Thai Styled Lentil and Coconut Soup

Hot, spicy and richly flavored, this substantial soup is almost a meal in itself. If you are really hungry, serve with chunks of warmed naan bread or thick slices of toast. You can also use canned coconut milk but shake it before opening. This ensures that the layers of milk are well combined.

Recipe: (Serves 4)

30 ml/2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 red onions, finely chopped
1 bird's eye chili, seeded and finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2.5 cm/1 in piece fresh lemon grass, outer layers removed and inside finely sliced
200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
5 ml/1 teaspoon ground coriander
5 ml/1 teaspoon paprika
400 ml/14 fl oz coconut milk
Juice of 1 lime
3 spring onions (scallions), chopped
20 g/0.75 oz/scant 1 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, chili, garlic and lemon grass. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions have softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the lentils and spices. Pour in the coconut milk and 900 ml/1.5 pts water, and stir. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

3. Pour in the lime juice and add the spring onions and coriander, reserving a little of each for the garnish. Season, ladle into bowls and garnish. Serve.

Sour Carp with Tamarind, Galangal, Coriander and Basil

This northern Vietnamese-style dish, made using the local river carp, is traditionally served with noodles or rice wrappers, which are folded around the fish before dipping into a sauce. Alternatively, you could simply toss the cooked fish in the herbs and serve with rice and a salad. Any freshwater fish can be used for this recipe but, because it is stirred in a wok, you will need one with firm, thick flesh. Allow plenty of time for the fish to marinate.

Recipe: (Serves 4)

500 g/1.25 lb carp fillets, cut into 3 or 4 pieces
30 ml/2 tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil
10 ml/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 small bunch each of fresh coriander (cilantro) and basil, stalks removed
20 rice wrappers or lettuce leaves
Nuoc mam or other dipping sauce, to serve

For the marinade:

30 ml/2 tablespoons tamarind paste
15 ml/1 tablespoon soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 green or red Thai chili, finely chopped
2.5 cm/1 in galangal root, peeled and grated
A few sprigs of fresh coriander, leaves finely chopped

Method:

Prepare the marinade by mixing together all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Toss the fish pieces in the marinade, cover with clear film (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Lift the pieces of fish out of the marinade and lay them on a plate. Heat a wok or heavy pan, add the oil and stir in the turmeric. Working quickly, so that the turmeric doesn't burn, add the fish pieces, gently moving them around the wok for 2-3 minutes. Add any remaining marinade to the pan and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until the pieces of fish are cooked through.

To serve, put the coriander and basil leaves into a small bowl, arrange the rice wrappers or lettuce leaves on a plate, and pour the dipping sauce into a bowl. Tip the cooked fish on to a serving dish and serve immediately with the herbs, rice papers and dipping sauce. To eat, tear off a bitesize piece of fish, place it on a wrapper with a few herb leaves, fold it up into a little roll, then dip it into the sauce.

Asparagus with Parmesan Crust

Recipe:

* 1 pound thin asparagus spears
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese
* freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

2. Place asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer. Spread Parmesan cheese over asparagus, and season with freshly ground black pepper.

3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and asparagus is tender but crisp. Serve immediately on warm plates, sprinkling with balsamic vinegar to taste.

Benefits of Green Foods

Green foods owe most of their health-enhancing properties to their high-concentrations of chlorophyll, the green pigment that supports the growth of plants.

Chlorophyll helps ward off colds, prevent inflammation, and treat inner-ear infections and that it is an effective agent for detoxification, deodorizing, and enhanced wound healing.

Recipes: (Serves 4)

6 green tomatoes
1 medium green pepper
1 small cucumber
1 garlic clove
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
pinch of salt
pinch of ground cumin
225 g alfalfa sprouts
2 spring onions
150 ml dry white wine
3 tbsp iced water

Method :

Skin the tomatoes and chop them roughly. Mince the tomatoes, green pepper and unpeeled cucumber, or chop them finely in a food processor. Mix the vegetables with crushed garlic, oil, vinegar, salt and cumin. Chop the alfalfa sprouts and spring onion and mix into the tomato mixture. Chill for 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in the wine and iced water. If liked, garnish with some chopped fresh herbs, or small cubes of toasted bread.

A unusual chilled summer soup, similar to the Spanish gazpacho which makes the best of alfalfa sprouts.

Classic Tandoori Chicken

This is probably the most famous of Indian dishes. Marinate the chicken well and cook in an extremely hot oven for a clay over-baked taste. If you want authentic "burnt" spots on the chicken, place the dish under a hot grill (broiler) for a few minutes after baking.

Recipe: (Serves 4-6)

1.5 kg/3 lb oven-ready chicken
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup natural (plain) yogurt, beaten
4 tablespoons tandoori masala paste
Salt, to taste
6 tablespoons ghee
Salad leaves, to serve
Lemon twist and onion slices, to garnish

Method:

1) Using a sharp knife or scissors, remove the skin from the chicken and trim off any excess fat. Using a fork, beat the flesh at random.

2) Cut the chicken in half down the center and through the breast. Cut each piece in half again. Make a few deep gashes diagonally into the flesh. Mix the yogurt with the masala paste and salt. Spread the chicken evenly with the yogurt mixture, spreading some into the gashes. Leave for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.

3)Preheat the oven to maximum heat. Place the chicken quarters on a wire rack in a deep baking tray. Spread the chicken with any excess marinade, reserve a little for basting halfway through cooking time.

4) Melt the ghee and pour over the chicken to seal the surface. This helps to keep the center moist during the roasting period. Cook in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove, leaving the oven on.

5) Baste the chicken pieces with the remaining marinade. Return to the oven and switch off the heat. Leave the chicken in the oven for about 15-20 minutes without opening the door. Serve on a bed of salad leaves and garnish with the lemon twist and onion slices.

Chicken Biryani

"This is a delicious Pakistani/Indian rice dish which is often reserved for very special occasions such as weddings, parties, or holidays such as Ramadan. For biryani, always use long grain rice. Basmati rice with its thin, fine grains is the ideal variety to use. Ghee is butter that has been slowly melted so that the milk solids and golden liquid have been separated and can be used in place of vegetable oil to yield a more authentic taste."

Recipe :

1 chicken breast
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cardamon pods
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp ground cumin
50g/2oz butter
200g/7oz rice
1 chicken stock cube
chives to garnish

Method :

1) Remove the skin from the chicken breast.
2) Slice the chicken into pieces about 1.5cm/¼in thick.
3) Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion. Cook until it softens.
4) Add the chicken slices to the pan along with the garlic and cook gently for 3 minutes.
5) Into the pan add the turmeric, cardamon pods, coriander seeds and ground cumin.
6) Add the butter, let it melt then add the rice.
7) Coat the rice in the butter and spices then cover with boiling water.
8) Add the stock cube, bring to the boil and simmer for 12 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
9) Garnish with chives.