Olah olah is an Indonesian vegetable curry of crisp stir fried vegetables in a creamy coconut sauce. The recipe comes from the fabulous cookbook FIRE ISLANDS Recipes from Indonesia by Eleanor Ford. An excellent side dish or a meal on its own – serve it with rice and prawn crackers. First make the spice mix.…… Continue reading olah olah
Tag: recipe
mapo tofu 2.0
I used to cook a delicious (but not very authentic) Mapo tofu or Grandma’s beancurd. Since I’m now more familiar with Sichuan food, here’s a more authentic and spicy version. You will need some Sichuan pantry staples – Sichuan peppercorns, spicy bean paste (doubanjiang) and homemade chilli oil – for this recipe. If you don’t…… Continue reading mapo tofu 2.0
carrot ginger walnut cake
Mary made this deliciously moist carrot cake from a Nigella Lawson recipe. It was chock full of ginger and walnuts. Preheat your oven to 170°C (325°F) and grease and line a 20cm (8″) springform cake tin with baking paper. In a bowl mix 200g (7 oz) of plain flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ½…… Continue reading carrot ginger walnut cake
tomato salad + cauliflower salad
Lorraine made these two salads, both with Middle Eastern flavours, from recipes by the flavour master himself, Yotam Ottolenghi. Worthy additions to any meal. The first is adapted from his tomato and pomegranate salad. Thinly slice ½ a small red onion. Add 2 teaspoons of za’atar and 1½ tablespoons of good quality olive oil and set aside. Halve…… Continue reading tomato salad + cauliflower salad
pickled turnips
These are the ubiquitous pickles of the Middle East. You may have had them with falafel or in a kebab. They are a vinegary, garlicky, slightly spicy and the perfect foil for so many foods. I served mine recently for an Iranian style meal with my homemade marinated feta, flat bread, and platters of herbs,…… Continue reading pickled turnips
chicken shawarma
Deborah made this delicious marinated chicken which we cooked over hot coals and served with flat bread and salads. What a feast! The chicken marinade and accompanying sauces come from another fabulous Yotam Ottolenghi recipe. Use 8 boneless chicken thighs with the skin on – pat them dry with paper towels. Make the marinade in…… Continue reading chicken shawarma
makrut marmalade
Makrut (kaffir) limes and their leaves are an essential ingredient in Thai kitchens. The rind of these small gnarled limes are used to brighten curry pastes and the leaves add a wonderful fragrance to many dishes, including salads. The juice, which is very sour and bitter, is not used in cooking as much. My makrut…… Continue reading makrut marmalade
corn fritters + cucumber peanut salad
These Thai corn fritters are easy to make and absolutely delectable. Adapted from Marion’s Kitchen. For this recipe use 400g (14 oz) of fresh or frozen corn kernels – I used a mixture. Take 1 cup of the corn kernels and blitz them in a food processor to a fine consistency. Mix them back in…… Continue reading corn fritters + cucumber peanut salad
salsa verde
Salsa verde (green sauce) covers a wide variety of uncooked sauces made from chopped herbs. The Italian version is made with parsley and anchovies, the Spanish version with coriander (cilantro), the French version adds chervil, a German version involves seven herbs and then there’s British mint sauce and Argentinian Chimichurri. This is a vegetarian version to make with leftover soft herbs. It doesn’t really…… Continue reading salsa verde
lion’s head meatballs
Lion’s head meatballs (Shizi Tou 獅子頭) originated in Yangzhou and Zhenjiang but travelled to Shanghai with migrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries and is now considered a classic of Shanghai cuisine. These meatballs are thought to have acquired their name due to a similarity in appearance to the head of Chinese garden lions.…… Continue reading lion’s head meatballs
michelle picker cooks 