Orient Express

I have become increasingly interested (or perhaps just totally obsessed) with asian inspired food of late. Not a week goes by without a stir fry or curry. I have decided that my penchant for all things oriental is for various reasons-

-an asian inspired dish is really quick and easy to make, a one pan wonder if you will

-Homemade Asian food impresses

-It’s everywhere from Jamie O’s 30minute meals to Bill Granger’s new book ‘Bill’s Everyday Asian’

-When you’re feeling in need of a bit of a healthy boost what better than a spicy stirfry with loads of chopped vegetables- the more the better and you can just bung in anything you have lurking in the depths of the fridge

Once you have a few staples in the cupboard/fridge it is so simple to turn a bit of meat and some vegetables into an everyday asian feast. Now I have built up my asian essentials I often freestyle with varying amounts of each flavour, these experimental dishes are often the best way to stumble upon a fab new recipe.

My asian essential recommendations would be: soy sauce (I like Tamari), sesame oil, lime juice (fresh or bottled), chilli (red- dried and fresh), root ginger (and lots of it, this keeps for ages in the fridge and is also amazingly warming and a great cold deterrent grated into a mug of hot water with a squeeze of lemon), palm sugar, honey, peanut butter, tamarind paste and coconut milk.

The best thing is ALL of these ingredients keep well so although the initial stock up may seem pricey- they really will last and see you through countless meals, plus you’ll only ever use little bits in most dishes. The only extra thing that really is worth buying fresh is coriander, you can buy a plant and keep it on your window sill for a constant supply of fresh leaves.

My new favourite stirfry recipe is one that I cooked last week for my Dad and I, it was after we’d spent a while bottling last years sloe gin and making up this years and needed something quick and tasty.

For two people:

1 chicken breast, chopped dipped in a little beaten egg then tossed in plain flour

2 shallots, chopped

100g mushrooms, chopped

1-2 pak choi, quartered

Juice 1 lime

1 red chilli chopped

2tsps (or a couple of squeezes) of runny honey

3 tblsp soy sauce

1tblsp sesame oil

A large thumb of peeled & grated ginger (I use LOTS of ginger to give a really good depth of flavour)

chick/veg stock to loosen (probably around 5-6tblsp but add it until you reach your desired consistency)

200g cooked egg noodles

A small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

-Drizzle a little sunflower/groundnut oil into a wok and place over a medium heat

-Add the shallots and cook gently for around five minutes, until soft

-Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the lime juice, chili, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger

-Add the chicken pieces to the wok and brown briefly before pouring in the soy mixture from the previous step

-Add the mushrooms, and pak choi to the wok and mix everything together well

-Pour in a little stock, bit by bit, until you have a good sauce

-Cook over a medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the pak choi is tender

-Add the cooked noodles to the pan and mix everything together well before sprinkling with the coriander and serving. 

I have become increasingly interested (or perhaps just totally obsessed) with asian inspired food of late. Not a week goes by without a stir fry or curry. I have decided that my penchant for all things oriental is for various reasons- an asian inspired dish is often really quick and easy to make, a one pan wonder if you will Homemade Asian food impresses It’s everywhere from Jamie O’s 30minute meals to Bill Granger’s new book ‘Bill’s Everyday Asian’ When you’re feeling in need of a bit of a healthy boost what better than a spicy stirfry with loads of chopped vegetables- the more the better and you can just bung in anything you have lurking in the depths of the fridge Once you have a few staples in the cupboard/fridge it is so simple to turn a bit of meat and some vegetables into an everyday asian feast. Now I have built up my asian essentials I often freestyle with varying amounts of each flavour, these experimental dishes are often the best way to stumble upon a fab new recipe. My asian essential recommendations would be: soy sauce (I like Tamari), sesame oil, lime juice (fresh or bottled), chilli (red- dried and fresh), root ginger (and lots of it, this keeps for ages in the fridge and is also amazingly warming and a great cold deterrent grated into a mug of hot water with a squeeze of lemon), palm sugar, honey, peanut butter, tamarind paste and coconut milk. The best thing is ALL of these ingredients keep well so although the initial stock up may seem pricey- they really will last and see you through countless meals, plus you’ll only ever use little bits in most dishes. The only extra thing that really is worth buying fresh is coriander, you can buy a plant and keep it on your window sill for a constant supply of fresh leaves. My new favourite stirfry recipe is one that I cooked last week for my Dad and I, it was after we’d spent a while bottling last years sloe gin and making up this years and needed something quick and tasty. For two people: 1 chicken breast, chopped dipped in a little beaten egg then tossed in plain flour 2 shallots, chopped 100g mushrooms, chopped 1-2 pak choi, quartered Juice 1 lime 1 red chilli chopped 2tsps (or a couple of squeezes) of runny honey 3 tblsp soy sauce 1tblsp sesame oil A large thumb of peeled & grated ginger (I use LOTS of ginger to give a really good depth of flavour) chick/veg stock to loosen (probably around 5-6tblsp but add it until you reach your desired consistency) 200g cooked egg noodles A small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped -Drizzle a little sunflower/groundnut oil into a wok and place over a medium heat -Add the shallots and cook gently for around five minutes, until soft -Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the lime juice, chili, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger -Add the chicken pieces to the wok and brown briefly before pouring in the soy mixture from the previous step -Add the mushrooms, and pak choi to the wok and mix everything together well -Pour in a little stock, bit by bit, until you have a good sauce -Cook over a medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the pak choi is tender -Add the cooked noodles to the pan and mix everything together well before sprinkling with the coriander and serving.

Anna del Conte in discussion with Silvana de Soissons

I recently went to an incredibly interesting talk with the culinary genius Anna del Conte, an Italian born food writer who has just released her latest book ‘Cooking with Coco’, a dedication to cooking with her 12-year-old granddaughter. Being a fan of Anna’s writing and having recently read ‘Risotto with Nettles’- her memoir with food, I was thrilled to meet her and her interviewer Silvana de Soissons, a fellow Italian and founder of The Foodie Bugle magazine. Anna spoke candidly to Silvana about her Italian roots, her upbringing, her move to the UK, and the inevitable difference in each cuisine. Her good friend Nigella Lawson often champions Anna del Conte; they both share an Italian link and the obvious love of good food, coincidently this is how I initially heard of Anna.

Italian food has become highly popular the world over. Anna puts this down to the ease of availability of ingredients- who hasn’t got a tin of tomatoes and some pasta in their cupboard- different to the exhaustive list of ingredients that a lot of other recipes require. Italian food is totally rooted in tradition, the champion dishes are the classics such as Bolognese. Recipes are passed down through the family and imbedded deep within the culture as opposed to the fads and fashion that food has often become linked with in Britain.

Anna del Conte was born into a Milanese family where the family cook Maria nurtured her initial interest in food. With the absence of entertainment for children she would rush off to the kitchen when she got home from school and help. Her mother was also a good cook, and her signature dishes were often requested at dinner parties. Anna came to England in 1949, a time when olive oil was only available in chemists, rationing was still prevalent and nobody had a clue what fennel or an aubergine was. Meat and butter were rationed, but this did not include horsemeat, which Anna would cook and serve to unsuspecting friends.

Although her dedication to her Italian roots is steadfast, she also has a love of a good shepherd’s pie or a sticky toffee pudding, dishes she has adopted into her repertoire.  Her food heroes include Margaret Costa, Jane Grigson, Katie Stewart and Elizabeth David.

Author to many a cookbook, Anna’s latest offering, ‘Cooking with Coco’ is a family cook book aimed at encouraging a child’s interest in food from a young age and based on her granddaughters interest in helping in the kitchen from a young age. The book is set out in chapters ordered by age group- relevant to what capability you can expect. It is bursting with bright, colourful photographs of food and family and regardless of who you want to share the culinary experience or just embark on a solo kitchen mission; the recipes are inspiring, delicious and suitable for anyone. 

Cooking with Coco is available on Amazon.co.uk