Woburn Venison

I personally think it’s shameful when British supermarkets import ingredients that are perfectly available in the UK and then sell them for a high price. The ingredient, or rather the meat that’s got my blood boiling is the humble venison. Gaining popularity and growing in demand with the health conscious foodie: venison is lean, packed full of iron and an unconventional but safe meat to impress dinner guests. Supermarkets have obviously picked up on this, and for a few years now have been stocking a range of venison products… from New Zealand! Yes, even though we have an ample amount of deer running around the British countryside, we still import the meat from New Zealand. It boggles my mind as to how this could be a cheaper option, but also, why there is no Bristish Venison on sale in our four largest British supermarkets.  

So the following recipe has been inspired by the seasonal ingredients available to us at this time of the year (even though it’s been rather rainy) and have all been sourced locally, just to prove seasonality isn’t always just about fruit and veg:

Peppered venison steak, roasted parsnip mash and field mushrooms, with a blackcurrent sauce

Seasonal ingredients have a great way of complimenting each other. The recipe isn’t fancy, but just a basic, great tasting combination of flavours. Initially I couldn't decide between roasted or pureed parsnips, so I decided to puree roasted parsnips and have the best of both: the roasted flavour and the pureed texture.

I can guarantee that most butchers or local farm shops will stock local venison. I decided to go the source and drove thirty minutes to Woburn, where I bought my venison from Woburn Country Foods. The deers came from the 3000acre of woodlands on the local Woburn Abbey Estate. The venison steaks were also half the price of New Zealand Venison steaks available at the supermarket… Go figure!? I’m unclear of the breed, but I was assured only seasonal meat is sold in the Farm Shop. 

Ingredients

1 Venison Steak

3 Large Parsnips, peeled

½ Potato, skin on

100g Field Mushrooms

Glass of good quality Red Wine (I used a Malbec for it’s smoky/fruity flavour)

2 tbsp Black Current Jam

2 Gloves of Garlic

½ Cup of Full Fat Milk

Butter

Few sprigs of Parsley

Salt & Pepper to taste

Olive Oil

Method

Roasted parsnip mash:

Heat up a large pot of water.

Chop up the parsnips and potatoes into equal sizes, and once the water starts to boil, add the potatoes.  After five minuets, add the parsnips.

Meanwhile, turn the oven on to 200°c. Liberally oil a roasting tray, season, and add two whole roughly smashed garlic cloves still in their skins. Place in the hot oven.

Once the parsnips and potatoes begin to soften, drain and add to the hot oiled roasting tray and place back in the oven on the middle shelf.

After 40 minuets, the vegetables should be beautifully roasted.

Place the nips, tattys and the roasted garlic in a food processer, add some butter and milk then blitz till you reach your desired consistency. Be careful not to over work as this could result in a glutinous mash.

Add salt, pepper and parsley to taste

To cook the venison:

Turn the oven on to 180°c.

Heat up a frying pan, and add olive oil and some butter.

Once the pan starts to smoke, add the venison. It should only take a few minuets to brown on each side.

Once browned, place in the oven for about 15 minuets. This should give you a medium rare stake.

Leave for a further five minuets for a well-done steak. As venison is quite lean, it takes less time to cook compared to other red meats.

Leave the venison to rest under some foil before serving or slicing.

For the Sauce:

Add a glass of red wine to the pan the venison was cooked in whilst the pan is still hot. Reduce, then add the black current jam. Season and finally add a knob of butter if desired… I did.

Sautéed Field Mushrooms:

Add some butter to a hot pan. Add the mushrooms, careful not to crowd the pan. Season once the mushrooms turn brown.

It does require a bit of carful planning to get the timing right. I made the mash in advanced and heated it up just before serving. I had to add a little bit more milk, but the consistency was no different. The sauce and the mushrooms were made whilst the steak was resting. I slicing the steak as I thought it made the plate composition more appetising then plated up and served. I had a friend over for dinner, and as I always do after making something for the blog, I spend a good 10-15 minuets taking pictures form different angles, with different compositions, giving me about 40-50 images to look through. This time, because of my eagerness to tuck in, I only had five images…  I say no more. 

Philippino Chicken Adobo

Chicken Adobo with Bean Sprout Salad and Garlic Rice

Since my return to the UK I haven’t actually made any Philippino dishes. It’s not that I haven't thought about it, it’s just that there is massive pressure to impress and choosing the right dish is crucially important to make the right impression for Pinoy food. So after much debate I thought I’d try to make what is probably the most popular Philippino dish there is, Adobo. Now for those unfamiliar with Philippino gastronomy, I think this recipe is a good starting point at understanding the main flavours of the cuisine: salty, sour and sweet. This is the national dish, and for that reason I think it represents Philippines on a plate. Always cooked in soy sauce and vinegar, the other components of the dish can vary depending on the type of meat you are Adoboing: different regions have their own take on the dish and every family in the country has their own recipe which has been passed down over generations. So as you can imagine there are a fair few adobos to try.

The following recipe is my version. I have taken the best bits of the recipes I have tried and have adapted a few things according to my taste. For example, the Lutong Bahay (home cooked) style stalls I used to visit for lunch every day had what I consider to be the best Adobo I have had the pleasure of tasting. The dark, sour, sweet sauce was lip smackingly delicious, but, as like most meats in the Pines, it was a little over cooked and tough. Now this is cultural thing, and I have the same issue when I go to Ghana. Salmonella is a huge problem, and cooking chicken/eggs within an inch of their lives is a sure way of avoiding the bowel destroying bacteria. I have tried to recreate this taste as best as I can, whilst retaining the dignity of the meat so I tenderised my chicken using a simple Chinese technique of marinating meat in soy and corn flour overnight.  Normally, the chicken would be cooked on the bone, but my animal loving/slightly delusional friend for whom I’m cooking for tonight, refuses to eat meat on the bone. Belly pork is a good substitute for chicken in this dish and is probably more “Philippino” then using chicken. But again, my friend is on a diet… gosh, the lengths I go to, to please!

Along with the adobo, I’m serving very traditional garlic rice. Although my bean sprout salad isn’t very traditional, it provides a fresh accompliment to the salty sauce. As you may notice there is quite a lot of garlic in all three dishes. I found this to be a popular ingredient in Philippino food. Many a time did I have the lingering taste of garlic in my mouth after a meal, or noticed others did…

I think the best thing about this dish is the simplicity of cooking it. Like most recipes, a fair bit of preparation goes in before hand, but all in all, this dish took me 40mins to put together… although I must admit I’m pretty organised in the kitchen.

Adobo Chicken:

400g Chicken pieces off or on the bone

4 White parts of the Spring Onion, sliced into thin rings

5 tbsp of rice vinegar

1 tbsp Honey

6 Peppercorns

1 Bay Leaf

2 tbsp Canola oil

For the marinade:

2 tbsp Corn flour

5 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

4 tsp Crushed Garlic

2 tsp Crushed Black pepper

2 tsp Crushed Ginger

Firstly marinade my chicken pieces over night. This ensures a strong flavour, but also means you don't have to add extra soy during cooking.

Heat up a large wok and added the canola oil. Quickly but lightly fried off the whites of the spring onion. Whilst the wok was still hot, add the marinated chicken pieces and pour a quarter cup of water into the wok to prevent burning, then turn the heat down. cover and let cook for about five minuets. Once the chicken is has cooked, add the vinegar and cook off thoroughly. Add the honey, pepper corns and the bay leaf. Mix, then half cover and leave for a further 10 minuets for the flavours to mingle.

Bean Sprout Salad

100g Bean sprouts

100g The Greens of Spring Onions, sliced vertically into thin strips

1 Sliced large Green Chillies

2 tbsp Sesame Seeds, toasted

1 tsp Crushed garlic

5 tbsp Rice Vinegar

1 tbsp Sugar

Blanch the sprouts for no more then 30 minuets. Drain, and run under cold water to prevent further cooking. Mix with the greens of the spring onions. In a small frying pan, add the vinegar, sugar, chillies and garlic. Heat until the sharpness of the vinegar had cooked off. Pour over the salad and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Place in the fridge, and eat cold.

Garlic Rice

450g Cooked Rice

3 Gloves of Garlic thinly sliced

2 tbsp Canola Oil

Crushed Pepper to taste

Heat up the oil in a wok. Add the garlic till it turns golden brown. Stir in the rice, mix and season with pepper. 

Ethical Food of the Future

Recent experiences in my life have made me change my mind about the future we all face. Some believe the future will be a fight for survival, every man for them selves, whilst others believe the future will be the creating of like minded communities, where “local” and “support” are the reoccurring buzz words. I have always been a believer in the second, but found it rather romantic, and unachievable in a world where everything seems to be a competition. But after leaving the UK, and coming back with a new perspective on the country, had made me realise that there is much potential to head the “right” way, and this could all be thanks to the recession…

The shift we see in the global economy can also be seen in cultural habits: as the west becomes more conscious with what they’re eating and where their food comes from, the east is becoming more concerned with convenience and price. As we become more educated in food, the big companies begin to accommodate this. For example, Cadburys now makes Fair Trade chocolate for the western market, as there is now a demand for it by chocolate consumers. They don't do it out of ethical choice, but to increase profit margins. This is called the halo/Fairwashing effect, and more and more big brands are doing this. The small fraction of Cadbury’s product range that is Fair Trade gives an illusion that Cadburys are entirely Fair Trade, where as most of their other chocolate is probably produced in unethical ways, and their Fair Trade chocolate probably only just meets requirements. If you went to Asia you would not be able to find Fair Trade Cadburys anywhere, as there is no demand for it. Big companies follow fads, trends and consumer behaviour closely, and getting sucked in is very easy by savvy marketing. So what is ethical food?

Well, as an “Ethical-Food Designer” I have been trying to find the answer to this for a while now, and there are many traps that one can fall into, such as the one mentioned above. I have always felt, that certification marks the value of a product of produce, but again, this can be another trap as sometimes companies only pass the bear minimum requirements for certification, and with so many certifying bodes for Organic, Free-Range, Environmental, Ethical, Fair Trade etc, it is hard to remember what exactly each one stands for and what their requirements are.  From a design perspective, I feel it is important to know what process your food goes through to get from ground to plate. The way the produce has been cultivated, manufactured/processed, packaged, transported, stocked and even marketed all play a part in the journey of our foods. Personally, the shorter the chain, the better.

New certifying bodies are introducing a first party certification system for small scale farmers and producers, which involves the local community checking up on, working closely with and trusting the farmer in the claims they make about the produce they deliver. This works particularly well in countries where small-scale farming and production is common. The model for this type of certification was actually drawn up and experimented on in Brazil, with such success, that it has been put in place across the world, and is now even creeping in to the UK.

Small scale, and community supported agriculture aren’t just “fads”, it’s a movement that has been seeing positive results world wide. Social enterprises that focus on an aspect of food, be it food security, healthy eating, dinner clubs, all see great results, as it is a topic to which most people can relate, using food as a powerful tool for which to bring people together, and using it as the bases of developing creativity, business skills, environmental education and most importantly self worth.

A handful of social enterprises exist in the UK that use food as a bases of bettering lives. Their aims and goals are to educate and help develop and even strengthen communities. Reform into the social responsibilities large companies have could help small social enterprises start off, with professional help and advice, maybe even seeing collaborations on projects in the future.

I can’t see a better time in which to develop Food projects within Social Enterprise: as we see the desperate need for job generation, and the need to strengthen local economies. People now want to make more educated decisions about what they consume and I believe social enterprise can capitalise on this, and use it as a way of making food even more ethical, what’s better then buying food that’s good for the people who make it, for the environment, and for the consumer. It seems like the obvious answer that could bring back a community’s identity, economy and ethicality where everyone benefits.

Chai Tea, FYI the proper way

I love the ceremony involved with making tea and coffee. The wait, the patience and the routine makes the process unique to every individual. Whether it's you're early morning caffeine hit or a warming mug of herbal tea after a meal, every cup has a comforting quality. The “ummms” and “ahhhhs” that follow after the first sip are evident of the pleasurable and familiar aroma that warms our cockles and helps us deal with whatever may be thrown our way.

Those who know me, will know I love a tea. The two shelves in my kitchen dedicated to a wide variety of teas and coffee is ever growing is now spewing over to the third shelf. Without a fail, though, I will always have my regular four cups of chai a day.... with lots of brown sugar. Every time I make chai, I do it from scratch in a saucepan with lose tea and fresh spices, the way it should be done. This may be seen as time consuming to some, but to me it’s a ritual I look forward to, and if you are lucky enough to be around when my Chai clock strikes, then I'd be more then happy to provide a cup of spicy sweetness.

I've been asked how to make chai tea many times, and I always explain my precise tried and tested method, but I think this scares people. I have friends who have tried to chase the authentic flavour of chai they've tried in India, and end up buying pre-packaged cheap tea bags that claim to be “chai tea”… no… this is not right, and I am telling you now, you will never find the true taste of chai in a pre packaged box in any supermarket. The only brand I found to be pleasing is Clippers Chai Tea, and even though it isn't truly authentic, it has the right spice blend, and has a milder taste to true Indian Chai. But, the proper way to make chai follows a few simple, but very essential dos and donts:

DO:

Use a saucepan, non-stick is good as this prevents the milk from burning

Use lose black tea, Fair Trade always and only

Use fresh spices or Chai Masala

Use a tea strainer

DON’T:

Use tea bags

Use a kettle

Use the microwave (yes… I have seen it be attempted)

Use skimmed milk… why would you really?

So why so strict? Well, to understand the actual science behind a decent cup of chai, you have to look at the essences of flavour infusion:

1. A saucepan allows for a decent amount of space for the flavours to permeate and mingle.

2. Lose tea contains essential tannic acid which gives tea it’s slightly bitter but moorish quality. This flavour potential isn’t fully released when packed closely together in a semi porous bag. The longer the tea is brewed, the more the tannins are released. This gives the tea a darker bitterer taste.

3. Fresh spices have more flavour then dried spices. Chai masala is a blend of spices, which can differ from manufacturer (if bought) and households (if blended at home). The spice blend is a personal reference, and because of this, I think it is better to blend your own spices. I also vary my combination of spices depending on my mood and the time of the day. For example, in the morning I like a fair bit of lemongrass, ginger and cloves in my chai blend as I feel this helps wake me up. But in the evening, I prefer my spice blend to only include cinnamon and cardamom, as I find this to be more relaxing. It is entirely up to you what you want your chai to taste like, some people even like mint in their chai tea. 

Chai Masala Blend (foreground) and typical spices that
go into a Chai masala Blend (background)

The method bellow is how I make chai. The ratios don't have to be followed to the “tea”… and can vary depending on personal taste, so experiment till you find your perfect mixture. You could even grind down your individual spice selection and make your very own Chai Masala. Chai is a great digestive after a meal and is a perfect accompaniment to Indian nasto (spicy snacks). You could even try cook with chai in cakes, porridge, or even ice-cream. 

The following method has been tried and tested by my own fair hands. I believe this method brings out the right amount of flavour and aromas from the ingredients, without "over cooking" the tea.  

Ingredients (two cups):

1 cup Water

1 cup Milk

1 tbsp of Fair Trade Lose Tea

20 Cinnamon seeds (not pods)

Pinch of Grated Nutmeg

4 Cardamom Cloves 

2 Cloves

Quarter inch Grated Ginger

Fair Trade Brown Sugar, According to taste

Place the water, milk and the lose tea in a saucepan. Place on the hob on full heat. You could add more or less water/milk depending on your taste.

Either use a pestle and mortar or a grinder to crush the spices. Add to the saucepan.

Add the sugar if desired. I think 2 tsp is enough, although traditional chai is a great deal sweeter then this.

I personally think it is essential to stir only once all the ingredients are added, but only once, as this can disrupt the heating process and allows for oxygen to escape.  Oxygen is very important in any liquid as it helps carry flavour

Allow for the tea to boil. Once the chai has boiled, you should turn down the heat and not boil to the boil again, as it makes the tannins from the tea too strong and bitterly over powering.

Once the tea has simmered for about a minuet, strain into individual mugs. In India chai is normally served in small glasses in cafes, and in small clay cups on the streets, almost like little shots of sugary, milky, spiciness. A ceramic mug is just fine though. Enjoy your Chai with a pista cookie or a couple of Palle-Gs, or spicy Indian Nasto. 

Kimchi/Kim Chi/Kimchee/Gimchi

Good Kimchi, is like a good chutney, or a fine cheese, or even a perfectly baked loaf of bread: after much experimenting, and after making many mistakes, the perfect ratio and combination of ingredients is found, and stuck to for all future batches. So for my first ever batch of home-made kimchi, I expect there to be a few flaws, and for a few changes to be made in the future. Although to avoid it tasting totally rank, I did a fair bit of research…. Internal and external…. What makes good Kimchi for me? 

Findings? Well, texture of good Kimchi is as important as the level of spice. The use of crunchy Chinese (nappa) cabbage is absolutely essential. Other cabbages like savoy just don't have enough crunchy stem that retains some bite during the pickling process. The nappa cabbage also has more of an equal leaf to stem ratio, which means you don't end up with a total mush when the cabbage starts to ferment. To add extra crunch, some recipes call for radish, spring onion, or even cucumber. But that is when personal taste comes in, I prefer not to have too many extra bits in my Kimchi as it doesn't really suit me when making kimchi-based soups and stir-fries. I added roughly sliced leeks though, as I like the taste, and I feel it gives the mixture an extra dimension. The way the cabbage is cut also depends on the individual. Some prefer to keep the cabbage whole, and this is the traditionally method, peeling back each layer and stuffing it with the spicy paste, then finally placing it in large clay pots which are buried under ground for up to a year. I don't have large clay pots… so I chose to chop my cabbage up as it makes it easier to pack into medium sized jars. Once chopped, I left the cabbage to soaked in a water and salt solution for about 3 hours before being used.

I have tried a fair few batches of kimchi, and I have never been too keen on excessive, complicated flavours in the paste. I like my kimchi paste to be a little bit acidic, very garlicky and spicy, and very very smelly… the good kinda fermented kimchi smelly. Kimchi has a reputation for attracting flies, and this is defiantly down to the fermented/fishy smell. I know it doesn't sound all to attractive, but this is what gives the pickle its distinctive aroma. So to keep things simple, I blitzed up one onion, six gloves of garlic, one inch of ginger, two small skinned apples, 8 generous tbsp of fish sauce, 1 tbsp of sugar and a pinch of salt, 6 heaped tbsp of red pepper powder and 8 heaped tbsp of Gouchujang or red pepper paste. Kimchi recipes normally calls for just red pepper powder, but I also used a ready made paste, which is a mixture of fermented soya, rice and red pepper powder. My reasoning for this is simply to speed up the fermentation process. I’m not sure how it will effect the kimchi in the long run, but I don't think it’ll make too much of a difference. I like the taste of Gouchujang as well, so I doubt it will ruin the flavour too much. A final tasting before jarring is crucial. Be warned, you ay be left with a raw/hot taste in your mouth for the rest of the day. The Koreans have a saying, that after a meal, your guests should be sweating and burping… so I made sure to make my kimchi really hot!

So my spicy pickled cabbage, jarred and stored in the fridge, is left to ferment till it smells bad enough to eat. How to tell if your kimchi is fermenting successfully? Open the jar a few days into the fermenting process and you should notice bubbles in the red sauce. I could eat the it straight away, but I think I’ll test my patients and wait for a week at least. Kimchi can last up to a year in the fridge. The older the kimchi is, the more sour it tastes. Old kimchi is ideal for soups, stir-frying with rice or noodles, simply eaten as an accompliment to a main meal, or even on a toasted, buttered slice. Stir frying kimchi before using it in cooking brings out more flavour, just like when making a stock. I’ll will update on how it turns out and if its good to use will use it to make Kimchi Jigae… fingers and toes crossed. 

Paneer Frankie, Mumbai Style

For those of you who have ventured down to Chapati Beach in Mumbai, you may well have had your eyes delighted with the colourful sights of neon lights, funfair rides, sparkly toys, and of course the street food. But as you may also have experienced, these all come with some kinda risk factor… and I don't think I need to explain why. The absence of sea-foods and meat is probably assuring for weary travellers, but dangers still lurk in and around the masala stained stalls. Pani Puri is probally the most risky of all street foods, due to the “pani” (water) component. The iffy tangy, spicy, brown, chut pani could be anything. But, in the eyes of most Indians, you haven’t lived till you try it. Find a Pani Puri Valla, place your order, watch in amazement as your puri is prepared for you, douse with the pani and quickly pop the soggy bottom beaut in your mouth. Once you pop, you will not be able to stop, the pani puri valla will be your best chum for the night.

Mumbai is known for its fast pace of life and for the huge diversity of people who call the city home, for this reason, it has probably the best variety of street food in the country. Mongolian barbeques, club-sandwhiches, dosas, pau bhaji, dhai vadas etc etc. All available 24hrs a day, on every street corner. The only time and place when rich and poor share the same taste. One such dish I have a close affinity to is the Paneer Frankie. Soft, slightly charred paneer cooked in the tandoor, along with peppers, onions, and tomatoes, wrapped in a light fluffy chapatti with a concoction of tangy, spicy and sweet chutneys. It isn’t just paneer that makes a Frankie, you can get a lamb Frankies, aloo Frankies, egg Frankies, chicken Frankies, or even aloo-egg-chicken Frankies. A simple but genius idea and a great way to use up left-overs, wrap the curry form last night in the chapatti from last night and sell it for lunch. Indians are very resourceful people…

… So being a resourceful Indian, I decided to ask my mum how to make home-made paneer, and to use the paneer in making a Mumbai Paneer Frankie. Instead of using peppers and onions, I chose to use local seasonal ingredients that my pure-vegetarian granddad could eat. I substituted onion with celery and radish, and the peppers with rocket, spinach and watercress. I also made two home-made chutneys: once tangy, spicy tomato chutney; and a cool dill and yogurt sauce.  So, I kinda pushed the boat out a little, but it was so very worth it, and now that I have learnt to make paneer, and have actually come to realise the difference in taste and texture, I will never… and I swear by this… I will never buy shop bought, pre-made paneer ever again.    

Ingredients:

To Make the Paneer:

5 pints of milk

Juice of two large lemons

Marinade for Paneer:

2 cups Greek Yogurt

3 Chillies

½ inch of Ginger

 Small handful of Coriander

1 tbsp of Garam Masala

Frankie Salad:

6 medium sized Radishes

3 stalks of Celery

Handful Spinach

Handful of Watercress

Handful of Rocket

Yogurt and Dill Dip:

½ cup of Greek Yogurt

Small handful of finely chopped Dill

Chopped Chilli

Tomato Chutney:

20 Plum Cherry Tomatoes, quatered

2 tbsp of Sunflower Oil

2 Cloves

Small Dried Chillies

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp Coriander Seeds

1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Tomato Puree

1 tbsp Tamarind Paste

2 tbsp Cider Vinegar

Pinch of Rock Salt

Wrap of your choice. Chapattis are ideal, but flour tortillas are just as good. I used Swedish flat bread, just cause I had some that needed to be used up.

Method:

To make the paneer, heat up the milk in a non-stick pan, and wait for it to boil. Once it starts to boil, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice. Leave for ten minuets. Get a small holed strainer ready, and pour the milk mixture over. The curds will stay in the strainer and most of the whey will pass through. Transfer over to a muslin cloth (I just used an old cut up t-shirt) and squeeze out as much mater as you can. Leave it to hang over the sink if you can, or in a strainer till the paneer starts to firm up.

Take it out of the muslin, it should be slightly crumbly.

Place it into an appropriately shaped container and pack in tightly. Most of the water should have been removed before doing this. Weigh the paneer down with some tins of beans and place in the fridge for about three hours or even better over night to set. 

Whilst the paneer firms up, make the marinade. Grind the chilli, ginger and coriander together. Mix into the yogurt, the mixture should turn a light, almost pea green colour. Add the garam masala. I love the colour contrast of the cool green of the yogurt and the dark brown of the spicy powder. Taste the marinade. It shouldn't be too hot, if it is, add some more yogurt.

The chutneys can be made at this point as well, giving them enough time to sit in the fridge to cool down. The yogurt sauce is simply, the finely chopped dill and chopped chilli mixed into the Greek yogurt. To make the tomato chutney, heat up the oil in a saucepan, once the oil is hot, add the spices and dried chillies, and wait for the seeds to pop. Add the tomatoes and resist poking them, just swirl the pan around, so they hold their shape and don't realise too much liquid. Add the tomato puree, tamarind paste and the sugar. Once the tomatoes start to naturally break down add about a quarter cup of water and the vinegar. Bring to the boil then turn down and allow to simmer for about ten minuets, or until the chutney thickens. Seasona and taste. If the chutney is tangy, sweet and just slightly spiced, then it’s done. Leave to cool down, then place both sauces in the fridge.

The paneer, once firm, can be cut up into the ideal size, although, too large and they will not absorb enough marinade, and too small, they may just fall apart. It depends on how the paneer has turned out. In the image bellow you can see two different types of paneer, the ones on the right, are slightly yellow and look more crumbly, this is the home made paneer. The ones on the left are white and shop bought. I did this as an experiment to see if I could notice any difference in cooking and tasting. 

Marinade and place in the fridge for about 2 hrs. When ready to cook, heat the oven to 220° and place the marinated paneer pieces on a baking tray and on the top shelf of the oven. The aim is to get them slightly charred on the outside, but soft on the inside. As expected, the, shop bought paneer, being firmer, didn't have as much water content as my home made paneer. Becauce of this, the intense heat made the shop bought paneer rather dry. The home-made paneer released what I though was either fat or whey/water which when mixed with the marinade and turned the bottom side of the paneer crispy. This meant there was a very fine line between slightly charred and very charred. They were in the oven for about 15 minuets, and came out perfectly charred.

I very quickly and generously assembled the Frankie whilst the bread was heating up over the griddle. I rolled it up and chowed it down even faster. It’s great fun to make, and there are short cuts you can take if you don't have time to go through all the steps I took… although, if you love paneer as much as me, I highly recommend making it at home, it keeps in the fridge for a few days… and that only means an excuse to have paneer the next day as well! 

Older the better, Yogurt Culture

Being back home is great. Of course there are a few downsides to moving back home with my mum… in Milton Keynes, but there are way more upsides… for example: my granddad is staying with us for a couple of weeks, due to an injury sustained from me encouraging him to walk a balancing beam in the park. Very foolish on both our behalves, but me more so. But anyways, he’s a pure vegetarian for religious, so that means no meat what so ever, including eggs. Dairy is fine. Garlic and onions, and any other vegetables from the onion family, like chives and leeks, are strictly prohibited also. Even worse… strictly no alcohol! As a family we all believe that the same food should be eaten around the dinning table, and so for this reason, the things that my granddad doesn't eat are also off limits to us. I found this to be rather frustrating at first, a great annoyance, especially for someone who likes to cook and eat whatever I feel like. I had a list of things I wanted to cook when getting back home since being in the Philippines… Like a Lamb Roast…. Oh….a lamb roast…. Gosh!… but, yeah, that’s not gonna happen for anther a while now…

…The up side? Being re-introduced to home-made Gujarati cooking… my MUM’s homemade Gujarati cooking. And oh my days, have I missed it (without even realising). I forgot about all those strange ingredients my mum used to get from the Indian grocers, like mulanggay pods, dudi (bottle gourd), methi (fenegreek leaves), tamerind, … the list of obscurity goes on and on. I think my absence away from my family has mad me appreciate my culture even more. I’m now paying attention to what’s happening in the kitchen when my mum cooks veggie Guju food, something I wouldn't have done five years ago.  My taste buds have been brought back to life with the flavours of my childhood. I’m now eating dishes I refused to eat as a little girl, always opting for the mac and cheese instead of split pea Khitchdi and potato curry…. Now I know.

The one thing I have grown to admire and love so very much is my mum’s home made Dahi (yogurt). She has been using the same yogurt culture for years, and ever since I can remember, there has always been a steel bowl of cool yogurt in our fridge, or a bowl of thriving bacteria sitting in our airing cupboard or microwave (which used to be an inconvenience when I was younger, but now is rather exciting). I don't have to tell you about the benefits of live yogurt on the digestive system, but I do have to tell you, home-made yogurt with active pro-biotic is a whole lot better then the stuff you buy in the supermarket in plastic tubs. Doesn't take a genius to figure out why.

There is a misconception that yogurt is difficult to make, I don't know why exactly… I think anything involving LIVE bacteria can be scary, like bread… people are very sacred of baking bread. But trust me, making yogurt is a lot less scary then bread-making. And it’s super duper easy, once you’ve made your own yogurt and you continue doing so every time, the culture just gets better and better and better!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Yogurt Culture – either borrowed of someone who makes yogurt at home already, or the last 2 tbsp of old, sour yogurt from a bought brand. It’s vital the yogurt is pro-biotic

1 ½ Pint of Full Fat Milk

Method:

Heat the milk in a heavy based sauce pan, non stick preferably so the milk doesn't burn. Don't allow the milk to simmer - turn the heat off as soon as the milk starts to steam and bubbles begin to form around the edge of the saucepan.

Leave to cool down for about 20mins. Ideally, the yogurt should still be warm. If you have a thermometer, the ideal temperature should be about 46°. Stir in the yogurt culture, cover and leave in a warm place (airing cupboard is pretty good) for about six hours, or overnight. Once alive, place in the fridge, and consume when cool.

Yogurt’s cooling properties are really great and super effective. It can be used to make refreshing drinks on a hot day by simply whisking with some water and rose extract if you have some, otherwise some honey and cardamom is equally delicious. You can even make frozen yogurt! But today for lunch, I made a Turkish yogurt and feta dip with mint and cayenne, and also an Indian yogurt dip with crushed cumin and coriander powder, topped with toasted sesame seeds and green chillies. This was to be accompanied by some old Indian flat bread, and some stale wholegrain brown bread that needed to be consumed.

I really would like to encourage people to make yogurt instead of buying it, it saves a great deal of money as yogurt can be rather expensive now days, as most health foods are. You will eat more of it, but that does no harm what so ever… just remember to keep some behind for the next batch!

  

Two Take a Trip to Taal & Tagatay

In my last week in the Philippines, I decided to make most of my little time left in the country and visit Tagatay, a popular country retreat for Manilites, and only a couple of hours away from the capital.  I’d been told of the town’s beauty, nestled along a ridge, overlooking the active Taal Volcano in the centre of lake Taal. The climate's cooler, the air is significantly fresher, the agriculture of the area is almost entirely organic and fancy holiday houses dot the lush landscape. With some of the country’s best hotels, resort and restaurants , Tagatay is a rather exclusive destination. I’m not an exclusive kinda gal, but as it was coming to the end of my stay in the Philippines, I decided to treat myself.

Unfortunately, we decided to go on a rather dismally wet evening. The “cool” climate was bitterly cold, and we were extremely under prepared. Clothes, bags and shoes soaked, we sipped our expensive beer and contemplated how we were to pass the next couple of days. We were told a trip to the Taal Volcano would be P2500 each, way more then we budgeted for. We were also unconfidently told that the Banka (traditional Philippino boat) ride to the volcano during the rough weather would be safe, as it’d be unlikely to sink with only two passengers - not really very re-assuring. Dismayed and cold, we planned on heading back to the city the next day.

On awakening the next day, the weather was much better although the beautiful view was still fogged over by thick clouds. We decided to make the trip to the volcano any way, turning down expensive guides, and making the journey by ourselves. We found a decent fisherman who took us over to the island in his tiny motor powered boat. On arriving to the Taal Volcano we raced up to the top, and watched (and giggled) as lazy overweight tourists with facemasks passed us on tiny horses led by “tour guides”.  As shameful as that was, even more shameful was a man at the top who offered us a 9iron club and 50 golf balls with the aim of swinging the balls straight into the mouth of the volcano!  When I asked him what happens with the balls, he told me he goes and fetches them out of the sulphuric lake with a friend every weekend... not very likely... Anyways, we stopped at the top, munched on a banana and took in the stunning view (which is way better on a clear day). 

View at the top of Taal

The banka journey back to main land was a race to beat the approaching storm… as the storm clouds approached, the water was wild and rough, the wind blew against our direction an it seemed like we were getting further away from our destination. This was probably the scariest, and wettest, boat journey I have ever made… and I’ve made a few. The boat bounced and rocked and groaned with every wave, the water slashed and slapped my body and face. The journey that took us initially 20mins to get to the volcano, took us an hour and 15mins to get back! We were extremely glad to get back on dry land. We tipped well and made tracks to the nearest drinking establishment to get over the traumatic journey.

Entrance to Sonya's Garden

The next day, we took things easy, our sore legs and cold bones deserved some TLC. We decided to treat ourselves to lunch at Sonya’s Garden, a well known B&B and Restaurant. Probably the only truly successful establishment in Tagatay that doesn't have a view of Taal Lake and Volcano. The attraction though, is their extensive garden and organic farm. I had been recommended to go here by many Manilites who all claim Sonya’s Garden to be the hidden gem of Tagatay. And that it was; a 20min jeepney drive out of town, then a 10min tricycle drive away from the ridge and down towards Bantangas, Sonya’s Garden is in a very unassuming location. 

Colours at Sonya's Garden

We had booked for lunch, but decided to explore the gardens before sitting down to our feast. The gardens seemed to roll on and on, with hidden green houses, relaxing water features, and a huge variety of exotic flowers and colourful birds.

Beautiful blue hanging flowers

We stumbled into some gardens that were strictly of limits to guests, and came across some dinning tables, which, I can only assume was for bookings for more intimate special occasions...

Private dinning in one of their many conservatories

Sony’s Garden has accommodation, starting from P3000 (£44) per person to P5000 (£73). The houses/rooms are dotted around the gardens and are traditional Philippino designs with caprice windows and wooden interiors.

Accommodation: traditional design

They also have a lovely spa, a bakery and a shop selling lovely organic beauty products and some local crafts.

We must have been walking around the gardens for nearly an hour when the hunger kicked in…

Sonya’s Garden is known for their set lunch. A three-course meal that uses and shows off their ingredients straight from their farm and garden for only P600 (around £9). The dinning area is in a large, light conservatory with exotic birds flying free and chirping overhead… this nerved me a little, I’ve had bad experiences of seagulls when by the seaside in the UK, and pigeons in London, and was expecting a similar experience… but for some reason, the birds seemed docile and uninterested in all the food spreads below them.

The service was brilliant, and so very swift: Calamansi (small Philippino lime) juice was immediately brought out to our table, and this was quickly followed by our first course of flower salad, an array of toppings, and a basket of freshly baked bread.

Large salad spread

The choice was huge… fruit, nuts, cheese, pesto and even sundried tomatoes. It was all so very delicious, that we forgot to keep space for our second course…

…Our salad was promptly replaced with pasta: tagliatelle and a selection of sauces and toppings: including salmon, olives, roasted vegetables, rich tomato sauce, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese and chilli flakes, all topped up without even asking. 

We literally had no more space, and both agreed a coffee would be a more then sufficient end to the meal. But when deep-fried banana rolls, chocolate cake and sweet potato cakes were placed in front of us, we just could not resist a try. Sweetly delicious, but a little too heavy especially after our indulgent meal, it’s a Philippino’s delight, but my idea of too-much-of –a-good-thing = a case of servere indigestion. Instead of coffee, we were given Taragon tea. I had never had this before, and was pleasantly surprised at the pleasing taste and digestive quality. This is something I have taken away with me and now make after near death, decadent meals.

Stuffed!

Happily stuffed, we headed back to Manila on the bus. A trip that started of rather bleak ended unexpectedly chirpy. It’s funny how the most unassuming place can have the most memorable lasting effects… especially when food’s concerned. 

Five ways to Jazzing Instant Noodles:

Manila is a city of convenience. McDonald, Burger King, KFC, Jolibee etc. all deliver 24hrs a day. This seems slightly wrong to me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy eating out in Manila due to great value for money you get for the wide variety of cuisines, but I also actually enjoy cooking instead of taking out every night, it can be hard when you fancy something substantial but don't fancy making anything too fancy and costly. This is when my economically practical, but still creative cooking hat has to be put on.

I live right next to what I personally consider the best Korean supermarket in Manila: the staff are friendly, and give me free treats after every purchase; their homemade kim chi is THE best I’ve ever had; their selection of instant noodles has happily sustained me after long days when I don't feel like standing over a stove for the whole night; and best of all, they’re open till 2 in the morning. So hurray! for great food on tap….  I have fallen back on a few simple recipes, which I have developed during my stay here in Manila. Recipes that can vary depending on seasonal produce and what I have available in the fridge.  The following recipes are instant noodle based, cutting out the time required in making complex stocks and sauces. Every country has some sort of instant noodle: from Supernoodle in the UK; Knorr in Poland; Maggi in Malaysia; Indome in Egypt; Shin Noodle in Korea; and QuickChow in the Philippines, and all are great in their own right. I’m sure everyone has had some sort of instant noodle. It’s hard not to succumb, especially with a wide range of flavours, noodle types and the enticingly kitschy packaging.

So I though I’d share with you some simple, and I mean really simple, ways to jazz up your ramen, soba, and vermicelli. The following recipes have used ingredients in my fridge.  I haven’t had to go out to buy anything, apart from the meat/prawns and a few packs of my favourite instant noodles.

1.Crispy Ramen

Crispy Ramen Noodles with Prawns

1 Packet Spicy Ramen Noodles

1 Large leek

2 Large (medium hot) Chillies

4 Large Tiger Prawns

Dark Soy Sauce

Chilli and Garlic Paste

Coco Sugar (honey would works just as well)

Pepper

Cooking time: 20 mins including prep

Place a large sauce pan of water to boil. Take the dried noodles out of the packet, do not break the noodles - keep intact as much as possible. Keep the flavour sachet to one side. Once the water has boiled, place the noodles in. The noodles should be able to “swim” in the water, which will prevent them from sticking. Do not add any oil or salt at this point. Once the strands of the noodles have lessened, remove them from the water, but try and keep as much water in the pan as possible for the sauce. Wash the noodles in cold water and drizzle some oil over to prevent them from further cooking and clumping together. Ramen noodles should ideally be slightly chewy. Just like pasta, noodles need to retain their integrity. Over cooking them ruins the taste, the texture, and is better off in the bin then on the plate. In this dish especially, the noodles will not crisp up the way they should if over cooked.

Whilst the noodles rest, reheat the noodle water. The water in which the noodles were cooking is full of starch, this will help thicken and flavour the sauce. Add the flavour sachet, the chopped leeks and chillies (I personally like them chopped at an angle, as this allows for maximum flavour release), and the whole prawns. Let this simmer away. 

Now it’s time for my favourite bit…. The crisping of the ramen! Heat a frying pan with a table spoon or so of a low burning oil, I used canola/rapeseed oil. Evenly distribute the oil in the pan, and wait till the oil starts to smoke. Add the noodles and quickly distribute them out evenly. The aim is to get the base really crispy, almost nearly burnt, but to retain the chewiness of the top. If the oil is not hot enough, the noodles will go soggy. This should only take a few minuets. Slide the noodles of onto some kitchen paper, to allow the excess oil to drain off.

By now the prawns should be cooked. Remove them and allow to cool. There is no point in peeling hot prawns. I personally think resting them after cooking, like meat, keeps them tender. To the sauce, add a few drops of soy sauce, some garlic and chilli paste and coco syrup (this is just my personal preference in taste, you can add oyster sauce, black bean, hoi sin, or just leave the stock as it is). Allow to reduce by half at least.

Assemble as you like, as much or as little sauce as you like, it wont ruin the crispy base…. And enjoy a plate of crispy, spicy, chewy ramen.

     2.  Korean Bulgogi

It was an especially nice evening to cook: the Manilan sky was pink from the setting sun in the smog; Monday’s rush-hour jeepneys honked in the near distance; and the giant cockroach that had been inhabiting my kitchen for the last few days had moved on to better things. I feel rather lucky to have a wonderful open kitchen, over looking a reasonably quite street lined with exotic berry barring palm and coconut trees. To match the freshness of my mood, I felt like cooking something equally fresh for dinner... Korean Bulgogi.

My outdoor kitchen

1 Packet instant Vietnamese Noodles (thin noodles)

100grams of Beef Rib Steak

2 Large Shitake Mushrooms

Leafy Lettuce

1 Large Springonion

2 Large Chillies

Mint basil Leaves

Soy sauce

Corn Flour

Chilli Powder

Garlic

Brown Sugar

Korean BBQ Sauce

Cooking time: 30 mins including prep

Bulgogi

The ingredients here, do not have to be strictly followed. Typical Bulgogi is eaten with rice instead of noodles, but both work well. I have actually fused Korean/Vietnamese and Thai flavours here but you can leave out what you don't like or exchange it for an ingredient you do like. I fist made this a month ago when I was cooking for a friend who hates spicy food, so I used chicken in a honey/soy marinade, with cucumber, sesame seeds along with vermicelli tossed in light rice vinegar. This was really nice, light and wonderfully fragrant… but today I fancied something a little bit spicier and meatier!

I first sliced the beef steak thinly. The beauty about using the intercostals muscles of beef (or from any other meat for that matter) is the layering of lean meat and fat. This makes it great for the barbeque and for stews. It’s the typical meat used in bulgogi, and as it happens, was on sale at the butchers around the corner from me. I got what I needed, cut the way I wanted, even though it took about twenty minutes of me trying to explain what cut of meat I wanted to the butcher. The meat was marinated in soy sauce, corn flour, sugar, chilli powder and crushed garlic for about 15 minuets.

The noodles were cooked exactly how it was suggested on the packet, although I removed them from the heat a little earlier then recommended and drained all the stock off. The noodles should have soaked up enough flavouring by this time. I didn't want them tasting too strong, as there were quite a few distinct ingredients which were to be part of my bulgogi.

I quickly fried the meat, and let it rest whilst I flash fried the shitake mushrooms in the left over fat in the pan. I assembled the spring onions, chillies, mint basil, noodles, beef strips, mushrooms and lettuce. One reason why bulgogi is so much fun is the “mix and matching “ of every mouthful. Choosing what gets wrapped up in the lettuce parcel creates a great sense of anticipation and mid mouthful reflection. Each mouthful has the possibility to be different to the last, and this makes the dinning experience exciting and fun. 

I must confess that I made way too much for one person. It’s surprising how filling bulgogi can be. I personally think this may have something to do with the self-assembly process.  I did a little swap with Mr Khelm, a few doors down, some bulgogi for a slice of his wife's Ube Cake. A perfectly sweet ending to a spicy meal.  

    3. Chicken and mushroom noodle soup with egg

This is probably one of the simplest instant noodle combinations I make. For those really lazy evenings, when you don't feel like being crazy or creative, when you need something that you know tastes good every time, and something that fills the belly with warmth. For me, this has to be chicken and mushroom noodle soup with egg. Of course I put loads and loads of chilli in, but it isn’t necessary. If you don't like mushrooms, you can leave them out or substitute. If you don't like chicken noodles, you can use any flavour noodle you like… but the one thing I ask you to keep… the egg. Since trying egg in my noodles, I have never looked back. I remember being served it in a street stall in Quezon City when I first arrived to Manila, and I though… oh no… I’m gonna be ill tomorrow. But after one slurp… that was it, I didn't care if I had the poops the next day, it tasted so very delicious, and I new from that day every noodle soup deserved an egg. 

Simple Chicken and Mushroom Noodle Soup

   

     1 Packet Instant Chicken Noodles

     1 Free Range Egg

     1 Large Shitake Mushroom

     2 large Chillies

     Pepper

     Cooking time: 12 mins

Firstly, boil a pot of water. Chop the mushroom thinly, as well as the chillies. Add the noodles to the water, along with the sachet flavouring. Simmer with a lid half on for about two minuets. Switch the heat off. Crack and egg, but only add the egg whites to the noodles. Mix well, then add the mushrooms, chillies and season with pepper. Cover and leave for about a minuet. Serve and place the egg yolk on the top. Mix in the egg yolk before eating, the chicken broth will thicken and taste richer.



4. Kim Chi Jigae Noodle Soup

Kim Chi Jigae Noodle Soup with Tofu and Leeks

Kim Chi soup (Jigae in Korean) is a lot easier to make then it looks. The kim chi makes the base of the soup, creates the stock if you like. What you add after that is entirely up to one’s personal taste: mince beef and potatoes is a classic; pork and leek is also popular; but today I felt like leek and tofu. Noodles aren’t normally added, instead, Kim chi soup is eaten with rice… but I like breaking the rules. I must say though, it is essential to have good kim chi. Normally I stay away from the pre-packaged kim chi as the quality tends to be poor, but for the purposes of the soup, it’s actually okay. I used home-made kim chi from my local Korean store. It’s also better if the kim chi is old (three to four, even five months old!) and smelly.  I love one-pot-cooking; it’s easy, simple, and saves on cleaning up!

The pressure was on. I was cooking for a Korean friend, and was closely watched. She suggested frying the kim chi before adding the water, and I must say, this intensified the flavour ten fold! The reviews were rather good, although apparently it wasn't spicy enough! 

Old Kim chi

1 Large Leek

4 Large Chillies

Silky Tofu

Noodles of choice (I used flat noodles instead of Ramen)

Crushed Garlic

Pepper

Cooking time: 30 mins

Heat about two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add as much or as little kim chi to the hot oil, remember to add both the stems and leafy part of the cabbage. The more kimchi you add, the ticker the stock will be. Fry for about five minuets, or until the kim chi turns a darker, richer redish colour.

Fill the pan with boiling water from a kettle, add some crushed garlic and leave to simmer on a low heat for about 15 minuets.

Season with pepper then add the chopped leeks, chillies and noodles. Just before the noodles are cooked, add the tofu to warm through. Serve piping warm with a cold beer or Soju. 

5. Soba And Dumplings

Soba with spring onions, chilli, and pork and egg dumplings

I love love LOVE soba noddles. I can eat them plain, with a pinch of pepper and salt, and be perfectly happy. This is because, like most beautiful Japanese things, soba is complexly simple. The first time I had soba was actually in London. It was served cold with a dipping sauce and a selection of Japanese pickles. Soba is made from 80% buckwheat and 20&% wheat flour. The technique in making really good soba takes years… maybe even a life time. So it’s something I’m rather scared of trying to do at home. Till i pluck up the courage, I have tried a wide variety of dried soba noodles. The best dried soba I’ve tried are available at the Japanese grocery store - Arigato in Soho, London. They come in white packaging… I don't know what the name is, as it’s written in Japanese, but it's easy to find. Sainsbury’s actually stock Organic Soba Noodes in their specialist section, which I’ve found to be quite good. I’m sure none of the above actually compare to proper fresh soba made by the hands of a Japanese soba master and eaten in Japan… but till that day comes, I can only rely on what’s available to me.

So this is actually something I make on a regular. I can’t even begin to explain to you how simple this recipe is. It’s substantial, filling and so very delicious! The dumplings I get frozen, again, from the Korean store close to my house. They’re filled with egg and pork. If you can’t get dumplings, soba tends to go well with almost anything, as long as the flavour doesn't over power the taste of the soba. Salt and pepper tofu is a good accompliment as well. 

Soba noodles

2 Small or Half a big Spring onion

2 Chillies

Soba Sauce (dashi stock, soy sauce, anchovy paste, mirin)

A couple of dumplings

Cooking time: 20 mins

Boil a pot of water. Add the dried soba to the boiling water. They only take a couple of minuets to cook. Remove from heat, drain and wash with cold water. Mix in the chopped chillies, spring onions and a few table spoons of sauce. Don't over do it with the sauce, it should just cling onto the soba.

Fry dumplings, let rest on some kitchen paper, then serve.