1 tbsp lemongrass paste or finely chopped fresh (Note 3)
Thai Red Curry
3 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola or peanut)
1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth/stock , low sodium
400 ml / 14 oz coconut milk (full fat!)
6 kaffir lime leaves (Note 4)
1 tbsp sugar (white, brown or palm)
2 tsp fish sauce , plus more to taste
350g / 12 oz chicken thighs (boneless and skinless), cut into 0.75 / 1/3″ thick slices (Note 5)
150g / 5 oz pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1.5cm / 3/5″ cubes (~1 heaped cup)
120g / 4oz green beans , trimmed and cut into 5cm/2″ pieces
12 Thai basil leaves (Note 6)
Garnishes (optional) & serving:
Fresh red chilli slices (small chilli – spicy, large = less spicy)
Fresh coriander / cilantro leaves
Steamed jasmine rice
Instructions
Heat oil in a large heavy based skillet over medium high heat.
Add curry paste and Extras (if using jar paste) and cook for about 2 minutes so it “dries out” (See video)
Add chicken broth and stir to dissolve paste. Simmer rapidly for 3 minutes or until liquid reduces by half.
Add coconut milk, lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce. Stir, then add chicken.
Spread chicken out, bring to simmer, then turn heat down to medium. Simmer for about 8- 10 minutes or until Sauce reduces, the chicken is cooked and the sauce is almost at the thickness you want.
Do a taste test. Add more fish sauce (or even shrimp paste) to add more saltiness, sugar for sweetness.
Add pumpkin and beans, stir. Cook for 3 minutes or until pumpkin is just cooked through and Sauce is thickened – see video for Sauce thickness.
Remove from heat. Stir through a handful of Thai basil leaves.
Serve over jasmine rice, garnished with fresh red chilli slices and fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, if desired.
1/2 tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper powder (Note 2)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 lb / 750 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite size pieces
Curry
2 tbsp (30 g) ghee or butter, OR 1 tbsp vegetable oil (Note 3)
1 cup tomato passata (aka tomato puree) (Note 4)
1 cup heavy / thickened cream (Note 5)
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
To serve – choose
Basmati rice
White rice
Coriander/cilantro (optional)
Instructions
Optional blitz: for an extra smooth sauce, combine the Marinade ingredients (except the chicken) in a food processor and blend until smooth. (I do not do this)
Marinade: Combine the Marinade ingredients with the chicken in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours (minimum 3 hrs).
Cook chicken: Heat the ghee (butter or oil) over high heat in a large fry pan. Take the chicken out of the Marinade but do not wipe or shake off the marinade from the chicken (but don’t pour the Marinade left in the bowl into the fry pan).
Place chicken in the fry pan and cook for around 3 minutes, or until the chicken is white all over (it doesn’t really brown because of the Marinade).
Sauce: Add the tomato passata, cream, sugar and salt. Also add any remaining marinade left in the bowl. Turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do a taste test to see if it needs more salt.
Garnish with coriander/cilantro leaves if using. Serve with basmati rice.
The Butter Chicken is pictured with my very easy No Yeast Flatbread and no-fry papadums (Note 5).
1 cup / 250 ml dry white wine , or low sodium chicken broth
1 onion , quartered (Note 2)
1 garlic bulb , halved horizontally (Note 2)
Instructions
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
Preheat oven to 220C/450F (standard) or 200C/430F (fan/convection). Put shelf in the middle.
Mix together Butter ingredients. Add juice from 2 wedges of lemon.
Place chicken in a roasting pan. Use a dessert spoon to loosen skin from chicken (see video). Do the top (the breast) and the drumsticks – not the underside.
Prop chicken upright, drizzle butter under skin, using most of the garlic/herb sludge, but saving a bit of butter for the skin (Note 3).
Drizzle / smear remaining butter all over surface of the chicken. Squeeze over juice of 2 lemon wedges.
Stuff used lemon wedges and rosemary inside chicken.
Tie drumstick ends with string and tuck wing tips under the chicken.
Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
Place onion and garlic in the pan, place chicken on top. Pour wine around, drizzle chicken with oil.
Transfer to oven. Roast for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 180C/350F (all oven types). Roast for a further 1 hr 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 75C/165F or until juices run clear when pierced at the join between the drumstick and the body. Baste twice (30 min then at 1 hr), spooning pan juices over skin.
Rest for 15 minutes – don’t cover, skin becomes wet.
Serve with pan juices (see video for how to carve). I discard onion but use the garlic in the pan. See notes for side suggestions & how to use carcass for incredible homemade broth!
1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing) (Note 4)
1 1/2 tsp white sugar
Pinch white pepper
Sauce thickener:
1 1/2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
3 tbsp water
Instructions
Sauce – Mix ingredients in a small bowl then set aside. Some is used to flavour the beef, then the rest for the noodles.
Sauce thickener (cornflour slurry) – Mix the cornflour / cornstarch and water in a separate small bowl.
Prepare noodles per packet directions then drain.
Cook beef – Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Cook garlic for 10 seconds, then add the beef and cook until you can no longer see pink. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Sauce and the white part of the green onions. Cook for another 2 minutes to get the beef nicely caramelised.
Finish sauce – Mix the cornflour slurry into the remaining sauce.
Egg – Add the egg into the pan then mix it through the beef, it will sort of scramble. Egg makes the beef stick to the noodles better!
Cabbage & carrot – When the egg is mostly cooked, add the carrot and cabbage. Cook for 1 minute until cabbage starts to wilt.
Sauce & noodles – Give the sauce a quick mix. Add the bean sprouts, noodles and sauce into the pan. Toss well for 1 minute or until sauce is dispersed through the noodles. Add green part of green onions. Toss for another 1 minute.
1.5 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (not dark soy)
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
White pepper , one dash
3/4 cup (185ml) chicken stock / broth , low sodium
3 tbsps cornflour / corn starch
Crispy Noodles
200 g / 8 oz fresh chow mein noodles (Note 2)
4 tbsp water , separated
2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable or canola)
Stir Fry
150 g / 5 oz chicken , thinly sliced
1 tbsp peanut oil , if needed (or vegetable or canola)
2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
1/2 onion , sliced
1 carrot * , small, halved lengthwise then sliced on diagonal
1 bok choy * , stems and leaves separated with stems cut vertically into sticks
2 shallots/scallions * , cut into 5cm/2″ pieces
2 cups cabbage * , cut into 2.4cm / 1″ squares
1/2 cup (125ml) water
Instructions
Sauce & Chicken Marinade
Mix the Sauce ingredients EXCEPT cornflour and chicken broth/stock.
Remove 1 tbsp Sauce and mix through chicke. Leave to marinate 10 minutes+.
Mix cornflour into Sauce until lump free.
Crispy Noodles
Turn oven onto low (to keep noodles warm while you cook the topping).
Divide noodles into 2 then shape into 20cm/8″ rounds. Keep them tangled – this holds them together while cooking.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet over medium high heat. Place 1 noodle cake into pan then drizzle over 2 tbsp water.
Wait until the water evaporates (steam cooks the noodles), then pat down lightly and let the noodles cook for a further 1 to 2 minute until the bottom of the noodles are golden brown (lift up with a spatula to check).
Slide noodles onto a plate, then flip upside down back into the pan. Cook for a further 1 1/2 – 2 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to tray and place in oven to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining noodle cake.
Saucy Stir Fry Topping
Add an extra 1 tbsp oil if needed, increase heat to HIGH. Add garlic and onion, cook for 30 seconds.
Add chicken and cook until it changes from pink to white (still raw inside)
Add the carrot and bok choy stems, cook 30 seconds.
Add cabbage and leaf of buk choy, cook for 1 minute until they start to wilt.
Add chicken broth, water, then Sauce and stir. Let it simmer for 1 – 2 minutes until the Sauce thickens to a syrup consistency (see video).
1/2 tbsp chilli garlic sauce or sriracha (optional)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup water
White pepper
Instructions
Prepare noodles according to packet instructions (usually soaking it in boiling water).
Combine tofu with marinade and set aside for 5 minutes.
Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Heat oil in wok over high heat, add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds.
Add tofu and stir fry until starting to caramelise – about 1 minute. Stir fry gently so the tofu doesn’t break.
Add the cabbage and carrot and stir fry until the cabbage starts to wilt.
Add the noodles, scallions/shallots, bean sprouts and sauce and stir fry until the noodles are warmed through and sauce evenly coats the noodles – about 1 minute. Don’t cook it too much – the bean sprouts should still be quite crisp, not wilted.
Serve immediately.
Directions using homemade Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce
If you have a jar of homemade Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce, you do not need to make the marinade or sauce for this recipe.
Substitute the tofu marinade with 1 tbsp Stir Fry Sauce
Substitute the Sauce ingredients with 1/4 cup Stir Fry Sauce and 1/4 cup water.
200g /6 oz chicken breast or thigh fillets , thinly sliced (Note 1 tenderise option)
4 cups green cabbage , finely shredded (Note 3)
1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
200g /6 oz chow mein noodles (Note 2)
1 carrot , julienned
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
3 green onions , cut into 5cm/2″ pieces
1/4 cup (65 ml) water
Chow Mein Sauce:
2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce , all purpose or light (Note 4)
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (sub Hoisin)
1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin (Note 5)
2 tsp sugar (reduce to 1 tsp if using Mirin)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
White pepper (sub black)
Instructions
Sauce:
Mix together cornflour and soy sauce, then mix in remaining ingredients.
Alternative: Use 1/3 cup Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce, if you have some in stock.
Chicken & Noodles
Marinate Chicken: Pour 1 tbsp of Sauce over the chicken, mix to coat, set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Noodles: Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions (my pack says soak in boiled water for 1 minute), then drain.
Cooking:
Heat oil in wok or large fry pan over high heat.
Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds or until it starts to turn golden – don’t let it burn!
Add chicken and stir fry until the surface gets a tinge of browning but inside is still raw – about 1 minute.
Add the cabbage, carrot, and the white pieces of shallots (i.e. from the base of the stalk). Stir fry for 1 1/2 minutes until the cabbage is mostly wilted.
Add the noodles, Sauce and water*. Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing constantly.
Add bean sprouts and remaining shallots/scallions. Toss through for 30 seconds or until the bean sprouts just start to wilt.
Lemon garlic paste – Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Slather onto the top and sides of the salmon. If time permits, marinade for 1 hour. Otherwise, proceed with recipe.
Preheat oven grill / broiler to 280°C/525°F or as high as yours goes. Place the oven shelf 20 cm /8″ from the heat source.
Prepare tray – Toss the asparagus and cherry tomatoes with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on a large tray then clear space for the salmon. Place salmon on the tray leaving a bit of space between each. Spray surface of salmon with oil.
Cook – Grill/broil for 11 minutes or until the salmon is done – the flesh should flake, the internal temperature should be 50°C/122°F (Note 5).
Serve – Transfer salmon and vegetables to plate. Grate parmesan over the vegetables. Squeeze lemon juice over the salmon, sprinkle with parsley. Eat!
