Udon noodles are thick, slippery noodles made from wheat, oil and flour, often used in soup. In this recipe I recommend using instant dashi (soup stock made from seaweed and bonito flakes) for simplicity. The soft udon noodles and crunchy tempura prawns in this dish make for a delicious contrast of flavours and textures.
The best way to describe this dish is as a nicoise style salad. Simple to prepare, if you use a prepared satay sauce you can serve it either hot or cold. Satay sauce can at times, be a little concentrated so do water it down before serving.
Nasi Goreng literally means fried rice. Many families make up a nasi goreng with leftovers from a previous meal but we have used fresh chicken.The ingredients which differentiate nasi goreng from other fried rice dishes are sambal oelek and ketjap manis. In Indonesia it is sometimes served topped with a fried egg and even more … Continued
Plum sauce and duck are a perfect marriage which is enhanced further with the addition of lychees in this dish, for that special occasion. Duck, when cooked in a Chinese household, is always served well done, but of course you may cook it to your preference.
Pineapples grow in abundance in the Far East and the fruit is used extensively in the local cuisine. It is made into chutneys, jams, desserts and tarts. These pineapple jam tarts are usually made at Christmas and Chinese New Year but can be enjoyed all year round. Combined with a light buttery pastry they are … Continued
Agar agar is a quick gelling agent, made from seaweed and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. When cold the jelly is firm to the touch and can be handled. In this South East Asian recipe I have combined agar with coconut milk and palm sugar but do use gular melaka if available.
This purple, almost black rice is used in the Far East in desserts. Cooked with traditional pandan leaves and served with coconut milk, this pudding has a flavour all of its own. In this recipe we use pandan essence, which must be used sparingly, but do use the presh leaves if available. Soaking the rice … Continued
As Agar agar on its own does not have any calories, this is a healthy, low calorie desert. Made from seaweed it is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Here we have added the jelly to a fresh fruit salad for an interesting combination of textures.
This selection of jelly has been made up with low sugar fruit juices. Suitable for children, especially if jelly is made from fresh fruit juices and grated vegetables or fruit. Some juices such as pineapple, fig, mango, peach and papaya will not set as they contain enzymes which break down the gelling ability of agar.
A light salad of mixed leaves tossed in light olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Do use the lightest olive oil you can get for this recipe extra virgin has too strong a flavour.