Blog

  • Lancashire hotpot

    Lancashire hotpot

    Category: Lamb

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 100g Butter
    • 900g Lamb
    • 3 Lamb Kidney
    • 2 medium Onions
    • 4 sliced Carrots
    • 25g Plain Flour
    • 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
    • 500ml Chicken Stock
    • 2 Bay Leaves
    • 900g Potatoes

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat some dripping or butter in a large shallow casserole dish, brown the lamb in batches, lift to a plate, then repeat with the kidneys.
    Fry the onions and carrots in the pan with a little more dripping until golden. Sprinkle over the flour, allow to cook for a couple of mins, shake over the Worcestershire sauce, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Stir in the meat and bay leaves, then turn off the heat. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top of the meat, then drizzle with a little more dripping. Cover, then place in the oven for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are cooked.
    Remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a little more dripping, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 mins until brown.

  • Home-made Mandazi

    Home-made Mandazi

    Category: Breakfast

    Area: Kenyan

    Ingredients:

    • 750g Self-raising Flour
    • 6 tablespoons Sugar
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 cup Milk

    Instructions:

    This is one recipe a lot of people have requested and I have tried to make it as simple as possible and I hope it will work for you. Make sure you use the right flour which is basically one with raising agents. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste and try using different flavours to have variety whenever you have them.
    You can use Coconut milk instead of regular milk, you can also add desiccated coconut to the dry flour or other spices like powdered cloves or cinnamon.
    For “healthy looking” mandazis do not roll the dough too thin before frying and use the procedure I have indicated above.

    1. Mix the flour,cinnamon and sugar in a suitable bowl.
    2. In a separate bowl whisk the egg into the milk
    3. Make a well at the centre of the flour and add the milk and egg mixture and slowly mix to form a dough.
    4. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes or until it stops sticking to the sides of the bowl and you have a smooth surface.
    5. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
    6. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 1cm thick piece.
    7. Using a sharp small knife, cut the dough into the desired size setting aside ready for deep frying.
    8. Heat your oil in a suitable pot and gently dip the mandazi pieces to cook until light brown on the first side then turn to cook on the second side.
    9. Serve them warm or cold

  • Ma Po Tofu

    Ma Po Tofu

    Category: Beef

    Area: Chinese

    Ingredients:

    • 450g Tofu
    • 100g Minced Beef
    • 1/2 tbs Sesame Seed Oil
    • 1 1/2 tsp Doubanjiang
    • 1/2 tsp Fermented Black Beans
    • 1 tbs Pepper
    • 1/2 tsp Salt
    • 1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper
    • 1 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 400ml Water
    • 2 tbs Olive Oil
    • 2 chopped Scallions
    • 4 Spring Onions
    • 2 cloves chopped Garlic
    • 4 sliced Ginger
    • 2 1/2 tbs Water
    • 1 tbs Cornstarch

    Instructions:

    Add a small pinch of salt and sesame oil to minced beef. Mix well and set aside.
    Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 and ½ tablespoons of water in a small bowl to make water starch.
    Cut tofu into square cubes (around 2cms). Bring a large amount of water to a boil and then add a pinch of salt. Slide the tofu in and cook for 1 minute. Move out and drain.
    Get a wok and heat up around 2 tablespoons of oil, fry the minced meat until crispy. Transfer out beef out and leave the oil in.
    Fry doubanjiang for 1 minute over slow fire and then add garlic, scallion white, ginger and fermented black beans to cook for 30 seconds until aroma. Then mix pepper flakes in.
    Add water to the seasonings and bring to boil over high fire. Gently slide the tofu cubes. Add light soy sauce and beef.Slow the heat after boiling and then simmer for 6-8 minutes. Then add chopped garlic greens.
    Stir the water starch and then pour half of the mixture to the simmering pot. Wait for around 30 seconds and then pour the other half. You can slightly taste the tofu and add pinch of salt if not salty enough. By the way, if you feel it is too spicy, add some sugar can milder the taste. But be carefully as the broth is very hot at this point.
    Transfer out when almost all the seasonings stick to tofu cubes. Sprinkle Szechuan peppercorn powder (to taste)and chopped garlic greens if using.
    Serve immediately with steamed rice.

  • Roti john

    Roti john

    Category: Beef

    Area: Malaysian

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 lb Minced Beef
    • 1 Onion
    • 3 Eggs
    • 1 tbs Chilli
    • 1/2 Baguette
    • To taste Salt
    • To taste Pepper
    • Top Mayonnaise

    Instructions:

    Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
    Heat a pan or griddle with a little vegetable oil.
    Pour the mixture onto the pan and place a piece of open-faced baguette on top.
    Press on the bread with a spatula and grill for 2 minutes.
    Turn the bread over to make it a little crispy.
    Remove from pan and cut the bread into small portions.
    Add mayonnaise and/or Sambal before cutting the sandwich (optional).

  • Tunisian Orange Cake

    Tunisian Orange Cake

    Category: Dessert

    Area: Tunisian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 large Orange
    • 300g Caster Sugar
    • 75 ml Olive Oil
    • 280g Flour
    • 1 tbs Baking Powder
    • 4 large Eggs
    • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 190 C / Gas 5. Grease a 23cm round springform tin.
    Cut off the hard bits from the top and bottom of the orange. Slice the orange and remove all seeds. Puree the orange with its peel in a food processor. Add one third of the sugar and the olive oil and continue to mix until well combined.
    Sieve together flour and baking powder.
    Beat the eggs and the remaining sugar with an electric hand mixer for at least five minutes until very fluffy. Fold in half of the flour mixture, then the orange and the vanilla, then fold in the remaining flour. Mix well but not for too long.
    Pour cake mixture into prepared tin and smooth out. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 C / Gas 2 and bake again for 30 minutes Bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire cake rack.

  • Beef Mechado

    Beef Mechado

    Category: Beef

    Area: Filipino

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cloves Garlic
    • 1 sliced Onion
    • 2 Lbs Beef
    • 8 ounces Tomato Puree
    • 1 cup Water
    • 3 tbs Olive Oil
    • 1 Slice Lemon
    • 1 large Potatoes
    • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
    • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
    • 2 Bay Leaves
    • To taste Salt

    Instructions:

    0. Make the beef tenderloin marinade by combining soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, olive oil, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
    1. Add the cubed beef tenderloin to the bowl with the beef tenderloin marinade. Gently toss to coat the beef. Let it stay for 1 hour.
    2. Using a metal or bamboo skewer, assemble the beef kebob by skewering the vegetables and marinated beef tenderloin.
    3. Heat-up the grill and start grilling the beef kebobs for 3 minutes per side. This will give you a medium beef that is juicy and tender on the inside. Add more time if you want your beef well done, but it will be less tender.
    4. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with Saffron rice.
    5. Share and enjoy!

  • Beef and Oyster pie

    Beef and Oyster pie

    Category: Beef

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 900g Beef
    • 3 tbs Olive Oil
    • 3 Shallots
    • 2 cloves minced Garlic
    • 125g Bacon
    • 1 tbs chopped Thyme
    • 2 Bay Leaf
    • 330ml Stout
    • 400ml Beef Stock
    • 2 tbs Corn Flour
    • 8 Oysters
    • 400g Plain Flour
    • pinch Salt
    • 250g Butter
    • To Glaze Eggs

    Instructions:

    Season the beef cubes with salt and black pepper. Heat a tablespoon of oil in the frying pan and fry the meat over a high heat. Do this in three batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, transferring the meat to a large flameproof casserole dish once it is browned all over. Add extra oil if the pan seems dry.
    In the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil and cook the shallots for 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Add the bacon and fry until slightly browned. Transfer the onion and bacon mixture to the casserole dish and add the herbs.
    Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
    Pour the stout into the frying pan and bring to the boil, stirring to lift any stuck-on browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the stout over the beef in the casserole dish and add the stock. Cover the casserole and place it in the oven for 1½-2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the sauce is reduced.
    Skim off any surface fat, taste and add salt and pepper if necessary, then stir in the cornflour paste. Put the casserole dish on the hob – don’t forget that it will be hot – and simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until thickened. Leave to cool.
    Increase the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. To make the pastry, put the flour and salt in a very large bowl. Grate the butter and stir it into the flour in three batches. Gradually add 325ml/11fl oz cold water – you may not need it all – and stir with a round-bladed knife until the mixture just comes together. Knead the pastry lightly into a ball on a lightly floured surface and set aside 250g/9oz for the pie lid.
    Roll the rest of the pastry out until about 2cm/¾in larger than the dish you’re using. Line the dish with the pastry then pile in the filling, tucking the oysters in as well. Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg.
    Roll the remaining pastry until slightly larger than your dish and gently lift over the filling, pressing the edges firmly to seal, then trim with a sharp knife. Brush with beaten egg to glaze. Put the dish on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden-brown and the filling is bubbling.

  • Spaghetti Bolognese

    Spaghetti Bolognese

    Category: Beef

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 onions
    • 1tbsp olive oil
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 500g lean minced beef
    • 90g mushrooms
    • 1tsp dried oregano
    • 400g can tomatoes
    • 300ml hot beef stock
    • 1tbsp tomato puree
    • 1tbsp worcestershire sauce
    • 350g spaghetti
    • Topping parmesan

    Instructions:

    Put the onion and oil in a large pan and fry over a fairly high heat for 3-4 mins. Add the garlic and mince and fry until they both brown. Add the mushrooms and herbs, and cook for another couple of mins.

    Stir in the tomatoes, beef stock, tomato ketchup or purée, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 mins.

    Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling, salted water, according to packet instructions. Drain well, run hot water through it, put it back in the pan and add a dash of olive oil, if you like, then stir in the meat sauce. Serve in hot bowls and hand round Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top.

  • Creamy Tomato Soup

    Creamy Tomato Soup

    Category: Starter

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
    • 2 chopped Onions
    • 2 sticks Celery
    • 300g Carrots
    • 500g Potatoes
    • 4 Bay Leaf
    • 5 tblsp Tomato Puree
    • 2 tblsp Sugar
    • 2 tblsp White Vinegar
    • 1½ kg Chopped Tomatoes
    • 500g Passata
    • 3 Vegetable Stock Cube
    • 400ml Whole Milk

    Instructions:

    Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.
    Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. The soup can now be cooled and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
    To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil. Serve in small bowls with cheesy sausage rolls.

  • Japanese gohan rice

    Japanese gohan rice

    Category: Side

    Area: Japanese

    Ingredients:

    • 300g Sushi Rice
    • 1 tbs Mirin
    • Garnish Pickle Juice
    • Garnish Spring Onions

    Instructions:

    STEP 1
    Rinsing and soaking your rice is key to achieving the perfect texture. Measure the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water, then use your fingers to massage the grains of rice – the water will become cloudy. Drain and rinse again with fresh water. Repeat five more times until the water stays clear.

    STEP 2
    Tip the rinsed rice into a saucepan with 400ml water, or 200ml dashi and 200ml water, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a low simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid with a steam hole and cook for 15 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for another 15 mins, then stir through the mirin. Remove the lid and give it a good stir. Serve with any or all of the optional toppings.