cloves garlic
4 red Asian shallots
3 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely sliced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon galangal powder
2 red chilies
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oil
500 g (1 lb) boneless white fish fillets
1 tablespoons fish sauce
Fresh coriander leaves or watercress, to garnish

Method:

1) Place the garlic, shallots, lemon grass, turmeric, galangal powder, chilies, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until a paste is formed, adding the oil to help the grinding. Cut the fish into large bite-sized pieces. Place the fish in a bowl with the spice paste, toss well and cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2) Place the fish on a foil-lined grill tray and cook under a hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the pieces over so the fish browns on all sides. Arrange the fish on a serving plate and sprinkle over the fish sauce. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Poached Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Recipes: (Serves 8)

2.5 cups fresh tomato sauce
1/2 - 1 teaspoon harissa*
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1.5 kg/3.3 lb mixed white fish fillets, cut into chunks

Method:
1. Heat the tomato sauce with the harissa and cilantro in a large pan. Add seasoning to taste and bring to a boil.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the fish to the hot sauce. Return to the heat and bring the sauce to a boil again. Reduce the heat and simmer very gently for about 5 minutes, or until the fish is tender. (Test with a fork: if the flesh flakes easily, then it is cooked).

3. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding more harissa if necessary. Serve hot or warm with flat breads.

* Harissa is a chili paste spiced with cumin, garlic, and coriander. It is fiery and should be used with care until you are familiar with the flavor. Start by adding a small amount and then add more after tasting the sauce. It is normally available in the Asian stores.

Braised Lettuce and Peas with Scallions

Recipe:(Serves 4)

1/4 cup butter
4 Bibb lettuces, halved lengthwise
2 bunches of scallions (spring onions), trimmed
3.5 cups green peas
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
1. Melt half the butter in a wide, heavy pan over low heat. Add the lettuces and scallions. Turn the vegetables in the butter, then sprinkle in salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook the vegetables very gently for 5 minutes, stirring once.

2. Add the peas and turn them in the buttery juices. Pour in 1/2 cup water, then cover, and cook over gentle heat for 5 minutes more. Uncover the pan and increase the heat to reduce the liquid to a few tablespoons.

3. Stir in the remaining butter and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.

Kashmiri Lamb

Recipe: (Serves 4-6)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
900 g/2 lb lean lamb, cubed
1 piece fresh ginger, 5 cm/2 in long, crushed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoon masala paste
1 teaspoon chili powder or 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
8-10 strands saffron (optional), plus more for garnishing
Salt, to taste
About 150 ml/0.25 pint natural (plain) yogurt, beaten

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the asafoetida and lamb, stirring well to seal the meat. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients except the yogurt and almonds and mix well. If the meat is too dry, add a very small quantity of boiling water. Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for a further 10 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool a little. Add the yogurt, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly to avoid curdling. Return to a low heat and cook uncovered until thick. Garnish with a spoonful of yogurt and a few saffron strands.

Mongolian Lamb

Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes + 1 hour marinating
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

1 kg (2lb) lamb fillets
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 onions, cut into wedges
3 teaspoons cornflour
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) sherry

Method:

Trim the meat of any excess fat and sinew and slice it across the grain into thin slices. Combine the garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce and sesame oil in a bowl, add the meat and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan gently, until the seeds are golden brown; remove from the pan immediately to prevent burning.

Heat the peanut oil in a wok or heavy-based frying pan; add the onion and stir fry over medium heat for 10 minutes or until soft and golden brown. Remove the onion from the wok and keep warm.

Reheat the wok and cook the meat in batches over high heat until browned but not cooked through. Return all the meat to the wok. Mix together the cornflour, soy sauce and sherry until smooth. Add to the wok and stir-fry over high heat until the meat is cooked and the sauce has thickened. Serve the meat on a bed of the onions and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Beef Sate

Recipe: (serves 4 to 6)

500 g/1.25 lb beef sirloin, cut in bitesize pieces
15 ml/1 tablespoon groundnut (peanut) oil
1 bunch rocket (arugula) leaves

For the sate sauce:

60 ml/4 tablespoons groundnut (peanut) or vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves, crushed
5 dried Serrano chilies, seeded and ground
10 ml/2 teaspoon curry powder
50 g/2 oz roasted peanuts, finely ground

Method:
1. To make the sate paste, heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan and stir in the garlic until it begins to color. Add the chilies, curry powder and peanuts and stir over a gentle heat until the mixture forms a paste. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

2. Put the beef into a large bowl. Beat the groundnut oil into the sate sauce and add the mixture to the pieces of beef. Mix well, so that the beef is evenly coated, and put aside to marinate for 30-40 minutes.

3. Soak four to six wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Prepare a barbecue. Thread the meat on to the skewers and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked. Serve the meat with the rocket leaves for wrapping. Alternatively, you could also serve with cut cucumber and onions.

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Tandoori Chicken

Recipe: (Serves 4)

4 chicken quarters
175 ml/6 fl oz/ 0.75 cup natural (plain) low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ginger pulp
1 teaspoon garlic pulp
1.5 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
Few drops red food coloring
2 tablespoons corn oil

Garnish:

Mixed salad leaves
Lime wedges
1 tomato, quartered

Method:
1. Skin, rinse and pat dry the chicken quarters. Make 2 slits into the flesh of each piece, place in a dish and set aside.
2. Mix together the yogurt, garam masala, ginger, garlic, chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, lemon juice, salt, red coloring and oil, and beat so that all the ingredients are well mixed together.
3. Cover the chicken quarters with the spice mixture and leave to marinate for about 3 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 240oC/475oF/Gas 9. Transfer the chicken pieces to an ovenproof dish.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked right through and browned on top.
6. Remove from the oven, transfer onto a serving dish and garnish with the salad leaves, lime and tomato. Serve.

Grilled Skewered Beef Recipe

Recipe:

500 g (1 lb) sirloin steak
2 teaspoons chili flakes
4 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely chopped
2 slices fresh galangal, finely chopped
2 slices fresh turmeric, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 teaspoons grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) oyster sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil

Method:

Cut the steak into long thin strips. Place the strips of meat in a glass bowl. Pound the chili, lemon grass, galangal, turmeric and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Add the palm sugar, oyster sauce, salt and oil and combine well. Spoon the marinade over the meat and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. Thread the meat onto wooden skewers which have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to hot; grill the skewered beef on both sides until browned. Alternatively you can cook the meat on a hot barbecue grill.

Luffa Squash with Mushrooms, Spring Onions and Coriander

Recipe(Serves 4)

750 g/1 lb 10 oz luffa squash, peeled
30 ml/2 tablespoons groundnut (peanut) or sesame oil
2 shallots, halved and sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
115 g/4 oz/1.5 cups button (white) mushrooms, quartered
15 ml/1 tablespoon mushroom sauce
10 ml/2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 spring onions (scallions), cut into 2 cm/0.75 inch pieces
Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves and thin strips of spring onion, to garnish

Method

1) Cut the luffa squash diagonally into 2 cm/0.75 inch thick pieces. Heat the oil in a large wok or heavy pan. Stir in the halved shallots and garlic, stir-fry until they begin to turn golden color, then add the mushrooms.

2) Add the soy sauce and the squash. Reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for a few minutes until the squash is tender. Stir in the spring onion pieces, garnish with coriander and spring onion strips, and serve with white rice.